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"No signal detected for this channel" error 3.1.1.1
Here is my ongoing problem with Cox that spans YEARS now, and frankly, we're getting very tired of it. It's mostly when you power on the unit, whereupon a blue box slides out from the right side of the screen that says: "Sorry, there is currently no TV signal detected for this channel. The channel may be temporarily off air. Please try again later. If the problem continues, please contact Cox Customer Servie at (866)961-1207. Reference 3.1.3.0 when calling. Alternatively, you can press the GUIDE button on your remote control to watch programs on other channels." The error message number varies from 3.1.3.0, 3.1.1.2, 3.1.4.2, 3.1.1.1, but these error message numbers apparently don't really mean anything because no tech I've spoken with has any idea what they mean.
We are on the Contour 6 box with a Samsung SmartTV and a Denon receiver.
The problem is sporadic, but happens regulary. And I mean regularly, as in OFTEN, sometimes more than once a day.
You can pull up the guide, pick another channel, which will come on, and then go back to your other channel, and everything works. Until you power it down and back up, and then...
I should state that calling for a technician to come out is pretty futile because they send out tier 1 mostly contracted technicians who only know how to do three things: 1) swap out your cable box; 2) replace your outside lines, and 3) suggest you pay someone to replace your inside lines. We have done all three of these, the latter of which cost us nearly $400 out of pocket, and we still have the same problem, which is quite obviously a Cox issue, but Cox isn't very interested at all in fixing it.
We have had our audio guys come out here on two occasions to verify there is no problems with our TV equipment and to perform a factory reset on the receiver.
We have also completely swapped out and bought a new TV set AND our receiver since this problem started, and we have the same problem.
We have had multiple cable boxes and versions of cable boxes, same problem.
Our signal strength has been reported as strong.
Most of the technicians I have spoken to on the phone have all been very apologetic and reiterate how we have been valued Cox customers for years, they have sent out people who have spent quite a bit of time here trying everything they can think of, and one left his personal phone number and his managers phone number, saying they would respond if we needed them again. However, disappointingly, the manager never responded to a voicemail I left, and the technician was supposed to call me on Monday, and there was no return phone call, abandoning us to live with this issue.
I have seen one other thread from 2014 that reiterates my exact same problem, but I did not see a resolution. Does anyone else want to weigh in on this issue, and please, if you ever found something that solved it, we would be very interested in knowing how you solved it, short of DIRECTV, which would appear at this point to be our only sure-fire option to be rid of this issue.
yak
+6 more
Contributor III
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I get this same dialog box (no signal detected) over 50% of the time when i turn on my tv and dvr (contour record 6). Unplugging the dvr does not fix the problem.
I just hit "Channel Down" and that channel appears immediately. I can then flip back to the original channel and it works perfectly. I am going to post a new thread with other quirks that i am experiencing.
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Maven
New Contributor
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Thankyou, Yak. Every rep I've spoken with (and there have been MANY) says they have never heard of this problem, but I know that not to be true. Apparently you have had no resolution to your problem, either, so hopefully more people will weigh in on this one and hopefully we can find a common clue to solve this mystery because Cox is not anxious to do so.
Personally, I feel this is solely a result of the high definition technology coming along and being delivered through Cox's ancient infrastructure, resulting in spotty and quirky ** like this happening to customers. I don't think it will end until Cox bends over and spends the money to FIX the problem.
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bryaninphx
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Valued Contributor
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It would be helpful to know which network this happening on, like MSNBC HD, CNN HD, Lifetime HD, etc and your city.
If this happens only or mostly after a long period of inactivity with the cable box, and it is a Switched Digital Video (SDV) channel, then that is exactly what it should be doing. If changing the channel and changing it back tunes it in, then it most likely is a SDV channel. If this is happening on a Local HD channel like ABC, NBC, CBS etc, then that is not the issue.
Switched Digital Video (SDV) channels are broadcast similar to OnDemand and when they are not being actively watched, then the frequency is released and the channel becomes "Temporarily Unavailable" until it is actively re-tuned, The time-out period for inactivity is usually a few hours, and if you are actively watching the channel it will prompt you to Press any button on the remote to keep watching the channel, If there is no response from the user the channel is tuned off. This is to save bandwidth and is used on almost all channels above the Essential TV Pak, however their are several channels in the Essential Pak that are also SDV, MSNBCHD is usually one of them, In some markets so is CNNHD.
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Maven
New Contributor
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This isn't so much a "long period of inactivity problem", but rather a "it was fine yesterday when I shut it down and today it's not" problem. This happens mostly when turning the TV on after it's been off, BUT, that said, it can also happen when you change from one channel to another, so sorry, but no consistency to the symptoms.
It happens on high definition channels because we have a high definition TV and watch high definition channels. I strongly suspect, as I said, that it's a technology problem. Perhaps someone else can add to this who has a high definition setup and for some reason chooses to watch the non-HD channels.
It happens very frequently with the Tennis Channel for some odd reason. But other than that, it can happen with local channels, non-local channels, CNN, Weather, you name it.
If you can take the ball on this, I would greatly appreciate it because we feel pretty much abandoned by Cox "support" at this point. We do not need a new cable box, we do not need new lines run, and that's pretty much all they want to do when you call for help. This obviously is a deeper issue.
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Maven
New Contributor
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Sorry, I missed your other question. We are located in north central Florida in Gainesville.
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yak
+6 more
Contributor III
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@brianphx, it is happening on HD channel 1930 (one of the Music Choice channels). I am in Phoenix. It only takes 2 "touches" to fix the problem. I hit the Channel Down button and 1929 has music playing. Then i Channel Up to 1930 and the music plays.
A very minor problem but i can't turn the tv on to listen to music and then walk away. i have to stay by the tv for a minute to see if i will get music or the warning box. i would estimate that i get the warning box more than 50% of the time. Whether the dvr is off for 1 hour or 12 hours.
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Maven
New Contributor
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Thanks for adding in, Yak. I was pretty certain I'm not the only one with this issue.
We are very weary of this and want it fixed.
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Ed_Head
Contributor II
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It's a feature, not a problem. Read Bryan's post again.
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Maven
New Contributor
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How can turning on a TV in the morning to a "no signal" error be a "feature"?!!
We have had many phone calls and home visits from technicians who do this for a living and not one of them attempted to pass this off as a "feature".
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Ed_Head
Contributor II
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From Bryan's post-
"Switched Digital Video (SDV) channels are broadcast similar to OnDemand and when they are not being actively watched, then the frequency is released and the channel becomes "Temporarily Unavailable" until it is actively re-tuned, The time-out period for inactivity is usually a few hours, and if you are actively watching the channel it will prompt you to Press any button on the remote to keep watching the channel, If there is no response from the user the channel is tuned off. This is to save bandwidth and is used on almost all channels above the Essential TV Pak, however their are several channels in the Essential Pak that are also SDV, MSNBCHD is usually one of them, In some markets so is CNNHD."
The alert occurs for me for MSNBC if that is the last channel I watched before the cable box was turned off because my Power On Channel setting is Last Channel. It's a minor action to toggle the channel when you get the alert (which probably should prompt you with a nicer warning like Toggle the Channel). Perhaps if you set your Power On Channel setting to a non-SDV channel, you won't see the alert.
There are other problems with Contour but this is scraping the barrel.
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Maven
New Contributor
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bryaninphx
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Valued Contributor
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The Tennis Channel HD is definitely a Switched Digital Video channel, I am not surprised that channel is timing out on you, especially overnight. CNN HD and the Weather Channel most likely are also, (although they are not in Phoenix)
As I said previously almost Every channel both SD and HD above the Essential TV Pak is using SDV delivery.
Bonus Pak, Faith & Values Pak, Variety Pak, Sports Paks, Movie Pak,
Change the channel to a Local HD channel before you turn off the TV for the Night, and see if it also happens on those, I suspect it will not. Or set your Turn On channel to a Local HD instead of Last Channel and see if that makes a difference.
Cox could also have the SDV Time-out period set too low on your Node. or Your Node could be over subscribed, with too many customers.
A Node is like a large router or switching station were the signal from the Fiber optic cable is converted and transferred to electrical signals and then distributed to the neighborhood via Coaxial Cable. If there are too many customers connected to that Node. then the SDV time-outs will happen more frequently. My Node is only about 250 customers and I rarely see this issue. But a Node can be as large as 1000 customers, An efficient Node should really not be any larger than about 500 customers. Cox usually will split a Node if it get too large.
Just for some reference the following Essential TV Pak HD channels in Phoenix are delivered via SDV.
1007 - Cox7HD
1018 - SCCER
1020 - KTAZ - Telemundo HD
1025 - Spike HD
1029 - MTV HD
1031 - FS1HD
1038 - HLNHD
1045 - TruTV HD
1052 - E! HD
1055 - Galavision HD
1056 - SCCER
1057 - Animal Planet HD
1058 - TVLand HD
1063 - MSNBC HD
1066 - MoviePlex HD
1067 - FXXHD
1068 - FBNHD
1069 - NBC Sports Network HD
1071 - Turner Classic Movies HD
1072 - National Geographic HD
1073 - Fox Sports Arizona Plus HD
1074 - TVGNHD
1076 - UDNHD
1094 - FBNHD
1098 - QVCHD
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Maven
New Contributor
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Oh my, finally some information that could be really useful!
The question, though, nagging me is would the timeout theory hold when the TV starts up, I get the error, switch channels and then back again, and get the same error less than a half hour later?
The other question is how do I get Cox to address the timeout and node issues? If I call them, they will put me thru the same things I've had done over and over again, i.e. Send a hit to the box, send a tech out to replace the box, and replace the outside lines.
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Maven
New Contributor
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bryaninphx
+6 more
Valued Contributor
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Send an Email to cox.help@cox.com and ask that the issue be Escalated to cable plant line maintenance. and refer to this thread. Also it would be a good idea to ask that a real Cox employee, not a contractor, come out and do some signal testing, specifically looking at the FDC (Forward Data Channel) and RDC (Return Data Channel) levels, and if need be send out the Field Team Leader to oversee the situation.
Cox Tech Support has hit an absolute all time low in competency, IMHO over the last year or so.
Best of luck.
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