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SDV , or why does DVR switch channels...?
I recently read a post in your TV Forum entitled:
Cox cable box asks if we are still watching?
This question is still unresolved
Posted by Terramar
27 May 2013 6:41 PM
I have two CISCO 8742HDC boxes installed in whole home DVR setup. Every few hours the box asks if we are still watching and if so to click Select. If we do not click Select then the box auto-changes the channel. How can we stop this from happening? I have checked the settings and turned off the sleep/shutoff mode. Thanks to anyone that can help.
This post was answered:
Posted by Domino
27 May 2013 10:12 PM
Cox Approved
Terramar,
This is SDV in action. When you tune to a SDV channel, your receiver asks to be sent that channel. If you don't change the channel in four hours, your local node begins to wonder if you're still watching that channel. If you don't reply, it figures you've gone to bed or something and reclaims that bandwidth. To not get that message, simply hit the channel up/down button every couple of hours. Read about SDV at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_digital_video
I have experienced this action more frequently in the past few months than I did before.
Has the "local node" ( whom I assume to be Cox Cable ) increased the frequency of interruptions ?
Why would the "Local node" assume anything but that one is still watching the program they tuned originally ? And lastly, Why does the "Local node" decide to switch the channel to On Demand ?
I must assume that this is another attempt to get more money from each subscriber. I resent this intrusion and am not buying your answer as printed above. Instead of requiring the subscriber to justify his choice to Cox Cable, why not send an automatic response in reply to the query on behalf of the paying subscriber. There may be any number of reasons for one not to be able to press Select when required.
Accepted Solution
Domino
Valued Contributor III
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2.8K Messages
12 years ago
First, since the goal of SDV is to save bandwidth, it switches to a low bandwidth channel. A lot of the VOD stuff is already loaded into the box, and very little bandwidth is used until a VOD selection is made. As far as your hypothetical physical disability, simply use the channel up/down button every few hours. You'll never see that evil message again.
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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2.8K Messages
12 years ago
RichatMHT,
Whether you wish to believe the answer or not is largely irrelevant. It's still the answer. Bet it only does it on SDV channels, huh? The goal of SDV is to save bandwidth. Lesser viewed networks are sent down the line only when requested. After 4-6 hours, the system will wonder if you're still watching (in case you left for the day, went to bed, etc.) If you don't answer it will drop that program to free up some bandwidth. As far as why it tunes to VOD each time, I don't know. Nor do I care. I rarely, if ever, tune to just a single channel for 4-6 hours.
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ChrisL
Former Moderator
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7.1K Messages
12 years ago
Domino is mostly correct with this one. If there is no activity from the user after 4 hours the box will display a prompt asking you if you are still watching. If that prompt isn't confirmed the channel is released to make space for other channels. As for how the box handles that it does vary from one system to another. Some systems will remain tuned to a temp off air message, others it will change to another channel such as OnDemand for example.
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RichatMHT
New Contributor
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2 Messages
12 years ago
People are different and should be able to use the services they pay for according to their individual tastes or needs. For instance, assume that I am to some degree physically challenged. I may not be able to react quickly enough to a message on my screen. There should be a way to accommodate the SDV technology and the wishes of the subscriber no matter the length of their attention span.
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