JohnR-Omaha's profile

New Contributor

 • 

4 Messages

Thursday, October 24th, 2019 7:46 PM

Closed

How do you control a stack of Contour Cisco 4742hdc boxes?

We just had 5 Cox Cisco 4742hdc boxes installed in a rack that then connect with component cables to a bunch of TVs.  The Cox installer gave us one remote.  Now we can't change the channel on one box at a time without turning all of the other boxes off.  The remote changes all 5 boxes at the same time whenever we need to change a channel.  The Cox installer didn't know how to fix it.

I tried covering the IR eye on the front of the boxes, but they all still "listen" to the one remote.  I'm thinking it is an RF remote to box setup but couldn't find any details on it from Cox or Cisco.

Does anyone know how I can make each box respond to a different remote or code.  I want to be able to change channels on just one box at a time in the rack.

Contributor

 • 

283 Messages

6 years ago

Wow, this is different.  Not really sure what your intent was, maybe like a business that wants to have different TV units playing different programs.  You cannot be intending this setup for home use. 

I myself have 2 separate Arris xg1-a DVR.  I have 2 remotes, that work independently, because they are in separate rooms but most notably they hook up to 2 different makers of TV.  So, one remote cannot even change the channels on the other even when both are on.  The remote is "tied" to the TV, at least for me.  So this would have worked for me, even if each was stacked on each other as long as the TV was different..  But your situation is different.  I know COX knows each of you devices with a separate internal numbers but I'm not sure how "tuned" each is to the remote, especially since you only have One.

On a side issue, you are going to have all kinds of problems if you plan to Record on this multiple DVR setup.  Maybe business end yup running multiple accounts rather than a single account to a home.

New Contributor

 • 

4 Messages

Hi ekhawaii!  Thanks for your reply.  We are using it for a bar/restaurant.  We could select each box individually with the old Cox boxes, but they said we had to upgrade to the Cisco's.  I don't need to record or use the DVR.  It's just live TV.  We need to have different TVs on different channels and be able to change the channel on one box at a time. 

We might have ESPN on 2 TVs, local news on another, and maybe a football game on FS1 yet another. 

I heard about someone else that had a similar problem with their "man cave." They had several of these boxes along a wall connected to several TVs.  That person ended up giving up on Cox and switching to Dish.  My problem is more time-sensitive than a home man cave, since I have customers that want to see what they want, and of course they don't care if we get it from Cox or somewhere else. Just hoping to find a solution soon since we have our phone and Internet through Cox too.

Contributor

 • 

283 Messages

A business, I truly understand.  COX should have told you before you started this quest.  They surely knew what you wanted and this configuration is not New.  You may have to talk to your other Bar owners to find out how to set up....I'm guessing that each box is hooked to a single or a splitter multiple TV combo.  As I said, for mine, I had 2 different brands, but also had 2 remotes.  With only one remote I'm not sure how the setup "talks" to each box internally.  My remotes "talked to the TV"  at least that's what I thought.  Sorry about the hangup!

Honored Contributor

 • 

2K Messages

I don't need to record or use the DVR.  It's just live TV.

Are you renting the Cisco DVRs from Cox?  If you are, wouldn't mini-boxes be a cheaper solution for live TV?  But, that wouldn't solve the problem of having each box respond to a different code.  For that, your most reliable solution would be to have different types of TVs that each use a different code and then program a separate remote for each TV.

Honored Contributor III

 • 

5.7K Messages

I agree with the mini boxes.

When you pair a cable remote to a TV, you can only use the basic functions of the TV:  volume, mute, Input Select.  Commands to change channel go to the cable box and these cable boxes are not located near the TV sets.

Honored Contributor

 • 

2K Messages

That's all true.  But if the OP replaces DVRs with physically smaller mini-boxes, perhaps he could place each mini-box next to the corresponding TV, since he would be replacing hardware anyway.  Also, if the TVs are in different rooms, he would be able to have TVs that use the same code. 

Honored Contributor III

 • 

5.7K Messages

6 years ago

Is this a set-up for a sports bar or something?  If so, switch to a commercial set-up.

If not, why aren't the cable boxes near the TV sets?

Whatever your purpose, you're doing it wrong.

Contributor

 • 

283 Messages

Commercial set-up....COX should have suggested this from the get-go.....thanks Bruce

Honored Contributor III

 • 

5.7K Messages

6 years ago

Is this the Cox Business TV Service?  If so, either your technician sucked or the service **.  I can't imagine all TV sets in a restaurant have to tuned to the same channel.  That'd be the worst Business TV service in the business.

There's a phone number in the following link.

www.cox.com/.../bars-restaurants.html

Honored Contributor III

 • 

5.7K Messages

And how do you turn off the other 4 boxes without going through a reboot?  Aren't these cable boxes designed to be always powered on?

UPDATE.  My bad.  The 4742HDC has a power button.

New Contributor

 • 

4 Messages

Yes, power button on the front.  The old silver boxes also had a channel selector button on the front panel, but these don't, so we have to turn 4 of them off to use the remote to change the channel on just one box.

Honored Contributor III

 • 

5.7K Messages

Did you call the Cox Business TV Service from the link I posted above?  Cox should have a solution for your situation.

Are there other providers in your area?

Recent Discussions

View More

Loading...