Forum Discussion

gizmom's avatar
gizmom
New Contributor
4 years ago

Cox contour 2 client box not working

I had to unplug my large contour box to put in a new media cabinet.  When I restarted it, my smaller "client box" in another room, stopped working.  It kept telling me to tighten the connections and I've done that but I get an error message every time I reboot it.  I've traded the box in for a new one and am having the same problem.  I switched out the HDMI cable and the HDMI port on my television.  I've done all the simple fixes but nothing is working.  Can the large contour box be keeping the client box from working?

  • bearone2's avatar
    bearone2
    Contributor III
    4 years ago

    unplugging shouldn't affect the smaller box.

    have cox rep send a refresh signal, which will include any required updates.

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    4 years ago

    I didn't know there was a "third class" of HD receivers.  Cable cards aside, I thought the choice was either a Mini with its limited tuning capabilities or a full-blown HD receiver (with optional DVR service).

    I also thought "client" assumed a host DVR and because of its limited capabilities, you'd use the Mini to watch recorded stuff from the host.  When OP wrote "smaller," I thought it synonymous with mini.  I'm sure I'm wrong about the Mini and DVR functionality because I've never really thought about it.

    You can't reboot a Mini Box?

    Granted I can't view all HD receivers on the Cox inventory...("Sorry, this article is not available to you based on your location..." and I don't feel like quasi brute-forcing zips for a peek)...but most look full-blown.  Perhaps "clients" aren't listed on the inventory or the distinction between clients and receivers are under the Guide column:  Cox TV or Contour.

    Your theory would work if the battery was powering all devices.  However, if the UPS is in standby mode and has the sufficient number of outlets, the AC outlet juicing the UPS should suffice...unless this UPS is some type of line-interactive model with a faulty inverter.  Your theory also assumes all devices within the cabinet are fully powered vs. in either a standby mode or just turned off.  Aren't clients and some hosts always powered?  Meaning, if the OP turned everything off and went to sleep, wouldn't there finally be sufficient wattage for the client and host to negotiate?

    temporarily removing the added device(s) from the old UPS

    Why is a cable-box even connected to a battery backup?  If a neighborhood loses power, I'd assume the provider node(s) within the neighborhood would also lose power.  I highly doubt Cox has independent power sources for its nodes or would even invest in a multi-neighborhood interconnection system...let alone onsite UPS systems for each cigarette-slim pedestal picketing the neighborhood.  Aren't these things connected to the closest transformer?

    Even if their plant were always powered, Cox would be hawking $30 batteries for all its equipment (cable-boxes, DOCSIS, Pano, Pods, etc) as they do for their telephone modems.  I'd understand connecting a media server with mechanical hard-drives to a UPS so you could properly shut it down...but a cable-box?  What are you trying to prevent the cable-box from doing during an outage...rebooting?  Let it reboot, crash and just swap it.  Don't cost nothin'.

    I don't know.  This is a weird post...although "ghosted" was funny.  OP must have crawled back into the UPS-powered bunker.

    • CurtB's avatar
      CurtB
      Valued Contributor III
      4 years ago

      A client does have a host, but a mini-box isn't a client.  Recorded programs on a DVR can't be watched with a mini-box.  A mini-box isn't an advanced receiver.  You don't turn it on/off or reboot it.  You can see it connecting to Cox when it has "No signal" (which seems to happen a lot), but that's not a reboot.

      Connecting a cable box to a UPS wouldn't be done for the purpose of using it during a power outage.  It would be done to protect against quick power blips that would cause the box to reboot.  If it's only a blip, I don't want to wait for a reboot if I'm watching TV and/or recording something, particularly if it happens multiple times the same day.  A UPS also protects a DVR from potential damage that can be caused by a sudden loss of power.  I disagree that swapping a DVR doesn't come at a cost.  It may not be monetary, but most people don't want to lose everything they have recorded. 

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        4 years ago

        Are there makes and models for clients?  Are clients listed on the Inventory?  I thought Cox only issued whatever is on the list and oddly by zip.

        No, a Mini is not advanced at all and basic subscribers only need it for decryption.  In accordance with its User Guide, however, you reboot or reset a Mini by unplugging it for 15-30 seconds.  This is how I thought the OP "rebooted the 'client.'"

        You may have seamless power during a blip, but the box would still err with its connection to Cox:  3 dots...one moment please...something went wrong...error code...trying to revert to last channel, etc.  You may be avoiding a reboot...but have to endure the reconnect.

        Recorded programs are a vulnerability; however, this is only because the provider is denying our most cautious subscribers to simply back 'em up.  If you've invested lots of time recording, you should be able to protect your investment.  Cloud storage is an option but how many times would Cox be double-dipping the bandwidth to watch the same program?

        This is getting off track but productive nonetheless.

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    4 years ago

    If a customer subscribes to DVR service...
     - Host and client could be same make and model of cable-box
     - Host would have DVR service
     - Client would not have DVR service
    This makes sense because a host needs to provide a service to a client

    If a customer doesn't subscribe to DVR service...
     - Any make and model of cable-box would be standalone
     - Mini is a make and model
     - Mini is a standalone
    However, a Mini can't be a client because it's standalone?  Hmm?

    If this is all true (a Mini can't be a client), it's not because it's standalone...we've already established any make and model could be standalone...it's probably because a Mini can't assume a client profile.

    If a Mini...with its cheaper rental fee...can't assume a client profile, yes, I smell a "business plan."

    If your vintage clock radio has a boot program to manage its various modules, yes, you rebooted it.  However, although both are electronic devices, a clock radio has no instruction-set other than a few manually-set gates to support a few outputs.  A Mini, however, has a boot program, a microcontroller and an OS to process user inputs and manage various outputs; therefore, you can reboot it to reset its instruction-set.  If you unplug a clock radio, it'll blink 12:00 AM until you manually reset its logic.  Not all electronic devices are computers but all computers are electronic devices.

    I'm glad you can still concentrate on your TV programs while your lights are flickering, electronics are recycling and TV is flashing.  One less clock to "reboot," huh?

    Ha-ha...I do only listen to Music Choice!  However, now Bluesound finally supports SiriusXM, I think my Cable TV days are numbered.

    • CurtB's avatar
      CurtB
      Valued Contributor III
      4 years ago

      Since you only listen to "Music Choice", you should swap out your Contour 2 box for a mini-box and save yourself some money.  But before you do that, ask Cox if you can have your Contour 2 box be setup to host a mini-box, just to see what they say.

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        4 years ago

        Should I do this via chat bot?