Another cablecard problem - Help Cableguy!

 

New member
Username: Sktn77a

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-08
Cableguy:

I didn't want to hijack the previous thread as it getting old and convoluted ! I have a Panasonic TH-50PX600U plasma TV with all the latest firmware upgrades, Scientific Atlanta cable card and TimeWarnerCable.

For the first 18 months, this setup worked flawlessly. For the last 6 months I've been loosing all digital chanels above 24 and/or getting a 161-53 error message; this happens every 2-5 days and can usually be corrected by unplugging the TV and plugging it back in. About once a month, however, it doesn't work and the cablecard has to be replaced. I see this error (161-53) was a problem with several previous generation panasonic TVs (their firmware upgrade pages have upgrades to correct it) but there's nothing mentuioned on their website related to my TV (600U).

I'm desperate - TWC are pointing at Panasonic, Panasonic are pointing at TWC and nothing is moving forward.

Help!!!

Thanks

Keith

PS: Please don't hijack this thread..... Thanks!
 

Gold Member
Username: Cableguy

Somewhere on... U.S.

Post Number: 1032
Registered: Mar-05
I'm not sure what to tell you other then to contact Panasonic and ask to speak with somebody in technical support other than the front line personnel. You've had multiple cards replaced and still have the same problem. The error message 161-53; 53 POD fails to respond to any request
within 5 seconds, other than described
by error conditions 17 and 38.
Host performs PCMCIA
reset up to two times and then
reports error using screen in
figure Figure E.1-1 Error
Display.
None User may see frozen picture on
scrambled channels

You can find this information in ANSISCTE282004. While the document list the card as the failure mechanism, it's quite possible there could be a hardware or software conflict in your TV.
The trick here is to get both TWC and Panasonic to mutually investigate the problem. Keep me posted
 

New member
Username: Sktn77a

Post Number: 2
Registered: Sep-08
Thanks Cableguy; yes that's pretty much the conclusion I've come to given the circumstances. Although the fact that it just started happening 6 months ago suggests that TWC digital programming changes are part of the incompatibility, too.

I've tried to get beyond "Customer service" to tech support but they won't put me through to anyone. I couldn't find a tech support number on their web site - did I miss it?
 

Gold Member
Username: Cableguy

Somewhere on... U.S.

Post Number: 1036
Registered: Mar-05
Programming changes on the cable co's side of things would not cause a 161-53 error. The trick to getting into tech support is getting a supervisor in customer service to get you in touch with somebody in technical, that worked for me anyway.
 

New member
Username: Sktn77a

Post Number: 3
Registered: Sep-08
Hmmm.... That's interesting. So what else could it be? The TV's the same and the Cablecards (I'm gueesing) are the same as they are all giving the same error and symptoms. Could it be a failed/failing component in the TV?

PS - When I referred to "programming" changes, I didn't mean the actual programs that are being changed, I'm referring to the switch to SDV.
 

New member
Username: Sktn77a

Post Number: 4
Registered: Sep-08
Well, a follow-up post - after over a year fighting with TimeWarnerCable, I finally gave up. They are complete morons when it comes to technical problems! So I now have an extra box, and extra remote, and an extra $10.00 a month on my bill.

TWC sucks!

Keith
 

New member
Username: Dylanger

Post Number: 8
Registered: Sep-10
Ive never worked on the TWC plants, but do they support Motorola? You could ask them for a M-Card. That might work.
 

New member
Username: Sktn77a

Post Number: 5
Registered: Sep-08
No idea, but I'm pretty sure the problem was that their systems were no-longer compliant with the original cable card specs.
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