[mythtv-users] HDHR Prime, , Comcast, CableCard, no encrypted channels

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 20:37, Dale Pontius <DEPontius at edgehp.net> wrote:

> You're right.  "Status: Not Staged"

Status not staged can indicate various things, but
most importantly, it means your card has not gotten
one or more messages that it needs to get to move
to "ready" status.

As others have indicated, sometimes that can mean
a bad card.  However, sometimes it can mean a
bad configuration upstream.

> I also see on one thread reference to a "DAC Init" or
> possibly a "Grand Slam Init".  Are those various levels
> of a "hit"?

They are all various forms of resending activation and EMM
messages (the names are internal slang for actions that
the engineers perform, starting small, and ending with a
sledgehammer).

Quite often the real issue is that your account has the
wrong billing codes on your account.  For a one-way
device (any OCUR device, such as the Prime) there
is no way for the device to talk back to the headend
to correct errors like a two-way STBs can.  If the billing
system has the wrong codes in the account, the
request to send information to your device goes to
the wrong headend and/or is sent down a cable that
your device never sees.  I *hope* at this point when
you call Comcast and tell them you are not getting
all your channels that they will check your account
billing codes.  It is apparently a common issue for
such one-way devices.

> I'm also running the 10111025 firmware that came with it.  When I first
> powered up it gave a message about loading firmware, so I presumed it
> was getting the newest.  I downloaded 20120128 firmware when I began my
> installation.  I suppose I can install that and power off the card to
> force a reboot, then we'll see.

Upgrading the firmware will reboot the Prime.  I do recommend
you update (the original firmware, was, original.  Lots of
improvements since, including a few regarding CableCard
activation, although I do not think that is your problem here
since it shows as activated, and one that will allow you to
access content you should be able to receive, and also
improved logging, which may help diagnose issues).

Gary