"Searching for Cable signal" Series 2 DT...Help!

[doc4bax]

Hello everyone...I'm new to Tivo and need a little help. I have basic cable, no box. The cable comes out of wall and goes right into the back of the tivo series 2 DT. I have two units that are the same, one upstairs and one downstairs. The downstairs tivo is what is giving me problems. Also, I have Charter Cable (St. Louis area).

First day I got the tivo I installed it and went through setup and it worked fine for about 2 days. Then, I noticed I lost a local channel. When you would click on that channel, whether typing it in via remote or using the guide or just the channel selector, I get the "searching for cable signal" message at the bottom of the screen. Then another day will go by and I will lose another local, now I'm starting to lose some regular cable channels. Only way to fix is to run the guided setup. Then all is fine and the process repeats. I start losing channels after a few days.

If I plug the cable into the TV and bypass the tivo box the missing channels are there. Also, the tivo upstairs does not have this problem and the other tvs in my house that don't have tivo also pick up these channels. I checked out everything. I have "no cable box" checked off and I have the correct cable company, line up and zip code entered.

Whats going on here? I have read tivo support and it didn't help. I also looked on here and didn't get much help. I see others having problems but they had a cable or SAT box. Mine is basic cable going directly into the tivo.

[CuriousMark]

Perhaps there are too many splits on that particular branch of the cable. Can you try making that branch go through fewer splitters?

[doc4bax]

Thanks for you help Mark. I thought about that too. I am pretty sure I have the cable some straight into a 12 way splitter and supplies all the rooms of the house with cable. That's it, no other splitters, just one big fat one. I was wondering if perhaps a signal amplifier may help.

[CuriousMark]

If you have access to the splitter, check the connection for that run, try swapping it to a different port. An amplifier could help, but I am not comfortable suggesting you spend money when the problem could still be something else entirely.

[doc4bax]

I can't figure this out, I have a tivo DT upstairs that never has a problem with losing stations and this one does. I had a cable amplifier (didn't need to buy one as I had one laying around) and it didn't help. Didn't do a thing. I then took s-video connections out and ran the regular RCA plug for video (heard this could pose a problem if using s-video)...same thing...no change...so then I ran the RF out straight to the TV and no change. I reset the Tivo and the channels are back but in a day or so I start losing the locals all over again....what is weird is that on some days the local channels are there and on other days their gone. Could it be that these stations are broadcasting some programs in digital? I have a complete analog setup.

[gastrof]

Have you tried rebooting the TiVo? (Sorry if I missed that.)

[doc4bax]

I have rebooted and the channels come back but I slowly lose the local channels one by one. Happens every time. I have changed splitters, used an amplifier and nothing works.

[Ben_Jamin75]

I have rebooted and the channels come back but I slowly lose the local channels one by one. Happens every time. I have changed splitters, used an amplifier and nothing works.

Where are you putting the amp? Personally I would put it before the split and improve the signal strength for all your connections.

Also, is this tivo on the longest run from the splitter? Cable length also affects the signal strength.

[doc4bax]

I talked to Tivo and they said my problem is because I have a 8 way splitter. The amp I was using was real old so I don't think it was helping (was in line before splitter). They suggested getting an cable 8 port splitter with built in amplifier. The box isn't too far away from cable entry spot (unless you mean the cable connection box outside the house). The thing is, my other Tivo box is further away and it does not have any problems.

[2thumbs_up]

I have the same problem with the cable channels I also have Charter in St Louis I have a Tivo HD using OTA for my HD and cable basic and expanded for the rest. I have had this setup for over a year not using any cable cards. About 2 weeks ago all cable channels stop working did not think to check my antenna channels and just rebooted and everything was fine. It does it about every 1 to 3 days sometimes daily I thought it might be the Tivo hard drive but then I checked my antenna channels and they all work so I figure Tivo is OK just not getting my cable channels until I reboot not sure what is going on maybe someone can help with suggestions. Thanks

[doc4bax]

OK I did what Tivo said to do, I bought their recommended cable signal amplifier and installed it before the splitter....This amplifier/splitter I bought had four outputs so I ran the cable lead from the Tivo I am having trouble with right to one of the amplifiers output plugs bypassing the other splitter. My channels came back except for one. But now after a few days...I lost all the locals again and now TBS and CMT...WTF is going on!? The only way I get get my channels back is to reboot the system but after a day or two I lose them again...

[Gene S]

I'm not sure how the DT works, but it should be simular to my S3. Is the problem only on one tuner? Or do you lose channels on both tuners?

[doc4bax]

Some times I can switch to the other tuner and get the channel or switch to other tuner (see no channel) then switch back and the channel comes back. Other times I can switch back and forth and there is no change, the channels do not show up. It seems the longer that time goes by after a reboot the less often the channels return regardless of switching between tuners.

[doc4bax]

I'm going to swap my boxes, take the one from upstairs that works fine and see if it develops the same problem. At least this will tell me I have some sort of bad connection through the cable line....

[aztex999]

That's a lot of splitting. A cable TV tech once told me that every time you split a cable, it loses half its signal strength. After 12 splits, I'm surprised you're getting any channels at all! I'd try using more amplifiers.

I think switching the boxes is a good idea, though - it should help you isolate the problem.

Good luck.

[doc4bax]

I have not switched boxes yet but as it is now, I have the cable that's going to the tivo that I am having trouble with, coming off the amplifier before any splitters. I would have thought this would have taken care of the problem.