General : Smart Card error messages

[mark1234]

I've been having a problem with errors popping up saying that the Smart Card isn't working correctly or isn't inserted properly. It happens about once a week, last night being the most recent.

I've done the TV Help thing and it says the card is fine. I rang VM this morning and was told I should restart the box once a week to prevent this.

Is this right? It sounds to me like something to just make me go away, the classic turn-it-off-turn-it-on-again type of helpdesk response. Can these boxes not handle being left on 24x7?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Once in a very blue moon do I get a lockup on my TiVo or V+, usually the result of my being too impatient and flicking batck and forth between Tv, guide, stored stuff, etc. Only then do I reboot. A weekly reboot should not be necessary.

[mark1234]

Wow, is it really a almost a year since I posted this? I still get these messages sometimes. Had it twice this week so far.

Just phoned VM up and they've sent some "signals" to "boost my box" so I "won't experience this again". Why do I feel like I've just been fobbed off?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by mark1234

Just phoned VM up and they've sent some "signals" to "boost my box" so I "won't experience this again". Why do I feel like I've just been fobbed off?

What error code do you get, and which model box is this on?

[mark1234]

I get various codes. All 300x, I think I've even seen a 3010. I've stopped paying attention, TBH. The message is always about the card being invalid or not inserted correctly. All we do is press OK and it goes away until the next time.

It's an old Samsung V Box.

[Matth]

Sounds like the beginning of the end, ours did the for a while, the we got a huge bunch of channel unavailables today (fault called and in line for engineer visit), then while tinkering (finhally got round to replacing the FM splitter with the isolator that was left ... original install was done via underfloor conduit and drawline, so the kit was underfloor), and then the STB came back stuck at LD20 - and it IS connected right, as the modem still works fine.

Funnily enough, the guy on the phone was suspicious of the STB (from 2009) though ye olde Pace lasted a lot longer - assume there would be a spare on the van, if there is any chance the STB could be the problem.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Matth

then while tinkering (finhally got round to replacing the FM splitter with the isolator that was left ... and then the STB came back stuck at LD20 - and it IS connected right, as the modem still works fine.

Funnily enough, the guy on the phone was suspicious of the STB (from 2009) though ye olde Pace lasted a lot longer - assume there would be a spare on the van, if there is any chance the STB could be the problem.

LD20 usually means no signal to the box. That's where my suspicions lie, especially as you were "tinkering"....

It might be the box, but probably not

[Doug P]

Boosting the signal from VM customer services is a standard practice surely?

It worked for me on a couple of occasions.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Doug P

Boosting the signal from VM customer services is a standard practice surely?

It worked for me on a couple of occasions.

They might tell you that's what they are doing, but they aren't. It isn't possible.

They are actually sending commands to the smartcard or the system that controls access to the network. They can fix many faults this way, but not poor signals. That requires a tech visit.

[Doug P]

Ok so I put it wrong but they can assist remotely which is what I had done.

Thanks.

[Matth]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

LD20 usually means no signal to the box. That's where my suspicions lie, especially as you were "tinkering"....

It might be the box, but probably not

Well, dug out the box (under floor) with the TV / FM splitter and installed the isolater that the guy had left (way back when the modem was installed for 10MB - had been on BB via the STB). Didnt touch the STB/modem splitter at all, and the modem came up a-ok. (I think, up by a small fraction of a dB from where it usually is, the original connections on the splitter were not very tight)

Could be the STB side cable from the splitter got strained, but also tried giving it the other feed - and yes, I did get the isolater the right way round, the chap had put an extra mark on the input side and drawn a diagram.

PS. Also remembered that holding down does something, and it jumped to LD40 - still didn't get to AP-anything, but I did recognise the dot that goes blink, blink, steady whan it gets backchannel, that came up.

So, gone from many channels unavailable, to LD20 on the STB, but the modem stats are pretty much perfect.

Cable Modem DownstreamDownstream Lock : LockedDownstream Channel Id : 5Downstream Frequency : 586750000 HzDownstream Modulation : QAM64Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/secDownstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17Downstream Receive Power Level : 1.2 dBmVDownstream SNR : 37.8 dB

Apart from the old "if something's weak, It'll break at next powerup", as until then the STB had not been power cycled for ages, only ever soft rebooted (hold button... Stop)

[mark1234]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

What error code do you get, and which model box is this on?

I've repped him and PM'd my thanks, but also wanted to say publically that spiderplant has helped me behind the scenes with my issue, and all seems well now.

So, thank you again.

[Matth]

And finally, for my one, the guy checked the levels and the service menu, turned out the STB had suffered a tuner fail, replaced STB.

Also rechecked the levels and added an attenuator (on the common side of the T), modem now reports -2.6dBmV and STB indicated AGC level 60 (was 51 on the old one, down to 40 when it was bad), though I don't know if the AGC scale runs up or down.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Matth

STB indicated AGC level 60 (was 51 on the old one, down to 40 when it was bad), though I don't know if the AGC scale runs up or down.

Low signals give high AGCs, but AGC values are hardware-dependent so aren't useful on their own. Stick to dBmV.

Better still, don't worry about it and just enjoy watching TV.