Preventing Cable STB Sleep Mode?

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My SA Explorer 8300HD has a handy "feature" that will cause it go into sleep mode after 2 hours of inactivity between 1AM and 6AM. If I don't send an ir signal within that time frame, I lose the end of my longer movie recordings.

Any suggestions? Is there a way to send a volume-up signal every hour or so?

Thanks!

[Taddeusz]

This is of interest to me as well. I'm about to switch out my STB for an HD model. Not sure exactly the model that Cox Cable here in OKC uses but they do use Scientific Atlanta boxes.

I assume you've checked to make sure that it can't be disabled in the settings?

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I'm pretty sure I checked the settings a while back, I'll check again this afternoon and let you know. I downloaded the manual for the box and it talks about the sleep feature, but doesn't mention a way to disable it.

UPDATE: Yep, no way to disable the sleep feature under settings.

[CollinR]

Just have EventGhost fire off some IR every hour, boom sleep problem gone!

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Yeah, that would be a good option except I'm using the Hauppauge IR blaster. It doesn't appear to be supported by EventGhost.

[kevine]

I too am interested in this. Because I called the cable co and they told me it was shutting off intermittently because of software updates. However, now that I saw this post, maybe not. Have you tried to contact the cable co?

It just happened 2 days ago as well.

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I'm not sure my problem is the same, my cable box doesn't intermittently turn off. Every night it goes into sleep mode after 2 hours of inactivity between midnight and 6 AM. In the morning, my recordings pick up fine with the small exception that it ignores the first channel number sent to it. So, instead of recording channel 182, I end up recording 82.

I did call the cable company to see if they could turn this feature off. They said that the reason this box goes to sleep is because it's a DVR box (I had them turn off the DVR feature a few months back). They suggested that I come in and get one of their new HD boxes without the DVR functionality.

Unfortunately, I'm leaving town tomorrow and don't want to introduce any new variables while I'm away, so I'll have to report back later how it all works out.

You might ask to see if they'll let you swap out for a different model, if your problems continue. Good Luck!

[Taddeusz]

Well, that's a little bit of a relief. I don't plan on getting the DVR box, just the plain HD STB.

BTW, I just ordered an HD-PVR. I'm going to be on pins and needles until it finally ships.

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That's next on my wish list, followed closely by a faster computer to scan those recordings for commercials. I'll have to stick with the HDHomeRun cause my wife won't let me buy her one for her birthday.