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Topic:
Cox cable "Mini Box" for all digital service
This thread has 8 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 12:33
SB Smarthomes
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Recent announcement from Cox our local cable provider about transitioning to all digital service this fall which requires "mini box" receivers for any televisions that are currently directly connected to cable.

I have a number of clients that still have small TVs in bathrooms, laundry rooms, exercise rooms, etc. that are just connected directly to cable TV and using internal tuners.  To make matters more interesting several of them have older CCTV systems modulated onto channel 3.

Does anyone have experience with this box yet?  I'm guessing it comes with a remote control that's probably IR only which is going to be an issue because I'll need to hide lots of these in recessed boxes behind wall mounted TVs.  The camera modulation is also going to be a problem.

Link to mini box specs:
[Link: cox.com]

My guess is this might mean video distribution and control for each of these TVs (provided I can get required wiring to each TV location).  This could realistically cost clients $1-2k or more per TV and I've got dozens of them and no time to do it.
www.sbsmarthomes.com
Santa Barbara Smarthomes
OP | Post 2 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 13:22
SB Smarthomes
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Found another document online... looks like the IR input on the back works with an optional IR extender so this means the box is IR only, but can at least be hidden behind the TVs where possible.

[Link: cox.com]
www.sbsmarthomes.com
Santa Barbara Smarthomes
Post 3 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 13:42
rmalbers
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I have one on my bathroom tv using hdmi, Cox went all digital here just over a year ago. I haven't tried the channel 3/4 output to see how strong the signal is, you could always use a amp somewhere, if a long run is required. It does run warm/hot for it's size. The PQ on a small TV is great. The remote is usable and that's about it.
Just checked it: It's running 113 degrees by where the power jack plugs in, probably a voltage regulator or something, I thought it seemed hot.
Post 4 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 14:23
kwkshift
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I've installed a number of these for my customers. They are tiny and the customer can request the IR eye for installation. It all works like it should. The nice feature is that all the channels are in HD where as before, with only the cable itself, the local channels were in HD and the rest in SD.

You might be able to install a splitter at the TV location and have one leg feed the CATV input on the TV and the other leg feed the cable box. The box connects to the TV via HDMI so the customer would have to change inputs to check the camera(s).
OP | Post 5 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 15:17
SB Smarthomes
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Thanks for the replies... using a splitter at the TV is a great idea as long as I don't run into signal strength issues.  Most of these are large homes with long cable runs and lots of splitters upstream for 10-12 other TVs.

Too bad they run so hot!

Does anyone know how large the power supply is?  Is it a wall wart configuration?
www.sbsmarthomes.com
Santa Barbara Smarthomes
Post 6 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 15:54
sirroundsound
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Used this in a large house with 15 TV's when Rogers went digital.

[Link: pviusa.com]

2 Cable boxes, 1 DirecTV and 1 Apple TV sent throughout the house. Added control via RF /IR RTI remotes and RTI RM433 Antennas placed wherever I could get them.
Most TV's are in guest rooms and areas where you are not going to get issues with too many people trying to watch at the same time. Client has his own Cable boxes, DirecTV on main TV's or areas he uses regularly, so no guests interfere with whatever he is watching.
Picture is good and it works fine, just a bit slow between button press and channel changing.
Post 7 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 19:27
Trunk-Slammer -Supreme
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On August 31, 2016 at 15:17, SB Smarthomes said...
Thanks for the replies... using a splitter at the TV is a great idea as long as I don't run into signal strength issues.  Most of these are large homes with long cable runs and lots of splitters upstream for 10-12 other TVs.

Too bad they run so hot!

Does anyone know how large the power supply is?  Is it a wall wart configuration?

Probably the same as the TWC boxes, so it has a wall wart.
Post 8 made on Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 19:34
GotGame
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Comcast had a channel open for a digital modulator on site to add a camera link. The box would decode it.
Not sure if that is an option with TW + Cox or not. They might have squeezed that option out because of the added channels and bandwidth.
I may be schizophrenic, but at least I have each other.
Post 9 made on Friday September 2, 2016 at 10:19
rmalbers
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On August 31, 2016 at 19:27, Trunk-Slammer -Supreme said...
Probably the same as the TWC boxes, so it has a wall wart.

Ya, smallish wall wart.


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