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Topic:
Any way to add discrete control to cable boxes?
This thread has 60 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 12:56
Richie Rich
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I know this has come up a zillion times over the years (lack of discretes on cable boxes) but I have an interesting one here.

Combination of a vacation home, profoundly technophobic client and money, lots and lots of money.

Despite being fully capable of pressing the "power" button on the locally placed cable boxes, he doesn't want to have to do that.

House sits unused for months at a time and despite insistence that someone on his staff email me ahead of time prior to his visits they seldom do, resulting in everybody's favorite "nothing works, come fix it" phone calls at odd hours.

There is a Crestron system in place, sleep mode on the cable boxes is off. But sometimes the boxes just resort to an off state after updates and get out of sequence and/or get stuck on stupid, especially after sitting dormant for months.

Back in the day we used to just use video sync sensors to determine if the box was on/off but I doubt that is an option anymore.

Is there anything that can be put together to reliably track the status of his boxes and issue a power command as needed?

The boxes have no shortcuts or quasi discretes (numeric power, etc). Directv is not an option (my usual go to for people like this).

Open to suggestions. Budget is not an issue.
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Post 2 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 13:16
highfigh
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On April 5, 2019 at 12:56, Richie Rich said...
I know this has come up a zillion times over the years (lack of discretes on cable boxes) but I have an interesting one here.

Combination of a vacation home, profoundly technophobic client and money, lots and lots of money.

Despite being fully capable of pressing the "power" button on the locally placed cable boxes, he doesn't want to have to do that.

House sits unused for months at a time and despite insistence that someone on his staff email me ahead of time prior to his visits they seldom do, resulting in everybody's favorite "nothing works, come fix it" phone calls at odd hours.

There is a Crestron system in place, sleep mode on the cable boxes is off. But sometimes the boxes just resort to an off state after updates and get out of sequence and/or get stuck on stupid, especially after sitting dormant for months.

Back in the day we used to just use video sync sensors to determine if the box was on/off but I doubt that is an option anymore.

Is there anything that can be put together to reliably track the status of his boxes and issue a power command as needed?

The boxes have no shortcuts or quasi discretes (numeric power, etc). Directv is not an option (my usual go to for people like this).

Open to suggestions. Budget is not an issue.

Add a power button for the cable box- if the TV shows 'No Input Signal, have them use the button.

I called Scientific Atlanta years ago, to find out if this function was possible and was told that they design the boxes to use it, but the cable providers omit that, as well as the IR input.

Aside from using a voltage sensor from an analog video out jack, there's no good way to do this unless you want to program the Crestron to send a Power On command at 5AM, or whenever they would never be awake.
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Post 3 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 13:36
SammPX
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What happens when you power cycle the box, does it come back ON or OFF? If ON can you put in PDUs and set a schedule to restart once a day?
Post 4 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 13:43
Rob Grabon
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Light sensor? Does any display led lighting or the optic output turn on/off with power state and use an old school light sensor?
Technology is cheap, Time is expensive.
Post 5 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 13:47
tomciara
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I was contemplating trying some sensing for an elderly couple that I am working with. It's CCP with an MX-890, and other than the Comcast box, there is also an NAD preamp with NO discrete power. It gets out of sync.

I think I have some old VPS-1 sensors around - would these work with an MRX-2 into it's sensor input?
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Post 6 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 13:59
Duct Tape
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On April 5, 2019 at 13:47, tomciara said...
I was contemplating trying some sensing for an elderly couple that I am working with. It's CCP with an MX-890, and other than the Comcast box, there is also an NAD preamp with NO discrete power. It gets out of sync.

I think I have some old VPS-1 sensors around - would these work with an MRX-2 into it's sensor input?

not with that remote.  The MX890 is a 1 way IR/RF remote.  It can't receive data back from the MRX2.

The MRX2 sensor, rs232, and relay ports only work with network remotes from CCP (MX5000/MX6000/KP4000/iOS app/Android App) and Total Control.
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Post 7 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 14:00
Fred Harding
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Tom, those sensors should work. I know that Niles sensors worked with Xantech stuff when those products were made...
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Post 8 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 18:55
kwkshift
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You could make your own pseudo Harmony help button, using page flips for Yes/No questions. Then in there, bury the power on command where needed behind a 'No' button press.
Post 9 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 20:47
Malcolm013
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I know some of the local Spectrum/Time Warner boxes have a power save feature in the Parental Controls menu that prevents the receiver from Powering Off. Some Verizon/Dish receivers that I've come across can also be powered on with a "Menu" command.
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Post 10 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 22:21
Ernie Gilman
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EDIT before we even begin. This thread is not about adding discrete control to cable boxes. It is about figuring out some way to put a cable box, that might or might not, have commands that will help to put the box into a particular


On April 5, 2019 at 13:16, highfigh said...
Add a power button for the cable box- if the TV shows 'No Input Signal, have them use the button.

Apparently you did not read the post. Odd, since you quoted the whole thing. OP said
Despite being fully capable of pressing the "power" button on the locally placed cable boxes, he doesn't want to have to do that.

I called Scientific Atlanta years ago, to find out if this function was possible and was told that they design the boxes to use it, but the cable providers omit that, as well as the IR input.

Aside from using a voltage sensor from an analog video out jack, there's no good way to do this unless you want to program the Crestron to send a Power On command at 5AM, or whenever they would never be awake.

Uhhhhhh.......this entire subject starts with the statement that there are no discrete commands.

It's been years since I've looked at this problem, but back then the video output became a black screen when you turned the box "off." That is, it was still outputting sync and a video signal; it's just that the screen looked like what you'd get from a box that's off: a black screen.

Last edited by Ernie Gilman on April 5, 2019 23:00.
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Post 11 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 23:08
Proggieus
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how bad do you want it-

If i was truly desperate i am sure i could figure out a way to intercept the voltage to the power LED to activate a relay to act as a trigger to my control system, and of course while i was in there i could probably add a few wires to the solder pads for the actual power button on the cable box so that when the control system intends for the cable box to be on it could essentially "press" the power button until the voltage to the power LED turned on.

you could of course also use IR to turn the box on but if i am already in there with a soldering iron i would probably just do it.

I doubt the cable company would be happy but then again i dont think anybody is going to open the box up when you turn it back in.
Post 12 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 23:12
Trunk-Slammer -Supreme
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Since the days of a channel number turning the box on went away I resorted to either having a NO TV button on the main page, and explaining to the client that the cable company IS the cause of needing this.

Never had an issue with a client "getting" it.

EVERY other method I tried didn't work.


Cable boxes are toads, and that's the end of the story. We had a work around years ago. Now we don't.
Post 13 made on Friday April 5, 2019 at 23:31
Fins
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On April 5, 2019 at 23:08, Proggieus said...
how bad do you want it-

If i was truly desperate i am sure i could figure out a way to intercept the voltage to the power LED to activate a relay to act as a trigger to my control system, and of course while i was in there i could probably add a few wires to the solder pads for the actual power button on the cable box so that when the control system intends for the cable box to be on it could essentially "press" the power button until the voltage to the power LED turned on.

you could of course also use IR to turn the box on but if i am already in there with a soldering iron i would probably just do it.

I doubt the cable company would be happy but then again i dont think anybody is going to open the box up when you turn it back in.

I doubt the LED is drawing enough voltage for a premade sensor to pickup. You would have to make your own sensor too
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Post 14 made on Saturday April 6, 2019 at 00:53
Mac Burks (39)
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What about a Crestron ST-CS? Its discontinued but im sure you can find one online. If not i have one plus the rack mount kit for it.

[Link: crestron.com]





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Last edited by Mac Burks (39) on April 6, 2019 01:00.
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Post 15 made on Saturday April 6, 2019 at 01:11
buzz
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A while back the cable boxes in my area had a switched power outlet. I’d use a modular power supply as input to the control system. Now, most of the boxes don’t have an outlet. Those that have an outlet, don’t switch it. As a further aggravation, a firmware update might force the outlet to be always ON.

At this point most sense schemes are at risk of being broken by a firmware update or a replaced box.

—-

Poke around. There might be a switched USB port or TOSLINK carrier.

A very messy scheme could sense audio. Pick a reliably verbose or music channel. Switch to and monitor the audio from this channel while the system is OFF or not watching cable. If the audio stops, send a power toggle to the cable box.
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