Setting up a MX780 for customer today who has a new Xfinity Cisco RNG150n box. With box off, "Menu" does not pull up the settings menu like the old boxes did, turns out the "Guide" button does it.

First time I've seen this, just wondering if anyone else has seen this too?

Aside from just leaving the box on all the time, or using variables on the MX780, anyone found a different way to make a "discrete" power on for this box?

And before you say -- No problem, just do "Guide" + "Power" + "Power" to turn on the box -- that's a FAIL. On this box, pressing power always toggles the power state of the box, even if you're in the installer settings menu.

Anyone else seen this? Tried it with the XFinity remote to make sure I wasn't hallucinating...results were the same.

Leave it on n b dun.

"Cable Box Power" button on the screen...

Variables are a bad idea unless you've got some type of power sensing to check against.  Cox boxes here (Cisco & Scientific Atlanta) have power on timers in the setup. I set a timer for 3am to turn on to last channel to force the box on each morning. 

A power outage can still get things out of whack for a day, so having a power toggle button of the remote is still a good idea. 

The Scientific Atlanta boxes have the numeric button on feature again which works great. It disappeared for awhile and is back now. Wish the Cisco boxes had this

I refuse to believe that there are people that cant grasp the concept of turning on a cable box if it gets turned off.

if there are... Would they really make good technology customers?

The biggest issue I see is you hit Watch TV (or whatever) and all the customer sees is the TV turns on and you get a blank screen. No idea that it's the cable box that is off... it's just "not working and i don't know why"

People who are not technologically minded ARE your best customers. They need you. The guy that knows how to do it all more often then not, just do it all.

Oh, that's cute. Those are the calls I get whenever I'm on the road. Husband yells at me because the damn TV doesn't work AGAIN.

A little birdy told me that you can try:

CISCO Box- Zero , 1 sec delay, Exit for ON

I have not tried this to confirm, but give it a shot and post back if it works.

If you refuse to believe, then you are in denial.  They exist, and they're everyone of my customers.LOL.  I don't think the thought of checking if the cable box power was on/off would ever cross their minds.  I think most still think they're changing the channel at the TV.  

To the point of the post, I haven't programmed a power ON/OFF button for a cable box in at least a decade.  Leave it on.

I can understand it happening once or twice...

Client calls says they have no TV... I'll ask if they checked the power onthe cable box... They turn box on...

They remember next time... Usually... I think I may have had a repeat cable box power client once or twice.....

Crestron, AMX, URC, Savant, And a host of others the past 15+ years of programming...

Motorola Cable boxes dont have discrete power. They stay on all the time.

Now why don't I have a husband like that? Seriously ... EVERY Time!

Opposites attract............... 8>0

8 is greater than 0? I don't get it. Oh maybe that's a text emoticon?

Edit: Disagreed, but only because my customers ,while good customers tend to dramaticize with me. My perception is supposed to be that these little things cause headaches even for relatively smart people. Might be a different story if the cable box would at least give a message to hit SELECT to turn on like the U-Verse boxes, or something other than a black screen.


Yep. Got one of these calls yesterday. URC setup and cable box needs to stay on. The lady tells me mere going to have to re-evaluate how I have done all of this work because all of this is WAAAAAY too complicated.

They were even blaming me for a TV + CABLE BOX + OEM CABLE REMOTE problem in a different room where the Tv and cable box were powering on out of sync.

They eventually let me me help them over the phone, and they are good customers, and can totally handle the way you use a URC remote. But now I look bad.

Good technology customers , maybe not in so many words, but good customers who wouldn't have to deal with this if there was a workaround that didn't involve $1000 in control processing and sensor for a stupid CABLE BOX.


I hear u but I don't even want it to happen the first time. Just wanted to also add. For some reason my clients are really unforgiving or they just "lay it on" really thick. They are still good customers but I don't have the patience I should have as well