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Rogers SA 940 Discussion

24K views 26 replies 11 participants last post by  gdkitty 
#1 ·
Can any other remote be programmed to drive the SA 940 or is it limited to the supplied remote?
TIA
 
#5 · (Edited)
Trouble with Rogers digital cable box SA 940

Does anyone have a Rogers digital cable tv box SA 940 that that rarely if ever needs to be reset? Anyone have any advice here?

I'm on my second brand new Scientific Atlanta Explorer 940 (with no clock display) in a week and I still have problems with a blank black screen appearing, either coming on while watching something or appearing immediately when turning on the tv.

To reset the box I have been doing this:
1. Tun off the tv
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of the box and wait 30 seconds
3. Plug it back in, then wait 2 minutes.
4. Tun on tv, see blue screen with Explorer text. Wait another minute or so then tv signal automatically comes back on.

I had a Rogers cable guy give me new wiring earlier so its not a weak signal problem. The cable guy suggested the first box was overheating as the box does run hot even when the tv is not on and the room has a lot of sunlight. I have tried keeping the box cool with a fan beside it and the box still gives me the black screen sometimes.

I'm thinking of making another exchange, this time for a newer model if they have one but I'm suspicious that it will not be any better. Is this experience familiar to people with digital cable tv?
 
#6 ·
Black screen is usually indicative of a poor signal (yes, I know it was checked). See the following post.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719

I believe you can access the diagnostics through the "lazy man" approach of holding the pause key for about 10 seconds and pressing page up on the remote. You can also call Rogers and have them check the signal remotely again. It is possible that heat is affecting the STB...

You may wish to exchange the STB for another model - like the SA1840, or SA3200.


See the following post for additional useful information for those new to the forum:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741
 
#7 ·
I have had two Rogers technicians here (first one to rewire my connections, the second to exchange the box) and they both checked the diagnostics screen for signal quality and other info. They both said it was good enough for digital cable so I thought the box is the problem.

I called Rogers again to setup a third appointment for Saturday. This time they promised to send a senior person to recheck everything and exchange for a different model cable box if necessary.
 
#8 ·
Update on my digital cable situation.

I had a senior Rogers technician here yesterday. He found nothing wrong with the signal inside or outside and made no changes. My black screen problem with the SA 940 only showed up after he left. :(

I get the black screen sometimes when turning on the tv after having it off for a while. I do not get the black screen anymore (at least not in the past 24 hours) while already watching something.

I noticed that if the green light on the cable box is on, I will see the picture when I turn on the tv. If the green light is off, then I get the black screen when I turn the tv on. Sometimes when turning off the tv, the green light also goes off right away and sometimes it will stay on. I also noticed that if I press and hold the red power button, I can get the green light to show up on the box but when I turn on the tv it goes off again. I have to wait like 5 minutes and the green light will come back on its own (no need to do a power cycle/reset). The box will loose the green light and give me the black screen several times over the day.

Anyone have any ideas? Could it be the Rogers remote control that is defective? I exchanged the box once but not the remote control.
 
#9 ·
Is the green light not the power indicator on the STB? Doesn't it stand to reason that if the STB is off that you don't have a picture?

Also, are you using the Rogers Remote all the time? Some of them are set to turn the STB and TV on/off at the same time and if you get "out of synch" one will be on while the other is off. You then need to switch one device on or off to get them back in synch.

One possibility is to leave the STB on all the time (since it doesn't really turn off anyway - it's in standby) and have the power button control the TV power only. The method to do this is explained in the operating manual for the Rogers remote.

See also: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719 Post 5.

If the Rogers remote is turning both devices on/off, then you need to point the remote at both devices until both are off or on as required (you don't need to hold the power button just press it once. You can tell if this is happening by watching the lights at the top of the remote. The CBL and TV lights will both "flash" when they send a signal to each device. If they get out of synch, you need to turn one device on or off using the button on the device, or turn the TV on/off using the TV's remote for example.


If the remote is not the issue, perhaps the following is another explanation: Perhaps some stray IR is turning off the STB. See the following post on that topic:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=64463
 
#10 ·
I'm using a CRT tv so I can't have the LCD issue.

I do have a D-Link Wireless N Router for Internet a few feet from the tv, I don't know if that could interfere with the Rogers cable digital box or remote control.

What I think I want to do is have the cable box always on (not go to standby mode with the green light off) when turning the tv off with the Rogers remote. Right now its inconsistent, sometimes the green light goes off, sometimes it stays on. If the green light goes off, then sometimes there is a long delay in getting it to come back.

I have the Rogers manual for my "Atlas Rogers DVR/PVR 5-Device Universal Remote Control" but I cannot find anywhere how to disable the standby mode feature.

How do I disable the standby mode?
 
#11 ·
I was trying out the "Master Power Key" settings from the Remote manual and I think I may have fixed my problem.

Now I have my Rogers remote setup so that there are four button presses for turning on the TV and Cable:
1. Press TV
2. Press Power
3. Press CBL
4. Press Power

To turn everything off, I just repeat those four button presses. Or I can just press TV then Power to leave the CBL on (green light on the box stays on).

I will probably just leave it like this now if there are no more problems getting the green light for cable to come on.

Before, I had this all controlled with one button press but it was inconsistent in getting the green light to turn on or off. When the green light is off and TV is on, I would get the black screen.
 
#12 ·
Now that you're just turning the TV on/off you should be fine.

If you want, you could "map" the power button for the TV to the CBL button, so that you don't need to press "TV" and then press "CBL" to control the STB, you could just leave it on CBL and when you press power, it would only power the TV on/off. Up to you.

You may wish to put your location and service provider into your UserCP profile (location) here and check out the second link of post 3 if you haven't already.
 
#13 ·
Arrived to this old thread via search, sorry if a new thread is required

Long story (can post it if it might help). I have ended up with a 940 after exchanging an 1840. Is there any other known method to get to the diagnostics? The pause 10 second hold doesn't seem to do anything. Thanks.
 
#20 ·
The "power cable" for the 940 is an AC adapter brick. Some have an AC outlet on the outside of the brick, some don't. Yes, if the box is rented, Rogers will replace the AC adapter or the whole box for free. If you own the box, Rogers aren't obligated to exchange the AC adapter. But don't let that stop you from asking.
 
#21 ·
Does the S-Video output on the Rogers 940 work? the SA datasheet at http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/pr...t-tops/product_data_sheet0900aecd806c5958.pdf says it's optional but I note the (optional) Digital Audio Out port is simply missing, so presumably if there's an S-Video port present it should work?

I've got my old TiVo Series 2 driving the 940 via IR Blaster and the picture is great through the composite connector, but if S-Video works on both devices I figure I should use it. :)

Thanks!
=aw
 
#22 ·
I would ASSUME it would (if it has one... its been ages since I had one).. I have yet to see an output that doenst work on any of the units..
The only thing NOT in use on some of them which have it, is the USB ports.

The only WEIRD thing I found with it, back when I had it..
I had it SPLIT output.. the coax output going to a CRT tv in the basement.. and then the composite audio/video out to a projector/el cheapo $40 surround sound.
When the R/L audio cables were connected (plugged in) for SOME reason.. the audio on the coax out, did not output as well (but it did do video)
 
#23 ·
Does the S-Video output on the Rogers 940 work?
I've forgotten which SD box I had, but the S-video worked. Back then I had a VCR and ran the S-video to the TV and composite to the VCR line in. I ran the audio to both. This way, I could send a digital only channel to the VCR or TV and also use analog on the other at the same time, so that I could watch one channel, while recording another..
 
#24 ·
Thank you both. I can report the S-Video output does work on the Rogers E940. I previously had the Rogers box connected directly to the TV via coax, and to the TiVo using Composite (RWY). Then when I ran the cables in back (after getting the IR Blaster working) I added S-Video (Rogers-TiVo-TV) and disconnected the coax (Rogers-TV) completely. Can't say I see much difference between S-Video and Yellow, but I _know_ it's better which makes me happy. ;)

JamesK, must have been a different box as I can only watch and record one channel at a time (whatever the E940 is tuned to). That said, with the TiVo it's a lot easier to live with only one tuner than it was with a DVD Recorder. I can still watch something previously recorded, or give the TiVo a 15min head start and watch whatever's on "now" while still skipping commercials. :)

=aw
 
#25 ·
^^^^
I was able to watch/record 2 channels only because I could receive analog on both the TV and VCR. The STB was used mainly for shows that were digital only. So, I could watch/receive a digital signal on only one device and analog on the other or analog on both.
 
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