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Cancelled Account: Access to 8300HD PVR

44K views 50 replies 20 participants last post by  andrew.r 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Edit by 57: See post 45 of this thread. It appears you can no longer view recordings without a subscription:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=2475074#post2475074


I have cancelled my Rogers account and as such my 8300HD terminal has become unauthorized. I still have recordings on the PVR hard drive that I would like to access but can not because the terminal is locked out. When I power on the TV I get “Attention: Your EXPLORER settop is NOT AUTHORIZED for use. Please call….” and the clock display shows four dashes. What I would like to know is if there is a workaround to access the content on the internal hard drive without having to reactivate the service? I’m not concerned with getting access to the TV channels all I want is access to the content that is saved on the hard drive.

Failing a “safe mode” on the terminal, can I pull out the hard drive and connect it via a hard drive enclosure to a PC to get the content, assuming it doesn’t have some sort of special encryption.
 
#4 ·
No, the PVR has been de-authorized, it would not work anywhere at this point, although it may boot and it may play, it will not show channels, other than channel 1 I believe... The owner needs to reauthorize.

However, I though it would work (show the list and allow you to "play") without being connected to cable, but perhaps there is a time limit as suggested in the thread I linked to (post 4)
 
#5 ·
I've tried disconnecting the power cable for 5 minutes and replugging it and get the same Attention. Pressing either the List button on the remote as well as the unit itself doesn't change/affect anything. And yes the cable from the wall to the unit is unplugged.

I currently have it unplugged and will see if a longer "no power" period will change it.

If this doesn't work is there a way to boot the thing in a "service" mode that would allow me to access the recorded content?

I have about 3 days worth of content saved and recording that to a DVD/VHS wouldn't be possible since I don't have a DVD burner or VHS since I'm more into the computer area of technology and prefer watching DVDs and so on from a PC. So the only "easy" way of getting the content off of it would be to connect the hard drive to PC, but if no ones found a way around the encryption I don't think I want to spend the time breaking through it.
 
#7 · (Edited)
My service ended (disconnected, turned off from Rogers office side, no technician has come out to terminate the signal yet i.e. shut down the basic cable that can still be received if the coax is connected directly to the TV) at sometime between 6:00am and 2:00pm today.

In order to reauthorize the terminal (according to Rogers phone agents) I would have to re-subscribe to the Rogers cable service, at which point of course I’d have to pay for another month of service and give 30 days notice before the service could be cancelled again. I’m done with having Rogers as my service provider and won’t pay for another month of service, but I have recorded programs on my PVR that I would like to either watch or get off the drive. Seeing as breaking the encryption is not something that I feel like doing I would at least like to get access to the recorded content to watch.

So I would assume Scientific Atlanta (the designers and manufactures of the terminal) would have some way around the ‘not authorized for use’ lock/block that Rogers has put on it just because you no longer subscribe to their service and the terminal has their logo on it.
 
#8 ·
I have not found any form of easy solution to solve the lockout and Rogers is telling me I have to re-subscribe to get access to the PVR/DVR again even though I own it.

So the terminal will be fully disconnected and stored away with all my other old tech things to collect dust. I'll be pulling the HDD out and will try the ways I know of to gain access to it.

If someone knows/finds a way to bypass the lockout (most likely with a combination of buttons) let me know.
 
#10 ·
This is somewhat strange. I'm pretty sure that other people tested their PVRs by unplugging the incoming cable and rebooting. I guess there are several possibilities.

1. This only works for a while (although in this instance the time was short)

2. If Rogers cancels your service, then there is a "lock" put on the PVR - in that case always unplug the PVR from the cable before cancelling?

fastlayne, if you have something that you can post here, that would be appreciated.
 
#11 ·
As a test, I unplugged my PVR and unplugged the incoming cable to the PVR. I then plugged in the PVR (leaving the RF-coax cable disconnected). Here's what happened.

- after the usual "boot" word on the front, nothing appeared to happen for quite a while - say 10 minutes.

- since nothing appeared to be happening I turned the PVR on and it was basically unresponsive, so I turned it off again.

- after a couple of minutes more, the incorrect time displayed on the front of the unit - 7:58 instead of around 4:40.

- I turned the unit on and was able to access the list and watch recordings.

- So, at least in the short term, the unit will let you watch recordings if you're not connected to the cable.

- I then plugged in the cable, the time corrected almost instantaneously, and I was able to view channels.
 
#12 ·
What I think happened was,

I still had the terminal plugged in when the service was shutoff (I didin't consider that this would happen and forgot about it until I got back that day) on the Rogers office side, so when that happened a lockout signal to the terminal was sent.

That's the best explanation I could come up with seeing as most of what I've read is terminals being unplugged while the service is still active.
 
#13 ·
The key piece of information is: whether a periodic signal is required from Rogers to maintain activation to the PVR (e.g. every day, every week?); or whether a PVR remains active, even if disconnected from cable, as long as a deactivation signal has not been received from Rogers.

If it's the latter, then 57's idea of disconnecting the cable before cancelling the Rogers service should preserve access to the stored recordings.
 
#14 ·
When you did all your previous testing was the RF-coax disconnected? Make sure that's disconnected and try powering up the unit again. Be patient it may take 10-20 minutes.

I say this because the "not authorized" did not come up when I had my RF-coax unplugged, the screen was simply black and I couldn't get channels, but I could go into the list. The fact that the "not authorized", which comes from the Rogers Head end, came up, leads me to believe that your RF-coax was still connected (despite what you said in post 5).
 
#15 ·
PVR Decision made

I believe this thread has helped me decide to NOT purchase a Rogers 8300HD PVR.

I've been a fence sitter for about a year or so however, if I cannot view what I have paid to legally record using devices I personally own (PVR and HDTV), then what's the point in purchasing the PVR?

Even worse is that it sounds like Rogers can remotely destroy or disable my personal property!

If/when I finally spring for an HDPVR it definitely will NEVER be tied to any service provider such as Rogers or Bell, it will be a stand-alone.

Thanks "Universe" for the $600.00 lesson that DIDN'T cost me as it seems to have cost you.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Here is what happened in the clearest explanation I can give.

Wednesday, April 22nd:
-Called Rogers and cancelled my service
-Set the deactivation date for Friday, May 29th, just over 5 weeks notice

Friday, May 29th:
-Service was deactivated; this was Rogers shutting off access to the cable at their HQ office
-Cable went offline sometime between 6:00am to 2:00pm, the terminal was plugged in during this time (i.e. receiving power and connected to the coax)
-The basic cable signal could still be accessed by hooking the coax from the wall directly into the TV (basic cable has to be turned off by a Rogers technician who comes out and completely disables the signal)

Powered on, mid afternoon Friday:
-When I powered up the TV the “not authorized” message was already displayed, I did not power on the terminal this was the TV only
-Unplugged the power and coax from the terminal and let sit for 5 minutes
-Plugged only the power back into the terminal and got:

1. Clock display: - |¯| |_| -
2. Clock display: boot for 8 seconds
3. TV: PowerTV logo for 2 seconds
4. Clock display and TV go blank for 4 seconds
5. White flash across TV screen horizontally in the middle (resembled a broken up think line)
6. TV and Clock display blank for 2 seconds
7. Clock display: ----
8. TV: Displaying video signal from terminal
Attention
Your EXPLORER settop is
NOT AUTHORIZED for use.
Please call (866)894-9962

-Called Rogers and played phone tag for over and hour and a half with the end result, them telling me I have to re-subscribe

Saturday, May 30th:
-Terminal had been sitting without a connection to the coax and power for about 24 hours
-Tried plugging the power back in and got the same thing as detailed above

Rest of the weekend:
-Plugging power back into the terminal at random times, always the same result

Monday, June 1st:
-Decided to extract the HDD and attempt to break the encryption
-HDD and its encryption are currently being analyzed
-Terminal now resides in a pile on the edge of my computer work desk with the case and HDD bracket off

I don’t know how I can give more detail than that. So with having the terminal plugged into both the power and the coax when Rogers deactivated the service there must have been a lockout code sent over the line to disable the terminal.

Reasons that I have come up after reading a ton of info in relation to this (theories only at the moment):
1. The terminal has Rogers logo as such they don’t want you to be able to use it with any other cable service
2. There is some fine print somewhere that says the terminal can be locked out when the service is deactivated, either to prevent use with another service or they have a contract that says recorded content on the PVR/DVR can not be accessible after service is deactivated
3. Rogers is playing the re-subscribe game to try and get customers to a) come back or b) stay with Rogers by saying that if you want access to the terminal (the one with their logo) you must be a subscriber with active service
 
#17 ·
Thank you for the detailed description. Sorry it won't work for you now. It is possible that when they deactivate your account that something is written to the HDD which displays the messages you see, as well as the "lockout". (Edit - The message can be useful to anyone in order to reactivate the PVR, although "locking" the PVR seems unncessary)

I don't recall encountering this situation on this forum before, at least not after the PVRs were allowed to boot without a cable connection. A few years back, the PVRs would not boot if you were not connected to cable, that's why I rechecked this afternoon to make sure mine would - it did.

FYI, the PVRs will not work on any other service provider - see the following thread on that topic.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=35032
 
#18 ·
This is the message you get when you first plug in your STB. I suspect the Rogers placed the unit in that state. I recall being able to listen to Galaxy channels on mine before it was activated.

You didn't mention it, but you did press LIST right?
 
#19 ·
The detailed message indicates that service was to be discontinued on May 29. Did you specify a time?

In other words, should you have been able to use it until 2359hrs on May 29?

Unless you can hack it, that may be your only leverage - they discontinued the service early, and owe you a few hours. Pretty thin, but maybe.....?
 
#20 ·
Yes, pressed ‘List’ on the remote as well as on the terminal. Various combinations from pressing at the Attention message to continually pressing it during power-up were all tried; no access to the PVR/DVR list was given.

For specific deactivation time I received two different responses from Rogers agents,
1) Customer Service agent at time of cancellation: service would remain online until 11:59pm (2359hrs)
2) Customer Service agent confirming cancellation/deactivation (a week before the deactivation date): same as above
3) Customer Service agent as well as a supervisor after calling in after 2:00pm: service was slated to be deactivated today (Friday, May 29th) there is no specific time, it could be deactivated anytime between 6:00am (0600hrs) to 11:59pm (2359hrs) and can not be turned back on after deactivated (unless you re-subscribe), the information you were given about the service staying active until midnight is wrong and we can not do anything about it
 
#21 ·
3) Customer Service agent as well as a supervisor after calling in after 2:00pm: service was slated to be deactivated today (Friday, May 29th) there is no specific time, it could be deactivated anytime between 6:00am (0600hrs) to 11:59pm (2359hrs) and can not be turned back on after deactivated (unless you re-subscribe), the information you were given about the service staying active until midnight is wrong and we can not do anything about it
Like I said, it is pretty thin, but that almost consitutes a breach of contract in my non-legal mind. I have no real knowledge, so I may be wrong. This really sucks.
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Figured out 8300 pvr-watching recordings after cancellation

Just button mashing, but figured it out.

I do not know if all steps are needed, but this sequence worked:

Unplug cable
unplug dvr and reset, power on again
press and hold select button until envelope appears on display of unit
press and hold list button for a few seconds

it should say 'this unit is now authorized to play back recordings when disconnected.

hope that helps.

Edit, the above tip may or may not work - only a test will confirm.
 
#28 ·
Thanks again. I just activated the playback functions on my deactivated PVR. I had to try the combo mentioned a few times but it does work. Just before I cancelled my account I filled up the 1GB drive. That should tide me over for a few months until summer is here.
 
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