We need to use Close Captioning in our household. Unfortunately, ever since the latest software update to our Cable One DVR, we've had nothing but problems with it.
Before the software upgrade the close captioning (CC) worked. We could even view the CC via the Cable One DVR. Not only could you change the font, but you could change the colors of both the fore and backgrounds. This was a major improvement over the TV's standard white block text over a solid black background.
Now we are using the TV's CC since the DVR's no longer works. This is a real inconvenience because the TV's CC displays over the DVR's guides and menus. (note: we are not using an HDTV.)
(note: as you can see from this picture the TV's CC displays over the menu.)
To set the CC with the DVR, turn off the unit and click on settings. The options will be displayed on the screen.
(note: picture above has Analog set as T1, normally it would be set to CC1, we were playing with the settings when I took this pic)
To top even that, every digital channel (100 and above) has it's CC garbled. It's dropping letters. This makes the CC useless. This is the real confusing part of this problem. You would think the digital channels would have great CC.
(note: the CC is like this on all channels higher than 100)
I've since written to Cable One about this problem, and got back an e-mail walking me through the menu I mentioned above (no help).
A cable technician even came over to the house and tried to set it up with the menu. He got the same results we've been getting. No DVR CC. Garbled CC.
We have two other digital cable boxes (non-DVR/TV's CC) in the house, and the CC works great on them.
I've just about convinced myself its a problem with the DVR's software. I came to this conclusion because: One, it worked before the software upgrade, and Two, we've switch to a dual tuner DVR with the same software and have the exact same problems.
Specs:
Cable One Digital Cable
TV Guide iGuide
Motorola HDTV/Dual Tuner DVR - DCT6412 III
S/W Ver: 71.44 - 1203
Firmware: 12.18
Sunday, January 08, 2006, 5:06:16 PM by Program Witch |
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www Tuesday, January 10, 2006, 5:11:17 PM by Program Witch |
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wwwI started a thread about this in the AfterDawn Forums. Hopefully we can get some answers:
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/285722
Wednesday, January 11, 2006, 4:44:02 PM by Program Witch |
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wwwI’ve send a tech support question to Motorola about this over the weekend. (Even though I don’t think its the box itself but the software)
I’ve also sent a follow up query to Cable One Support.
Thursday, January 12, 2006, 11:57:34 AM by Program Witch |
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wwwGot a reply from CableOne support:
This is, NOW, a known issue with Motorola on the latest DVR's released.
They are working on a fix for this issue. We can bring out one of the
DVR's released last year that has the same option on it. The closed
captioning on these work great. ... Thanks for your patients.
Sunday, January 15, 2006, 3:26:07 PM by mary |
emailThank you, Thank you. I lost the DVR Closed Captioning 1/1/06. I am hard of hearing so it really was a major issue. None of my recordings had the cc. Thanks to you I now have the cc back. Comcast was no help, of course, they said it was my TV. Right. I could get the cc on my TV but not on the DVR recordings & it was my TV? Makes sense to me. Again thank you.
Monday, January 16, 2006, 10:31:10 AM by Program Witch |
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wwwI heard from Motorola tech support but they want me to let them know what firmware verison I have. I’ll go look at lunch. (I thought it was 12.18, but they want me to go through the diagnostic menu to get it)
Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 11:38:03 AM by Program Witch |
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wwwMotorola was not help at all. I should have known they wouldn’t be when the asked me for the firmware version. Of which I had already given them.
Hello. Thank you for choosing Motorola. ... the only settings that can be adjusted in the unit for the Closed Captioning are to turn it on and off, or to change the way it appears (i.e. font, size, foreground or background colors). The actual closed captioning itself is broadcast through the different TV stations. I suggest that you check with the broadcasters or your cable company and see if others are having this same issue. ...
Figures.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 9:19:17 AM by Program Witch |
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wwwYesterday CableOne gave me an older dual tuner DVR STB and the close captioning on the higher channels are working again. It still won’t generate the CC via the DVR, so we are using the TVs. This is also the first STB I’ve had that didn’t have RF (Cable) out. Its all video out. I’ll get the model number later and post it.
Thursday, January 26, 2006, 3:26:50 PM by Program Witch |
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wwwWrote down some info from my latest STB
Model: DCT S/W Ver: 73.41 Firmware 10.10
Even though we now have CC ungarbled on high channels, we may have lost CC on Univision. I know this seems odd. I’m going to check the other non-DVR STB in the house to see if CC is on that channel.
DVR generated CC still does not work. I still bet it was the iGude software breaking it.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 10:14:18 PM by Radar |
emailI have added comments about my problems with the DVR showing/not showing closed captioning during playback at afterdawn.com. I thought it might be due to the playback being too fast. When I asked Cox Communications, they replied that the DVR does not record the captioning information. This does not make sense, because I can occasionally get the captioning and other time I get it only when I slow down the playback for a few seconds by using the REPLAY button or by using the PAUSE and then press PLAY. This works only for a few seconds when I was not getting any captioning otherwise. I was wondering if you could duplicate my observation on your DVR?
Thanks,
Radar
Wednesday, February 01, 2006, 8:25:04 AM by Program Witch |
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www(Posted this same reply at AfterDawn)
I don't know why they would say that. We recorded Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs last night and watched it later with "close captioning".
I'm of the mind that many cable techs don't know all the ends and out of the cable boxes they support. If they can hook it up and see all the channels I think they are fine.
The last cable tech that came to our house didn't even know about the close captioning settings on the dvr.
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I tried your pausing/replay trick last night with no results. The only close captioning I see is generated from the TV.
I'm going to give up trying to get the DVR's close caption generator to work until there is a new firmware update.
I get no help from any tech support I've tried, because they just don't know what I'm talking about.
---------
To Review:
To get to the DVR's close captioning settings. Turn off the box, click on settings and you will see this menu:
note: picture above has Analog set as T1, normally it would be set to CC1, we were playing with the settings when I took this picPush settings again to exit the menu. Turn you box back on. Before the last software update this function worked. Now it doesn't.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006, 3:03:53 PM by Program Witch |
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wwwFound this in some
documentation at the motorolla web site:
Problem
There are no graphics, closed captions, or program guides appearing on the TV screen.
Possible Solution
The DCT* cannot generate graphics on all video outputs at all times. If the DCT* is set to 1080i, 720p, or 480p output format, graphics are only available on the HD video outputs (DVI and component video). If the DCT* is set to 480i, graphics are available on all video outputs. If the DCT* is connected to a standard definition TV, verify that the DCT* is configured to use the 480i output mode.
Verify that closed captions on the DCT* have been enabled in the User Settings menu. If you are using an IEEE 1394 connection, on-screen graphics, including closed captions and program guides, will not be displayed.
Not a lot of help, since I can see the guides just fine. Just no CC.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006, 3:10:50 PM by Program Witch |
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wwwMore from that above document:
ON-SCREEN GRAPHICS
The DCT* can generate graphics that overlay the video programming or
fill the entire television screen. Common examples include on-screen
menus (such as the User Setting menu), closed captions, and interactive
program guides. The DCT* overlays these graphics whenever you open
a menu, enable closed captions, or scroll through a program grid.
On-screen graphics are not available on all DCT* YPbPr output setting
and video output combinations:
• On-screen graphics are always available if your DCT* is connected
through the HD outputs (DVI or YPbPr)
• Standard definition connections (S-Video or composite Video) will
only display on-screen graphics if the YPbPr Output is set to 480i
• On-screen graphics will not be displayed when you are using the
IEEE 1394 connection on the rear panel of the DCT*
The YPbPr Output setting can be configured from the on-screen menu.
Thursday, June 14, 2007, 3:08:47 PM by Andrea |
emailA comcast technician cae out to the house last week and did something eith the DVR box menu that caused the Closed Caption Bar to display at the TOP of the tv screen instead of at the Bottom which covers up all of the symbols you need to see to operate your dvr box.
We had to replace the DVR box and can’t figure out how to get the Close Caption bar up to the top again. I had 4 different comcast people and nobody seems to know how to do this.
I know it’s possible to move the bar because we had it at the top of our screen for over a week and it was Great! It was no longer blocking the DVR symbols. I know it’s not a TV setting because Closed Caption does not work on the newer Samsung tvs. I verified this by finding some documentation on the internet about that. I am almost certain it is a function of the cable box. If anyone knows how to move the caption bar to the top of the tv screen please let me know. It’s driving me crazy!
Andrea
Andreaj123@comcast.net
Saturday, April 05, 2008, 9:56:20 AM by Scott Hardy |
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wwwTHANK YOU ProgamWitch...
Your info about how to enable/disable DVR CC solved our issue!
A 5year old somehow turned on the DVR’s CC and we have spent days trying to turn it off.
When we called Comcast support they acted like we were morons. They kept insisting that the CC was from our TV unit (even though we had found the TV’s CC and could turn it on and off - creating double CC text which proved CC was coming elsewhere other than the TV’s CC).
To make a long story short, Comcast support couldn’t tell us how to disable DVR CC and so therefore their final answer was User Error .
I did a quick Google search and after a minute or two of reading your page we learned how to enable/disable DVR CC.
Thanks again!
Scott Hardy
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