SA HD8300 PVR unable to tune some channels

[agrewalks]

I have a SA HD8300 PVR that was purchased from Future Shop perhaps 10 years ago, not rented.  Has work well for many years. About a year or two ago, some of the channels stopped tuning. For example:

494 TSN1

495 TSN2

496 TSN3

500 SN

505 SN

506 SN

When trying to access the above channels, the following message appears for a few seconds:

"Tuning... One moment please"

Followed by:

"Channel Not Available. This channel is currently not available.  Please try again."

Curiously, the following channels do work:

497 TSN4

498 TSN5

SN 501-504

 I have tried rebooting the unit, to no avail.  Also swapped it around with two other rented NextBox units. Problem follows the SA PVR.   Anyone else with this issue and hopefully a solution? 

[57]

I know the issue follows the box, but some boxes require more signal than others. It looks like the SA8300HD is requesting SDV (Switched Digital Video) channels and that signal is not getting back to the node/head end.  You can scan other channels that are usually SDV like TCM, Stingray, etc.

So, it's a signal issue, perhaps somehow related to the box.  Here's a post on signal. You can check it yourself and/or contact Rogers.  If the signal is borderline, it can cause this sort of problem. It can also be caused by a bad splitter, but that would probably affect all the boxes...

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Archived-Posts/Nextbox-3-0-PVR-Skips-Recorded-Playback-Only/m-...

If possible, move the 8300 to as close to the demarcation point in your home as possible, upstream of any splitters temporarily.

[agrewalks]

Thanks for your suggestions.  I did check the signal strength and SNR using the diagnostics procedure  outlined here https://www.digitalhome.ca/threads/57-faq-tips-for-sa-cisco-stbs-also-pace.17719/ 

On the "Current QAM section" (page 5):

Level: 2dBmV 

S/N: 36 dB

Seems that these should be within the acceptable range.  I will follow up with Rogers.

Thanks again.

[57]

Yeah, that signal looks OK.  If the return signal is bad from a box, then sometimes Rogers cannot even "see" the box and they'll typically say it's a bad box.  These SA8300HDs were first used by Rogers in late 2004, so 17 years is pretty good.   The date of manufacture is usually on the back or bottom of the box.

As stated before, a bad splitter (or other item in the line) can sometimes block a return signal, so if you can temporarily remove as many of these upstream of the box, that may help diagnose the issue.  Good Luck.