I have a real problem with the fact that the box has a spot for S-video,but it's not there!! To make matters worse,when the guy came to set it up, all he could come up with for excuses was that only around 1 out of every 100 boxes actually has the input!(and he hadn't seen one yet) My problem gets worse due to the fact that in order to get "digital sound" from the premium channels, and the music channels, you must use the RCA type connectors on the box. Well, i'm already running an S-video switcher to my t.v. for DVD and N64. My t.v. will only recognize one input. The sound is actually worse now! I only get sound out of my center for premium and music channels. I even tried leaving the coax to the t.v., and hooking up just the RCA audio wires, but the only way i can get the digital sound, is to switch the t.v. to "video", which causes me to loose the picture! If anyone has any tech. advice, I would appreciate it.

oh yea: i called the cable company and they said that only the first 1000 boxes actually had the s-video installed, now they just leave the spot empty.Although the manual still shows instructions using s-video!!
FRUSTRATED!!!!

oh yea, Motorola makes the box

Mark,

I too have this cable box, and got around the problem by purchasing a Monster composite to s-video converter. I'm happy with the picture quality, and this solution allowed me to use my preamp as an audio/video switcher for all components, since they all now use s-video. (My TV has two inputs other than coax, but I wanted the preamp to do the switching, not the tv.)

As for sound quality, this box does not actually output digital anything. To get either DD 5.1 or DTS you of course need a digital output (coax or optical), not RCA. As documented elsewhere in RemoteCentral, this box does indeed say Dolby Digital on the front, but it doesn't actually support it. I have AT&T Digital Cable, and I do not believe that any of their programming is encoded for either DD or DTS. I believe the best you can get is Dolby Prologic. Does anyone know differently?

Cheers,

Scott

I have Time Warner "DTV" with the scientific atlanta 2000 box. I have a coax digital connection and all I get out of it is Pro-Logic. So even with the digital connection I get crap.

Scott,
Got any info on where i can pick up the Monster converter, and how much coin am i gonna drop on it? Thanx in advance.... and foamman, i only wish i could have crap like yours...lol :)

Have you tried setting up the audio from the "setup" menu for better sound? With my DCT 2000 box (and Comcast Digital Cable), I set my audio to "Matrix Stereo". I had to maximize the dynamic range compression because I was having a hard time hearing dialog at lower volumes (like when the kids are in bed) on the digital channels.

The way I understand it, with our cable system you have to use the RCA audio connections to get stereo sound on any of the digital channels. The coax cable connection just gives mono sound.

I think I tried that, but I'll try again, and let you know. Gotta go to work now, and make money to put twards a 36 in. VEGA. It's my biggest motivation right now.

Mark,

Here's one site that carries the composite to s-video converter: [Link: gohts.com]
I haven't searched for one of these in a while so I don't know who may have the best price. This is only about a foot long, so you still need an s-video cable to plug into it.

hope this helps!

Scott

I too just got digital cable hooked up today. It came with the DCT 2000 cable box. The manual says its got S-video and coax and SPDIF. All it has for my 36" WEGA is RCA jacks. Very disappointing.

Overall I enjoy my digital cable service, but the DCT-2000 box certainly has it's limitations. AT&T has been no help in telling me when the newer boxes will be available. SOMEONE obviously knows, but they sure aren't telling me. Anyway, while we're complaining about the box, here's something else I found frustrating, then got it fixed, and now find frustrating for another reason.

Until recently I was not able to get my VCR to control the cable box via an IR emitter. This was because the VCR sends CHANNEL + ENTER to the cable box. Well, as you AT&T digital cable fans know, this box expects CHANNEL + SELECT. The ENTER key is used to bring up the DMX music menu. Thus, the VCR would send the channel, and before it "took" the music menu popped up and the channel input timed out without changing the channel. Frustrating!

Well, while cruising through the cable box setup menu recently I noticed a new(?) feature (I hadn't noticed it before) that allows you to enter less than three-character channels without having to hit SELECT. After toggling this on, my VCR was able to control the DCT-2000. Yea!

Then I noticed that my fairly new JVC S-VHS machine will only allow me to enter a channel to recorded up to number 199. Now I am only able to record some digital channels without resorting to my previous method involving splitters, A/B switches and the who-knows-what-else I've got hooked up back there. Frustrating!

Has anyone else run into this, and do you know of a VCR that will allow up to channel 999 to be recorded? I'm assuming that a Tivo would solve this problem, now that i'm pretty sure it will control this cable box.

Hey, if it all worked the first time it would be a lot less interesting as a hobby!

Scott

First, Scott L., how do you enter channels without having to press "enter" afterwards?.... Second,I think I'm gonna go with the SIMA video switcher. Seems to have more of what I'm looking for and for 20 bucks more than the MONSTER converter. And last, but not least, Neopolaris, it's good to know that someone else feels my pain(lol).Thanx for the help all. I'll let you know how the SIMA works out(fingers crossed)

mark

Mark,

Good call on buying the Sima. I bought one for my girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend, and she has the Sima!) to switch her dct-2000, vcr and dvd player. She didn't have/want a home theater receiver. I was very impressed with the Sima, and would buy one again if the need arises. I decided to go with the Monster converter for my setup only because my Rotel preamp has all the switching I need, and the Sima would be one more box on the rack. The monster cable hides in the back and looks more elegant in my setup, imho.

I will check my cable setup this weekend and see what the setting is to eliminate the need for pressing SELECT to enter channels. Keep in mind that different cable companies may use different software/hardware on their end to drive the boxes, so even if we have the same dct-2000, they may be enabled for different features.

Scott

Scott,

The sima just got put on hold today. I bought a new audio rack! I needed one bad! I'll get the Sima eventually. Just got to buy the wife a new outfit before I spend more money on the H.T.. Works every time (lol). The only way i can get the channel I want, without hitting "ok" ,is to press 0 before the 2 digit number. It automatically goes to that channel. If you got another trick, let me know. And my sympathies for your loss( the Sima, not the chick)LOL.

Mark,

On my DCT-2000, I can navigate to: MENU, SETUP, GUIDE, AUTO-TUNE. The Auto-Tune function toggles YES or NO, and when on YES allows one or two digit channels to be input automatically. Again, this may be dependent on your cable provider.

Good luck schmoozing your wife with the new outfit. From now on when I see the unformfortable looking guy sitting in the lone chair outside the changing room holding his wife's purse, I'll think to myself "now that lucky guy is about to get a HT upgrade!".

Scott

Scott,

I'll give that a try. As for sitting outside the changing room,I have never, and will never let things get that bad! I just give her the money and throw her the keys to the good car. I'll let you know if the channel switching works.

mark