Other Tips of interest on DVRchatter site on DCT-6412
I'm going to try some of these things when I get home. Such as getting a signal booster as well as taking the splitter to modem off and and making sure I do the recordings on channel 1 not channel 2 (to see if I can get an improvement in recording quality).
Wayne
From DVRchatter site (
http://www.dvrchatter.com/viewtopic.php?id=8 )
1 Leave your 6412 on at all times. Some have reported being unable to view live TV after turning their box off and on again. Also, the 6412 will “Wake Up" to record programs in a muted state and shut itself off after having “Woken Up" to record a program in spite of the fact that you are using the DVR at the time. DVRs are generally “Always on" appliances.
2 Do Not Leave Your Tuners Tuned to An Analog Channel Users have reported lock-ups when recording or viewing Analog channels (Generally Channels 2-99). Some of these reports have even made it into media reports on the product. To avoid this, it is best not to leave your 6412 tuned to an analog channel when it is unattended. You may turn on your TV to find the box has frozen. Comcast is currently pushing a firmware upgrade to customers (version 09.15) which is supposed to correct the “Analog Freeze? issue.
3 Make sure your box is well ventilated Most report that the 6412 is a device that runs somewhat warm. As with all electronics, the 6412 needs to be well ventilated with nothing on top of it and plenty of air circulation around it.
4. Avoid Series Recording at This Time Unfortunately, many users report issues with Series Recording including strange behavior surrounding priority rankings, lock-ups when editing Series Recordings and the recording of unwanted episodes because of incomplete Guide data. Additionally, it appears that if you have two Series Recordings scheduled for one time you can only cancel one if needed. Trying to cancel the second brings the first one back. It is the opinion of this site that Series Recording, especially non-network programs, is best avoided until a fix is made in the software.
5.Give the 6412 a Steady and Stable Power Source - The 6412 seems to be especially sensitive to power issues such as surges and inconsistent power supplies. Make sure your 6412 is plugged into an outlet that is correctly grounded and not overloaded. As with most electronic equipment, a surge protector or UPS is indicated.
Basic Troubleshooting:
A substantial portion of the problems people have with their 6412 can be traced back to the strength, quality and stability of the signal they are feeding into the device. Users should come to the troubleshooting process with the knowledge that the 6412 is not like other devices they have had in the past, that it is especially sensitive, and that it requires a more clean and stable signal than they may have had with previous digital cable boxes that worked fine.
The signal coming into the 6412 is split internally. The one input feeds the two tuners and also an internal cable modem that allows communication back to the head end (presumably for guide data and OnDemand communication). On the diagnostic screens (section d04), you will see that the signal to Tuner 2 is considerably weaker and more "noisy" than the signal to Tuner 1. As noted by the higher "AGC" level, the 6412 must work harder to maintain a stable signal for Tuner 2. Users with poor signal will notice problems on Tuner 2. It cannot be stressed enough that this device needs the cleanest signal possible for optimal performance.
The Motorola Signal Booster can help with poor signal levels. (Link to Circuit City is for information, not a suggestion that you should purchase the item there exclusively) Unlike other signal boosters, it allows two-way communication on digital frequencies between you and your local Head End. It is not an inexpensive product. Shop around for the best price.
The signal should be split as few times as possible prior to being fed into the 6412. The signal cannot pass through other devices (DVD-Recorders, TiVos, VCRs) prior to being fed to the 6412. Personally, I recommend one splitter prior to connection with one output fed to the 6412 and the second into another splitter for distribution to your other televisions and devices in the house.
The digital SDs are ok, but the analog ones are not so good.
