I just got a Digital Time Warner cable box... Have questions :)

[SnowPunk98]

I just got a digital cable box from Time Warner and was wondering about a few things... if you could help that would be great...

1. Why is there an ethernet jack?
2. Why is there a USB port?
3. what is the little card slot in the front of the box for?
4. Is it ok for me to put my TV on top of the box or would that damage it?

 

[calpha]

All of those things are not used. I had digital cable for a while last year, and none of those extra connections work.

According to a Tech BTW, the Coaxial Out doesn't work either b/c Time Warner chose a differnt format for it's signal & it's boxes.

 

[SnowPunk98]

maybe the ethernet and USB are for like web tv and keyboard

 

[wedi42]

try and hack it!
and let us know what happens

 

[SnowPunk98]

<< try and hack it! >>



lol I wouldnt know where to begin

 

[erikiksaz]

just expect a few crashes and freezes once in a while.

 

[d0ofy]

Those ports do nothing, from what I can tell. I think the cable box is capable of doing more things, like act as a cable box, WebTV-ish service, but Time Warner doesn't offer that service. Perhaps oher cable distributors do.
If you want to do something neat with your cable box, assuming you have the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2100, press and hold the button in the middle of the crosspad, and also hold the Exit button. After a few seconds you'll hear a *bing* sound. Let go and press EXIT to access a service menu. There's some interesting stuff in there, but nothing too good.

 

[SnowPunk98]

what about the card slot

 

[SnowPunk98]

?

 

[new2AMD]

Ive had one for years and never noticed anything. Is it only on new ones?

 

[ericb]

That card slot is an access slot for smart cards (think DirectTV programming cards).

 

[hevnsnt]

let me see some pics.. of the inside

 

[Sugadaddy]

You can't really hack Digital Cable AFAIK since you're permanently hooked to the cable company. (it can send data...)


Now DTV or Dish, that's another story, since if you don't plug the receiver to the phone line, they have no way of knowing you're there.



<---Plans on replacing his digital cable with Dish

 

[fastcobra]

I have TW dig cable
but would rather have broadband(they don't offer it )
Takes too long for the channels to change.