I have a question. I picked up a digital cable box at a garage sale. It is a General Instruments DCT2244.

My question is how do I even test it? I plug it into the power and it turns on, lights and channels will flip when I press up or down. BUT I hooked the box up to a tv, set it to channel 3, and all I get is black / blank screen. No matter if I change the channel, or press the menu button on the unit, guide button, or info button. It powers up because I go from a static screen when the unit is unplugged to black screen. But thats it. Is that all its suppose to do?

2nd. I have basic cable, and internet over cable modem. Would it be wise to plug the box into my cable line to test it? I fear this since would the cable company be able to detect the box then? Is it even legal to own a box?

Also are these boxes worth anything? I dont have a remote, and honestly I loosely follow the digital cable threads once in a blue moon. I gather the only thing available is a digital filter to block out going ppv purchase from being sent to cable company. Anyhow though, is this box anything spectacular I guess or just your run of the mill digital box.

Id really love to hear from someone on their input.
Thanks alot in advance.

[Conner]

Originally Posted by Odeum

I picked up a digital cable box at a garage sale. It is a General Instruments DCT2244. My question is how do I even test it.

Hi Odeum,

Curently there isn't anything available for the digital units.

Regards,

Thanks sir, but I think you missunderstood in a bit, I am not interested in testing in the sense of hacking, I want to physically test the box, does the thing work sinces its used.

Can someone please tell me how to physically test, measure or see if this unit actually works? I am not interested in hacking digital cable. I am interested in knowing if this box even works. As mentioned above I dont have digital cable at the moment. When I plug the unit into a tv all I get is a black screen even if I press menu/info/channel up down...

Is this normal or does this mean the unit is garbage. Would it be wise to even plug this into my cable (I only have basic cable) to see if it works? Or is that bad for me since the cable company would detect it.

I am just curious if this works. Anyone that has any experience with this type of unit if you wouldnt mind helping out.
Thanks.

[Gaspor]

All none encrypted analog channels should work and u should be able to see them.., if no then most likely your DCT2244 box broken.
P.s i have one (from garage sale too) and it works fine on all analog channels. As far as i know box need to be activated to process digital signal otherwise you'll see black screen and no guide (exception for analog channels)

Thanks Gasper. I actually didnt think of that for looking for analog on it.

I was worried about hooking it up to the cable line because I dont have digital cable and am unfamilar with any laws for hooking up a cable box to a cable line, if the company (concast) would detect it and possible do something.

Regardless, Thanks for the info.