If you’re having a problem with your cable TV service, please select the issue below that most closely matches the issue you are experiencing.  Then follow the recommended steps to address your problem.

NOTE: We recommend that you turn off your cable box when not in use.  To turn the cable box on and off, you must hit the “CBL” button at the top of the remote.

VIDEO FAQ

How do I hook up a surround sound system to cable?

Because CTC broadcasts our cable TV in all-digital, sound quality is all stereo quality, and full Dolby Digital 5.1 surround on many HD channels.

To take full advantage of the sound quality, we recommend you use an Optical Audio cable to connect your surround sound system to your cable box.  Every sound system is a bit different, but below are some general instructions to hook up a surround sound system.

1) Verify that your surround sound system (A/V Receiver) has an optical audio port.  It is a square looking port that often has a red light in it.

2) Connect the optical audio cable to the cable box and surround sound system.

3) Put the surround sound system on the appropriate input (typically “TV” or “Cable”).

If the above does not get your sound system connect, refer to this document.  Page 7 specifically refers to connecting A/V devices with optical audio.

Some of my channels are not coming in.

If some of your channels are displaying “One Moment Please…”, please do the following.

1) Unplug the power cord from the back of the cable box for several seconds.

2) Plug the power cord back into the cable box and let it set for 5-10 minutes.

3) Turn the cable box on (by hitting the “CBL” button on the remote).

If this does not fix your problem, please contact us.

How do I program the cable remote to my TV?

To program your cable remote (the one provided by CTC) to your TV, there are instructions on the back of the remote.  The instructions are the following:

1) Press and hold both the TV button (at the top of the remote) and the “OK/SEL” buttons until the “TV” button lights up.

2) Press “CH+” button one step at a time until the TV turns off.  Note that this process can TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES.

3) Test the programming by pressing the MUTE button.  If the TV turns on, press the “TV” button to store the code.

How do I record to my VCR?

Our all-digital cable TV system does not support recording to a VCR.  If you have programs you wish to record, you may subscribe to our DVR service, which will program shows for you, and allow you to play them on any TV in the home that has a cable box.

I can’t watch recorded shows on my small cable box!

If you subscribe to our Whole-Home DVR service, you can watch and record shows from every cable box in the house.  If that stops working, please perform the following:

1) Hit the “B” button on the remote of the small cable box.  If your recorded shows are NOT listed, proceed to the next step.

2) Go to your DVR box (the big cable box with numbers on the front) and pull the power cord from the back of the box.

3) After a few seconds, plug the power cord back in and wait 5-10 minutes so that the box can sync back up.

4) Go to your small box and hit the “B” button again.  Your recorded content should now show up.

NOTE: Sometimes after electric glitches, the boxes can’t see each other.  The above steps will allow the boxes to communicate with each other again.  If that does not help, please contact us.

Some channels say “Not Authorized.”

Channels that you are not paying for are supposed to say “Not Authorized.”  If you believe you are paying for a channel that says “Not Authorized”, please contact us to reprogram your cable boxes.

How do I watch my DVD/VCR player?

If you have a cable box connected to your TV, please do the following to watch a DVD or VCR player:

1) Locate the remote that came with your TV (NOT your cable remote).

2) Power on the DVD/VCR player.

3) Find the SOURCE or INPUT button on the remote and hit it until the source of your TV changes to the connection your DVD/VCR player is connected to.  The screen should display something from the player when you are on the correct input.

After you are done watching your DVD/VCR player, you must change your TV’s input back to the input that the cable box is connected to.

 

My Screen has black boxes!!

If you have a newer widescreen TV, you may find that the sides have black boxes on your screen.  The boxes can be removed from SD channels by widening the picture via your TV remote (instructions vary by TV).  The black boxes that appear on LOCAL channels periodically are NOT removable.  Those black boxes are being placed their by the content provider (CBS, ABC, etc.).  This link better explains the aspect ratio of TV’s.

I bought a new TV, how do I hook my cable up?

If you replaced a TV with a new one, and need to hook up a cable box to it, please take the following steps:

1) Download the Quick Start Guide for your cable box.  Click here if you have a small cable box, click here if you need to connect a DVR box.

2) The Quick Start Guide will tell you how to hook the cable box to your TV and a variety of other components (DVD player, BluRay player, surround sound, etc.).

3) If you do not wish to view the Quick Start Guide, note that you need to run an HDMI cable from your cable box to your TV, run the coax (cable from the wall) to the cable box, and plug in the cable box into power.

4) Once you have the cable box connected to your new TV, put the TV on the input (SOURCE).  You will need to refer to your TV manual for instructions on how to chance the source/input to HDMI.

5) There is a sticker on the back of your remote we provided you to PROGRAM the remote to your NEW TV.

My cable isn’t working on one (1) TV!

If you have a cable box and your cable TV isn’t working on one TV, please take the following steps:

1) Verify that your cable box is powered on and the bright blue light on the front of it is lit up.  To turn on the cable box you must hit the “CBL” button at the top of your remote.

2) Verify that your TV is turned on.  TV’s typically show some kind of light on the front of the display when they are turned on.

3) Verify that your TV input is on the correct input.  Our cable TV service NEVER shows static or snow. If you are seeing static or snow, your input needs to be changed back to the cable TV box.  Get your original TV remote and hit the INPUT or SOURCE button until your cable comes back on.

If the above steps do not restore your cable service, please contact us.

 

My cable isn’t working on any of my TV’s!

If your cable TV service is not working on any of your TV’s in your home, please verify the following:

1) Verify that your cable boxes are turned on (with the bright blue light on the front of the box).

2) Verify that your TV’s are turned on.

3) Verify that the APC box installed somewhere INSIDE your home has two green lights on it.  If this box has lost electrical power, your cable TV service will NOT work!  If it has lost power, plug it back in or find a working electrical outlet to plug it into.

If the above steps do not restore your cable TV service, please contact us.