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Time Warner and Motorola DVR Mute Problem

John P.

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Motorola DCT6416I’ve got a Motorola DCT6416 HD DVR unit from Time Warner Cable (formerly Comcast) and I have a problem with it constantly muting itself. It makes me want to throw the damn thing out the window!

Luckily, I got the answer on how to get around the issue along with a couple other hints. Still, I must say that this Motorola box is a piece of crap compared to Tivo.

If you are experiencing an issue where a small MUTE is centered at the top of the screen on your TV, you are NOT going crazy. It’s the crappy Motorola DVR box muting it’s self. The real problem is that the remote comes programmed to work a TV and not the box. Brilliant right?

This often occurs when you leave your DVR powered off for a while and then turn it on. It will power on and record a show but when it turns itself on, the volume is muted on the cable box.

Here is how to reprogram your remote so you can unmute the DVR:

  1. Press the “Cable” button at the top of the remote to put it into Cable Box control mode.
  2. Press and hold the “Setup” button until the “Cable” button blinks twice.
  3. Enter code 994. The “Cable” button will blink twice.
  4. Press (do not hold) the “Setup” button.
  5. Enter code 00141.
  6. Press whatever button you want to map the mute function to.

Now, while you’re doing that how about making another change to improve your quality of life with this DVR? You can program your remote to give you a 30 second skip, perfect for jumping over those commercials:

  1. Press the “Cable” button at the top of the remote to put it into Cable Box control mode.
  2. Press and hold the “Setup” button until the “Cable” button blinks twice.
  3. Type in the code 994. The “Cable” button will blink twice.
  4. Press (do not hold) the “Setup” button.
  5. Type in the code 00173.
  6. Press whatever button you want to map the 30-second skip command to (I recommend one of the A,B,C buttons). The “Cable” button will blink twice if successful.

If this helped you out, or you have other related tips, please drop me a comment below to let me know.

Comments

  1. John, thanks so much for the tip. This is my first experience with TWC, and I’m finding they have pretty crappy equiptment.

  2. I’m having the same trouble with sound. I can push the volume bottom in the remote and nothing happens… and my remote doesn’t have a setup bottom either. Can you help me? thx

  3. Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative. I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  6. You’re a savior. The single best advice on TWC remotes. I’ve come back to your site every time I have to get a new remote, and it always works like a charm.

  7. THANK YOU !!!!!!!
    You are a GENIUS!!!
    The Techs at Time Warner had no stinking clue what i was talking about. So I GOOGLED my issue, found your instructions and VIOLA it worked.

    THANK YOU.

  9. I still don’t see any response to how to do these things if there is NO setup button on the Control. Help.

  10. TWC delivered me a new box and now when I click “CBL” and then volume, it goes back to the “TV” and adjusts the TV volume. Our TV volume is at zero because our audio goes thru the stereo. Does anyone know how to sync the new cable box volume with our old remote? All other cable box functionality seems to be working.

  11. I got a new box from TWC and had a similar issue yesterday. I called TWC and they had to “send a signal to the box” so it would start up the functionality and begin loading the guide data. Try that.

  13. I set it then tried to change to another btn but now it just does 30 sec back now. Can you help

  15. Please help! I called TW today to fix my DVR while I was on the phone they had me change my Volume to Variable I am trying to put it back on Fixed bc the sound is better now when I put it on Fixed the Volume Button or mute Button on the remote or box does not work PLEASE help

  16. Ryan,

    I have never seen anyone so happy to get control of their remote before. I am glad to have been your humble servant.

    Cheers,

    John P.

  17. John P., is my God. I am nothing. He is everything. You rule the heavens and the earth….

    because I got my 30 second skip back!!!! I just dropped Dish for TW and had several conniptions yesterday discovering there was no 30-second skip button.

    You have remedied this…and I will forever be a mere foot soldier in your army of truth.

  18. Awesome! I’ve been on hold with Time Warner for over 15 mins…nothing a little google search can’t do. Thanks so much…I now have SOUND!!!!

  19. Does anybody know how to get back the on-screen graphics? Somehow i lost them. I come home one night and i have no info screen, guide screen, VOD screen, DVR screen…basically anything that is blue wont show up. I cant view any recordings. I cannot pause live tv. I cannot skip back on live tv. I cannot do anything! F#$% !!!!
    I am really frustrated. I tried unplugging it for a minute and it started up the with the same problem. I can still change the channels but i get no channel info about what is showing.
    Please help guys. any ideas?

  20. 30 sec skip hack worked great on my UEI 1056B01 remote and DCH6416 STB. I wanna know where these remote codes come from. Is there a guide or list somewhere? How many more hidden functions are there?

  21. worked on my DCT 6416 III. this problem just showed up for me today, and of course tech support had nothing. Thank you for figuring this out! and ive been wanting that 30 sec advance since i got the damn thing.

  22. I have a Motorola DCT6416 III but I don’t have a Setup button.

    I really want to map a 30 second skip to a button to help me skip ads more easily. Any idea how I can do this?

    Thanks!

    (I’ll bookmark this page and check back.)

  23. 1. Press the device key (“Cable”) at the top of the remote.
    2. Press and hold the “Setup” key until the “Cable button blinks twice.
    3. Type in the code 994. The “Cable” key will blink twice.
    4. Press the “A” key twice. The “Cable” key will blink twice if successful.

  24. I tried to map the 30-second advance gimmick to the A key, but it didn’t work. Now my A key doesn’t do anything. How do I return the A key to it’s original functionality? Trying to set the original code for the cable box also doesn’t work.
    Thanks.

  25. John! Kudos for both the Unmute and 30-sec skip tips. They both worked on my DCH 6416. The mute problem was much worse on my set: anytime, I would start a recorded program, or come out of any fast forward/review speed to play, the sound would be muted on my home theater. I was having to use another remote to switch to another input on my Home Theater receiver and then back again, evertime (it was ridiculous). I still have to mute and unmute every time I do any of those things I mentioned above, but now at least its on the same remote and w/ the button I assigned right next to the play button.

    The 30-sec skip is great. I used to have a Moxi box. I had a small HD but i loved the fact that it had a:
    30-second skip
    8-second backup
    15-minute skip
    15-minute backup

    Using those 4 buttons you could get anywhere with a 3-hour recording within about 4 seconds.

    Any chance you know of a way to program a 15-minute skip/backup, or something like that?

    Thanks,

    Jahna

  28. damn man …you are the man ..once again i looked like the man ….dang mute button …. no indication at all ..just that dvds played fine and we seen the video and did your little tutorial up there and it worked ..and the 30 second skip ahead is GOD lol

    thanks so much

    our TV service said they would send a tech out in 9 days and it took less than 5 mins to get it fixed …

    thanks again

  29. I have a motorola DCH6416 and don’t have a ‘setup’ button on the remote. My remote is the UR4U-MDVR-CHD2. Any tips would be GREATLY appreciated. I can’t live without a 30s skip.

  32. Nice fix. I knew what the damn thing was doing, but couldn’t figure out how to make it stop.
    I’ve got what appears to me to be a basic question, yet I can’t find any information on it. I would like to plug my Playstation into the FRONT composite video/audio jacks (the red, white, and yellow plugs). I’ve yet to figure out how to make the damn thing see my PS2. WTF? Where is the “input” button. Any clues?
    Thanks in advance, and power to the people y’all!

  34. Thank you very much for the mute instructions. I was going crazy every time that this happen and on more than one occasion had to turn my dvr off stopping any recording that I was currently doing. I am so glad that I did not have to contact the cable company considering that my last couple of encounters with them have been less than pleasant.

    You rock,
    Gai

  35. The Man,

    I have seen that Wikibooks page before. It does not work for my situation. I have a pdf file of my remote, if that would help. I don’t have a website. How can I get it to you?

    Russ

  37. Gary,

    Isn’t the Web awesome! :-) It puts power back in the hands of the people. I’m just glad that some good ultimately came out of my frustrating learning curve by being able to share the solution.

    Take care,

    John

  38. Just spent 15min on the phone waiting for a Time Warner person to answer. After 15 more min, I fired up my laptop, Yahoo!Search for “time warner cable motorola dvr mute problem” and bingo, up comes this web page. 30sec later, the Mute problem is GONE (now mapped to “B” on the remote). Thanks for sharing!

  40. All,

    Sorry about the slow response to questions…

    Jim,

    You might check the following links for information relating to fixing your mute problem:

    Russ,

    The setup button is in the top left corner on mine. If you don’t have it they may have given you the wrong remote(?), or just a different one? Try the link below…

    Programming the Remote

    Ash,

    You might also try the same URL I just mentioned to see if there is a code to reprogram the volume buttons.

    Good luck all!

    John

  41. Joe,

    My comments about the DVR box are based on the fact that it doesn’t work properly.

    • Comcast gives no manual with the DVR.
    • The manuals online do not mention this “feature”.
    • When the DVR mutes itself there is often no indicator, visual or otherwise, to let you know that happened. Only sometimes does it say MUTE.
    • The remote does not come programmed to control the DVR’s mute “feature”.
    • The unit never unmutes itself, although one could assume that if you change channels or hit the power button a human is actually trying to use it and therefore it could have been programmed to un-mute itself.
    • When you call Comcast to report that the audio isn’t working on this unit they do not know how to fix it because their call center doesn’t know about this “feature”.
    • Comcast sent trucks to my house on two separate occasions and replaced two units, plus my neighbors as well, because their repair people don’t know about this “feature”.

    This is not the only problem with this DVR:

    • The unit does not always record shows that are scheduled. It missed every single episode of a show I was trying to record last season even though I set it several times.
    • The unit gets stuck in Fast Forward mode at times and won’t respond until it just feels like it. This means it skips right through 20 minutes of programming for no reason.
    • The remote often forgets which device it is controlling even when you haven’t tried to control any other devices. You have to hit the CABLE button repeatedly to issue commands to the DVR.
    • Even though it would be possible for the cable company to push out a firmware update, or have a technician do one, they have never updated any of these units.

    As far as the price is concerned, that has no bearing on the fact that I’m not receiving what I paid for. They forced me to upgrade to digital, then to add HD on top of that, so I’m already paying about $30-40 per month more, so the “free” DVR is largely irrelevant if it doesn’t work.

    Finally, I believe your neighbor argument is fallacious. That would mean they had it loud enough to upset people when they were last watching it. The real logic-based reason is that the TV might turn on at night and wake up/scare people – especially in a bedroom. Of course, the fact that it turns on muted – but is still as bright as a lightbulb was ignored…

    Besides, it would be very, very…very unwise to allow this DVR to powercycle an expensive HD television. And the vast majority of people don’t.

    John

  42. POOR YOU! You want to throw your cable box out the window because Comcast was smart enough to mute a recording when your not home? Think about it, some people have their boxes set to turn the tv on & off so if you are out and the box has to turn itself on to record a program YOU set and you have the volume set to 100, and maybe live in an apartment, you won’t piss off your neighbors. Get it? I do admit it is kind of a pain to turn the mute off. But it sounds to me like you are someone who does not like reading instructions for the remote etc..actually the current Comcast and it’s equipment, for the most part??,is ok. The cost is still WAY to high. As far as being a piece of crap compared to TiVO? You must own stock in TiVO? Considering TiVO has only one function I should hope that this function is better than any other companies “DVR” TiVO costs more and they charge you for the box outright! I would rather have my DVD recorder w/hard drive than TiVO. I am sorry to say, or not? TiVO is obsolete.

  43. Thanks a ton! Mute wasn’t working for me at all and that fixed it. The only thing now that will still not work for me is the Volume Up and Down buttons, when I press them nothing happens. Is there a code for reprogramming those?

  44. I don’t have a setup button on my remote. Do you know what I have to do to fix this problem?

  47. I have the DCT3416 box (not the 6416). The fix worked perfectly for the 30-second skip, but not for the mute problem. Is there a different fix of the mute problem for the 3416 box?

  48. Mike – My pleasure. I remember the feeling you experienced last night very well. :-) I’m glad this little piece of info was useful to others…

    John

  50. I hate all of you.. :-)
    I am now on a list for a DVR. Apparently, they will call when they come in. And oh yeah, I will be leaving an Annoy-a-tron in the local Comcast office if / when they call me to pick up my DVR.. Annoy-a-tron… Is there no place it can’t go….? (In Homer Simpson’s voice)

    j-

  51. Thanks SOOOO much for posting this information.
    I was so pissed last night. I hope this works!

  52. AMAZING!!! Thank you! I thought I was going to go crazy!!! This was EXTREMELY helpful. This was much easier than calling the retards at my cable company.

  53. Jimbeau,
    I feel your pain. I’m in Cape Condo and now that Comcast is attempting to take over when I finally got a singal back my DVRs are constantly recording whatever chanel is on and won’t let me change them. & Of course the trouble numbers are just too overloaded to let me even pretend to wait…..

    Look in the sky… It’s a satillite!
    Clix

  54. True dat.

    Of course, I have to ask… isn’t there another freaking Comcast office within driving distance that you can go to an pick one up at???

    John

  55. Well at least you can get a DVR… I move from Cape Coral to Bonita Springs (23 miles) 6 months ago. I was a Timer Warner customer in the Cape, but the service in Bonita is Comcast. Long story short, I turned in my gear (3 dvr HD boxes) and went on down to Comcast only to find out they were out of DVR’s. That’s right.. Out… 6 months and counting… What do I get? “Please call us back on Wednesdays. That’s when we get our shipments in.” My wish today is that every single person that works for Comcast in SW Florida develops a rash on their nether regions…

    So forgive me if I am less then sympathetic to your little mute problems. At least you can still record Hee Haw, and let’s be honest, do you really want to hear that audio?

    Best regards,

    j-