HDMI Sounds Like How Dumb Am I?

I have a Smart TV with a cable subscription. There are plugs from the TV and the router that go into the cable box which emanates from the wall. At one point in time, it was set at HDMI 1. My kids keep rearranging the wires as they hook up their Switch and Xbox. I’ve not watched programs that need the cable box — this includes network TV — in months.

I go to watch the first Thursday night game. I start early, mind you, as I expect to have trouble with the setup. I also want to tape the game for my daughter who is out.

The problem is that the box won’t go on. I look and, sure enough, it’s not plugged in. Yet I don’t know what the charger is supposed to look like and I have LOADS of chargers for all sorts of electronics. No one is home to help me. I do see two plugs: one seems to go to the router, the other LOOKS as if it’s plugged into the wall. I do try and unplug the router plug first — I am tired — and manage to disconnect the Internet for ten minutes as it reboots. I rifle through different boxes of plugs and wires to see if it has accidentally been put away as something we had no use for.

The next day, the kids are of no use. I start a chat with customer service so I can get a new charger.

Me: “I need a new charger.”

Chat: “So, I see you are having an issue with your F-SetBox. Can you describe what you are seeing?”

Me: “Yes, I’m having an issue because it’s not plugged in, as I don’t seem to have the charger.”

Chat: “Are you having the issue with only one of your boxes as I see you have two boxes?”

I had forgotten that there was a second one in my daughter’s room; now at least I can see what the charger is supposed to look like. I also think that I can use this charger, so my daughter tries.

Me: “Just the one.”

Chat: “If you read me the serial number, I can get started on ordering you a new one, free of charge.”

I type in the numbers.

In the meantime, my daughter locates a similar plug but sees it “plugged” in and thinks it must be for something different. She then leaves. I look closer at the connection and think that this must be the charger, and that maybe the other end is just jammed. It’s behind a fairly heavy entertainment center which I can just move out enough to unjam and plug in.

The customer service rep asks me to verify my address.

Me: “Please hold off on that. I believe that the cord was just jammed up against the wall, not plugged in elsewhere.”

Chat: “So you’ve found the cord?”

Me: “The F-box seems to be starting now; green lights… blinking…”

Chat: “Are we good now?”

Me: “Please wait until I can get this verified.”

I try to go to HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 but neither works.

Me: “I can’t seem to get HDMI 1 and 2 to work.”

Chat: “Any chance there is an HDMI 3?”

Me: “Yes. It didn’t occur to me to try that.”

I felt like an idiot. Sure enough, HDMI 3 put me into the correct screen. I got a prompt to hit “OK,” but the remote wasn’t working. Apparently, someone had harvested the batteries. The next device I tried to take batteries from was also dead.

I apparently took too long; the chat guy left. I eventually found working batteries.

I also received a free charger.