S3 TIVO CableCard on A/B Cable System

[dave_1979]

In parts of Dallas we still have A/B cable with no plan of switching for at least another year. I am one of the unlucky ones stuck with only being able to use a single tuner HD-DVR from Time Warner (just switched from Comcast) because the dual tuner HD-DVR can't process both A/B cable which leaves me with alot of missing channels.

My question is: Will the Series 3 Tivo be able to process A/B cable with Dual Tuner HD functionality on it's built in CableCards (record 2 shows at once while receiving all my subscibed channels)? If not what options will I have with the new Tivo and my "premium" cable service??

Any ideas? Thanks....

[JohnBrowning]

I'm in Plano, so, I know what you're dealing with. I don't think the S3 groks dual cable. My solution, which may not be available to you, was to dump Comcast/TW and switch to Verizon. What I think you really need to know from the TW is where they put the digital channels. I THOUGHT (could be wrong) that all of the digital channels were on cable A and you could get full digital service without dealing with cable B. I never had a Comcast cable box and just took analog cable off the B side, so, I'm not aware of the current cable box implementation. The only things I went to cable A for were internet access, Discovery Channel, and NASA-TV. I also found that I could get unencrypted hidef versions of the OTA channels plus TNT on obscure cable A channels. Good luck!

[dave_1979]

I am just outside Plano's borders and haven't not received the Verizon FiOS service yet...but will switch the moment they let me. I have heard it is not that great, but it can't be as bad as TW.

The tech that came out from TW gave me a list of what channels we are missing....most are not big deals but a few would be missed (ESPN2; Discovery HD; TLC; Comedy Central etc..) I am moving back to a single tuner HD-DVR this weekend to get my full service. Somehow they do not see this as a downgrade in service and insist on me paying the same full price as I did before when I could use dual tuners...nonsense!

Does anybody know if the CableCard 2.0 that will be in S3 Tivo will have the ability to decode both A&B cable while supplying dual tuner output? Or will I be once again stuck with single tuner capabilities until I can dump TW?

Thanks....

[Jonathan_S]

Does anybody know if the CableCard 2.0 that will be in S3 Tivo will have the ability to decode both A&B cable while supplying dual tuner output? Or will I be once again stuck with single tuner capabilities until I can dump TW?

Thanks....The two single stream or one multistream CableCard 1.0 that the S3 uses probably can decode any channel you receive. However, with only one cable input on the S3 TiVo I don't see how the TiVo could receive from both the A & B sides of the cable system.
(Don't A&B cable systems use two coax cables one for A and one for B?)

[ab3tx]

You're screwed. :D

As the above poster alluded to, there is no way that the TiVo can take both cables, and it wouldn't know what to do with them if it could. I think there are two rays of hope, however.

1. You are correct that the digitals are on the A-side. You might call TWC and ask them if cable cards will work using only the A-side. Obviously, you would lose the B-side analogs short-term.

2. Per that post in those other forums, it looks like Richardson, or some part of it, only took a month to complete. Perhaps the process will move along quicker than we have been led to believe.

[Wisegoat]

They should be able to provide you with an "A/B Cube" that takes the two signals and combines them into one signal. That way your TiVo will see all of the channels. See if it is something they offer or that you can get off ebay. Hope that helps.

[JohnBrowning]

I am just outside Plano's borders and haven't not received the Verizon FiOS service yet...but will switch the moment they let me. I have heard it is not that great, but it can't be as bad as TW.



Good luck with whatever you decide. I'm VERY happy with Fios TV. Picture quality is FAR superior to what I got from TW. LOTS more channels and good HD selection. I've got VZ's "premier" (really standard) service, the add-on sports package, 5/2 internet, 2 standard def. cable boxes, and 1 CableCARD for about 5 bucks less per month than analog cable without a box and internet service from TW.