Official Comcast CableCard Thread!

[neil derryberry]

I'll give credit where credit is due.. Comcast did a great job doing my install today. My install windows was from 11-2pm.. comcast rang the bell at 9:30am! I got a tech who had done cablecard installs before and he seemed to be an expert at his craft. He was in and out in about 40 minutes.. everything worked the first time!

The only negative.. now I'm sitting at my office. I didn't think I'd end up making it here today.

[drcos]

Hey guys. Is this CCI 0x03 on all premium channels (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=427000)
just a Sarasota thing or is it on other Comcast systems?
The rep I spoke to first said it was a systemwide thing, then admitted the memo was local...

Updated at 2PM
Now I have been told by a 'manager' that this is to be a corporate wide move, based on a change in the FCC rules to take effect with the DTV transition...

I can find no changes regarding this anywhere and will contact Comcast Cares...

[TallyLaddie]

Hmm, Comcast must have a problem systemwide. Sunday night, the last thing I watched was Cinemax. Monday morning, that was in black. When I tried to change channels, I got the initial cablecard screen saying call Comcast. Oddly, the other cablecard was working. So, like a fool, I power cycled the TiVo. Now both cards won't work. They get everything but the premiums. Called Comcast - 30 minute hold -- She told me to pull the cards and put them back in while she did something there. Several somethings there and no joy. So they are rolling a truck -- NEXT MONDAY. Looking at the card diagnostics, it looks like they are not talking to the head end. But I will have to wait what seems like forever.

Sigh.

Part 2. Technician came out today. Tried two different m cards. Neither of which would work - the TiVo thought they were both s cards. He said that at least 14 others are having problems. All 4 supervisors are involved. He could not get anything to work so he put both of the original s cards back in. I am back to everything but premium channels.
CCI code is 0x02. I'm thinking they changed that starting June 1 and that's what killed the cards.

And I will now miss the premier of Nurse Jackie with Edie Falco.


Long sigh.

[pl1]

And I will now miss the premier of Nurse Jackie with Edie Falco.Long sigh.DL it from amazon for free to your TiVo. I don't think it is the complete pilot, but it is at leat 1/2 hour and it is free in HD. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BEJ1LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-video&qid=1244501308&sr=8-1

[drcos]

...
CCI code is 0x02. I'm thinking they changed that starting June 1

I would think that 0x02 is what they were supposed to 'increase' the copy protection to on the premium channels here on the Sarasota head-end, but they misinterpreted that and changed them to 0x03.

Update 6/10: This indeed appears to be the case... A couple of responses yesterday from the we_can_help group, and this morning the bytes on the premium channels are back where they should be (and were)...0x02. Thanks to those concerned :up:

[macmanmk]

I recently found out when trying to record a show on SpeedHD that the station is not coming through...it just shows up as blank. As a matter of fact, the same thing happens on Speed's standard def station as well. Now I know that Speed is included with my package. I called Comcast Sunday night and after sending a signal through to my TV and no improvement, they declared it must be a problem with my CableCard. They offered to set up a service visit or said I could bring the card back to the local customer care center five minutes from the house. I hate the thought of sitting around the house for four hours for a service call, but I'm also hesitant to pop the card out and exchange it for fear I'll have a problem bringing the new card back up. Besides, it seems to me that this is a programming issue on Comcast's part. I could understand if there were a whole range of stations not coming through that it might be a defective card (which has worked fine since I got it in December), but given that it's just one station and both its high def and standard def feeds makes me suspicious. What's the opinion on what I should do...bring the card back and exchange it? Call in a tech? Bug customer service some more?

[bareyb]

FWIW Speed doesn't work on my TiVo S3 either. The channel is there but no picture. I'll be interested to see what happens.

[macmanmk]

I'll tell you what happened. After calling customer service once again, they told me that Speed was in the sports package now and I'd have to pay an extra eight bucks a month. I asked when the change took effect and they said its always been in the sports tier (two minutes earlier, they told me it was supposed to be included in my regular digital package.) I knew that was crap because I've never paid for the sports package and I still have Speed programming that I haven't watched on my TiVo! At that point, I told them I wanted to cancel my service....and I was ready to. I'm sick of being nickle and dimed by these guys. So they agreed to knock the price down to three bucks a month for 12 months (I'm on another 12-month promotional rate anyhow) and issued a $25 credit to my account for not informing me of the programming change. That brought my monthly cost down to less than a buck. I was willing to live with that because I like hockey and the sports package also includes the NHL Network. So as I suspected, it was a programming change. Glad I didn't take that CableCard over to the service center this afternoon.

[bareyb]

Ah. So that explains it. I know I used to get it too. I guess I have a decision to make... Thanks for the update macmanmk.

[jilter]

Bit the bullet and bought a HD Tivo due to the digital upgrade in the SF Bay Area (Just didn't want to bother with the IR blasters and a box)

Stopped by the local Comcast office to pick up the M Card on the way home yesterday. Hooked the new Tivo up, did the guided setup, forced it to call home again about an hour later to get the latest software updates.

Once that was done I took a deep breath and prepared for the dreaded cable card insert. Followed the written and on screen directions and called the Comcast number. Gave the tech the required configuration numbers and waited. Fifteen minutes later, it worked. Holy cow, no problems.

Stayed up later than I should have playing with my new toy and coping over my old season passes.

Thanks to the early adopters, my setup went like a breeze.

May I ask where in the U.S. you are?

/barging into this thread way late:
whew...this is one long thread...if you start at the beginning.....no way do you want to mess with this issue...but perhaps time has made it better...I don't know.

I have been told by 1-800-COMCAST to go to my local Comcast office to pick up cable cards and I should have no trouble bringing them home and installing myself...is this really possible? I live in northern Chicago.

[drcos]

Let me add one more post to :up::up: the 'Comcast cares' group with our recent CCI snafu. The problem was fixed in a reasonable amount of time, and I even got a follow up call from our local support group making sure everything was working, and explaining the situation in more detail.

For all the complaints and problems, once you talk to the right people, the problems do seem to get corrected.

[bareyb]

Let me add one more post to :up::up: the 'Comcast cares' group with our recent CCI snafu. The problem was fixed in a reasonable amount of time, and I even got a follow up call from our local support group making sure everything was working, and explaining the situation in more detail.

For all the complaints and problems, once you talk to the right people, the problems do seem to get corrected.

And that's the problem. The "right people" are outnumbered by the "totally incompetent people" by about 10 to 1. I don't think people feel Comcast doesn't "care". I think people just think Comcast is incompetent and poorly managed.

I do agree that once you get things going it's a very reliable service. I rarely ever get a hiccup. But I sure wouldn't want to go though the initial setup and ordering process again any time soon. :D

[dswallow]

All new customer service people should be required to intern with the Comcast Cares group so they have an opportunity to learn how to actually help solve problems instead of learning how to read scripts.

[jrgutknecht]

So last week after making a programming change, by cablecard stopped receiving channels. See my previous posts for details, but the short version is after about 3 hours on the phone, several e-mails to ComcastCares I finally found one person at Comcast who not only knew what the issue was, but was able to fix it within 5 minutes.

Sometime yesterday (almost exactly a WEEK after the first incident) the problem reoccured. I called back, was able to quickly get the call escalated but the people who could fix it were already gone for the day, so now I'm again waiting and hoping somone can fix it today.

I already know someone is going to suggest we replace the cable card with a new one, but I just can't believe the cable card would just go "bad" on it's own. Does this really happen? Is it just a coincidence that exactly one week after the problem first occured (almost to the exact hour and minute) it re-occurs ?? Sounds like a billing system issue to me.

I guess we'll find out today if Comcast really cares or not. I wasn't all that impressed with their response last week, it was only my persistent phone calls that finally put me in touch with the right department to fix it, hopefully the case was documented on my account so I dont' have to go through that all again this week.


All I can say is UGH!

[aaronwt]

SO I was told by Comcast that in my area they still using single stream cards. They told me they charge nothing for single stream cards. So if I switch from FIOS TV to Comcast TV my eight cards I need will cost zero.
Is this actually true? They also said when you have a multistream card they only charge around $2 for each card after the first one.
Is this info they told me correct?

[Puppy76]

Could be. They claim the first card is free and additional ones are around $2 each on their site and in their info, but when I tried to get one/s, they told me they only had s cards, and would charge $8 each (so needless to say I didn't do it).

[CrispyCritter]

SO I was told by Comcast that in my area they still using single stream cards. They told me they charge nothing for single stream cards. So if I switch from FIOS TV to Comcast TV my eight cards I need will cost zero.
Is this actually true? They also said when you have a multistream card they only charge around $2 for each card after the first one.
Is this info they told me correct?
I would get it confirmed, but yes, that is a charging strategy that some Comcast franchises use. I pay nothing for my pair of S-cablecards.

Note that you will probably have to pay for 3 additional outlet fees (first one is free), but that's a separate issue from the cablecards.

The $8 a piece for S-cablecards is wrong, and should be easily fought by appealing to higher up Comcast folks (such as Comcast cares).

[aaronwt]

I would get it confirmed, but yes, that is a charging strategy that some Comcast franchises use. I pay nothing for my pair of S-cablecards.

Note that you will probably have to pay for 3 additional outlet fees (first one is free), but that's a separate issue from the cablecards.

The $8 a piece for S-cablecards is wrong, and should be easily fought by appealing to higher up Comcast folks (such as Comcast cares).

I made sure to tell them they will be hooked to one TV. Like I did before, I'll take the four TiVos and put them in one room. It makes it much faster and easier for the cable card install. They told me as long as I only had one Tv for the install it counts as one outlet even with four TiVos.
So after the installer leaves I'll just move the TiVos to the other two televisions.

The problem is now they are backed up on installs. They got a huge influx of installations because of the OTA digital switch today. So they can't do any new installs for a couple of weeks in my area.

[TBoyd]

I live in an apartment with two High Def Tivos, an S3 I’ve had running for over 2 years and an HD-Tivo I got just a couple of months ago. They are in different rooms, with separate cable feeds from outside and have different types of cable cards. The S3 has two S cards and the HD has an M card. I have Comcast service close to San Jose, CA.

I have had ALL channels (at least those I watch) working FINE on my S3 for two years. When I installed the HD, that replaced a HRT-8000 (S2) Tivo, all channels also seemed to work fine.

In early May I noticed that I no longer have signal on 4 channels (again, out of those on my list). I verified this through the cablecard test menu on BOTH machines. ALL other channels are GREAT and have a nice, high signal strength listed (35dB). The no signal/missing channels are ESPN2HD (725), TNTHD (737) and two radio channels 960 and 962.

All I get when I tune to those channels is a Tivo bar saying, “Searching for signal on: Cable In. – See ‘Messages & Settings’/’Troubleshooting’ for Info.

Among things that are different between the working channels and the missing ones is that the ‘modulation:’ on the Tivo Cablecard Diagnostics menu is stable at QAM 256 for the working channels but switches constantly between QAM 256 and QAM 64 for any of the missing ones.

As this happens on two entirely separate cable feeds (living room, bedroom), on two entirely different models of Tivo, set up years apart, with entirely different cable card types, and BOTH Tivo channel lists went ‘wonky’ suddenly at the same time, I suggested to Comcast that they’d changed configuration in the infrastructure I was connected to.

Of course when I called I got a script-kitty. <sigh> I’ve talked to Comcast several times over the weeks since and even took their suggestion to replace all three cards thinking some network update had trashed all threes cards in EXACTLY the same way.

Needless to say, the new cards worked no different and I got an agent who would not step through the Tivo advised installation sheet with me. Still, I think we got them paired fine.

Then I called the Tivo CableCard hot line and asked them if running Guided Setup again was necessary they said no. I AM beginning to wonder if I should do that just to be certain.

Convinced that there is NOTHING wrong inside my apartment, over the weekend I scheduled an appointment but had to argue with the agent who DEMANDED that I be present when the tech got here to check the signal strength outside so he could come inside and see if the problem might be there.

I called them back tonight to see what the result was, as my channels are still missing. They said the signal was “OK” (that’s a technical term?) but they cancelled the ticket as I was not here to let the tech in so he could see that I’m not LYING or an IDIOT! --- I don’t have dead bodies stuffed behind the sofa or anything; I’ve just spent TOO much time waiting on repair people over the years when it wasn’t necessary!

I REALLY can’t understand why the engineers at whatever they call the local facility that feeds my address can’t look at some diagnostic screen, call me up and have me READ what the Tivo Cablecard diagnostic screens say and BLAST the RIGHT signal down the line.

So, they tell me my choices are to schedule another appointment so they can come inside and say, “YUP, it’s just as the customer says! Uh Huh, Uh Huh!”

Sorry for the long rant. Do you have any thoughts before I bend over and grease up for the Comcast tech? Can you think of ANYTHING that might be wrong inside my home? Should I run Guided Setup just to cover all bases?

Thanks for your patience.

Tim

[dswallow]

I live in an apartment with two High Def Tivos, an S3 I’ve had running for over 2 years and an HD-Tivo I got just a couple of months ago. They are in different rooms, with separate cable feeds from outside and have different types of cable cards. The S3 has two S cards and the HD has an M card. I have Comcast service close to San Jose, CA.

I have had ALL channels (at least those I watch) working FINE on my S3 for two years. When I installed the HD, that replaced a HRT-8000 (S2) Tivo, all channels also seemed to work fine.

In early May I noticed that I no longer have signal on 4 channels (again, out of those on my list). I verified this through the cablecard test menu on BOTH machines. ALL other channels are GREAT and have a nice, high signal strength listed (35dB). The no signal/missing channels are ESPN2HD (725), TNTHD (737) and two radio channels 960 and 962.

All I get when I tune to those channels is a Tivo bar saying, “Searching for signal on: Cable In. – See ‘Messages & Settings’/’Troubleshooting’ for Info.

Among things that are different between the working channels and the missing ones is that the ‘modulation:’ on the Tivo Cablecard Diagnostics menu is stable at QAM 256 for the working channels but switches constantly between QAM 256 and QAM 64 for any of the missing ones.

As this happens on two entirely separate cable feeds (living room, bedroom), on two entirely different models of Tivo, set up years apart, with entirely different cable card types, and BOTH Tivo channel lists went ‘wonky’ suddenly at the same time, I suggested to Comcast that they’d changed configuration in the infrastructure I was connected to.

Of course when I called I got a script-kitty. <sigh> I’ve talked to Comcast several times over the weeks since and even took their suggestion to replace all three cards thinking some network update had trashed all threes cards in EXACTLY the same way.

Needless to say, the new cards worked no different and I got an agent who would not step through the Tivo advised installation sheet with me. Still, I think we got them paired fine.

Then I called the Tivo CableCard hot line and asked them if running Guided Setup again was necessary they said no. I AM beginning to wonder if I should do that just to be certain.

Convinced that there is NOTHING wrong inside my apartment, over the weekend I scheduled an appointment but had to argue with the agent who DEMANDED that I be present when the tech got here to check the signal strength outside so he could come inside and see if the problem might be there.

I called them back tonight to see what the result was, as my channels are still missing. They said the signal was “OK” (that’s a technical term?) but they cancelled the ticket as I was not here to let the tech in so he could see that I’m not LYING or an IDIOT! --- I don’t have dead bodies stuffed behind the sofa or anything; I’ve just spent TOO much time waiting on repair people over the years when it wasn’t necessary!

I REALLY can’t understand why the engineers at whatever they call the local facility that feeds my address can’t look at some diagnostic screen, call me up and have me READ what the Tivo Cablecard diagnostic screens say and BLAST the RIGHT signal down the line.

So, they tell me my choices are to schedule another appointment so they can come inside and say, “YUP, it’s just as the customer says! Uh Huh, Uh Huh!”

Sorry for the long rant. Do you have any thoughts before I bend over and grease up for the Comcast tech? Can you think of ANYTHING that might be wrong inside my home? Should I run Guided Setup just to cover all bases?

Thanks for your patience.

Tim

Tim, you should run, not walk, to your nearest email client and send this to We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com. Unless you simply get lucky, you aren't getting anywhere through normal channels.

http://getsatisfaction.com/comcast/topics/getting_help_from_comcast_fast

[TBoyd]

I've been tweeting a bit today with Frank Eliason, the creator of @ComcastCares. He seems like a stand-up guy.

I think I'm going to invest ONE appointment through the standard support number to come let them see there's nothing to see or be accomplished inside, while also sending my post, edited a bit to tone down the bile, to the we_can_help addy and see if double-dipping might get the job done.

Thanks for the suggestion. You should get an award just for reading through my post to the end! ;<)

Thanks,
Tim

[jilter]

I have gone against the crowd all these years standing up for Comcast while others curse them, however I now see what people are talking about.
Picked up an M-Cable card at my local office (not that easily, but the details are not important here.)
I have called and called and can not get an agent who will escalate my call to get the proper initialization to the card. As a matter of fact, the last doofus pinged my cable box and deleted months worth of saved programs!
Comcast is insisting on sending a technician to initialize the card.
After reading thru this thread I am anticipating major problems.
I am livid that Comcast will not take care of this over the phone. There is nothing their tech can do that I would not be able to do with the right rep on the phone.

Anything on the short list I need to know to take total advantage of the technician's visit to my house tomorrow?

Jill/Chicago northern suburbs

[beobuff]

Anything on the short list I need to know to take total advantage of the technician's visit to my house tomorrow?

Jill/Chicago northern suburbs

I would recommend that you have a good stiff drink before the tech arrives. You might also consider offering him/her one as well. It might well make the tech more amenable to calling Comcast in-house tech support instead of trying to bull through the procedure on his/her own...

[jrgutknecht]

...
I guess we'll find out today if Comcast really cares or not. I wasn't all that impressed with their response last week, it was only my persistent phone calls that finally put me in touch with the right department to fix it, hopefully the case was documented on my account so I dont' have to go through that all again this week. ...

So I'm convinced Comcast doesn't really care. The only thing the Comcast corporate people did for me was set up two different service calls for today to install new cable cards. Since I wasn't sure what time I would be home, they set up two calls, which I guess shows they have the power to make certain things happen, but the just couldn't wrap their minds around the problem and that it WASN'T my cable card that was the problem it was their system.

So when I get home, there's a message on the answering machine at 3:41pm from a cable card specialist in the same office as the previous person who was able to fix the problem. He stated he was following up on the ticket that was open from the night before and he had fixed the problem and was sending a signal to my card. He said he'd call back later to follow up(did not by the way) and hung up.

I checked the Tivo and sure enough at 3:42 the picture on a program that was being recorded on one of the affected channels came in. All channels now appear to be working again.

Here's what bothers me - I still don't know what this guy did, I don't know why what the previous rep did stopped working after a week, and nobody at Comcast seems to know either.

I'm tempted to let the tech come out today and install a new cable card, but that would probably just make it worse.

I'd REALLY like this guy to call me back so I can ask him "What did you do, why did it previously stop working and how can we make sure it doesn't happen again"

So far, other than calling me to set up service appointments, the Comcast Cares e-mail has been a bust. I've gotten no explanation OR apology from anyone at Comcast for causing this problem in the first place, or reassurances it won't happen again or that they even know WHY it happened.

Also being in Chicago north suburbs, I hope Jill's installation goes better than mine has :eek:

John

[dswallow]

So I'm convinced Comcast doesn't really care. The only thing the Comcast corporate people did for me was set up two different service calls for today to install new cable cards. Since I wasn't sure what time I would be home, they set up two calls, which I guess shows they have the power to make certain things happen, but the just couldn't wrap their minds around the problem and that it WASN'T my cable card that was the problem it was their system.

So when I get home, there's a message on the answering machine at 3:41pm from a cable card specialist in the same office as the previous person who was able to fix the problem. He stated he was following up on the ticket that was open from the night before and he had fixed the problem and was sending a signal to my card. He said he'd call back later to follow up(did not by the way) and hung up.

I checked the Tivo and sure enough at 3:42 the picture on a program that was being recorded on one of the affected channels came in. All channels now appear to be working again.

Here's what bothers me - I still don't know what this guy did, I don't know why what the previous rep did stopped working after a week, and nobody at Comcast seems to know either.

I'm tempted to let the tech come out today and install a new cable card, but that would probably just make it worse.

I'd REALLY like this guy to call me back so I can ask him "What did you do, why did it previously stop working and how can we make sure it doesn't happen again"

So far, other than calling me to set up service appointments, the Comcast Cares e-mail has been a bust. I've gotten no explanation OR apology from anyone at Comcast for causing this problem in the first place, or reassurances it won't happen again or that they even know WHY it happened.

Also being in Chicago north suburbs, I hope Jill's installation goes better than mine has :eek:

John
I hope you address this to the Comcast Cares people; obviously they cared enough to first fix your problem, now they'll probably be able to answer the rest of your query if you give them the opportunity.

[Sandylp]

I've posted previously about my cablecard installation experience, but after reading other posts about over-billing, I thought I'd better check my bill. I had one M card installed in my Tivo HD, which I had heard that it was supposed to be free. Comcast charged me $6.99 for the "basic box" which I did not have, and $8.14 for an additional outlet. I called, and they said they would credit me. So, I guess it pays to give them a call and point out erroneous charges, but I wonder why they were added to the bill in the first place.

[Puppy76]

What type of service do you have? It's supposed to be free for the first card, and around $2 for additional ones, but they were tryin g to charge me $8/card (with basic cable).

[Simms14]

I found the installer and both customer service didn't know much about cable cards. I think it was because 99% of their calls and installs are cable boxes issues I had to make a few calls to comcast but here is what I had to do

1) Ask Customer Service to transfer me to the Head End, this is where I got someone who knew about the cable cards.

2) Give them your Cable Card ID, Host ID, Data ID and S/N of the Cable Card.

3) Tell them you need a Initialzation Hit

Once I spoke to the right person, Problem solved.:up:

[mikkol]

I'm contemplating switching from Comcast Digital Cable/DVR package to Tivo (the $499 father day package) but I wonder will I save any $$ here in North Seattle area? What options would I need to have and how much do they charge for them?
As of today, I pay about $105 for my digital cable + DVR from Comcast ($16.99 for Comcast Digital, $55.75 for Basic Cable, $15.95 for DVR plus $15.48 for misc taxes/fees).

How much is your cable bill?

[Jack D]

I'm in Montgomery County, MD. I went through hell to get the two cable cards installed on my S3 way back when they first hit the market.

Now several years later I just got a TIVO HD. Set up the appointment with CC to install an M-Series card. At the same time they were supposed to install a DOCSIS3 modem so that I could get higher speed Internet.

Guy shows up (one of the contractors--not an employee of CC). No modem (He thought since I already have Internet service there is no need for the modem that is on the order). He's never installed a cable card and actually tells me he has no interest in learning since he doesn't make as much money doing card installations as he does other sorts of service calls. I have to walk him through the entire thing.

The process goes very smoothly and quickly (since I know what I'm doing) except that the premium channels are not coming through. He wants to leave saying that it takes about 30 minutes for them to come on line. I politely insist that this is not true. Several phone calls and a long time later he finally gets a CC dispatcher who knows how to adjust my account so that the channels come through.

Pretty awful. I was hoping that after three years of doing this with people who have TIVOs that CC would get better at it. I suppose compared to last time which took several visits from CC it is somewhat better but still.....

Since this is the cable card thread I won't even go into the part about the DOCSIS3 modem but it's an even sadder story.

[bgmncwj]

I have to say after being told I could do a self install, and driving a half hour to my local comcast office only to be told they have to professionally install cablecards I was impressed come Thursday. Comcast tech showed up and saw odd signal levels, so he replaced the main line into the house then installed and activated my cablecard with no problems. All in all the install took about 2 hrs but the actual cablecard activation only took 10-15 minutes. All of my channels work great including my premiums. After the experience I had with Mediacom I expected the worst and was pleasantly surprised. Nicely played Comcast.

[jon96cobra]

Possibly moving into Montgomery County, MD and wondering how they Deal with Cable card install do they let the user install them or do they send a truck? I currently have Cox and they only allow a truck role for install of cards.

Also Does Comcast offer the M cable Cards?

[stujac]

Montgomery County, where???? In PA? If so, there are different cable co's servicing the area; in my area, Willow Grove Comcast they will not give you the cards; requires a truck roll.

[Jack D]

Possibly moving into Montgomery County and wondering how they Deal with Cable card install do they let the user install them or do they send a truck? I currently have Cox and they only allow a truck role for install of cards.

Also Does Comcast offer the M cable Cards?

I assume Montgomery Co., MD. Yes you have schedule a service visit. Yes they do have M-series cards.

[MPSAN]

Well, every time I call I get a different answer. My 3 TiVo HD's are going to be here Thursday. I want them to run a few days and then get M-Cards. I called Comcast and was told the first was free and the other 2 would cost me a Monthly charge. Then they said a tech would come out to install the cards.

When I checked again the rep said the cards would be $6.99/Month...the same as a HD STB. When I told her that by law they could only charge no more than $2.05 she informed me she was a top ten employee in her group and has been there 2 years so knew how it worked. However she said I could drive down to the office and pick up my cards any time.

My last call said that only the first S-Card was free, but my 3 M-Cards would be $1.79 each/month and that I had to have a tech come.

I can not believe that every time you call them you get a different answer and each person insists they are the one who knows how it is supposed to work!

[CraigK]

Well, every time I call I get a different answer.

I'm in the Seattle area and pay $1.79 for my first card (w/Digital Preferred including one digital set-top box). I have the set-top box off a splitter so I can use On-Demand. If I didn't have the set-top box I believe the first card would be no charge.

When I got the second TiVo HD, Comcast tried to charge me for a second outlet ($5.10) and cablecard ($1.79). Their literature says "Digital Additional Outlet Service includes 1 Digital Set-Top Receiver and Remote, or CableCARD." I called and Comcast fixed that on my bill.

I picked up both of my M-Cards at Comcast and did the installs myself. It's a good idea to have the TiVo HDs up and running for a few days to get guide and software updates all taken care of before you do the cablecards. When you do the guided setup there is an option for installing cablecards later. If you pick up the cablecards in person you should be able to confirm what the charge will be then.

I had no real problems getting my TiVo HDs up and running like some of the folks in this thread. The Comcast people I've dealt with have been both helpful and knowledgeable. It seems to really be a regional difference when some of the folks in this thread post their horror stories. Probably has to do with the type of equipment that Comcast is using and the knowledge of the their employees.

Seattle (and Portland, hopefully) seems to be one of the better Comcast locations at least in my experience.

Good Luck!

[MitchV]

I can not believe that every time you call them you get a different answer and each person insists they are the one who knows how it is supposed to work!

It makes no sense.

I live in Virginia (just south of Richmond), and it is cheaper for me to have a cablecard and Tivo than any of their HDMI equipment.

I recently had a cable card installed and I told the technician that I would use my old Comcast DVR as a reciver for another television in order to pick up the digital channels - DVR service had already been discontinued.

I had been charged about $16 a month for the box and service. My next bill comes and now I am being charged a little over $20 a month for the same box without the service!

Furthermore, I recently swapped out a digital receiver for a newer model with an HDMI output... and my monthly equipment fee increased from $6.95 to just under $15 a month!

I call Comcast, the rep can offer no explanation... but she does confirm that for a $20 installation fee I can have a technician come out, install a multi-stream card (I get a free one for each outlet), and suffer no monthly equipment charge.

I'd rather pay TiVo than Comcast... it also effectively kills any chance Comcast has that I will ever use their VOD. They can keep their own equipment.

[MPSAN]

Thank you both. Well, I was told that the 1 free card was 1 tuner. So, with our TiVo HD being two tuners I could get 2 s-cards with 1 free, or 1 M-Card with the first half being free! It makes no sense. I was told that I could not go down and just get my cards.

I believe that when I get my TiVo's Thursday, I will do the setup and tell it I will install the cards later and then let them run for a few days!

I still have no idea what is going to happen here!

[pdhenry]

I told the technician that I would use my old Comcast DVR as a reciver for another television in order to pick up the digital channels - DVR service had already been discontinued.

I had been charged about $16 a month for the box and service. My next bill comes and now I am being charged a little over $20 a month for the same box without the service!Maybe some of that delta is becuse you had digital service on one outlet before (the DVR) and now you have digital service on two outlets (the DVR on one, the TiVo on the other). That costs extra on Comcast.

[jon96cobra]

I assume Montgomery Co., MD. Yes you have schedule a service visit. Yes they do have M-series cards.

Thanks. Yeah in MD. I have Cox now and they didn't carry the M-series cards at the time I got it and I didn't want to have another service call just to swap it out they also have a cisco tuner box so Tivo users can get all the HD stations you get with there DVR.

[BobHD]

I recently began considering a TIVO HD DVR after I found out how much it was going to cost to add another crappy Comcast Motorola DVR to our second HDTV ($15.95 + $6.99= $22.94) per month. That ticked me off to the point where I want to replace my current Comcast DVR just to reduce my spend with them. I found out the TIVO can be connected to our home network and we can pick up the recorded shows for the second TV. My son works for Best Buy and can get a really good deal on both the TIVO HD unit and the monthly service. The monthly cable card rent is cheap enough but then I read that the cable companies don't always map all their new HD channels to the cable card. Can anyone out there confirm or advise on this matter?

[dswallow]

I recently began considering a TIVO HD DVR after I found out how much it was going to cost to add another crappy Comcast Motorola DVR to our second HDTV ($15.95 + $6.99= $22.94) per month. That ticked me off to the point where I want to replace my current Comcast DVR just to reduce my spend with them. I found out the TIVO can be connected to our home network and we can pick up the recorded shows for the second TV. My son works for Best Buy and can get a really good deal on both the TIVO HD unit and the monthly service. The monthly cable card rent is cheap enough but then I read that the cable companies don't always map all their new HD channels to the cable card. Can anyone out there confirm or advise on this matter?

What you're referring to is deployment of Switched Digital Video -- CableCARDs can tune it but only with additional hardware to interface with the head-end in order to coordinate the process since there's no static channel assignment -- it exists only when at least one customer connected to the local headend wants to watch it.

Switched Digital Video isn't limited to HD but can apply to any digital channel.

Comcast appears to have decided not to deploy Switched Digital Video system-wide and instead is clearing out analog channels to recover the bandwidth to use for digital channels, including HD. But even in those markets where Comcast has been testing Switched Digital Video, they have adapters to connect to TiVo's that permit the TiVo receiver to control Switched Digital Video channels.

One thing you should be aware of is that some channels mark programs to prevent them from being copied from one DVR to another. So there's a chance not every program you record on one unit would be transferrable to the other. Otherwise the only thing you do lose is access to PPV and OnDemand programming, unless you keep a Comcast receiver around for access to that stuff.

[zabolots]

I'm in the Chicago 'burbs and am getting ready to move into a new home. I need to call Comcast to get service (previous owner had Dish). Can I order new service with CableCards and Tivo HD or do I first need to do some basic service with one of their boxes and then change over to CableCards/TiVo?

Any tips for increasing my changes of success would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...Scott

[Jack D]

Thanks. Yeah in MD. I have Cox now and they didn't carry the M-series cards at the time I got it and I didn't want to have another service call just to swap it out they also have a cisco tuner box so Tivo users can get all the HD stations you get with there DVR.

Don't know what you mean that with a Cisco tuner box Tivo users can get all the HD stations you get with DVR. I thought I got all the same stations with my TIVO that I got with my Moto DVR.

Oh you must be referring to SDV. I didn't think Comcast had that in Montgomery Co. MD. So you mean Cox is doing SDV?

[MPSAN]

Maybe some of that delta is becuse you had digital service on one outlet before (the DVR) and now you have digital service on two outlets (the DVR on one, the TiVo on the other). That costs extra on Comcast.

No, I do not get my TiVo's 'til Thursday, but I now have 3 outlets with the service...2 Comcast HD DVR's and an HD STB.

[dswallow]

Is it true that the new TIVO Series 3 HD DVRs will allow PPV and OnDemand?
I doubt you'll see that happen for quite some time (like probably not even in 2010), except perhaps in the sense of the Comcast version of TiVo software that can run on their hardware, at least.

[55bish]

Richmond, VA I have one TiVo HD series 3 and one TiVo HD I have a total of 3CableCards. My cable bill has changed this month. I have a premium package and was paying $15.00 a month to add HD to the Package. This month they changes the charge for the HD to 0 and have start charging each CableCard $8.99 if I want to access HD. They also doubled the cost on the Standard def boxes. I had a grandfather policy on my account in the past which they decided they would just not honor anymore as of January. That include my service with 2 receiver included at no charge. With all of these new charges my bill was raised $60. since January with no service changes. I have been a with Comcast for ten years here and also had them in my last location for many years. I brought back two Boxes that I rented from them yesterday and now my TiVo's are not getting the HD service. I have called and told them how to fix the problem repeatedly. They told me HD is not available on TiVo's with their cards. I have had It for 3 years. They say they have confirmed and It is not possible. I am watching it on one cablecard now. The other two do not work. The total of my bill is $177. now. I told them that that price is more the their best package with phone and Internet and all of my devices. They really do not care. Two years ago I had everything with comcast and had lots of trouble with Internet. My whole neighborhood would keep getting kicked off. They said it was our router. I bought a new router. Same problem. Told them while I was talking on the phone I was watching Verizon putting in Fios and I would switch if my service wasn't fixed. They said Switch. I did. I would not switch my cable however because they didn't charge for CableCards. Now Verizon is charging $3.99 for cablecards. HD is no additional charge. I told comcast if they were going to charge me I would have to switch. They told me I had better make sure I check and compare. I did I will save a considerable amount of money and have much more service Plus Internet and phone for less than just the TV with Comcast. I have to wait two weeks for the install and comcast can't figure out how to get my HD back on. I believe they don't train their people because the trouble they cause people with TiVo makes more and more people just give in to using their DVR's and it makes them be able to tell the FCC that people do not want CableCards which supports some of the positions they are taking in not needed to make the two way CableCards.
They are now charging for all Access to HD instead of for HD service. I know Lots of people just don't really care but this is crazy and I have had to devote 5 days and dozen of hours to dealing with this issue. I thought that by law cablecard had to be a minimal charge and they are charging me the same price as their set top boxes are charged. I payed for my box I do not need to rent it. I have a friend who connected Two HD TiVo's one week ago with the same cable as me and he was told there would be no charge for cablecards. Even though Comcast has decide to charge me $8.99 I was told 7 different amounts by different Comcast employees in the last 5 days. I have told them if it is multiple choice I choose free. In order to give low prices to new customers they are willing to loose long time customers. Very sad.

[Yuterald]

I have 2 HDTIVO's and recently one has had some issues. Yesterday was the
second time in about 2 months that the same one 'lost' all our pay stations
(except ShowtimeHD). That's the strange thing - both times we lost all digital
and HD pay stations except ShowtimeHD. We still have ESPNHD, ESPN2HD, but no
FoodHD. The other HDTIVO (and motoDVR) are fine. Last time this happened I had
to call several times and it wasn't until several hours later (overnight) that
it was 'fine' again.
Before I call Comcast tonight to haggle with them to get someone who knows how
to send the signal from the header etc does anyone think it might be the MCard
(cablecard) or (what I hope not) the HDTIVO?

[55bish]

I am sure it is the Coding that they are using. That Is how I got into this mess. I called to say just a few of my channels stopped working. I think it is almost never the cards. I have reused the cards that they claim were bad and they have worked when you get the right person to send the signal. Yesterday I talked to them 4 times before I found a person who know what they were doing for the first card. Not so much on the other cards.

[Yuterald]

I am sure it is the Coding that they are using. That Is how I got into this mess. I called to say just a few of my channels stopped working. I think it is almost never the cards. I have reused the cards that they claim were bad and they have worked when you get the right person to send the signal. Yesterday I talked to them 4 times before I found a person who know what they were doing for the first card. Not so much on the other cards.

ok - this is what i did - i sent an email to my better half to do this:
Call comcast
1) Ask Customer Service to transfer me to the Head End, this is where I got someone who knew about the cable cards.

2) Give them your Cable Card ID, Host ID, Data ID and S/N of the Cable Card.

3) Tell them you need a Initialzation Hit
-
She did and she emailed me back:

"It’s fixed. He said it shouldn’t happen again. It had to do with some changes in their system. Took him 10 seconds after I gave him the info he needed."

[55bish]

I did all of that but it they don't have to right coding in then those channels wont work and mine do not.

[TrillJester]

Hi,

Santa Cruz, CA area here. Just got a Tivo HD, went down to my local office this morning and got 2 M-Cards. Went home, installed just 1 of them and after a bit of confusion, I was able to get going. The Comcast tech was fairly competent and stayed with me on the line while I verified my channels. I finally noticed a problem after I got off the phone with him. (Figures!). I'm missing my ESPN channels and basically all of my HD channels above their "basic" HD package. Then I got a 161-3 (I think) error.

My TiVo was downloading a service update and what not. Should I check it again after it applies the service update and then call Comcast or should I call them immediately and figure out what's going on now?

[MitchV]

I thought that by law cablecard had to be a minimal charge and they are charging me the same price as their set top boxes are charged.

That is true. I live in Chester (not too far south from you) and I will be turning in my digital receivers on Friday for the same crazy costs you described.

If you check the Comcast website, it states that you can be provided one cable card, at no charge, per outlet. Each additional card is supposed to be $2 and change.

I think you've been talking to the wrong people. It seems to be hit and miss (mostly miss) with Comcast.

If FIOS was available for me, I'd switch to Verizon as quickly as possible.

[Jack D]

If FIOS was available for me, I'd switch to Verizon as quickly as possible.

You think Verizon is better? I have been investigating making the switch from Comcast to FIOS. My neighbor has FIOS so I know it is available in my area.

I put in my address at the FIOS web site and get an error message that it can't find that address (not that service is not available there but as if my address doesn't exist).

I call up the FIOS 800 number and they swear up and down that there is no service available.

I talk to my neighbor who gives me the name of one service rep who handles our area. He seems to be the only CSR at Verizon who is aware that they have the service in my area.

Apparently Verizon haven't got around to fixing/enter the code into their system so they are systematically turning away potential customers......I wonder what it would be like to actually to get an install. Not confidence inspiring so far.....

[MitchV]

You think Verizon is better?

I would hope that it is. I believe the channel lineup is better, the Internet packages offer more bandwidth, I don't believe you run the risk of a weak signal (like I have with Comcast).

I've got an aunt and uncle in Richmond who went with FIOS and I've heard no complaints.

I suppose the biggest factor is that I've always felt like Comcast tries to stick it to me at every opportunity. I get nickel and dime'd to death, I find their past network management policies to be invasive, and every time I have a problem I have to wade through menus and wait on hold only to be served by somebody who doesn't know what they are doing.


Here's an example... I knew I was going to be working out of town the first half of this week, so last Thursday I scheduled a cablecard install for Friday (tomorrow). I have received no less than FOUR automated phone calls confirming that service in my area was restored, and if I failed to push the right number, my standing appointment will be canceled.

There is a reason why most of the people on my street pay for satellite TV over Comcast.

[Jack D]

I would hope that it is. I believe the channel lineup is better, the Internet packages offer more bandwidth, I don't believe you run the risk of a weak signal (like I have with Comcast).

I've got an aunt and uncle in Richmond who went with FIOS and I've heard no complaints.

I suppose the biggest factor is that I've always felt like Comcast tries to stick it to me at every opportunity. I get nickel and dime'd to death, I find their past network management policies to be invasive, and every time I have a problem I have to wade through menus and wait on hold only to be served by somebody who doesn't know what they are doing.


Here's an example... I knew I was going to be working out of town the first half of this week, so last Thursday I scheduled a cablecard install for Friday (tomorrow). I have received no less than FOUR automated phone calls confirming that service in my area was restored, and if I failed to push the right number, my standing appointment will be canceled.

There is a reason why most of the people on my street pay for satellite TV over Comcast.


FIOS performance might be better--I don't know yet--but I wouldn't count on their customer service being better. That's all I was saying.

[melissa12345]

hi

i am trying to figure this out....when i went into our local comcast office ,,i was told no fee for it and mo monthly charges for the 1 St. card...but every month now i am being charged for a tivo m-card???

[NewbieInTheATL]

hi

i am trying to figure this out....when i went into our local comcast office ,,i was told no fee for it and mo monthly charges for the 1 St. card...but every month now i am being caharged for a tivo m-card???

The first card should be free. Call them and have them remove it from your bill.

[melissa12345]

The first card should be free. Call them and have them remove it from your bill.

i have called them but they say its a mcard and they dont just give FREE cards,I THINK IT BECAUSE I STOP THEY HD DVR AND WHEN WITH MY OWN TIVO HD

[NewbieInTheATL]

i have called them but they say its a mcard and they dont just give FREE cards,I THINK IT BECAUSE I STOP THEY HD DVR AND WHEN WITH MY OWN TIVO HD

Not surprising as when I did the same, they were still charging me for their DVR and an additional HDTV fee, and the cablecard. A couple of phone calls later I managed to speak to somebody who was able to sort it out but you definitely should not be charged for the first cablecard, even if it's an M card. I remember seeing something on their website that stated the same so you could probably present this to them as justification. Good luck!

[pstemari]

I've been on the phone w Comcast four times, w TiVo twice, and had Comcast techs out here for hours yesterday, and still no one seems to be able to get my cablecard set up correctly.

The card appears to be recognizing the validation and initialization msgs OK, but never gets a channel map. I'm in South King County, WA.

The pertinent info from the card menu is:


Conditional Access
Unit Address:000-03348-44738-059
Encryption: DES
Con:Yes EBCP:Yes Val:V 0x1A


(The Con and Val settings change to No and back to Yes after sending the validate and init msgs, so the card appears to be getting messages.)


Network Setup

OOB Mode: OOBGTC: OOB
2-Way Established: Unknown
OOB LKC: 75.250
OOB Status: IDLE

EMM PID: 1 0x1503
Messages: 2526

VCTID: 71 VCT Rcvd: 0


(Messages counter increases whenever I revisit the screen.)


CableCARD(tm) Pairing

In order to start cable service
for this device, please contact
your cable provider


CableCARD ID: 000-334-844-738-8
Host ID: 035-011-968-096-4
Data: 300-485-826-77

UnitAddress: 000-03348-44738-059
Card S/N: MA0716CAKF48
eCM MAC: -:-:-:-:-:-
Host MAC: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Host Type: 1-Way RF only


The relevant bits out of the DVR diagnostics are:


CableCARD: 1
Module State: Operating Normally
Module Mode: M-Mode
Decrypt RecordChannels: None
Channel List Received: No
VCT ID: -


From the TiVo diagnostics page, this looks like the card is working OK, but it's not receiving a channel map. How do I translate that to Comcast-speak to get them to send the right stuff? The tech was talking to their "Addressability" group yesterday, which I assume is the head end people who ought to understand this.

I did send an email to We_Can_Help(at)cable.comcast.com, but they just acknowledged it a few minutes ago.

[hillstrubl]

comcast specific question (I'm in DC)
With my TivoHD and the current Multistream Cable card everything is working, do I need a tuning adapter? what does the adapter actually do (I know it facilitates 2-way communication, but what does that actually mean? would I get any additional features?

[Jack D]

comcast specific question (I'm in DC)
With my TivoHD and the current Multistream Cable card everything is working, do I need a tuning adapter? what does the adapter actually do (I know it facilitates 2-way communication, but what does that actually mean? would I get any additional features?


I'm in Montgomery co, MD right across the line from DC. Don't need a tuning adapter. I doubt that you do either or Comcast DC would have informed you.

From the TIVO site:

"A Tuning Adapter is a small set top box that gives your CableCARD-equipped HD TiVo DVR the ability to request switched digital video (SDV) channels. Like CableCARDs, Tuning Adapters are part of the digital cable system, so they must be issued by your cable provider."

There is more information in the SDV FAQ.

[SimMayor]

pstemari has described my problem exactly, down to living in King County... is there a chance that the problem is location-based? Virtually everything about the description matches what I'm seeing (minus the obvious differences--s/n, etc.--of course). Comcast customer support just keeps telling me "I just sent the three signals, so it should work now." I tried this with single channel cards yesterday, and now for 5 hours today with two different multi-channel cards, and I can't get a channel map to load.

Now they're trying to convince me that the problem must be with my TiVo, but if others are having the same problem, that doesn't seem right either. I've read elsewhere that the cards might need to be blanked and have their firmware updated, but that's second and third-hand info, and the people I've spoken with say that's not possible (big surprise).

Does anybody out there have any info on how Comcast can get us the right channel maps? The best they're offering me right now is to send someone out as soon as possible (which right now is July 9!) to take a look at things, and that's just not acceptable. Part of the reason I wanted the series 3 TiVo was to record a show that's starting next week :(

[CrispyCritter]

pstemari has described my problem exactly, down to living in King County... is there a chance that the problem is location-based?
Absolutely possible. If you two are willing, you should exchange real-life identities with each other via PM, and each report the other's experiences. That should get your problems escalated to the proper folks - it's clear that SimMayor's at least have not.

[janry]

Yesterday I found I was not receiving some of my Comcast premium channels. When I turned to HBO and Starz, I'd get the invalid authorization message. So, I called Comcast and the guy immediately knew the problem. He said they had signed new contracts with some of the premium services and had to re-scan all the installed cable cards and their computer missed some. He needed some information from my TiVo screens and said within 20 minutes I'd be back in business. I was.

While it was refreshing to have gotten someone at Comcast who knew what they were doing, I am wondering if something else isn't afoot. Anyone heard of this and know what might be the result?

I have a feeling I am no longer going to be able to transfer recordings from those channels. Just a guess and I'll try sometime soon. Would they need to do something like this. I thought they could just change a CCI flag on their end. I'm probably being paranoid.

[pdhenry]

So, I called Comcast and the guy immediately knew the problem. This was just someone you got when you called 1-800-COMCAST?

I'm not getting Hallmark HD that Tivo says is in my lineup (it's not really critical since I seldom/never watch Hallmark) but I've been afraid to call since based on my initial CC install experience I expect them to be clueless and/or biased against supporting TiVo.

[janry]

This was just someone you got when you called 1-800-COMCAST?

I called the local Comcast number.

[55bish]

I called the local Comcast number.

I think you should check your bill next month to see if they change your billing. That is what happened to me. I called over and over again to get different people to tell them that $8.99 per cablecard was wrong even on their website it says first free second $2.00. They refused to change the fee. Today I finally have my FIOS and it is so much better than Comcast. I brought back all of my settop boxes and cablecards today and this is the nicest they have ever been to me. They told me to come back as some as my contract runs out. I tried not to switch but they would not budge. The FIOS tech never complained once about installing Cablecard in Tivo and he didn't leave until everything was working. It took seven hours and no fee for install. There is one problem only which I also had with Comcast and that is The Fox News Channel HD. That channel freeze and has audio cuts. I am seeing others with this same problem. The regular Fox News and all other Fox Channels work fine. They are the best picture I have had ever had except for watching B-ray.

[janry]

I think you should check your bill next month to see if they change your billing. That is what happened to me. I called over and over again to get different people to tell them that $8.99 per cablecard was wrong even on their website it says first free second $2.00. They refused to change the fee. Today I finally have my FIOS and it is so much better than Comcast. I brought back all of my settop boxes and cablecards today and this is the nicest they have ever been to me. They told me to come back as some as my contract runs out. I tried not to switch but they would not budge. The FIOS tech never complained once about installing Cablecard in Tivo and he didn't leave until everything was working. It took seven hours and no fee for install. There is one problem only which I also had with Comcast and that is The Fox News Channel HD. That channel freeze and has audio cuts. I am seeing others with this same problem. The regular Fox News and all other Fox Channels work fine. They are the best picture I have had ever had except for watching B-ray.


Well, we always check our cable bill. But, our Comcast office is pretty good. I was even able to self-install the cable card.

[Fingal]

I've been on limited basic for years and have been pretty happy there.

I've got a Tivo HD and have been getting HD channels (8-1, 10-1,-2,-3) for a while now, but no guide data.

After researching and reading this thread i found that I needed a cable card to get the guide data for those channels.

Comcast refused to give me cable cards for the limited basic plan, saying i needed to be on a digital plan. The intro digital plan was more than I wanted to pay.

As of July 1 this year Comcast finally released a Digital Economy plan that was in my price range. And, with that I could get a Cablecard.

Placed the order, the guy came (today) and installed the card (it was a multistream card, even), no probelms there. took him about 30 minutes total, knew exactly what he was doing ,etc.

He left before I re-ran guided setup saying "we don't support the tivo, you'll need to do the guided setup yourself".

I ran the guided setup, and lo-and behold my 8-1, -2, -3 HD channels were gone!!!

I called comcast - the first person said "those are only over the air channels, we don't broadcast those.."

I told them that was BS for a number reasons.
* My cable comes in to my Tivo HD, and i told it to only scan cable and these channels showed up).
* I actually get guide info for my OTA channels.


We argued a bit, but I really don't have patience for that sort of thing. so I just told them i wanted to cancel my upgrade.

They transferred me to someone new, who conceded that those were in-fact Comcast channels, but that they couldn't enable it on my system under any plan without me getting an HD box or cable box.

So, I finished by just canceling the upgrade and went back to limited basic.
No guide data is better than no channels, or channels + a box.

Next step will be the fight to get all the charges removed from my bill.

[c3]

I ran the guided setup, and lo-and behold my 8-1, -2, -3 HD channels were gone!!!

Those are NOT Comcast channel numbers. Have you checked channels in the 7xx region?

[Fingal]

Those are NOT Comcast channel numbers. Have you checked channels in the 7xx region?

I thought maybe they were renamed and went through the list. No luck.

Also, you'd think the tech could have said "oh, Fox HD would be 7XX"

I'm confused how they could not be comcast channel numbers.

[dswallow]

I'm confused how they could not be comcast channel numbers.

Comcast doesn't use any tuner that shows cable channel numbers like that. Those are over-the-air channel numbers. In your TiVo HD when you are watching a channel with that numbering (channel "dash" number), you are tuned to an over-the-air digital channel, received by the 8VSB tuner inside the TiVo HD connected to the over-the-air antenna input.

For all channels, guide data comes from TiVo -- typically over the internet connection you've plugged it into, or via the phone line connection if you don't have the TiVo connected to the internet. It never comes from the cable company.

The only thing delivered via the cable company about the channels (other than the actual channel content itself) is the mapping information the TiVo HD receiver needs to actually tune to a specific channel number. That mapping information comes to the TiVo HD via the CableCARD.

If you see guide data for your cable channels on your TiVo, but not for your over-the-air channels, then either the TiVo guide data containing channel information for your area is missing the necessary information about your over-the-air channels, or you have not configured the region properly during guided setup such that the TiVo doesn't know what the correct over-the-air channels it should be mapping to guide information.

[Fingal]

Comcast doesn't use any tuner that shows cable channel numbers like that. Those are over-the-air channel numbers. In your TiVo HD when you are watching a channel with that numbering (channel "dash" number), you are tuned to an over-the-air digital channel, received by the 8VSB tuner inside the TiVo HD connected to the over-the-air antenna input.
[snip]
If you see guide data for your cable channels on your TiVo, but not for your over-the-air channels, then either the TiVo guide data containing channel information for your area is missing the necessary information about your over-the-air channels, or you have not configured the region properly during guided setup such that the TiVo doesn't know what the correct over-the-air channels it should be mapping to guide information.

I think I must not be being clear.

I plug my tivo into my cable.
I say "scan cable channels"
I get 8-1 with no guide data.

I plug my tivo into my antenna
I say "scan antenna channels"
I get 8-1 data WITH guide data.

If i plug both my cable and antenna into my Tivo I get (In my channel display.)
8-1 [no guide data]
8-1 [with guide data]


I'm 99.9999% sure that Chn 8-1 "with guide data" option is my
antenna because
1. It tells me it's over the air in the info (don't have the exact verbage
right now)
2. It frequently goes black/loses signal/ etc. Exactly like you would expect form OTA
3. If i turn off my antenna i lose the channel.

Now Chn 8-1 with the "no guide data".
I NEVER lose the signal.
It shows up when I tell my tv to scan for channels on cable.

Somehow, the -1 channels are coming in over cable.

[a68oliver]

If you have cablecards properly installed and configured, Comcast should remap the 8-1 channel number (which is the designation the channel uses off the air) to a cable channel number. It would be somethinng like 7xx or 9xx. Without properly working cablecards, you can scan for cable and get numbers like 8-1. HOWEVER, guide data is not supported for those channels. You must have cablecards working to get guide data on digital cable channels. They are not needed for digital off the air channels.

IIRC, you cannot scan for cable channels if you have cablecards installed.

Didn't you already cancel the cablecards/digital service?

[Fingal]

If you have cablecards properly installed and configured, Comcast should remap the 8-1 channel number (which is the designation the channel uses off the air) to a cable channel number. It would be somethinng like 7xx or 9xx. Without properly working cablecards, you can scan for cable and get numbers like 8-1. HOWEVER, guide data is not supported for those channels. You must have cablecards working to get guide data on digital cable channels. They are not needed for digital off the air channels.

Yes - that's exactly how I understood it.

But when I called comcast they couldn't tell me what the channels would be mapped to. And I wasn't able to find them. After further pressing they told me that If i wanted HD channels (which what 8-1 would be for me like NBC HD or whatever) I'd need the HD box/plan.


IIRC, you cannot scan for cable channels if you have cablecards installed.


Correct, it doesn't let you scan at all.


Didn't you already cancel the cablecards/digital service?

Yes, so I can't experiment anymore.

[drhankz]

But when I called comcast they couldn't tell me what the channels would be mapped to. .

You can find that out YOURSELF - Just go to THIS PAGE (https://www.comcast.com/Localization/Localize.ashx?*********%2fCustomers%2fClu%2fChannelLineup.as hx%3farea%3d0) Enter you
location information and you will GET the Entire Channel Line for
your area.

[inaka]

In my area all the Comcast HD channels are in the 700's.

702, 705, 707, etc.

if you're trying to view an HD channel that's 8-1, 8-2, that's not a Comcast channel, but OTA.

[JoeyJoJo]

Quick question about CableCard costs.

I am switching to Comcast on the 18th, and just picked up a TiVo HD. Customer service is still working on my account to make sure they bring out CableCards, but because I signed up for their promo TriplePlay, they're having trouble because the CCs have to be set up as "primary" and for some reason the rep who I spoke to the first time didn't set it up right. I figure I've got all week to hound them to get it right.

One thing that I'm curious about is if there are any other folks in this area with CableCards from Comcast. They quoted me $6.95 per card, but the FAQ on their website says the first one is free and a second one would be about $2.

Can anyone in the Southern NH area comment on what they are paying for CableCards?

Thanks.

[secondclaw]

Not same state, but .. I am paying 6.95 per card now - thats their HDTV fee. They told me that the HD fee is necessary to get the cards. They also charge about $2 for 'cable card tracking' for both cards. Seems like yours is a similar deal.

Quick question about CableCard costs.

I am switching to Comcast on the 18th, and just picked up a TiVo HD. Customer service is still working on my account to make sure they bring out CableCards, but because I signed up for their promo TriplePlay, they're having trouble because the CCs have to be set up as "primary" and for some reason the rep who I spoke to the first time didn't set it up right. I figure I've got all week to hound them to get it right.

One thing that I'm curious about is if there are any other folks in this area with CableCards from Comcast. They quoted me $6.95 per card, but the FAQ on their website says the first one is free and a second one would be about $2.

Can anyone in the Southern NH area comment on what they are paying for CableCards?

Thanks.

[stujac]

Also not in the same state but in my case I pay nothing for the cc. Maybe this is because I kept their box but when my "deal" ran out I shot up to $110 p month for top tier digital + hbo + their box and it shows a 0.00 under cable card and a 0.00 under "additional outlet".

[secondclaw]

I had that also until last month ... Back in the beginning of the year they charged me for additional DO, but they dropped it, so I paid on ly 6.95 per card - no other fees. Last month they added a $2 charge for CC tracking.

it shows a 0.00 under cable card and a 0.00 under "additional outlet".

[stujac]

Yeah, I'm afraid of that. I guess I can return their box as I only use it for one show.

[ffitzgerald3]

I am in the suburban Chicago area.
Comcast does (by law) carry the over the air signal for local HD stations with the same numbers as the over the air signal, 5.1 etc. If you hook the incoming cable to your Tivo or Digital tunner TV with no cable box you will see them. (with no Tivo guide data). They rearranged numbers last year so they match the OTA station numbers.
If you get the basic digital package which used to be the extended basic package + digital starter you get a free multistream card for Tivo which remaps the local HD stations to the Comcast channel numbers, with guide data.
I pay for the basic package- about $65/month including local taxes. There is no charge for the cable card , outlet fee, HD charge or Comcast box charge
I split the incomming cable to feed both the Tivo and the TV so I can record 2 shows and watch a third live program. If I watch directly on the TV I just tune to the OTA channel number rather than the Comcast number that I use with Tivo.

[andcbii]

I have a TiVo HD XL and have comcast in the Chicago suburbs. I wanted a CableCARD so i could get program info for HD channels. Currently i'm only paying for basic service, channels 2-21. Even though i'm only paying for basic service i am currently getting all the digital starter channels, 2-75, via analog signal. If i hook up a TV directly to the cable i get all the analog channels. After i got my cablecard all the analog channels i was getting "for free" disappeared and were replaced with a black screen. The only analog channel i'm getting now is the weather channel, 40, which isn't apart of the basic service.

I was wondering if comcast is blocking these channels to my cablecard or is the cablecard broken? I find it weird that if they are blocking the channels that somehow the weather channel isn't blocked... Anyone have an idea?

[DonnieZ]

Comcast is here now to install my CableCard into my TivoHD...

Been here for about an hour and no joy... This is the second card. Both cards only receive channels 21 and below.

Our tech is good, he's been to our house before and knows his stuff. He's done CableCard and Tivo before.

I'm hoping he doesn't have to leave without it working...

Any advice here??!?

[MediaLivingRoom]

Comcast is here now to install my CableCard into my TivoHD...

Been here for about an hour and no joy... This is the second card. Both cards only receive channels 21 and below.

Our tech is good, he's been to our house before and knows his stuff. He's done CableCard and Tivo before.

I'm hoping he doesn't have to leave without it working...

Any advice here??!?

Maybe your account numbers got mixed up.

[andcbii]

Comcast is here now to install my CableCard into my TivoHD...

Been here for about an hour and no joy... This is the second card. Both cards only receive channels 21 and below.

Our tech is good, he's been to our house before and knows his stuff. He's done CableCard and Tivo before.

I'm hoping he doesn't have to leave without it working...

Any advice here??!?

I'm having a similar problem, read post before yours. Please post up if you get a fix.

[golegappa]

I also had the similar problem, the technician came and he tried to install,
the card was able to get paired, but it was not getting the encrypted channels.

Only the basic channels,

did anyone faced the similar issue and what was the solution...

[romulus]

I plug my tivo into my cable.
I say "scan cable channels"
I get 8-1 with no guide data.

I plug my tivo into my antenna
I say "scan antenna channels"
I get 8-1 data WITH guide data.


The frequencies for cable channels 2-13 are identical to those for broadcast channels 2-13. It almost sounds to me like your cable box doesn't serve those channels at all, and the digital television signal in your area is so strong that you're picking it up without an antenna. Either that or your cable box is a better antenna than your actual antenna. :)

It makes sense that you don't get guide info for those channels when you configure Tivo in cable mode, because Tivo will be looking for guide info for your cable provider and service area channels, and this will NOT include info for broadcast channels.

It almost seems like a flaw in the Tivo tuner scanning that it notices and collects broadcast channels when it's configured for cable input.

(Back in college people in one particularly tall res hall used to increase their broadcast reception by plugging their TV into an inactive cable socket. As the whole 10 story building was pre-wired for cable, the wiring acted like a 100-foot antenna. So the whole "cable box better antenna than an antenna" theory is not entirely crazy.)

[jludman]

I got a $99/mo bundle from comcast at my new house, which includes one of their HD DVRs. I don't use their DVR, but they set it up on my low def TV that's in the basement, since I was forced by the bundle to have it.

Now, they are charging me $6.95x2 = $13.90 for 2 "additional outlets" to run my TiVo. So far, 3 different Comcast people have told me that I must keep their DVR or I will pay $50/mo more, and that each cablecard will count as an additional outlet for $6.95. I'm sure I can get this down to $6.95 + $2.05 if I keep hammering at them, but $9/mo to run the TiVo I paid a ransom to get lifetime subscription on is very offensive. Is TiVo or other CableCard device manufacturers fighting these predatory pricing tricks that Comcast is using?

[roamer09]

First time post and new Tivo owner here. On the subject of cablecards, Comast doesn't seem to have a clue how to handle them. I been trying for 2 days to get cablecards installed in my new HD Tivo. It's been nothing short of a nightmare, almost a bad sitcom. First day they sent a tech. with the wrong type of card (need Scientific Atlanta not Motorola), he never installed them before and knew nothing about them. He took care of the digital cable install. but was on the phone with Comcast for nearly an hour before he realized he had the wrong card. Another tech showed up this morning and thought he was here to install digital cable...had no mention on his work order about cable card. He called his supervisor who tells him warehouse is closed and they have no cablecards. Something about they need programmed for my address and can only sit for so long before they deactivate. Needless to say I'm upset, ready to return the Tivo, pull the digital cable out and go back to satellite. Anyone have a clue about how to get a fire under Comcast? Still have only basic cable due to no cards. If I posted this in the wrong place moderators please move it. Thanks

[dswallow]

Anyone have a clue about how to get a fire under Comcast?

Contact the ComcastCares group.

https://twitter.com/comcastcares

We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com

[zabolots]

I got a $99/mo bundle from comcast at my new house, which includes one of their HD DVRs. I don't use their DVR, but they set it up on my low def TV that's in the basement, since I was forced by the bundle to have it.

Now, they are charging me $6.95x2 = $13.90 for 2 "additional outlets" to run my TiVo. So far, 3 different Comcast people have told me that I must keep their DVR or I will pay $50/mo more, and that each cablecard will count as an additional outlet for $6.95. I'm sure I can get this down to $6.95 + $2.05 if I keep hammering at them, but $9/mo to run the TiVo I paid a ransom to get lifetime subscription on is very offensive. Is TiVo or other CableCard device manufacturers fighting these predatory pricing tricks that Comcast is using?

I got the $99/mo HD Triple Play offer recently as well (Chicagoland) and I told them that instead of their DVR I needed 1 MCard or 2 SCards. They installed an MCard into the TiVo, no Comcast DVR and I still get the $99/mo rate, plus ~$2 for the CableCard and ~$3 for the cable modem/voice TA.

[jludman]

$99 + $2 would work for me. I guess I'll keep trying until I get someone that'll let me do that. I think they can set up their bill however they want, I just gotta find someone that says "okay" to M-card replacing their HD DVR.

[zabolots]

OK, so as I mentioned previously, I signed up for the HD Starter Triple Play. The channel packages for my area can be seen here (http://www.comcast.com/Customers/Clu/ChannelLineup.ashx?print=1&CGID=2170).

My TiVo guide shows me channels that are part of the "Digital Classic" tier. However, when I try to tune to these channels I get a blank screen. When I set up a recording for one of these channels, it fails to record and the message states that I'm not authorized to view the channel.

I contacted Comcast online with their chat feature and that rep said I should get these channels. She said that the HD Starter Triple Play lineup could be seen using this link (http://www.comcast.com/Customers/Clu/ChannelLineUpPopup.ashx?prod=HD%20Starter%20Triple%20Play) (can use nearby location Persimmon Ln, South Elgin, IL 60177), which shows that the "Digital Classic" channels are included. She said that I needed to call in to get the channels added.

When I called the rep said that the "Digital Classic" channels are not included in my package, regardless of what the first rep said.

So now I'm confused because I thought that with CableCards I would only see channels in the guide that I'm supposed to receive. All of these "Digital Classic" channels are in my guide but I can't view them. Should I have to manually remove channels from my guide or should I be authorized any channel that is listed in my guide?

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks...Scott

[dswallow]

OK, so as I mentioned previously, I signed up for the HD Starter Triple Play. The channel packages for my area can be seen here (http://www.comcast.com/Customers/Clu/ChannelLineup.ashx?print=1&CGID=2170).

My TiVo guide shows me channels that are part of the "Digital Classic" tier. However, when I try to tune to these channels I get a blank screen. When I set up a recording for one of these channels, it fails to record and the message states that I'm not authorized to view the channel.

I contacted Comcast online with their chat feature and that rep said I should get these channels. She said that the HD Starter Triple Play lineup could be seen using this link (http://www.comcast.com/Customers/Clu/ChannelLineUpPopup.ashx?prod=HD%20Starter%20Triple%20Play) (can use nearby location Persimmon Ln, South Elgin, IL 60177), which shows that the "Digital Classic" channels are included. She said that I needed to call in to get the channels added.

When I called the rep said that the "Digital Classic" channels are not included in my package, regardless of what the first rep said.

So now I'm confused because I thought that with CableCards I would only see channels in the guide that I'm supposed to receive. All of these "Digital Classic" channels are in my guide but I can't view them. Should I have to manually remove channels from my guide or should I be authorized any channel that is listed in my guide?

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks...Scott
You have to remove channels from your lineup that you don't subscribe to.

If you check out the section that just has cable TV packages... not the triple play packages, you'll see a better listing of which packages incorporate which groups of channels.

For example:
HD Starter --> Digital Starter -> Doesn't include "Digital Classic"

[bkdtv]

Did anyone on Comcast record Dark Blue last week? If so, what is the recording size as reported by the TiVo's Program Details screen?

[dswallow]

Did anyone on Comcast record Dark Blue last week? If so, what is the recording size as reported by the TiVo's Program Details screen?

What are you ultimately looking for? Explaining the strange MPEG-like blinking on black screens for any TNTHD show?

[mchief]

Tivo shows 8000MB for Dark Blue and 8060MB for Leverage.

[zabolots]

You have to remove channels from your lineup that you don't subscribe to.



So the posts I've read which stated that when using a CableCard with a Series3 said the guide will only show the channels you are subscribed to are incorrect? If so, I'll try to figure out how to remove the channels from the guide. I'm just wondering where the confusion comes from.

Scott

[CraigK]

If so, I'll try to figure out how to remove the channels from the guide.


Press the Tivo button then>
Messages & Settings>
Settings>
Channels>
Channel List

When you go through Guided Setup you only tell the TiVo what company (Comcast) and if it's digital. All those channels are potentially available to you depending on how Comcast programs the Cablecard.

In theory you should only be able to receive the channels you are paying for and the TiVo doesn't know what those are for the guide info. When you remove the channels from the channel list you'll be squared away.

[jrm01]

I have had a Series 3 for almost 3 years and a TiVo HD for one year and have had no major problems with cablecard installations from Comcast. In fact, 3-4 months ago I had to swap out my S3 for a refurb, and I merely pulled the cards from the original, put them in the new box, called in the numbers and had it running in 20 minutes.

My refurb S3 also failed and I exchanged it at BB (had their 4-year service plan) for a TiVo HD XL rather than try another refurb S3. When I tried to swap the cards this time one of them would not pair correctly and they wanted to do a truck roll to get it fixed. Rather than argue, I decided it would be a good opportunity to switch to an m-card (saves $1.50 per month) so I agreed to it.

The truck never showed up on Saturday as scheduled, so I called and they sent one on Sunday. Only he didn't have any cablecards with him. So it's rescheduled for today 8 a.m. to noon. Still hasn't shown up.

I've installed dozens of cablecards (for friends and family) but this will be my first experience with m-cards. I reviewed many of the posts, but while I'm waiting for the truck thought I'd see if there was any advice here.

From what I've seen the key things to check on the Conditional Access screen are:

Con=Yes - indicates that the card is properly activated
EB CP = Yes - indicates that it is paired to the host
Val: V 0x01 - indicates proper authorization
ActiveProg: <0> or <1> - indicates it is operating as m-card
Auth:s - indicates the current channel is authorized

Does this look complete? Anything else to check?

Now if they would only show up.

p.s. - these are Motorola cards

[rockytop]

I am a long time lurker on these forums. I have had Series 2 Tivo boxes, and I finally decided to move up to the HD boxes. I purchased two with Lifetime service during the Father's Day special.

After 11 years (!), I turned off DirecTV to move to cable. I had fun explaining to them multiple times why I was turning off service: "no, your DVRs are crap". Seriously, I am addicted to MRV, playing my music from the Tivo Server SW on my PC, etc.

Anyway, I had held off because some of the bad experiences related here.

So, I stop by in person to the local office. Understand that I live in rural nowhere. They had never done a cable card install at all, but the lady was very helpful. She promised to have a technician come over from the closest city to do the install. She also made a note that I would want M-Stream cards, 1 for each HD Tivo.

I stop by a few weeks later to actually schedule the install, and another person is working the desk. When I start to discuss the details, he tries to tell me that they don't support cablecards. I firmly tell that they don't have a choice, the FCC requires it. He gets nervous and calls the first lady I spoke to. She calms me down, and we get everything scheduled.

I got my HD Tivos in a week earlier and set them up and upgraded the SW in advance, which I think was very good advice.

Installation comes, and they show up 5 minutes before noon (for a promised "morning" install). However, they do bring *3* technicians (and 3 vans)!

The actual installation goes very fast. I had them pull down all of the crappy wiring I had done myself for the satellites and replace it with much better run cabling. While I am busy running from room to room checking over where they have run the wiring, the most knowledgeable technician was activating the cablecards. I didn't realize that, and I missed most of the fun. :-(

Everything went much smoother than I expected from some of the stories here. I get all of the channels I care about. The dual tuning capability is great. Plus, I still have my MRV and music. Also, I am now trialing Netflix. I am not so sure about that. I actually prefer Amazon Unbox, where I know I have the whole movie on the HD before I start it.

The one glitch was that I wasn't getting a couple of channels that I thought I should be. From the notes here, I "diagnosed" it as a pairing issue with the cablecard and device, but that turned out not to be the case -- the local office is transitioning channels into the market this month, and the channels listed aren't actually available. They are being turned on in blocks over the next several weeks.

Anyway, kudos to Comcast for doing a good job for me.

[crazi4tv]

From what I've seen the key things to check on the Conditional Access screen are:

Con=Yes - indicates that the card is properly activated
EB CP = Yes - indicates that it is paired to the host
Val: V 0x01 - indicates proper authorization
ActiveProg: <0> or <1> - indicates it is operating as m-card
Auth:s - indicates the current channel is authorized

Does this look complete? Anything else to check?

Now if they would only show up.

p.s. - these are Motorola cards[/QUOTE]

JRM01 You pretty much have the correct information. this is to clarify some of what is displayed on the Conditional Access screen:

Con:yes - this indicates that the cable provider has turned on service to the Cablecard.

EnabledByCP:yes - Copy protection is enabled on the channel that the tuner is locked onto.

Auth:S - The channel your tuner is locked onto is authorized to decrypt the channel.

Val:V - Simply put, your card is correctly paired.

ActivePrg:<1> - Means the Cablecard is running in multi-stream mode, and the current channel is being displayed on tuner 1.

ActivePrg:<0> - Means the Cablecard is running in multi-stream mode, and the current channel is being displayed on tuner 2.

FYI~ The keys to a smooth installation are:
1- Accurate billing codes on your cable account.
2- Installer must follow proper installation steps.
3- In order to receive encrypted channels, the Host & Data must be paired to the inserted Cablecard. If there is more than one card the Host & Data in each tuner must be paired to the card inserted into that tuners cablecard slot.
4- the cable provider MUST send the proper signals to activate the card(s)

Let us know how the installation goes.

[jludman]

Can anyone in the Southern NH area comment on what they are paying for CableCards?


I live in Derry, NH.

I just got the triple play thing, and they were charging me $6.95 per card and listing it on the bill as "additional outlets". The Tech that installed it, and 1-800-comcast told me that I must keep their DVR as part of the package, and that I must pay $6.95 extra for each card. On the 6th call to 1-800-comcast, my wife managed to convince them that really, we only have 1 TV so they graciously agreed to only charge us for 2 TVs - $6.95 + $1.50 for the 2nd card on that non-existant 2nd outlet. Obviously, I wasn't too happy with being charged $8.45 to use my TiVo.

However, I emailed We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com and they had me return the comcast DVR box, and seem to have fixed my bill, so that I will be only paying $1.50 beyond the triple-play price. Maybe I can save the $1.50 if I can get ahold of a multi-stream card instead.

[JoeyJoJo]

Thanks man. They couldn't do the cablecards last week, so I have them coming back on Saturday. If I can't get Customer Service to agree, I'll use that email.

[jrm01]

Well my Comcast experience of getting an m-card for my new XL has ended (I think).

Saturday they never showed up as scheduled. Called and rescheduled for Sunday.

Sunday they showed up, but didn't have any cablecards with them. Rescheduled for Tues.

Tuesday they never showed up. Rescheduled for Thursday.

Knowledgeable tech finally showed up with the m-card. Installed it and after EMM count got to 3500 we tested the channels and all was fine, total 15 minutes. As he was packing up I got an error message "Cablecard not functioning". We started all over and it wouldn't pair correctly. Then I noticed that somehow the Data-Id number had changed. We fixed that and all went fine and it's now operating for Day-2.

One "bug" that I noticed. If you use Test Channels under the Cablecard Diagnostics, and you tune to a non-authorized channel it pops you out to the Cable Card Conditional Access Screen. The only way out of that is to press Clear. That takes you back to the Test Channel screen, which immediately throws you back to the CA Screen. Big loop. I finally figured out that when you get to the Channel test Screen you need to quickly hit the Left Arrow Button and it will go to the Cablecard Menu Screen.

Other than that, everything is fine.

[froggie]

Hi all,

I'm looking for suggestions as to what to try next. My situation:

- Series 3 Tivo with 2 Motorola cablecards
- Worked great for over a year
- Last 3 months, cablecard 1 doesn't show 3 HD channels (419,415, 411).
- Cablecard 2 shows all channels.
- Cablecard 1 was replaced and I see the same behaviour
- signal strength on line was shown to be OK by the comcast tech


I'm at a loss as to what to try next (short of replacing the Tivo)

Any suggestions are welcome!

Cheers,
Froggie

[dswallow]

Hi all,

I'm looking for suggestions as to what to try next. My situation:

- Series 3 Tivo with 2 Motorola cablecards
- Worked great for over a year
- Last 3 months, cablecard 1 doesn't show 3 HD channels (419,415, 411).
- Cablecard 2 shows all channels.
- Cablecard 1 was replaced and I see the same behaviour
- signal strength on line was shown to be OK by the comcast tech


I'm at a loss as to what to try next (short of replacing the Tivo)

It's an authorization issue. If you can't get your local office to fix it, contact the Comcast Cares group.

http://twitter.com/comcastcares
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com

[btwyx]

I found you can get cards from the local Comcast office here. I was helping a friend and was skeptical when the Comcast phone rep said you could get them from the local office, but they really did have them, M-Cards even. Even activating it went without a hitch and the guy on the phone actually seemed to have had some training about them.

[froggie]

It's an authorization issue. If you can't get your local office to fix it, contact the Comcast Cares group.

http://twitter.com/comcastcares
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com


I will give that a try.

Thanks,
Froggie.

[jhgwin]

I just returned to my house after a few week vacation to the pleasant surprise of having several new HD channels. Unfortunately, I do not have the program information for those channels. It says " to be announced" for each channel. I have forced the tivo connection with no success. I am in the Sandy Springs Ga area. Has Comcast not provided the info yet? Any suggestions?

[tj722]

Anyone here a Comcast customer in Washington DC that has Showtime? *All* of my Showtime channels now show CableCARD grey screens. I'm not sure how long this has been this way, at least for several days.

I called customer service today and said he had to roll a truck, which I have a feeling will not solve the problem. I had a similar issue a year or so back with A&E HD (which I posted about on this thread), and it just resolved itself after several weeks of complaining.

If I can confirm that others have the same problem it would be much easier than having Comcast waste mine (and their) time sending techs that have no clue on what to do.

[drcos]

jhgwin,
Check your lineup on Zap2It to see if they show information for your new channels. I believe they use the same service as TiVo.

You probably have to submit a lineup discrepancy at TiVo.com, and they are usually pretty good about fixing it in 3-5 days or so.

[a68oliver]

jhgwin,
You probably have to submit a lineup discrepancy at TiVo.com, and they are usually pretty good about fixing it in 3-5 days or so.

YMMV. My lineup discrepancy took two months of first reporting with the online form and then multiple phone calls with trouble ticket numbers.

However, it finally was resolved.

[crazi4tv]

Anyone here a Comcast customer in Washington DC that has Showtime? *All* of my Showtime channels now show CableCARD grey screens. I'm not sure how long this has been this way, at least for several days.

I called customer service today and said he had to roll a truck, which I have a feeling will not solve the problem. I had a similar issue a year or so back with A&E HD (which I posted about on this thread), and it just resolved itself after several weeks of complaining.

If I can confirm that others have the same problem it would be much easier than having Comcast waste mine (and their) time sending techs that have no clue on what to do.

It sounds like there is a problem with the pairing. Do this to confirm what the problem is caused by:

1-Tune to a channel that you subscribe to but is not coming in, then press record on your remote (this locks the tuner onto that channel).
2-Go to the Conditional Access screen. What you want to look for is
Auth:Subscribed (single-stream card) Auth:S (multi-stream card) This indicates that the channel is authorized for viewing. If anything else is displayed, ask your cable provider to verify that you are still subscribed to the missing channels, then they need to send a signal to reauthorize the channels.
B]Host Validation:Valid[/B] (single-stream) or Val:V (multi-stream) This basically indicates that the card is properly paired to the card. If you do not see Valid or V, the Data ID in that tuner may have changed and will need to be updated in your cable providers system. If this is the case, write down the Host and Data ID, then call your cable provider. Ask them to tell you the Host & Data ID they have attached to the card. If the information does not match, they will need to update them, then send signals to reauthorize the card.

If the problem you are experiencing is caused by either of these issues, sending out a technician is not necessary.

Let us know what information you see displayed on the Conditional Access screen.

[jhgwin]

Thanks oliver and drcos.

I spoke with a tivo tech rep and she confirmed that it was a third party issue and she was reporting it to them. She said that it would take approximately 5 business days to address from their end. I can deal with a few more days without programming info because having the additional HD channels are great. It's amazing that it has taken so long to get channels like CNBC and Fox News in HD. Comcast is finally reacting to market pressure.

[tj722]

crazi4tv,

I have a multistream card. When I tune to one of the channels I get the grey screen... on the conditional access screen I have Auth:S and Val:?

So it looks like the card is subscribed but not paired. But I don't think DC pairs their CableCARDs as I don't think I've *ever* had a successful pairing even though I've had no problem for almost 2 years.

By the way, if I tune to any Cinemax channel, I get the same grey CableCARD screen. I'm not subscribed to Cinemax, but I shouldn't be getting the CableCARD screeen, I should be just getting a blank screen.

[tj722]

My problem was fixed!

I called again and insisted that they attempt to troubleshoot again and to verify my CableCARD config. Turns out they had the wrong Host ID in the system for me. I managed to actually get a customer service rep that knew how to fix the problem for me without rolling a truck! :up:

Now I get "Val:V" so they must be pairing cards now. It was odd that I was able to get my other subscribed channels but I'm glad everything is fixed for now.

[crazi4tv]

I'm glad it is working for you.

[DaveLinger]

2 weeks ago I moved into a townhome in Morgantown, WV. The townhome operators pay for my comcast internet and expanded cable.

I called 1800comcast the day I moved in, and the nice phone lady said I could go to the comcast office in morgantown to pick up my cable cards and install them myself. I've done this on Time Warner, where they activated them over the phone for me.

I went to the office, and was informed that they do NOT allow this, and that I'd have to pay for a truck roll to have them installed (I say "them" because the phone lady and the office lady said that they ONLY have S-cards, no M-cards.)

So they made an appointment for me to have them installed, the next week. A comcast contractor arrived and asked what we needed (he didnt know?) and when I said cablecards, he said that his contracting company doesn't do cablecards, so he left, and made an appointment for me to have a REAL comcast tech come out the NEXT week (today). Finally the real tech came over, and he actually had an m-card, and he actually knew what he was doing. 10 minutes later everything's set up and I'm only paying for one card. The run up sucked, but the end result is good.

[myyours]

Just this might be interesting to someone...

At my last apartment, it took me 6 visits before Comcast was finally able to get any combo of cablecards to work in my TiVo.

When I moved out of my apartment and subsequently had to cancel my Comcast account because Comcast refused to acknowledge that my new home existed (long story.)

Eventually, Comcast acknowledged my house and I got the service again. I was scarred by my previous cablecard fiasco, so I've been attempting to use the Comcast DVR, telling myself I didn't have enough vacation time saved up to spend a couple weeks at home waiting for multiple installers to arrive.

The Comcast DVR is awful to begin with, but lately, its started recording all New, Repeats, and Duplicates, no matter what setting I choose, so I knew it was time to try to get these cable cards to work.

When I called for an install last night, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the words, "the next available appointment with an installer who's proficient in installing cable cards..." Unfortunately, the install is 3 weeks away, but I feel optimistic that it might be someone who knows what they're doing on the first try.

Fingers crossed!

[romulus]

Hi. First off, I'd like to concur, as others have reported, that my local Comcast office has CableCards for self-install. In fact, I got to skip the long line of bill-payers to use the "not paying a bill" window. :)

The CableCard install went mostly sort of without a hitch. Unfortunately four channels are not showing up. Three of them are local access channels and one is an a la carte foreign language channel (TV Japan). (This last one particularly sucks not to get because we pay $25/mo extra for it!)

While on the phone with the rep doing the activation, after re-sending the authorization and confirming I still couldn't get those channels, he insisted that the next step was a visit. I insisted that I don't want a visit for numerous reasons and that I really doubt it would do any good, but he wouldn't do anything else.

Later my GF found the Signal Meter screen and went to the TV Japan channel and it showed zero signal; meanwhile other foreign language a la carte channels that we don't get did have signal.

What is going on here, do I need a new card or a well-placed phone call, and can it be fixed without one of those really inconvenient and invasive tech visits? TIA.

[slowbiscuit]

I recently upgraded my package from Digital Preferred to Preferred w/HBO. Naturally, this meant that my Cablecard could not tune any of the premium channels after the switch. Not only that, I lost access to all the Encore channels, Movieplex, and Flix. All of these channels and the HBOs showed 'Auth:CAD' and 'Val:?' on the conditional access screen. All other channels worked fine.

After numerous phone calls to reps that sent multiple hits, reloads, etc. to the card, Comcast tried to schedule a tech roll. Now, I've had this card in my Tivo for a year without a problem, so why do I need a tech? I escalated this to the office of the regional ops VP (southeast or Atlanta area, not sure which). Within an hour I was speaking to someone in Comcast engineering, who you can never get escalated to any other way.

Here's the important point (and the fix) - at some point recently, Comcast enabled copy protection on these channels. With that, the only way the Cablecard will work is to make sure that the DATA ID on the Cablecard pairing screen matches what's in their database for your account. In my case, it was wrong and the engineer corrected it and bam, all the missing channels came up. So if channels go missing and you get 'Auth:CAD' on your screen that they make sure that not only the pairing is correct (cablecard id and host id) but that the DATA ID is also correct in their system.

And once again, the frontline reps should have known this, but didn't.

[drcos]

The cards need to be paired, and in Comcast's case, they need to be properly entered into their system on your account. We had problems initially with them being on the account, but not on the right 'ports' in their system's "snapshot" of my account.
They work, but they're still prone to being glitchy once in a while, but a restart fixes it.
In the rare case I need to force a card reset (with SA cards on an S3), I will pull both cards, reinsert, and restart. This seems to force the cards to reload the channel maps from the datastream.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Once again Comcast proves they suck. I know at least three people who have suddenly lost all premium channels. Other digital tier channels work fine. When you call, they claom they have to send a tech. I know they don't.

When we called about my mother's TiVO, they claimed that they're updating to tru2way cable cards and have to come out to install. What a load of crap. If that were true, why have only a few died? Right now all four of mine and 4 belonging to others all have the same exact symptoms.

[kjefcoat]

A friend of mine and I are having the same problem with premium channels on Comcast in the DC area. He lives in DC and I live in Arlington. Over the last three weeks we both lost all of our premium channels after previously having them work for more than two years. We both had techs come out and work on them and claim that there is nothing wrong with the cards that it is a "system" issue.

I am a little encouraged by the post above from tj722. I checked and it does not look like my cards are paired. I called Comcast but they refused to do anything over the phone and said a tech would have to come out. I complained that all the tech was going to do is make a phone call to relay the information that I had handy. They said that they understood that, but that a tech had to come out. Typical helpful Comcast customer service rep.

[kjefcoat]

A quick follow-up. Comcast actually called me today to follow-up on the call I made yesterday. The rep who called me actually knew what he was talking about. It seems that my cards were not properly paired. I spent about half an hour on the phone with him and he got one of the cards to work fine. The other card still had a problem that he could not fix. He said that he was not local and that someone local needed to override some information in the system. He apologized a lot, but the end result is that I am still going to have to have a tech come out for one of the cards, but the other one is now paired. So I at least get the premium channels on one tuner for now.

[surfnutbry]

A quick follow-up. Comcast actually called me today to follow-up on the call I made yesterday. The rep who called me actually knew what he was talking about. It seems that my cards were not properly paired. I spent about half an hour on the phone with him and he got one of the cards to work fine. The other card still had a problem that he could not fix. He said that he was not local and that someone local needed to override some information in the system. He apologized a lot, but the end result is that I am still going to have to have a tech come out for one of the cards, but the other one is now paired. So I at least get the premium channels on one tuner for now.


Hey kyefcoat,
I live in Germantown MD and am having the same exact problem. I talked to customer service and confirmed that the data id's are wrong. He was very nice but he said he could not change the numbers and set up a truck roll for Wednesday. Very Very frustrating! Do you know any way to contact someone at Comcast that is authorized to correct Data ids?

Thanks,

Bryan

[IJustLikeTivo]

A friend of mine and I are having the same problem with premium channels on Comcast in the DC area. He lives in DC and I live in Arlington. Over the last three weeks we both lost all of our premium channels after previously having them work for more than two years. We both had techs come out and work on them and claim that there is nothing wrong with the cards that it is a "system" issue.

I am a little encouraged by the post above from tj722. I checked and it does not look like my cards are paired. I called Comcast but they refused to do anything over the phone and said a tech would have to come out. I complained that all the tech was going to do is make a phone call to relay the information that I had handy. They said that they understood that, but that a tech had to come out. Typical helpful Comcast customer service rep.

If anything works, they are paired.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Hey kyefcoat,
I live in Germantown MD and am having the same exact problem. I talked to customer service and confirmed that the data id's are wrong. He was very nice but he said he could not change the numbers and set up a truck roll for Wednesday. Very Very frustrating! Do you know any way to contact someone at Comcast that is authorized to correct Data ids?

Thanks,

Bryan

I suspect someone screwed up a lot of them. I know at least 5 people who have screwed up cards. I'd bet that the data ID's are screwed up on all of them. Someone hosed the data and they're too chicken s#$t to admit it.

[IJustLikeTivo]

I suspect someone screwed up a lot of them. I know at least 5 people who have screwed up cards. I'd bet that the data ID's are screwed up on all of them. Someone hosed the data and they're too chicken s#$t to admit it.

I called comcast since I had the numbers written down and 2 of the 4 were wrong. Still not the problem since the right ones also don't work but interesting nonetheless.

Interestingly, she said they knew there was a problem with the premium stations but claimed they need to know exactly what the screen on the tivo said in order to know what to do. I think that's a load of crap since the problem is the same but the software on the two boxes just present it to the user differently.

They hit the card so I have to check when I get home. My bet is that they still don't work. Sigh.

[tj722]

If anything works, they are paired.

That's not quite true. My cards were not properly paired yet I was able to get most of the channels.

Back to kjefcoat's problem: it's a shame they can't figure out how to do this over the phone.

I have decided that I'm going to cancel Comcast and go OTA for a while. It's just too much of a hassle to deal with every time something goes wrong. Even after several years, it's still hit or miss with CableCARDs... And add this to my perpetual problems with billing (my rates go up and down without warning, my taxes and fees are seemingly made up), it just is too much.

[IJustLikeTivo]

That's not quite true. My cards were not properly paired yet I was able to get most of the channels.

Back to kjefcoat's problem: it's a shame they can't figure out how to do this over the phone.

I have decided that I'm going to cancel Comcast and go OTA for a while. It's just too much of a hassle to deal with every time something goes wrong. Even after several years, it's still hit or miss with CableCARDs... And add this to my perpetual problems with billing (my rates go up and down without warning, my taxes and fees are seemingly made up), it just is too much.

Yes and no. If they were never paired, they have no channel map and nothing would work. They can become unpaired and unless hit again, they will retain what they had. Two of mine are unpaired since I swapped tivo's but they still worked fine till they rehit the cards.

[adamshipley]

If anything works, they are paired.

This isn't true.

I had the same problem as tj722. My 2 year old Motorola S-Cards started to lose the premium channels. All the other channels worked.

What I have found out is that Comcast has started to slowly add copy protection to the premuim channels. Three weeks ago, it started with all the cinamax channels. Next week, it was the showtime channels. Yesterday it was the HBO channels. The CCI byte on all the premium channels are being set to 0x02.

Comcast could not get my S-cards to pair correctly. It took three weeks and three tech visits to fix the issue. What fixed it was the S-cards were swapped out to M-cards that could be paired correctly.

The real frustration was that I spotted the issue about the copy protection right away three weeks ago. But there is no way to get the info past the first line phone answer. They are so poorly trained and have no tools other then send a truck to the house. What a waste of my time and comcast's money.

[jcddc]

This isn't true.

I had the same problem as tj722. My 2 year old Motorola S-Cards started to lose the premium channels. All the other channels worked.

What I have found out is that Comcast has started to slowly add copy protection to the premuim channels. Three weeks ago, it started with all the cinamax channels. Next week, it was the showtime channels. Yesterday it was the HBO channels. The CCI byte on all the premium channels are being set to 0x02.

Comcast could not get my S-cards to pair correctly. It took three weeks and three tech visits to fix the issue. What fixed it was the S-cards were swapped out to M-cards that could be paired correctly.

The real frustration was that I spotted the issue about the copy protection right away three weeks ago. But there is no way to get the info past the first line phone answer. They are so poorly trained and have no tools other then send a truck to house. What a waste my time and comcast's money.

I have the same problem, for HBO. Based on the information I found on this board, I did manage to get a sympathetic local representative to enter in the CableCard numbers and HostIDs. Unfortunately, that didn't solve the problem. Truck roll scheduled for next Monday.

[slowbiscuit]

Apparently the frontline reps cannot update your card's Data ID in their system, which is what is needed to get the copy-protected channels. So the idiots end up rolling techs to swap the card for something they caused.

[slowbiscuit]

This isn't true.

I had the same problem as tj722. My 2 year old Motorola S-Cards started to lose the premium channels. All the other channels worked.

What I have found out is that Comcast has started to slowly add copy protection to the premuim channels. Three weeks ago, it started with all the cinamax channels. Next week, it was the showtime channels. Yesterday it was the HBO channels. The CCI byte on all the premium channels are being set to 0x02.
I observed the same thing with the Encores, Movieplex, and Flix. This was confirmed by the engineer at Comcast that I talked to who corrected my card's Data ID in their system to get the channels back on my Tivo.

[jcddc]

I called again, to try to escalate to an engineer or a cable card specialist. I could hear one talking in the background. Apparently the frontline person I spoke to on my first call was able to enter the proper information, but that wasn't enough to do the pairing. So I still need to have a truck roll. Maybe some subset of problems can't be solved over the phone.

I am quite annoyed that the Comcast rep, in the three hours it took him to install my cable cards when I had my Series 3 installed nearly three years ago, didn't bother to pair them. I'm hoping it takes less time to fix the problem this time.

[drhankz]

I called again, to try to escalate to an engineer or a cable card specialist. I could hear one talking in the background. Apparently the frontline person I spoke to on my first call was able to enter the proper information, but that wasn't enough to do the pairing. So I still need to have a truck roll. Maybe some subset of problems can't be solved over the phone.



TRUST ME - the guy on the TRUCK roll will do nothing but
read the NUMBERS to the Right Person.

That is a KEY WORD - he calls someone you can't get to :o

It is Called ATS

[astrobuf]

I just finished fighting my through a TiVo HD install on a COMCAST NEtwork. Took three trips from COMCAST's tech to get the CAbleCards to work properly, but they got it done.

I remain confused on one point: COMCAST On Demand. COMCAST's Customer Service staff told me that it would work once the CC's were installed. As far as I can tell, there is no way to get to the On Demand Screen. Any ideas how to do it?

Astrobuf

[dswallow]

I remain confused on one point: COMCAST On Demand. COMCAST's Customer Service staff told me that it would work once the CC's were installed. As far as I can tell, there is no way to get to the On Demand Screen. Any ideas how to do it?

OnDemand is not available to third-party CableCARD devices, only to Comcast receivers.

[jcddc]

TRUST ME - the guy on the TRUCK roll will do nothing but
read the NUMBERS to the Right Person.

That is a KEY WORD - he calls someone you can't get to :o

It is Called ATS

You were exactly right. The service rep came this morning, read off the numbers on the cable card screen to someone, and now I have HBO. He volunteered that, a few years ago, single-stream cable cards wouldn't work if the pairing information was entered into Comcast's system.

[drhankz]

You were exactly right. The service rep came this morning, read off the numbers on the cable card screen to someone, and now I have HBO. He volunteered that, a few years ago, single-stream cable cards wouldn't work if the pairing information was entered into Comcast's system.

Magic Number Reading works every time :p

[hillstrubl]

TRUST ME - the guy on the TRUCK roll will do nothing but
read the NUMBERS to the Right Person.

That is a KEY WORD - he calls someone you can't get to :o

It is Called ATS

This is so unbelievably annoying,
I just lost all the HBOs, Starz and intermitently lose HD channels. I've tried to have them "send the signal" (God i hate that term) to the M-card several times to no avail. I have the DC comcast direct number (2026355611 for anybody who needs it) but they have no idea what i'm talking about and just want a truck to come out. What specific screen on the cablecard diagnostics do they need the numbers from?

[slowbiscuit]

Sounds like the same problem I had - they implemented copy protection and if your card's data ID does not match what's in their system, none of the CP'd channels work. When you see the cablecard screen telling you to call your provider after you tune one of these channels, it's on there. The problem then is that apparently their frontline reps cannot change it in their system, and you can't talk to the right person that can.

So they roll a tech to change the card, because he can get to the right person.

Eventuallly.

[hillstrubl]

thanks, i just forwarded the info onto wifey who's there with the comcast guy now

[mchief]

One small step.. Just had a second TivoHD install with M-Card. Longest part was a firmware upgrade that took 15 minutes. After that 3 minutes to call in the numbers and all is well. Actually had a tech that knew what he was doing. While waiting for firmware he was taking calls from other techs helping troubleshoot. I asked him about the billing system and the order in which things are entered. He said that was not the problem. How the various items are ordered makes no difference. The problem is rate codes being assigned to a new cable card that do not agree with the billing system rate codes. And all cable cards must have the same rate code. He did double check the rate codes with his phone contact before reading the host ID. All worked as advertised. This is Alexandria/Arlington VA YMMV.

[Stone1555]

just to add to the confusion the rep can send a hit before they roll a truck and that can also change the data id. so its putting it in correctly and sending the correct hits

[hillstrubl]

just to add to the confusion the rep can send a hit before they roll a truck and that can also change the data id. so its putting it in correctly and sending the correct hits

tried that several times, by 3 different reps was told "we're not allowed to change the cable card serial numbers" "I don't know how to change the data id, and nobody else here does either" and "we don't provide cable cards, I don't know how you get it"

[nrnoble]

I started reading this thread from the beginning, then after I about 5 pages I realized that there are well over 220 pages, so I have skipped to the end; no doubt I have missed a lot of very good info.

I have no problems, but I am looking for advice.

I will be installing a second S3 in a couple of days and will need to contact Comcast to get a M-Cablecard and have it authorized. Looking for Advice on how best to go about getting the best Comcast deal I can. If I don't handle it correctly, I know based on pasted experience they will charge all kinds of fees and screw up my account.

Background:

I have owned various different TiVos since 1999, and currently have in use a S3 and Humax. Both are working fine. I have pretty much all programming available, including HBO and Showtime. Overall I not unhappy customer because Comcast has treated pretty well over the 20+ years. However, I do have my own Comcast horror stories where they really screwed things up taking weeks to get things working correctly and billing correct. Each time I call, the rep says nearly always says "Your account is screwed up, I'll fix it for you" and the next thing I know, I am missing channels or my bill goes up and I need to call back and spend several hours over several calls getting them to figure out what when wrong and how to fix it. Bottom line, I truly am concerned by simply asking them to Authorize a second S3, they will screw it up, and I will have to once again struggle with their bureaucracy to get them to straighten everything out. If I were to bill them for my time\effort over the years based on what I get paid, I would say they would have credited me several thousand. Instead they have given free Premium channels etc.

[nrnoble]

I started reading this thread from the beginning, then after I about 5 pages I realized that there are well over 220 pages, so I have skipped to the end; no doubt I have missed a lot of very good info.

I have no problems, but I am looking for advice.

I will be installing a second S3 in a couple of days and will need to contact Comcast to get a M-Cablecard and have it authorized. Looking for Advice on how best to go about getting the best Comcast deal I can. If I don't handle it correctly, I know based on pasted experience they will charge all kinds of fees and screw up my account.

Background:

I have owned various different TiVos since 1999, and currently have in use a S3 and Humax. Both are working fine. I have pretty much all programming available, including HBO and Showtime. Overall I not unhappy customer because Comcast has treated pretty well over the 20+ years. However, I do have my own Comcast horror stories where they really screwed things up taking weeks to get things working correctly and billing correct. Each time I call, the rep says nearly always says "Your account is screwed up, I'll fix it for you" and the next thing I know, I am missing channels or my bill goes up and I need to call back and spend several hours over several calls getting them to figure out what when wrong and how to fix it. Bottom line, I truly am concerned by simply asking them to Authorize a second S3, they will screw it up, and I will have to once again struggle with their bureaucracy to get them to straighten everything out. If I were to bill them for my time\effort over the years based on what I get paid, I would say they would have credited me several thousand. Instead they have given free Premium channels etc.

[myyours]

[snip]

When I called for an install last night, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the words, "the next available appointment with an installer who's proficient in installing cable cards..." Unfortunately, the install is 3 weeks away, but I feel optimistic that it might be someone who knows what they're doing on the first try.

Fingers crossed!

Well, my appointment was yesterday, and of course, the "proficient" installer had never seen a cable card before. He had a call into a tech who at least asked for the S/N, ID#, Host ID and Data ID. That said, it didn't work, and the installer called his supervisor and they both agreed that it would be up and running in an hour because these things take time. I knew that was BS, but I was happy to let him leave, as the installer is typically only good for one thing in these situations...delivering the cable card. Beyond that, one of us needs to talk to someone who knows what they're doing.

So, two long phone calls with super nice techs who both said that cablecard pairing was the "simplest part of the job." Of course, neither could get my TiVo working and spoke a lot about not having the privileges to update my cards or something and needed a supervisor to do it.

This all said, TiVo still doesn't work, but apparently a CableCard WIZ is going to call me today to knock this thing out. We'll see!

[adamshipley]

Bottom line, I truly am concerned by simply asking them to Authorize a second S3, they will screw it up, and I will have to once again struggle with their bureaucracy to get them to straighten everything out.

Not to hijack this thread. But after getting my cable cards working a few weeks ago, I get the new bill and it turns out to be $120 more then any bill the I have received from them. It turns out the that my service was changed to a different level somehow during the multiple attempts to get my cards working.

I spent a hour with a billing "specialist" who couldn't get past reading the bill to me repeatedly. She never got the crux of the problem that I didn't make any request to change my service and the attempts to fix the cable cards caused the change. I was told she escalate this to a supervisor and I will get a call back later. I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.

At this point this all getting too much to deal with comcast. I really want to keep my TiVo but if I have to call comcast again I'm done with them.

[drhankz]

I was told she escalate this to a supervisor and I will get a call back later.

1) You should have been transferred to a Supervisor immediately.

2) The right level person has ALWAYS fixed my bills for me in the past.

Have some hope :) :up:

[dswallow]

Not to hijack this thread. But after getting my cable cards working a few weeks ago, I get the new bill and it turns out to be $120 more then any bill the I have received from them. It turns out the that my service was changed to a different level somehow during the multiple attempts to get my cards working.

I spent a hour with a billing "specialist" who couldn't get past reading the bill to me repeatedly. She never got the crux of the problem that I didn't make any request to change my service and the attempts to fix the cable cards caused the change. I was told she escalate this to a supervisor and I will get a call back later. I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.

At this point this all getting too much to deal with comcast. I really want to keep my TiVo but if I have to call comcast again I'm done with them.
Just stop trying to do this locally though phone calls into their CSR system.

Contact ComcastCares:

http://twitter.com/comcastcares
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com

Write an email; explain the situation, give all the details necessary. Sit back. Watch how competent people actually work. ;)

[nrnoble]

Can I use only one M CableCard in an S3 for both tuners, or do I need to use two?

To be clear, this is a Series 3 TiVo.

[dillontrujillo]

That's a good idea on the company specific threads...but i still don't conform about because some one say there are No charge for the cable cards when installed in the first device used in a digital package. Didn't know what a Series 3 was, but when I explained it, said it should qualify.

[slowbiscuit]

Can I use only one M CableCard in an S3 for both tuners, or do I need to use two?

To be clear, this is a Series 3 TiVo.
You need two for an S3, but only one M-card for a Tivo HD.

[nrnoble]

You need two for an S3, but only one M-card for a Tivo HD.

Thanks...

Now I am looking for a recommendation on how to properly say in Comcast language that they should not be charging me for having two TiVo boxes, when I really have one. Charge me for having two cable cards YES, but only one TiVos.

In general Comcast has been pretty good, but one thing they always seem to screw up with me is billiing. I can call them and ask "How much does it cost to have an Series 3 TiVo added" and will get a differnent answer in terms of cost practically every time. Or they will answer "I'm not sure, but I think it will cost..." which means they don't know and I have to wait until I get my bill to find out, then call them back and debate the issue that I am being over charged, etc, etc, etc.

[SheliaP]

Having had the fear put into me by this thread-- :D I have been trying to get an M-Card shipped to me, or pick one up. I have a set top box, and 2 DTA's- which they don't care if they ever get activated, or get returned.

I have spoken with representatives on the 800 line at least twice. First I was told I could pick one up from one of the "offices". however they will NOT give you a phone number for them. I live north of Atlanta, and not all the locations are convenient (nor will they publish them anywhere) I went to one location- waited in the line of people- and lo- they did not have CC nor did they expect to have any. Came back- called the 800 number after I got passed along the line (escalating to another analyst who can take care of this) I got some *frosty* lady who couldn't figure out why I got transferred to her, gave me a phone number for a Comcast office ( which I had already tried and it was out of service) then another location about 30 miles where I could go (and *hope* they have them- but no phone # given)After declining to go that far basically was told -though not in so many words- to schedule a tech and go jump in a lake.

So I tried the online live chat- same thing- got a person, who escalated it to another analyst- Who told me I could get the CC shipped- gave them all the identifying data, got an order number, etcetc. (and I printed out this session)

Then the CC never came so 2 weeks later I contacted them again- online live chat to see if they could track the order #. well after again being escalated to an analyst who could help me- seems the order was..not traceable- lost?? So she placed another order, again assuring me I could get the CC shipped and it would cost $1.50 for the CC and $9.95 for shipping. Fine- to be added to the Comcast bill. Printe dout this conversation also. 3-5 business days to ship.

Yesterday- after again not receiving anything for over a week- I again ontacted online live chat- This person was highly apologetic, and informed me that DTA's had been ordered- for me, but hadn't I gotten them. I told him I got the DTAs back the first of July- had never activated them and needed CABLECARD. Ok- stayed pretty calm, but the end result was him scheduling a tech to roll a truck (for free due to all my problems!!) who would bring a CC and get me all set up sometime between the hours of 11-2 on Thursday 2 weeks from now. I said that would be great *if* this tech knew what to do. I was assured it would be fine. He apologized that I had no other options for this.

Ok- I didn't tell him I had several options- but NONE of them would involve being a Comcast customer. FIOS is almost here, ATT U-Verse is close and there is always Direct TV or just going with Antenna- as I am not getting much more than that right now.

In all of these situations I explained it would be going in a Tivo HD. They seemed fin ewith that. But now-

I have no idea what to expect when this tech gets to my door. Reading through these threads- I have very little faith that he will have a clue. The Tivo is updated, and chugging along like it thinks it knows what to do- but of course cannot get channels above 30 even though it seems to have the channel listings correct.

I have 3 Tivo units attached to this TV. An old one I use pretty much as a place to save extra analog shows, and for the DVD drive. The Series 2 I can still record 2 programs at a time- 2-30, but that works great. I only need to worry about the HD so I can record the upper digital channels (which I am now missing- SyFy I miss you!!) We have the basic digital package.

It is my hope that this will be a short process- that billing won't mess up - and that somehow I will get charged for extra outlets or more services- when really this all comes from through one outlet to one televison. It truly seems Comcast in different areas, has different philosophies about that and what is charged/billed.

Not sure I have aproblem yet- just venting I guess. And appreciate this forum that I can refer to if it messes up.

[crazi4tv]

Thanks...

Now I am looking for a recommendation on how to properly say in Comcast language that they should not be charging me for having two TiVo boxes, when I really have one. Charge me for having two cable cards YES, but only one TiVos.

In general Comcast has been pretty good, but one thing they always seem to screw up with me is billiing. I can call them and ask "How much does it cost to have an Series 3 TiVo added" and will get a differnent answer in terms of cost practically every time. Or they will answer "I'm not sure, but I think it will cost..." which means they don't know and I have to wait until I get my bill to find out, then call them back and debate the issue that I am being over charged, etc, etc, etc.

Just tell them you need or have "x number" of cablecards. According to the market you live in, you should be billed based on how many Cablecards you have (see below). One market will bill you per cablecard, another market will bill you according to how many devices you have that require cablecards. If you mention that you have a Series 3 or a TiVo HD, it may cause confusion since TiVo is not a cable company provided device. when you consider how many of their customers have TiVo's versus cable company equipment, the percentage is small, so chances are that the rep you speak to has not dealt with a call regarding a TiVo before or has limited experience with cablecard's . If you are scheduling an appointment for an installation or a service call for a TiVo, then I would recommend that you mention that the appointment is for a TiVo.

Per Comcast website:
"There is no charge for the first CableCARD that you use as it is already included in the primary outlet fee. If you have a multi-card device on the same outlet (i.e. TiVo Series 3 or two Digital Cable Tuners connected to the same personal computer), you will be charged an additional regulated fee of up to $2.05 for the second CableCARD.

If additional CableCARDs are needed for other devices that are installed on additional outlets, you will not be charged for the first CableCARD installed on this outlet as the cost is included in the additional outlet fee. In addition to the cost of the digital cable service, you will be charged a regulated fee of up to $2.05 for the second CableCARD on the additional outlet in addition to the cost of the digital cable service.

**Note: The same pricing schedule will be applicable to additional outlets with multi-CableCARD devices, e.g. no charge for first CableCARD on the third outlet and an additional regulated fee of up to $2.05 for the second CableCARD in addition to the digital service charge.

Disclaimer: Regulated Prices quoted above may not apply in all markets. "

More than likely what confuses the phone reps (as well as their customers) are their cablecard billing codes. Part of the confusion may be caused by the fact that some people think that there is a physical "TiVo Cablecard" which is made specifically for a TiVo, which is not correct.

I hope this helps.

[blazer5469]

I'm in the Dunwoody area outside Atlanta and have a TiVoHD with multi-stream cablecard and digital starter service. Yesterday I noticed a number of new HD channels such as CNBC, Fox News, FX, Lifetime, etc. I see the banner for these channels but no picture or guide info. Called Comcast and they couldn't help me but said they would pass it along to their engineering folks.
Anyone out there experiencing the same problem or thoughts on what is causing this?

Thanks

[CraigK]

I'm in the Dunwoody area outside Atlanta and have a TiVoHD with multi-stream cablecard and digital starter service. Yesterday I noticed a number of new HD channels such as CNBC, Fox News, FX, Lifetime, etc. I see the banner for these channels but no picture or guide info. Called Comcast and they couldn't help me but said they would pass it along to their engineering folks.
Anyone out there experiencing the same problem or thoughts on what is causing this?

Thanks

Don't know why it happens, but it seems to be an early indicator of HD channels that will eventually show up.

Comcast's digital conversion is still in progress in the Seattle area with Seattle proper being one of the last to convert. I seen lists posted online for areas around Seattle as the new HD channels show up there and checked a few on my TiVo HD and see what you're seeing. Sometimes there are actual program descriptions the same as the SD channels.

I don't look at it as a problem, but a glimpse at the future. I've been keeping a list so I'll know what to check for in my TiVo channel list later.

[nrnoble]

I hope this helps.

Yes it helped. Thanks

[DixonJDixon]

I'm in the Dunwoody area outside Atlanta and have a TiVoHD with multi-stream cablecard and digital starter service. Yesterday I noticed a number of new HD channels such as CNBC, Fox News, FX, Lifetime, etc. I see the banner for these channels but no picture or guide info. Called Comcast and they couldn't help me but said they would pass it along to their engineering folks.
Anyone out there experiencing the same problem or thoughts on what is causing this?

Thanks

I am having the exact same problem in Virginia-Highland. I just got off the phone with customer service and they didn't have a clue. They're sending a technician to look at it. I get some of the new channels. I'm missing all of the ones you reference.

[jtrain]

I'm going around and around with Comcast right now trying to figure out how to add limited basic service with 3 cablecards (one M-card for my TivoHD and two cards for my S3)...apparently in the oregon/beaverton market they're having trouble with a line item for the cable cards combined with limited basic only. The corporate customer service is on top of it though, and it seems likely it will get worked out. we'll see what happens...thank you for all of the great information on this thread!

[PeterP]

I am having the exact same problem in Virginia-Highland. I just got off the phone with customer service and they didn't have a clue. They're sending a technician to look at it. I get some of the new channels. I'm missing all of the ones you reference.
I see the same in Buckhead. I suspected that it was for SDV but really don't know. Anyone in Atlanta have a tuning adapter?

[blazer5469]

I am having the exact same problem in Virginia-Highland. I just got off the phone with customer service and they didn't have a clue. They're sending a technician to look at it. I get some of the new channels. I'm missing all of the ones you reference.

After my original post I took a closer look... for the new HD channels, I DO get the program information in the banner AND the guide shows upcoming programs... but otherwise just the gray screen. What I'd like to know is whether anyone in the Atlanta area IS seeing the new HD channels with TiVo? Also, is anyone with a Comcast HiDef STB or DVR seeing the new HD channels?
If they're unavailable using a Comcast STB then it makes more sense.

Let us know if the tech is any help and what the story is.

Thanks

[Stevoinga]

I'm in the Dunwoody area outside Atlanta and have a TiVoHD with multi-stream cablecard and digital starter service. Yesterday I noticed a number of new HD channels such as CNBC, Fox News, FX, Lifetime, etc. I see the banner for these channels but no picture or guide info. Called Comcast and they couldn't help me but said they would pass it along to their engineering folks.
Anyone out there experiencing the same problem or thoughts on what is causing this?

Thanks

East Gwinnett here
I got the Comcast guide in the postal mail today and I pulled up the page that listed the HD channels....some of the channels were listed with a September date, so I am going to assume we are going to get the channels, just not yet.

[Euramon]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to confirm something I was told by Comcast. They claim that I only need 1 CableCard for my series 3, because they are multimedia (dual stream?) not the older single stream cards (which you need two cards). I took the installers word that it wold work, but now I can't watch another channel while the Tivo is recording something.

I'm pretty damn sure that I need another card, but I wanted to get a second opinion before I call them again. I just hope it dosen't take two more weeks to get them out here again. I wish they would let us go down and pick up the cards like they do everything else. :(

JamesVC

[drhankz]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to confirm something I was told by Comcast. They claim that I only need 1 CableCard for my series 3, because they are multimedia (dual stream?) not the older single stream cards (which you need two cards). I took the installers word that it wold work, but now I can't watch another channel while the Tivo is recording something.

I'm pretty damn sure that I need another card, but I wanted to get a second opinion before I call them again. I just hope it dosen't take two more weeks to get them out here again. I wish they would let us go down and pick up the cards like they do everything else. :(

JamesVC

The Answer is HERE (http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/136) :up:

[JPBOSS]

September makes sense. After a download this week I had the message that I had all these new HD channels but I get nothing on them for now. I am in East Atlanta in Conyers area. I however did another download tonight just for *****s and giggles and had another message stating that the channels have been removed. I would think you guys would get the same thing if you forced a download. This has happened before a while back. Comcast notifies Tivo of upcoming channels to be activated on a future date and someone at Tivo adds the channels to the lineup too soon and it probably causes one helluva flurry of Tivo folks in the Comcast call center. I imagine that when the channel feeds get placed on the wire that Tivo will then update them. I think it will be soon though so if you are like me I will be doing forced updates ever so often just to get them added back sooner.

East Gwinnett here
I got the Comcast guide in the postal mail today and I pulled up the page that listed the HD channels....some of the channels were listed with a September date, so I am going to assume we are going to get the channels, just not yet.

[p_keenan23]

hi. the comcast guy came yesterday and installed a multi-stream cable card into my tivo hd dvr. he left before the programming info finished and of course it doesn't work. only the network hd channels and tnt hd come in. every other channel (even basic cable non-hd) does not work. the tivo just shows a gray screen. it doesn't even say the channel is loading. does anybody know how to fix this? thanks.

[gamndbndr]

I live in Marietta, GA, and last week TiVo suggested some BravoHD shows which recorded in HD and wife added them as a Season Pass.

After the weekend we found that when it tried to record the channel wasn't there, and still isn't there today.

They were there last week (a whole bunch of them) and now they are "poof" I guess until later in the month.

[SheliaP]

I live in Marietta, GA, and last week TiVo suggested some BravoHD shows which recorded in HD and wife added them as a Season Pass.

After the weekend we found that when it tried to record the channel wasn't there, and still isn't there today.

They were there last week (a whole bunch of them) and now they are "poof" I guess until later in the month.

All the channels I had before above 28 are also now black screens. I live in Marietta also. Truck roll scheduled for Thursday to add a card to my TivoHD. We'll see. so far- my Tivo sees all my season passes- but of course cannot record them yet, as they are all encrypted, AFAICT. Such a pain.

And now U-Verse is in the neighborhood. So- if Comcast come s back with- OMG we need to charge you another outlet fee and rental, blahblahblah for my Tivo- plus the little settop box on my husbands TV- I may say- Hmm looks like time to ebay the Tivo and go with Uverse.

I wish Uverse was compatible with Tivo as I just go this one especially to work with Comcasts changes. But they are not the most customer friendly- though they will tell you a hundred times over they are- and their people are just not all in the loop.

[oddlycalm]

Having gotten lucky and had uneventful cable card installs in both S3's when new I got bit in the tail after having one apart to replace (and upgrade) the hard drive after my curious son unseated one of the cable cards. Sigh...

I had 2 S cards in the upstairs S3 and 2 M cards in the downstairs S3. The Comcast kid wouldn't listen and thought he knew best. Before he was done, and after trying every possible combination, he'd swapped both M cards to the upstairs S3 and the S cards where the M cards used to be. I gotta give him credit for sticking with it until everything was working again but it cost me an entire Sunday afternoon. The cards were all good before he arrived and they were still good when he left. What took all afternoon was a non-systematic swaptronics that was completely unnecessary.

oc

[slowbiscuit]

I live in Marietta, GA, and last week TiVo suggested some BravoHD shows which recorded in HD and wife added them as a Season Pass.

After the weekend we found that when it tried to record the channel wasn't there, and still isn't there today.

They were there last week (a whole bunch of them) and now they are "poof" I guess until later in the month.
From what I've seen on other forums, you need to go through guided setup and select the 'Comcast World of More' lineup instead of the Comcast Digital Cable one to get all the new HD channels. I'm just south of you and will be going through this in a couple of months.

[slowbiscuit]

All the channels I had before above 28 are also now black screens. I live in Marietta also. Truck roll scheduled for Thursday to add a card to my TivoHD. We'll see. so far- my Tivo sees all my season passes- but of course cannot record them yet, as they are all encrypted, AFAICT. Such a pain.

And now U-Verse is in the neighborhood. So- if Comcast come s back with- OMG we need to charge you another outlet fee and rental, blahblahblah for my Tivo- plus the little settop box on my husbands TV- I may say- Hmm looks like time to ebay the Tivo and go with Uverse.

I wish Uverse was compatible with Tivo as I just go this one especially to work with Comcasts changes. But they are not the most customer friendly- though they will tell you a hundred times over they are- and their people are just not all in the loop.
You could do that, but the Uverse DVR is inferior to the Tivo, and you probably won't like the PQ compared to Comcast.
You should only have to pay an A/O fee for a new Tivo HD - is that what you're doing?

[gamndbndr]

From what I've seen on other forums, you need to go through guided setup and select the 'Comcast World of More' lineup instead of the Comcast Digital Cable one to get all the new HD channels. I'm just south of you and will be going through this in a couple of months.

Except that the channels really aren't there anymore. Grey screen for the ones that were there magically last week. Figure it's some kind of testing thing that TiVo picked up on somehow and added the channels (they were never in the line up) but now they are gone, gone, gone for now.

[slowbiscuit]

Yes, but are the channels actually available (i.e., did Comcast turn them on for good?) If they did, you still might need to rerun guided setup.

[DHP]

I have a question similar to nrnoble earlier as it relates to billing. I have two Series 3 Tivos with two cable cards each. Given the FAQ, I am appropriately NOT being charged for the first cable card and am being charged $1.50 for an extra cable card in each Series 3 Tivo. However, I am being charged a "digital Additional Pkg" charge for "digital additional Service on 4 digital converters and 4 remotes" for $19.95 per month. So in essence, I am paying $11.48 per tivo. I would think I should only be charged for 2 outlets which would be about half of that.

I got on the phone with the CSR who basically said it doesn't matter, you are charged an additional outlet fee for each cablecard regardless of where it resides. Before I send an email to the comcast "we-can-help" I want to confirm with folks here that I should be paying for 2 cablecards and 2 outlets.

thanks

[CrispyCritter]

I have a question similar to nrnoble earlier as it relates to billing. I have two Series 3 Tivos with two cable cards each. Given the FAQ, I am appropriately NOT being charged for the first cable card and am being charged $1.50 for an extra cable card in each Series 3 Tivo. However, I am being charged a "digital Additional Pkg" charge for "digital additional Service on 4 digital converters and 4 remotes" for $19.95 per month. So in essence, I am paying $11.48 per tivo. I would think I should only be charged for 2 outlets which would be about half of that.

I got on the phone with the CSR who basically said it doesn't matter, you are charged an additional outlet fee for each cablecard regardless of where it resides. Before I send an email to the comcast "we-can-help" I want to confirm with folks here that I should be paying for 2 cablecards and 2 outlets.
At most. Many Comcast franchises are cheaper - in my area I would be paying $6.99 for an additional outlet (the second TiVo) and that's it. The cablecards are free (well, bundled into the additional outlet fee).

If the two Series 3 are your only digital outlets then the national policy seems to be you should pay an additional outlet fee for the second TiVo, and a small fee ($1.50) for the second cablecard in each of the two TiVos.

[JPBOSS]

I'm in Conyers and I wasted almost 2 hours of my life last night running through Guided Setup for nothing. The new channels did show back up when selecting Comcast World of More but they are BLACK/No picture. So I re-ran GS again and set back to Comcast Digital. Hopefully this will save some of you other poor souls the hassle.:down::down::down::mad:

From what I've seen on other forums, you need to go through guided setup and select the 'Comcast World of More' lineup instead of the Comcast Digital Cable one to get all the new HD channels. I'm just south of you and will be going through this in a couple of months.

[bakerja]

The nightmare starts again. I have gone a complete year without a hitch with comcast. Tonight I decided to take advantage of a 9.95/month special for upgrading from digital basic to digital everything except premiums. Comcast rep sent "the signal" and I got a lot of the new channels however the whole encore package is missing. I called back, rep says I'll send "the signal" again. That's all she could do. Had to schedule a truck roll. I just know what is going to happen when they arrive.

I can't believe that this technology is as hard as they make it and I can't believe how long it has been a nightmare!

Wish me luck.

[slowbiscuit]

Sounds like the same problem I had when I lost the Encores. They recently CP'd some channels and you need to make sure that your card's Data ID matches what they have in their system. Unfortunately, I don't think their frontline reps can do that, but that's what is required to get access to the CP'd channels.

[CrispyCritter]

Yes, that happened with me two weeks ago - Encore channels went missing. Scheduled a tech roll, he came out, said he'd been doing a lot of them, and proceeded to just call in the numbers (I had the numbers all ready for him) and everything worked. So they know what they're doing a lot more than they had in the past, at least in my area.

[bakerja]

Yes, that happened with me two weeks ago - Encore channels went missing. Scheduled a tech roll, he came out, said he'd been doing a lot of them, and proceeded to just call in the numbers (I had the numbers all ready for him) and everything worked. So they know what they're doing a lot more than they had in the past, at least in my area.

Seems like this could be accomplished over the phone without a truck roll.

[CrispyCritter]

Seems like this could be accomplished over the phone without a truck roll.You would think so, wouldn't you?

But Comcast in our area won't open up the back-end phone numbers to either customers or their own front-line reps. I would hope that would change now that they are finally enforcing pairing. (I've been running with incorrect pairing info since 2006 - and it hadn't mattered up until now.)

[mattack]

All the channels I had before above 28 are also now black screens. I live in Marietta also. Truck roll scheduled for Thursday to add a card to my TivoHD. We'll see. so far- my Tivo sees all my season passes- but of course cannot record them yet, as they are all encrypted, AFAICT. Such a pain.

Well, technically, they turned off the analog versions of the channels.

Now, the digital channels (except for the versions of the OTA channels) are possibly(*) also encrypted.. but the main reason for them being 'black screens' now are the loss of the analog stations, shown by your mention of getting cable cards.

(*) If you can get the channels with the basic free "DTA" from Comcast, apparently that means that they might not be encrypted.. but there was other news that some of the new DTAs can do encryption too... but this whole paragraph is way tangential info.

[x0lliex]

Just wanted to share my experience with Comcast and my new HD TiVo. All I did was go down to the San Jose Comcast Center, pick up an M-Card a couple of days before my TiVo was delivered. On the day it arrived I popped the card in the TiVo, called Comcast, and they activated the card in less than 5 minutes. All channels come in, including Showtime HD and HBO HD. The TiVo is my only device so I pay $0 for the cable card with no HD access fee or outlet fee. Have already activated lifetime subscription for $288 (ebay with 15% bing cashback) so it won't be long until I break even with the Comcast HD-DVR charges ($15.95 in this area).

[rickeame]

I'm going out of my mind with this one -- I live on the eastside, and I have two choices in guided setup for Comcast: Comcast or Comcast King County Jerald.

Either one gives me these channels in the 700 range that format like:

700 2 MGMHD

And then I get zero guide data because of that "2". They don't come out normal. I can tune to them, but no guide data.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I've tried both comcast choices, with the same result.

[bakerja]

You would think so, wouldn't you?

But Comcast in our area won't open up the back-end phone numbers to either customers or their own front-line reps. I would hope that would change now that they are finally enforcing pairing. (I've been running with incorrect pairing info since 2006 - and it hadn't mattered up until now.)

Comcast tech came out saturday as scheduled (first call of the day). It took the guy all of 5 minutes to call the dispatcher and get my cable card authorized for the encore pack. I asked him why they couldn't take care of it on the phone, he said they should have been able to.

Oh well, I'm good until I make another subscription change!:p

[drhankz]

Comcast tech came out saturday as scheduled (first call of the day). It took the guy all of 5 minutes to call the dispatcher and get my cable card authorized for the encore pack. I asked him why they couldn't take care of it on the phone, he said they should have been able to.


The problem with Comcast and letting the Customer read off
the numbers to the person who can enter them correctly is:

Comcast will NOT let a Customer talk to the Authorized person.
The Tech not only calls a Special Number - but even if you had
the special number - they only let Comcast REGISTERED Cell
phone numbers get through. They use Caller-ID to block the call.

[zand94]

Ok here's the deal

Just moved to a new location - had FIOS at old location - cannot get at new location for 90day (something about an MDU upgrade needed) so going with comcast until then

NEVER HAD PROBLEMS BEFORE!! (with comcast or fios)

Saturday - installer comes out - tests signal at the walljack - good - tests signal at the end of the 4 way splitter good

connects cable modem first - good
puts in cable cards in all 3 tivoHds - registers them fine - contacts local office and gets cable modem setup first then reads off cc serial #s - but the guy on the other end sends a hit and hangs up before anything else can be done (host id and all that)

installer calls back - gets another person - they say 1 serial in a cc block the others are in STB blocks - she removes everything and reenters all information properly - sends hit - no channels and not seeing anything that looks proper on the network and conditional access screens on any of them
I restart 2 tivos and repeat guided setup on the 3rd - office person ends call while waiting

after wait no channels - call back in - they have not mapped the cable cards to the proper head end - the guy in the office rebuilds the account and gets all the info again and sends the hits out - this guy knows his stuff and is telling the tech at my apt which screens to be on and what to look for - hits not coming through it seems - he gets 3 or 4 more people in the office working on it - they delete the setup entirely and rebuild it from scratch - send hits - no go - new splitter outside put on - new splitter inside put on - and an amp - no gos on all options

i call tivo cable card line - go thru screens and am told that the cable cards are bad - we're at 3 hours in now - and the tech reschedules for sunday (today)

Sunday - tech comes in with 5 cards - we put in 3 and they all show up properly - he calls in and gets a guy on the phone that's dealt with tivos quite frequently - - he looks at everything that was done sat night and finds that they put it on as 1 primary digital outlet with 2 extra cable cards - instead of 3 digital outlets - he rebuilt account the proper way (and I had told them before it should be listed as 3 digital outlets) - and sends hits - no go on the tivo ccs -

I call into the tivo cc help line again - and get confirmation that the hits to activate/pair the cards arent getting through. we've removed the cable modem, removed the coax amp and still no go

In anyone's experience is there anything else I can have them try when they come out next saturday or that I can try myself then make a phone call to the national comcast support number.

ANY help would be appreciated -

Thanks - Alex

[dswallow]

Best thing to do is simply contact the ComcastCares group and let them come into your local office from corporate and get somone who knows what they're doing to work on your account configuration.

[heed316]

Since when has comcast counted a single MCard as two cablecards. They have apparently been charging me an extra 1.50 a month for a while now, under the guise of saying it was a change of service charge. I contact them via chat and they tell me this:

Wingielyn>With the Tivo, it will actually require a dual card.
Michael>Yes, it has one MCard in it.
Wingielyn>That is why there is an additional charge of $1.50.
Wingielyn>The first cable card is free, while the second will require an additional charge.
Michael>There is no second card though. There is only one card.
Michael>I have one MCard.
Michael>The TivoHD only required one MCard
Wingielyn>In which one MCard is equivalent to 2 cable cards.
Michael>That's like saying one HD Box is really 2 because it has two tuners. The Tivo is the same thing.
Michael>It has one MCard that gets two streams, as opposed to two SCards that each get one stream.
Michael>I am renting only one cable card.
Michael>It shouldn't matter that it gets two streams, it is one card.
Wingielyn>The one MCard is equivalent to two SCards.
Wingielyn>You can confirm this information as well with the local office.
Michael_ > I was told when I signed up that a MCard was included in the additional outlet fee.
Michael_ > They said if I had to use 2 MCards, I would be charged the 1.50, but since we only had ONE MCard, there was no cable card fee.
Michael_ > Why is a single cable card counted as two devices, when a single HD box that does the exact same thing count as one?
Wingielyn > One moment Michael, let me check on a bit further about that.
Wingielyn > Let me get back to you in 2-3 minutes.
Wingielyn > Thank you for your patience Michael.
Wingielyn > I did check on your concern and was able to get the very same information.
Wingielyn > That if you have an MCard there will be a $1.50 charge since this is for multiple streaming.
Wingielyn > And it is equivalent to 2 cable cards.


...Is this true? When I signed up this was most definitely NOT the case!

[dswallow]

Since when has comcast counted a single MCard as two cablecards. They have apparently been charging me an extra 1.50 a month for a while now, under the guise of saying it was a change of service charge. I contact them via chat and they tell me this:

Wingielyn>With the Tivo, it will actually require a dual card.
Michael>Yes, it has one MCard in it.
Wingielyn>That is why there is an additional charge of $1.50.
Wingielyn>The first cable card is free, while the second will require an additional charge.
Michael>There is no second card though. There is only one card.
Michael>I have one MCard.
Michael>The TivoHD only required one MCard
Wingielyn>In which one MCard is equivalent to 2 cable cards.
Michael>That's like saying one HD Box is really 2 because it has two tuners. The Tivo is the same thing.
Michael>It has one MCard that gets two streams, as opposed to two SCards that each get one stream.
Michael>I am renting only one cable card.
Michael>It shouldn't matter that it gets two streams, it is one card.
Wingielyn>The one MCard is equivalent to two SCards.
Wingielyn>You can confirm this information as well with the local office.
Michael_ > I was told when I signed up that a MCard was included in the additional outlet fee.
Michael_ > They said if I had to use 2 MCards, I would be charged the 1.50, but since we only had ONE MCard, there was no cable card fee.
Michael_ > Why is a single cable card counted as two devices, when a single HD box that does the exact same thing count as one?
Wingielyn > One moment Michael, let me check on a bit further about that.
Wingielyn > Let me get back to you in 2-3 minutes.
Wingielyn > Thank you for your patience Michael.
Wingielyn > I did check on your concern and was able to get the very same information.
Wingielyn > That if you have an MCard there will be a $1.50 charge since this is for multiple streaming.
Wingielyn > And it is equivalent to 2 cable cards.


...Is this true? When I signed up this was most definitely NOT the case!

No, it's not true in any Comcast market. Contact the ComcastCares group and explain your problem.

http://twitter.com/comcastcares
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com

[CraigK]

...Is this true? When I signed up this was most definitely NOT the case!

Not true in the Seattle area.

Where are you located? Other Comcast/TivoHD users in your area can chime in on how they're charged.

[heed316]

No, it's not true in any Comcast market. Contact the ComcastCares group and explain your problem.

http://twitter.com/comcastcares
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com

I plan on it. A bit too annoyed to do it at the moment, but hopefully they can take care of this useless charge.



Not true in the Seattle area.

Where are you located? Other Comcast/TivoHD users in your area can chime in on how they're charged.

I'm in Brooklyn, MI (just updated the profile). AFAIK, this isn't the case here either, and I just happened to notice a 1.50 change of service charge on my bills when I had no change of service. Come to find out that the "change of service" was the cable card fee! Argh...

[michael new]

Not true in the Seattle area.

Where are you located? Other Comcast/TivoHD users in your area can chime in on how they're charged.


Hey CraigK if I could ask what is the policy in Seattle? I live in Everett and their policy here is to charge $1.79 for each cable card and on top of that a $5.10 charge for each outlet. I thought the whole idea of the cable card was to save on costs and not have to rent a cable box and you were just renting the cable card?

[gamndbndr]

I'm in Conyers and I wasted almost 2 hours of my life last night running through Guided Setup for nothing. The new channels did show back up when selecting Comcast World of More but they are BLACK/No picture. So I re-ran GS again and set back to Comcast Digital. Hopefully this will save some of you other poor souls the hassle.:down::down::down::mad:

Comcast is definitely up to something. While we were away for the weekend everything recorded fine up until 11 AM on Monday, then things appeared to get flaky. Reason I looked was that at 7 PM neither of the cablecards would pick up anything, however the analog, Motorola box and new digital boxes all worked OK. Went to bed. Overnight the TiVo recorded 1 HD and 1 standard program, but one of the cards wasn't picking up any channels, plus none of the HD channels were working. Then, after 2 hours, both cards and the HD channels were all back.

ACK! I think the rule is going to be "sleep on it" before calling them. When I tried calling last night the recording said "high call volume" and "there was a technical error" and disconnected.

[SheliaP]

Well- I got my truck roll (supposed tobe free) He was an hour late- but HEY- he knew what he was doing. TivoHD was ready..stuck in the cablecard, did a coupple things- Iwrote down serial numbers etc while he was doign his thing. he called someone at comcast- didn't like what she was saying- called someone else, who had him go through a couple of things.

While we were waiting- he said he got a new person the first time who wanted to do things the long way- called another, and she got him through in a couple of minutes. he was gone in less than 30 minutes. everything works great.

Obviously what I see written is true- he had 2 cell phone-devices- and they are what he calle don and got called back on. So I believe it has to be a certain phone number the tech is calling from.

now to wait and see what the bill has on it for all of this. I have not activated anything else

[gamndbndr]

Comcast is definitely up to something. While we were away for the weekend everything recorded fine up until 11 AM on Monday, then things appeared to get flaky. Reason I looked was that at 7 PM neither of the cablecards would pick up anything, however the analog, Motorola box and new digital boxes all worked OK. Went to bed. Overnight the TiVo recorded 1 HD and 1 standard program, but one of the cards wasn't picking up any channels, plus none of the HD channels were working. Then, after 2 hours, both cards and the HD channels were all back.

ACK! I think the rule is going to be "sleep on it" before calling them. When I tried calling last night the recording said "high call volume" and "there was a technical error" and disconnected.

Came home from lunch, no HD channels but both cards are showing the <100 channels. Called Comcast, went through a couple of people, turns out the equipment info on their records no longer matches my cable card info - and this is a box that has been in use over 2 years! They are currently working on updating my system but it appears whatever they are doing in the background to upgrade the digital channels must be muckamucking with the account information. Perhaps it's the addition of the digital converters elsewhere in the house that made the problem?

If I didn't love TiVo so much I wouldn't go through all this headache.

[michael new]

So I just got off the phone with someone from Comast.cares and was told this, the $ 5.10 charge is for a Comcast Cable Card, the remaining 1.60 is for a Tivo Series 3 Comcast Cable Card, huh? Whats the difference you ask? Nothing Comcast believes a Series 3 requires 2 cable cards not one M card and therefore charge you twice.

Comcast is a joke, how can they charge that much fir a cable card? They really get you where it hurts, in my area Comcast service is cheaper than Fios(even if I could get Fios) so really they can charge whatever they want. it sucks as posted above the whole idea of cable card was to eliminate the cost of leasing a converter box and now we get screwed anyway and pay the same fee as a converter box.

[drhankz]

So I just got off the phone with someone from Comast.cares and was told this, the $ 5.10 charge is for a Comcast Cable Card, the remaining 1.60 is for a Tivo Series 3 Comcast Cable Card, huh? Whats the difference you ask? Nothing Comcast believes a Series 3 requires 2 cable cards not one M card and therefore charge you twice.



Series 3 DOES require two cable cards.

[michael new]

Series 3 DOES require two cable cards.

No...it does not I have four of them all with single M cards

[CraigK]

Hey CraigK if I could ask what is the policy in Seattle? I live in Everett and their policy here is to charge $1.79 for each cable card and on top of that a $5.10 charge for each outlet. I thought the whole idea of the cable card was to save on costs and not have to rent a cable box and you were just renting the cable card?

Comcast did an "account review" last month for my account. I haven't got this month's bill to confirm the changes yet, but I called a CSR to ask how my bill would change.

I was only paying $1.60 for the cable card in my Tivo HD. I also have a set-top box which comes as part of the digital package.

They are going to charge me $5.10 as an additional outlet for the TiVo HD, but the first cable card is included with this outlet fee. My bill will go up $3.50. If I had an original Series 3 the second card would be $1.60 a month.

I asked what would happen if I turned in my set-top box and they told me that then the CableCARD would be included with my digital package price.

This confirmed the way I understand their pricing on TiVo's and CableCARDs. They want to charge you an additional fee for each digital outlet so you only receive the channels you pay for and this is a way to control that. With each digital outlet you receive either a set-top box (or in our case a CableCARD) as part of the outlet fee. You can get limited channels on other outlets using a DTA (like with your Series 2), but not everything you subscribe to.

If I add another TiVo HD, I would expect it to be an additional $5.10 a month for the outlet fee which includes the CableCARD.

Comcast is raising their rates in Washington in October and I'm not sure if that includes outlet fees and CableCard fees for just channel package prices.

[CrispyCritter]

No...it does not I have four of them all with single M cards
No, you don't. You have 4 Series 3 TiVoHD's with single M cards. TiVo's naming scheme is messed up. An original Series 3 requires 2 cards - it has the LED display that tells you the name of the show being recorded, and had a list price of $699 when it was being made (it's been discontinued for quite a while). The TiVoHD is in the same line, but can use M cards. If you don't ever refer to a TiVoHD as a Series 3 you'll be much better off!

Nobody has ever gotten an original Series 3 to work with a single M card (and use both tuners at once), and TiVo has said they have no plans anymore to get M cards to work. If you have an original Series 3 fully working with a single M-card, that's very big news.

[drhankz]

No...it does not I have four of them all with single M cards

I suggest you YELL at TiVo Then. (http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/136)

Tell TiVo their website is WRONG!

[x0lliex]

I suggest you YELL at TiVo Then.

Tell TiVo their website is WRONG!

Take a look at his signature, he has 4 series 3 TiVo HD units. Tivo HD units work with a single M-card and are still a series 3 TiVo. As the previous poster CrispyCritter said, the original series 3 with the LED display on the front is the one that requires 2 cablecards.

[drhankz]

Take a look at his signature, he has 4 series 3 TiVo HD units. Tivo HD units work with a single M-card and are still a series 3 TiVo. As the previous poster CrispyCritter said, the original series 3 with the LED display on the front is the one that requires 2 cablecards.

Did you click on the TiVo Link in my POST?

I'm not saying they don't work - you actually have to read
the fine print. The Link on TiVo FAQ page leads Comcast to
believe you need two cards - which you may or may not
need depending on a bunch of variables. I can not blame
Comcast for having the wrong Info. They are not going to
read the fine print and check on the Version of TiVo SW!

I think TiVo should update their own webpage to make it CLEARER.

[dswallow]

So I just got off the phone with someone from Comast.cares and was told this, the $ 5.10 charge is for a Comcast Cable Card, the remaining 1.60 is for a Tivo Series 3 Comcast Cable Card, huh? Whats the difference you ask? Nothing Comcast believes a Series 3 requires 2 cable cards not one M card and therefore charge you twice.

Actually that's how many of the franchises place it in their billing system... the "TiVo CableCARD" is really nothing but a second CableCARD to go along with the first one that's part of the additional outlet fee. Consider it just a bookkeeping mechanism they use to identify it as a second card in one device vs. another device (meaning another additional outlet fee would be due).

So the $5.10 is an additional outlet fee and includes (1) CableCARD. The $1.60 is a second CableCARD for the same device.

Now if your device (aka TiVo receiver) only needs one CableCARD then you would not have the $1.60 additional charge for the second CableCARD, but you would still have the $5.10 additional outlet fee... unless the TiVo were your only outlet, then that fee (your first outlet) is actually built into the digital package price.

If you have a TiVo HD or HD XL model, not an original Series 3, then you only need one M card, and should only pay for one CableCARD... basically in your case, the $5.10 additional outlet fee (presuming that's your second receiver, of course).

[x0lliex]

Did you click on the TiVo Link in my POST?

I'm not saying they don't work - you actually have to read
the fine print. The Link on TiVo FAQ page leads Comcast to
believe you need two cards - which you may or may not
need depending on a bunch of variables. I can not blame
Comcast for having the wrong Info. They are not going to
read the fine print and check on the Version of TiVo SW!

I think TiVo should update their own webpage to make it CLEARER.

I don't know what you mean? The TiVo page you link to is for the old series 3 model, the one with the LED screen, that one always requires 2 cable cards for 2 tuners. The newer TiVo HD is the unit that only requires 1 M-Card or 2 s-cards. If you look on the TiVo website you will see a different article for the TiVo HD which has the information for the TiVo HD model.

[drhankz]

I don't know what you mean? The TiVo page you link to is for the old series 3 model, the one with the LED screen, that one always requires 2 cable cards for 2 tuners. The newer TiVo HD is the unit that only requires 1 M-Card or 2 s-cards. If you look on the TiVo website you will see a different article for the TiVo HD which has the information for the TiVo HD model.

That is the POINT I was trying to make.

TiVo HD - I own one - only needs one card.

TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL are not Series 3. They are what they are.

The original reference question is about the Old Series 3 needing two cards.

[dswallow]

TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL are not Series 3.

Just to add to the confusion, they are referred to as Series 3 models on the box itself, and I would expect the same occurs in the manual.

It's a shame TiVo couldn't at least use clearly identifiable numbers for their models so we wouldn't have to say things like "original series 3" or "Series 3 with the OLED display" to ensure an unambiguous reference.

[drhankz]

Just to add to the confusion, they are referred to as Series 3 models on the box itself, and I would expect the same occurs in the manual.

It's a shame TiVo couldn't at least use clearly identifiable numbers for their models so we wouldn't have to say things like "original series 3" or "Series 3 with the OLED display" to ensure an unambiguous reference.

AMEN - most other manufacturers at least come up with different model numbers

[drcos]

The problem with Comcast and letting the Customer read off
the numbers to the person who can enter them correctly is:

Comcast will NOT let a Customer talk to the Authorized person.
The Tech not only calls a Special Number ...

So the problem (again) is Comcast. Why not have a different support number for those of us who are a little more savvy? Several times I have prevented a truck roll by being lucky enough to talk to the right people on the other end of the phone. But it's hit or miss.

[slowbiscuit]

They do - in my case, it's the senior VP for Comcast ops Atlanta region. One call to his exec assistant (a very sweet and understanding gal) and I get to the right person within a day or two. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but it works for me. Try googling some phone numbers - consumerist.com is also a good place to look.

[Need2Know]

So, the cablecard installer says the Mstream card is installed properly, subscribed, paired and validated, and even I can see that Val = V.

He says that the channels that are grey should come in over the next 24 hours. Is that bogus or what?

Thanks.

[pdhenry]

IME, if you don't have the channels before the installer leaves you won't have the channels 24 (heck, 48) hours later.

[dswallow]

He says that the channels that are grey should come in over the next 24 hours. Is that bogus or what?

Yep, very bogus. It rarely... I mean really rarely... ever takes more than a few minutes for the data they send to authorize the card to make it to the card if the device is on at the time it's sent.

If they weren't working within a few minutes of the installer getting the headend to send the authorization info, they're not going to work no matter how long you wait until somebody causes the correct information to get sent. That *may* happen on some systems through a nightly review of account settings/changes that could possibly correct things that are wrongly configured, though that could never catch issues such as not having the right ID info for the CableCARD or receiver info in the proper fields.

In other words, unless you call and get someone smart enough to fix whatever the original tech did wrong, no amount of waiting is going to make it work.

[instinct]

Yesterday, I replaced my existing TiVo Series 3 with a the new HD XL model. I removed the two Cable Cards from the Series 3 and inserted them into the HD XL. The setup completed successfully, however after a few minutes of verifying if all the channels were functioning, I discovered that when I tune to handful of HD channels (recently added by Comcast in my market), I get the black/grey Cable Card screen instead of the programming.

Would this indicate a pairing issue with those channels? If so, can this be resolved by a phone call or would a tech have to come?

Thanks!!

[instinct]

Hi,

I recently acquired a TiVo HD XL, and I was wondering whether it would benefit me from replacing my existing two S-Cards with one M-Card instead.

Thank you again!

[BillWilke]

He says that the channels that are grey should come in over the next 24 hours. Is that bogus or what?


Yeah, bogus. Try a ReStart of the Tivo; mine seemed to require one after the CC was authorized.
If you're talking about channels above digital starter, they could have the billing codes messed up on their end.

[dswallow]

Yesterday, I replaced my existing TiVo Series 3 with a the new HD XL model. I removed the two Cable Cards from the Series 3 and inserted them into the HD XL. The setup completed successfully, however after a few minutes of verifying if all the channels were functioning, I discovered that when I tune to handful of HD channels (recently added by Comcast in my market), I get the black/grey Cable Card screen instead of the programming.

Would this indicate a pairing issue with those channels? If so, can this be resolved by a phone call or would a tech have to come?

While there's some exceptions -- all when certain encryption features are turned off on channels which certain happens, but you can't and shouldn't count on it -- you cannot just move CableCARDs around without providing the service provider with the identifying numbers of the CableCARD and the host device/slot it's plugged into.

All this *can* be done over the phone, *if* you can get someone over the phone who can do it... which generally is the real problem. The people that really do this are those a technician would talk to at the head end, so if you can get a CSR to get through to them, they can deal with it. But that's often a big if when you cold-call into the CSR's. Usually they'll insist on a truck roll. If there's any real hope of getting someone on the phone who can do it without a truck roll, it'd probably be during regular business hours.

[selfee]

Had a truck roll this morning to install cards in a new TiVo HD. Shockingly, it wasn't completed properly. Here's my situation:

Current hardware: Family room HD box has 2 s-cards; bedroom has an m-card (Both are TiVo HD boxes; Family room is Weaknees embiggened, bedroom is off-the-shelf.)

Wiring situation: Family room is on the ground floor right next to the outside connection, bedroom is on the opposite side of the house on the second floor

Programming: I don't know the exact name of the tiers, but I get all the "regular" digital & HD stuff (BBCA, Food, Discovery, Syfy, etc.), plus the digital sports package (NFL network, Fox soccer, etc.), plus HBO and Cinemax.

Location: Lower Bucks County, PA (northeast burb of Philly)

New hardware: Trying to set up another off-the-shelf HD box in the basement. Box is about midway between the other two, in terms of distance from the outside cable connection.

Today's events: Installer shows up with two s-cards. No extra cards. Hopes not completely crushed, but I wish it had been an m-card. The m-card install went more smoothly than the other one.

Installer says he's never done this before. Hopes nearly flattened.

He goes through the instructions and despite being behind schedule, doesn't try to rush the process. He loses his cell signal just after giving the back-office processor the last set of numbers from the second card. Brief hope that the processor may have actually done her job and completed the authorization. Ha!

He calls back and is on hold for an unsconscionable length of time. Tries to tell me he needs to leave for his next appointment. (He's been here about 50 minutes after showing up 15 minutes after the end of his window.) I acknowledge it's not his fault but convince him he can't leave us hanging just because his prior job ran long. He stays and eventually gets through to the processor. (not sure if it was the same one, she was certainly as surly as the first one)

More back & forth, and eventually both cards appear to pair and auhorize. Hopes springs but is soon crushed flat when we try HBO/Max channels. Neither card works on those channels, although both of them get every other channel just fine, including the HD channels and digital music.

Nothing wrong with the original two boxes, so it doesn't seem like they've screwed up our account.

We restarted twice while the installer was here, plus another time after he left. It's been about 5 hours since he left.

The installer said that he'd escalate the issue and have them send someone as soon as possible, supposedly quicker than if we called ourselves. They're claiming the cards may be bad.

Current behavior: When I tune to any HBO or Max channel, the screen either stays completely black for a couple seconds, or it shows a quick flash of the programming, then it goes to the black/gray Cablecard screen. When I clear the CC screen, the channel is all black.

When I go to a new digital channel for the first time, I get the same behavior, but when I come back to the channel, it's working fine.

When I try a channel we don't get, like SHOW, same behavior, but never a flash of the programming. This makes me think that the cards are trying to authorize HBO/MAX, but something isn't working.

Questions:
1) How likely is it that the cards are bad? Given that they're both behaving in exactly the same way, I'm thinking it's not likely, but I'd appreciate any insight.

2) I tested signal strength and was getting between 85 and 89 on all channels, including HBO/MAX. This makes me hopeful that the wiring and location inside the house are fine, but again, would appreciate any comments.

3) Any info from the status screen or other screens that I should post to help diagnose the problem? Anything else to consider?

Thx in advance for any help.

[rscheek]

I'm in Roswell, GA. So I see all the new HD channels in my guide even though I did not pick World of More, but Comcast Digital during setup. I get the chennels I'm supposed to exc ept that most of the time the HD channels say "programing to be announced" in the guide. This is causing me to miss shows on the HD channels that I would like to record.

Has anyone else experienced this or seen it?

BTW Love my new Tivo HD. It's my 4th Tivo and I started with the Sony.

[dpierce]

in memphis they are charging me $35 install and $3 a month but i am getting pixalation ont he HD channels dont know if the HDD is going bad or what

[bicker]

Why not have a different support number for those of us who are a little more savvy?Because then suddenly everyone thinks that they're a little more savvy. :rolleyes:

Maybe they can have a twenty question quiz you can take, drawn from thousands of questions a first-line tech would be expected to be able to answer about cable service, and if you get more than fifteen correct, they let you skip to the second-tier support queue. :)

[singidunum]

Yesterday I got my two TivoHDs (to replace two S2STs - 5 and 4 years old). I went to the local Comcast office (Sunnyvale, CA), picked up two M cards, installed them, called to pair them and got nowhere. After the second call and re-sending the signals one of them started working, and I was advised by Comcast phone support to go and get a different card for the other one, which I did this morning.

Tonight I put the card in but when I go to Cable card config it says "Your cable provider has provided no info ..." and there are no menus, no Host ID or Data ID. I called comcast support and they took the info (Host and Data ID) which I wrote yesterday and paired it up with the new card, but still nothing happens. Tivo recognizes that there is an M-card in the slot, but has no info about it

I am wondering if this new card is bad (it looks like it has been physically bent a little bit) or if I need to do something like re-run guided setup. Will HostID and DataID which I got when trying to pair with a different card yesterday still be valid ?

Any advice ? Otherwise I will have to wait for an appointment which is 10 days out out

[jludman]

I have the $99 bundle, and 2 months ago the we_can_help people had me return their DVR, so that I could avoid the $6.95 add'l outlet charge. While the next bill was nearly indecipherable, it appeared that that charge was gone. It came back on yesterdays bill. Now, I have a tech scheduled to come out and give me an M-card instead of my 2 regular cards, just so that I can have a slightly better argument that I really only have 1 TV.

Where can I sign up to help with a class-action lawsuit? It seems impossible to avoid being charged $7 to have a TiVo. Maybe I can get a job with their tech-support and steal incriminating documents or something.

[bicker]

You just need to talk to the right person. Calmly and politely work your way up the ladder to someone who will understand that you have only one digital outlet, and you won't be charged for an additional.

[jludman]

I actually got the direct phone # for the regional manager in charge of my area, who said he couldn't do anything about my bill. You're right, no use arguing with people once they say they don't have the keys to adjust my bill. Lost it a little last time on the phone, and told them if after I get my m-card they keep charging me for extra outlets, I'll have to take them to small claims court...

[bicker]

Good luck with that. :rolleyes:

[yukit]

...
I am wondering if this new card is bad (it looks like it has been physically bent a little bit) or if I need to do something like re-run guided setup. Will HostID and DataID which I got when trying to pair with a different card yesterday still be valid ?

Any advice ? Otherwise I will have to wait for an appointment which is 10 days out out
I believe the hostID stays the same, but not sure about the dataID.

I would try another m-card if they let you exchange the card. I find people at Sunnyvale office are reasonable with requests. I also needed a 2nd card to pair my first TivoHD.

If that does not work, I would suspect that your Tivo maybe faulty, or the signal on the coax cable maybe too noisy. You may need a truckroll to have their tech measure the signal strength.

[singidunum]

Thanks, I exchanged the card this morning and the third time was indeed the charm. HostID was the same, but DataID was different.

Yes, Sunnyvale office indeed has very reasonable people - much better than the lottery you enter when you call phone support. One guy on the phone yesterday insisted to give him the serial number of my Motorola box into which I am putting the cable card ?!?! When I re-re-re-stated that I need the pairing for Tivo he had to call his supervisor because he was not aware of that and then kicked me to the next support level.

But all's well that ends well :)

[leeble]

I'm in Chicago and have Comcast Basic Cable. I'm getting cable cards tomorrow, I have a new TivoHD - do I need 2 cable cards or just one? Also, do I need to upgrade my service or will they send the Basic in Digital once I have the cards in?

[drhankz]

I'm in Chicago and have Comcast Basic Cable. I'm getting cable cards tomorrow, I have a new TivoHD - do I need 2 cable cards or just one? Also, do I need to upgrade my service or will they send the Basic in Digital once I have the cards in?

You need (2) S-cards or (1) M-Card. I'm sure your TiVo Manual says that.

[scotttc2000]

Get 1 card. Comcast will charge you for each card. I have the M-unit no issues.

[leeble]

Thanks. I thought it was one M or two S. Comcast says one M will work, and since the first card is free, I only have to pay the $16.99 install fee.

[dms92969]

Just wanted everyone to know that I had an M-card installed in my Tivo-HD. No problems so far. They guy didn't know anything about an SDV adapter, but all the channels seem to be comming in ok...

I called chatted with someone online. They said once Comcast Tivo is available in my area, the SDV adapters will be available. I don't know what that's about... I called them directly, they didn't know what an sdv adapter was. LOL..

[EllJay]

I'm really frustrated. Got my MCard from Comcast, received my TiVO HD on Friday. Followed all of the directions, but it is not acquiring the channels. I called Comcast tech support a couple of times, and did the online chat - nothing changed. The tech guy came out yesterday, swapped out the MCard, tested the signal strength (it was fine) and tried a few other things. Today, I spent a couple of hours on and off with the tech supervisor. He had me first scan the channel list with the card removed, then do (yet) another Guided Setup with the card in, then configure the card (yet again). Still not acquiring the channels. On the Conditional Access, I see Con:Yes but Val:?0x00
The CableCard status shows a state of Wait to Start. No Messages are being received. I'm totally at a loss - is the problem with Comcast in general? The particular CableCard? A defective TiVO? Am I doing something wrong? I'd really appreciate some help - thanks in advance!

[treaty]

Installed a new M-card into my TivoHD this weekend for the first time. Went to the local Comcast office and picked up the card, no charge. Came home and slipped it in then called the number on the screen to have Comcast activate. Read them the numbers on the screen and 4 minutes later I was told to do the channel test... was getting all the channels.

Comcast tech on the phone tried to tell me there would be a $1.75 monthly charge on my bill for the cable card. I insisted that I did not have a cable box already, only the TiVo, no other digital outlets in the house, so there should be no charge - he said he'd have to talk to a supervisor about that. 2 minutes later he was back on the phone to let me know that was indeed correct - no charge.

I do not know why any cable company in their right mind would do a truck roll to install a cable card into a Tivo - It's a no brainer on the TiVo end, there's nothing to be done. Any complicated work is all done on the cable office switching end. That's where the cable companies need to focus their training/efforts/money.

[bicker]

Sounds like the installer thought that you were getting CableCARDs to go with Basic Cable service; with that tier, you do pay $1.75 (here) for the first CableCARD.

[leeble]

Here in Chicago - I got the Mcard Saturday, but there were missing channels. Nobody seemed to know anything, and they said the cablecard was bad. Seemed odd to me, why only a few channels, not all? They sent out another tech today, who checked the signal at the cables outside, changed out some splitters, and ultimately they had to send another something signal to the device, but now I have all the channels I am supposed to. Unfortunately I am getting black screens occasionally - just for a few seconds, but it's annoying (during recording). I hear the audio, but the screen goes black.

RS Uncorrected is 0, RS Corrected steadily goes up. Signal strength, etc. all seems fine.

They tell me, though, that the first cablecard is free.

[spikerjack]

Like many here I have both Tivo Series3 and Tivo HD units utilizing S and M cards respectively. Just had my premium channels go out after a Tivo HD upgrade...and after seven (yes SEVEN) calls to Comcast I did stumble upon a troubleshooting method that worked to get my card and channels working again. Here is what I did:

1) After the upgrade, my Data ID field --did-- change. I had to get Comcast Customer Service to update. That was four of the seven calls. Finally on that fourth call I insisted on a supervisor who could update the field and he did...but a new hit wasn't helping reauthorize. Bummer.

2) The next two calls were to try and get somebody who could help me troubleshoot the CableCARD screens and to see if there was something I could do short of a tech roll. Simply put - exercise in futility.

3) I noticed on my Conditional Access screen that Con=Yes, Val did NOT have a V, but that the Auth field showed "UNC". That seemed strange. Rebooting the Tivo with the CableCARD in did not resolve.

4) I then PULLED the card, did a formal reboot, ignored ALL messages to redo guided setup...got myself back to the Tivo main menu. I then reinstalled the card, again ignored the guided setup warnings, and went back to the Conditional Access screen. This time while Val still did not have a V (didn't expect one) the Auth field did show an "S" instead of "UNC".

5) At this point I called Comcast to get a regular hit sent and bingo - channels worked.

I don't expect this to be a magic elixir for everybody as it definitely seems everybody has unique issues...but just wanted to pass on my "try rebooting without the card before calling to get a authorization hit" idea so that others could try it if you have a similar issue to mine.

I learned alot from this thread...just wanted to share.

[Smackfu]

The Answer is HERE (http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/136) :up:
Question on these instructions: It says to run Guided Setup before the installer comes. This isn't a new Tivo HD, but it is a new Comcast install, so do I just pick my Comcast package and do Guided Setup without actually having the channels yet?