Official Time Warner Cable Thread

[Interpol]

OK, here's my story of woe. My cable service is Time Warner South Bay in Torrance, CA.

Bought my Tivo HD about 3 weeks ago. Since I'd been out of the CableCard loop for about a year, I called TW customer service and asked if CableCards were now available for pickup at any local TW cablestores. Their response: "Yes, just go to any cablestore and they should be able to give you as many as you need."

I'm looking to get 3 Cablecards - one for the Sony SXRD TV, and two for the Tivo.

So the next day I drive out to my local TW office in Torrance, only to be told "No, we do not give out Cablecards, we never have, you need to set up an appointment for a truck roll." To verify this, I went to the TW office in Manhattan Beach and was told the same thing. Terrific, thanks for wasting half my day. So I call TW CS and set up an appointment for Friday 11/16, their earliest available date (wait time one week).

Friday 11/16 comes, and I make sure I'm home between 1 and 3PM (the appointment window). Nobody shows. I call TW CS and am told "Sorry, the installer is running late, give him another 1-2 hours, here's a $20 credit from our on-time guarantee."

At 5:30PM, I call again. "Sorry, he's still running late, he'll be there in the next 30 minutes. Here's another $20 credit."

At 7PM, I call again. "Sorry, we messed up the work order and assigned the wrong installer. We thought you wanted TW phone service installed (?!?), so we can't send someone out today. Here's another $20 credit and we'll have to reschedule an appointment for Wednesday 11/21." Great, never mind that I'm working that day and won't be home.

So Wednesday comes and I've given my wife a stack of printed instructions to give to the installer, including the info from Tivo and my own hand-drawn diagrams. I've also set up all the lines in back (one digital cable line and one OTA antenna line split to run to the TV and to the Tivo concurrently), and I've verified that everything is connected correctly and works, so the installer shouldn't even need to mess around with the cable runs. All he needs to do is plug in the Cablecards and activate them.

So at work, in the middle of the operating room (I'm a doctor), I get a call from my wife and she puts the installer on. First he gives me a whole bunch of grief about using my own DVR instead of TW's oh-so-wonderful crap-box (which I've had, used, and endured for the last 1.5 years), and then notifies me that he brought 3 cards. The problem is, only one works, and only in the TV. He also tells me that the failure rate for their cards is extremely high and asks what I want him to do.

So I ask him to leave the other two cards and I'll try to do the install myself. He tells me he can't do that - if I want him to leave the cards, he can only leave one additional card, and he'll have to take the TW DVR with him(WTF?). Totally frustrated by now, I agree, and he leaves.

Strangely enough, 30 minutes later I get another call from my wife and she tells me ANOTHER installer just showed up. She puts him on the phone and he tells me he brought 2 more cards, he's pulled the one the other installer left, and put the 2 in the Tivo - but it's not working. No channels are displaying, even the analog channels. He "suspects there's something wrong with my cable line" and schedules yet ANOTHER truck roll (this time for Wednesday 11/28) for someone to come out and fix it. So I tell him to just leave everything and I'll try to diagnose the problem when I get home.

I get home, and this is what I find:

- the two Cablecards the second installer put in the Tivo were unpaired (I get the "waiting for CP auth" message)
- the first installer had gone behind the TV and unplugged and re-routed all the cables, so now the OTA lines were completely disconnected, and the digital cable line was running into the ANTENNA input on the Tivo. No wonder the second installer wasn't receiving any channels.
- the first installer had disconnected the eSATA cable from my WD DVR Expander drive, didn't reconnect it, and reset the Tivo, so I lost all my recordings from the past week.
- the Cablecard in my Sony TV actually works. I can tune almost all the channels I'm subscribed to. The only ones I don't get, for some reason, are the East Coast feeds of premium channels like HBO and Cinemax, ESPN2HD, and TBS-HD (and we don't have SDV here).

So as of today, I've got a crippled Tivo that has 2 unpaired Cablecards in it. I called TW yesterday and asked if I could speak to someone at dispatch to do the pairing over the phone and save them a truck roll, but was told that I couldn't do that. So now I'm stuck with waiting until next Wednesday to get all the channels I'm paying for.

After experiencing all this, I'm convinced that it's not an issue of bad Cablecards. It's just that Time Warner Customer Service as well as their installers simply don't know what the hell they're doing. I'm sure the "high failure rate" of Cablecards can be attributed to the fact that nobody at TW knows exactly how they're supposed to be installed, and the fact that they don't WANT people to have/use Cablecards makes them even more passive-aggressive about the whole issue.

I'll follow up next Wednesday if/when the installer comes out.

[timckelley]

Wow. They won't let you do the install, and insist they truckroll their own guy, even though you know more than they do? It would make sense if they allow the person who knows what they're doing do the install.

I dread the day I subscribe to digital cable and need a cable card install.

[Interpol]

Wow. They won't let you do the install, and insist they truckroll their own guy, even though you know more than they do? It would make sense if they allow the person who knows what they're doing do the install.

I dread the day I subscribe to digital cable and need a cable card install.

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I can understand if TW wants to try to protect their customers from themselves, but if you think about it a Cablecard installation isn't rocket science. It's basically a two-step process: provision (pair) the card, then activate it. Pretty simple.

The fact that TW South Bay requires a truck roll (and the subsequent $20 "service/installation charge") for Cablecard installation without any other alternative, plus the fact that their installers (as well as their customer service) for the most part don't know what they're doing when it comes to Cablecards is pretty insulting.

[ldudek]

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I can understand if TW wants to try to protect their customers from themselves, but if you think about it a Cablecard installation isn't rocket science. It's basically a two-step process: provision (pair) the card, then activate it. Pretty simple.

The fact that TW South Bay requires a truck roll (and the subsequent $20 "service/installation charge") for Cablecard installation without any other alternative, plus the fact that their installers (as well as their customer service) for the most part don't know what they're doing when it comes to Cablecards is pretty insulting.

I think that is the way the majority of TW works. I had to have them do an install. Cost 29 bucks.

[slyone]

:eek:I've finally reached the end of this thread.....I recently bought a couple HDtv's (using TWC Rochester boxes for HD content) Today I purchased a TivoHD and setup an install for next Wednesday....seems a bit scary now though! What's the deal with SHD and also, what is EMM? should I not pickup the THD yet? I just figured it would streamline and simplify cabling and operations plus I figured I'd save a few bucks every month not using TWC boxes.

[ldudek]

:eek:I've finally reached the end of this thread.....I recently bought a couple HDtv's (using TWC Rochester boxes for HD content) Today I purchased a TivoHD and setup an install for next Wednesday....seems a bit scary now though! What's the deal with SHD and also, what is EMM? should I not pickup the THD yet? I just figured it would streamline and simplify cabling and operations plus I figured I'd save a few bucks every month not using TWC boxes.

I think you mean SDV. Switch Digital Video. And in Rochester, it's a big deal.

Rochester, NY is one of a few cities that I know have "full blown SDV." SDV requires two way communication between your cable cards and the head end. What that means to you is that TiVo is capable of only one way communication with cable cards. Many of your digital stations and HD stations are on SDV which means that with the TiVo HD at this time you may not be able to see them.

TiVo is working with cable companies to create a "dongle" a device that will create two way communications - however it is not available now.

I have no idea what channels you receive that are on the SDV and what are not. I imagine that local HD channels are not but you may find that ESPNHD and others that are cable channels are.

You may want to search the internet for TW in your area to see exactly what channels are affected. If you feel too many channels are SDV then I would say wait until the "dongle" is developed.

[slyone]

Thanks for your informative response! I shall look iknto this. As far as the TW HD cable box...I get
1007=WUHF (local) 1030=HDTHD?
1008=WROC (local) 1033=TNTHD
1010=WHEC (local) 1037=A&E
1011=WXXI (local) 1047=YESHD
1013=WHAM (local) 1050=HDNET
1051=? HD tier for additional $4.95?
1014=MOJO 1052=ESPNHD
1015=MTVHD 1053=ESPNHD
1016=WHAM? 1060=HDHBO

It seems maybe I could receive most of these using a regular antenna? I do have a QAM tuner in my new Panasonic Plasma and I currently am still using my RS-TX20 Tivo unit which has always just had free basic lifetime service. Maybe I should have my son try the regular antenna lead which goes to the antenna above the garage...to see what I get? Just trying to simplify while reducing costs and adding the HD advantage I guess..Thanks!

[ldudek]

Thanks for your informative response! I shall look iknto this. As far as the TW HD cable box...I get
1007=WUHF (local) 1030=HDTHD?
1008=WROC (local) 1033=TNTHD
1010=WHEC (local) 1037=A&E
1011=WXXI (local) 1047=YESHD
1013=WHAM (local) 1050=HDNET
1051=? HD tier for additional $4.95?
1014=MOJO 1052=ESPNHD
1015=MTVHD 1053=ESPNHD
1016=WHAM? 1060=HDHBO

It seems maybe I could receive most of these using a regular antenna? I do have a QAM tuner in my new Panasonic Plasma and I currently am still using my RS-TX20 Tivo unit which has always just had free basic lifetime service. Maybe I should have my son try the regular antenna lead which goes to the antenna above the garage...to see what I get? Just trying to simplify while reducing costs and adding the HD advantage I guess..Thanks!

I expected to see more. Still, that's a bit more then I receive.

Remember, SDV will not only affect HD channels. It will also affect digital stations that are not in HD. TiVo HD is OTA capable so if you are able to get a signal you can do that as well.

[idabe]

I just wanted to report a positive experience with TWC NYC (Queens). I was able to get an appointment to install the cable cards one week after I called. The CSR I spoke with initially didn't know what M-cards were and, after asking, told me they didn't have them. But when the cable guy arrived (exactly at the beginning of the 10am "window"), he had M-cards with him. He installed M-cards in 2 TiVoHDs without a problem. Both TiVoHDs were up and running within the hour. After reading all the difficult install stories here, I have to say I was quite surprised and pleased.

[slyone]

How do I see if/what OTA channels I get? I assume I only hookup the regular coaxial cable coming from the antenna either straight to the HDTV or/eventually thru my Tivo RS-TX20 series 2 single tuner unit? I bought the TivoHD last night but haven't actually picked it up yet from CircuitCity.

Also, what benefit do I get for having a QAM tuner in the tv?

[Interpol]

How do I see if/what OTA channels I get?
Connect an antenna to the antenna input on your Tivo or your TV (assuming it has an ATSC tuner), then do a channel scan.

also, what benefit do I get for having a QAM tuner in the tv?
The benefit is that the TV can tune unencrypted digital cable channels without the need for a set-top box. If you want the TV to tune encrypted channels, you will also need a Cablecard plugged into the TV.

By the way, this is off-topic and has nothing to do with Time Warner.

[feeferwilly]

Believe it or not, I just got my Series 3 up and running. The first time Time Warner came out, they sent a contractor. He spent the day here and could not get it to work. Two days later, when a new technician came back (a Time Warner technician), he got it up and running in five minutes. It's all about the technician.

[mgoyal]

Hi All!

I have a Tivo Series 3 HD and TWC (Austin, Texas) is coming out tomorrow to install 2 cablecards in it.

I'm desperately hoping they'll send someone who has succssfully done
this install before, but am not planning on cancelling if it is the
installers 1st time.

Wish me luck!!

Mo

[danator]

Moral of the story is--don't let your cable guy leave until the channels are working!

Nothing really changed i guess :)

I'm probably one of the first few in DFW to get a S3 and cable Cards installed at DFW area, stressful and disturbing experinces just to get it to work. It been working all right so far, except one occasion when they added Hdnet/UHD to the new line-up. I didn't do anything about it, the channels were cleared one month later with S3. We'll see how how soon before i get to see the HDnet movie channel that just added few days ago.

If the pairing are right, one should get the premium hd after few minutes not hours. So...that's right, don't let them go if it ain't working yet. Scheduling another appointment is a stressful thing.

[rlay]

Time Warner is rolling a truck on Monday. Funny thing is that the Tivo channels are in the right place for the old line-up, but the names of the channels have changed slightly....so after another Guided Setup I have no working Guide for most channels and I'm missing all the new channels they added.

Also...TW offered to swap out my Motorola box with one with a larger hard drive if I bring it into their offices....strange.

I got a call back from the TimeWarner second level support center in Denver. After being sent to the Time Warner offices to get new Cable Cards, I was told that only installers can install them, and they sent one home with me and two new cable cards.

Long story short, the new line up showed up after installing the first new cablecard. The second cablecard gave the dreaded 161-1 error. He tried reinitializing one of the old ones, and it messed up the channel line up. When we removed both then reinstalled the one that was working correctly, everything went back to normal. He left, I talked with the TW 2nd level support team in Denver again.... they tried a bunch of initialization stuff to no avail. I need to have a "new" working cable card....so they are rolling a truck tomorrow (I'm out of towm....my wife is in, and has detailed instructions that I've typed up). For now I have a single tuner TIVO (I don't understand why I can't have two tuners with OTA stations and the single CableCard)

The problem stems from a new system that TW installed to replace the old Adelphia one. Apparently, CableCards are tied to the system they were initialized on, and my Tivo was initialized with the old one. Apparently, CableCards cannot be reused once they are initialized.

I am hopeful they can get it fixed and I can go back to a 2 tuner TIVO.

[ldudek]

Hi All!

I have a Tivo Series 3 HD and TWC (Austin, Texas) is coming out tomorrow to install 2 cablecards in it.

I'm desperately hoping they'll send someone who has succssfully done
this install before, but am not planning on cancelling if it is the
installers 1st time.

Wish me luck!!

Mo

Austin is another city that TW uses full blown SDV. I hope you were aware of that when you made your purchase. If you're disappointed, you can always return it.

[Dicescuz]

Let me first say I am a huge Tivo fan, I have had a Tivo for over 5 years. That is why I was so excited to see the new HD tivo with lifetime membership. I immediately picked up the new Tivo and a Multi-stream cable card from my San Antonio TX, Time Warner cable. To my dismay San Antonio is an early adopter of SDV and all of my HD channels except 3 local and all of my digital cable channels are now SDV. After researching on the internet I found that there is no current hardware to allow Tivo to work with SDV. Although there has been talk about a "Tuner Resolver" there was no solid date or any commitment to create one. That is too big of a risk for $700when I alread have a low def Tivo and the Time Warner representative I talked to said they would soon convert all Digital and HD to SDV. My only hope is that Tivo will create a Two Way communication Tivo or that the "Tuner Resolver" comes to market quickly. Tivo is the greatest single piece of entertainment technology ever built, but if you live in San Antonio, TX go with the low def Tivo until the technology is developed to allow all of your cable channels to work.

[Drezahl]

:mad: TW is driving me mad. I'm on TWC in the Conejo Valley (LA Area) and getting the second cablecard to function and take a hit in the S3 Tivo has been increadibly problematic. I have now had four separate technicians visit my home with what I cannot count or remember how many cards we have been through and it is still not coded or validated to receive the premium tiers of HD programming.

I am now told, after I was waiting for the 5th technician visit to arrive to resolve the issue, that the issue is within the TWC software end of things that they cannot get it to validate the second cable card. To make matters worse they have no clear news on when they will even be able to resolve the issue.

Has anyone else in the LA market had this issue? TWC is telling me that they have lots of Tivo S3's with this same issue and they have no way to resolve the problems at this time. Help! TIA, Tom.

[Interpol]

Let me first say I am a huge Tivo fan, I have had a Tivo for over 5 years. That is why I was so excited to see the new HD tivo with lifetime membership. I immediately picked up the new Tivo and a Multi-stream cable card from my San Antonio TX, Time Warner cable. To my dismay San Antonio is an early adopter of SDV and all of my HD channels except 3 local and all of my digital cable channels are now SDV. After researching on the internet I found that there is no current hardware to allow Tivo to work with SDV. Although there has been talk about a "Tuner Resolver" there was no solid date or any commitment to create one. That is too big of a risk for $700when I alread have a low def Tivo and the Time Warner representative I talked to said they would soon convert all Digital and HD to SDV. My only hope is that Tivo will create a Two Way communication Tivo or that the "Tuner Resolver" comes to market quickly. Tivo is the greatest single piece of entertainment technology ever built, but if you live in San Antonio, TX go with the low def Tivo until the technology is developed to allow all of your cable channels to work.
Have you seen today's news on Engadget?

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/switched-video-on-cable-coming-to-tivo-in-2008/

TiVo and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) have announced a new external adapter that will allow cable operators to roll out switched video while still playing nice with third-party devices like the TiVo HD and Series3 DVRs. The devices will hook up to a CableCARD host device via USB and use software to choose channels, eliminating yet another set-top box but giving cable providers a break on bandwidth requirements. The devices will begin shipping to TiVo customers -- and other compatible CableCARD devices -- in the second quarter of 2008.

[MickeS]

Let me first say I am a huge Tivo fan, I have had a Tivo for over 5 years. That is why I was so excited to see the new HD tivo with lifetime membership. I immediately picked up the new Tivo and a Multi-stream cable card from my San Antonio TX, Time Warner cable. To my dismay San Antonio is an early adopter of SDV and all of my HD channels except 3 local and all of my digital cable channels are now SDV. After researching on the internet I found that there is no current hardware to allow Tivo to work with SDV. Although there has been talk about a "Tuner Resolver" there was no solid date or any commitment to create one. That is too big of a risk for $700when I alread have a low def Tivo and the Time Warner representative I talked to said they would soon convert all Digital and HD to SDV. My only hope is that Tivo will create a Two Way communication Tivo or that the "Tuner Resolver" comes to market quickly. Tivo is the greatest single piece of entertainment technology ever built, but if you live in San Antonio, TX go with the low def Tivo until the technology is developed to allow all of your cable channels to work.

Hi, there I'm a fellow San Antonio resident, and I just want to point out that TWC DOES have all the locals in HD included in the basic analog tier, even though they don't really want to tell you that (in other words, you get them "for free", as long as you get CableCARDs from them at $2/month each). Also, you can get some of the HD channels in the HD package with your TiVo, not everything is SDV. I get HDNET, HDNET Movies, UniversalHD, ESPN, Mojo, Discovery HD Theater and TNT HD with my Series 3.

[rudiger]

We'll see how how soon before i get to see the HDnet movie channel that just added few days ago..

I noticed that channel was added over the weekend. No problems here but I can't seem to get any guide data for that channel. BTW I am in Carrollton.

rudiger

[danator]

I noticed that channel was added over the weekend. No problems here but I can't seem to get any guide data for that channel. BTW I am in Carrollton.

rudiger

Just added hdnet movie to the channel line-up, So far so good :) but still waiting for Tivo to update the guide.

Howdy from Farmers Branch :D.

[rlay]

I am hopeful they can get it fixed and I can go back to a 2 tuner TIVO.

Monday, Installer shows up at 5pm without a new cable card....My wife calls me (I'm on the road for work), and I explain the whole thing to the installer (even after I typed up copious notes that he doesn't even read)....The "warehouse" was closed so he would have to comeback tomorrow.

Tuesday, 9am, Installer brings a new cable card....freaks out because he gets a 161-4 error.... My wife calls me....I walk him through the process over the phone (he basically wasn't patient enough to wait for the hits to program the card)....We test both cards (thank god for the Slingbox)...finally the right line-up shows up on both cards. He leaves (after mumbling something to my wife about the whole system changing sometime next year)....

It takes 30 minutes for the TIVO to repeat the guided setup. All is well....except that there are a few channels in the guide and add/remove list that don't tune in (MAX-HD), but I don't get it upstairs on the Motorola box either, so I'm not worried.

This is the 3rd Cablecard related ordeal I've had because of the Series 3 and TWC. I've probably wasted 8-10 hours researching and diagnosing issues with TWC and/or TIVO support, not to mention staying home to wait for installers....but at least I'm up.... for now.

[slyone]

I went to TWC office to try to get M card yesterday so I could cancel todays install, they said only installers have them so I had them note I wanted him to bring 2 "M" cards for todays install. TWC came out this afternoon with a supervisor and "m" cards. He told me how all the units he's done have failed! I told him all the stuff I learned around here in the past couple days he was like floored! He saw the install sheet I left out and he was amazed, LOL!
I made him some copies and he joked w/his super about making additional copies and laminating for all techs! To me, it was comical how little they know being in the business, plus the fact one' can come here and just read and learn too as I did! At one point, they thought I should come to work and/or teach for TW.. I must have come off pretty smart considering I don't sh*t about any of this! Thanks everyone for sharing such invaluable information.

[Interpol]

OK, here's my followup to Post #2506 in this thread.

A TW installer came to my house today as I had arranged, and unlike the first 2 installers, he really knew what he was doing. I told him what I needed (pairing the 2 CableCards and activating them), and he said "no problem." He then removed the 2 cards in the THD just to verify the serial numbers and found out that the previous installer had switched the serials and host IDs. He swapped the cards, and after a 5 minute phone call to dispatch, I have the channels I'm paying for (except for a few that aren't mapped to CableCards for some reason).

I also asked him if TW here in Los Angeles is planning to deploy SDV anytime soon. His answer: yes, and that's one of the reasons why TBS-HD, ESPN2-HD, and the east coast feeds of HBO aren't displayed with Cablecards.

So, after 4 appointments for truck rolls and 3 installers later, I finally have my THD up and running.

[Drezahl]

:mad: TW is driving me mad. I'm on TWC in the Conejo Valley (LA Area) and getting the second cablecard to function and take a hit in the S3 Tivo has been increadibly problematic. I have now had four separate technicians visit my home with what I cannot count or remember how many cards we have been through and it is still not coded or validated to receive the premium tiers of HD programming.

I am now told, after I was waiting for the 5th technician visit to arrive to resolve the issue, that the issue is within the TWC software end of things that they cannot get it to validate the second cable card. To make matters worse they have no clear news on when they will even be able to resolve the issue.

Has anyone else in the LA market had this issue? TWC is telling me that they have lots of Tivo S3's with this same issue and they have no way to resolve the problems at this time. Help! TIA, Tom.

HORRAY! I can't believe it but the second CableCard is finally working like it should. So just for other's benefit here is what I have learned based upon my conditions and why it took 5 visits from techs to resolve the issue.

My current setup pre S3 TiVo is/was a Motorola MOXI box (which i really like btw just that the drive is way too small for me). This is front and center to the problems that the techs were having getting my second CableCard to get "Subscribed" to the TWC system. So after countless techs, cards, etc. it finally came down to the order of the decoders on my account which was prohibiting the Second CableCard from receiving the full subscription clearance to view all the channels. I'm not a tech but my best description is that on the TWC headend system my account shows 3 decoders, A (MOXI box), B (CC#1) and C (CC#2). Once we got ahold of someone who knew what to do to solve the issue it was simple. The CC's need to be in the A and B position on the account to be coded correctly and the MOXI can be at position C. Once they switched the order around, sent the hit to the cards it was like winning the lottery. Everything worked. So after countless hours (something like 10+) I now have a working and fully functional TiVo S3 :D:D:D:up::up::up:

[noppers]

Hi, there I'm a fellow San Antonio resident, and I just want to point out that TWC DOES have all the locals in HD included in the basic analog tier, even though they don't really want to tell you that (in other words, you get them "for free", as long as you get CableCARDs from them at $2/month each). Also, you can get some of the HD channels in the HD package with your TiVo, not everything is SDV. I get HDNET, HDNET Movies, UniversalHD, ESPN, Mojo, Discovery HD Theater and TNT HD with my Series 3.

I currently have San Antonio Time Warner also, and just finally added HD to our cable package. We noticed that we weren't getting all of the channels as well, so I was assuming it was due to SDV. Does anyone know where to get a comprehensive list of which TWC channels in San Antonio are on SDV?

[Interpol]

Does anyone know where to get a comprehensive list of which TWC channels in San Antonio are on SDV?
Why not just call your local TWC branch office?

[alexf5]

WARNING TO ALL WEST LA TIVO PEOPLE!
Monday evening I called TWC and set up a service appointment for today (Thursday) for the installation of my CableCards.

I just got a call from the tech assigned to my work order telling me they are out of CableCards, and have been for the past 2 weeks!

Now I'm back with the customer service people who were able to confirm that there are no CableCards. They want me to reschedule my appointment, but have no way of telling me when CableCards will be available!!!

Fun, huh?

[rudiger]

I noticed that channel was added over the weekend. No problems here but I can't seem to get any guide data for that channel.


Update: I got a Tivo message that HDNET movies channel had been added today to the lineup. I am now getting guide data for that channel.

rudiger

[MickeS]

I currently have San Antonio Time Warner also, and just finally added HD to our cable package. We noticed that we weren't getting all of the channels as well, so I was assuming it was due to SDV. Does anyone know where to get a comprehensive list of which TWC channels in San Antonio are on SDV?
They have a webpage with the channels listed that you can not receive with CableCARD, but it hasn't been updated in a couple of months:
http://www.timewarnercable.com/SanAntonio/Products/Cable/cablecard/notwithcablecard.html

Your best bet is to call them and ask. I think anything added since that list was updated though is SDV. I have not been able to tune in any of the new channels like HGTV HD.

[JOL]

I did a search and couldn't find anything, but does anyone know whether TWC uses single or multi stream cards in Southern California, particularly in Orange County?

Phonecalls to their customer service is a waste of time - none of the people that I've talked to have any idea what a single v. multistream card is. Just to be safe, I told them that I would need 2 cards.

Someone from TWC is supposed to come over Saturday afternoon to install the cablecard on my Tivo HD, and I'd rather have the multistream card so that I don't get charged for 2 single stream cards (which I think is a ripoff in itself).

[jrjeffrey]

WARNING TO ALL WEST LA TIVO PEOPLE!
Monday evening I called TWC and set up a service appointment for today (Thursday) for the installation of my CableCards.

I just got a call from the tech assigned to my work order telling me they are out of CableCards, and have been for the past 2 weeks!

Now I'm back with the customer service people who were able to confirm that there are no CableCards. They want me to reschedule my appointment, but have no way of telling me when CableCards will be available!!!

Fun, huh?

No fun at all! I am a TWC customer in West Hollywood & I have been dealing with this issue for a month now. I had 3 tech visits over the past month - the first visit, the tech had no cablecards, the next visit he installed 2 cablecards and they were bad, the 3rd visit, a new tech came and told me they would have new cablecards in 3 weeks (unfortunately he did not give me the courtesy of calling me and instead I lost some more hours at work so I could be home for the tech visit).

Today I drove to the Santa Monica TWC office because all my inqueries to Customer Service were futile. I waited in line for 20 minutes & the TWC service person behind the window told me THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CABLECARDS UNTIL AT LEAST JANUARY 2008!

Not only could they not give me an actual date, but she also told me I would have to come back into the office to keep checking to see if the warehouse had new cablecards. She told me if I called customer service they would just send a tech out because they are unaware of the lack of Cablecard inventory.

I have been polite with everyone I've dealt with, but I am honestly at the end of my rope. I am about to return my TiVo HD and just give up. No one at TWC seems to care about helping me. And the way the TWC service person at the office explained it, it sounds like TWC is actually holding out on installing any Cablecards because they have had so many problems.

I wish I knew what to do next. Waiting until January 2008, will negate my ability to return my TiVo since I'm nearing my 30-day return date.

Is anyone else experiencing this ridiculous drama in LA besides us? Has anyone found out more information? Any help or advice is appreciated.

[Interpol]

Is anyone else experiencing this ridiculous drama in LA besides us? Has anyone found out more information? Any help or advice is appreciated.
See my posts in this thread about my experiences here in the South Bay area of LA. It 'only' took 4 truck roll appointments and 3 visits by installers over a period of 3 weeks to get 3 cablecards installed (2 in the THD, 1 in the TV).

After my experience, I'm convinced that it's not the cablecards that are bad, it's the installers/techs/customer service reps. Out of the 3 installers that visited my home, the first 2 had absolutely no idea what the hell they were doing and blamed all connectivity problems on the cards, or a "bad cable line". Never mind that I'd been receiving digital cable using TWC's set-top boxes without any problems for the last 4 years in this house.

The "we're out of cablecards" story has been around since TWC started offering them. For such a reportedly low percentage of TW customers that actually request cablecards, I'm surprised they run out so often.

[jrjeffrey]

After my experience, I'm convinced that it's not the cablecards that are bad, it's the installers/techs/customer service reps.

No doubt that is a major part of this issue. In fact, all the techs sent out to me have been contractors, not even Time Warner techs. And the last contracted tech was very honest and told me that he was given my ticket by another TWC tech because they knew it was going to be a "problem" visit.

My major problem is I can't seem to get anyone to tell me what is really going on with the CableCards, but I am being asked to wait until January 2008 and MAYBE then they will be able to install them.

[FlyGuy]

Purchased two Tivo HD's from Amazon.com. Scheduled appointment with TWC Austin, I had to wait 5 days. The installer arrived and said someone else would be bringing the cards. His office was out this morning. Someone did arrive and brought a stack of cards. I guess they were single stream and multi stream. He placed an M card in each machine. The screens came up with the info, he called in and the picture came on. He seemed to know his way around the Tivo menus and said he had installed them before. He did however need to call his supervisor and make sure that the tivos only needed one M card. I get the local HD channels and the other basics. Re-ran the Guided Setup and it said everything in fine.

When looking through the channels I found that I was not receiving any of my premium channels. I was aware and told by TWC that there would be those certain channels that I would not get..such as the extra HBO's etc... The problem is I'm not receiving any premiums. Some channels have the Tivo banner that appears and says channel not available. Others are just blank.

Called for TWC support, I guess she reauthorized me and we talked about how I should be getting some of them such as HBO on 701. Placed me on hold, came back and said everything was fine on their end. She scheduled me for a service call 4 days from now...

Any ideas ?

Thanks for any info !

[zgamer]

Anyone in the Milwaukee area experiencing problems with SDV yet? Also how well is it picking up QAM channels in the area without the cable card?

[bananaman]

Just had a fairly smooth Series 3 CableCard install in Manhattan :). Tech knew what he was doing. Had to wait 20-30mins for each card to update firmware. Tech got bored before the second one finished, so I volunteered to call it in and got it paired myself after he left. All working fine.

TWC could save a lot of Tech time by having the cards updated before sending them out, or by just delaying the update until a few days after the initial install, then it would probably occur 'invisibly'.

The cards are Scientific Atlanta M-Cards. Will be nice when Series 3 can run with one M-Card.

This is my third CableCard install (Comcast SF, RCN NYC, TWC NYC). All have gone smoothly.

[noname_com]

Bought TiVo HD unit Friday from circuit city, called friday afternoon and got an appointment for a truck roll this morning. Tuesday.
Installer called this morning @ 7:35 and asked which Tivo I had. I asked why. He said it determines which cards to bring out. I told him, then I asked are you bringing a multi-stream card out he said yes. KEWL!
He said I was first on the list today. I will post my results after the installation.
Hopefully everything goes smooth. Sounded as if the guy has done these before.

[Midwest User1]

Anyone in the Milwaukee area experiencing problems with SDV yet? Also how well is it picking up QAM channels in the area without the cable card?
I'm in Waukesha and just recently bought the Series 3 and the HD DVR. I have (2) cable cards in each (single stream as they claim they don't have multi-stream yet). I have the Digipic 1000 and the HD package which is the same lineup I was subscribing to with their HD DVR scientific atlanta box.

So in my case I am not using the QAM channels however I thought I'd let you know that I lost (4) channels that I was receiving with their cable box. I lost ESPN2 HD, TBSHD, HGTVHD, and one other one. The HGTVHD and the othe channel I just started seeing in my Scientific Atlanta box a few days prior to switching to my TIVO setup. I believe those (4) channels that I no longer receive are SDV channels.

Also an FYI that I had to have them re-authorize my (4) cable cards two times before I was getting all of the channels I was supposed to. Also make sure they authorize the cable cards with the channel lineup that you are subsribing to!!!

[EasilyDistracted]

I contacted TW today (Buffalo NY area) to ask about getting cable cards for a Tivo. The Rep said that they would install cable cards in HDTVs only...they won't do that for Tivos.

Has anyone else heard of this? Should I call again and see if I get a different story from a different rep?

[timckelley]

I contacted TW today (Buffalo NY area) to ask about getting cable cards for a Tivo. The Rep said that they would install cable cards in HDTVs only...they won't do that for Tivos.

Has anyone else heard of this? Should I call again and see if I get a different story from a different rep?

Wow. What's the point of TiVo selling TiVos that require cable cards, if cable companies aren't willing to let your TiVo have cable cards in them? Wow.

That's a raw deal. :eek:

[mercurial]

Wow. What's the point of TiVo selling TiVos that require cable cards, if cable companies aren't willing to let your TiVo have cable cards in them? Wow.

That's a raw deal. :eek:

Uhm... Tim, the cables companies can't really do that. It's just a stupid rep or them trying to make someone go away because they don't want to deal with it.

EasilyDistracted, call them back and use words like "FCC" and "Complaint" closely together in your conversation... ;)

[Midwest User1]

I contacted TW today (Buffalo NY area) to ask about getting cable cards for a Tivo. The Rep said that they would install cable cards in HDTVs only...they won't do that for Tivos.

Has anyone else heard of this? Should I call again and see if I get a different story from a different rep?
That sounds like a "I'm pissed off that you don't want our cable box" tactic. That is in violation with the FCC requirement they have to offer cable cards for third party devices. I'd call back and request them again and if you get the same response from another rep. then ask them if it's O.K. if you conference on someone from TIVO so they can tell them the same thing. TIVO has a lot more clout to complain about "noncompetitive practices" than you or I do.

It is very irritating that these Cable companys don't think they have to be competitive with the quality of the cable boxes they offer. Let's face it in reality the reason they are losing DVR rental boxes is because they are not offering one that is on the same playing field as the TIVO. A truely competitive company would try to offer a better DVR box not just practice "non competitive" practices. It's only a matter of time to where one of those reps. makes the wrong statement to the wrong person on the end of that phone requesting cable cards to where it ends up all over the media with law suits. Hopefully there will be a rash of attorneys that want TIVO boxes with cable cards that get the run around :)

[noname_com]

Wow that was painless, Installer just left.
Installed a Mcard.
It would have taken less time but the tivo rebooted in the middle of receiving the CC updates twice. I am getting my HD's like disc and espn also.
At first I was not and the installer called and said he needed the discovery channel activated which is where the other HD channels were located on.
About 2 minutes later was getting discHD, espnHD, TBSHD, and others.
This was very painless, and this guy was a contractor.

So I give the overall experience a 8 out 10.

Pleasant

[Midwest User1]

Wow that was painless, Installer just left.
Installed a Mcard.
It would have taken less time but the tivo rebooted in the middle of receiving the CC updates twice. I am getting my HD's like disc and espn also.
At first I was not and the installer called and said he needed the discovery channel activated which is where the other HD channels were located on.
About 2 minutes later was getting discHD, espnHD, TBSHD, and others.
This was very painless, and this guy was a contractor.

So I give the overall experience a 8 out 10.

Pleasant
What market are you in that you get the TBSHD channel also? That was one of the channels I lost when I switched to the TIVO in Waukesha, WI. I'm receiving all of the other ones you mentioned just not TBSHD.

[flyboy99]

TriplePlay Package pricing problem.

My mcard installation with Time Warner NYC went well enough, but now that I have switched, they are telling me that cablecards are not eligible for TriplePlay package pricing, and they are charging me for everything a la carte.

I'm surprised not to find anything about that here, has anyone else had the same problem? Is anyone getting TriplePlay pricing from Time Warner with a cablecard?

[noname_com]

Oh wow flyboy, guess I lucked out. I had triple play before they switched me. I hope they do not come back and try to a la carte me.


Midwest user 1- I did not get a chance to look at every single channel to endsure I was getting them. I did see TBSHD and it seem to be working. I will look again when I get home. The installer said most of the other HD's ( the non switched ones) will come in one at a time. Should be rarther quickly, but I had to get back to work. Being a network administrator seems they cannot do with out you because the boss' daughter's email is down, or they cannot print/scan to the printer, while you in the middle of getting your CC's installed gesh-My stuff is more important - LMAO Just kidding./
Im in the Austin, Tx area. We are a test area for SDV Switched Digital Video. The channels that are switched like espn2HD and a few others I cannot getin hd only in analog. I left my stuff on to see if everything works right. I will post later this evening to see if I still have TBSHD up. There are a few post on here where everything was working then the people were not receiving stuff.

Luckily I had a guy who seems to be knowledgeable. He said he called this morning because its his gas and time and he wanted to make sure he had the right cards for the setup. The first card he put in was giving him a different freq. # and the wrong service telephone number. He yanked it and put another Mcard in. It pulled the right info. He said the other would work, would just be more PITA factor. He was totally expecting to be out of there in an hour. And he would of if my tivo didnt reboot twice on him. I told him I did a little research on this and told him of the horror stories of installers taking 10 hours sometimes . He said he had another tive series 3 that uses only the Scards and he said those were a real pain because of having to pair them. Also it took like 20 minutes to get a person on TWC's end to answer the phone for the installer to call the numbers off to him.

[Combat Medic]

TriplePlay Package pricing problem.

My mcard installation with Time Warner NYC went well enough, but now that I have switched, they are telling me that cablecards are not eligible for TriplePlay package pricing, and they are charging me for everything a la carte.

I'm surprised not to find anything about that here, has anyone else had the same problem? Is anyone getting TriplePlay pricing from Time Warner with a cablecard?

TimeWarner gave me a cable box that is sitting in my closet so that I qualify for the TripplePlay.

-Mike

[deancruse]

(Finally) bought an HD TV this weekend and a TivoHD - we've been dedicated Tivo fans for years. So, TW told me that the cable card significantly limits the the HD channels as well as the other channels I can receive - obviously trying to get me to use their HD DVR box. I've been reading the posts on SDV and think I understand the basics, but my question is this: Does anyone have a definitive list of channels supported by the cable cards in the Time Warner Austin market? TW is clueless and can't/won't produce such a list. I need to decide whether to return the Tivo and succumb to the TW BS, or enjoy Tivo HD despite the limited channels.

[deancruse]

OK - an update. I am reluctantly using the TW Scientific Atlanta 8200HD DVR box until I figure out whether to return the TivoHD or not. It's killing me, but nevertheless... Here's what happened, and it sounds fishy to me.

First thing, I finally got an email from TW Austin with a list of the channels not supported by Tivo cable cards. A big list that includes not only some HD, but other channels as well.

Second thing, the SA box was not getting several stations including KLRU-2 (PBS), Turner Classic Movies, CMT, Style, Boomerang, CNN HD, Fox Sports HD, TBS HD, A&E HD and more - THE EXACT SAME CHANNELS IN THE LIST NOT SUPPORTED BY THE TIVO CABLE CARDS - no difference. I called TW support and the rep told me he was going to do a remapping of the channels to the cable card in the SA box, and voila! I now get those channels. He also told me that while the SA box also uses a cable card, it uses a different one that the one they install in the TivoHD. I don't know whether to believe him or not.

This seems fishy - the same channels supposedly not supported by the Tivo cards were not initially supported by the TW SA box, but after some magic over the phone, they became active. Could TW just be artificially excluding these channels from Tivo users in an attempt to get us to use their (lame) SA box?

If they could "remap" the channels to the cable card in the SA box, then why can't they do the same thing to the cable cards in the Tivo? If I just take the Multistream card out of the SA box and put it in the Tivo - will it work?

OK - rant over (for now).

[timckelley]

This stuff is so complicated, I wonder how the general masses will ever understand all this.

[Midwest User1]

OK - an update. I am reluctantly using the TW Scientific Atlanta 8200HD DVR box until I figure out whether to return the TivoHD or not. It's killing me, but nevertheless... Here's what happened, and it sounds fishy to me.

First thing, I finally got an email from TW Austin with a list of the channels not supported by Tivo cable cards. A big list that includes not only some HD, but other channels as well.

Second thing, the SA box was not getting several stations including KLRU-2 (PBS), Turner Classic Movies, CMT, Style, Boomerang, CNN HD, Fox Sports HD, TBS HD, A&E HD and more - THE EXACT SAME CHANNELS IN THE LIST NOT SUPPORTED BY THE TIVO CABLE CARDS - no difference. I called TW support and the rep told me he was going to do a remapping of the channels to the cable card in the SA box, and voila! I now get those channels. He also told me that while the SA box also uses a cable card, it uses a different one that the one they install in the TivoHD. I don't know whether to believe him or not.

This seems fishy - the same channels supposedly not supported by the Tivo cards were not initially supported by the TW SA box, but after some magic over the phone, they became active. Could TW just be artificially excluding these channels from Tivo users in an attempt to get us to use their (lame) SA box?

If they could "remap" the channels to the cable card in the SA box, then why can't they do the same thing to the cable cards in the Tivo? If I just take the Multistream card out of the SA box and put it in the Tivo - will it work?

OK - rant over (for now).
I had thought the same thing as I had the Scientific Atlanta 8300 HDC DVR (the C stands for cable card). The back of the box stated that the cable card in the 8300 box was a Multi-stream card. I'm not sure if that card would work in the TIVO box but I do know that you CANNOT just take that card and put it into the TIVO box because the card gets authorized with the "Slot ID" of the slot it's going into. So at a minimum if you were to try this the Multi-Stream card from your cable box would have to be re-authroized with the correct "Slot ID" from your TIVO box. The other factor is if the card in their Cable box has some special design that only allows it to work in their box.

[zgamer]

I'm in Waukesha and just recently bought the Series 3 and the HD DVR. I have (2) cable cards in each (single stream as they claim they don't have multi-stream yet). I have the Digipic 1000 and the HD package which is the same lineup I was subscribing to with their HD DVR scientific atlanta box.

So in my case I am not using the QAM channels however I thought I'd let you know that I lost (4) channels that I was receiving with their cable box. I lost ESPN2 HD, TBSHD, HGTVHD, and one other one. The HGTVHD and the othe channel I just started seeing in my Scientific Atlanta box a few days prior to switching to my TIVO setup. I believe those (4) channels that I no longer receive are SDV channels.

Also an FYI that I had to have them re-authorize my (4) cable cards two times before I was getting all of the channels I was supposed to. Also make sure they authorize the cable cards with the channel lineup that you are subsribing to!!!

They do carry m-cards (friend of mine picked one up at the Mayfair office) but have been having supply problems.....plus they can get more out of us each month we have two cards.

[MickeS]

He also told me that while the SA box also uses a cable card, it uses a different one that the one they install in the TivoHD. I don't know whether to believe him or not.

...

If I just take the Multistream card out of the SA box and put it in the Tivo - will it work?

It is not the CableCARD that enables you to view the SDV channels, it is the device that they are in. That same CableCARD would probably work in your TiVo, but it wouldn't make a difference, because it's the TiVo itself that is the problem. The reason the SDV channels work in the SA box is because the box has two-way capability, not because any difference in the cableCARD.

So the CSR got the gist of it right (you can only get the SDV channels if you use their equipment), just not the details.

[deancruse]

Hmm. OK - thanks for the clarification.

The last TW Austin person I spoke with said I could pick up the cable card(s) and install them myself - no truck roll - although I've heard conflicting reports from different TW employees on this. I'm not doing anything at lunch today, so we'll see.

[noname_com]

Hmm. OK - thanks for the clarification.

The last TW Austin person I spoke with said I could pick up the cable card(s) and install them myself - no truck roll - although I've heard conflicting reports from different TW employees on this. I'm not doing anything at lunch today, so we'll see.

Im in austin 78729 zip and they said its a truck roll.

As far as the channels Can you post the list of channels they emails you, or send them to me. via PM.
Thx
Iwas getting TBSHD but when I went home last night it was ot showing up.
Maybe someone in the apartments requested it when the install was going on so it switched to our area, but its gone now.
Along with several HD channels.

Are the lower channels digital or the higher channels.
Like scifi it like on 58, and 515
are they both digital or not.
or is just the lower one or higher one digital.

What does timewarner mean that tivo customers do not get channel guides?
I get 14 days worth.
instead of the 7 day guide offered via TWC

[noname_com]

I just received this from time warner via email.
Figured I would post it here.
Since I was needing it and a few others.

These are the channels you would not receive if you have the series 3 tivo or the tivo HD using TWC in Austin

This is current as of dec 5, 2007


Switched Basic Simulcast Analogs
2 KCWX (Hub AB)
6 CITY (D1/CP)
7 Guide (D1)
7 Guide (D2)
10 PACT1 (D1/CP)
11 PACT2 (D1/CP)
13 KAKW
14 KADF
15 ME-TV
16 PACT3 (D1/CP)
17 TSTV (D1/CP)
18 / 380 CSPAN (All but SM/Lock/Lul/Wim)
19 ACC
20 / 255 KLRU2
21 WGN
22 AISD (D1/CP)
99 Infor

Switched Standard Simulcast Analogs
24 / 270 QVC
25 / 273 HSN
28 / 213 WE
38 / 170 ION
44 / 355 News 8 Doppler Radar
44 / 355 Hill Country Radar (Hubs AB, AG)
64 / 555 Tuner Classic Movies
70 / 590 CMT
74 / 219 Style
77 TWC77

Switched Digital
102 Disney West RTE
111 Boomerang
125 Nick Toons
217 Soap (Hub AB Only)
261 LOGO
274 TV Superstore
275 Shop NBC
277 Gems
278 / 616 Shop Latino
279 Celebrity Shopping
281 Americas Auction Network
284 Shop at Home
285 Jewelry TV
295 The Word Network
348 News 8 Traffic
358 News 8 Weather
359 / 609 News 8 Weather Spanish
363 Fox Business
408 New 8 NonStop Sports
436 ESPNU
527 FoxReality

Switched Sports Pak
431 Fox Sports Atlantic
432 Fox Sports Central
433 Fox Sports Pacific
434 Fuel
435 NBA TV
438 CSTV
455 Tennis Channel
460 Speedvision
471 Verses
490 Outdoor Channel

Switched International
601 CNN Espanol
602 Canal 24
604 DocuTVE
606 CanalSur
609 / 359 News 8 Weather Spanish
611 Toon Disney Spanish
612 Cartoon Spanish
613 Boomerang Spanish
614 Sorpresa
616 / 278 Shop Latino
617 Fox Sports SW Espanol
618 ESPN Deportes
626 TVE International
629 La Familia
630 SiTV
632 Infinito
633 HTV
634 Video Rola
635 Puma
636 MUN 2
637 MTV Tres
640 CineLatino
644 Discovery Espanol
645 HITN
649 EWTN Spanish
695 Deutche Welle TV (Hub AB only)

Switched HBOs
708 HBO WEST
709 HBOPLUS WEST
710 HBOSIG WEST
711 HBFAMILY WEST
712 HBCOMEDY WEST
713 HBOZONE WEST
714 HBLATINO WEST

Switched Cinemax
723 CINEMAX WEST
724 MORMAX WEST
725 ACTNMAX WEST
726 THRILMAX WEST

Switched Encore
761 Encore West

Switched ESPN GamePlan
901 Sport PPV-1
902 Sports PPV-2
903 Sports PPV-3
904 Sports PPV-4
905 Sports PPV-5
906 Sports PPV-6

Switched NBA/MLS
910 NBA
911 TEAM1
912 TEAM2
913 TEAM3
914 TEAM4
915 TEAM5
916 TEAM6
917 TEAM7
918 TEAM8
919 TEAM9
1649 TEAM HD

Switched NHL/MLB
960 Game 1
961 Game 2
962 Game 3
963 Game 4
964 Game 5
965 Game 6
966 Game 7
967 Game 8
968 Game 9
969 Game 10
970 Game 11
971 Game 12
972 Game 13
973 Game 14
1648 Game HD

Switched Playboy
940 Playboy Enhanced

Switched Adult/PPV
941 Ten
942 TenBlox
943 Ten Clips
952 IND 2

Switched HD Digitals
311 / 1630 CNN HD
1639 Fox Sports HD
502 / 1653 TBS HD
241 / 1660 A&E HD
572 / 1664 Music HD

Switched Cinemax HD
1675 Cinemax HD

Switched Starz HD
1684 Starz HD


Now I was getting CNNHD last night hmm weird.

[timckelley]

Im in austin 78729 zip and they said its a truck roll.
Wow - I'm in your exact zip code (78729) and I'm also a Time Warner customer.

[deancruse]

@noname_com: Interesting. That is the same list that would not work for me with the Scientific Atlanta box until they remapped its cable card over the phone. I still think this is fishy.

[noname_com]

dean the problem is the tivo box is a one way communication box.
the card maybe open or two way.
The 8300hdc is a box specifically for time warner and comcast and they are open devices that have two communication.

I am by no means an expert on this. I have just been reading these forums for the last week or so.

Video on demand, ppv, and the other channels in the list are SDV channels which are suppose to only broadcast in your neighborhood when the viewer calls upon it via request (changing to that channel or buying something)
This is why I think at first I was getting tbshd and now I am not. I was also getting CNNHD even last night and now I am not. Which I kinda liked cnn HD :(

There are rumors in the mill and a few posted articles that the cable companies are designing an usb dongle for the tivo, and Ive read an article where tivo has hinted towards a 2way communication tivo (series4???)
Its hard to say until something materializes.

I knew I would not be getting most of the channels when I purchased the tivo last week.
I have no need for latino channels, nor VOD, or PPV. I get most of my stuff of of the internet.
missed tv shows etc...
with the desktop plus upgrade 24.95 it allows me to watch them on my tivo.

I had over 45HD channels with DISH before moving down here in august. I never watched any of the other things just locals mainly.

I do think we should get some sort of discount for us not receiving all the programming which we pay for. Maybe if enough subscribers complianed around the states the cablecompanies would move quicker in getting a solutions for us to have all the channels

[timckelley]

I don't even have an HD TV yet, but I got an HD TiVo because I figured it was the way of the future, and I was in the market for a new TiVo. If we wind up having to get a S4 TiVo to pick up most of the HD channels, I should have saved my money and gotten a dual tuner S2, and eventually down the road converted to an S4.

[KRKeegan]

I don't even have an HD TV yet, but I got an HD TiVo because I figured it was the way of the future, and I was in the market for a new TiVo. If we wind up having to get a S4 TiVo to pick up most of the HD channels, I should have saved my money and gotten a dual tuner S2, and eventually down the road converted to an S4.

I did the same thing. Luckily here in LA there are no SDV channels yet. But I will be pretty upset if 2 years from now I need a whole new TiVo again.

[Midwest User1]

They do carry m-cards (friend of mine picked one up at the Mayfair office) but have been having supply problems.....plus they can get more out of us each month we have two cards.
Thanks for the info. that they do indeed have M-cards. I'll have to randomly check to see if they have those.

[bronsman]

I have also had it with TWC here in North Carolina. I bought a TiVo HD DVR a few nights ago and called TWC this morning to see if I could stop by their office and pick up the CableCARDs for my TiVo. After explaining to the guy what a CableCARD was, I was told that yes, I could pick them up at their local office here in Cary. I then lost the guy when I asked him whether they have Multi-Stream or Single-Stream cards. After he asked me to repeat the question, I knew he had no idea what I was talking about again. I just figured I go to the office and take whatever they have, either 1 MS or 2 SS cards.

Made the 30 minute drive to their office and was told that no cards are given out at the offices and to get a CableCARD for TiVo, I would need to call back and schedule a delivery and installation at $42.99. She simply said that I was given wrong information on the phone and they don't even have the cards. No apologies whatsoever.

So I come home tonight, call TWC, wait almost 25 minutes to talk to someone, and after telling him what I want, he tells me all the stuff about me losing most of my HD channels and the guides if I make the move. I then said it's okay and I still want to use my TiVo and need the cards. He them puts me on hold again and comes back 10 minutes later and tells me that TWC does not have the Multi-Stream cards and therefore I would have to get two Single-Stream cards. I said fine. I was then told that I would need to pay two $42.99 fees (~$86 total) for installation because they will be installing two cards. I thought I heard the guy wrong. I ask him again and no BS, he repeats the same thing. I am usually not the angry type but I would have punched the guy if he was in front of me. I then ask to talk to a manager, and then 10 minutes later, this manager, although very nice, tells me the same thing. I told him that I'll think about it and call him back.

Is this crazy or what? Has anyone else experienced this? I would probably happily pay the fee if they had told me that it was $86 for the whole installation but the fact that they are telling me that I would have to pay twice for one installation, is absurd.

I am ready to take back my TiVo to Circuit City.

[MickeS]

Is this crazy or what? Has anyone else experienced this? I would probably happily pay the fee if they had told me that it was $86 for the whole installation but the fact that they are telling me that I would have to pay twice for one installation, is absurd.

They told me the same thing. I flat out refused, and said I would not be paying them for two installations. They then said "OK, we'll just charge you for one". YMMV.

I hate that the cable companies obviously treat cable card customers with the utmost disrespect.

[ZeoTiVo]

I am ready to take back my TiVo to Circuit City. You have already determined that these people have no idea how cable cards in a TiVo work. They probably think it is two different DVRs instead of one.

So do you wnat the mindless drones of a non caring cable company to win or do you take it further up the food chain at TWC? That is the question.

[mercurial]

We're about activate a TiVo HD (we alread have S3s) that we'll be activiating soon. I'm prepare to explain to them I spend a lot of money on my cable services and that they can either work it out (I don't mind pay one fee even though that is a outrageous) but not two.. Last time when I got the two S3's activiated I paid two fees (I think they screwed up).

[JeffRapp]

Just adding some reference here - I'm in Lincoln, Nebraska and just added digital cable to my account today to check out some of the HD channels, and to see if Lincoln was using SDV yet - the answer is yes. I can now get HD Theater, TNTHD, and ESPNHD, but ESPN2 and TBSHD are both SDV. To top it off, they're adding a few more in January, and the rep said they'd also be headed towards SDV land - can't wait for the dongle! Hey, here's an idea: how about we get rid of the 17 or so TV shopping channels in analog - how much bandwidth is that??

Also, I found 15 channels (1900-1914) that look to be digital simulcasts (Food, HGTV, DIY), but the guide data is TBA on all of them - anybody have any ideas what these are for?

[docnaks]

Does anyone know if Oceanic TWC in Hawaii has M-cards?

I haven't bought an S3 or HD yet...(see why at my other post). Essentially, I have a one-time offer by my company for a 100% reimbursement on an S3 or HD w/ lifetime service (since I am an existing subscriber). Unfortunately, this offer will end at the end of this year, so I need to make a decision soon.

Anyway, if Oceanic TWC does offer M-cards, it may sway my decision to get the HD, because of the pricing scheme here (as mentioned in earlier posts, we get charged $2.70 per cable card and an $8 duplication of service charge per card).

[bemorton]

Okay, I'm confused, but what's new. The back and forth on the above threads have me thoroughly baffled.

I have TW Austin and they are coming to install cable cards today in our new Tivo HD. I understand that you can still use PPV and such if you keep your cable box, but what does the hookup for that look like? I've not been able to find a diagram anywhere telling me how to do that.

About the "switched" channels that you can't receive with the cable cards. What is "switched" and can I get them if I have TW remap the card over the phone? We have a sony bravia HD TV and HD cable, but the signal is really degraded over the series 2 tivo box, so we were hoping the HD tivo box would help.

Is there anything else I've missed that I shouldn't let TW get away with?

My brain hurts. Thanks for your help.

[mercurial]

Okay, I'm confused, but what's new. The back and forth on the above threads have me thoroughly baffled.

I have TW Austin and they are coming to install cable cards today in our new Tivo HD. I understand that you can still use PPV and such if you keep your cable box, but what does the hookup for that look like? I've not been able to find a diagram anywhere telling me how to do that.

You'd have to keep your cable box and it would be hooked to the TV independently (on another input or through a reciever/switchbox). The TiVo wouldn't connect with it at all. You'd just switch to your cablebox to order and watch PPV. You may also want to check out the Amazon Unbox service through your TiVo HD. You may find it servers your needs as well or better than PPV. Probably depends on what you order- if it's sports, then no, if movies, then maybe.

About the "switched" channels that you can't receive with the cable cards. What is "switched" and can I get them if I have TW remap the card over the phone? We have a sony bravia HD TV and HD cable, but the signal is really degraded over the series 2 tivo box, so we were hoping the HD tivo box would help.

There is no way at all for you to get the SDV ("switched") channels with the TiVo HD right now. At some point next year, there is supposed to be a box called a "tuning resolver" that will attach to your TiVo and allow it to get request the SDV channels get tuned.

[MickeS]

Just so you know, TWC in San Antonio raised the cost of CableCARDs from $2.00/month to $2.73/month, as of Nov 1st. 36% increase, not much in cents of course... but I guess that's how they get you. So with the "Additional Outlet" charge, I now pay $7.45 + tax/month to them just so I can see the "basic" HD networks in their compressed glory. I really need to get off my ass and find a good antenna...

[deancruse]

Went to pick up a Multi-Stream cablecard from the TW Austin office as I was told I could by Harvey on the TW support line, but alas - no joy today. According to the nasty woman behind the counter, a truck roll and $33 is required. Nothing available until next Tues.

Maybe I'll take the card out of the Scientific Atlanta box this weekend and try it in the Tivo ... just for kicks.

[cableguy763]

Went to pick up a Multi-Stream cablecard from the TW Austin office as I was told I could by Harvey on the TW support line, but alas - no joy today. According to the nasty woman behind the counter, a truck roll and $33 is required. Nothing available until next Tues.

Maybe I'll take the card out of the Scientific Atlanta box this weekend and try it in the Tivo ... just for kicks.

Maybe we'll charge you for tampering with our box...just for kicks.

[MickeS]

Went to pick up a Multi-Stream cablecard from the TW Austin office as I was told I could by Harvey on the TW support line, but alas - no joy today. According to the nasty woman behind the counter, a truck roll and $33 is required. Nothing available until next Tues.

Maybe I'll take the card out of the Scientific Atlanta box this weekend and try it in the Tivo ... just for kicks.

Bad idea.

[deancruse]

Yes I know, bad idea. But, very frustrating. I'll wait until Tuesday and see if they are able to delight me with their awesome customer service. :)

[Interpol]

Yes I know, bad idea. But, very frustrating. I'll wait until Tuesday and see if they are able to delight me with their awesome customer service. :)
You can try it, but keep in mind that if you pull the card out of the cable box and put it in another device, you will likely lose the pairing - so if you put the card back in the cable box, it may no longer function.

[rossbo]

Went to pick up a Multi-Stream cablecard from the TW Austin office as I was told I could by Harvey on the TW support line, but alas - no joy today. According to the nasty woman behind the counter, a truck roll and $33 is required. Nothing available until next Tues.

Maybe I'll take the card out of the Scientific Atlanta box this weekend and try it in the Tivo ... just for kicks.

You should be happy and fortunate to have them come by so quicly. TWCKC just scheduled my install for 12/18.

[Sneakyeye44]

What market are you in that you get the TBSHD channel also? That was one of the channels I lost when I switched to the TIVO in Waukesha, WI. I'm receiving all of the other ones you mentioned just not TBSHD.
Another user in the Milwaukee area and I am in the same boat as you with the single stream card. Based on the posts you made it seems like you are receiving ESPN HD... right now I am not receiving ESPN HD along with a couple of other HD channels and TWC told me that this is another SDV channel. Since I have been getting contradicting responses from TWC lately, I wanted to check in to see if you are getting ESPN HD, or if I misinterpreted your post(s).

[Midwest User1]

Another user in the Milwaukee area and I am in the same boat as you with the single stream card. Based on the posts you made it seems like you are receiving ESPN HD... right now I am not receiving ESPN HD along with a couple of other HD channels and TWC told me that this is another SDV channel. Since I have been getting contradicting responses from TWC lately, I wanted to check in to see if you are getting ESPN HD, or if I misinterpreted your post(s).
Yes I am getting ESPH HD just not ESPH 2 HD. I was not getting it right away though so what I did was call the number that is listed in the TIVO guide menu (time warner number) and had them Re-authorize my (4) cable cards with the channel lineup that I subscribe to. I had them do that (2) times in total after the technician had left.

The technician who installed my cable cards even noticed that on my order the person who set up my installation had listed it as a "downgrade in service" which is why I was not getting the channels. They first authroized my cable cards with the basic service only, which is not what I had requested. When the tech. first left I was not getting ANY of the HD package channels (ESPNHD, Discovery HD, HDNET, HDMovies, etc.). However after I called them and asked them to re-autorize all of my cable cards with the Digipic 1000 and the HD package I started getting those channels. They actually had to do this twice before I got all of the channels that I should have.

My guess is that when they authorized your cable cards they DID NOT authorize them with the HD package which ESPN HD is part of. I subsribe to their Digipic 1000 package along with the HD package. If you happen to have those same packages then call them and ask them to re-authorize all of your cable cards with those packages. Then check to see if your getting those channels and if your not getting ALL of them ask the rep. to re-authorize them again. That is what worked for myself.

The only HD channels I lost due to the SDV were: ESPN2 HD,TBSHD, A&EHD, & HGTVHD

I hope that helps you out.

[RackZozing]

I'm a Brighthouse customer in Indianapolis. CNNHD among others were recently added but they don't show up. CS told me they were unavailable over cable card but didn't specifically say SDV. Can someone tell me if that's what's happened and what other Indy channels are going to disappear because of that?

[gamo62]

Just so you know, TWC in San Antonio raised the cost of CableCARDs from $2.00/month to $2.73/month, as of Nov 1st. 36% increase, not much in cents of course... but I guess that's how they get you. So with the "Additional Outlet" charge, I now pay $7.45 + tax/month to them just so I can see the "basic" HD networks in their compressed glory. I really need to get off my ass and find a good antenna...


Are you talking about additional outlet charge for another TiVo? Because i thought the cable companies could not charge for additional outlets inside the house.

[SoonerOrLater]

TWC Southern California (Calabasas, Agoura Hills):
One Motorola M-Card: $1.72/month

After 4 weeks and 4 technician visits, I finally have a working M-Card in my TiVo HD DVR.
All previous techs (3rd party service companies) had brought S-Cards (although the work order specified M-Card) that were either not working properly, or the tech didn't know how to set them up with TiVo (or the TW tech at the call center didn't know). :down:
I kept getting conflicting responses from TW customer service: some were saying M-Cards were not available, others were saying they had received them. The 3rd party techs had never heard about M-Cards. :down:
It took a supervisor 1 hour to set it up (some HD channels were missing).

But, now I have an M-Card that's working. :)

Now, if TiVo could fix the video blackout bug...
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=365824

[MickeS]

Are you talking about additional outlet charge for another TiVo? Because i thought the cable companies could not charge for additional outlets inside the house.

They call each CableCARD an additional digital outlet, no matter if they are physically connected to the same outlet or not. That was the explanation I was given, and seems to match what others have said in the forum. Not much to do about that, I guess, but if the S3 could use M-cards, it would remove the additional outlet charge, as well as the second CableCARD fee.

[InkBlot]

Another recent covert to HD in Dallas here.

Picked up my TiVoHD from Circuit City on Thursday, and TWC had a guy out on Saturday to install my cablecard. Oddly, the phone rep told me they only use S-Cards, but the technician said the only stock M-Cards anymore. I said, no prob for me!

The technician seemed comfortable enough with TiVo's, but he did hood-wink me in one area. Got the card in, saw a few channels, but when some of my higher channels were still black he said, "don't worry, it can take up to 8 hrs for all of them to come in." Unfortunately, I let him escape before see those channels and after a day they still weren't around.

I called Saturday night, and quickly figured out the rep had no clue about cablecards. He was working off a script, which began with "pop the cc out and back in." I didn't like this idea (everything about pairing had me scared, altho I know understand that poping a card out and back into the same slot is OK) so I let him go.

Called back today, and found someone more knowledgable. First off the bat, the tech said, "let me send another hit to it." This didn't work at, and he tried a few more times. We got to chatting, and I asked him, "What can you send to my card from there?"

He said, "I can send a hit, a validate, a revalidate, and an initialization. The initialize is the 'biggest' thing I can send, but they tell me I shouldn't have to do that." I'd been checking the cablecard menus in my TiVo, and comparing it with these forums. My mcard shows "Val:V" which I took to mean validated, but it showed "Auth:MP" which I took to mean not authenticated. Some other thread here said an init should fix it, so I asked the tech to try the initialzation. He did, and in about a minute or so all my channels came up.

So, life is good again and I'm liking my new TiVoHD.

InkBlot
:eek:

[Sneakyeye44]

Yes I am getting ESPH HD just not ESPH 2 HD. I was not getting it right away though so what I did was call the number that is listed in the TIVO guide menu (time warner number) and had them Re-authorize my (4) cable cards with the channel lineup that I subscribe to. I had them do that (2) times in total after the technician had left.

The technician who installed my cable cards even noticed that on my order the person who set up my installation had listed it as a "downgrade in service" which is why I was not getting the channels. They first authroized my cable cards with the basic service only, which is not what I had requested. When the tech. first left I was not getting ANY of the HD package channels (ESPNHD, Discovery HD, HDNET, HDMovies, etc.). However after I called them and asked them to re-autorize all of my cable cards with the Digipic 1000 and the HD package I started getting those channels. They actually had to do this twice before I got all of the channels that I should have.

My guess is that when they authorized your cable cards they DID NOT authorize them with the HD package which ESPN HD is part of. I subsribe to their Digipic 1000 package along with the HD package. If you happen to have those same packages then call them and ask them to re-authorize all of your cable cards with those packages. Then check to see if your getting those channels and if your not getting ALL of them ask the rep. to re-authorize them again. That is what worked for myself.

The only HD channels I lost due to the SDV were: ESPN2 HD,TBSHD, A&EHD, & HGTVHD

I hope that helps you out.
Thanks for replying... I actually opened a live chat with TWC the other day explaining this and it was painful. One minute I was not suppose to get those channels the next minute I was. It is very frusterating. I'll give the local cust support a call and have them re-autorize my two cards.

Thanks

[sglynn]

Thanks for the info. that they do indeed have M-cards. I'll have to randomly check to see if they have those.
Hello. I'm in Glendale (part of Time Warner hell) with a TiVo3 series on one TV and an 8300HD on the other. Is there anyone you know who has the ability to go to On Demand channels with a TiVo, whether it's equipped with 2 cable cards or with one M card? Or is this simply not possible because of the DVR rather than the type of cable card? And if one M card will run the TiVo and provide the same channel availability as two regular cable cards, what is the advantage beyond the possible savings of $1.75/month (which seems paltry next to the $34 I was charged for installation of the cards).

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[JYoung]

TWC Southern California (Calabasas, Agoura Hills):
One Motorola M-Card: $1.72/month

After 4 weeks and 4 technician visits, I finally have a working M-Card in my TiVo HD DVR.
All previous techs (3rd party service companies) had brought S-Cards (although the work order specified M-Card) that were either not working properly, or the tech didn't know how to set them up with TiVo (or the TW tech at the call center didn't know). :down:
I kept getting conflicting responses from TW customer service: some were saying M-Cards were not available, others were saying they had received them. The 3rd party techs had never heard about M-Cards. :down:
It took a supervisor 1 hour to set it up (some HD channels were missing).

But, now I have an M-Card that's working. :)



I thought that was $1.75 per month for the cable card.
If you don't mind my asking, what tier of service do you have and what additional charges are they saying are associated with the cable card rental?
(There are stories of being charged for extra digital outlets with CableCards and I'm almost sure that they'll try to tell me that the Digital Cable package is required.)

I'm in the East San Fernando Valley and am not looking forward to dealing with Time-Warner on the CableCard issue.

[JYoung]

Hello. I'm in Glendale (part of Time Warner hell) with a TiVo3 series on one TV and an 8300HD on the other. Is there anyone you know who has the ability to go to On Demand channels with a TiVo, whether it's equipped with 2 cable cards or with one M card? Or is this simply not possible because of the DVR rather than the type of cable card? And if one M card will run the TiVo and provide the same channel availability as two regular cable cards, what is the advantage beyond the possible savings of $1.75/month (which seems paltry next to the $34 I was charged for installation of the cards).



Other than one less possible thing to go wrong and another opportunity to charge extra for another digital outlet?
Not much.
I'm pretty sure you need the STB to do On Demand and PPV.

Be aware that the Series 3 cannot not use M-Cards in multi-stream mode. You need two cards on a Series 3 to get both tuners going be they M-Cards or S-Cards.
The TiVo HD can use M-Cards in multi-stream mode though.

[rvanderwerf]

so with these SVC channels on TW Austin... if I keep a HD box at my house enabled, will my Tivo then get those channels? Is that why some people see stuff like CNNHD come and go?

I have one of their HD DVR (8300 I think) that I just picked up from their office. It says 'not authorized', however I can get Discovery HD, TBSHD, A&EHD, TNTHD, Music HD, ESPN HD and other lower channels just fine, with no tv guide. They are already scheduled to come out on thursday to remove my traps (I had analog cable before this) and install their lame phone service. I'm think I'm willing to pay a couple bucks extra to leave me a HD box instead of the DVR if it means those SVC channels appear on my tivo HD- or is that a pipe dream? Should I call them now to ask them to bring a multistream cablecard or just ask right before the come out? I just bought the HD tivo after I initially scheduled the service call - now I am reading about I won't get half the HD channels because of the SVC thing. ugh.

[Midwest User1]

Hello. I'm in Glendale (part of Time Warner hell) with a TiVo3 series on one TV and an 8300HD on the other. Is there anyone you know who has the ability to go to On Demand channels with a TiVo, whether it's equipped with 2 cable cards or with one M card? Or is this simply not possible because of the DVR rather than the type of cable card? And if one M card will run the TiVo and provide the same channel availability as two regular cable cards, what is the advantage beyond the possible savings of $1.75/month (which seems paltry next to the $34 I was charged for installation of the cards).

Thanks for any advice you can provide.
My understanding is that it's the TIVO box that is the reason that you CANNOT get the PPV or VOD channels. Those channels require 2-way communication from the box and the TIVO box cannot do this at this time. I had asked TIVO tech. support about that and they stated that it's a legal issue right now (i.e. they are not legally allowed to make a 2-way communication device yet). Now whether that's true or not I'm not sure.

The Multi-stream cards from what I understand just allow you to have (1) cable card and still record (2) different shows at the same time. That way you don't have to pay rent for (2) single stream cards. I believe that the TIVO Series 3 would still require two M-cars though but the TIVO HD box could utilize (1) M-card.

[Midwest User1]

so with these SVC channels on TW Austin... if I keep a HD box at my house enabled, will my Tivo then get those channels? Is that why some people see stuff like CNNHD come and go?

I have one of their HD DVR (8300 I think) that I just picked up from their office. It says 'not authorized', however I can get Discovery HD, TBSHD, A&EHD, TNTHD, Music HD, ESPN HD and other lower channels just fine, with no tv guide. They are already scheduled to come out on thursday to remove my traps (I had analog cable before this) and install their lame phone service. I'm think I'm willing to pay a couple bucks extra to leave me a HD box instead of the DVR if it means those SVC channels appear on my tivo HD- or is that a pipe dream? Should I call them now to ask them to bring a multistream cablecard or just ask right before the come out? I just bought the HD tivo after I initially scheduled the service call - now I am reading about I won't get half the HD channels because of the SVC thing. ugh.
If you keep one of the Time Warner cable boxes then only the TV that that box is connected to will get all of the HD channels. TIVO and Time Warner are supposed to be coming out with a "Tuner Resolver" by mid 2008 which is an external device that would allow the TIVO boxes to receive the SDV channels. When that device will actually become available to us is yet to be sceen.

[rvanderwerf]

I guess I'll keep a regular HD box until this mythical "Tuner Resolver" comes out.

[cnelson42]

I recently purchased a Tivo Series 3 HD DVR. I had Time Warner install 2 cable cards.

Much to my surprise I discovered that I can ONLY view or record from a single channel at a time if the channel number is over 99. i.e., above the basic service range of 1 to 99.

Shouldn't I be able to record or view 2 channels above channel 99 at the same time with a 2 cable card installation in my Series 3 Tivo?????

Chuck

[deancruse]

Well, I thought I'd see if they would delight me with their awesome customer service. Alas, no dice. And, I really tried to keep a positive attitude. Really.

Technician showed up today (a contractor) with a Scientific Atlanta MultiStream card. Installed it, and they say everything looks good on the TWC Austin side, but all I get is black channels. He had other appointments to make, and he only came with one card (he said that was all they would give him), so he left and told me to be patient - it could take up to 2 days (!) for the chanels to load. That has to be nonsense.

So, still with black channels, I called TWC Austin tonight and she unpaired the cablecard and then re-paired it. I rebooted the Tivo and still no channels. She said she'd call me back in 15 minutes to see if anything had changed, but of course she was lying - no call back ever came.

Anyway, looks like I'm going to need another tech to visit, but can anyone point me to a good tutorial on what the various diagnostic and CableCard screens mean? The people on the phone (so far) haven't been able to decipher them for me, and I'd kind of like to know what's really going on.

[rvanderwerf]

Well, I thought I'd see if they would delight me with their awesome customer service. Alas, no dice. And, I really tried to keep a positive attitude. Really.

Technician showed up today (a contractor) with a Scientific Atlanta MultiStream card. Installed it, and they say everything looks good on the TWC Austin side, but all I get is black channels. He had other appointments to make, and he only came with one card (he said that was all they would give him), so he left and told me to be patient - it could take up to 2 days (!) for the chanels to load. That has to be nonsense.

So, still with black channels, I called TWC Austin tonight and she unpaired the cablecard and then re-paired it. I rebooted the Tivo and still no channels. She said she'd call me back in 15 minutes to see if anything had changed, but of course she was lying - no call back ever came.

Anyway, looks like I'm going to need another tech to visit, but can anyone point me to a good tutorial on what the various diagnostic and CableCard screens mean? The people on the phone (so far) haven't been able to decipher them for me, and I'd kind of like to know what's really going on.

awesome, I can't wait for my TWC austin visit on thursday. I'm so not excited. A friend of mine said you can request certain techs, he said he had to request a certain tech when they came back to get anything to happen. Unfortunately I don't have his name.

[cableguy763]

awesome, I can't wait for my TWC austin visit on thursday. I'm so not excited. A friend of mine said you can request certain techs, he said he had to request a certain tech when they came back to get anything to happen. Unfortunately I don't have his name.

Maybe it was Larry?

[cab2]

If you keep one of the Time Warner cable boxes then only the TV that that box is connected to will get all of the HD channels. TIVO and Time Warner are supposed to be coming out with a "Tuner Resolver" by mid 2008 which is an external device that would allow the TIVO boxes to receive the SDV channels. When that device will actually become available to us is yet to be sceen.

hmm, are you sure? I'd bet you are right, but I thought that the SDV setup (maybe it's just my area) worked by 'node'. In other words, neighborhood hub. I might be using the wrong terms here. I know that multiple houses are connected to the head end through some hub device. These devices normally serve x number of houses on a street.

My understanding was that if my neighbor and I were on the same hub / node, and he requested an sdv channel, I would get it as well. Of course I have not tested this yet, but that was what I was told by multiple people. I know my s3 tivo has occasionaly recorded something on an SDV channel and I was surprised to see the recording in the list, since I know most of the SDV channels in my area.

[ChileHead]

I got my mcard installed yesterday (Time Warner Rochester.) After all the bad stories I was afraid of what might happen. The installer hadn't done a TiVo before, so that made me a little more nervous.

But after he was on the phone for about 10-15 minutes, everything seemed to work. No problems, no return truck roll (yet at least!)

TW Rochester charges $2.70 per card, so I was waiting to get the card until they supported the mcard, which they recently told me they did. Prior to this, I was using the antenna for all my HD recording, but my signal is "iffy".

[Midwest User1]

I recently purchased a Tivo Series 3 HD DVR. I had Time Warner install 2 cable cards.

Much to my surprise I discovered that I can ONLY view or record from a single channel at a time if the channel number is over 99. i.e., above the basic service range of 1 to 99.

Shouldn't I be able to record or view 2 channels above channel 99 at the same time with a 2 cable card installation in my Series 3 Tivo?????

Chuck
Just based on your summary it sounds like they may not have authorized both cards with the same channel line up. If you can record and watch channels above 99 on one card and not the other then that might be what happened.

Try this: Go to a channel above 99 and once on that channel hit pause and then the "live tv" button. That will switch you to the other cable card and then try to go to a channel above 99. If you cannot then I bet that particular cable card was not authorized with the same channel lineup. If this happens when you try this you'll have to call TimeWarner and have them re-authorize that card with the same channel lineup that you have on the first card.

[Midwest User1]

Maybe it was Larry?
Question for you as I think you work for TimeWarner. First of all thanks for assisting members of the TIVO community.

With my TIVO HD box (27 days old) and (2) Single stream cable cards I was getting "stuttering video" after about 2 weeks of use. The best example I can give is on ESPN HD when the scores are scrolling accross the bottom it wasn't scolling smooth as it was "stuttering". The picture was also doing this of course. So I forced a reboot of the TIVO box and all was fine. After two days now the stuttering is back and comes and goes from time to time. My question is do you think it's more likely to be the TIVO box or the cable cards? Also I had the TW techs. test my signal strength when they installed the cable cards so that is not the issue. I have tried switching HDMI cables and the results were the same. I have a replacement TIVO box being sent to me but I wanted to get your opinion if this could possibly be a cable card issue.

[cableguy763]

Question for you as I think you work for TimeWarner. First of all thanks for assisting members of the TIVO community.

With my TIVO HD box (27 days old) and (2) Single stream cable cards I was getting "stuttering video" after about 2 weeks of use. The best example I can give is on ESPN HD when the scores are scrolling accross the bottom it wasn't scolling smooth as it was "stuttering". The picture was also doing this of course. So I forced a reboot of the TIVO box and all was fine. After two days now the stuttering is back and comes and goes from time to time. My question is do you think it's more likely to be the TIVO box or the cable cards? Also I had the TW techs. test my signal strength when they installed the cable cards so that is not the issue. I have tried switching HDMI cables and the results were the same. I have a replacement TIVO box being sent to me but I wanted to get your opinion if this could possibly be a cable card issue.

I see this issue on my plasma with a SA8300, so I don't think it's the tivo. It could very easily be espn. How long does the stuttering last on your setup? Mine will do it for maybe 15 seconds then clear up on it's own. Do other crawlers like cnn or foxnews do this?

[Midwest User1]

I see this issue on my plasma with a SA8300, so I don't think it's the tivo. It could very easily be espn. How long does the stuttering last on your setup? Mine will do it for maybe 15 seconds then clear up on it's own. Do other crawlers like cnn or foxnews do this?
It last for about 5-10 seconds now after the reboot but prior to the reboot it was on for more than 15 seconds at times. With the SA8300 I had just had prior to the TIVO box this NEVER happened. Also when I noticed it on ESPN HD I would switch to another HD channel and then a NON HD channel to see if it was happening and it was happening on other HD channels as well but I don't remember noticing it on NON HD Channels.

Another factor is that I also have a Series 3 TIVO in my theater room and I NEVER saw this happening in that room because I did go in there to check when I was noticing it on my upstairs TIVO HD unit. Therefore that led me to think it was either the TIVO box or the cable cards upstairs.

[cableguy763]

It last for about 5-10 seconds now after the reboot but prior to the reboot it was on for more than 15 seconds at times. With the SA8300 I had just had prior to the TIVO box this NEVER happened. Also when I noticed it on ESPN HD I would switch to another HD channel and then a NON HD channel to see if it was happening and it was happening on other HD channels as well but I don't remember noticing it on NON HD Channels.

Another factor is that I also have a Series 3 TIVO in my theater room and I NEVER saw this happening in that room because I did go in there to check when I was noticing it on my upstairs TIVO HD unit. Therefore that led me to think it was either the TIVO box or the cable cards upstairs.

Sounds like you have a good one. When you rewind in the buffer is it still there? You can also try hooking it up composite to see if it is there in sd.

[Midwest User1]

Sounds like you have a good one. When you rewind in the buffer is it still there? You can also try hooking it up composite to see if it is there in sd.
From your knoweldge about cable cards if the cable card itself is not working properly is it usually NOT working at all or do they have quirky intermittent issues also like I've described? I know it's more difficult to know with cable cards since they are not nearly as mainstream as the TW boxes are. Therefore there's not a lot of history out in the market yet. I never checked if the issue was still there by playing it off of the hard drive (i.e. having it record the program at that time by hitting pause, rewind etc.) I'll have to try that when I notice it again. Anyway thanks for taking the time to offer up suggestions as it's nice to see a TW employee trying to help users have the best experience that they can!!!!

[trol1374]

Here is my story for TW-San Antonio (new Braunfels) for my new TivoHD. I called the TW number to see about getting a cable card and was told I could go by my local office to pick it up. I go to the office and clerk had to ask someone else what a CC was. Then told me someone has to come out and put it in. I said they told me on the phone I could do it myself. Person looked around office and said they didn't have any in stock (she would have given it to me). Said someone will be sent to my house with one and set appt for the next day. I asked about the price and was told NO charge for them coming out since I was told I could pick it up at the office. Mcard cost $2.73. I finished explaining to the clerk about making sure they bring the Mcard.
Next day, contract person shows up and thinks he is installing a multi cable outlet. Told him what I was suppose to get and he never heard of it. He called his boss, who called someone and was told someone has to go to warehouse to get one. I was told that someone would call me back and tech left. No one called and I called them, said someone was going to warehouse, yada yada and would be out today (its now 4pm). By 7pm I call again due to no show and after being on hold and transferred around, I'm told my work order had been closed since no one made it to the warehouse in time. Gripe session with the CS guy and getting a few extra's for my wasted time, they set a new appt for the next day.
Next day (today), tech shows up. I verify it is a Mcard, show him where to plug it in. He knew to write down the appropriate numbers and called the mother ship. TivoHD recognized the card and I followed the directions for the restart. Tech was nice enough to wait around for the long reboot to make sure all was well. After reboot, I now have my Tivo!!!
Signed the work order and verified I wasn't charged the service call.
I'm a true and blue Replaytv person, who is now trying Tivo due to HD. I like the extras that come with it and I'm impressed so far.

[Four Tiv0s]

Hi all,

My loving wife purchased a TivoHD for my birthday. I must say that my first thoughts are varied. The clarity is better than my series2, but this thing needs a CableCard to truly shine. This means that Tivo is relying on the vagaries of TWC customer support. This is a dicey bet to begin with.

Which leads to: The Time Warner Cable Card Nightmare

I called yesterday afternoon, and spoke to customer service rep: Trevor (service code Charlie37) This is actually how he answered the phone; quaint isn't it? I told him that I would like to order an M CableCard. He said that they can't specify which cards the techs grab and it would just be "luck of the draw" (Does he live in the old west or a war movie?) He added that each card would be $6.95 per month!! In response to my snickering, he suggested that I go pick up the CC at the TWC store. Finally, something that I can do.

I arrived at the TWC store directly from work; you know dressed to impress… The two women in the store were very friendly; though, they were completely clueless. They told me that they never have them, but the other store might. Thirty minutes of cross-town traffic later, I arrived at the other store. After standing in line for twenty minutes, I was told that they have cable cards in stock, but they are only for exchanges. That’s right, “We have them, but we can’t give them to you.” I was in shock, as customer-service-man-C37 (Hereafter known as CSMC37) claimed I could pick it up. After the tantric conversation with Kimke, (It felt like verbal Kama Sutra; that is, it was totally convoluted with things going every which way and not quite satisfying.) it became clear that I was lied to by both CSMC37 and the two women in the first TWC store.

So, I have some questions (Perhaps Rhetorical?)

Is it company policy to lie to customers?
Why make people drive around town?
Will the technician bring an M CableCard?
Why is it more than twice the price that anyone else in the forum has been quoted?

[trol1374]

4tvo, I posted above your's and had a different experience. They didn't have a problem at all by me asking for the "M" instead of "S" card. That is an extremely high price for the card that they are charging you. I would call the main # for your area and then ask how much the cards cost.
It has been my experience that you never know what/who your gonna get at an office location. If you can deal with someone via their main number, you would have better success.
Maybe add what area you are in, there might be others in your area and can tell you what they paid.

[cableguy763]

From your knoweldge about cable cards if the cable card itself is not working properly is it usually NOT working at all or do they have quirky intermittent issues also like I've described? I know it's more difficult to know with cable cards since they are not nearly as mainstream as the TW boxes are. Therefore there's not a lot of history out in the market yet. I never checked if the issue was still there by playing it off of the hard drive (i.e. having it record the program at that time by hitting pause, rewind etc.) I'll have to try that when I notice it again. Anyway thanks for taking the time to offer up suggestions as it's nice to see a TW employee trying to help users have the best experience that they can!!!!

Of all the cablecard problems I have seen, 90% of them are not being paired correctly/account not balanced correctly. Not a problem of the card itself. The rest of the time is when the headend does a firmware upgrade and the card has bad signal going to it that interferes with the card taking the upgrade,thus getting halfway through it and hosing the card. Only then does the card have to be replaced. There is just not that much going on in the card itself to "break".

[JYoung]

Hi all,

My loving wife purchased a TivoHD for my birthday. I must say that my first thoughts are varied.
Why does this thing not support standard TV? I understand that this is a device for the future, but why not support the current technology? This means that Tivo is relying on the vagaries of TWC customer support. This is a dicey bet to begin with.


Ok, I'll bite. How does the TiVo HD not support standard TV? It will display on standard definition televisions and works out of the box with OTA signals and standard analog cable.


<Ordeal snipped>

So, I have some questions (Perhaps Rhetorical?)

Is it company policy to lie to customers?
Why make people drive around town?

That is rhetorical.
And this is part of the reason why I'm not in a rush to get Cablecards


Will the technician bring an M CableCard?

Who knows? There have been reports that they are out of Cablecards until January.


Why is it more than twice the price that anyone else in the forum has been quoted?

You can find Time-Warner's pricing guides below:
http://www.timewarnerla.com/pricingGuides/

For West Hollywood, Cablecards are $1.75 per card per month. Just like most areas of Los Angeles.

[Midwest User1]

Hi all,

My loving wife purchased a TivoHD for my birthday. I must say that my first thoughts are varied.
Why does this thing not support standard TV? I understand that this is a device for the future, but why not support the current technology? This means that Tivo is relying on the vagaries of TWC customer support. This is a dicey bet to begin with.

Which leads to: The Time Warner Cable Card Nightmare

I called yesterday afternoon, and spoke to customer service rep: Trevor (service code Charlie37) This is actually how he answered the phone; quaint isn't it? I told him that I would like to order an M CableCard. He said that they can't specify which cards the techs grab and it would just be "luck of the draw" (Does he live in the old west or a war movie?) He added that each card would be $6.95 per month!! In response to my snickering, he suggested that I go pick up the CC at the TWC store. Finally, something that I can do.

I arrived at the TWC store directly from work; you know dressed to impress… The two women in the store were very friendly; though, they were completely clueless. They told me that they never have them, but the other store might. Thirty minutes of cross-town traffic later, I arrived at the other store. After standing in line for twenty minutes, I was told that they have cable cards in stock, but they are only for exchanges. That’s right, “We have them, but we can’t give them to you.” I was in shock, as customer-service-man-C37 (Hereafter known as CSMC37) claimed I could pick it up. After the tantric conversation with Kimke, (It felt like verbal Kama Sutra; that is, it was totally convoluted with things going every which way and not quite satisfying.) it became clear that I was lied to by both CSMC37 and the two women in the first TWC store.

So, I have some questions (Perhaps Rhetorical?)

Is it company policy to lie to customers?
Why make people drive around town?
Will the technician bring an M CableCard?
Why is it more than twice the price that anyone else in the forum has been quoted?
This, and many other users experiences, just show that Time Warner upper managment seems to have minimal involvement (if any at all) with making sure there's consistency with there employees that interface with customers. I'm very confident though that it's only a matter of time that some of the TW employees treat customers with enough disregard before they pick the wrong customer. I can't wait for someone that works in the media or the legal field to get that kind of treatment. Apparently some of the TW staff aren't aware of the fact that there is indeed competition and they are "HIGHLY" contributing to customers leaving the minute that they can. The Telco's are ramping up fairly agressively with offering their TV packages throughout the country. Of course there's already the Satellite company's.

The bottom line is people buy from people when you get to the basics and I won't feel sorry for any of those staff when they get downsized due to too many lost customers. Cableguy 763 can't make up for all of those other employees that are creating miserable experiences for customers.

[UFGators]

Well, TWC (Manahattan South) came out to me yesterday despite the fight I had with them last week about scheduling an appointment (see prior post). I must say that I am very pleased with the install process.

First, although I rescheduled from a 12-4pm block to a 2-6pm block, the technician came at about 1:30. I told her I could race home, but she said she would just take her lunch and get back to me at 2:30. Perfect.

When she came in, I immediately started asking whether the cable cards were new etc. She was familiar with all of the issues and responded with a big smile that she had a brand new multi-stream card that they just started rolling out for 3d party hardware in NYC. Popped the card in, called the powers that be, and tested a few channels in HD and premium on both tuners. Everything worked, she gave me a few tips about using the Tivo and checking the cable card status (her tips would have ben good had I not known them already), and she left. Ran guided setup again, and I was good to go.

The only little hiccup was last night when the card started going through a firmware update. Once the update completed, the Tivo's GUI worked over a black screen, but no recordings would play and there was no live TV. I waited more than an hour and nothing happened, so I reset the box. It started up perfectly. Finally a happy customer :D
(RE: TWC Manhattan & TivoHD)

The same thing happened to me when I called Time Warner Cable in Manhattan today. After getting bounced around to few times before finally landed with a rep that could place the order to have Cable Cards installed, she roadblocked me by saying that TWC only support Series 3 (models CD648250A/B). I was then forwarded to Customer Service who gave me the same spiel. Long story short, I ran out of time I had to spend on the phone with the CSR so I decided I'd call back when I had more time and could do more research.

So I just called back later in the day--this time armed with knowledge to ask for the M-Cards and to threaten reporting them to the FCC. Well, the CSR I got this time was clearly LESS knowledgeable about Cable Cards, but WAS able to place the order and I'm now scheduled for early next week! Not a single mention of Tivo model numbers (and I did tell her that the cards were for Tivo). Unbelievable. I did have her specifically note the need for M-Cards in the order notes.

Fingers crossed and I'll report back my results next week. I hope my install goes as well as yours.

Lessons learned from here and other posts when dealing with TWC Manhattan:
1) If they tell you only Series 3 is support, they're wrong
2) If your CSR won't place the order, keep calling back until you get one that will
3) Feel free to reference the FCC requirement that they must give you a CableCard
4) If all else fails, tell them you have a Series 3 (if you have TivoHD)

[tarrow]

My ongoing nightmare with Time Warner Cable... (NorthEast Ohio) 3+ months now

Place order for HD Tivo through Amazon. Scheduled delivery 7 days.

Place order for Cable Card with Time Warner. They can scheduled it for 2 days (Tivo won't be there by then) or I can come by and pick up a card (yes you know where this is going)

Tivo arrives in 2 days

I stop by local Time Warner office to pick up a card. Told that I can not do that, they have to be scheduled. Their nearest install date is 14 days out. I schedule an appointment.

I wait 14 days.

Time Warner does not show. does not have any record of me having an appointment, but reminds me I can come by my local office and pick up a cable card.

Once again stop in at a different office, am told that these can not be picked up at a local office, I need to schedule an appointment. Nearest install date is 17 days out.

I wait 16 days. Get a call from Time Warner. They have no cable cards. Reschedule for 12 days additional

I wait 12 more days

Tech shows up with an M-Card spends 3 hours trying to get it to work without any success. Analog channels only work. Promises a supervisor will call me.

Wait 2 days. Supervisor tells me I'm the first person in a 40 mile radius to request an M-Card. Says they only have "one or two" in the 250 miles between Pittsburgh, Toledo, and Columbus. I have a hard time believing it. Promise the engineers will keep working on the problem.

Wait 3 days. The engineers can't make it work. They send a tech with an "assortment" of cards to try and make it work. Tech was here almost 6 hours. He tried 2-3 more M-Cards was not able to make any of them work. The tech finally get one single stream card to view our local channels in HD. They can't put a 2nd single stream card in the machine, because "the billing software doesn't know how to support 2 cable cards in one device"

They "Think it may be the Tivo at fault" though I highly doubt it...

The only channels that work with the single stream card are our local HD channels (I'm assuming the ones that are unencrypted) ESPNHD, Discovery HD, TBS etc all show about 2-3 seconds of video (sometimes with sound, sometimes not) and then freeze. This also happens with some digital tier standard definition channels, others simply just don't show up.

I'm not holding out much hope. The one good thing is that I've come to love the Tivo, and even with just the standard definition recordings it's light years ahead of the DVR that Time Warner sells.

It's sad, I'm looking to move closer to Downtown Cleveland, and as I'm looking what areas to move to, one of the first things I look at is weather or not they have Time Warner or somebody else. I won't be stuck with them again.

[brickers]

. . . as I'm looking what areas to move to, one of the first things I look at is weather or not they have Time Warner or somebody else. I won't be stuck with them again.

Oh, I sure agree with that. From now on, I'm never living anyplace that requires me to have cable. What kills me the most is that TW must know thousands of people hate them (try googling "time warner sucks" and see how many responses come up) and apparently don't care. If I had any other option (other than not watching TV :D), I'd be out immediately.

[MonkeySuitMan]

The cable guy installed two cards and things almost work. I'm missing some basic cable channels and some higher digital channels. I don't get Bravo, Boom, TNT, ToonNetwork. For channels like Bravo, I get the signal on one card and not on the other.

The cable techs that come to the house seem to have a problem teching this issue. Has anyone had this problem successfully remedied. And if so, do you remember how so I can walk the cable guy through the process.

[trol1374]

The cable guy installed two cards and things almost work. I'm missing some basic cable channels and some higher digital channels. I don't get Bravo, Boom, TNT, ToonNetwork. For channels like Bravo, I get the signal on one card and not on the other.

The cable techs that come to the house seem to have a problem teching this issue. Has anyone had this problem successfully remedied. And if so, do you remember how so I can walk the cable guy through the process.

Here is a possible reason if your referring to HD channels. I know TNTHD won't work, I don't know about the others. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=357703

[cableguy763]

The cable guy installed two cards and things almost work. I'm missing some basic cable channels and some higher digital channels. I don't get Bravo, Boom, TNT, ToonNetwork. For channels like Bravo, I get the signal on one card and not on the other.

The cable techs that come to the house seem to have a problem teching this issue. Has anyone had this problem successfully remedied. And if so, do you remember how so I can walk the cable guy through the process.

You are not SOL as the previous poster has implied. Sounds like the one card is provisioned correctly, while the other just needs to be fixed. Depending on where you are located, some of these might be SDV.

[Four Tiv0s]

Jyoung,

Thank you for showing me the error in my ways.

Standard Definition coax from the wall looks great, and it will keep me happy until the CC comes. After 10 years in IT, I should know to check the cables. oops.

[JYoung]

Jyoung,

Thank you for showing me the error in my ways.

Standard Definition coax from the wall looks great, and it will keep me happy until the CC comes. After 10 years in IT, I should know to check the cables. oops.

You're welcome.

As a fellow IT worker, I've made that mistake myself in the past. :)

[Peter000]

TW NYC just added a bunch of new HD channels! Included:

MTV HD
History HD
A&E HD
Food HD
LMN(?) HD
Home Garden HD
National Geographic HD (not sure this is new... it's not listed in the New Channel message, but there)
Golf VS? (I don't know what the VS stands for, and it doesn't have an HD signifier)
TMC HD
NHL HD

The problem is, the only new one I'm getting is the NG channel.

I wonder if they're just not completely rolled out yet, and TiVo jumped the gun.

[bananaman]

TW NYC just added a bunch of new HD channels! Included:

MTV HD
History HD
A&E HD
Food HD
LMN(?) HD
Home Garden HD
National Geographic HD (not sure this is new... it's not listed in the New Channel message, but there)
Golf VS? (I don't know what the VS stands for, and it doesn't have an HD signifier)
TMC HD
NHL HD

The problem is, the only new one I'm getting is the NG channel.

I wonder if they're just not completely rolled out yet, and TiVo jumped the gun.
The new HD channels are "Woodside, Queens (ACQ) only".

NGHD is already part of the TWC NYC lineup.

I'm looking forward to the new HD channels being available everywhere... might be time to ad that eSATA disk.

[deancruse]

OK - finally in business, thanks to one amazing TWC employee who is apparently a Tivo fan as well. Not sure if I should give him public kudos, lest his employers come down on him for supporting a non-TW box, even though his customer service was exemplary. Apparently, the person (from the head unit team) had to hit my card in order for it to get associated properly with my account and pick up premium and HD channels.

Throughout this process (from acquiring the TivoHD to finally getting up and running) I dealt with 10 different TWC Austin personnel, not counting the people to which these people talked. Of the 10, 4 were either incredibly rude or flat out lied to me, 4 didn't have correct information even though they thought they did, 1 was very knowledgable but unable to complete the job due to others being in meetings (no lie!), and 1 was an absolute rockstar, not only knowing exactly what needed to be done to get me working, but even proactively reaching out to help me without my asking. Even with that (thanks again , man), 80% of the people with whom I interacted provided unacceptable service. Pretty unbelievable.

In my company, if 40% of my employees were rude or lied to customers, I would be out of business. They would also be summarily fired. If another 40% were not adequately trained to support my customers, I would fire the person running the group.

Any wonder TWC has lost over $16 billion in market value over the past year?

[SCSIRAID]

OK - finally in business, thanks to one amazing TWC employee who is apparently a Tivo fan as well. Not sure if I should give him public kudos, lest his employers come down on him for supporting a non-TW box, even though his customer service was exemplary. Apparently, the person (from the head unit team) had to hit my card in order for it to get associated properly with my account and pick up premium and HD channels.

Throughout this process (from acquiring the TivoHD to finally getting up and running) I dealt with 10 different TWC Austin personnel, not counting the people to which these people talked. Of the 10, 4 were either incredibly rude or flat out lied to me, 4 didn't have correct information even though they thought they did, 1 was very knowledgable but unable to complete the job due to others being in meetings (no lie!), and 1 was an absolute rockstar, not only knowing exactly what needed to be done to get me working, but even proactively reaching out to help me without my asking. Even with that (thanks again , man), 80% of the people with whom I interacted provided unacceptable service. Pretty unbelievable.

In my company, if 40% of my employees were rude or lied to customers, I would be out of business. They would also be summarily fired. If another 40% were not adequately trained to support my customers, I would fire the person running the group.

Any wonder TWC has lost over $16 billion in market value over the past year?

The rockstar was probably our own cableguy763 :)

[JYoung]

TW NYC just added a bunch of new HD channels! Included:

MTV HD
History HD
A&E HD
Food HD
LMN(?) HD
Home Garden HD
National Geographic HD (not sure this is new... it's not listed in the New Channel message, but there)
Golf VS? (I don't know what the VS stands for, and it doesn't have an HD signifier)
TMC HD
NHL HD

The problem is, the only new one I'm getting is the NG channel.

I wonder if they're just not completely rolled out yet, and TiVo jumped the gun.


Any chance those are SDV channels?

[JYoung]

Got a mailing from Time-Warner today pushing their "All the Best Package".
Looks like they raised the rates from $99.95 to $114.95 a month.

[JOL]

My CC install has been an absolute nightmare (just like everyone else here). During the first appointment, the tech said that he was their "go-to guy" for cable card installs. After 2 hours, however, I was still not receiving a number of my HD channels as well as some other non-HD channels (such as Fox Soccer Channel, which I subscribe to via the Variety Tier).

They sent another guy out this morning at 8am (I had specifically requested M-cards this time). He also claimed to be well-versed with cablecard installs. After 30 minutes of fiddling around, he told me that it was a TiVo issue, and that there was nothing he could do. Instead, I would have to call TiVo and have them walk me through the fix. After he left, I called TiVo only to be told that the reason that so many of my channels was missing was that the second card had to be reauthorized, which is something that the cable company handles.

I called TWC, and the woman told me to bring my S-cards in to be exchanged for new cards, and I explained to her that I had been told (by their own people) that an authorized tech would have to install the cablecards and that I couldn't do it myself. Finally, she told me that an order had gone out requesting that a tech come back to my apartment to fix the cablecard issue. This time, I will insist that the guy just install the M-Card rather than take his word that it's a TiVo problem - it seems like the TWC (and perhaps the TiVo) guys are just passing the buck because someone doesn't know what the hell is going on. The best part of it all? I called them around 10am, and they told me that I have to sit at home and wait for someone to come out between 10am and 7pm. Wonderful.

Also, the TWC tech said that he had spoken to his supervisor, who is a cable "veteran," and that his supervisor informed him that cablecard subscribers would no longer be able to receive any HD channel over 413, which is pretty much all of the HD channels other than the local channels. What the hell is that all about? If this is true, it seems as if TWC is simply trying to push its subscribers towards using their boxes. Can someone shed some light on this issue?

[cableguy763]

JOL, here is quite a bit of info on why you are missing or going to be missing a bunch of HD channels (a lot to read, but the first post has most of the info): http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=357703

[JOL]

I have read a few of the posts regarding SDV, but I am still confused - are all of Time Warner's HD channels (in Orange County, CA) now on SDV? That seems ridiculous, given that I am paying for a service where I don't even receive what I am paying for. If one or two channels were missing, I could accept that - but all of my HD channels (other than local channels)?

According to that link that you posted, FIOS isn't affected at all by SDV. Maybe that's the way to go. Anyone have any experience with FIOS? I wouldn't mind switching over to FIOS for internet and TV and then Vonage for my phone service.

[cableguy763]

From you earlier post, you are missing most of the channels because your cablecards aren't authorized to get encrypted channels. Once they get authorized, you will get most of them. I can't tell you off the top of my head (Orange county isn't using SDV yet), but cablecard customers should get just about every HD channel they offer. From this link: http://www.timewarnercable.com/Corporate/Products/DigitalCable/HDTVpage.html they say at the very bottom that *not all services are available to cablecard subscribers

[JOL]

Since one of the two S-cards aren't authorized (according to TiVo), wouldn't it be simpler for everyone involved if the TWC guys just install one M-card (so that they'd only have to worry about problems with one card v. two)?

In any case, I'm sure that everyone here would agree that it's frustrating that we pay TWC good money for X number of channels but, because we use cablecards, we only get Y number of channels. That doesn't seem right, does it?

Now, does FIOS have this same problem with cablecards?

[mmcgown]

Hello cableguy763,

You seem to be the expert on TWC Austin.....I'm expecting the tech on Tuesday the 18th to install two cards in my TiVo HD. I've had the same experiences as others in this forum.....first told I could pick up the cards and install them myself......misquoted prices......and no definitive answer on whether I will be getting a single M-card or two separate cards.

Do you know if Austin TWC installs M-cards? And, except for the extra $2.65/month, does it make a difference whether I have one M-card or two standard cards?

Here's hoping I get a tech who's done this install a few hundred times and knows the ropes!

[cableguy763]

Hello cableguy763,

You seem to be the expert on TWC Austin.....I'm expecting the tech on Tuesday the 18th to install two cards in my TiVo HD. I've had the same experiences as others in this forum.....first told I could pick up the cards and install them myself......misquoted prices......and no definitive answer on whether I will be getting a single M-card or two separate cards.

Do you know if Austin TWC installs M-cards? And, except for the extra $2.65/month, does it make a difference whether I have one M-card or two standard cards?

Here's hoping I get a tech who's done this install a few hundred times and knows the ropes!

Austin definitely has M cards. I believe that is all they are issuing these days. You will only need one M card for your TivoHD. Most of our techs have really gotten it together this last year. You are just seeing understandably frustrated people venting on this forum. People that had successful installs are busy watching their new tivo, not posting on this forum. If you have any problems at all, or any questions, let me know and we will get it worked out.

[mmcgown]

Absolutely! I'll let you know how it goes--good or bad!

[cab2]

Austin definitely has M cards. I believe that is all they are issuing these days. You will only need one M card for your TivoHD. Most of our techs have really gotten it together this last year. You are just seeing understandably frustrated people venting on this forum. People that had successful installs are busy watching their new tivo, not posting on this forum. If you have any problems at all, or any questions, let me know and we will get it worked out.

And I gotta say I think much of what austin has 'gotten it together' has to have been because of cableguy! Thanks a bunch sir. You are a shining star in TWC Austin, amidst a pool of 'other' classes of people. I was relatively lucky a year ago when my S3 was installed in that we didn't have any significant problems in my install. I've been following this thread since day one and it amazes me the problems some folks have had and how lucky I was. Cableguy this is no reflection on you, but it sure seems like TWC has some serious training problems. I really do appreciate everything you have done for everyone here, and for your company, to smooth out the bumps. I hope santa drops something very nice in your stocking.

[JOL]

It seems like the training problems aren't isolated to Austin. I called Time Warner this morning because the tech who was supposed to come back yesterday to install my M-Card never called (or showed up).

As you recall, the tech told me that TWC Orange County was no longer broadcasting anything other than my local HD channels if I used a cablecard.

Anyway, I told the tech support lady over the phone what had happened, and she was able to reauthorize my second cablecard and VOILA! I am now receiving most of my missing channels, including the HD channels that the tech said I could no longer receive. I noticed that ESPN2 HD is still missing, but at least I am now getting most of my channels. It seems like a lot of these techs are not trained in how to use cablecards, and are given bad information which they pass onto their customers.

However, I did ask that a tech come back and install the M-Card like I originally requested.

[whiteshaft]

Hey all. Been reading this thread for a while now in anticipation of getting my own TivoHD hooked up; I will say that this board has been a valuable resource and having that information and knowledge really helps with the unholy mess of the installation process.

I purchased my TivoHD and wireless-G adapter two weeks ago (from this site -- great price!!) and called TW to ask about the cards. The rep informed me that installs were very delayed right now but I could pick up the cards at the TW store here in Van Nuys -- which was totally BS. Note to anyone who lives in LA: you can't pick up cards. If someone tells you that you can, chances are the person at the store will say NO. No two people at TW will ever give you the same answer on anything. That's okay though, because you don't want to install them yourself.

One week later: it took 3 different guys, two days and a stack of cards to get things up and running. The first guy was a contractor and didn't stick around to properly test all the channels (contractors get paid by the job). I was only receiving the basic channels and the rep told me to wait a couple hours for the expanded and pay channels to "download." But I knew this was wrong because the card screen had a lot of NOs and KEY_MISSING where there should have been YES's and SUBSCRIBED. So I wait two hours then call back, asking the rep to try and re-pair the cards (I had called Tivo in the interim and this was their suggestion.) No dice, so they dispatched another installer for later the same day. This guy was TW and he really knew his stuff; he came in with a whole stack of cards and got the one tech on the phone that he knew was able to help him. He told me that there were a lot of good techs on during the day but at night you're lucky to get anyone good on the phone to help with activation. Unfortunately, he had several dead cards and despite their knowledge and elevating the situation to "Tier 3" status (Defcon 3?) we still had nothing better than basic cable channels. Finally the installer had a eureka moment and asked the tech to check the queue: every time a cable box or card is activated it sends a request to the central office; when things get busy the newest requests get put into a queue to wait their turn. Well the queue had 1500 requests in it, so clearly mine was somewhere near the end! By this time it was nearly 7:30 and the tech was about to leave so the installer told me to wait until morning to see if the cards activated when the queue cleared. By midnight one of the cards finally showed SUBSCRIBED and I had all my channels including HD but the other one was still showing only basic channels. Another TW guy came out the next day with new cards but before he tried any of them we restarted the TiVo and the second card finally activated.

I feel like nobody really knows how to work with the cable cards properly yet, or else the whole standard is a bit flawed and needs revision. They're not an easy plug-n-play solution, especially when interfacing with the cable companies' network. If you're lucky you'll get a dedicated installer who knows a good tech he can call. The guy also told me that some installers don't label the bad cards or write down the error codes on them, so that keeps bad cards in circulation. To their credit though, TW apologized for the bad info, waived the install fee, and kept sending people out until the problem was resolved. And at no time did anyone tell me they didn't have cable cards or try to sell me their crappy Skivo box, so that's something.:D

And HD TV looks AWESOME:up:

[lgoree]

After much back and forth, the inflexibility and incompetence of TWC NYC customer service technical support continues.

Replacement Tivo Series 3, same working cable cards. No EMMs received. Called to reauthorize same cable cards with new Host IDs. "We'll send out a technician."

"To do what?" I ask.

"To get the new Host IDs" she replied.

"Oh, that is simple" and I gave her the new Host IDs. Heck, the screen even says, "This screen is displayed on behalf of your cable provider" and says, "In order to start service for this device, please contact customer service..." and nicely gives you the CableCARD number and HOST ID. How simple is this for someone at TWC to simply enter into the screen and send me my EMMs.

My guess is that it is a union thing. Have to keep up the number of service calls since having a customer just providing information on the screen might make the technician obsolete.

Please, let me have Fios in Manhattan, if only to open up some competition to simulate better customer service. I shouldn't have to stay home for four hours, waiting for a repair person, who will come in, look at my screen, write down the HOST IDs that I already gave them and call them in with the cable card numbers they already have. Betcha the guy comes with new cable cards and I have to argue with him not to pull out the working cards and have to talk him through the process!!

With TWCNYC is is never easy.

[mmcgown]

Eagle tech Joel S. installed first single card (he had no M-cards)........never got authorization. Later, another Eagle tech John arrived with M-card. After multiple hits, authorization received, but EMM has stayed at zero, so no premium channels. Call to TWC tech today says requires another tech visit, but I don't see why. Agreed to do so anyway, but what's the point?

TWC phone tech today says I will never get HBO because it is switched video, and says I will never get any SV channels on an M-card.

Asked me if customer service rep had told me that upfront--I laughed.

Any suggestions?


FYI re my setup: one wall jack; half split to cable box for Tivo2 (lo-def); other half split to Tivo3HD.

Question: I asked customer support whether it mattered that I had a cable box and cablecards coming off the same jack. Of course, they said NO because they had no idea what I was asking. Do you think it matters?--that is, do you think splitting into the box may interfere with the card signal?

Any and all help is appreciated.

This is what I get for being an early-adopter/guinea-pig!

PS--tech Joel was super A+. I think any problems he had were only related to "downtown techs" not able to push the right buttons.

[cableguy763]

mmcgowan-
I just sent you a pm. Look it over and I can get you fixed in like two minutes. East coast HBO's are not sdv, neither is HBO HD.

[timckelley]

Wow, cableguy is a great Austin resource for this thread. I'm glad I live in his city. :)

[cableguy763]

mmcgowan-
I just sent you a pm. Look it over and I can get you fixed in like two minutes. East coast HBO's are not sdv, neither is HBO HD.

mmcgowan-
Check your channels now. Everything should be working.

[Deinonych]

Wow, cableguy is a great Austin resource for this thread. I'm glad I live in his city. :)

Same here. Someone at TW give this guy a raise! :)

[Distortedloop]

...
I feel like nobody really knows how to work with the cable cards properly yet, or else the whole standard is a bit flawed and needs revision. They're not an easy plug-n-play solution, especially when interfacing with the cable companies' network. If you're lucky you'll get a dedicated installer who knows a good tech he can call. ...To their credit though, TW apologized for the bad info, waived the install fee, and kept sending people out until the problem was resolved.

Wow, your experience is soooo different from mine with TWC in the San Fernando Valley. It took them ten days to get here when I ordered (no cablecards in stock), but the installer was in and out in under 30 minutes - most of that time was testing the cable line to qualify for a card install.

The installer anticipated problems, and a second installer showed up to help just in case, but it went quickly no problems. He installed the first card, called dispatch with the info off the TiVo screen, did the same with the second card, tested a few channels and left.

Painless.

Never a thought of an installation fee, but I was an existing customer. Perhaps you were a new customer? I've never been charged for any service call in 20 years of this cable service (through a couple of providers).

I'm confused with the number of channels that showed a "you need a TWC cable box to view this channel", but are now coming in. I think I know the answer to that, but that's for another thread I think.

[IMFletcher]

I've got TWC in Austin, which of course has a lot of SDV. However, its been limited to a few random HD's (like espn2hd) and the west coast hbo's. however, today all hbo's and all HD's except the standard networks stopped working. i get a black screen on every hbo (701+) and everything above 1600. did something change? did they go all SDV? My 30 day return period is up this week, so gotta make the choice asap.

[cableguy763]

I've got TWC in Austin, which of course has a lot of SDV. However, its been limited to a few random HD's (like espn2hd) and the west coast hbo's. however, today all hbo's and all HD's except the standard networks stopped working. i get a black screen on every hbo (701+) and everything above 1600. did something change? did they go all SDV? My 30 day return period is up this week, so gotta make the choice asap.

They DID NOT go all sdv. Please check under the cable card diagnostic screens and see if you have "CP Auth Received". Sounds like you have lost your pairing authorization. If you have "Waiting for CP Auth", that would explain the problem.

[IMFletcher]

a reboot seems to have addressed this. so odd how often this tivo requires a reboot - sort of makes the twc dvr stand out as reliable. oh well. thanks for the response, very much appreciated.

[cableguy763]

a reboot seems to have addressed this. so odd how often this tivo requires a reboot - sort of makes the twc dvr stand out as reliable. oh well. thanks for the response, very much appreciated.

I have never had to reboot my S3. If you live in Round Rock or Cedar Park, some maintenance was done over night that could possibly have affected your tivo. I cannot say for sure. If a simple reboot was the fix, what's the big deal?:cool: I am sure every owner of a windows pc can speculate about the same thing.

[cab2]

I am sure every owner of a windows pc can speculate about the same thing.


after all these years, oh boy, can I relate to that statement~! :D

[dmband]

does anyone know if i can use a cable card(s) AND a cable box , explorer 3250hd

what i want to do is be able to record 2 shows at once AND get All the channels

as many of you know some channels like ESPNu and ESPN2hd are "two way" single channels and don't work on cable cards

i am thinking it will work as long as i don't try and record a "two way" single at the same time as a cable card channel but does anyone know for sure?
thanks

[SCSIRAID]

does anyone know if i can use a cable card(s) AND a cable box , explorer 3250hd

what i want to do is be able to record 2 shows at once AND get All the channels

as many of you know some channels like ESPNu and ESPN2hd are "two way" single channels and don't work on cable cards

i am thinking it will work as long as i don't try and record a "two way" single at the same time as a cable card channel but does anyone know for sure?
thanks

Wont work... S3 & THD only record from its internal tuners. There are no 'inputs' other than cable and antenna coax.

[dmband]

Wont work... S3 & THD only record from its internal tuners. There are no 'inputs' other than cable and antenna coax.

so i could run a cable from the box to the tivohd, just like i do now with my series 2

or are you saying it wouldn't record it in HD?

thanks

so currently i have this set up..
cable > cable box > tv (input 1)
and
cable > cable box > series 2 > tv (input 2)

of course my series 2 only records in SD but it gets and records all the channels

[SCSIRAID]

so i could run a cable from the box to the tivohd, just like i do now with my series 2

or are you saying it wouldn't record it in HD?

thanks

so currently i have this set up..
cable > cable box > tv (input 1)
and
cable > cable box > series 2 > tv (input 2)

of course my series 2 only records in SD but it gets and records all the channels

S3 & THD have no IR blaster to control external devices. They are designed to connect to an antenna or cableco cable. Putting a device like a STB or an S2 between the cableco and the S3/THD is just not going to work correctly.

[dmband]

S3 & THD have no IR blaster to control external devices. They are designed to connect to an antenna or cableco cable. Putting a device like a STB or an S2 between the cableco and the S3/THD is just not going to work correctly.

ahh gotcha, since no IR you couldn't change the channel to the ones "blocked"

[cab2]

ahh gotcha, since no IR you couldn't change the channel to the ones "blocked"

I suppose, you could do the cable box and the S3 / THD, but you would have to make them 2 seperate paths to your tv. The cable company box would have to be it's own connection to your tv, and controlled seperately. That would give you access to the SDV channels, but other than that, I'm not sure I see the purpose. The tivo box would not even know about your cable box, so if you wanted to watch something on the cable box, it's real time watching. To me, I don't see the sense, unless there is a SDV channel you absolutely must have.

[whiteshaft]

Wow, your experience is soooo different from mine with TWC in the San Fernando Valley... The installer anticipated problems, and a second installer showed up to help just in case, but it went quickly no problems. He installed the first card, called dispatch with the info off the TiVo screen, did the same with the second card, tested a few channels and left... Painless.

I think in these situations it's always YMMV. Had TW sent my second guy (the smart one) in the earlier part of the day I probably would have been fine. But he got here with a couple bad cards just when the activation requests were backing up so his efforts were doomed. But all is well now, no complaints with the cable service itself.

Are you sure you weren't charged for a "trip fee"? It showed up on my bill, which was then credited back to me; would have been 19.95. I'm also a little ticked that my old Adelphia package has finally gone away, as TW chose the installation date of my cards to officially switch me over to their tiers system; my next bill was going to be huge because they were going to charge a partial bill for my old cable package plus two tiers and four premium channels! I called in and cut out quite a few that we weren't watching anyway...

[JasonReiser]

It took some patience, but my Tivo HD is setup and working with a single Multistream card from Time Warner in New York City ( TWCNYC ). The first available appointment for a cablecard tech was almost a full month of waiting, but TW gave me some free paid channels for a month as an apology. The first appointment came, and a very knowledgeable tech came with an M-card as requested, but the cards he had weren't properly provisioned in the system. After trying 3 or 4 cards, they left me with one and hoped to fix the problem remotely.

Not surprisingly, the problem couldn't be fixed on their end, and I needed a properly provisioned card. The same tech came out responding to a new troubleshooting appointment about a week later, and he came with a working and previously tested card. (I suspect the generous tip I gave the week before may have helped.)

Anyway... just wanted to report success in NYC with Time Warner and a Multistream card. It took some time, but it works great and I'm very happy. Still getting used the the intricacies of the interface and in some ways find the ReplayTV it replaces to be much more logical, but you can't beat the High Def signal.

- Jason

[rvanderwerf]

Maybe it was Larry?

hey Austin cableguy, got my Mcard installed on the first try, a contractor named Mike came out (said it was his last day) and initially told me it takes trying 15-16 cards to get it to work, but I guess I was lucky. No idea why it would take that many unless the bookkeeping on that stuff is all whacked.

Anyways in Austin, is there a way to get TBS and TNT and the HDNET channels on my tivo-hd? Are all those switched? I get all of them on my regular HD box.

[cab2]

hey Austin cableguy, got my Mcard installed on the first try, a contractor named Mike came out (said it was his last day) and initially told me it takes trying 15-16 cards to get it to work, but I guess I was lucky. No idea why it would take that many unless the bookkeeping on that stuff is all whacked.

Anyways in Austin, is there a way to get TBS and TNT and the HDNET channels on my tivo-hd? Are all those switched? I get all of them on my regular HD box.

Last I knew, TBS and TNT are SDV and the HDNET channels are not.

[ADGrant]

I just had a MCard installed today by TWC Manhattan. Some channels are working, some are not. The card receives EMMs and some of the working channels are premiums (HBO and Showtime). The tech did not stick around long enough to ensure all channels were working.
Called TWC after a couple of hours and they want to send another tech out.

[mack89464]

:mad:Los Angeles - TiVo Series 3 - awful service from Time Warner.:mad:

One of my CableCARDS failed in my TiVo series 3.
I phoned 4 days ago and explained to a guy on the phone what the problem was. One of the cards shows all programming - the other card only shows up as far as 32. The guy on the phone kept telling me to visit www.zap2it.com to look at what programming was available (I'm not joking). So I hung up and called back to a brighter technician who booked a service call for me.

Service call disaster.

Today, Sunday Dec 23 I was supposed to have a visit between 10-12pm. No one showed up and I called the support center at 12.01. The lady I spoke to said the technician was on his way and would be there "any minute now". 45 minutes later he hadn't arrived so I called again and spoke with Giovanni. He explained that I would be put on hold while he spoke to his supervisor to see what was happening. He put me on hold and 25 minutes later the phone line went dead.

Finally around 2pm the two technicians show up. They had no call sheet for the job and had no idea why they were there. I explain that it is a CableCARD issue and they said "oh - we'll never get this working today - there is no one good working back in IS on a Sunday"

They come in - look at my setup and decide its better not to try installing anything as, after speaking to someone back at base, its decided that there is no one available to help that them is competent with the new Motorala "M" cards. I supposedly have 2 older cards that are no longer supported.

They left without doing anything and have promised me they will return on Thursday at 9am. We'll wait and see if that actually happens. The two technicians were nice guys and very friendly but it appeared that they were stuck with no one at the other end (dispatch?!?) who could activate the cards reliably.

Time Warner continues to suck as a company with poor customer service and horrible phone support when you call in.

I'll post a follow up if they show up on Thursday and actually install the cards.

[losclrk]

New question regarding Time Warner . . . at least I haven't seen it answered yet.

We have had Tivo for four years, but bought a HD TV and added a Time Warner DVR to our household to get HD, and moved our Tivo to a different room. Now we've decided that there is no DVR like Tivo and we have ordered a new Tivo. Do I have to call Time Warner to help make my tivo work, or can I use the Tivo from the DVR, as though the DVR were just a cable box?

I really have had nothing but troubles getting things to work with Time Warner and I would like to avoid having them visit me again, if possible. If we had any other options in our area besides Time Warner, we would switch as soon as possible.

[ldudek]

New question regarding Time Warner . . . at least I haven't seen it answered yet.

We have had Tivo for four years, but bought a HD TV and added a Time Warner DVR to our household to get HD, and moved our Tivo to a different room. Now we've decided that there is no DVR like Tivo and we have ordered a new Tivo. Do I have to call Time Warner to help make my tivo work, or can I use the Tivo from the DVR, as though the DVR were just a cable box?

I really have had nothing but troubles getting things to work with Time Warner and I would like to avoid having them visit me again, if possible. If we had any other options in our area besides Time Warner, we would switch as soon as possible.

You don't mention what kind of TiVo you ordered. Is it HD capable like the S3 or TiVo HD? If so, you will want to get cable cards for it. For those you probably will have to request an install from TW or you might get lucky and be able to pick them up yourselves and do your own install.

[Rick Texas]

Here is my story, and I'm sticking to it! LOL!
I live in Temple, Texas, just north of Austin.
I bought my Tivo HD two weeks ago and had to wait until last Saturday to have my two cablecards installed. My first notion that something was wrong, the installer wanted me to pull my TV away from the wall. I explained that the cablecards were going in the Tivo, and he said he had never installed cablecards before this visit. He was not a Time Warner employee, but a contractor that normally would do a normal cable installation. He was a great guy, and I helped him with a lot of the installation. After he finally got both cards to marry the Tivo and TV he left. Well, I was getting all of my digital channels EXCEPT the one I watch all weekend. My TV never leaves the Food Network on the weekend. This is very strange because this is on channel 42, which I wouldn't think would be a problem. I also can not receive any of the West Coast HBO's or a whole list of HD channels that were just setup a couple of weeks ago. When I called Time Warner before ordering the Tivo, to find out what I would or would not get in the way of channels, I was promised that I would receive all of the channels I currently received, except the On-Demand channels, or the Pay-Per-View channels, which was not a problem for me. When I called Time Warner, the guy was very helpful in trying different methods to get everything reset, but nothing worked. I have a guy coming out next Monday to see if he can fix it. He will be a Time Warner employee, so I am hopeful everything will work out for me. I split my cable coming out of the wall and ran it into the back of the TV, so I can receive the Food Network until they can make it work through the Tivo.

[kingcull]

After 3 tech visits, success finally. My advice, as others have also said, is to make sure that the "SA Cablecard CP Info" screen shows "Auth Status: CP Auth Received" and the "SA Cablecard CA" screen shows that "EMMs Processed" is not 0. You may still get all of your premium channels while the tech is there, but if "EMMs Processed" shows "0" then they will go away in a few hours.

The problem with TWCNYC is not the techs (who are very helpful) but the dispatchers back in the office who do not know how to authorize the cards properly.

My long national nightmare is finally over!

[segert]

TW contractor installer came out on 12/26 to install CC's in new Series 3 HD. He installed both cards, but couldn't get the second one to function as it showed in the system as allocated to another customer, so I said that I can live with just one for the short-run.

On his way out the cable guy said that the remaining premium channels should be available in an hour or so. An hour came and went and no picture/video on any of the "CNN" or premium channels. Re-did the TiVo guided setup per the instructions. Broadcast and simulcast HD does work, but all I get when I change to a premium channel is the TiVo banner for what the channel/content should be, then the screen goes blank.

Called TW and they scheduled an all-day appointment for 12/27. After hanging around the house all day a TW guy called me at 17:40 to say that they wouldn't be out because they didn't have any CC's in stock and that they would have to reschedule to 12/28 for an all-day appointment to troubleshoot, this time by a supervisor.

I asked the guy who called me back to have the central office to do an initialize and then follow up with a "hit" as there is some mention in earlier threads that this fixed the "Auth: MISSING_PROGRAM_REKEY" problem that some people have seen. I have this particular problem. No change as of 18:27, so I guess I'll see what tomorrow brings. Evidently this isn't as easy as one would think it would be.

Is it always like this with CC's?

[MickeS]

Evidently this isn't as easy as one would think it would be.

Is it always like this with CC's?

No you might be lucky and get someone at both ends (your house and the "dispatch") who knows what they're doing, but seeing that cable companies really don't seem to care much about this, far too many people have problems.

And just so you know, when you only have 1 CableCARD in the Series 3 TiVo, it only works as single tuner, no matter the source. You need 2 or 0 CableCARDs to have dual tuner functionality.

[Rick Texas]

After 3 tech visits, success finally. My advice, as others have also said, is to make sure that the "SA Cablecard CP Info" screen shows "Auth Status: CP Auth Received" and the "SA Cablecard CA" screen shows that "EMMs Processed" is not 0. You may still get all of your premium channels while the tech is there, but if "EMMs Processed" shows "0" then they will go away in a few hours.

The problem with TWCNYC is not the techs (who are very helpful) but the dispatchers back in the office who do not know how to authorize the cards properly.

My long national nightmare is finally over!

I just checked my system, and both of my cards say "Auth Status:Waiting for CP Auth" - That may be the cause of some of my problems. I will be sure the tech sees that when he comes on Monday.

[kingcull]

I just checked my system, and both of my cards say "Auth Status:Waiting for CP Auth" - That may be the cause of some of my problems. I will be sure the tech sees that when he comes on Monday.

Unless you have a bad card, this can be fixed by the dispatcher at the "office". They just need to "flick the switch". No home visit is required. However, communicating that to TW customer service is very difficult and frustrating. You may want to call and ask for a supervisor. Good Luck.

[archieleach]

For those of you who have posted or dealt with Time Warner in Charlotte, can I ask a question? Here's a conversation I had this morning after fixing a billing error on my bill:

Me: So, if I upgrade to digital cable, there's just a small additional rental fee for renting a cablecard?
CS: Yes, it's just 1.75/month
Me: I have a device that takes two cards...so would it just be double the rental fee?
CS: Do you have a TiVo? We don't support those.
Me: Okay...
CS: Is there anything else I can help you with today?

To give her credit, she did see that my bill was wrong and fixed it. After reading this thread, though, I can see what she said about TiVo is clearly not correct. If and when I do want to (or can) upgrade to digital cable, what should I do or say to make sure that this isn't an issue I run into?

Thanks everyone.

[stevec5375]

If patience is a virtue, then I'm not very virtuous.

It all started on 12/19/07 when Time Warner Austin came to my home to install 2 cable cards in my new Tivo Series 3 HD. I won't bore you with all the gory details but here it is 12/28/07, almost 10 days later and I still don't have two cable cards that work. There have been countless technicians at my home.

Yesterday was the closest they have ever come to getting it all to work properly. They had CC1 working completely. CC2, however, would not get all of its EMMs (2 of 39). From being there observing and listening to phone conversations between the backoffice and the field techs, it appears that some people on the backend are clueless as to how to send the proper "hit". One of the techs finally got a hold of a woman in a different group who was the only one who managed to get the EMMs to send to CC1.

Last night, I rebooted the TiVo because I just had to know where I would stand in the event of a power outage. When the Tivo came back up, both cards had lost all of their EMMs and had gone back to zero.

Knowing what I know now, I would NOT recommend the combination of Time Warner Cable Austin, TX and Tivo Series 3 HD. It is not ready for prime time.

I am so aggravated with Time Warner and their staff that I have filed a complaint with the City of Austin office that oversees their franchise. In addition, I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint as well.

It is no secret that Time Warner HATES cable cards and makes it as painful as possible for its users because they do not like the federal mandate that they have to support them. Furthermore, they want to "rent" you a cable box for more money and they cannot charge more than $5 per month for cable cards.

I find it hard to believe that a multi-billion $$ corporation can't get its act together and make sure things work properly before they roll it out.

My biggest headache is that we don't have any choice in Austin. Grande Communications is the only other vendor and they are not in my part of town. Dish Network doesn't support the Tivo HD Series 3.

This whole thing has made my holidays very unmerry!

[pkscout]

CS: Do you have a TiVo? We don't support those.
Me: Okay...
CS: Is there anything else I can help you with today?

To give her credit, she did see that my bill was wrong and fixed it. After reading this thread, though, I can see what she said about TiVo is clearly not correct. If and when I do want to (or can) upgrade to digital cable, what should I do or say to make sure that this isn't an issue I run into?

They don't have to "support" the TiVo, but you should remind them that according to FCC regulations they must provide CableCards to any CableLab certified device, and that the TiVo S3 and HD are both CableLab certified. If they persist in denying you, ask for their supervisor. Keep doing that until they give you the correct response. If nobody will, then let them know you will be reporting them to the local franchise authority and the FCC.

[jsshattuck]

For those of you who have posted or dealt with Time Warner in Charlotte, can I ask a question? Here's a conversation I had this morning after fixing a billing error on my bill:

Me: So, if I upgrade to digital cable, there's just a small additional rental fee for renting a cablecard?
CS: Yes, it's just 1.75/month
Me: I have a device that takes two cards...so would it just be double the rental fee?
CS: Do you have a TiVo? We don't support those.
Me: Okay...
CS: Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Thanks everyone.

I have some good news and some great news for you. First of all, TW Charlotte does indeed support the TiVO Series 3 with CableCARDs, it's just that that they don't support it from a technical support standpoint as they would their DVR or STB. They will charge you for 2 CableCARDs, but once you have them initialized properly, you're good to go. That's the GOOD news.

The GREAT news is that in October TWC added several new HD channels using SDV (Switched Digital Video--see thread on SDV if you are not familiar with it). Since the TiVo 3 cannot handle SDV, we were either force to do without the new channels or pay $10/month for an STB. Today I visited the TWC website and discovered that one of the channels (Golf/Versus) had been moved to the basic tier. A light went off in my brain that said if that was true, pehaps it was no longer using SDV and could be viewed and recorded by my TiVo. In fact that is true for that channel as well as all the other new HD channels.

Looks like TWC has seen the light about selecting SDV channels, and at least for now, new HD channels will have dedicated frequencies and will work with CableCARDs.

[SCSIRAID]

I have some good news and some great news for you. First of all, TW Charlotte does indeed support the TiVO Series 3 with CableCARDs, it's just that that they don't support it from a technical support standpoint as they would their DVR or STB. They will charge you for 2 CableCARDs, but once you have them initialized properly, you're good to go. That's the GOOD news.

The GREAT news is that in October TWC added several new HD channels using SDV (Switched Digital Video--see thread on SDV if you are not familiar with it). Since the TiVo 3 cannot handle SDV, we were either force to do without the new channels or pay $10/month for an STB. Today I visited the TWC website and discovered that one of the channels (Golf/Versus) had been moved to the basic tier. A light went off in my brain that said if that was true, pehaps it was no longer using SDV and could be viewed and recorded by my TiVo. In fact that is true for that channel as well as all the other new HD channels.

Looks like TWC has seen the light about selecting SDV channels, and at least for now, new HD channels will have dedicated frequencies and will work with CableCARDs.

Steve,

Its great news... but... without TWC backing that up with a statement, you may be jumping to conclusions. Here in Raleigh, TWC announced (via letters sent to cablecard customers) that we would be losing certain channels and would not receive any new channels due to the future implementation of SDV. The date for losing the channels has come and gone but the channels are still there. Three new channels were then added which were not available to cablecard. Last week, three more channels were added and low and behold those channels plus the previous three are now available to cablecard. I sure hope you are right but what TWC giveth... they may taketh away... :D

One downside thought.... The three newest HD's are all on one channel and thus are bandwidth starved and dont look so good.

[skaggs]

I don't know whether my situation is similar to yours. I live in Albany,NY.

About once a month my cards seem to default to basic channels only.

Sometimes I can re-store them just by re-booting the S3. Other times they seem to re-cover by the next day without my doing anything.

Same thing happens to me here in Albany, NY. It has happened on each of my HD TiVos. When it happens, I can tune the local HD channels...NBC, ABC, CBS, etc, but not the other national HD channels like Discovery HD, A&E HD, ESPN HD, etc.

The first time it happened about a month ago, I called TWC and they set up a service call. The day before the service call, I rebooted the HD TiVo and repeated guided setup and...magically I could tune all the channels. I called and cancelled the service appointment.

It happened again to the OTHER HD TiVo yesterday. I could tune the local HD channels, but not the nationals. I have rebooted 3 times now...with no success. Also, all the non-SDV SD HBO's, Showtime's, and Cinemax channels would not tune. I called TWC and they are coming out Monday. I'll try to reboot a few more times before Monday.:(

[mack89464]

Quick update to my previous thread about the ongoing failure by TW SoCal to get my dual cards up and running in my TiVo series 3HD

They sent a technician back to site yesterday. He spent SEVEN hours on site trying to get both "M" Cards working with no success.

IS spent ages on the phone helping him and trying to figure it out.
I was left with one card showing all tiers I'm supposed to get. The second card won't show anything above local feeds.

Time Warner said it must be a faulty TiVo and I should ask TiVo to do a service on it. I called TiVo support today and in 2 minutes the TiVo tech identified that the cards were NOT paired correctly.

I called back Time Warner and got someone who knew nothing about CC and said she could send a normal hit to the box and this would fix everything. I told her it wouldn't and I needed someone on the phone who knew CC and could fix the pairing for me. No luck. I have to wait 24 hours for the hit to get to my box as they have a back log but she continued to claim this would somehow cure everything.

I'm close to giving up and going with the Time Warner DVR solution.

Anyone got any suggestions? Right now I'm at a dead end.

Mack.

PS - I have to add that the onsite technician was wonderful. A great guy who tried his best and stuck at it as long as he could. However the Time Warner call center is awful. I called in the other day and spoke to 9 people including "Miles" who pretended to be a supervisor. Every single time they would transfer my call they would not introduce it to the next person so I'd have to start from the beginning again. Every person I spoke to put me on hold and then I'd get bounced to another group. Disgusting service.

[abredt]

I think you only need one M card, but two S cards.

CB

[MickeS]

Quick update to my previous thread about the ongoing failure by TW SoCal to get my dual cards up and running in my TiVo series 3HD

They sent a technician back to site yesterday. He spent SEVEN hours on site trying to get both "M" Cards working with no success.

IS spent ages on the phone helping him and trying to figure it out.
I was left with one card showing all tiers I'm supposed to get. The second card won't show anything above local feeds.


Could be a faulty card, seems like many here have experienced that. I'm sorry about all the troubles. :(

I think you only need one M card, but two S cards.

CB

The Series 3 can only use the M cards in single stream mode, so if M cards are used, there still has to be 2 of them.

[bhalec]

So I'm a former series 2 user who now uses the HD DVR from Time Warner in New York City. I'm seriously considering getting the HD Tivo but after reading a lot of posts it seems that the whole cable card issue makes it more hassle than it's worth.

Are we just seeing the isolated issues here or is this truly a widespread problem? Is it worth it?

Thanks.

[MickeS]

So I'm a former series 2 user who now uses the HD DVR from Time Warner in New York City. I'm seriously considering getting the HD Tivo but after reading a lot of posts it seems that the whole cable card issue makes it more hassle than it's worth.

Are we just seeing the isolated issues here or is this truly a widespread problem? Is it worth it?

Thanks.

Depends on how you use your DVR. If you use it as a cable box and occasionally record shows on it, it's probably not worth it. If you use it as a recorder and occasionally watch live TV, it's probably worth it (depending on how much you like your current DVR and whether the networking aspect of the TiVo appeals to you). I wouldn't worry too much about the CableCARD installation problems, these are the worst cases here (although unacceptable nevertheless).

[derekcbart]

Quick update to my previous thread about the ongoing failure by TW SoCal to get my dual cards up and running in my TiVo series 3HD

They sent a technician back to site yesterday. He spent SEVEN hours on site trying to get both "M" Cards working with no success.

IS spent ages on the phone helping him and trying to figure it out.
I was left with one card showing all tiers I'm supposed to get. The second card won't show anything above local feeds.

Time Warner said it must be a faulty TiVo and I should ask TiVo to do a service on it. I called TiVo support today and in 2 minutes the TiVo tech identified that the cards were NOT paired correctly.

I called back Time Warner and got someone who knew nothing about CC and said she could send a normal hit to the box and this would fix everything. I told her it wouldn't and I needed someone on the phone who knew CC and could fix the pairing for me. No luck. I have to wait 24 hours for the hit to get to my box as they have a back log but she continued to claim this would somehow cure everything.

I'm close to giving up and going with the Time Warner DVR solution.

Anyone got any suggestions? Right now I'm at a dead end.

Mack.

PS - I have to add that the onsite technician was wonderful. A great guy who tried his best and stuck at it as long as he could. However the Time Warner call center is awful. I called in the other day and spoke to 9 people including "Miles" who pretended to be a supervisor. Every single time they would transfer my call they would not introduce it to the next person so I'd have to start from the beginning again. Every person I spoke to put me on hold and then I'd get bounced to another group. Disgusting service.

You can only have one M-Card or two S-Cards installed in the Series 3. I just recently went through this with TW Los Angeles. I recently moved and when I moved they said that my previous cards wouldn't work because they had been upgraded. They only brought one M-Card and that worked as a single tuner, but when they brought an additional M-Card for the second tuner is caused the first tuner to fail. After some trial and error we discovered that M-Cards only work by themselves. If you attach another card, either S-Card or M-Card, the first tuner will fail. They came back on another day with two S-Cards and they both worked fine and I have dual tuner access again on my TiVo Series 3.

[mack89464]

You can only have one M-Card or two S-Cards installed in the Series 3. I just recently went through this with TW Los Angeles. I recently moved and when I moved they said that my previous cards wouldn't work because they had been upgraded. They only brought one M-Card and that worked as a single tuner, but when they brought an additional M-Card for the second tuner is caused the first tuner to fail. After some trial and error we discovered that M-Cards only work by themselves. If you attach another card, either S-Card or M-Card, the first tuner will fail. They came back on another day with two S-Cards and they both worked fine and I have dual tuner access again on my TiVo Series 3.

Derek - thanks for your reply. However I spoke with TiVo and they said that the TiVo series 3 will work with two M-Cards. TWC also confirm that they have other customers with dual M Cards working. The technician brought out several cards so a card failure is probably not at play.

According to the information I got from the support person at TiVo they could see clearly from my settings that Val:? on the condition access screen indicated pairing was not completely correctly.

Oh well - on we struggle! I hope maybe someone from TWC Los Angeles reads this board and can help in some way!

[zgamer]

I'm close to giving up and going with the Time Warner DVR solution.

Anyone got any suggestions? Right now I'm at a dead end.

Mack.


I've actually looked at the problem a different way. Once they mess with 1-99, I dump them and get a dish...whichever provider has the better deal and save myself the outrageous prices and poor service.

[derekcbart]

Derek - thanks for your reply. However I spoke with TiVo and they said that the TiVo series 3 will work with two M-Cards. TWC also confirm that they have other customers with dual M Cards working. The technician brought out several cards so a card failure is probably not at play.

According to the information I got from the support person at TiVo they could see clearly from my settings that Val:? on the condition access screen indicated pairing was not completely correctly.

Oh well - on we struggle! I hope maybe someone from TWC Los Angeles reads this board and can help in some way!

I hope you can get dual M-Cards working, but if not you might want to try going with dual S-Cards because those definitely do work.

[BruceShultes]

Also, all the non-SDV SD HBO's, Showtime's, and Cinemax channels would not tune. I called TWC and they are coming out Monday. I'll try to reboot a few more times before Monday.:(
I just checked on my S3 in Albany. I can tune to all the national HD channels except the SDV ones, so it sounds like they might have tried to perform a cablecard update which did not complete successfully. I can't check any premium channels, since I don't subscribe to them.

In my case, I had problems about 1/2 the time they attempted cablecard updates until I found a cable signal amplifier at Radio Shack. Since I installed the amplifier, all updates have completed with no problems.

[Pricele$$Vulture]

I just bought my Tivo today and Time Warner NYC should be stopping my next saturday to hookup the cablecard(s). I have my fingers crossed that they know what they are doing :(

[kaitak98]

Can anyone confirm that MOJO should not be set as "Copy Never" with at CCI byte of 0x03? For some reason TW Cincinnati seems to have changed the setting some time this afternoon. The show Test Drive was recorded today at 4pm as a Tivo Suggestion and the info screen is showing that it cannot be copied to other devices. When my scheduled recording of After Hours came up tonight it had the flashing record symbol and the 90 minute self destruct message. The Cable Card on that channel is showing a CCI Byte of 0x03.

If I have done my research correctly, this setting is inappropriate (illegal?) for this type of content. If other TW systems are flagging MOJO as 0x02 or 0x00 that would give me some ammo for complaining to my local TW people. That is if I can find someone who knows what a CCI Byte is.

I tell you, the more I have to deal with DRM, the less sympathy I have for anybody involved in the process of deploying it. It paraphrase Sam Kinison, I don't support piracy, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT. I guess these people will never accept Fair Use.:mad:

[skaggs]

I called TiVo support today and in 2 minutes the TiVo tech identified that the cards were NOT paired correctly.
What is the number for TiVo tech support you used?

[SCSIRAID]

Derek - thanks for your reply. However I spoke with TiVo and they said that the TiVo series 3 will work with two M-Cards. TWC also confirm that they have other customers with dual M Cards working. The technician brought out several cards so a card failure is probably not at play.

According to the information I got from the support person at TiVo they could see clearly from my settings that Val:? on the condition access screen indicated pairing was not completely correctly.

Oh well - on we struggle! I hope maybe someone from TWC Los Angeles reads this board and can help in some way!

I can further confirm that S3 works with 2 M-Cards. Mine has 2 SA M-Cards and works perfectly.

[skaggs]

Same thing happens to me here in Albany, NY. It has happened on each of my HD TiVos. When it happens, I can tune the local HD channels...NBC, ABC, CBS, etc, but not the other national HD channels like Discovery HD, A&E HD, ESPN HD, etc.

The first time it happened about a month ago, I called TWC and they set up a service call. The day before the service call, I rebooted the HD TiVo and repeated guided setup and...magically I could tune all the channels. I called and cancelled the service appointment.

It happened again to the OTHER HD TiVo yesterday. I could tune the local HD channels, but not the nationals. I have rebooted 3 times now...with no success. Also, all the non-SDV SD HBO's, Showtime's, and Cinemax channels would not tune. I called TWC and they are coming out Monday. I'll try to reboot a few more times before Monday.:(

I just checked on my S3 in Albany. I can tune to all the national HD channels except the SDV ones, so it sounds like they might have tried to perform a cablecard update which did not complete successfully. I can't check any premium channels, since I don't subscribe to them.

In my case, I had problems about 1/2 the time they attempted cablecard updates until I found a cable signal amplifier at Radio Shack. Since I installed the amplifier, all updates have completed with no problems.

I turned on my HDTV this morning and all the channels are back.:up: This has got to be something with the signal from TWC to the cable card...:confused:

Now I have to call and cancel my service appointment for Monday.

These intermittent problems are a real pain in the butt. What's the fix? TWC installed this cable signal amplifier a few years ago (at no cost to me).
http://albanyhdtv.homestead.com/files/dsc028603.jpg

[juggler314]

Figured I might as well post my experience so far (in the midst of it).

I called up last week to schedule an appointment. Had to make several calls as 2x I was "transferred" to nowhere and hung up on! Finally scheduled my visit for 12/28 (fri) 6-9pm. Incidentally while on the call with the CSR he told me I would not recieve *any* HD content, because it does not work with CCs. I told him this is absolutely not correct - he went offline to speak with some sort of supervisor and said the supervisor thought that was the case too. It really is amazing that TWC can't produce a 1 pager cheat sheet for these calls...

Anyway, on to this past friday. I pick up my Tivo earlier in the day, leave work early so I have plenty of time to setup/update the software. I'm all good to go. 6-9, no tech. I called up around 8:45 to checkin, then again after 9. They kept telling me the guy is coming. 10pm I call again. Now tech support is closed and they tell me there's nothing they can do. I will have to reschedule. Now here's the ridiculous thing - apparently even though they just didn't show up you still can't reschedule anything except through the official tech visit system - ie whatever the next open slot is. Which for me isn't until 1/3, almost a full week later. I asked and was told that no matter what happens future visits can only be scheduled into an open slot in he computer system. Moral of this story - don't schedule your visits for the evening as at least if it's earlier in the day you might be able to get them to still come...

One nice perk is that I did get a free months cable service out of the debacle. I will most certainly make them give me furthter months service for free if they screw up on the next visit.

To TWC's credit, all the CSR's I spoke with trying to find the tech were very nice and did their part of the job as well as they could.

I'll update this when the cable guy actually comes on 1/3 (which I will have to have my gf do since I'll be on vacation - that should be fun as she's not that technically minded!)

I did b*tch out the supervisor I spoke to about CC installs. I asked "can't I just pick these up at the customer center" (of course I already know the answer to this is NO). He checks and says no, I ask why. He says it's too technical. So I go "so inserting a card into a slot, reading a number off the screen, calling a phone number and telling a tech to pair that cards ID with my account, then sending a signal to wake the card up is too technical". To this the guy basically stutters and then tries to tell me that I could break the card if I did it wrong (physically he meant - I haven't seen these things in person yet, but i'm guessing like most things it's impossible to insert upside down or backwards).

Sigh...:mad:

[skaggs]

To this the guy basically stutters and then tries to tell me that I could break the card if I did it wrong (physically he meant - I haven't seen these things in person yet, but i'm guessing like most things it's impossible to insert upside down or backwards).
The times I have called TWC with problems with my cable card have resulted in the Customer Service rep asking me to remove & reinsert the card. Never works, but that is contrary to what you have been told about the danger of physically breaking the card.

[tfreshman]

Everything seemed fine with my 1 S card that was installed today. UNTIL I went to channels 414-425 and i get NO HD Channels. However I get ESPNHD with No sound. What do I do? They have sent Validations and hits all day.. ANY IDEAS???

Thanks in advance!

[jmfirestone]

Had my install done by TimeWarner here in Greensboro over the weekend.

First call to order the cards i was told that they would not work because they were S cards and they were "one way". Was told I need m-cards since they were "two way" and would have to wait until sometime 1Q 2008 to get them.

Did some research on this forum and found out that was not true, so I called back to talk to someone else and specifically order 2 s-cards. Explained to the rep on the phone what they were for and why I knew they would work. They said I could pick them up and do it myself or I could get a free service call for the install. I took the service call.

Guy showed up at my house and had no clue what to do. He had only done cable cards once or twice in TVs, never in a TiVo. Luckily he brought "two cards just in case [he] didn't know 2 were needed." He made a few calls and I kept suggesting to him that we should just follow the sheet of instructions since it looked pretty easy. 15 mins later he finally talked to someone who told him he needed to call in both cards, then put them in the TiVo. uggghhh...

After he called, he went to stick both cards in at once and I stopped him. I then walked him through what the instructions said and things went pretty smoothly for the most part. 1st card activated fully without an issue. The 2nd card activated but I didn't get any pay channels. He called back and they fixed it.

It's a good thing I sat on him while he did it and really insisted he just follow the instructions. He would have screwed it up if not.

All in all, it took about an hour and didn't cost more than the $3.80 they wanted for the cards per month.

[pkscout]

They said I could pick them up and do it myself or I could get a free service call for the install. I took the service call.

You got lucky. Most TWC offices are charging $45 PER CARD to have you tell the tech how to do his job. And I bet if you had done the pickup they would have told you when you got there that an install was required.

The techs have such a hard time following instructions, and there are so many cases where the two cards aren't provisioned the same that I've decided to wait until the S3 supports M-cards before I try upgrading from analog here in RDU.

[MickeS]

It's a good thing I sat on him while he did it and really insisted he just follow the instructions. He would have screwed it up if not.

That's what I had to do with the guy that came to install cards at my house too (and I had to pay $40 for essentially doing it by myself anyway!). I just do not understand - WHY CAN THEY NOT JUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS? Especially when they admit they've never installed the cards in a TiVo before. I can not understand it.

[BruceShultes]

I turned on my HDTV this morning and all the channels are back.:up: This has got to be something with the signal from TWC to the cable card...:confused:

Now I have to call and cancel my service appointment for Monday.

These intermittent problems are a real pain in the butt. What's the fix? TWC installed this cable signal amplifier a few years ago (at no cost to me).
http://albanyhdtv.homestead.com/files/dsc028603.jpg

I have no evidence to support this, but I suspect that you can have just as much problem with too strong a signal as with too weak a one.

I know that I had problems with the TW amplifier installed. When that was removed and replaced with the one I purchased from Radio Shack, everything worked fine for me.

I have no equipment to measure strength of signal, so I cannot give you any numbers.

[Interpol]

This is a follow-up of my experience with TW South Bay here in Torrance, California.

About 2 months ago I had 2 S-cards installed in my Tivo HD, which was an experience in itself - but that's a different story. Although the cards worked, I noticed that I wasn't receiving certain channels, and I had confirmed both here and with TW South Bay that we do NOT have SDV rolled out. I was missing:

All east coast feeds of premium channels, namely, HBO and Cinemax
ESPN2-HD
TBS-HD
A few other SD digital channels, such as Fox Reality

Well, a few days ago I found a message on my THD saying my channel lineup had changed and I should run guided setup again, so I did - and voila - I now receive ALL the channels I listed above.

Apparently TW South Bay has sent a new, more complete channel map for CableCard users. Never thought I'd say this, but chalk one up to TWSB.

[dolfer]

Great news for Time Warner Cincinnati! ESPN2 is now available as well as all of the other new HD channels that were previously unavailable via CableCard. I hope this is permanent and not a temporary situation. Hopefully the SDV solution will be available soon and the point will be moot.

[terminaldawn]

Hello,

Time Warner came out to my place in Milwaukee (more specifically Oak Creek) yesterday and put in two SA S cards in My HD Tivo yesterday I have a couple of issues. Wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar.

1. Probably the most annoying is Pixelization I see on some HD channels. I also see motion artifacts quite frequently on HD channels which I don't remember seeing with my Time Warner DVR... I am not sure if this could be a signal issue? Thoughts? I have read a post that says to try adding Attenuators to the line, anyone in the Milwaukee area have this issue and has had positive results resolving this?

2. I am missing quite a few HD Channels. I spent about 3 hours on the phone with Time Warner trying to get them to "reauthorize" my cards, they even removed and re-added all my HD channels back to each card, however this didnt fix my issues. They are sending out a technical supervisor out to check my lines and such but I fear that this wont solve anything.

Here is the list of channels I am missing. Anyone in the Milwaukee area have these channels?

528 - ESPN2 HD
530 - ESPN HD
532 - UHD
533 - TNT HD
541 - Discovery HD

[Pricele$$Vulture]

So I'm a former series 2 user who now uses the HD DVR from Time Warner in New York City. I'm seriously considering getting the HD Tivo but after reading a lot of posts it seems that the whole cable card issue makes it more hassle than it's worth.

Are we just seeing the isolated issues here or is this truly a widespread problem? Is it worth it?

Thanks.

I agree. I'm in NYC too and recently bought the TIVO HD and am second guessing it now. I hate TWC and am sure that they will screw up the cable card installation. I'll be shocked if it goes off without a hitch.
Tivo dropped the ball by leaving us at the mercy of the cable companies. Would it have been that hard to create something that works with the cable box?

Vulture.

[lycanhunter]

Cincinnati Ohio - Time Warner.
New HD Tivo - have had 2 different Techs come out with different cableCARDs. The cards are paired from the home office to the slot and tivo device.

The problem is after reboot it works for about 15 minutes (where I get all channels lower cable channels, local channels, and upper (HD) channels.)
After 15 minutes the only channels that stay are the upper HD (900's) channels. All the standard cable channels and the local analog channels go away. This occurs each time. Time Warner just keep sending out TECHs who have said they have no real expertise in the cablecards. They simply follow the screens on the TIVO and call the home office to record the HOST ID and make sure they are paired.
The cable company has no other offer but to send out another tech to install another card again and again. The strange part to me is that the HD channels still work through the cableCARDs but all the lower cable channels do not work anymore. Anyone else seen this similar issue.

[CrispyCritter]

I agree. I'm in NYC too and recently bought the TIVO HD and am second guessing it now. I hate TWC and am sure that they will screw up the cable card installation. I'll be shocked if it goes off without a hitch.
Tivo dropped the ball by leaving us at the mercy of the cable companies. Would it have been that hard to create something that works with the cable box?Yes, it would have been that hard. There are not sufficient standards other than cable card to handle the DRM issues involved with HD. The cable companies are legally required to support the cable card devices; would you really want TiVo to go some other route that the cable companies are not required to support? That would be much more of a mess.

[mercurial]

Ok, maybe I missed this since I've been off in meet-mode and holiday-travel-mode for the past week or so, but...

It looks like not only has TWC NOT moved all the channels to SDV that they'd threatened previously, but A&E HD, TBSHD, and GolfHD that previously didn't work (assuming because they were SDV) now all work for me plus now we have FoodHD, NatGeo HD, and HGTV HD added that don't appear to be SDV either...?

[dolfer]

Ok, maybe I missed this since I've been off in meet-mode and holiday-travel-mode for the past week or so, but...

It looks like not only has TWC NOT moved all the channels to SDV that they'd threatened previously, but A&E HD, TBSHD, and GolfHD that previously didn't work (assuming because they were SDV) now all work for me plus now we have FoodHD, NatGeo HD, and HGTV HD added that don't appear to be SDV either...?

This is what happened in Cincinnati too... There were several channels that were *not* accessible via CableCards and within the last week or so they are now all available.

ESPN2
AE
History
TBS
Food
HGTV

[SCSIRAID]

This is what happened in Cincinnati too... There were several channels that were *not* accessible via CableCards and within the last week or so they are now all available.

ESPN2
AE
History
TBS
Food
HGTV

Makes you wonder what is going on.... Perhaps they have decided to temper what they move to SDV until the resolver is available due to complaints.... or perhaps Mystro Naviagator currently sucks too bad to do a mass migration. I guess we will just have to wait and see....

[moosedog2000]

TIME WARNER is kiling me in Cleveland, OH. I have had the tech out, who brought one card for my Tivo HD (I requested 2 of course) and then left before it was fully installed. Turns out the card does not received anything above 100 and so I called about 15 minutes later. I asked if the guy was still in the area, if he could come back and check it out, but they gave me a new appointment instead which is approx. 2 weeks away. We went through the menus and what-not and rebooted the thing, but the one thing they (TW) flat-out refused to do was attempt to pair the card again. They said it looks like it was never paired, but the tech had to be standing there on the phone to do this. This is so stupid. I have read that some cities allow you to just pick up or have the cards delivered and you activate them yourself.

Time Warner has the worst training for its phone reps and the hands-down worst customer service. They are giving me a credit for the 2 weeks I am without HD, but I would prefer to have the guy out to my house fixing it rather than take the 40 bucks or whatever. Also I requested a supervisor call me back, they said it would be 24-48 hours and it has now been 192 hours without a call. Awesome customer service, TW! Too bad they have a cable monopoly and that Tivo HD does not work with satellite or I'd have a dish on my house right now.

[wehokev]

I live in West Hollywood, CA. We have Time Warner SoCal, it was formerly Adelphia.

I bought a new HD Tivo for our bedroom. I scheduled the cable card installation for Dec 26. The tech came out with three Single Stream Cards. One was DOA. The other two S-Cards were installed by the tech, but never picked up any channels.

The tech was about to leave when he got through to his boss who told him to call "dispatch" and ask for "Daryl". Daryl was at lunch. The tech stuck around for about an hour trying different things including multiple reboots of the TiVo, all to no avail. Daryl, the cable card expert at dispatch returned from lunch. He was unable to bind the channels to the cards. So the tech left.

The next day a different tech came out with two Multiple Stream Cards. Yeah! The guy explained that the M-Cards are in high demand / short supply and that they were much more reliable than the old S-Cards. He popped the first one in, it picked up all the channels right away after a quick call. This tech knew to call Daryl on his own. He was in and out in 20-30 minutes.

I almost had him install his second M-Card in my original Series 3 in the living room. It currently has two S-Cards in it. But I didn't, under the “if it ain't broke don't fix it” policy. Sadly on Jan 1 one of the S-Cards in the living room went out. I haven't had time to mess around with it so maybe it will not have to be replaced. But I know that if it does I am going to beg for a M-Card like I have in the bedroom.

The moral of the story, if you are on Time Warner in the greater Los Angeles area ask for M-Cards and suggest that your tech call Daryl in dispatch.

Cheers, and Happy New Year!



Kewords: Time Warner, SoCal, West Hollwood, Cable Card Installation

[ilh]

I thought the S3 cannot use M cards (unlike the HD).

[DaveDFW]

I thought the S3 cannot use M cards (unlike the HD).

The S3 can use M-cards, but that model treats them as S-cards, ie, you'll need two M-cards to use the dual-tuner functionality.

I've got two S3's with Time-Warner, each with two M-cards, working correctly.

TTYL
David

[ilh]

Ah. Thanks for the clarification.

[AJRitz]

TWC Kansas City came out and did my CableCARD install today. I haven't had a chance to test everything yet, but so far, so good.

I did a spot check of HBOHD, and that tuned in fine. I figured if I was going to have a problem, a premium HD channel would be the first place it would come up.

UPDATE: I did a thorough check, and it did turn out that I had one glitch - digital channels above 200 didn't come in on one of my four CableCARDs. But all it took to fix it was 47 minutes on hold with Time-Warner, followed by about 2 minutes for the CSR to re-hit the card and all was well.

Oh, and what they installed was 4 Scientific Atlanta S-cards. The installer only brought two cards with him. I explained that I had been explicit with the Sales CSR that the installer needed to bring either two M-cards or four S-cards, and had even instructed her to write EXACTLY that in the notes (but instead she simply wrote "bring cards for two Tivo boxes"). I also explained that I was NOT going to pay for a second truck roll for more cards. So the installer's boss drove two more cards out to him while the installer and I worked on the first two.

[Tim N.]

I took TW up on their "all the best " offer for cable+Internet+phones. The order to change was done Dec 21. The phones were finally installed 1/2. I was not home when the install was performed. The video for HD looks worse after the install. Is that possible? If it's digital then it should be dark or perfect, right?

I also added a TIVO-HD to my equipment list this Christmas. I called to schedule the cablecard installation on 12/26. After the usual 20 minute HOLD period, I was told that TW cannot schedule a work order when another work order is outstanding. So, it's my fault they can't install their VOIP modem before 1/2. I then called on 1/2 and waited another HOLD period. They explained that I still could not schedule the cablecard install because their database had not been updated to show the VOIP modem install was completed. I asked to talk to a supervisor. They said they would call me after the VOIP install was input so I wouldn't have to call a third time. [Shame on me] I believed them. Yep, no call ever came. I called again today and invested my third HOLD experience. Now they said sure we would love to charge you another $3.50 per card, per month, but the soonest we can get there is 1/8. ...and that will just be the start of the cablecard install saga.

Don't you just love TW?

[mercurial]

Don't you just love TW?

Uhm... No...?

[stellablue96]

hey everyone..

I am sorry if I sound lost...but I am.

I just moved to NYC and have time warner and my tivo.

It is a series 2 (non HD)

So...to get it to work...

do I have to call time warner and ask them to come and install cable cards? if i do this will I only get channels under 78?? or all my channels???

sorry...I know there are a ton of posts on this but reading through all 71 pages is a bit scary.

thanks so much for the help!

[Midwest User1]

Hello,

Time Warner came out to my place in Milwaukee (more specifically Oak Creek) yesterday and put in two SA S cards in My HD Tivo yesterday I have a couple of issues. Wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar.

1. Probably the most annoying is Pixelization I see on some HD channels. I also see motion artifacts quite frequently on HD channels which I don't remember seeing with my Time Warner DVR... I am not sure if this could be a signal issue? Thoughts? I have read a post that says to try adding Attenuators to the line, anyone in the Milwaukee area have this issue and has had positive results resolving this?

2. I am missing quite a few HD Channels. I spent about 3 hours on the phone with Time Warner trying to get them to "reauthorize" my cards, they even removed and re-added all my HD channels back to each card, however this didnt fix my issues. They are sending out a technical supervisor out to check my lines and such but I fear that this wont solve anything.

Here is the list of channels I am missing. Anyone in the Milwaukee area have these channels?

528 - ESPN2 HD
530 - ESPN HD
532 - UHD
533 - TNT HD
541 - Discovery HD
I'm in Waukesha, WI. and I have a TIVO HD and a Series 3 (both have 2 S-cards in each). I am receiving all of the channels you listed EXCEPT for ESPN 2 HD (Channel 528). This sounds like your cards were not paired correctly with the full channel lineup that you subscribe to. Verify with them that they "authorized" your cards with the HD package also. This happened to me as the first time they authorized my cards they authorized them with basic cable service only. I called them and had them reauthorize all of my cards with the correct channel lineup, which included the HD package. Also sometimes it takes a few hours for the "authorization hit" to reach your cards if their system is backed up.

Try going into your "diognostics" screen for each cable card to see what it shows your signal strength to be. From what I've been reading a signal anywhere from 80-100 should be O.K. however I'm not sure if that is indeed true. I get the pixelation minimally (i.e. only once in a while) on certain channels. I do know that prior to my TIVO boxes upgrading themselves to the 9.2a software the pixelation was worse. This upgrade happened within a day or two of connecting them to the Internet so that issue was short lived. I believe that so far most of the pixelation issues are from either too weak of a signal or too strong of a signal.

[Midwest User1]

This is what happened in Cincinnati too... There were several channels that were *not* accessible via CableCards and within the last week or so they are now all available.

ESPN2
AE
History
TBS
Food
HGTV
Did any of you have to run the "guided setup" again to start getting those channels? Or did you just start getting them?

[mercurial]

Did any of you have to run the "guided setup" again to start getting those channels? Or did you just start getting them?

I just got a lineup change message and they showed up. Now for the older ones I'd removed from the channel list, I didn't know they were working until I went back and re-added them manually to the list.

[AJRitz]

hey everyone..

I am sorry if I sound lost...but I am.

I just moved to NYC and have time warner and my tivo.

It is a series 2 (non HD)

So...to get it to work...

do I have to call time warner and ask them to come and install cable cards? if i do this will I only get channels under 78?? or all my channels???

sorry...I know there are a ton of posts on this but reading through all 71 pages is a bit scary.

thanks so much for the help!

A Series 2 TiVo box doesn't do any channel tuning itself. Rather, it sends an IR signal to a cable box, telling the cable box to tune a channel. So no, you don't need any cable cards. You just need to set up your Series 2 TiVo such that it can send the IR signals to your cable box.

[SCSIRAID]

A Series 2 TiVo box doesn't do any channel tuning itself. Rather, it sends an IR signal to a cable box, telling the cable box to tune a channel. So no, you don't need any cable cards. You just need to set up your Series 2 TiVo such that it can send the IR signals to your cable box.

The S2 does in fact have an NTSC analog tuner in it.... You can optionally set it up in the mode you suggest though and not use the tuner.

[Midwest User1]

I just got a lineup change message and they showed up. Now for the older ones I'd removed from the channel list, I didn't know they were working until I went back and re-added them manually to the list.
Thanks. I'm in a different market than the those who have noticed SDV channels now showing up but I'll check for the heck of it.

[mack89464]

All - update to my posting from Dec 23rd where TWC can not get both M cards working in my TiVo Series 3HD

I was supposed to get a call from someone in IS yesterday to help configure the cards now that TiVo have confirmed they are not set up correctly.

No one called (I know - shocking!) I tried calling the manager that I had a direct number for but his mailbox is full. I divert to another mailbox and its also full.

Today I called the original field tech and he said someone would call me right back. That was at 2.30pm - its now 4.08pm and of course no one has called. I followed up with the field tech again and he's doing all he can to get people to call me but he's only one man fighting agains the awfulness that is Time Warner Cable.

If no one calls back today I'm going to cancel my account. I would rather do without TV (I don't watch a huge amount of "must see" TV anyway) and put my TiVo in a closet than have to deal with the daily agony of dealing with these fools.

I wish my apartment building allowed Dish installation - I'd go with DirecTV in a heartbeat!

Update: The excellent field tech that helped me before is coming out to me again tomorrow. He doesnt work Fridays but he's going to come out and help me with the IS team and get it fixed once and for all.
The field techs are so helpful (or at least try to be) the call center staff are about as much use as an ashtray on a motorcycle.

Hopefully tomorrow the final update will be me cheering and clapping at everything working again :-)
We'll see!

[juggler314]

Figured I might as well post my experience so far (in the midst of it).

I called up last week to schedule an appointment. Had to make several calls as 2x I was "transferred" to nowhere and hung up on! Finally scheduled my visit for 12/28 (fri) 6-9pm. Incidentally while on the call with the CSR he told me I would not recieve *any* HD content, because it does not work with CCs. I told him this is absolutely not correct - he went offline to speak with some sort of supervisor and said the supervisor thought that was the case too. It really is amazing that TWC can't produce a 1 pager cheat sheet for these calls...

Anyway, on to this past friday. I pick up my Tivo earlier in the day, leave work early so I have plenty of time to setup/update the software. I'm all good to go. 6-9, no tech. I called up around 8:45 to checkin, then again after 9. They kept telling me the guy is coming. 10pm I call again. Now tech support is closed and they tell me there's nothing they can do. I will have to reschedule. Now here's the ridiculous thing - apparently even though they just didn't show up you still can't reschedule anything except through the official tech visit system - ie whatever the next open slot is. Which for me isn't until 1/3, almost a full week later. I asked and was told that no matter what happens future visits can only be scheduled into an open slot in he computer system. Moral of this story - don't schedule your visits for the evening as at least if it's earlier in the day you might be able to get them to still come...

One nice perk is that I did get a free months cable service out of the debacle. I will most certainly make them give me furthter months service for free if they screw up on the next visit.

To TWC's credit, all the CSR's I spoke with trying to find the tech were very nice and did their part of the job as well as they could.

I'll update this when the cable guy actually comes on 1/3 (which I will have to have my gf do since I'll be on vacation - that should be fun as she's not that technically minded!)

I did b*tch out the supervisor I spoke to about CC installs. I asked "can't I just pick these up at the customer center" (of course I already know the answer to this is NO). He checks and says no, I ask why. He says it's too technical. So I go "so inserting a card into a slot, reading a number off the screen, calling a phone number and telling a tech to pair that cards ID with my account, then sending a signal to wake the card up is too technical". To this the guy basically stutters and then tries to tell me that I could break the card if I did it wrong (physically he meant - I haven't seen these things in person yet, but i'm guessing like most things it's impossible to insert upside down or backwards).

Sigh...:mad:

So...second install date was today. Another no-show. Called up to complain again. They *claim* they are going to try and get the morning guy out here tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath given what I know about how scheduling works (or doesn't work!) within TWCNYC

These guys are a piece of work...

BTW has anyone noticed how when you are on hold with TWCNYC instead of something like "please stay on the line we'll be with you shortly" every few minutes, they just have a big minute long chunk of dead silence. I'm positive they do that to encourage people to think they've been hung up on and hang up thus shortening the queue...

[trol1374]

All - update to my posting from Dec 23rd where TWC can not get both M cards working in my TiVo Series 3HD

.....

Hopefully tomorrow the final update will be me cheering and clapping at everything working again :-)
We'll see!


Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but doesn't the TivoHD only allow use of one (1) M card or 2 S cards? You can't use 2 mcards in the tivoHD.
Unless you are saying you have 2 Tivo's?

[pkscout]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but doesn't the TivoHD only allow use of one (1) M card or 2 S cards? You can't use 2 mcards in the tivoHD.
Unless you are saying you have 2 Tivo's?

You're reading it wrong. The Series 3 and the TivoHD are different products. The TivoHD will notice a second M-card and tell you to eject it. The Series 3 doesn't yet know how to use an M-card as a multistream decoder, so you can put two in that one and it will treat them as two S-cards.

[gamo62]

I wish my apartment building allowed Dish installation - I'd go with DirecTV in a heartbeat!

As long as you do not permanently attach it to their property, they cannot stop you. Get a bucket, put some concrete in it, set the pole and you're good to go.

Of course this all assumes you have the correct line of sight for the SAT.

[chuvakuhn]

I have a fairly new TivoHD with the 9.X software. The cable service is Time Warner Cable Southern Manhattan here in NYC. About a week ago, I started to experience some blank channels(all black screen). Some shows were partially recorded before going blank. I really didn't look too much into this problem since I was going on vacation, I was hoping that the glitch will resolve itself by the time I come back.

When I got home from vacation two days ago, I checked my TivoHD and it no longer receives any channels except for a limited lineup - both SD and HD. The diagnostic screen show that the blank channels are tuned, with noise ratio of 36-37, but with no picture, and they are not random at all. It looks as if the cable card is only programmed to receive basic channels. The following is what I can receive:

1 NY1
2 WCBS
3 TNT
4 WNBC
5 FOX (WNYW)
7 WABC
8 TBS
10 CNN
11 CW11 (WPIX)
702 WCBS HDTV
703 TNT in HD
704 WNBC HDTV
705 WNYW HD
707 WABC HDTV
708 TBS HD
709 WWOR HD
711 WPIX-HD
713 Thirteen HD

I tried both a reset and a power down. The blanks channels would show a split second of the picture and then display a cable card screen indicating that I should call the cable company, the phone number, cable card SN and host ID are displayed. It would do this only once on every tuned blank channel after a reset or power down. I called TWC and they tried sending a signal to the card. It worked the first time, I was good for about 5 minutes and then the same channels started to blank out again. A second call to TWC(a long wait) and a second sent signal did nothing. Now I have a scheduled appointment for this Saturday for the cable guy to look into this.

Very frustrating.

**When the single Multi-stream cable was first installed, the operator only needed the host ID and not the card SN, as opposed to what is indicated in the Tivo setup guide. I hope this wasn't the cause of the problem.

[terminaldawn]

Hello,

Time Warner came out to my place in Milwaukee (more specifically Oak Creek) yesterday and put in two SA S cards in My HD Tivo yesterday I have a couple of issues. Wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar.

1. Probably the most annoying is Pixelization I see on some HD channels. I also see motion artifacts quite frequently on HD channels which I don't remember seeing with my Time Warner DVR... I am not sure if this could be a signal issue? Thoughts? I have read a post that says to try adding Attenuators to the line, anyone in the Milwaukee area have this issue and has had positive results resolving this?

2. I am missing quite a few HD Channels. I spent about 3 hours on the phone with Time Warner trying to get them to "reauthorize" my cards, they even removed and re-added all my HD channels back to each card, however this didnt fix my issues. They are sending out a technical supervisor out to check my lines and such but I fear that this wont solve anything.

Here is the list of channels I am missing. Anyone in the Milwaukee area have these channels?

528 - ESPN2 HD
530 - ESPN HD
532 - UHD
533 - TNT HD
541 - Discovery HD

Just wanted to post an update regarding this.

1st the pixilization issue.
I ended up hooking my Time Warner DVR up and my Tivo and switched back and forth and compared a significant ammount of channels. They all appeared to work the same. I think I was being too pickey the issue I noticed was more motion fragments due to Time Warners compression. So good news, this seems to be a non-issue for me!

2nd the lack of channel issue.

I got a phone call today from the "Trouble Call Reduction Department" saying that they found the issue that was preventing me from getting all the channels and they resolved it. I have not tested this out yet to see if the issue is resolved but the guy I talked to seemed like he has seen this issue many a time in the past and found the fix. I asked him to provide me with the correct lingo of what the problem is so I can get someone to resolve this for me if it happens again. The exact issue was and I quote “Digital access service was not on the occurrence of your two cable cards".

I will check when I get home to verify if everything is working correctly. I will post the results.

[Pricele$$Vulture]

I have my appointment with TWCNYC today. Hopefully they show up. My expectation for them as been so low. Especially after reading this thread.

[juggler314]

So...second install date was today. Another no-show. Called up to complain again. They *claim* they are going to try and get the morning guy out here tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath given what I know about how scheduling works (or doesn't work!) within TWCNYC

These guys are a piece of work...

BTW has anyone noticed how when you are on hold with TWCNYC instead of something like "please stay on the line we'll be with you shortly" every few minutes, they just have a big minute long chunk of dead silence. I'm positive they do that to encourage people to think they've been hung up on and hang up thus shortening the queue...

Amazingly they did show up this morning, of course I'm on vacation...so they came and my gf was there...apparently the install went at least somewhat ok. She tells me we get everything up to about channel 100. The TWCNYC tech said everything was good on their side. Hopefully the next time the tivo updates itself it'll sort it out, if not I'm sure I'lll be on the phone a few hours when I get home next week!

BTW it's just one M-card for my Tivo HD:)

[Pricele$$Vulture]

Amazingly they did show up this morning, of course I'm on vacation...so they came and my gf was there...apparently the install went at least somewhat ok. She tells me we get everything up to about channel 100. The TWCNYC tech said everything was good on their side. Hopefully the next time the tivo updates itself it'll sort it out, if not I'm sure I'lll be on the phone a few hours when I get home next week!

BTW it's just one M-card for my Tivo HD:)

Dude I'm so nervous about TWCNYC. They're supposed to stopby my home today to install the Cable Cards.

What should I expect? I should get all the same channels that I currently get via the cable box ---with the exception of On Demand?

[juggler314]

Dude I'm so nervous about TWCNYC. They're supposed to stopby my home today to install the Cable Cards.

What should I expect? I should get all the same channels that I currently get via the cable box ---with the exception of On Demand?

Well like I said, I have yet to actually use my newly setup Tivo since I'm on vacation, but you should get every channel you got with your old box, +HD (if you didn't have an HD box before), you will not be able to use any OD channels because they use two way communication. Also you will not recieve any SDV channels. From my reading of this forum it doesn't seem like thare are many/any SDV channels in TWCNYC.

I highly suggest if they don't show up that you b*tch and get a free months service though. And when they tell you it's impossible to reschedule outside of the computer system, call BS - I got a guy to show up next day, although someone had to arrange for that special.

[mack89464]

Update: The excellent field tech that helped me before is coming out to me again tomorrow. He doesnt work Fridays but he's going to come out and help me with the IS team and get it fixed once and for all.
The field techs are so helpful (or at least try to be) the call center staff are about as much use as an ashtray on a motorcycle.

Hopefully tomorrow the final update will be me cheering and clapping at everything working again :-)
We'll see!

Yesterday a new field technician came out - an Indian guy - who was great. He arrived and promised me we would be up and running very quickly.
10 minutes later he made a call to dispatch - a few hits later all was working and my problem is resolved. So it proves again what everyone has said on these forums all along. It all depends on who you get out on site - just luck. The bad part is that TWC has nobody working in the call center with half a brain. The only person I spoke to out of the 12+ call center reps with any good level of customer service was a lady called Rhonda. Polite, helpful and actually listened to what I had to say. Didn't cut me off, transfer me or dump me to another queue like everyone else. She also gave me a $75 credit on my account.

Good luck to others in the Hollywood / LA area getting their cards installed. Its like playing roulette (more like Russian Roulette)

[Pricele$$Vulture]

OMG!!! I can't believe TWCNYC actually did something right. The guy that stopped by was great. Finished the install in under 15 mins. All channels coming in fine thus far. I'm pretty impressed with the field tech.

[bobrt6676]

On Jan 4th TWC arrived at 6:20 P.M.(window 6-8:30). My first question was how many cable cards have you installed? 0 he said, but I have an expert on the phone. I handed him the Tivo instructions for Card installers. 2 hours latter I was up and running. Not bad for a newbie, thanks to Percy at TWC. :)
Today, I noticed I was missing 4 HD channels. Called CST she tried to send a "hit" to the cable cards. Nothing changed. Asked if I had 2 CC's. I will have to get someone to help me.:eek: Transferred me to Roadrunner National tech support!! :mad: He transferred me back to someone else who promptly sent a "hit" to my CC's and the missing channels were there not even a reboot needed!:cool: Except for a small hiccup a positive for TWC Dayton,Ohio

[stevec5375]

And the Time Warner Austin fiasco continues....

12/19/07
Time Warner contractor from DCOM arrives around 10am. He spends at least 1 hour at the house trying to get the cards to pair. No success.
He returns at 5:30pm that evening and tries again. This time he calls his supervisor over to my house and between the two of them and Time Warner telephone technicians, they get the cards paired but no HD channels are showing.
It’s 8:30pm and they tell me they have another job to do and must leave and that it’s possible that by the next day the HD channels will be there. Not true and the channels still have not showed up.

12/19/07
While the Time Warner contractor is at my home attempting to pair two cable cards, I’m on the phone with tech support listening to this woman tell me they don’t support cable cards in non TW owned equipment. I asked her to repeat that to the technician. He was floored and got her employee number. The company’s own representatives don’t even know what services they offer even though it’s plainly on their public web site.

12/22/07
I’m waiting for a TW tech to show up between 8am – 12pm. The tech showed up at 10:15am and wasn’t able to get the cards paired. He tried to use MultiStream cards in the unit and I told him (as says Tivo’s web site) that you cannot use MultiStream cards in the Tivo Series 3 HD. He called his supervisor and was told they didn’t have anymore Single Stream cards in the warehouse. He left and told me he would be back on Thursday.

12/24/07
I plugged the MultiStream card that the last tech (Hector) left lying on top of my TiVo into slot 1 and called Time Warner. I got a technician to pair the card and send the signal to the TiVo. I got some of the HD channels but not all. Same old problem, can’t get Discovery HD and others. Only one of my two tuners works because the MultiStream is not supported fully in the Series 3. I found out from the tech on the phone that I have an appointment with TW for Friday of this week between 1pm – 5pm for Hector to come back out with new cable cards. I would not have known I had the appointment if the tech had not called me. I never heard any other word out of Hector after his last failed visit.

12/27/07
Technician shows up at 12:00pm. He leaves the single Multistream card in Slot 1. Then he contacts a Time Warner tech on the phone and asks him to send a “hit” to the TiVo. No EMMs arrive because the count is still at zero. Technician goes outside to check the cable signal and changes to a 4-way splitter. Technician is never able to get the 2nd cable card to receive more than 2 EMMs even though card 1 received all 39. Technician makes a trip to get a different cable card to #2. Cable card 2 was paired and received it’s authorization but no EMMs were received. A 2nd technician, Hector, shows up with more cable cards and is surprised to find the other technician there. Obviously, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing at TW. They were on the phone again but not successful. They left and the 2nd card still does not work.

12/28/07
Time Warner called to see if the EMM count has increased on both my CableCards. It has. However, CC1 and CC2 have different EMM counts.

12/31/07
EMM count on CC1 is 47 and EMM count on CC2 is 4. Called Time Warner phone support. Technician on phone says he cannot send any “hits” to CC2 because it is only “one way” and it appears to him to have a problem. He has scheduled for yet another technician to come out on Friday between 1pm – 5pm. In addition, I asked for the list of Switched Digital Video channels so that I would know which channels I definitely would not receive and he did not have that information. I am suppose to receive a call back in two hours with that information. It is now 12:00pm. At 2:42pm still no word from Time Warner Cable. I never did hear from this person and it is now 1/4/08.

1/4/08
A technician came to the house once again because the EMM count had gone from 51 on CableCard 1 to 10 and to 0 on CableCard 2. The technician was on the phone with various people back at the Time Warner dispatch trying to get EMMs sent to my CableCards once again. No luck. There appears to be this disconnect between dispatch and DNCS at Time Warner. The group they call DNCS are the only ones who have successfully been able to send EMMs to my cable cards. However, for whatever reason, my CableCards won’t retain them.
Many of the technicians who have come to my home have made it clear that Time Warner hates dealing with Cable Cards and if it weren’t for the FCC mandating them, they wouldn’t support them at all.
On 1/3/08 I had a phone message from a Time Warner employee named John from Customer Service wanting to speak to me. I suspect that he had received the complaints I filed with both the City of Austin’s franchise office and the Better Business Bureau. I spent quite long time on the phone with him and told him basically what a fiasco the whole CableCard mess had been, how much time off from work meeting technicians had cost me, and just the general nuisance of trying to watch channels that I’m paying for but can’t get. I told him that I knew when I bought the Tivo Series 3 HD that it would not allow me to do Video on Demand or receive Switched Digital Video but that wasn’t a big deal at the time. However, they do not publish the list of Switched Digital Video channels so it is impossible for me to determine which channels I am supposed to receive and which ones I am not. I reiterated to him that this was unacceptable. He promised to find out what the list of SDV channels were and look into why my EMMs were not stable. He at least said he would credit my account with $100 for all my troubles.



My next move is to file a complaint with the FCC. I am so hopping mad at all of this that I could just s**t.

[lrhorer]

I have no evidence to support this, but I suspect that you can have just as much problem with too strong a signal as with too weak a one.
As an engineer with 25 years experience in CATV and telecommunications I can tell you high levels will cause a great deal more problems than low levels, especially with digital streams. Most installations should not require an amplifier, and only those who do require them will benefit from them at all.

I have no equipment to measure strength of signal, so I cannot give you any numbers.
I could give you tons of numbers, but I really don't have all night to be typing at the keyboard. Suffice to say the CATV company is responsible for delivering a useable signal to the eve of your house. Unless you have lots of outlets (I have 9 for example), a very large house (guilty as charged), or are an unusually long way from the subscriber tap (mine could be closer), an amplifier is not necessary. If the signal levels are too low to feed 1 or 2 outlets in an ordinary sized house a reasonable distance from the CATV subscriber tap, then the CATV system is out of balance and the CATV provider needs to fix their system. Many CATV companies will provide a house amplifier for free or for a very modest fee if the house happens to lie outside the normal engineering parameters and consequently suffers from low levels. As it happens my house qualifies on all three counts, so an amp was necessary for my house, but mine is definitely the exception.

[dolfer]

Did any of you have to run the "guided setup" again to start getting those channels? Or did you just start getting them?

I did not have to run guided set up.

The channels are just like any other channels. When they were added I got a notice telling me that there had been a change in the lineup.

Since all I was receiving on those channels was On Demand commercials, I had deselected all of them in the Channels I Receive.

When a friend of mine said they had miraculously appeared, I added them all back so they would show up in my guide.

I double checked the lineup on TW's site and there were no channels that were missed so the channel lineup changes were properly detected by my Tivo. That's my case with my Tivo and TW cincy. As you know, every case can be different.

Go to your cable company's site and check out the latest channel list. If it matches your channel lineup in the Channels I Receive section, then you are ok. Just check all of the channels you want, and deselect the ones you don't.

[stevec5375]

Thanks for posting the Time Warner Austin SDV Channel List. It's been impossible to get this info out of Time Warner.

[Welshdog]

Thanks for posting the Time Warner Austin SDV Channel List. It's been impossible to get this info out of Time Warner.
You know it's funny. I am in Austin and use analog cable on my S3 and THD. I checked the SDV list of channels and there wasn't a single one that I would miss. Guess I can go digital now without any worries!

[tfreshman]

IF YOU ARE MISSING CHANNELS "RUN GUIDED SETUP AGAIN!!!!!!!" It fixed ALL my missing channels!

[rlay]

Our Motorola box locked up tonight.... I rebooted it, and after a few minutes, it was back to normal.

I headed downstairs to the S3, and quickly found that about 5 HD channels were missing including both ESPN-HDs, and when I tried to tune into one channel specifically, 752-HDT, I get a cablecard message I've never seen before "The CableCARD considers the Host to have only one-way RF capability" on the S3 and "1-way RF Only" on the Motorola box....the only difference is that the Motorola box gets the rest of the channels, the S3 does not. I bet TWC Yuma-El Centro switched to SDV.

I rebooted the S3, and even repeated the guided setup, and the channels are just not there anymore. TWC is closed, so I'll have to call in the morning, but honestly, I think I'm at my wits end.

I've gone back and forth with TIVO and TWC about lineup changes, missing channels, incorrect programming, late repair guys who don't understand Cablecards....I've taken days off work and spent several man days researching/reconfiguring all kinds of things just to get the S3 up and going, only to have something in the system change by Tivo or TWC, both pointing the finger at each other. Last week my S3 remote stopped working (after several battery changes, and a reluctant switch to the Logitech Harmony). At this point I'm at diminishing returns just to get a better UI or a few advanced features (Desktop, Rhapsody....).

If this doesn't get resolved tomorrow, I'm calling DirecTV. My neighbor has been raving about how his service has improved over the past few months. The DVR is not as whiz bang as the Tivo, but it does the job. I just can't spend anymore time losing programming/functionality and calling various ill-equipped support people to get it back.

Sorry for the rant, but I really think some of you out there have felt my pain.

[Midwest User1]

IF YOU ARE MISSING CHANNELS "RUN GUIDED SETUP AGAIN!!!!!!!" It fixed ALL my missing channels!
Do you have cable cards with digital cable service as well? I ask because when I go into the guided setup menu it says that I only need to run guided setup if I've changed zip codes or have antenna only cable. I noticed in the past 4 days or so that 4 or 5 HD channels that I had lost when switching to the TIVO boxes are now showing up in the guide with the correct guide data. They were never in the guide correctly before. However the channels themselves are not being received as I just see the On demand commercials.

[rlay]

Called TWC the said that it's their issue on the back end and said they would call me back once they have more details. It's been nearly 12 hours since that call and no call back and I'm still missing 5 good HD Channels and two other premium HD channels have had incorrect an program guide for 3 weeks.....so I'm in the process of making arrangements for DirecTV.

[juggler314]

Amazingly they did show up this morning, of course I'm on vacation...so they came and my gf was there...apparently the install went at least somewhat ok. She tells me we get everything up to about channel 100. The TWCNYC tech said everything was good on their side. Hopefully the next time the tivo updates itself it'll sort it out, if not I'm sure I'lll be on the phone a few hours when I get home next week!

BTW it's just one M-card for my Tivo HD:)


So everything seems to be fine now, just needed to re-run guided setup for the new cablecard. Basically everything went perfect when the tech finally showed up. I wasn't even here for install and from what my gf tells me she didn't really do anything, inserted, tech did whatever he needed to do, and done.

[Marslauncher]

Post Deleted Per Request Of Supervisor.

[rlay]

I currently work in Tech Support for Time Warner Cable here in Austin, My name is, we shall say Paul, I would be more then happy to provide any assistance to questions and information that I possibly could, I apologize in advance to stevec5375 and to rlay for the customer service they received and to anyone else that received bad service, I want to get to know tivo as a service so that I can better support the product that many of you love. I will check in here every day to update questions and to post information as I come across it.

I truly do want to help and any information you guys (nice information none of that go to hell crap) will be appreciated, I will work with people on an account by account basis or if need be will update on changes to policies or procedures.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

Paul,

Thanks for your offer of help, but I think this bird has flown. Anytime there has been the slightest bit of change with TWC (here in El Centro, CA), it has messed up my Tivo system and required multiple calls, service visits and lots of patience on my family's part.

My last bill was for over $200 (plus $13 for the Tivo....$40 for broadband). Even with more programming (85+ HD channels alone vs. the 12 I get from TWC), 2 HD DVRs, the monthly fees for DirecTV after the 3 months free premium channels will be ~$110....and I can get the same speed DSL for $30/month. It just doesn't make economic sense for the frustration I've had with TWC and Tivo. My neighbor has had DirecTV for more than a year and initially had problems with the install because of the lack of local channels, required phone connection, and multiple coax cable routing, but apparently that's all been fixed, and they can use the cable installed in the house and even ethernet for the guide updates.....Over the past year, has gotten more channels and excellent service. I wish I could say the same for TWC.

-Rick

[cab2]

I currently work in Tech Support for Time Warner Cable here in Austin, My name is, we shall say Paul,

Hi Paul;

Just wanted to say thank you in advance for trying to help those of us in the Austin TX area with respect to TW issues. I'm in Cedar Park and currently, have no issues.

But I wanted to just put something here to say thanks for your efforts. I'm sure you will get all sorts of replies (good and bad) and requests for help. Your just being willing to come on here and identify yourself and offer to help, is a big thing. I'd doubt this is part of your job description, so it shows a level of dedication and CS that TW should be proud of. You and Cableguy help to try to brighten up that dirty star that is TW Austin. Thanks!

and no, I'm not a shill for TW. I just happen to be a customer and right now, problem free. I'm sure their job is a thankless one, so throwing a bone once in a while is a good thing.

Now, if you could manage to find a way to get the prices of things cut in half, that would be awesome.

[TxPres]

I currently work in Tech Support for Time Warner Cable here in Austin, My name is, we shall say Paul,

Our Troubleshooting normally entails the following, feel free to amend.

Before setting up a Trouble Call (TC) for Cable Cards make sure you have:

* Verified the affected channels are not in the switched channel line up in Austin or Waco.

Paul

Is there a place where the official switched channel lineup is available?
Otherwise, we have no way to check.

I just had my multi-stream card installed yesterday. The install took all of 15 min total with the tech only putting the card in and then calling the numbers in to the office.

My question: I pay for the HD Premium tier. These channels have not shown up yet on my Tivo (they are showing up OK on my SA box which I still have). Are they SCV channels? If so, then I understand why I am not getting them. If they are not, how do I go about getting them?

Thanks for the Help in advance.

[Marslauncher]

Post Deleted Per Request Of Supervisor.