Interesting Cox Install comment...

[jshore]

Cox (Phoenix) was out yesterday to install the two cable cards in my Series 3. There were issues at first with only receiving non-digital channels, but after a few calls back to their office, it turns out it was something on their end setting up these cards incorrectly on my account.

Anyway, the tech mentioned several times during the install process how much they hated cable cards because they were "such a pain in the @#$. He also made another interesting comment as he was finishing up.... he said that the support person he was talking to on the phone said that there was an internal Cox email instructing them to only install one cable card in the new Tivos. But since we were already done, he'd let it slide.

[classicX]

Cox (Phoenix) was out yesterday to install the two cable cards in my Series 3. There were issues at first with only receiving non-digital channels, but after a few calls back to their office, it turns out it was something on their end setting up these cards incorrectly on my account.

Anyway, the tech mentioned several times during the install process how much they hated cable cards because they were "such a pain in the @#$. He also made another interesting comment as he was finishing up.... he said that the support person he was talking to on the phone said that there was an internal Cox email instructing them to only install one cable card in the new Tivos. But since we were already done, he'd let it slide.

Sounds to me like he'd been doing several cablecard installs lately and had problems with each one. This doesn't mean that the cards themselves are the problem, it could be that they are setting them up incorrectly, as in your case.

And one card is useful only if they are multistream. One singlestream card will force your Tivo to Single Tuner mode, so it's good that you got both.

[RCflier]

That better not be the case, or I will be pissed, I have Cox Phoenix coming out late next week. wouldn't it be an FCC violation to not give both?

[jfh3]

Make sure to report what you know about the Cox memo to Tivo.

I'd tell Cox that if they will only install one card in the box, it needs to be a multi-stream card. If they can't supply one, then they will need to install two single stream cards until they can.

[Geeksterman]

That better not be the case, or I will be pissed, I have Cox Phoenix coming out late next week. wouldn't it be an FCC violation to not give both?

That's got me worried now. I haven't gotten my S3 yet, but when I do I will be scheduling a cablecard install. The FCC says they simply have to provide the cards. It doesn't say how many or if you have a two card device that the cable company is obligated to give you two cards. As long as they give you at least one, they are fulfilling their part of the law.

Looks like I might be facing a battle with Cox myself.....wonderful. :(

[ZeoTiVo]

The FCC says they simply have to provide the cards. It doesn't say how many or if you have a two card device that the cable company is obligated to give you two cards. As long as they give you at least one, they are fulfilling their part of the law.

do you know any of this to be true? Sounds like specualtion on your part. I certianly do not have such a clear knowledge of the FCC reg.

[jshore]

The other tricky thing that needs explaining to Cox is billing...

I called this morning to ask exactly how much i would save by returning the digital setup box and stopping their dvr service. CSR then asked "Well, you have two cable cards so that means you have digital on 2 tvs, right?" I had to explain a couple of times that the Tivo (she kept thinking i was saying "TV") uses two tuners but that it is one box, so please do not charge me for having two digital cable services.

Also, by returning the Cox DVR, i am no longer eligible for the $19.90 bundle discount i was getting. So i may switch to a lower tier phone service (without 60 minutes of free long distance) to offset this.

On a positive note, I am SO happy to have Tivo out on the big HDTV!

[RCflier]

Also, by returning the Cox DVR, i am no longer eligible for the $19.90 bundle discount i was getting. So i may switch to a lower tier phone service (without 60 minutes of free long distance) to offset this.


That doesn't sound very logical, hope my bundle doesn't suffer that same fate. if they do that, I'll cancel the landline, only reason I have it is to get the bundle

[aztivo]

I would say that the installer was full of it I had mine installed yesterday and they put two in and it was fine. see http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4393396&&#post4393396

[Geeksterman]

do you know any of this to be true? Sounds like specualtion on your part. I certianly do not have such a clear knowledge of the FCC reg.


Absolutely it's speculation, but having a few lawyers in the family, I've learned to "read between the lines" and "spot the loopholes" regarding contracts and the like. My thinking is unless something is clearly spelled out, it's open to "interpretation". A cable company can reason that they only need to provide one card per device and then they are fulfilling the "letter of the law" i.e. providing the cablecard as requested. If there is nothing in the FCC rules about supplying more than one cablecard per device, then they can claim that is all they have to do - they are not required to do more. Obviously that wouldn't be the best customer service on their part, and I will fight them if they try it with me! :p

If someone wants to take the time to parse through the FCC rules on cablecards they may find that there is indeed a provision there for devices with multiple card capability. I hope so!

:D

Maybe if I'm feeling particularly bored today I may take a whack at going through it myself.

[thezonie]

Cox Phoenix did my install yesterday, too. Put 2 cards in, and they worked, no problem. Got all my digital, HD, and premium channels working on the first try.

My guy didn't say anything about them wanting to limit the number of cards installed. (He was there at 10 am, so maybe he hadn't gotten that memo yet.)

On thing he did say that the CC technology wasn't ready yet, and that every now and then I may get blocking or a dropped picture. He said he has a CC in his TV, and that's what he's experienced, and there's nothing Cox can do about it.

Although, he did say "Maybe TiVo got it right" so maybe I won't have that issue.

Haven't really seen any blocking or anything so far, so who knows. :)

[petew]

internal Cox email instructing them to only install one cable card in the new Tivos.

Perhaps they are starting to get Multistream cards through and the intent of the email was to advise that only one multi stream card is needed.

[Tico]

This is inaccurate...

There is an internal posting with instructions to use 2 cable cards and instructions on how to set the account up....

Also cable cards are a PITA....

But it is because of the TV's not the cards...

Too many TV's have bad firmware in them that need upgrading ETC.. and just cause problems when trying to use a CC....

[thezonie]

Perhaps they are starting to get Multistream cards through and the intent of the email was to advise that only one multi stream card is needed.

The Cox installer that did mine said they only have single-stream. (But what do they know, right?) :p

[sparkomatic]

The Cox Orange County guy out today said he does quite a few cable card installs in the area. They had no problem at all installing two into my S3. He was even kinda excited to try it out and see how it worked.