Cablevision - Waiting for CP Auth

[ASW]

I have 2 series 3 Tivos with 4 cablecards from cablevision - all 4 cards show "Waiting for CP Auth" in the CP screen and all channels periodically bounce to an activate message when on some pay stations. I had the same problem with a cablecard in an LG LCD that took 8 months for CV to figure out (they did not input the correct Host ID).

I called CV today and they told me that it looks like all 4 (!) host IDs are wrong on my cablecards and need to be corrected and the cards re-bound to my Tivos. However, they would not fix the issue on the telephone and insist on a service call -- does this make any sense? I thought the Waiting for CP Auth issue was corrected by Cablevision techs without needing a service call.

[ADG]

Absolutely let them come out and do it in person. And don't let them leave until it is working properly.

[JohnBrowning]

It makes sense that they hosed up their database entries. It makes NO sense to require a service call. To acheive the desired result, you'll probably have to accept the service call.

[beady]

It seems like human error plays a big part in Cablecard problems. People can't read long strings of numbers without screwing them up!

[dreamseason]

I was going to tack this final update on my cablecard installation onto the end of the long Cablevision thread, but I'd might as well do it here.

I had the "Waiting for CP Auth" status for both cablecards since soon after the initial install 1/9, and only on card #2 since the last visit. Finally, after a 5th visit this afternoon from a 4th different tech (a higher level guy this time) I have CP Authorized on both cablecards. The previous techs had all inisisted on starting from scratch with new cablecards (with poor results). This guy agreed that the #2 card was working fine except for the code authorization, so he worked the phones until he was connected to a patient and knowledgeable office guy who wasn't overloaded with other tasks. Together, they methodically worked together and got the authorization done within only 5 minutes. First, they removed the binding from the problem card and tried all the channels, verifying that I lost all the digital channels. Then they rebinded the cards, and within a couple minutes I was getting all the channels including the encrypted ones I didn't get before... HBO, Starz, ESPNews, etc.

The key was that they removed the existing binding completely between my Cablecard Slot #2 Host-ID and the Cablecard serial #. After redoing the binding process, everything worked perfectly. In my case, I don't think any of the previous customer service reps I spoke to and the dispatchers that the previous technicians spoke to ever did a complete removal and binding. They probably just "re-hit" the existing binded cablecard, which didn't work for some reason.

[DCIFRTHS]

It makes sense that they hosed up their database entries. It makes NO sense to require a service call. To acheive the desired result, you'll probably have to accept the service call.

I agree, that a service call should not be necessary. I say this because I have done this over the phone when I moved two CableCARDS from one S3 into a different S3. I followed the phone prompts to get to technical support, and as soon as I got a human on the line, I asked to speak to a CableCARD technician because I needed the host ID of my device bound to my CableCARD.

If the service person does come out to your house, and you already paid the charge for the installation of the CableCARDS, don't let them charge you again.

[ASW]

Well - they came out and got all 4 cards working after 3 hours. Really annoying that they couldn't just do it over the telephone but at least they work.

I have now had 5 cablecards installed in my house and all 5 had the "waiting for CP auth" problem (the first one took almost a year to get straightened out so at least they are getting better).