TIVO Series3 and Comcast cablecards issue

[jbeddick]

I recently upgraded to the TIVO3. Comcast installed the two cablecards and activated them. I am only receiving a limited amount of channels (some of those only show picture no sound) The rest give all the info to the channels but only a greay screen... I have had Comcast service techs back twice--they say its a problem with the TIVO---TIVO says its an issue with the cablecards--I am ready to pack it all up! ---ANY Suggestions would be appreciated!

[Bubbatex]

I had a lot of problems with my Comcast install:
1. They forgot to remove the trap on my line (I originally had basic analog - and there was a trap on the line blocking higher channels)
2. They had the account set up incorrectly - both some basic information on the cards themselves (ID# etc.) as well as the packages I was paying for.
The subscription info (#2) took 3 calls over the course of a week to get straightened out. I'd call to say I wasn't getting a certain packages (Encore, HBO, etc.) - and they'd make a change and send another "hit" - and 12 to 24 hours later one of the packages would be working. Then I'd make another call, another "hit" etc.

The time from when the CSR "hit" the cards (and apparently got a success response back from the card) until I was able to receive the channels was at leat 12 hours. I would watch the Diagnostics screen while they were on the phone but could never see anything change. Apparently, the card can be activated quickly, but the decryption authorization (sent for each channel) must take a long time to load.

I never had a problem with picture / no sound. But I did have the channel information with a gray screen for those that weren't yet "authorized".

Just keep calling the CSR.

[cgould]

Something seems messed up... you should still be able to receive analog cable channels fine, cablecard should not remove those.
w/ grey screen, means you are not approved/authorized to receive those..

so either the cablecards aren't really activated properly (see other threads for proper info on the cablecard setup/test screens etc to verify),
or, your account in comcast is not set up properly, eg they didn't set your account to receive the right channels.

However, with some channels receiving picture but no sound- that is very odd.

If you describe which exact channels (and their type) that work & ones that do not, that could help...eg what happens with regular analog channels? HD vs digital SD? they work or not?
what do your cablecard status screens say?
etc

[donaudio]

It took 6 service calls with the last call requiring three technicians to get cablecard No.2 working. Now I have a second series three and cablecard No.2 isn't working properly. Call 7 is going to happen on Tuesday. I told the CSR to make sure he had a handful of CCs available. I am in Fl. and Comcast recently took over Adelphia, so maybe thats the problem.

[BoyScout]

There is a Comcast Cablecard thread that gets MUCH more attention than this thread. You may want to read the posts to see if you can glean any information from that thread.

[JaceMouse]

I just finished an almost identical ordeal here in Chicago with Comcast.

Three tech visits, two sets of cards. With each set, I could get the basic local channels (CBS, NBC, etc.), but most channels were gray and some channels (like TNT, I think) had a picture but no sound.

To make a long story short, my problem was that the cards had not be activated. The solution was to have their *sales* group (not their tech support group) activate the cards. Once I finally had the right person on the line (after three hours on Saturday), the fix took about 15 minutes for the first card to start working, and about 30 minutes for the second to work.

There are two "hurdles" you have to get over.
Hurdle One: Getting Comcast to enable your cards.
Hurdle Two: Getting Comcast to activate your "digital cable" HD package.

1) Call into Comcast. You can start by using the menus to report an outage, but you need those guys to transfer you to the sales group (they're the only ones who can do step 2). While on hold, proceed to the next step.

2) Remove each card from the back of the TiVo. Note the serial numbers on each card. As far as I can tell, this number is not available from the TiVo menus. When putting the cards back in, remember which s/n went into which slot.

3) Get tech support to check the serial numbers they have in their system. Mine were wrong. They had three cards listed, none of which were the two I actually had.

4) Get tech support to refund your installation charge, and credit you for the days you've been without service so far.

5) Have sales (or the tech support group) enable each card. I believe this "enablement" takes effect within seconds of them making the change. You can monitor the progress using the new cable card setup screens that are built into the new unit. Under the menus, you can drill down to a "Conditional Access" option. When this is done, you'll see the fourth line, "Connected" change from "no" to "yes". I don't think the status will change while you're on the page, so you have to enter and return.

6) Next, working with sales you need to get the right cable package configured for the card. I was told that only sales can do this. Once they've enabled your package, you'll be able to tell on the "Conditional Access" screen. Line 5, "Auth," should change to "Authorized." Previously, I think it was something like NO_AUTH_KEY. For me, the first card started working while I was on the phone.

Now, here's hoping this whole process goes better for you than it did for me. I was on the phone for three hours on Saturday. In that time, I got disconnected three times, and got bounced between eight different reps. My favorite was a sales guy, Babak (Bo-Back) who -- while looking up my serial numbers -- actually tried to sell me Comcast phone service!

A few extra facts that might help you.
= The third tech was an actual Comcast employee, and he told me there is no difference between basic and digital cards -- just how they are enabled in their system.
= The new Tivo also has a cable signal metere built in. It's a handy way to make sure you have a good cable connection (so they signal to enable the card will work).
= With some reps, it helps to describe your TiVo as "a TV that takes two cable cards."
= If you (are gullible and believe you) need a tech to come again, you can have the operator request that you get an actual employee instead of a contractor. They are usually better.
= Don't let the tech leave until the the cards show enabled.

Good luck! (You're going to need it.)

[Agenda9]

I think my Comcast cablecard setup is finally complete and working properly. I recently moved from an area serviced by Cox Communications. The cablecard setup there was flawless. Here in San Francisco it was a little more problematic.

Day 1 - Tech shows up and install cable cards. Installs both cards but only one is functioning. Tells me Comcast will not give them spare cards so he has to return to the base to get a replacement. He returns several hours later and still can't get it to work.

Day 2 - Returns with 2 new cable cards. Installs them, can't get them working. He then talks with someone else who says Comcast is having major issues with their cablecard network and no eta for a resolution.

Day 3 - Today he returns with two new cablecards which he says were programmed at the office. Pops them and it works flawlessly! He says Comcast has a bunch of bad cablecards and they've been calling customers to schedule appts to replace them.

The tech was really nice and very apologetic. And he was as frustrated as me. But now everything seems to be working as it should!