Does TIVO work with Bellsouth Cable?

[Stefunny77]

I am thinking of getting Bellsouth Cable. (Not DirecTV, just the regular kind). Does anyone know if this will give me problems using my TIVO with it?

[kstebleton]

I am thinking of getting Bellsouth Cable. (Not DirecTV, just the regular kind). Does anyone know if this will give me problems using my TIVO with it?


I'm in the process of setting up my Series 3 HD unit with my digital cable. Other than WOW people having little knowledge of cable cards, it's all working just fine.

Your Bellsouth should work about the same, assuming your TIVO is Series 3. The FCC has required cablecards for just this sort of application - goto wikipedia and look up cablecard.

If you don't care about "digital tier" programming, any TIVO will grab the analog cable channels just fine - I had a Series 1 and Series 2 doing that in the past.

[Stefunny77]

I am not sure what series i have. It is not HD, and it has 2 tuners. I got it in 2006.

[eatmydave]

Then it isn't a series 3. It will work fine, you just won't get the digital channels.

[Stefunny77]

what does that mean, that I wont get the digital channels? (excuse my idiocy about this stuff please....)

[ZeoTiVo]

rule of thumb
channels below 100 are typically broadcast in analog and require nothing more than an analog tuner(as in a Series 2 TiVo or many TVs) - you just hook the coax cable right up to the TiVo or TV.

channels above 100 are typically digital and you pay the broadcaster more money for this 'premium' content. For these channels you need something from the braodcaster to recieve them. Cable companies give you a set top box which you hook the coax to adn then you hook that to an input on the DVR or TV.
You can also get a DVR from the cable company that has integrated access to the digital channels so it is just one box.

[lpwcomp]

:mad:Bellsouth cable does not support cablecard. They got a waiver from the FCC.

From the Belllsouth cable site:

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"Will CableCARD devices work with the BellSouth Entertainment?

NO – CableCARD devices will not work on the BellSouth Entertainment System. BellSouth Entertainment was a leader in deploying digital cable television technology. As such, the current BellSouth Americast Digital Cable delivery system was designed and made available to customers long before CableCARD standards for other digital cable systems were introduced. Therefore, CableCARDs are not compatible with the BellSouth Entertainment system.

Isn’t it true that ALL cable companies are required to be compliant with CableCARD compatibility standards?

YES and NO – Although the Federal Communications Commission has stated that cable systems must now be compliant with CableCARD standards, BellSouth Entertainment received a waiver (exemption) from those standards for their Atlanta and South Florida Americast digital cable systems on August 17, 2004 (FCC DA 04-2544). This waiver was granted by the FCC, based on the fact that the BellSouth Entertainment Americast Digital Cable delivery system was designed and made available to customers long before CableCARD standards were introduced and that compliance would require a complete replacement of the system platform infrastructure. However, a condition of this waiver is that BellSouth Entertainment will provide a digital settop box, at no charge, to any customer requesting activation of a CableCARD compatible device.

What should you do if you want to activate a CableCARD device (TV etc.)?

As explained above, the current BellSouth Entertainment Americast platform will not support a CableCARD device. However, we will be happy to provide a digital settop box, to any customer requesting CableCARD activation, at NO ADDITIONAL MONTHLY CHARGE. Although the 1st digital settop box is automatically included as part of our service, an additional digital settop is typically $5.00 each thereafter. We will waive the additional $5.00/ea. digital settop box charge for each CableCARD ready device that a customer owns."
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Bottom line: An HD TiVo can only use the analog tuners on a Bellsouth cable system. No digital channels at all including, of course, HD channels.

I am currently on Comcast so will be getting cablecards on Monday, but there is a possibilty that I will be moving into a Bellsouth Cable area soon.

[jrm01]

Why is everyone offerng advice about cablecards when the OP appears to have a S2 TiVo, which should work just fine with the digital boxes from BellSouth?

[lpwcomp]

Why is everyone offerng advice about cablecards when the OP appears to have a S2 TiVo, which should work just fine with the digital boxes from BellSouth?


I see. So we are only supposed to address the concerns of the OP. No one else will see kstebleton's response and think there's no problem with Bellsouth Cable and cablecards.:rolleyes:

For the OP, you will only be able to record one digital channel at a time since you can only hook one cable box to the TiVo. You can still record two programs at once but at least one must be on an analog channel.

[JimSpence]

I see. So we are only supposed to address the concerns of the OP. No one else will see kstebleton's response and think there's no problem with Bellsouth Cable and cablecards.:rolleyes:
...Typically, replies should only address the question posed by the OP. Otherwise, the OP can get confused by somewhat unrelated replies.

[gastrof]

I agree. Getting onto other topics is along the lines of "hijacking" the thread...always a "no no".