Tivo HD and Comcast? More inside....

[michael new]

so here is my situation, I just got my HDTV along with my HD cable(box 1), cable looked great however no On Demand after a few attempts I exchanged the box for a DVR still no On Demand. Needless to say Im now waiting for my Tivo HD from Tivo and have already gotten my M card but my cable company is telling me I still may have cable issues.

I told the cable guy exactly what I had installed in the house(professionally) and that it was connected via an 8 way splitter and booster. He told me my signal strength was a little high and installed a filter...and still no On Demand.Not caring anymore about any of these features I just want to make sure my Tivo will work at its best so Ive asked Comcast to come out again and check.

My questions are does anyone know how much signal strength is too much, should I remove the booster,the filter. And what kind of questions should I be asking the cable tech?

I just wantt o make sure my Tivo will work without a hitch!

Thanks for any responses.

[sfhub]

My guess is your reverse channel is being attenuated so much it cannot get the 2-way communications needed for OnDemand working.

You can try an experiment and remove the 8-way splitter, connecting the cable from the street directly to one of your rooms that has an STB capable of OnDemand.

If it works, then the likely problem is the reverse channel signal strength.

Another explanation is you might have splitters somewhere in the chain that do not pass the reverse channel.

If you have a cable modem and it has problems it is likely the same issue. Many times cable installers will install a direct line for the cable modem prior to the big splitter to the rest of the house.

Many amplifiers that are installed only amplify the forward direction, but not the reverse, so even though your video comes in clear, it could still have problems with the reverse signal strength.

[gastrof]

Do we know for a fact that the 8 way splitter DOES work both ways? Maybe it's not designed for two way communication?

[michael new]

honestly I didnt know there was a differance, Its an OnQ technology splitter. The problem with removing the splitter is 5 other tv's.
And as for the On demand thats a mute point now becouse Im getting Tivo HD I just want to make sure I will not have problems with the new Tivo.

[m_jonis]

honestly I didnt know there was a differance, Its an OnQ technology splitter. The problem with removing the splitter is 5 other tv's.
And as for the On demand thats a mute point now becouse Im getting Tivo HD I just want to make sure I will not have problems with the new Tivo.

I've got an OnQ 8-way active splitter (meaning it's powered vs. passive where it's not powered). Same thing here. No OnDemand, etc. OnQ has been purchased by Leviton I believe now, and finding the specs (whether their splitters are 2-way or not) is nigh to impossible.

I know that there ARE splitters that are 2-way, but I don't know how to tell by looking at it.

[NA9D]

If you are amplified it's likely your amplifiers that are not 2 way. Most splitters are passive resistive splitters and as such are bi-directional. Amplifiers OTOH are not always bi-directional. Check that your booster is 2 way compliant.

[rkolsen]

I just went through a similar situation with Comcast. I just got my first TiVo on Memorial Day and after four service calls, we finally got it to cooperate with the comcast system. I was told that M-Cards wouldnt work and I had significant signal lost. Finally they had to install amplifiers and redo some wiring.

In short I have a TiVo HD and the M-Card wont work because of software issues.

[michael new]

did you first update in guided setup like the card instructions recommends? Seems wierd that it would be a softeware issue and not a bad card or something. Several other people have been using the Mcard for sometime.

I just went through a similar situation with Comcast. I just got my first TiVo on Memorial Day and after four service calls, we finally got it to cooperate with the comcast system. I was told that M-Cards wouldnt work and I had significant signal lost. Finally they had to install amplifiers and redo some wiring.

In short I have a TiVo HD and the M-Card wont work because of software issues.

[sfhub]

honestly I didnt know there was a differance, Its an OnQ technology splitter. The problem with removing the splitter is 5 other tv's.
Wasn't suggesting you remove anything permanently.

The best way to start debugging these types of problems is to remove all the splitters and essentially connect directly to the outside cable line. If it still doesn't work, chances are the problem is outside your house. If it does work, you add components back one by one until you find the culprit.

[BobB]

Wasn't suggesting you remove anything permanently.

The best way to start debugging these types of problems is to remove all the splitters and essentially connect directly to the outside cable line. If it still doesn't work, chances are the problem is outside your house. If it does work, you add components back one by one until you find the culprit.

Good advice. And looking back at the original post, he mentions he has a splitter AND BOOSTER (i.e., amplifier). That is almost certainly blocking any return data. If, as I expect, he gets On Demand working once this splitter/amplifier is out of the circuit, then the solution is to install a single passive splitter (the old-fashioned $2.59 widget from Radio Shack) where the cable comes into the house, run one side to the cable box to allow it to get On Demand, and run the other side into the powered eight-way to feed the rest of the TVs in the house.

[michael new]

I appreciate all the remarks but as I said Im getting Tivo HD in a few days so the On Demand feature is a mute point, my point is making sure my Tivo HD will work to its fullest.

Also as remarked using a cheaper splitter is not an option as I have 5 other tv's in the house.The 8way splitter is my only option.Removing the booster is another story I will have to investigate that option tommarow when the Comcast guy comes for service.

[m_jonis]

Sometimes (at least our local TW office will do this), the cable company will provide you with a powered amplifier/splitter that is 2-way at no extra charge. I don't know about Comcast or other providers.

[TonyD79]

You don't have to use just an 8 way splitter and booster. You can split once with a 2 way splitter and let one of those runs go to the TV with the Tivo or Cable DVR. Then split the other line (and boost it) if you don't need two-way communication for them.

Do you have a cable modem? Does that work? That is two way communication also.

BTW, you don't need anything more than signal for the Tivo to work. Guide data comes from either an internet connection or phone line. As long as your setup passes all frequencies (were you getting regular programming) and your cable company doesn't do switched video. (If and when they do that, you will need two-way communication with the upcoming dongle.)

[sfhub]

I appreciate all the remarks but as I said Im getting Tivo HD in a few days so the On Demand feature is a mute point, my point is making sure my Tivo HD will work to its fullest.

Also as remarked using a cheaper splitter is not an option as I have 5 other tv's in the house.The 8way splitter is my only option.Removing the booster is another story I will have to investigate that option tommarow when the Comcast guy comes for service.
You mean "moot" point? :)

It isn't just OnDemand that this affects. It would likely affect cablemodem if you ever decided to use that.

I don't understand your comment of "using a cheaper splitter".

First step would be to determine where the problem is. You can do that for very little cost and relatively simply, just a process of elimination. Once you know where the problem is, you can decide what you want to do, leave it alone, replace something, or reorganize the splits.

[michael new]

You don't have to use just an 8 way splitter and booster. You can split once with a 2 way splitter and let one of those runs go to the TV with the Tivo or Cable DVR. Then split the other line (and boost it) if you don't need two-way communication for them.

Do you have a cable modem? Does that work? That is two way communication also.

BTW, you don't need anything more than signal for the Tivo to work. Guide data comes from either an internet connection or phone line. As long as your setup passes all frequencies (were you getting regular programming) and your cable company doesn't do switched video. (If and when they do that, you will need two-way communication with the upcoming dongle.)

As Ive said I beleive all my other programming comes in fine except the On Demand which Ill be getting rid of anyway with Tivo HD, I just want to make sure there are no other issues I need to know about while I have this free Comcast service(knowing in a few weeks the'll start charging for repairs). Maybe there is no need for any changes at all.However I didnt relize I could split then run one into the booster as you suggested.By doing this though dont I risk losing more signal becouse its already being split once then one leg going to my Tivo and the other going to an 8way?

[michael new]

So here is my update, Comcast came out checked my signal again +21 with booster. Quickly I made some changes split the street cable one leg to my booster and the other leg directly to my Comcast cable box. The signal now from the booster was +17 and the box was +14. The tech told me I should connect the filter to the input on the booster to reduce the signal on the rest of the house becouse the signal according to FCC should be 0.

Frankly I think the picture looks worse now but the tech told me eventually a high signal can weaken the tuner and eventually damage it. Anyone know if this is the case?

I dont know if I should change everything back or leave it.

[jamesbobo]

I've been using the Comcast DVR for about a year (Comcast TiVo not yet available here). I wasn't able to access On Demand today, error message META-6. I called Comcast and was told to unplug the box and plug it back in and wait about 30 minutes. Well after that time has passed I have a clock that reads 12:00, no On Demand, no access to DVR functions and no guide data.
Now I have to wait until Monday for a service call.

[hmm52]

So here is my update, Comcast came out checked my signal again +21 with booster. Quickly I made some changes split the street cable one leg to my booster and the other leg directly to my Comcast cable box. The signal now from the booster was +17 and the box was +14. The tech told me I should connect the filter to the input on the booster to reduce the signal on the rest of the house becouse the signal according to FCC should be 0.

Frankly I think the picture looks worse now but the tech told me eventually a high signal can weaken the tuner and eventually damage it. Anyone know if this is the case?

I dont know if I should change everything back or leave it.

Every Verizon tech I've had in house would agree completely with the Comcast tech - ideal level at device is zero; maximum permissable is +6, I believe. The TiVo HD and S3 are the last devices I'd ever go near with a signal amplifier. Check out the FiOS TV pixelation fix thread to find out what high levels can do, particularly to TiVos in my experience. With antenna systems, preamps can overdive signals and screw up reception if not careful. Damage to tuners? I don't know that or why the tech left your cable box at +14.

Your best bet is to allow the tech who sets up the cablecard(s), I assume, check out and adjust your cabling, connections, splitters, and levels. If there's a problem afterwards, post about it.