Comcast Bay Area: CableCard issues on 1/8/07

sanfran_michael · 01-08-2007, 08:55 PM

So, I have been a very happy S3 customer since September.

Today, my CableCards won't show any channels over 80-something (so, all my HD channels are blank).

I called customer support and they said they were seeing a few problems, and I would have to call back tomorrow.

Are others experiencing the same problems?

Is this the SW upgrade Comcast called me about with respect to CableCards?
I was concerned because I did call them and gave them the information, but then a week later I got a message saying that I had to call them to do the same thing again.

mportuesi · 01-08-2007, 09:00 PM

I live in San Francisco, and I'm seeing no problems with my service. All the HD channels on the 700 tier are still there like they were yesterday.

Nobody from Comcast has called me about anything since I got the CableCARD installation.

Kenji · 01-08-2007, 09:30 PM

I was just about to create a thread about this as I had exactly the same problem. Try restarting your S3. It fixed the problem for me.

wackymann · 01-09-2007, 05:52 AM

I don't know if this is related, but on Sunday night after I went to bed, my wife said our Tivo rebooted itself twice and, and then even after that, she could not watch any TV. We assumed the cable had gone out due to a storm we were having. All was fine by morning (other than needing to reprogram the 30-sec skip), so I have no way of investigating what actually happened. This is the first time since October that my box has rebooted other than for the 8.0.1c update. Maybe Comcast is updating firmware on their cable cards or something??

sanfran_michael · 01-09-2007, 10:15 AM

Kenji was right! The restart worked! Thanks!!!!

Wembley5 · 01-09-2007, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wackymann

Maybe Comcast is updating firmware on their cable cards or something??

You mean you didn't get 5 calls from them asking to get your CableCard info, so they can upgrade them to CableCard 2.0?

They kept calling me, I kept reading long hex numbers to them, they kept deleting them from their system and calling me again.

So there's definitely an upgrade coming (or already happened) to the Comcast cards.

mportuesi · 01-09-2007, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wembley5

You mean you didn't get 5 calls from them asking to get your CableCard info, so they can upgrade them to CableCard 2.0?

No, not yet. What I'm expecting is that they'll never call me, then one day my Tivo will stop getting cable channels, and I'll have to call them.

Kenji · 01-09-2007, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanfran_michael

Kenji was right! The restart worked! Thanks!!!!

Glad the restart worked for you. Comcast must have done something on their end to temporarily disable our CableCARDs. It's hard to believe that we were the only two affected.

Roderigo · 01-09-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wembley5

So there's definitely an upgrade coming (or already happened) to the Comcast cards.

These calls aren't for an upgrade to the cards. They mean that Comcast wants to turn on copy protection, and can't do it until they get the host/card/data information from the majority of their cablecard customers. Even though comcast has collected this info from me, last time I checked, they still hadn't validated my cards, so I'm guessing they haven't turned on copy protection yet (at least on the Santa Cruz headend).

mportuesi: Did Comcast call in the host/card/data numbers when you had your initial install? If they did this, they don't need to call you again.

mportuesi · 01-09-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roderigo

mportuesi: Did Comcast call in the host/card/data numbers when you had your initial install? If they did this, they don't need to call you again.

Don't think so. I was there with the installer, and when this info appeared on the screen, he just blew it off, saying "oh, they don't need that stuff". I found out about the phone calls from Comcast a week later.

Wembley5 · 01-09-2007, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roderigo

These calls aren't for an upgrade to the cards. They mean that Comcast wants to turn on copy protection, and can't do it until they get the host/card/data information from the majority of their cablecard customers. Even though comcast has collected this info from me, last time I checked, they still hadn't validated my cards, so I'm guessing they haven't turned on copy protection yet (at least on the Santa Cruz headend).

The claim they made to me was it was for CableCard 2.0, and that there could be service interruptions without my info.

Who knows what's really true?

Roderigo · 01-10-2007, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wembley5

The claim they made to me was it was for CableCard 2.0, and that there could be service interruptions without my info.

CableCard 2.0 implies something about the CableCard itself - but it could just as easily be about some software (or project name) in their headend. I.e. their "CableCard 1.0 support" was to get the basics up and running and the "CableCard 2.0 support" allows them to turn on Copy Protection. Or it could be something the phone center made up cuz they had to tell the customers they needed the information for some reason other than they were too short-sighted to collect the info at initial install.

Regardless, they are correct that there will be a service interruption if they don't get this information (and don't get it correct). As soon as they turn on copy protection, an unverified card will no longer decrypt the newly copy protected channels (and will pop up the pairing MMI when tuning to the copy protected channel).

cokray · 01-10-2007, 02:05 AM

I live in San Francisco and just had this problem as well. Comcast called me to get the information about my cards (didn't they have this already?!?), then kept calling me, apparently they are not very organized (and they claimed it was to add VOD and other impossible nonsense -- I can't help but feel I'm about to get somehow screwed by them). Then, tonight, House failed to record (off Fox HD), and I discover that I can't tune any of the HD channels. I have rebooted the TiVo, HD seems to be working again, although some of my premium channels are not tuning at the moment (maybe they need some time?). F#$$@#ing Comcast, I hate missing shows that won't be re-run again until who-knows-when...

JanS · 01-18-2007, 11:30 AM

Okay has anyone actually done the "upgrade to cable card 2.0"? I'm another living in the Bay Area that has gotten calls from Comcast (only 4 calls though) asking me to be in front of my set with remote in hand. The msgs threaten that my HD (premium, I'm assuming) content will go away if I don't receive the upgrade... although no date cutoffs or anything...

So, I decided to tackle this this morning and I've been on hold since 9:04 and it's 9:29 I'm about to give up

Cheers,
--jans

Mike Farrington · 01-18-2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanS

Okay has anyone actually done the "upgrade to cable card 2.0"? I'm another living in the Bay Area that has gotten calls from Comcast (only 4 calls though) asking me to be in front of my set with remote in hand. The msgs threaten that my HD (premium, I'm assuming) content will go away if I don't receive the upgrade... although no date cutoffs or anything...

So, I decided to tackle this this morning and I've been on hold since 9:04 and it's 9:29 I'm about to give up

I just read a thread on the AVS forum about this yesterday. From what I understand, Comcast had installed a whole bunch of CableCARDs around the country without pairing them (forcing them to only be used on the intended device). So now they are scrambling to pair cards to the devices. If you don't respond by their cutoff date, you will lose your encryption keys, which will prevent you from getting most of your digital lineup as well as your premium channels). I don't think it has anything to do with v2.0 of the CableCARD spec.

doctord · 01-18-2007, 03:05 PM

I'm in the North Valley, but they did just turn on copy protection here last week. I had gotten the calls about Cablecard 2.0, but I had to call them to get my cards validated in order to watch any of the movie channels, i.e. HBO, Encore, etc. They could only get one of my cards to validate properly so when the other tuner is changed to a copy protected channel, the MMI pairing screen pops up as said before and the status changes to CA Disabled. I'm still working with them to get card #2 validated.

JanS · 01-18-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanS

Okay has anyone actually done the "upgrade to cable card 2.0"? I'm another living in the Bay Area that has gotten calls from Comcast (only 4 calls though) asking me to be in front of my set with remote in hand. The msgs threaten that my HD (premium, I'm assuming) content will go away if I don't receive the upgrade... although no date cutoffs or anything...

So, I decided to tackle this this morning and I've been on hold since 9:04 and it's 9:29 I'm about to give up

Cheers,
--jans

Well a rep finally took my call after around an hour of hold time... she wanted all the info from the pairing screen. she said that basically it was so "that my cable service could not be stolen", or some such. She said that the point of the "upgrade" was not for the purpose of turning on "Copy Protection" , but for making their software handle the pairing properly and disallow my cards from being moved to another cablecard device thus allowing the service to be stolen...

I asked what differences I would be able to see in any of the (cablecard) screens or any services differences. She said these changes would not take affect for like three months (at least my headend?)... I'm in Santa Clara in the South Bay. She said that they wanted to get everybody's info (presumedly the pairing data screen stuff) and then make the changes all at once... Dunno if that means problems later or what...

She said indeed that this "upgrade to cablecard 2" has nothing to do with compling with version 2.0 of the cablecard spec... as I suspected from reading here and after seeing that there was no card swap nor firmware update involved.

It was painless, except for saying all those really long numbers and having her repeat them back for verification...

So, tonight, I'll have a look-see when I get home... and if the Sharks game is recorded in HD, I'll be happy. If it's all messed up, I won't be surprised...

Cheers,
--jans

JanS · 01-18-2007, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Farrington

I just read a thread on the AVS forum about this yesterday. From what I understand, Comcast had installed a whole bunch of CableCARDs around the country without pairing them (forcing them to only be used on the intended device). So now they are scrambling to pair cards to the devices. If you don't respond by their cutoff date, you will lose your encryption keys, which will prevent you from getting most of your digital lineup as well as your premium channels). I don't think it has anything to do with v2.0 of the CableCARD spec.

Thanks. What you're saying jives with what the rep told me... What doesn't make sense yet is when is the cutoff date.... i.e. when will they enforce that the pairing be established or no service...???... at least with my providing Comcast my host/data/blah whatever on the pairing screens, I hope to not see a service interruption...

Thanks and Cheers,
--jans

doctord · 01-18-2007, 07:06 PM

The downside I noticed after they turned on copy protection in my area is that I get a 2 second message that the "Tivo cannot view the current channel, try tuning to another channel". Then it tunes the channel. This is only on the premium channels right now as those are the only ones they have copy protection currently.

Mike Farrington · 01-18-2007, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanS

Thanks. What you're saying jives with what the rep told me... What doesn't make sense yet is when is the cutoff date.... i.e. when will they enforce that the pairing be established or no service...???... at least with my providing Comcast my host/data/blah whatever on the pairing screens, I hope to not see a service interruption...

It may not be set in stone. Perhaps it is when they have paired a certain arbitrary percentage and have given almost everyone X warnings.

Roderigo · 01-18-2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanS

She said that the point of the "upgrade" was not for the purpose of turning on "Copy Protection" , but for making their software handle the pairing properly and disallow my cards from being moved to another cablecard device thus allowing the service to be stolen...

While it's true that it disallows you from moving the cards between devices, that only impacts copy protected channels. Any other channels can still be viewed when you move the cards around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanS

I asked what differences I would be able to see in any of the (cablecard) screens or any services differences.

The way to tell if they send the message from the headend is to check the Conditional Access screen in the CableCard menu. The "Host Validation" line will change from "unknown" to "valid". I called in my info more than a month ago (Santa Cruz headend), and the cards still aren't validated. At the time I called, they said February. The data collection must be going more slowly than they anticipated. Assuming the validation message gets to your box before they turn on copy protection, you won't notice any change. If Tivo enables MRV/TTG, changes are the copy protected channels won't be able to be copied.

Mike Farrington · 01-18-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roderigo

The way to tell if they send the message from the headend is to check the Conditional Access screen in the CableCard menu. The "Host Validation" line will change from "unknown" to "valid". I called in my info more than a month ago (Santa Cruz headend), and the cards still aren't validated. At the time I called, they said February. The data collection must be going more slowly than they anticipated. Assuming the validation message gets to your box before they turn on copy protection, you won't notice any change. If Tivo enables MRV/TTG, changes are the copy protected channels won't be able to be copied.

Also in the AVS Forum thread I read, Comcast outsourced the job to a 3rd-party call center. So I wouldn't expect to see immediate pairing on your CableCARD's info screens. It's basically just operators taking down your info and eventually passing it back to Comcast. I'm sure someone can post the link, I found it here on this board.