TiVo Premiere vs. CableCARD

dswallow · 03-25-2010, 11:00 AM

I swear I've gone through the TiVo Premiere order process at least half a dozen times only to not make the final submission.

On the one hand, I have a difficult time with new gadget resistance. On the other, I just can't find a compelling reason to do this. I should really spend money on some new furniture.

But I think what I ultimately keep banging my head on is having to get Comcast involved in replacing the CableCARD's I have if I buy Premiere units, since I have Series 3 units now, 2 S-cards each.

Now I know I can manage to phone-call my way through getting that to happen successfully, but it just pains me to think of the hassle it'll entail!

If it had only been "swap the cards yourself and it's done" I'm sure I'd have succumbed already. Funny how decisions are made...

jmpage2 · 03-25-2010, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dswallow

I swear I've gone through the TiVo Premiere order process at least half a dozen times only to not make the final submission.

On the one hand, I have a difficult time with new gadget resistance. On the other, I just can't find a compelling reason to do this. I should really spend money on some new furniture.

But I think what I ultimately keep banging my head on is having to get Comcast involved in replacing the CableCARD's I have if I buy Premiere units, since I have Series 3 units now, 2 S-cards each.

Now I know I can manage to phone-call my way through getting that to happen successfully, but it just pains me to think of the hassle it'll entail!

If it had only been "swap the cards yourself and it's done" I'm sure I'd have succumbed already. Funny how decisions are made...

Just call Comcast and tell them you have a NEW Tivo and need a NEW cablecard for it. The only thing Comcast has had for the past year are M-cards.

After the card is installed on your new box, and it's working, simply tell the technician you don't need the other cards any longer, and you want them removed from your account.

therobert · 03-25-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dswallow

I swear I've gone through the TiVo Premiere order process at least half a dozen times only to not make the final submission.

On the one hand, I have a difficult time with new gadget resistance. On the other, I just can't find a compelling reason to do this. I should really spend money on some new furniture.

But I think what I ultimately keep banging my head on is having to get Comcast involved in replacing the CableCARD's I have if I buy Premiere units, since I have Series 3 units now, 2 S-cards each.

Now I know I can manage to phone-call my way through getting that to happen successfully, but it just pains me to think of the hassle it'll entail!

If it had only been "swap the cards yourself and it's done" I'm sure I'd have succumbed already. Funny how decisions are made...

So from your issue I gather that I'm not able to take the M-card that is in my current TivoHD-XL and put it into the new Tivo Premier that I just ordered. I have to call Comcast and get them involved. That stinks. I was hoping to avoid that.

dswallow · 03-25-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therobert

So from your issue I gather that I'm not able to take the M-card that is in my current TivoHD-XL and put it into the new Tivo Premier that I just ordered. I have to call Comcast and get them involved. That stinks. I was hoping to avoid that.

At least in that scenario you have the potential of it being possible to update the account info over the phone if you get a CSR with a clue or send an email through the ComcastCares group.

dswallow · 03-25-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmpage2

Just call Comcast and tell them you have a NEW Tivo and need a NEW cablecard for it. The only thing Comcast has had for the past year are M-cards.

After the card is installed on your new box, and it's working, simply tell the technician you don't need the other cards any longer, and you want them removed from your account.

You're really missing the point here.

It just really doesn't work that way. It should. Actually it should be a lot simpler than that. But even if they get it all working right, they'll screw up my billing. Or both. It's just the thought of the entire hassle of the thing creates significant trepidation.

brettatk · 03-25-2010, 01:51 PM

I just did this with Charter and it was a piece of cake. I replaced the two S cards in my TIvo HD with one M card. They took care of the billing part when I made the appointment. Took the guy about 15 minutes and he was gone. If Charter can get it right then I bet Comcast could as well.

dswallow · 03-25-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brettatk

I just did this with Charter and it was a piece of cake. I replaced the two S cards in my TIvo HD with one M card. They took care of the billing part when I made the appointment. Took the guy about 15 minutes and he was gone. If Charter can get it right then I bet Comcast could as well.

I know what Comcast will do; I've been through this with them several times. It is never easy. They will mess something up and it will take several escalation emails through ComcastCares and probably a couple months to get the bill correct again if I let anybody touch how the account is configured. It's just maddening how poorly they've set up the billing and authorization systems that permit it to be so easily screwed up.

The cable system where my parents live has a wonderful CableCARD setup: you just plug it in and activate it on your account using their web site and it works. No pairing required, making the card completely portable between devices. No absurd strange billing codes. No special handling. Available for pickup. Just works. It's annoying, really, how a tiny little cable system can do it all right, and Comcast which should have the wherewithal to make this easy for customers and installers, still, after many years, can't sort it out so it's a painless and simple process.

It's not that I can't get it done via Comcast. It's simply that it'll require handholding throughout the entire process, and it'll drag out interminably, and undoubtedly cause a couple authorization issues in the middle of recordings which will lead me to further anger and annoyance. So any such willful change I make on my account needs to have some substantial benefit to me to endure this. And so far it's just not there with what's apparently in the Premiere.

Unseen Llama · 03-25-2010, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dswallow

I know what Comcast will do; I've been through this with them several times. It is never easy. They will mess something up and it will take several escalation emails through ComcastCares and probably a couple months to get the bill correct again if I let anybody touch how the account is configured. It's just maddening how poorly they've set up the billing and authorization systems that permit it to be so easily screwed up.

The cable system where my parents live has a wonderful CableCARD setup: you just plug it in and activate it on your account using their web site and it works. No pairing required, making the card completely portable between devices. No absurd strange billing codes. No special handling. Available for pickup. Just works. It's annoying, really, how a tiny little cable system can do it all right, and Comcast which should have the wherewithal to make this easy for customers and installers, still, after many years, can't sort it out so it's a painless and simple process.

It's not that I can't get it done via Comcast. It's simply that it'll require handholding throughout the entire process, and it'll drag out interminably, and undoubtedly cause a couple authorization issues in the middle of recordings which will lead me to further anger and annoyance. So any such willful change I make on my account needs to have some substantial benefit to me to endure this. And so far it's just not there with what's apparently in the Premiere.

Turning into the same experience again here in Fishers, IN. This will be the third time I'm having a cablecard installed.

Called Comcast yesterday and the rep stated that I can go to the local office and pick up an m-card to do a self installation. Went to the local office and, of course, denied this is true and would not give me an m-card and say they don't even have them. It will required another truckroll and technician to set it up for $20.

I've already contacted ComcastCares on twitter so we'll see what happens. It's just ridiculous that a self install is still not possible across regions. Not having a standard cablecard process creates aggravation not only for customers, but also their customer service. It's tiring really. Having to jump through hoops for something as simple as getting local channels.

jfh3 · 03-25-2010, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dswallow

The cable system where my parents live has a wonderful CableCARD setup: you just plug it in and activate it on your account using their web site and it works. No pairing required, making the card completely portable between devices. No absurd strange billing codes. No special handling. Available for pickup. Just works.

Where do your parents live? Fantasyland? I want to move ...

This is how it should be.

dswallow · 03-25-2010, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfh3

Where do your parents live? Fantasyland? I want to move ...

This is how it should be.

They're in the Lehigh Valley, PA area -- Service Electric territory.

They will even *sell* you a CableCARD for a one-time fee, then a small fee per month to authorize it.

http://www.sectv.com/LV/index.html

Unseen Llama · 03-25-2010, 05:19 PM

I love it...called Comcast to get cable service added. They refused to send someone out to install a cablecard on the Tivo if I was only going to get the local basic channels. What a bunch of BS.