Cable card self installs starting Aug 1

rileyrd · 07-19-2011, 06:11 PM

I saw today that Verizon s already set up self installs of Cable Cards complete with web page setup.

Anyone else heard of plans from other providers? I am especially interested in Time Warner who will probably figure out a way not to provide them. I have an old Tivo HD I am going to install to go along with our Premier.

ufo4sale · 07-19-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rileyrd

I saw today that Verizon s already set up self installs of Cable Cards complete with web page setup.

Anyone else heard of plans from other providers? I am especially interested in Time Warner who will probably figure out a way not to provide them. I have an old Tivo HD I am going to install to go along with our Premier.

I can almost guarantee that they will still say that a truck roll is mandatory and that there is no other way around it. The only company that probably wouldn't do this is Fios. I'm going to call August 1st to see if they would just mail me a cable card. Like most companies they will see how far they can go before they actually have to do what the law requires them to do. Considering that not to many people use cable cards it could be a while before they do what they are supposed to do

moyekj · 07-19-2011, 09:14 PM

Comcast has already implemented self-install packages for a while for most locations I believe, and Cox now has them too. See this post for Cox. TWC seems to be the least TiVo friendly (based on their over-zealous copy protection flags) but they have to comply as well.

yoheidiho · 07-20-2011, 12:50 AM

Cablevision has allowed self installs since last fall although it was not widely known at the time by most CSRs.

aristoBrat · 07-20-2011, 05:34 AM

Cox Hampton Roads (Norfolk/Va Beach) has already started this. I called last Friday to setup an appt. for a "professional install", and they told me I could just swing by one of their "Solution Centers" and pick it all up myself for a self-install. Guess they've been doing this since the beginning of July.

Did that yesterday. Calling the 1-800 number, they weren't able to get it all activated properly (the new TiVo only got channels that weren't on SDV), so they have to do a truck roll. At least that's free now.

Joey P · 07-20-2011, 06:42 AM

When I got my premiere I called up and ordered a CC and TA. A few days later they both showed up at my doorstep via UPS. I got the TA hooked up so it would be ready to go and just left the CC on the kitchen counter. What was odd was that about 2 hours before the appointment the tech called and asked if I got it installed ok or if I still needed him to come out and do it for me. He seemed really, really confused when I told him I was farily certain that TW required him to do it. He said "ok, I'll be there in 2 hours"
When he got there, he had to call in to ask someone exactly what to do. I inserted it, I pulled up the CC screen, I gave him the numbers he needed...I might as well have done it. It was pretty straight forward. In fact, it seems like something that could be done over the internet.

Johnwashere · 07-20-2011, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey P

When I got my premiere I called up and ordered a CC and TA. A few days later they both showed up at my doorstep via UPS. I got the TA hooked up so it would be ready to go and just left the CC on the kitchen counter. What was odd was that about 2 hours before the appointment the tech called and asked if I got it installed ok or if I still needed him to come out and do it for me. He seemed really, really confused when I told him I was farily certain that TW required him to do it. He said "ok, I'll be there in 2 hours"
When he got there, he had to call in to ask someone exactly what to do. I inserted it, I pulled up the CC screen, I gave him the numbers he needed...I might as well have done it. It was pretty straight forward. In fact, it seems like something that could be done over the internet.

I have worked with TW in Columubus and it does seem pretty easy. I have had a premier and HD install. Sometimes TW has bad cable cards, 1 time the cable card had to do a 1 hour update before it worked. For the most part they just have to give the operater a line of numbers to send the hit and it works pretty easily. I may have to upgrade my HD to a premiere once and if TW starts cable card self install.

ciucca · 07-20-2011, 08:54 AM

FIOS cable card self installs are a reality and are already available.

kturcotte · 07-20-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ufo4sale

I can almost guarantee that they will still say that a truck roll is mandatory and that there is no other way around it. The only company that probably wouldn't do this is Fios. I'm going to call August 1st to see if they would just mail me a cable card. Like most companies they will see how far they can go before they actually have to do what the law requires them to do. Considering that not to many people use cable cards it could be a while before they do what they are supposed to do

They may be required to allow self installs of cable cards, but what about TAs? Does it cover those as well? I can already picture that one. Here, if you want ANYTHING about like channel 73, and ANY of the HD channels, a TA is required. "Yes, you can install the cable card yourself, but we still require a technician to install the TA if you want one."

daxem · 07-20-2011, 11:57 AM

The FCC has mandated that this has to happen by 11/1/11. Some companies have been rolling out early but it may not be a reality for everyone until November.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rileyrd

I saw today that Verizon s already set up self installs of Cable Cards complete with web page setup.

Anyone else heard of plans from other providers? I am especially interested in Time Warner who will probably figure out a way not to provide them. I have an old Tivo HD I am going to install to go along with our Premier.

robaustin · 07-20-2011, 12:18 PM

...self installs have been going on or a while, and I just upgraded my two SEries 2s to Premiere. Cable card self install went extremely well. Both times I was up and running with the Cablecard in under 30 minutes. Couldn't be happier with the Tivos running with Cablecard since Cablevision's boxes are pretty atrocious.

--*Rob

sbiller · 07-20-2011, 01:46 PM

http://support.tivo.com/app/home

moyekj · 07-20-2011, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daxem

The FCC has mandated that this has to happen by 11/1/11. Some companies have been rolling out early but it may not be a reality for everyone until November.

That's the general deadline. The Aug 1 deadline is for those companies that offer self-install packages for their own set top boxes, which all the large cable companies do. So for all practical purposes Aug 1 is the real key date for most people.

rileyrd · 07-22-2011, 06:21 AM

Just for fun I called TW yesterday to ask for a cable card install. Of course they said a truck roll would be required, so I asked about the self installs starting by Aug 1. They, of course, had never heard of it, but did ask technical services. He also googled it and saw that info on the law. Asked why all their major and many minor competition have it already, he said that since its law and TW does allow self intalls of other products then they will probably allow it after Aug 1.

More Par for the course for TW!!

Kanyon71 · 07-24-2011, 10:46 AM

I just replaced my S3 with a Premier (HDD Died - waiting for new drive to arrive) and when I called Verizon (FiOS) they asked if I wanted a truck rolled or a CC sent to me. I chose the self install. Arrived on Friday. Popped in the card TiVo popped up with all the needed info I went to the Verizon page in their instructions, entered the info and within 10 minutes everything was completely activated. Within 5 minutes all the base channels were already tuning in. VERY easy and straight forward and much better than having to deal with an installer coming out at SOME point during the day.

aristoBrat · 07-24-2011, 11:00 AM

This was a nice little surprise on my Cox bill:

For the privilege of having spend 45 minutes in one of their "Solution Centers" as they tried to figure out how to "balance" the new CC/TA that I was asking for, spending another 30 minutes on the phone troubleshooting after the self-install resulted with no premium channels, and then having to wait for them to roll a truck two days later, just to find out that the "Solution Center" forgot to give me separate instructions for calling and activating the CC (they said the instructions for calling and activating the TA would also activate the CC -- why the telephone support guy didn't catch this, I don't know), I was awesome to sell a $30.22 "one-time fee" added to my bill for "self-install".

sbiller · 07-24-2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aristoBrat

This was a nice little surprise on my Cox bill:

For the privilege of having spend 45 minutes in one of their "Solution Centers" as they tried to figure out how to "balance" the new CC/TA that I was asking for, spending another 30 minutes on the phone troubleshooting after the self-install resulted with no premium channels, and then having to wait for them to roll a truck two days later, just to find out that the "Solution Center" forgot to give me separate instructions for calling and activating the CC (they said the instructions for calling and activating the TA would also activate the CC -- why the telephone support guy didn't catch this, I don't know), I was awesome to sell a $30.22 "one-time fee" added to my bill for "self-install".

Suggest you file a quick complaint with the FCC about this $30.22 charge. My guess is once Cox receives the nasty letter from the FCC they will credit your account. After August 1st, this charge will not be allowed per the FCC regs unless they charge a similar $30.22 for self-install of a Cox set-top box.

Use the online form here --> http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.h...e664&id=d1e752. It takes less than 5 minutes to file the complaint.

aristoBrat · 07-24-2011, 11:42 AM

Ah, now that you mention it, they did charge me similarly for a "self-install" I did one their DVRs (for a roommate) a few month ago. They hand you the DVR/cable box + the power cable, then give you the $30 shrink-wrapped "self-install kit", which consists of the remote control and two short coax cables. I tried to decline the kit, but they said they was no other way to get the remote.

I'm sure I can get the $30 charge dropped easily for how not-smoothly the process was, I was just surprised there was a charge for it at all. But based on what you said, I guess that's going to be normal procedure.

wmcbrine · 07-24-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kanyon71

... and when I called Verizon (FiOS) they asked if I wanted a truck rolled or a CC sent to me.

Wow. Do they think people are actually going to choose the truck roll?

danjw1 · 07-24-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmcbrine

Wow. Do they think people are actually going to choose the truck roll?

Because most people aren't like you. They actually would rather have someone else do it, because they have no idea of what is involved or how to do it.

wmcbrine · 07-24-2011, 05:50 PM

You put in the card, read a bunch of numbers off the screen, and retype them into a web page. Yes most people aren't like me, but come on, this is trivial. The only reason CableCards "required" a truck roll in the first place was to discourage people from getting them.

coolproblems · 07-24-2011, 08:49 PM

I went to Comcast in person (Michigan) to pick up a CableCard a few days ago because the TiVo guide made the installation sound simple. They said September 1st they would start issuing them for self-install. They scheduled an install the next morning at no charge.

It took the tech close to an hour, I think he was enjoying the cool a/c in the basement too much. You'd think they'd start pushing self-installs faster having to give away an hour of truck time to install these things.

Kanyon71 · 07-24-2011, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmcbrine

Wow. Do they think people are actually going to choose the truck roll?

When I first got my S3 I had the first 2 cable cards they had done in my area. I ended up doind a lot of it myself and just telling the installer what was needed.

danjw1 · 07-24-2011, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmcbrine

You put in the card, read a bunch of numbers off the screen, and retype them into a web page. Yes most people aren't like me, but come on, this is trivial. The only reason CableCards "required" a truck roll in the first place was to discourage people from getting them.

Yes, I know. But, so what. Most people don't read these forums. Most people think it would just be so much easier to let a "professional" take care of it. You and I know better, but most people don't.

jcondon · 07-24-2011, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoheidiho

Cablevision has allowed self installs since last fall although it was not widely known at the time by most CSRs.

And if it doesn't work out of the gate the push you to let one of their untrained installers come out. They claimed the card was bad. So I went to their office near my job and tried to get a second one. They wouldn't do it. Said I had to wait for their 'tech' to come out.

Then if your lucky send someone with a clue on the 2nd appointment.

JStew · 07-31-2011, 02:36 AM

The new self-install from Verizon couldn't be any easier. I ordered the card last Saturday on their website and had the card Tuesday morning. Unboxed my Premiere and had everything up and running in no time at all.

I thought that there would be a high misery index, but they really made the install effortless. It's about time!

lamotte · 07-31-2011, 05:00 AM

just got my brother-in-law his own new premier as we will be leaving in two weeks. and was able to do my own card swap with no problems with just a call to time warner and properly pair the two.

rileyrd · 07-31-2011, 06:19 PM

Hi folks!

Just found the below page at TW for Carolinas East

http://www.timewarnercable.com/East/...cablecard.html

Starting August 8, 2011, you’ll be able to find everything you need to setup, install, and support your CableCARD* right here.

This one-stop shopping capability includes information on (1) how to obtain a self-install kit, and (2) determine your eligibility for a “Bring Your Own Box (BYOB)” credit for using a CableCARD-compatible device purchased at retail rather than a Digital Set Top Box leased from Time Warner Cable.

Let's see what happens on August 8.

kturcotte · 07-31-2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rileyrd

Hi folks!

Just found the below page at TW for Carolinas East

http://www.timewarnercable.com/East/...cablecard.html

Starting August 8, 2011, you’ll be able to find everything you need to setup, install, and support your CableCARD* right here.

This one-stop shopping capability includes information on (1) how to obtain a self-install kit, and (2) determine your eligibility for a “Bring Your Own Box (BYOB)” credit for using a CableCARD-compatible device purchased at retail rather than a Digital Set Top Box leased from Time Warner Cable.

Let's see what happens on August 8.

Thought they HAD to allow it be the 1st? So if I call Time Warner tomorrow and request a cable card, and they INSIST on a truck roll, are they in violation?

rileyrd · 07-31-2011, 06:24 PM

It came out this due to FCC documentation delays, the actually date is August 8. I think I saw it on Gizmo Lovers:

http://www.gizmolovers.com/2011/07/2...=Google+Reader