Adelphia refusing to install CableCARDs in S3 TiVO

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Maybe she should give you the number of the closest FCC regional office.

Call back and insist on speaking to a manager. If she refuses, get her full name, and file a complaint.

 

Had a very positive expeirence with Adelphia installing my CableCards this afternoon.

Tech did show up about an hour and a half outside the 4-hour window, however I did get a courtsey call from Adelphia giving me a heads-up about that... so it wasn't all that bad.

When I told the tech that it was for a TiVo, he knew what they were but didn't know about the S3. He puts the first card in... and, at first, it gave an error. I went through some of the other screens (like diagnostics) and it started to give the S3 some fits.... not reboots, just weirdness. When I got back to the initial CC screen (the one with the picture of the CC slots) and then went back into the info screen, all was good.

Same thing happened with CC #2, so my guess is that it just takes a little bit of time to get the CC initialized and running.

Tech called into CS with the information needed ... and was told that this wasn't the first S3 in the area installed; someone had 2 S3s (total of 4 CCs)! Installation was done and I tested out some of the channels... some came through no problem, others weren't fully done yet.

Tech left and I re-did GS with no problems. I am away from the S3 currently but will try out some things and see what I can see.

 

I wouldn't let the tech leave until you make sure you're getting a good sampling of channels (analog, digital SD, broadcast HD, premium HD). Some techs will just test a broadcast HD channel, which more often than not isn't encrypted. So, if they don't have all the correct authorizations set up on your account, you may not get everything you're supposed to.

 

My Series3 came today. Saw the UPS in my condo parking lot and waited for it to stop at my entrance. It just went by. So I actually start running after it!!! It stopped at another entrance and I asked if he had a package for my address. He did, but it didn't list my unit number! But he did give it to me. Went inside and set it up.

Called Tivo and activated it and transferred my lifetime service.

Then I took a deep breath and called Adelphia. This time I selected "Add new service" and asked for two cablecards. When I mentioned that it wasn't for 2 TVs but for a Tivo, she asked if I had talked to customer support to see if that would work. I just said, "Yes, It will work." I got transferred to the guy who schedules cablecard installs and had no problems making an appointment.

I'm now scheduled for Friday the 22nd between Noon and 2PM. The truck roll will be $25 dollars and each card will be $1.75.

Something could still go wrong, but now I'm hopefull.

 

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Same here, and in the surrounding towns, for now.

 

Why do so many people love to tell the person on the phone that the cable cards are not for a TV but for a Tivo? The person obviously isn't going to be doing the install, and you're digging yourself in a hole. Just say you want two cards and that's IT! Don't go looking for fights with the phone operators and you'll get your cards without any trouble

 

This is why you never give the cable company more details than they ask for

I have delt with my cable company far too often over the years, and I eventually learned that you need to give the person over the phone as few details as possible if you do not want to frighten or confuse them. When the installer gets to your house, most of the time that is when you can spring the little details on them, like when I wanted to have a CableCard installed in my TV and keep the Cable Box for my Series 2 TiVo. I tried to explain that to them over the phone and I got nowhere; I told the tech. installer they sent out and he said there was no problem. 15 minutes later I had a CableCard in my TV and I kept my cable box, which the CSR on the phone tried so passionately to convince me was somehow impossible.

They are either too stupid to realize there's no difference between a TV that uses a CableCard and a set-top-box that uses one, or trying their best to fool you into renting their cable box, which is useless with a Series 3 box. You should call them and remind them that they are obligated by the FCC to offer CableCards to anyone with a CableCard certified device, and threaten to take action if they do not install the cards.

 

At least with my install, the truck roll fee was COD... so be prepared with cash or a check.

 

Adelphia was out at my place yesterday afternoon and installed the 2 CC's in my S3. He was here for about 90 minutes trying to get the cards activated correctly, but all in all it was a good experience. Neither the installer or dispatch had heard of the S3, but neither of them questioned it. During the troubleshooting process the dispatcher conferenced in Adelphia's national Video Operations group. The tech in Video Ops said his manager sent out an email about 1-2 weeks ago to prepare everyone for the S3. He says that mine was his first and was excited to that they were able to get everything working.

Unfortunately my Tivo locked up about 2-3 hours after he left. I hope it was a one time event and not some compatability issue with the cards.

Bill

 

Call up the cable company and tell them "haha very funny, turn of the occasional.freeze bit."

 

Moreover, when they ask for what model TV it is for, recite the TiVo Model Number. AS this should be on their approved list it should come up and the install should be sceduled.

Saying it is for a TiVo Series3, rather than referring to a model number more than likely perks up the ears of the CSR and sends them down the 'do not support' path.

In this case, no hole is dug.

-Roll

 

Yuck. Sorry about that

 

Called Adelphia to schedule Cable Cards for to-arrive-tomorrow S3, already have one in Sony Bravia TV, so asked for two additonal cards. $25 install fee and $4.50/mo. each additional beyond first Cablecard ($1.75/mo.) When I said: "That's a little ridiculous" he responded by saying "That's the charge in your area" (Colorado Springs) Perhaps this will change when Comcast takes over, but I won't hold my breath.

So it is scheduled for Friday (22nd). Wish me luck!

 

Just wanted everyone to know that installation was a success. It wasn't exactly easy but everything finally got set up right. Make no mistake, it isn't about which cable company is better, it's about the people. The installer they sent wasn't even an installer, he was a troubleshooter and a contractor. He spent about an hour and a half on the phone with the Time Warner data center trying to get authorized. The first number he called one woman I overheard saying "We don't support Tivo". When he bumped it up to the data center one guy said they had been getting several of those. He was very helpful. After a lot of effort one card had all my channels and the other had all but the HDplus tier channel. He offered to make an appointment to get a new cablecard installed, but I said that I wanted to call Tivo up and see if they had any experience with this problem. I got the number to call them up and thanked both them and the installer for their time. I had a few problems finishing guided setup(had some problems selecting the right lineup), but a call to Tivo solved that. Finally I tried setting both tuners up on a channel on my HDplus tier and both cards were working!!!

The only thing that isn't working right now is my cordless phone. With all these calls I completely drained the battery!!!

 

That's interesting. I have Adelphia (North Georgia) and they had no problem hooking up my cards (aside from them not sending the programming same as you...).