Comcast cable card use until 2031?

I got 2 new cards yesterday at the Xfinity store. Though they can move on from cable cards, they still have to provide a software mechanism to unlocking channels for 3rd parties. This is going to be a long road as there are still plenty of boxes out there running with cable cards (plenty of the Xfinity boxes have cable cards in them) enjoy your TiVo!

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no

 

My condo building just did a Comcast "upgrade" where everybody was given new X1 DVRs. Fortunately, I was allowed to keep my TiVo.

 

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Comcast currently offers a software mechanism for Roku, Fire TV and Samsung TVs, which is probably “good enough” for how prevalent those devices are.

That said it doesn’t cost Comcast to support cableCards, though Comcast has been moving more channels to IPTV only which won’t work on Tivo. As such at some point, Tivo won’t be able to tune enough channels to make it useful.

I will say I was surprised that starting next month Comcast won’t charge for CableCards on additional TVs (at least in my area). They were charging $4.95 a month.

 

Check back next month. You may find that they no longer charge $4.95 for cable card, but turn around and add an "additional outlet" fee of $10/month. They did that to me last August, but we're in different regions so who knows...

 

It's not required to be backward-compatible with Cable Cards. It could be as simple as their Roku app (and IMO likely will be).

 

Should say will not work on the current Tivo models.

 

Maybe you saw it in the first post of: Comcast Moving Channels to IPTV

 

That kind of goes without saying as Tivo hasn’t announced any new models that will work with IPTV, at least none that can be bought by consumers. I would be very surprised if Tivo develops a new cable box in the future.

 

Of course, that doesn't preclude updated software for existing TiVo boxes. I used to download Web video channels on my Roamio until they disabled that feature.

 

TiVo has to be working on an IPTV solution. I just don't see how they would stop development of their platform.

 

You have a lot more confidence in them than I do.

 

Tivo can’t just add IPTV. They need to partner with cable companies and Tivo has no clout these days.

Considering they announced a cooperation plan with Comcast 6.5 years ago to support IPTV with nothing to show for it and that 4 of those years involved Tivo and Comcast suing each other, I would say it’s highly unlikely Tivo will ever have a working IPTV solution.

Comcast, TiVo May Ditch the CableCARD | Light Reading

 

Continued support is not required under any agreement. That agreement was about IP (Intellectual Property such as patents, licensing, etc.) and settles long standing litigation across many years between the two companies, and the agreement settles past claims and will continue for the next decade.

Support of CableCARDs may (and almost everyone expects will) continue for some time, but there is no contractual obligation to do so.

 

Now that Comcast has finally opened the door to let their Fire TV app go free (and such apps were (strongly) rumored to exist for Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV to go along with the Roku and Samsung TV apps along with their mobile apps) it is almost a certainty that the Android TV app will appear reasonably soon(ish), which means that the TiVo Stream should be able to run the Comcast app (again, soon(ish)).

As far as the classic TiVo STB is concerned, I would not really expect such an app to be developed. There are a (relatively) minuscule number of TiVo customers compared to all the streaming platforms, so it would likely only be a negative ROI to develop and support such an app, especially for a platform whose reported customer numbers (the last time such reports existing) were shrinking.

 

I just added a second cable card and it is being charged as a "additional outlet" at $10/month. This is in Northern California (San Jose) area. The cost of my first cable card is included in my Comcast bundled services.

 

No, I don't think that is correct or even reasonable to assume now that the FCC has backed off on forcing them. No disrespect intended, but you are straddling two sinking ships there with Tivo/cablecards and DirectTV. It might be time to think about a new long term strategy. I got out of Tivo a few years back because Spectrum had become so unreliable that I couldn't get any work done, and thankfully was able to sell off all my Tivo gear for pretty good $$$. I'm now using Channels DVR with combination of live TV sources (OTA, streaming providers) and am quite happy and prepared for whatever comes next. There are lots of good alternatives now.

 

Yes, I find that VERY interesting. I might go to the local Comcast store and try to get another cable card. See if it actually costs nothing, for the card and outlet. Have a few Tivos would not mind putting in cable cards if no cost............. It was like $10 for additional outlet and $5 credit for the cable card, net 4.95. Now could/should be zero. Until they figure it out I guess

 

Your location will vary, and depends on the status of your regions offering "SImple and Easy" pricing, *along* with your current bundle. If you have an existing bundle (which you do not want to break) you may find there are different options/fees available (old pricing) than if you are in a "Simple and Easy" bundle (new pricing). Some people have reportedly saved money by moving to a "Simple and Easy" bundle, and some have found staying on their current bundle is the best.