Do Not Buy A Tivo HD

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Yeah, maybe a couple of things in our advantage. Motorola cards, and Comcast is a bit more accepting of a world with TiVo in it. I had no problems with my TiVo HD setup, and it has functioned flawlessly. It went more smoothly than my previous S3 setups.

 

Well worse case scenario, you live with some issues until they find a remidy, and eventually your local cable co will have M cards and life will be great again

 

Even using the analog tuner I can see pixelization and tiling when using the zoom/full screen modes. It is not nearly as noticeable in normal aspect mode.

 

Well in my case, tomorrow once I get both cards activated and the firmware works, and all my channels work, I will then check the second card and if it is pixelated I will ask the cable guy if cablevision has any motorola cards, if not then I will call Tivo and tell them about the SA problem.

 

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Just to emphasize the point: I really hope that the people having pixelation problems with the #2 card with SA are letting TiVo know. I'm sure that they really want to be able to reproduce the problem in their development lab, so they can fix it. Lots of detailed scenarios are useful. In addition, they have the ability to capture and upload diagnostic logs from customer TiVos, with the owner's consent. Complaining in this forum doesn't help them.

 

Here in new york, definite problems with firmware upgrades using Scientific Atlanta cards. A total mess. I am this II close to just returning the unit and keeping my cable co's dvr until these issues are worked out. My 14 day return window is closing rapidly, and i just don't want to take the chance. I will buy again once it seems the dust has settled.

 

If my dual card installation on Monday doesn't go smoothly or if they jack with me and try to stick me with bogus charges related to the cable cards, then mine won't get activated until I can get an M-card and Comcast gets their crap together!

 

your cable company will only be using one brand of cable cards as they need to match up with the head end equipment

 

I did talk to Tivo today. The rep. I talked to said she received a call earlier about the same exact problem. I was sure to give her specifics. Her only solution right now is to switch out the box. I might just wait it out.

 

when TiVo says it is a known issue that means they have reproduced it in the lab.

 

Tivo support just told me (after 10 minutes on hold) that they are aware of the problem with slot 2 and are working to fix it as fast as possible. The tech said the patch would be rolled out hopefully before next week. I have two 2007 dated SA cards, both work fine in slot 1, neither work in slot 2.

 

Actually it can. When I had a toxic channel issue and posted as such, Tivo Jerry contacted me and got my service # and had me force a call so they could retrieve diagnostic data.

Still call and all, but it's not necessarily completely fruitless

 

Does the same hold true for M-Cards? I am having an M-Card installed soon from TW Cincy. It looks like I have an option for SA or Motorola if you go by their web site.

I am assuming I should strongly insist that I want the Motorola!

 

Note that I and other reviewers (which I linked in my review) mentioned some issues with the box. It is a known issue and TiVo is working on getting an update out quickly.

You have 30 days to return the unit and get your money back. I recommend taking a wait and see approach. If TiVo doesn't have it patched before the end of your return window - return it. You can always buy one again later once it is patched. Maybe TiVo will do something like extend the 30-day return window or offer a free month of service or something if they don't have it patched soon.

 

From one involved in developing large commercial software products: One may think that one has used industry best practices to develop your product, and tested it exhaustively in the lab, and in beta, and then when it is generally distributed, there will be something different out there that messes things up. This is especially true when your product has to interact with complex systems you do not control, that may be configured just differently enough from what you expected to cause you grief. Asking the customer help you get the data you need to diagnose and fix the problem is considered reasonable. This is not asking the customer to figure out the cause of the problem, much less fix it.

And in this case, one is dealing a system (cable cards) that its designers (the cable companies) had no motivation to make robust and easy to develop for. Having third-party devices have difficulties with cable cards suits their interests (as they see it) just fine.

 

If this issue is with 2 Cards (Slot 1 and 2) then I was going to ask the same question.

An M Card only takes up 1 Slot, so it should not produce the same problem.

Any one have an M Card and can verify?

 

Just another data-point, I had motorola cards installed and they work fine, no pixellation/tiling issues.

 

Wow do I feel like an utter schmuck now! I have gone through two boxes and I have the dreaded 2nd slot problem as well. I am in Westchester NY and have Cablevision. So they are using the SA cards. I would think that Cablevision would have seen enough of these problems to know there is an issue. I have had 3 visits already and hours upon hours of phone support trying to resolve the problem. Is this problem only associated with the new HD model? Does this not happen on the Original Series three unit? If so I might be better off with that unit instead, any reason not to switch up to the S3? Any benefits of staying with the HD?