TiVo Bolt without Cablecard at USC

Model and settings?

 

Version 20.7.1 was supposed to add Clear QAM Scan to the Bolt but the release notes still say *with* CableCard.

Clear QAM Channel Scan is available on BOLT UESs: This release brings to Bolt / Bolt + the same Clear QAM scan that exists on Roamio. Enables channel scanning with cable card for Clear QAM setups

You were able to pick the University of Southern Carolina during Guided Setup? You might look for the Channel Scan option.

We did this with an HD for my son at GMU and it worked fine (we did have to scan channels on that model as well).

Scott

 

Thanks for the quote. Let me add something that I left out. Recording will be virtually impossible. Well, very hard. I know that sounds cruel, but while the other items in that post are still true, recording was not discussed. Perhaps @HerronScott can explain how to make recordings.

Since you haven't seen the system, it's an unknown exactly what you will receive. Does the feed also move the channels to whole numbers? There's a chance the system is actually supported by TiVo, in which case just supply the zipcode and we can check if tvguide.com, tv.com and zap2it.com have it listed as a cable provider. That would be great, but still leaves you with the cable card problem. A cable cad has two jobs. It decrypts the signals and it maps the QAM channels to the even number channels that cable users and the guide are expecting.

I still have two clear QAM channels on my feed, five analog (vsb) and a Premiere without a cable card connected. Maybe someone with a Bolt and no cable card can give you some advice also. I have two Roamio units and all three TiVo units block channels scan when a cable card is active.

update: with 20.7.2.rc22, the option for a channel scan has been removed from a Roamio. The apps option was moved. So I wonder if it will be removed when my Premiere gets the latest update.

 

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I had a similar situation at my kid's school and gave them an iView. Worked fine. Just make sure you get one that supports clear QAM.

 

A wise solution. I have a BV-980H. Primitive but it works.

 

Sounds good. Call USC first. TiVo may get you Asia. In the Channel List, be sure channels you want are checked and set the guide "A" option to My Channels. Good luck.

 

My TiVo HD powers the video system in my RV, I quit using my satellite system years ago. Every once in a while I pull into a campground that has "free" cable. Most are ClearQAM in standard def and I use my antenna to get HD over the air. But some are old cable systems that are ATSC. If the TiVo doesn't have the "cable" system listed (or nobody knows which one it is) it scans the channels and then ask what you see on random channels. Some times that works great, but rarely on old ATSC cable systems.

 

I am still on 20.7.1 and using CableCARD with Roamio Pro. When I select Settings->Channel->Channel Scan it says Channel Scanning is not available for your current setup. Channel Scanning can only be used to identify channels when neither a CableCARD decoder nor Tuning Adapter is used.

For 20.7.2RC22 is it possible TiVo removed the option if you are using CableCARD but it would show up if you pulled the CableCARD or is the unit you tried already not using CableCARD?

It would be kind of annoying if a release that was mostly for UI just removed a feature people could be using with no notice.

 

I concur. I guess when my Premiere gets the update I will know. Maybe it has moved, like they moved the apps management option. One can hope.

Sorry, but my TiVo with 20.7.2.rc22 is used a lot, so I'm not going to pull the card & repeat GS.

 

So the Bolt showed whole numbers for each channel but I noticed that the channel listing USC has shows x.1 channels. Did you try tuning to one manually and have you tried a channel scan (if that option is truly available without a CableCARD)?

A TiVo HD is what we used at GMU who uses Campus Televideo services with clear QAM. They actually have a post regarding TiVo's and needing to do a channel scan. Of course the HD, isn't going to help with the streaming side of things as it only has access to Netflix through a very old crude client.

Scott

 

Manual channel tuning is using the channel number. Enter the numbers on the remote, and use the ->| key for the dash or decimal point. It has a small (-) printed above it. You can enter ANY channel with this method. Channel up/down only selects channels that are checked in the channel list (My Channels).

While getting the channel banner is normal for any channel in the guide or found by a scan, you need to wait a few seconds to see which message appears. Either "no signal" or "Not Authorized". Not authorized would be for cable. No signal can be for either.

 

So I had a Roamio Pro that just picked up 20.7.2.RC24.

For 20.7.1 with CableCARD I verified the "Channel Scan" was present under "Settings->Channel->Channel Settings". When I selected the option it said "Channel Scanning is not available for your current setup"

For 20.7.2.RC24 with CableCARD I verified the "Channel Scan" was NOT present under "Settings->Channel Settings".

For 20.7.2.RC24 without CableCARD I verified the "Cable Scan" was added under "Settings->Channel Settings" after I shutdown, pulled the CableCARD, and booted with no CableCARD inserted (without needing to run repeat guided setup) I chose the option and it asked me "Cable Channel Scan: Notice - Would you like to scan for new channels?"

So it seems the option was not removed, but was made conditional on whether a CableCARD was installed, whereas before the option was always present but told you it couldn't scan if you chose the option while having a CableCARD installed.