[moyekj]

I'm getting CableCard error 161-1 on CC #2 on one of my S3 Tivos.

Calling cable company they say that error means bad/poor signal to the cable card. The fact that CC#1 works fine receiving same signal + the fact I get the error still even when feeding the Tivo the cable drop directly makes it highly doubtful that's the problem.

From various searches in this forum and Google the consensus seems to be that 161-1 means a bad CC and replacing it usually solves the problem.

I think I've established it's a bad card since if I swap it out with CC#1 then the problem (and Tivo error message) follows the card to slot 1.

Just wanted to confirm with anyone here who is familiar with this error that indeed it does mean a bad card? The card had been working fine for a few months prior to this problem.

Of course my cable company insists on a truck roll with a 3-hour window (and next available appointment is 6 days from now) just to replace a card instead of letting me drop by their service center and pickup a replacement myself...

 

[aztivo]

you have a bad cable card reader... this has been talked about a lot

 

[moyekj]

you have a bad cable card reader... this has been talked about a lot

cable card reader as in the Tivo? Or bad cable card? I see you posted in this thread which I've already seen:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318618
In that thread swapping cards seems to have solved the problem indicating a bad card, not a bad Tivo.

 

[aztivo]

from what i have experienced it is in the tivo (device reading the card)

 

[moyekj]

OK thanks. I'm 99% convinced it's a bad card based on everything I've read and the fact that the error follows the card if I swap slots. I've got a replacement scheduled for Thursday that hopefully will confirm that. I'm going to take the bad card with me tomorrow and drop by the Cox store to see if they will just let me swap it out there and then instead of waiting for a tech. They used to let me swap out boxes myself with no problem (and I'd have to call in to get the box activated and tied to my account) so I don't see why not with CCs as well.

 

[spatrizi]

I had a Comcast technician here this weekend to install CableCARDS in my TivoHD, and the first couple of cards were giving the 161-1 code; he tried a few more cards and finally got one to work in Slot 1, then his supervisor came over later with some more cards and the first one he tried worked. I'm getting HD and premium channels on both cards now with no problem.

From my experience, 161-1 is a problem with the card, not with the Tivo device.

 

[jazmaan]

I'm getting 161-4 errors during the install. Tried a different card in slot 1. It worked. Tried the bad card in slot 2. It didn't work. My tech just left to go get more cards because he only had those two with him. Sheesh!

 

[moyekj]

I'm getting 161-4 errors during the install. Tried a different card in slot 1. It worked. Tried the bad card in slot 2. It didn't work. My tech just left to go get more cards because he only had those two with him. Sheesh!

161-4 errors are GOOD. You have to receive at least one 161-4 error per card before they start working correctly. 161-1 errors on the other hand are BAD. Look at the CableCard thread for your particular provider for more details.

 

[jazmaan]

THanks Moyekj. I realized that about 5 minutes after he left. By the time he returned with more cards, everything was working already. They really should put that 161-4 = GOOD information on the printed sheet of instructions.

 

[moyekj]

As suspected, the issue was a bad CC.

At first when the technician showed up he said "these cards don't go bad" and refused to try a different card. I told him about all my troubleshooting to determine that but he just ignored everything I said. Finally when he wasn't getting anywhere trying to send hits to the card he listened to me. I said please humor me and try a new card. Sure enough within 2 minutes everything was up and running again with no issues.

Conclusion: 161-1 most likely means bad CableCard and swapping it out will fix the problem.
This is what I gleamed from previous accounts of this problem and now I have my own experience to confirm it. Hope this card lasts more than a month which is how long it took for the 1st one to go bad.