[808mike]

Hi everyone...I'm hoping someone out there can help me out because I've been getting the runaround from both my cable provider and TiVo technical support.

BLUF: What can be done if my cable provider says the Host ID number is already in use?

DETAILS:
I have a TiVo Premier XL4, Cisco tuning adapter, Cisco M-cable card and Spectrum cable.

I'm at the step where I call the cable provider (Spectrum) to pair the cable card with my TiVo.

The Spectrum rep asks for the CableCARD ID number and Host ID number.

I provide both numbers. The Spectrum rep asks to repeat the Host ID number, which I do.

The Spectrum rep says the cable card can not be paired with my TiVo because the Host ID number is already assigned to another TiVo (basically, another Spectrum customer).

From what I understand, the Host ID number is unique to each TiVO. I purchased this TiVo direct from Amazon, my TiVo has always been in my possession and I never let anyone else use it.

As a result, I'm totally perplexed as to how another TiVo has an identical Host ID number as my TiVo.

I have contacted both TiVo technical support and Spectrum cable card support. At one point, I had a conference call between me, Spectrum and TiVo. The outcome of that call was to:
- send a Spectrum technician to my house to physically verify the Host ID number of my TiVo.
- After the Spectrum technician verifies the Host ID number of my TiVo, Spectrum would un-pair the Tivo from the customer with the identical Host ID and pair my cable card with my TiVo.

The Spectrum technician did conduct a field visit and did verify the Host ID. However, Spectrum said they would not un-pair the Tivo from the other customer's account.

I then called TiVo technical support and started to get the runaround. The TiVo technical support lady actually told me the Host ID would change if I changed the cable card. I told her that is not what my cable provider said, that is not what the TiVo technical support person told me when I called the first time and that is not what I read on this TiVo forum. She insisted changing my cable card would solve the problem, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and got another cable card from Spectrum. But, as expected, when I inserted the new cable card into my TiVo, the Host ID number did not change.

As a result, I am still stuck at square one. I'm unable to use my TiVo because the cable provider can not pair the cable card to the TiVo because the Host ID number is already in use.

Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do?

fwiw, I'm running a MoCA network with this TiVO Premier XL4 (in my bedroom) and a TiVo Premier 4 (in my living room). The Tivo Premier 4 (in my living room) was paired with its cable card and tuning adapter with no issues and receives all channels I'm supposed to receive.

 

[ThAbtO]

Either get another cable card -or- get the cable card support representative to unpair (remove the paired data) prior to pairing it to your equipment.

Spectrum (Charter, Insight, and Time Warner Cable)

• Support: 833-267-6094
• Support Site
• Self-Install Guide

 

[808mike]

hi ThAbtO....getting another cable card did not work because the HostID number did not change.

However...i just got off the phone with the Spectrum rep and she did what you suggested to do. That is, unpair the data.

The Spectrum rep unpaired the data, then sent a bunch of (test or control) signals to my cable card. That appears to have done the trick. My Tivo is now paired with the cable card and tuning adapter. I'm currently receiving all the channels I'm supposed to receive.

The Spectrum rep said although the HostID number was shown to be already in the Spectrum system, if the HostID was connected to an active account, she would not be able to unpair it.

The Spectrum rep said sometimes reps are afraid to try something because they think they will get into trouble. That is why, even after the technician came to my house to verify the HostID on my TiVo, the Spectrum rep said they would not unpair the data from the other account.

Another take away from this incident is that even if the technical rep sounds very sure and confident, if they can't help, ask if the issue can be elevated to a higher level of technical support. I had two (2) TiVO technical support reps tell me changing the cable card would change the HostID number and one (1) Spectrum rep tell me they could not or would not unpair the data.

The Spectrum rep I spoke with tonight was awesome! She told me upfront that its been awhile since she last did a TiVo activiation. When she saw the HostID number was already in the Spectrum system and was preventing the pairing of the cable card to the TiVo, she had the smarts to inquire with her supervisor on how to resolve the issue.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Teeps]

Another take away from this incident is that even if the technical rep sounds very sure and confident, if they can't help, ask if the issue can be elevated to a higher level of technical support. I had two (2) TiVO technical support reps tell me changing the cable card would change the HostID number and one (1) Spectrum rep tell me they could not or would not unpair the data.

The Spectrum rep I spoke with tonight was awesome! She told me upfront that its been awhile since she last did a TiVo activiation. When she saw the HostID number was already in the Spectrum system and was preventing the pairing of the cable card to the TiVo, she had the smarts to inquire with her supervisor on how to resolve the issue.

Thanks for the help!!

Unfortunately consumer level tech support agents are not subject matter experts, are low paid and many are out of country...
They are given a script with a flow chart; if you have a documented problem. The script flow chart will work and fix the problem.

You got lucky with the spectrum agent that "had seen the problem before and knew what to do."