[mjl13]

So, I just had an excruciating experience with my Tivo Romio and Comcast / Xfinity Support. It all started when I couldn't access seem to play any videos from the Xfinity video on demand (VOD) app on Tivo (I get an error CL-14 or GSM-11 repeatedly). I called Xfinity support and was connected to a cable card "expert." We spent literally 2.5 hours walking through all the steps to regain connectivity, including repeating the guided setup, logging into tivo and making some modifications and re-downloading the Tivo data. All of this was to no avail. I even went to the Comcast store at the suggestion of the cable card expert to pick up a new cablecard. The following day, the cable card technical called me back and explained to me she had just left a meeting where they were told that the Tivo Cable Cards would no longer support VOD on fiber networks and that my "area" had just been upgraded to fiber. She said all areas will sooner or later be upgraded to fiber. As a result, she explained to me that my cable card, along with all the cablecards of other Tivo users in the area are now "obsolete" (her words). When I asked how to obtain a new cablecard that was VOD compatible, she said, there is no such thing. They will not support VOD on Tivos any more on the fiber network.

This has me absolutely livid. First of all, they wasted my time trying to troubleshoot something that is incompatible and their supposed cablecard experts had no idea (apparently management didn't communicate this down to the rank and file). Second, I'm quite miffed because I specifically purchased the Tivo because I'd be able to eliminate the need for a clunky box through their cablecards.

If you are a comcast user, be prepared: You will loose your VOD access through your Tivo cablecard. I hope that if enough of us complain, they'll think twice about this and hopefully reverse their decision to not support VOD on the Tivo Cablecards. Please contact Tivo and Comcast and let them know how unhappy you are about this.

Thanks.

 

[PSU_Sudzi]

Sadly I think this is a losing battle.

 

[mjl13]

Sadly I think this is a losing battle.

I agree, sadly. I guess it's time to hang up my tivo after being an owner since series 1. :-(

 

[PSU_Sudzi]

I agree, sadly. I guess it's time to hang up my tivo after being an owner since series 1. :-(

Well can you get around it by scheduling recordings vs. using on demand?

 

[gigaquad]

I just told another user this, but things like this and frequent price-hikes is what caused me to go OTA for local stuff (and MeTV, who knew there was such a thing?), and Amazon FireTV stick (25.00) with Kodi for all the pay shows.

It's like the cable companies are just daring us to give them up. "You can't live without Comcast! You'll be so sad all the time!" No, instead I get all the shows I want and more, and I don't pay you $200 a month to tick me off every billing cycle.

 

[TonyD79]

Well can you get around it by scheduling recordings vs. using on demand?

Unfortunately, Comcast relies on On Demand for some channels like HBO. They have dropped the multiple HBO HD channels for one or two in many markets.

 

[mjl13]

Well can you get around it by scheduling recordings vs. using on demand?

Normally I can schedule, but I often use VOD when I hear of a new show that I wanted to go back and want, after-the-fact. So unfortunately, this won't work. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[NashGuy]

Unfortunately, Comcast relies on On Demand for some channels like HBO. They have dropped the multiple HBO HD channels for one or two in many markets.

Hmm. My suggestion would be to tell Comcast to take a hike and subscribe to HBO via streaming. If you have Amazon Prime Video or Hulu, add HBO to one of those and get multiple live HBO channels in HD, plus everything on demand. Otherwise, just subscribe via the HBO Now app (which unfortunately doesn't offer the live channels).

Same holds true for Showtime, except that their own Showtime app does offer the live channel.

Honestly, it's like Comcast just invites customers to walk away from them with their difficult policies.

 

[NashGuy]

The following day, the cable card technical called me back and explained to me she had just left a meeting where they were told that the Tivo Cable Cards would no longer support VOD on fiber networks and that my "area" had just been upgraded to fiber. She said all areas will sooner or later be upgraded to fiber.

I'm not quibbling with what you're reporting here but I do wonder what she meant in reference to upgrading areas to fiber. Comcast's entire network all across the country has consisted of a lot of fiber for years now. It's actually known as HFC, or hybrid fiber/coaxial, meaning that the inner core of the network is composed of fiber while the outer edges of the network that connect directly to homes is composed of coaxial cable. As time has gone on, Comcast (and other cable companies) has expanded the reach of fiber in their networks and shortened the distances that the old traditional coaxial cables run. This provides more bandwidth in their network and generally makes everything faster and more reliable.

I'm not aware of Comcast converting any of their areas completely over to fiber (i.e. FTTH -- fiber to the home). And I've never read about any plans on Comcast's part to do that any time in the coming years (unlike Altice/Optimum, which has already begun converting their HFC network over to FTTH in some areas).

So I do wonder what it is that Comcast is actually doing in their network in your area that would make VOD incompatible with TiVo. Perhaps they are simply moving all VOD off of QAM and exclusively to IPTV (i.e. streaming), which would make it unavailable to TiVos unless they were to create a new IPTV-based VOD app for TiVo, the way that Cox cable did. But if that's what they actually did, then it would also mean that Comcast VOD would be unavailable to those older pre-X1 STBs that some Comcast customers are still using, since those STBs (like TiVos) are QAM-only and cannot access IPTV.

 

[PSU_Sudzi]

I'm not quibbling with what you're reporting here but I do wonder what she meant in reference to upgrading areas to fiber. Comcast's entire network all across the country has consisted of a lot of fiber for years now. It's actually known as HFC, or hybrid fiber/coaxial, meaning that the inner core of the network is composed of fiber while the outer edges of the network that connect directly to homes is composed of coaxial cable. As time has gone on, Comcast (and other cable companies) has expanded the reach of fiber in their networks and shortened the distances that the old traditional coaxial cables run. This provides more bandwidth in their network and generally makes everything faster and more reliable.

I'm not aware of Comcast converting any of their areas completely over to fiber (i.e. FTTH -- fiber to the home). And I've never read about any plans on Comcast's part to do that any time in the coming years (unlike Altice/Optimum, which has already begun converting their HFC network over to FTTH in some areas).

So I do wonder what it is that Comcast is actually doing in their network in your area that would make VOD incompatible with TiVo. Perhaps they are simply moving all VOD off of QAM and exclusively to IPTV (i.e. streaming), which would make it unavailable to TiVos unless they were to create a new IPTV-based VOD app for TiVo, the way that Cox cable did. But if that's what they actually did, then it would also mean that Comcast VOD would be unavailable to those older pre-X1 STBs that some Comcast customers are still using, since those STBs (like TiVos) are QAM-only and cannot access IPTV.

Hmm, I wonder if this is BS and worth it for the poster to escalate with TiVo?

 

[astrohip]

Unfortunately, Comcast relies on On Demand for some channels like HBO. They have dropped the multiple HBO HD channels for one or two in many markets.

I believe that all HBO series air at some point on the single HD channel. You would still be able to record them at some point.

In Houston, Comcast only has a couple HD HBO channels, versus DirecTV and their 6 or 7. But everything I watch starts out on the main HBOeHD feed, so it's recordable.

I'm not aware of Comcast converting any of their areas completely over to fiber (i.e. FTTH -- fiber to the home). And I've never read about any plans on Comcast's part to do that any time in the coming years (unlike Altice/Optimum, which has already begun converting their HFC network over to FTTH in some areas).

I'm moving into a condo that has Comcast fiber from start to finish. The AV guy I'm using was amazed, said it was the first time he's seen Comcast fiber optics in a residential setting (albeit multi-family). I currently get Comcast VOD. I'll check when I move (Aug) and see what happens.

 

[NashGuy]

Hmm, I wonder if this is BS and worth it for the poster to escalate with TiVo?

If what this guy was told by Comcast is true (it could just be misinformation), it's a pretty big deal for TiVo. Comcast accounts for, what, about 40% of potential retail CableCARD TiVo users? So if support for the Xfinity OnDemand TiVo app is getting phased out this year, that hurts TiVo and lots of TiVo customers. I would think that TiVo would (or at least should) know about such a move on Comcast's part. If it were me, I'd follow up with TiVo support or maybe TivoTed on the forum here.

If what this guy was told is true, I would expect there to be other TiVo users on Comcast experiencing the same errors when trying to use OnDemand. We'll see if that happens.

 

[NashGuy]

I'm moving into a condo that has Comcast fiber from start to finish. The AV guy I'm using was amazed, said it was the first time he's seen Comcast fiber optics in a residential setting (albeit multi-family). I currently get Comcast VOD. I'll check when I move (Aug) and see what happens.

Yes, there are limited instances, such as condos, apartments, and newly constructed neighborhoods, where Comcast is initially hooking up residences to their network and they choose to do FTTH rather than HFC. But those are exceptions. I'm not aware of any places where Comcast has gone and switched homes that were already on their HFC network over to FTTH.

I'm curious what sort of TV service that Comcast delivers to those few FTTH premises like the condo you're moving into soon. I suspect that it's 100% IPTV and will only be compatible with their X1 boxes and devices such as Roku which run the Xfinity Stream app. I'll be surprised if you can use your TiVo in your new condo.

 

[tvmaster2]

If what this guy was told by Comcast is true (it could just be misinformation), it's a pretty big deal for TiVo. Comcast accounts for, what, about 40% of potential retail CableCARD TiVo users? So if support for the Xfinity OnDemand TiVo app is getting phased out this year, that hurts TiVo and lots of TiVo customers. I would think that TiVo would (or at least should) know about such a move on Comcast's part. If it were me, I'd follow up with TiVo support or maybe TivoTed on the forum here.

If what this guy was told is true, I would expect there to be other TiVo users on Comcast experiencing the same errors when trying to use OnDemand. We'll see if that happens.

OnDemand services have been bugy for nearly two years on Cox Cable in most areas, and all they say on the phone is "yeah, we know there's a problem, but don't you worry, we're on top of it", which of course, is bollocks. Cox is likely do8ng the same thing, just not admitting it...

 

[astrohip]

I'm curious what sort of TV service that Comcast delivers to those few FTTH premises like the condo you're moving into soon. I suspect that it's 100% IPTV and will only be compatible with their X1 boxes and devices such as Roku which run the Xfinity Stream app. I'll be surprised if you can use your TiVo in your new condo.

I have no direct or specific knowledge about this circumstance, but I would be stunned if it's anything but plain old coax TV service. That would be a major shift in Comcast's delivery vehicle.

FWIW, in the pic attached to my post, it shows fiber>Commscope node. I looked up that node, it has RFoG (Radio Freq over Glass), plus an RF output signal via coax F-type. Again, I know nothing, but that sounds like it will send a std coax signal?

 

[DigitalDawn]

I would be thrilled if all I lost was VOD on Comcast. Our community is being switched over to Comcast FTTH and we have been told that our TiVo's won't work at all once the conversion is complete late this year.

A friend just went through this in his community and he lost his TiVo. Interestingly, according to his X1 diagnostic pages, his system is still using QAM. So, I am going to file an FCC complaint when the time comes and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[slowbiscuit]

Typical Comcast CS roulette BS. I don't believe that XOD went away, I believe there's an account issue for the OP. My guess is that it's the usual problem where the Tivo rate code is not on the account - this can happen anytime a plan is changed, upgraded, etc.

Post a message here and ask a Comcast rep to get back with you, these guys can fix XOD stuff:
Non-X1 Service - Xfinity Help and Support Forums

If they confirm that XOD is really gone in fiber converted areas, that is indeed going to be big news for Tivo users on Comcast.

 

[WVZR1]

Typical Comcast CS roulette BS. I don't believe that XOD went away, I believe there's an account issue for the OP. My guess is that it's the usual problem where the Tivo rate code is not on the account - this can happen anytime a plan is changed, upgraded, etc.

Post a message here and ask a Comcast rep to get back with you, these guys can fix XOD stuff:
Non-X1 Service - Xfinity Help and Support Forums

If they confirm that XOD is really gone in fiber converted areas, that is indeed going to be big news for Tivo users on Comcast.

I'm guessing the 'OP' is 'Mikey13' on the Xfinity support forum and he's been there since yesterday with 'no Xfinity' responses. He didn't explicitly ask that a Comcast rep contact him but he has I'd think been there!

 

[NashGuy]

I have no direct or specific knowledge about this circumstance, but I would be stunned if it's anything but plain old coax TV service. That would be a major shift in Comcast's delivery vehicle.

FWIW, in the pic attached to my post, it shows fiber>Commscope node. I looked up that node, it has RFoG (Radio Freq over Glass), plus an RF output signal via coax F-type. Again, I know nothing, but that sounds like it will send a std coax signal?

Well, Comcast already runs their TV service as both QAM and IPTV. For some time now, it appears that the situation with their own X1 boxes is that they receive linear channels as QAM but cloud DVR and VOD as IPTV. (However, one guy on this forum recently reported seeing a neighbor's new X1 box that he thinks may be 100% IPTV.) TiVos and old pre-X1 Comcast boxes get everything (including OnDemand) via QAM. And all devices using the Xfinity Stream app, including mobile devices as well as Rokus connected to TVs on the new "Xfinity Instant TV" service, get everything (including all linear channels) via IPTV.

For a few years now, Comcast has basically had their entire system, which was originally 100% QAM, duplicated in a Denver-based nationally-served IPTV system. So it theoretically shouldn't be a problem for Comcast to serve your new condo with 100% IPTV. That said, use of the RFoG node and F-type connector on that box that you photographed does indicate that they will still be transmitting at least some TV services via QAM. Per this article, it looks like the purpose of RFoG is to allow cable systems to integrate new FTTH locations into their mainly HFC network so that the FTTH locations can be served by all of their existing legacy systems, such as QAM TV.

I would be thrilled if all I lost was VOD on Comcast. Our community is being switched over to Comcast FTTH and we have been told that our TiVo's won't work at all once the conversion is complete late this year.

A friend just went through this in his community and he lost his TiVo. Interestingly, according to his X1 diagnostic pages, his system is still using QAM. So, I am going to file an FCC complaint when the time comes and keep my fingers crossed.

So if Comcast is continuing to provision QAM TV to FTTH locations via RFoG, then why can't those homes use CableCARD?

My Googling led me to this thread about the incompatibility of CableCARD TiVos with Cox locations that are FTTH. Looks like they've done the same thing that Comcast is doing, which is to implement FTTH in select new build situations, with RFoG used as a way to integrate those FTTH locations into their legacy HFC systems. And posters on this thread were saying that in those Cox FTTH locations, they couldn't use TiVo, perhaps because of some kind of conditional access incompatibility between the CableCARD standard and the new headend technology used for those FTTH homes. But then by the end of the thread it appeared that Cox had remedied the problem so that those customers could use their TiVos?

Out of curiosity: what sort of community are you in that's getting switched over by Comcast to FTTH? Is it a condo or some other kind of neighborhood where Comcast is your only choice for broadband provider and the cost is bundled into your association fee?

 

[gweempose]

Let's face it, Comcast users were lucky we ever even got VoD on the TiVo at all. I'm honestly amazed it lasted this long.