you cant use a cable box with an HD tivo, you need a series 2 or below in order for it to work with a cable box. you need to call comcast and ask for a cablecard in order to get your channels back and install it in the tivo.
Comcast Digital Set Top Box Problems
Comcast in CT is now requiring a digital set top box in order to continue receiving many cable channels. I'm only subscribed to reg. cable.. no premium channels. I attempted to set it up today but I'm not getting any signal. I have the cable from the wall to the comcast box/in, coax/out to my series 3 HD Tivo, and the three colored cables going from Tivo into my Sony Bravia. The only thing I changed was switching the wall/cable into the comcast box, and then the outgoing coax into the Tivo. The other set up was left the same as before. The remotes all work, but the comcast remote won't change channels... the Tivo remote does change channels and will play previously recorded shows. I activated the Comcast digital box online, and it does say it is activated.
On each and every channel I get the Tivo error message... "Searching for signal on: Cable in." No sound... no picture... nada! I called Customer Service and their suggestion was to disconnect Tivo... NOT a solution.. I definitely WANT Tivo, and I have a lifetime subscription so I'm not about to switch to theirs. They claim total ignorance about Tivo and how to connect it so everything works. So, right now I have NO TV... and no ability to record without a signal. I never did have a cable cards installed in the Tivo.
Can someone please help, and suggest what to do to get my TV/Tivo back.
Thanks!
JB
On each and every channel I get the Tivo error message... "Searching for signal on: Cable in." No sound... no picture... nada! I called Customer Service and their suggestion was to disconnect Tivo... NOT a solution.. I definitely WANT Tivo, and I have a lifetime subscription so I'm not about to switch to theirs. They claim total ignorance about Tivo and how to connect it so everything works. So, right now I have NO TV... and no ability to record without a signal. I never did have a cable cards installed in the Tivo.
Can someone please help, and suggest what to do to get my TV/Tivo back.
Thanks!
JB
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
You need 2 cable cards instead of a cable box for a Series 3 OLED Tivo. It cannot receive or control a cable box.
However, if when he said "series 3 HD Tivo" he meant TCD652160, won't he only need one M card?You need 2 cable cards instead of a cable box for a Series 3 OLED Tivo. It cannot receive or control a cable box.
Correct.However, if when he said "series 3 HD Tivo" he meant TCD652160, won't he only need one M card?
To clarify, TCD648250 needs 2 cable cards, no matter the type.
TCD652160, TCD 658000 only use 2 S or 1 M card.
To the OP, you need to specify exactly the model as Series 3 HD refers to all 3 models.
Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I'm not very technologically astute and I just don't know what all these initials mean. I checked my order history and the model I have is a DVR 91A5, and it was initially activated in 9/08. I purchased the Sony Bravia about the same time. If you need more info I'm happy to provide it, but please tell me where to find it.
If I need cable cards, is this something I can install myself? I've read there are now self-installation kits available. There are a couple of Comcast service centers not too far and I'd be willing to pick up whatever is needed.
JB
If I need cable cards, is this something I can install myself? I've read there are now self-installation kits available. There are a couple of Comcast service centers not too far and I'd be willing to pick up whatever is needed.
JB
Look on the back of your TiVo where the power cord plugs in.Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I'm not very technologically astute and I just don't know what all these initials mean. I checked my order history and the model I have is a DVR 91A5, and it was initially activated in 9/08. I purchased the Sony Bravia about the same time. If you need more info I'm happy to provide it, but please tell me where to find it.
If I need cable cards, is this something I can install myself? I've read there are now self-installation kits available. There are a couple of Comcast service centers not too far and I'd be willing to pick up whatever is needed.
JB
Find the sticker and find the number on the sticker that starts with TCD
Tell us the rest of that number.
DVR 91A5 does not indicate what model number. It is located on the label on the back of the Tivo starting with TCD, on the menu system information screen, for service number and software version. There is also on tivo.com on your account, as the service number. On almost any tivo the 1st 3 numbers is the model (following TCD on the label on the back of the Tivo). In this case, a Series 3 would be either 648 (Series 3 OLED), 652 (HD), or 658 (HD XL).Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I'm not very technologically astute and I just don't know what all these initials mean. I checked my order history and the model I have is a DVR 91A5, and it was initially activated in 9/08. I purchased the Sony Bravia about the same time. If you need more info I'm happy to provide it, but please tell me where to find it.
If I need cable cards, is this something I can install myself? I've read there are now self-installation kits available. There are a couple of Comcast service centers not too far and I'd be willing to pick up whatever is needed.
JB
In your "DVR 91A5", it is the Tivo name default with the last 4 numbers of the serial service number.
Wow! You guys are fast... thanks SO much! OK, the number is TCD652160 . What exactly do I need to ask for when I call Comcast tomorrow? I really can't have a technician come to the house... it's complicated. So I really need to do this myself.
JB
JB
It depends on the cable company, they might insist on a truck roll or you can pick up a M card. Copy the numbers on the back of the cable card, on the Tivo menu for cable card, copy those and call cable service to tell them to activate. After Tivo says its fully activated, re-run guided setup.Wow! You guys are fast... thanks SO much! OK, the number is TCD652160 . What exactly do I need to ask for when I call Comcast tomorrow? I really can't have a technician come to the house... it's complicated. So I really need to do this myself.
JB
The cable card slot is located on the front behind a long door that pulls down, near the bottom of the frame.
That's the second of the Series 3 models, the HD, and can use either one S card for each tuner or just one M card for both, and using one card will be cheaper, monthly cable bill-wise, than using two.Wow! You guys are fast... thanks SO much! OK, the number is TCD652160 . What exactly do I need to ask for when I call Comcast tomorrow? I really can't have a technician come to the house... it's complicated. So I really need to do this myself.
JB
You can either keep the cable box and hook it directly to one of your TV's inputs and the TiVo to another, or give it back to the cable company and just use the TiVo to get channels onto the TV.
Find out if there was a separate monthly charge for the cable box. If not, you should get the first cable card at no charge.
If there was, that charge should no longer be on your bill and the monthly rent of the cable card should be less than the cable box was.
Our cable company in New Haven CT is Comcast. There is no charge for the first set top box... and I only need one. So, I will call Comcast tomorrow and request one M card... thanks for telling me where to find the slot. Am I correct that the M card goes into the #1 slot, which is on the right?
Also, would there be any advantage to getting an HDMI cable to connect Tivo to TV? Right now I am using the tri color cables (not sure what they're called). The HDMI cables are cheap enough if it would help.
You guys are the best... thanks so much! I'll let you know how it works out.
JB
Also, would there be any advantage to getting an HDMI cable to connect Tivo to TV? Right now I am using the tri color cables (not sure what they're called). The HDMI cables are cheap enough if it would help.
You guys are the best... thanks so much! I'll let you know how it works out.
JB
Yes, 1 M card goes in slot #1 on the right.
HDMI is digital connection and would only need 1 cable for digital video and sound.
Composite (yellow with audio (white/red) are analog.
Component (blue/green/red with the audio (red/white) is also analog.
HDMI is digital connection and would only need 1 cable for digital video and sound.
Composite (yellow with audio (white/red) are analog.
Component (blue/green/red with the audio (red/white) is also analog.
HDMI introduces a situation where the equipment at each end of the HDMI cable has to keep asking each other if you have permission to watch what you're watching.Our cable company in New Haven CT is Comcast. There is no charge for the first set top box... and I only need one. So, I will call Comcast tomorrow and request one M card... thanks for telling me where to find the slot. Am I correct that the M card goes into the #1 slot, which is on the right?
Also, would there be any advantage to getting an HDMI cable to connect Tivo to TV? Right now I am using the tri color cables (not sure what they're called). The HDMI cables are cheap enough if it would help.
You guys are the best... thanks so much! I'll let you know how it works out.
JB
The Component Video cables you're using right now just send the video from the TiVo to the television.
Which one do you think will be more trouble free in the long run?
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
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