[JoeSchueller]

I'm thinking about running out to pick up a TiVo HD tonight. After moving to a location without D* line-of-site, and spending (no lie) 2 hours with a SA 8300 HD DVR in my house, I need an alternative.

The SA box has a Multistream CC in it. Any chance it could possibly be as simple as extract it from the SA, insert it in the TiVo and I'm good-to-go? Anyone been able to do this?

I'm on TWC in Cincinnati OH.

 

[CCourtney]

No, not that simple.

You'll have to get it activated w/ the 'Pairing' information. Basically, you have to go through the setup, then call up TWC and give them the CableCARD(tm), Host, Data, and UnitAddress information. They'll enter this into the system and activate it.

Will they allow you to do it with a card that they installed in a STB? I doubt it. Will they allow you to return the SA8300HD w/o the CableCARD? I seriously doubt it.

CCourtney

 

[Unix_Beard]

That stinks. I just self installed. I took my old card out of my TV and went to their office and got a second card. I installed them, called in and gave the S/N's from the card and voila! - HD Tivo bliss.

Don't know why these companies have to make is so difficult.

 

[DocNo]

Don't know why these companies have to make is so difficult.

Because they are hoping if they make it difficult enough you won't use it

 

[Unix_Beard]

Why would they not want me to use CableCards?

 

[drew00001]

Why would they not want me to use CableCards?

If you use the cablecompanies box, you can order VOD at add'l cost. You cannot currently get VOD with a Tivo, so the cablecompanies view such as a loss of money. This may all be speculation on this site, as it seems Tivo owners are more willing to pay for an HD tier.

 

[vman41]

Why would they not want me to use CableCards?

The current cards are one-way, locking them out of potential on-demand and pay-per-view revenue. Every customer not using their equipment will another one presenting a problem for migration to switched digital video.

 

[megazone]

The current cards are one-way, locking them out of potential on-demand and pay-per-view revenue. Every customer not using their equipment will another one presenting a problem for migration to switched digital video.

All CableCARDs are two-way. It is the host device that determines if two-way is supported.

 

[JoeSchueller]

Yeah, add on the EPG and menus as huge potential advertising revenue (they only currently pimp their own stuff, but ad's on the EPG aren't far fetched) and you start to understand why they don't want to account for devices that don't let them own the "end to end experience."

Funny how when Apple talks end-to-end, I'm fine, but when TWC does, I get that puke taste in my mouth.

So net, no point in popping the multi-stream card out of the box, have to have a yahoo out to "install" eh?

 

[DocNo]

Why would they not want me to use CableCards?

Simple - they don't get near the revenue from a cable card as they do leasing you their own box.

Or charging for advertising on their own box that they've leased to you.

The tech who did my cable card install admitted as much to me today - it's not rocket science, it all comes to revenue. Why do you think cable labs (at the behest of the cable monopolies) is pushing OCAP? It stifles the control over the box that a company like Tivo has and swings the balance of power back to the cable companies.

Hopefully the FCC will continue to force true competition in the set top boxes, but I'm not holding my breath. SDV will be the first indication of how things are going to go down. I just hope I get a full three years out of my Series 3

 

[JoeSchueller]

How worried should I be about SDV? I just put the BB order in today for a TiVo HD. I assumed the only thing I lost going from a full TW STB to the cable card was VOD and one-touch PPV.

Do any of you live in a SDV market? What channels are you missing out on?

 

[pkscout]

How worried should I be about SDV? I just put the BB order in today for a TiVo HD. I assumed the only thing I lost going from a full TW STB to the cable card was VOD and one-touch PPV.

Do any of you live in a SDV market? What channels are you missing out on?

Please do a search for SDV. There are at least a half a dozen threads (if not more) asking the exact same question you have. Let's not turn this into YAST (yet another SDV thread).