Just curious....do you have FIOS?
Series 3 Cablecard Issue
One of my cablecards recently started losing some upper end channels, showing a blank screen. All the info in the CableCARD Menu screens appear normal. When I use the Test Channels option, it will come back but later on it will be lost again.
The funny thing is that today cablecard #2 (a new M-card) is having this problem, when all week it was cablecard #1 (an older S-card). So now I'm not sure if the issue is with the cablecards or my Series 3 Tivo.
The funny thing is that today cablecard #2 (a new M-card) is having this problem, when all week it was cablecard #1 (an older S-card). So now I'm not sure if the issue is with the cablecards or my Series 3 Tivo.
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No, I don't have FIOS, I have Charter Cable.
I had an issue with Comcast several years ago where one cablecard lost all its channels. I identified which cablecard it was and called Comcast and had them re-hit that card and that card only. That fixed the problem.
Charter already did that and nothing changed.
UPDATE: Just had a Charter service tech arrive to fix the problem. Right away he insists my Tivo Series 3 is only supposed to have one cablecard. As I tried to educate him about the different cablecard requirements of different Tivo boxes, he kept insisting all Series 3's only needed one cablecard. You would think a Charter tech would know about Tivo by now! So anyway, after we had an understand about Tivo and cablecards he made a call to charter gave them the MAC address and they made some setting changes. Now my channels are back. So apparently the whole issue was on their end and not with the cablecards. Not sure why when I called Charter a few days ago that they couldn't have done all this when they re-initialized the cards.
They couldn't because when you call in you're dealing with un-knowledgeable call center personnel, not the techs who can get things done.
Then it seems like Charter is hoping the issue isn't their gear on these type of service calls, so they can charge the customer a $35 fee. Because otherwise they would allow the customer to make that call to troubleshoot it them self. Not like it's rocket science and clearly the dispatched service techs aren't educated enough about cablecards with Tivo.
This same issue just popped up again with one of my cablecards!
I called Charter tech support and the woman told me to turn off my TV as she reset the cards. I asked her what turning off my TV would have to do with fixing my Tivo's cablecard issue, because the TV was basically just a monitor, and asked if she meant I should restart my Tivo instead. She kept insisting I do just as she said and turn off my TV. I kept telling her this made no sense and at one point I even asked to speak to someone else that was more knowledgeable because clearly she wasn't. She then explained that by turning off my TV it assured her I wouldn't be pressing any controls during the reset. So I just humored her and said I turned off my TV, when in fact I hadn't. Ultimately the cablecard reset returned my HD channels and fixed the issue......for now anyway.
Getting real sick of Charter's ignorance and uneducated attitude towards Tivo hardware. Tivo has been on the market many years, you would think all the cable companies would know the technology in and out by now. Or maybe it's that they're playing dumb, trying to force it's demise so customers return to renting cable boxes from them.
All they are doing is making customers like me very angry, to the point of wanting to cancel our cable TV service and go completely OTA. And what OTA can't pickup for my area, the rest can be found online. I know it sure would save me a lot of money each month.
I called Charter tech support and the woman told me to turn off my TV as she reset the cards. I asked her what turning off my TV would have to do with fixing my Tivo's cablecard issue, because the TV was basically just a monitor, and asked if she meant I should restart my Tivo instead. She kept insisting I do just as she said and turn off my TV. I kept telling her this made no sense and at one point I even asked to speak to someone else that was more knowledgeable because clearly she wasn't. She then explained that by turning off my TV it assured her I wouldn't be pressing any controls during the reset. So I just humored her and said I turned off my TV, when in fact I hadn't. Ultimately the cablecard reset returned my HD channels and fixed the issue......for now anyway.
Getting real sick of Charter's ignorance and uneducated attitude towards Tivo hardware. Tivo has been on the market many years, you would think all the cable companies would know the technology in and out by now. Or maybe it's that they're playing dumb, trying to force it's demise so customers return to renting cable boxes from them.
All they are doing is making customers like me very angry, to the point of wanting to cancel our cable TV service and go completely OTA. And what OTA can't pickup for my area, the rest can be found online. I know it sure would save me a lot of money each month.
I realize this is not Comcast, but I had a similar problem in the past with one cablecard on my S3. After months of back-and-forth, I finally learned the only way to keep Comcast from clearing some of my package channels from one cable card was to pay and additional outlet fee for the second cable card. That was $8.95/month. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get Comcast to put something in their system that would prevent their periodic system sweep from disabling some channels on the second card. My final solution was to have Comcast insert the second card deeply in their rectum and just use one card with the S3. I've never had a problem with the M-cards on my HD and Premiere, but I think Comcast understands that is one physical card. You might note that this time it happened on 6/19 and your original post was 5/19. Coincidence or a monthly system sweep by Charter's system?This same issue just popped up again with one of my cablecards!
I called Charter tech support and the woman told me to turn off my TV as she reset the cards. I asked her what turning off my TV would have to do with fixing my Tivo's cablecard issue, because the TV was basically just a monitor, and asked if she meant I should restart my Tivo instead. She kept insisting I do just as she said and turn off my TV. I kept telling her this made no sense and at one point I even asked to speak to someone else that was more knowledgeable because clearly she wasn't. She then explained that by turning off my TV it assured her I wouldn't be pressing any controls during the reset. So I just humored her and said I turned off my TV, when in fact I hadn't. Ultimately the cablecard reset returned my HD channels and fixed the issue......for now anyway.
Getting real sick of Charter's ignorance and uneducated attitude towards Tivo hardware. Tivo has been on the market many years, you would think all the cable companies would know the technology in and out by now. Or maybe it's that they're playing dumb, trying to force it's demise so customers return to renting cable boxes from them.
All they are doing is making customers like me very angry, to the point of wanting to cancel our cable TV service and go completely OTA. And what OTA can't pickup for my area, the rest can be found online. I know it sure would save me a lot of money each month.
In my issue, my Series 3 had two S-cablecards for many years and one went bad. They replaced it with an M-cablecard. Then there system started losing contact with the M-cablecard.
I can't seem to get a solid year without some sort of cable TV issue with Charter and my Tivo.
I can't seem to get a solid year without some sort of cable TV issue with Charter and my Tivo.
You really only have one option to keep that extra cable card working. Pay the additional outlet fee for it. That's all their system understands. Otherwise, the system sweep will eventually get you.In my issue, my Series 3 had two S-cablecards for many years and one went bad. They replaced it with an M-cablecard. Then there system started losing contact with the M-cablecard.
I can't seem to get a solid year without some sort of cable TV issue with Charter and my Tivo.
In my case, I pay an additional outlet fee. But, I convinced the Regional troubleshooting CSR that I didn't owe it. She gave me a one year credit of more than the additional outlet charge. And yes, the system sweep will probably get you.You really only have one option to keep that extra cable card working. Pay the additional outlet fee for it. That's all their system understands. Otherwise, the system sweep will eventually get you.
I will have to fight this battle again in August when the credit runs out.
So I guess there are at least two options.
I don't have an extra cablecard, so I don't know what you are talking about. My Series 3 Tivo uses 2 cablecards for its 2 tuners. Doesn't matter if they are S or M cards it still requires 2 cards.You really only have one option to keep that extra cable card working. Pay the additional outlet fee for it. That's all their system understands. Otherwise, the system sweep will eventually get you.
Yes, you do have an extra cable card for the one outlet. Your subscription fee includes one cable card. Each additional outlet fee includes one cable card. The second cable card required for the S3 (not HD) IS the extra cable card I am referring to. It is the one that you apparently continue to have problems with. Again, I have no experience with Charter, but if they're like Comcast, that second card on the same outlet really does not compute in their system.
Maybe I don't understand. My Series 3 is using 2 cablecards. And I been paying Charter for 2 cablecards all along, it's like $2 per card per month now. It shows up on my cable bill that way. My subscription fee does not include one of the cards. But either way your initial response to my post made no sense, because I have no intention of not using or paying for both cards. Obviously I am going to keep both cards active.Yes, you do have an extra cable card for the one outlet. Your subscription fee includes one cable card.
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