[bueller555]

I have a Bolt on cable card using Spectrum (Charter) as my provider. In inquiring about possibly changing packages, I was told that the current plans do not allow for cable card and that it is possible that Spectrum may obsolete cable card in the future. It sounded like more a matter of when than if. Or am I misunderstanding this? I love my Tivo and have had a Series 2 and HD prior to my Bolt. I hate the thought of losing it. I've resisted the lower prices and better offerings from Hawaiian Telcom because I wouldn't be able to use my Tivo.

 

[sroberts225]

my cable provider has also let me know that my system (TiVo w/ cablecard) will be obsolete after August 31, 2022. nothing to do except ditch my TiVo (2 of them) and start streaming (YouTube or other...?)... really bums me out... no alternative that i can think of...

 

[ManeJon]

There have been several reports similar but then when people talked to the cable card experts at Spectrum they were told that isn't true. Who knows

 

[bueller555]

my cable provider has also let me know that my system (TiVo w/ cablecard) will be obsolete after August 31, 2022. nothing to do except ditch my TiVo (2 of them) and start streaming (YouTube or other...?)... really bums me out... no alternative that i can think of...

August 22? Was that in writing or in speaking to someone from Spectrum?

 

[alfansome]

my cable provider has also let me know that my system (TiVo w/ cablecard) will be obsolete after August 31, 2022. nothing to do except ditch my TiVo (2 of them) and start streaming (YouTube or other...?)... really bums me out... no alternative that i can think of...

who is your cable provider?

 

[dougdingle]

If Spectrum (or anyone) decides to sunset cable card devices, they must have data showing that a majority of their TiVo customers will just sigh and convert to using one or more cableco supplied set top boxes (and its monthly lease billing).

Or they're just being stupid. Sometimes it's difficult to tell. How can you assess the sanity of a service that keeps shedding subscribers and compensating to appease shareholders by raising rates on those who remain, driving even more of them away? I wonder if Netflix, who is now threatening to do the same, is paying attention.

Either way, if they dump cablecards I will no longer use their cable TV package for which I am currently paying about $150/month (plus $75 for Internet). I will keep the internet, but their $1,800 annual revenue from my cable TV use will be gone. I can get all the streaming services I can eat for $1,800 a year.

I've been staying with them mostly from inertia and the familiarity and ease for me and my family of having used TiVo products for about twenty years (currently a Roamio Pro and four Minis), but that would push me fully into the "I stream everything now" camp. I already own enough streaming hardware that I don't need to buy more (for now, of course).

 

[Johnny Stigler]

I put in Spectrum internet and at the time I was using Layer3 TV which became TVision. A box and DVR. Video quality was superior to this QAM 256 encrypted stuff from Spectrum. TVision died as a service. I had it for 3 years. Now we have used an Edge 2T, cable card & TA. Have to fiddle with the incoming level from spectrum to the TA to get it reasonably stable. For the most part it works fine to the Sony 4K Set. Could use some more Apps but then I have a Roku if we need more streaming. The wife drives the Edge quite nicely. I really wanted the OTA Edge but was out voted. So may the cable card stick around for a few more years. I hope so.

 

[bueller555]

Thanks, everyone. I love my Tivo and my wife is mostly indifferent, but likes the ability to have at least the Netflix and Prime apps on it. She just can't get used to the idea of changing inputs to get to our Firestick.

When they pull the plug on the cablecard, I'm pretty resigned to the thought that I'll have to experiment with our only other cable provider, Hawaiian Telcom. For the price, they offer better internet speeds and my friends seem to be happy with the dvr performance. They've never had Tivo, so they can only compare it to Spectrum hardware. One thing that I'll be happy about is eliminating the dance to get the TA synced and the MOCA connection to my mini.

 

[austinsho]

I saw this the other day and put in some inquiries with some folks I know at Spectrum. I was told that yes, the cable cards are on their way out but that a date will depend on some contract negotiations that are underway even as we speak. I was also told that cablecard is about three precent of Spectrum's overall video business, so it is seriously considering whether or not it is worth continuing. For this household, a loss of Tivo on Spectrum would mean that we immediately drop all Spectrum services, as their DVR service is nothing less than pathetic. We would probably go back to DirecTV (as expensive as it is) as it has IMHO the most stable DVRs in the (shrinking) business.

 

[JonAult]

I've felt for the last couple years that if my current Tivo died I probably wouldn't replace it, so if/when Spectrum drops cable card support that would probably be the end of Tivo for me as well. IIRC Spectrum has a package where you can get local channels plus 15 channels of your choice via streaming; I could fit just about everything I currently watch into that. I'd probably also look at just getting local channels via OTA & getting everything else via Apple TV apps, but in that case I'd be looking for cheaper ways to record OTA channels.

 

[dougdingle]

IIRC Spectrum has a package where you can get local channels plus 15 channels of your choice via streaming;

Anyone know anything more about this package? I can't find it on their site.

 

[samsauce29]

Anyone know anything more about this package? I can't find it on their site.

It's called Spectrum Choice. It's not as good a deal as it used to be at $29.99. In my area, it's now $44.99 plus a broadcast fee. I believe you have to ask for it.

 

[dougdingle]

It's called Spectrum Choice. It's not as good a deal as it used to be at $29.99. In my area, it's now $44.99 plus a broadcast fee. I believe you have to ask for it.

Thanks. The Spectrum 'broadcast fee' on the bill I just got is $21, so add that to $45 and at $66/mo it will cost close to what YouTube TV charges ($65/mo), and which seems a better choice overall - more channels and a 'cloud' DVR that seems to be OK, according to reviews.

 

[Johnny Stigler]

Thanks. The Spectrum 'broadcast fee' on the bill I just got is $21, so add that to $45 and at $66/mo it will cost close to what YouTube TV charges ($65/mo), and which seems a better choice overall - more channels and a 'cloud' DVR that seems to be OK, according to reviews.

Something to look at is Amazon Recast. It is a DVR for OTA with 4 Tuners. Antenna required. The TiVo OTA DVR is 2 tuners. It supports Alexa. You still need internet from someone. Just something to consider.

 

[dougdingle]

Something to look at is Amazon Recast. It is a DVR for OTA with 4 Tuners. Antenna required. The TiVo OTA DVR is 2 tuners. It supports Alexa. You still need internet from someone. Just something to consider.

Thanks. Unfortunately, although I live in a major American city, I am in an RF-free bowl canyon where I have no off-air. Zero. I don't get TV, or FM radio, or cell service. I can get AM skip on summer nights where AM stations 1,500 miles away come in just fine, though.

It's kind of bizarre and limits my options, has made me a cableco slave for decades.

 

[Johnny Stigler]

Thanks. Unfortunately, although I live in a major American city, I am in an RF-free bowl canyon where I have no off-air. Zero. I don't get TV, or FM radio, or cell service. I can get AM skip on summer nights where AM stations 1,500 miles away come in just fine, though.

It's kind of bizarre and limits my options, has made me a cableco slave for decades.

Well if that ain't something. I put a 20' tower in the front of my house for OTA. People said why! Well Google Earth said that is the only place that will work. The street light poll would have been the best but I figured the politics wasn't worth the effort. It is just a backup for when the cable goes out.

 

[dougdingle]

Well if that ain't something. I put a 20' tower in the front of my house for OTA. People said why! Well Google Earth said that is the only place that will work. The street light poll would have been the best but I figured the politics wasn't worth the effort. It is just a backup for when the cable goes out.

At one point I got so frustrated I hired an antenna expert to come out and try. He came with a 40 foot crank up tower, an enormous yagi, and a spectrum analyzer, and the only channel he could find was a 24 hour religious station about 40 miles away. This in an area that has about 45-50 off-air stations (if you count all the sub-channels).

 

[gkottner]

Anyone know anything more about this package? I can't find it on their site.

My ex-wife switched over to TV Choice around 6 months ago. Cincinnati area. You have to threaten to cancel and ask for retention to get someone even knowledgeable about it. She has a Roamio with a cablecard and they were able to switch everything over during the initial call. The CSR handling the switchover was the most knowledgeable person about cablecards that I have ever spoken to at Spectrum. Bally RSNs were available in the package, but I believe that adds the additional fees. She choose not to get them. Her monthly bill with internet is $102 a month for 2 years, I believe.
I remember it was extremely hard to find the channel lineup as well. This was the link I used. Spectrum TV Choice is one of the dropdown options. https://www.spectrum.com/address/ch...spt_pro_0322&opredirect=choice-channel-lineup
You then pick your 15 channels from the list. It does include locals which are in addition to your 15 channels.

 

[dougdingle]

My ex-wife switched over to TV Choice around 6 months ago. Cincinnati area. You have to threaten to cancel and ask for retention to get someone even knowledgeable about it. She has a Roamio with a cablecard and they were able to switch everything over during the initial call. The CSR handling the switchover was the most knowledgeable person about cablecards that I have ever spoken to at Spectrum. Bally RSNs were available in the package, but I believe that adds the additional fees. She choose not to get them. Her monthly bill with internet is $102 a month for 2 years, I believe.
I remember it was extremely hard to find the channel lineup as well. This was the link I used. Spectrum TV Choice is one of the dropdown options. https://www.spectrum.com/address/ch...spt_pro_0322&opredirect=choice-channel-lineup
You then pick your 15 channels from the list. It does include locals which are in addition to your 15 channels.

That link unfortunately didn't work for me. They wanted my address, then told me that address already had service, then sent me to a page listing what channels I was getting, and that was that.

 

[sroberts225]

August 22? Was that in writing or in speaking to someone from Spectrum?

my cable provider is a local outfit... EATEL (now REV)... south Louisiana only...