[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.

 

[austinsho]

Indeed...the Spectrum receiver has the Cable Card functions embedded in it. But I've found them almost as much hassle to activate as a Cable Card ever was!

 

[austinsho]

I just wish they'd leave me alone with the emails and snail-mail letters! I probably get at least 3 emails a week and at least one letter in the mail. Same exact spiel. Leave me alone! It's just annoying. Every single one says the exact same, completely non-specific, stuff.

If the emails you are receiving, there should be an UNSUBSCRIBE link somewhere on them? I was receiving them as well, did the unsub and they stopped in about a week.

 

[austinsho]

D'oh! I didn't even think of that. Thanks! Such a simple solution.

I'm not saying it'll work. This IS Spectrum, after all!

 

[austinsho]

Well OK. Here we are. I have been off Spectrum for month or so, and had turned both my cablecards back in. I was considering going to the new TiVo box, having had some issues with my current provider. Yes, you guessed it. Spectrum has informed me that I am no longer considered a cablecard account and cannot acquire a new one. So folks...if you want to stay with Spectrum do NOT let your cablecard lapse. This was the first time Spectrum has told me that I cannot have a new one. I don't think this applies to replacements but they certainly don't want any new customers.

 

[austinsho]

It never hurts to file a complaint with the Attorney General, FCC, or some V.P. for Charter. I'm not saying it will do anything, but it can't hurt.

Well, my understanding is that the cable companies no longer have to support Cablecard in any shape or fashion, and Spectrum is just taking advantage of that. Given the hassles I had with the technology, I can understand why they wanted to dump it, money aside. And I would expect no help whatsoever from what passes for an "attorney general" here in the "Great State of Texas".

 

[austinsho]

Granted, given the level of incompetency that takes 40 minutes to do something so basic - I'm skeptical they will do what's been asked for. We shall see. If they deny providing it on the install then it's Plan B - no more cable TV, no more Tivo. :-( Not ready for that day just yet.

Not ONCE while I was with Spectrum did they dispatch a tech who had any idea 1) what a Cablecard was or 2) what a TiVo was, despite the repeated assurances from the ordertakers that they would.

And two quick questions...where are you located and was your system originally Time Warner or Charter? Just curious as to how they're disassembling the Cablecard system, such as it was.

 

[austinsho]

That's just it, no one knows. Not even Spectrum. I was told the other day they were no longer autorizing Cablecards and that they would continue to charge the (admittedly small) monthly fee for any outstanding. But I'd bet you could call right now and get a completely different answer. Whatever.

 

[austinsho]

I am completely unsurprised by any of that. That is exactly what happened with my first TiVo install six years back. Cablecards always where the b** stepchild for TWC/Spectrum. Now, they don't even acknowledge that they are, or ever were, an option.