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.
Spectrum and cable card
bueller555
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my cable provider is a local outfit... EATEL (now REV)... south Louisiana only...
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Yup, I just got this email and I'm livid. I don't know what other choices are good or not good, but I need something other than just live tv. In addition, they didn't give an effective date for this. I have shows on both of my Tivos and don't know if they will just disappear or I can at least view them.
I feel like I need a lot of help with this. I do have a Spectrum store nearby. I don't get why they can't just continue with it.
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I just called Spectrum. The Cable Card Division was not aware of this email when I first called. But during my call, they received notice about it.
The impression of the person that I spoke to was that this email was to encourage people to move off cable cards, and they were not necessarily discontinued. But he advised to call back in a few days as they learn more.
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Thanks for that info, Steven! 
I'm really just gobsmacked by this as, last I heard locally in my market, this was not even a thing.
Tomorrow I am going to be in the strip mall where a Spectrum store is, so I think I'll stop in after I get my shot at the Safeway store.
I'm really just gobsmacked by this as, last I heard locally in my market, this was not even a thing.Tomorrow I am going to be in the strip mall where a Spectrum store is, so I think I'll stop in after I get my shot at the Safeway store.
I just got the spectrum email as well about the cable card. It isn't clear what they are going to do or when. It is very frustrating! I hope that there will be some definitive information soon. I would go completely to stream and if it weren't for local sports.
I got a similar email as well (about an hour & a half ago, St Louis area). I didn't get offered a discounted Apple TV, just a free Spectrum receiver for 2 years, but as I already have 2 Apple TVs I wouldn't have bought another one anyway.
It's annoyingly vague about the future plans for cable card support. For now, I plan to do nothing.
It's annoyingly vague about the future plans for cable card support. For now, I plan to do nothing.
I just got the email as well. I think it's funny that they say they don't want the cable cards back. Doesn't say anything about the tuning adapter, though, which would be more of a hassle to return (our local Spectrum store closed several years back).
The Apple TV offer is interesting, especially considering this: How to control your Apple TV with a TiVo remote
Thankfully, when the time comes, I can just switch the Bolt to antenna, which is 80% of what we watch anyway. If it weren't for sports, I would've likely cut the cord a long time ago.
The Apple TV offer is interesting, especially considering this: How to control your Apple TV with a TiVo remote
Thankfully, when the time comes, I can just switch the Bolt to antenna, which is 80% of what we watch anyway. If it weren't for sports, I would've likely cut the cord a long time ago.
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When cable cards are no longer supported, your TiVo should continue to be able to play back already recorded content. But you can't use it to watch live TV or record anything more.
Some of your choices are:
-Get an antenna, watch live off-air TV only
-Get a Spectrum cable box/remote, continue watching Spectrum content. They also offer a DVR service.
-Get a streaming device (Roku, AppleTV4K, Amazon Firestick, etc.) and switch to subscribed streaming services. You need a decent Internet connection to do this.
-Some combination of the above
-Read books.
They're stopping cable card support because they can. It was forced down their throats and they never liked it because it cost them a lot of time and money to support the concept. Besides which, every TiVo was one less of their own cable boxes and remotes they could rent, and those devices are a license to print money. The basic cable box rents for $10/mo, and if you want a remote to actually control it, it's another $2.50/mo. So about $150/year rental for each TV/outlet on hardware that costs them maybe $75 in the volume they buy them. They couldn't WAIT to dump cable cards.
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I had no idea the ATV4K was that versatile in terms of learning non-Apple remotes. Thanks.
In exchange, I'll point out a 'hidden' ATV4K remote feature I just love: You're watching a show, and miss a bit of dialog. Hit the mike button on the Apple remote and say "What did she say?" and the device will rewind 20 seconds, turn on closed captioning, play back that 20 seconds of rewound video, then turn off closed captioning. It's magical.
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Thanks, Doug! I do have a Firestick and Roku. I'm making notes on what channels I need for what I record to see what all I'd have to subscribe to, to continue getting that content. It's probably cheaper to drop HBO and SHO and stream those. I mostly use HBO and have their streaming for free, since I currently subscribe to HBO.
I saw something online (maybe it was old info, at least I hope) that the Spectrum dvr only has one tuner. I cannot imagine that at this point, so I REALLY hope it's wrong if I take that route.
I really have to have tv as it's about the only thing that keeps me halfway sane with all I'm dealing with these days. I keep reruns of certain shows on hand for evening viewing. It's the only thing that gets me outside of my head, which is where I absolutely have to spend time each day. I pay them a lot of money each month and if there was a viable choice I would leave. Just for cable, landline, and internet, it's about $297 a month, having just gone up by over $20 recently. Thanks. Charge me more and take away some of the service.
I saw something online (maybe it was old info, at least I hope) that the Spectrum dvr only has one tuner. I cannot imagine that at this point, so I REALLY hope it's wrong if I take that route.
I really have to have tv as it's about the only thing that keeps me halfway sane with all I'm dealing with these days. I keep reruns of certain shows on hand for evening viewing. It's the only thing that gets me outside of my head, which is where I absolutely have to spend time each day. I pay them a lot of money each month and if there was a viable choice I would leave. Just for cable, landline, and internet, it's about $297 a month, having just gone up by over $20 recently. Thanks. Charge me more and take away some of the service.
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@sharkster Do you have any non TiVo streaming devices? If so, your easiest path may be to take the 24 month cloud DVR option and use the Spectrum app. If you're open to other approaches, YouTube TV, DirecTV streaming, and others may work as well.
I use the Spectrum app for a few channels as I refuse to use the tuning adapter. Haven't used the Cloud DVR but the app itself works "OK". It ain't TiVo.
I use the Spectrum app for a few channels as I refuse to use the tuning adapter. Haven't used the Cloud DVR but the app itself works "OK". It ain't TiVo.
I am more intrigued by the 24 month free service. Maybe I will switch to that and pray that my sports will be streamed soon. I really don't want to go back to paying the monthly fee to spectrum. That's the reason I switched to TiVo in the first place.
- Free Spectrum Receiver for 24 months
- Free Cloud DVR services for 24 months
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I haven't seen an email yet. Will be interesting to see how widespread this is.
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I got it too. This is BS. Clearly trying to get cablecards out of circulation. As if any of their "incentives" for me turning in my cablecard are worth the paper they're printed on. The moment they stop supporting cablecard is the moment they are no longer competitive with any other alternative.
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It would be helpful if people who got the email mentioned what part of the country or what state they live in. This may or may not be rolled out to major cities for a while.
But it is coming. I think most of us knew that when the FCC dropped the cable card requirement.
But it is coming. I think most of us knew that when the FCC dropped the cable card requirement.
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Agreed. Literally the only thing I can't get with YTTV is the failing Pittsburgh Pirates, now that they've added the Weather Channel.
I can always read about the Bucs losing the next day...
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St. Louis here.
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I think MLB or the broadcast rights holders are on the verge of offering team streaming subscriptions with no geographic blackouts, but I've been thinking of going to radio and internet updates once my Spectrum new customer discount expires anyway. I attend about 20 games/year in person so why do I need to pay for the broadcast rights on those?
Central Kentucky here
That's nifty. One of the reasons why I've kept going back to Roku is they, like Tivo, have an instant replay button right on the remote. You can also set it to only turn on captions during instant replay.
Same here but with the Reds.
And unfortunately there's still a few years left on the ACC's (pre-ACC Network) agreement with Fox/Bally Sports South.21 - 40 of 388 Posts
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