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Since this is a Spectrum cablecard labeled thread...I've been with Spectrum and their cablecard since I bought my first HD set...They have a dedicated support line for cable cards and TAs, and it's not the usual desk jockeys reading from a script. Those people know their business, and never failed to remotely fix any issues I had. Many of them also used TiVos, which helped.
You're lucky. Legacy Charter markets never had and still don't have a dedicated support line or anybody that has a clue about cable cards. I struggled with dozens of activations and cable car support issues over the course of many years with Charter, later Spectrum. It got to the point where I had to tell them what to do, step by step because they were so incompetent.
 
Agreed regarding the letter, it is the most horribly worded message ever: "...CableCARDs will not be compatible with future service upgrades for some time."

What exactly does that mean, "for some time".
 
Since this is a Spectrum cablecard labeled thread...I've been with Spectrum and their cablecard since I bought my first HD set, a JVC DiLA set with a cablecard slot almost two decades ago. After that, two HD THX TiVos. Each two tuner THX device took two cards back then (no multi cards). The entire experience from then until now, including the transition to multicards and SDV and having to get the TA, has gone better than expected. They have a dedicated support line for cable cards and TAs, and it's not the usual desk jockeys reading from a script. Those people know their business, and never failed to remotely fix any issues I had. Many of them also used TiVos, which helped.

All that is to say that I have been a satisfied customer overall for decades. Their images get worse each year because they insist on ramping up their compression engine to be able to accommodate more shopping channels and foreign language bundles (which are HUGE moneymakers for them). But no matter how bad it got, it was still better than the unwatchable garbage DirecTV and DISH have been peddling for decades.
I do not disagree. They have willingly supported cableCARDs in my TiVo for many years. Only once did they have to roll a truck to get mine working…and the only other difficulty was when I got my Roamio Pro and the TA FW was not updated, but on that one they actually worked with TiVO, Motorola, and pushed an update to me within 3 days, which I thought was amazing given 3 companies had to work together. I have no real issue if they end up killing support, I’ll shop ISP’s (we also have MetroNet Fiber here offering Gb symmetrical), and move to some sort of streaming option. I just wish they would be forthcoming with their plans, and word the dang notice such that us customers can actually understand the plans…
 
Agreed regarding the letter, it is the most horribly worded message ever: "...CableCARDs will not be compatible with future service upgrades for some time."

What exactly does that mean, "for some time".
This explains it pretty well:
 
Charter has been very clear (in other venues) that they are going to move to high-split for improved HSI upload speeds. And this will mean the end of CableCARD viability in locations that move to high-split (which Charter themselves has stated will actually take years to accomplish across their entire footprint; whether Charter chooses to end support for CableCARDs in advance in locations that are not yet ready to upgrade is unknown). The problem is that while those that understand the underlying technology will be able to understand what the words "high split" would mean, 99+% of Charter customer base have no clue about the underlying technologies that are involved, nor the details, nor the approaches Charter has chosen. And there is no way to educate those customers sufficiently to the point that anything other than vague "future service upgrades" are going to be helpful.
Exactly. Look at what Alaska's largest cable operator, GCI, is doing right now. And keep in mind that GCI is essentially a sibling of Charter, because they're majority owned by the same group that is Charter's largest shareholder (i.e. John Malone). In their largest market, Anchorage, GCI shut down QAM cable TV service at the end of April, forcing any customers still on that platform to migrate to their newer IPTV platform, Yukon TV (or drop GCI-provided TV service completely). Once QAM TV is shut down, a TiVo DVR (or any other CableCARD device) can no longer be used with that TV provider. GCI's QAM shutdown was done to allow the company to begin high-split upgrades to their DOCSIS network in Anchorage this summer. Their plan is to do this in all of their markets across the state between now and 2025, at which point they'll circle back to Anchorage and begin upgrading the DOCSIS network from version 3.1 to 4.0, which will allow even faster download and upload speeds.

Combine that with the fact that Charter just this spring invested a large sum to buy half of Comcast's Flex streaming video platform so that they could use it to provide 4K streaming devices to their own broadband customers starting in 2023. This tells me that, at least in some markets, we're going to see Charter shut down QAM cable TV and implement high-split DOCSIS in 2023. At that point, Spectrum TV will only be available in those markets via streaming (IPTV and/or OTT). And they'll use Flex streaming boxes/sticks as their preferred solution for those customers to access not just their own Spectrum TV app but also other video apps which can be downloaded and billed for through the Comcast/Charter app store (e.g. HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock, etc.).

My understanding is that Charter WorldBox set-top boxes (like Comcast X1 boxes) are hybrid IPTV/QAM devices, so they could theoretically still access Spectrum TV service even in areas where QAM TV has been shut down. But, of course, CableCARD devices like TiVo will not be able to make that leap.

So the bottom line here is that you should not expect your TiVo DVR to work with Spectrum TV by the end of 2023. Depending on where you live, it's certainly possible that it will continue to work with Spectrum TV, because (just as with GCI), it will take Spectrum some time to work their away around their entire footprint doing high-split upgrades. So you might get lucky and be one of the last ones to see Charter shut down your local QAM cable TV service in maybe 2025 or 2026. But there's no question that it's coming.
 
Here is the transcript of my chat w/ Spectrum Support today:

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Spectrum. I see you have questions about hardware. Please give me a moment to review your information.
To get started, may I please verify your full address including zip code.
Michael *, 2036 DR NE, *, MN,
Thank you. One moment please while I search that address.
How can I help?
I have received 2 e-mails about cablecard support ending, but none say when, and it is unclear why I am receiving this information. Do you have more detail as to how long my cable card will continue to operate?
If you are receiving the email it could be just one mass email to inform everyone.
I will check your account to see if you have anything pertaining to a cable card.
well, the e-mail seems more of a marketing type e-mail than a service update, but it is cause for concern
Alright let's take a look.
I can assure you, if Spectrum removes support for Cable Cards, i will cease being a Spectrum customer and will get my internet from elsewhere, and use a streaming service.
I understand. One moment.
Alright so I see where you have a Tuning adaptor which may be the reason you received the email.
I have a tuning adapter and a cablecard
We have discontinued them and they will no longer be available.
I run a TiVo on Spectrum TV service, have for more than 20 years
Right tivo will be cable card.
currently, have a TiVo Roamio with a cable card
The little small box that piggy backs off of the big box will be the tuning adapter.
so, the question is, when will these mentioned "service updates" take place that will render my TiVo useless?
I am aware about what the hardware I have is, and what it does
The text of the e-mail i received says this:
Dear Spectrum Customer, As a reminder, you are currently paying a monthly fee for one or more CableCARDs. A CableCARD is a one-way card device - about the size of a credit card - that allows access to TV services. As we continue to upgrade our networks and technology, CableCARDs will not be compatible with future service upgrades for some time. We have other options for you to consider that will enhance your TV viewing experience, including providing you DVR functionality and access to thousands of Video On Demand options.
2:28 PM
so, I am asking, WHEN?
it is the most horribly worded message ever: "...CableCARDs will not be compatible with future service upgrades for some time."
what exactly does that mean?
One moment and I will provide you with a when the system will change over.
June 14 at 2:32 PM
Still looking into this for you, thank you for your patience.
would prefer a true and correct answer to a fast one, so no problem.
I definitely understand.
Alright one moment.
June 14 at 2:37 PM
Alright so from what I gather we are not cutting them off we are simply discontinuing the product. Meaning if you have one you may keep it until it no longer works but once it stops working we will not have the equipment to replace it.
Right, totally understand that, asking when you are cutting them off...
is it in a week, a month, a year, 2 years?
or will it just quit working one day and that is that?
They aren't cutting them off.
That is what I thought at first when I read the email but they aren't cutting them off they are discontinuing the equipment.
so, if the equipment quits working, then I am out of luck, but if it keeps working forever, then it will just keep working?
I kind of doubt it, I thought the network operator had to get rid of it to make way for the high bandwidth network improvements...so when you roll out the next level (high-split??) internet, that is when cablecards are going to hit the dumpster?
As weird as that sounds yes.
So think of it this way. If you have a cell phone from 2010 they are not going to automatically cut the phone off just because it is old.
But once that phone breaks you will have to upgrade because they would no longer make that model.
Ok, I believe that is what you were told, but I don't believe it is the truth..we will see I guess...net, its a warning across the bow, sometime in the future, it may not work, but we have no plans right now...
This information was posted on something equal to an attention board.
So if it is wrong that think all agents would be in trouble haha.
ok
So you asked for more info, got more info, and then said you didn’t believe what you were told?

So your chat adds what value exactly?
 
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.
Can Spectrum Choice be added without broadcast channels to avoid the $21 fee and just get the 15 channels of your choice ?
 
No. That broadcast fee is the reason I dropped Spectrum entirely. I loved the service and that plan, but the bogus fees ruined it.
That bogus fee (and the RSN fee) is a way for the cablecos to rip off the customer by advertising $79/mo and charging $130/mo. Fios finally removed those rip off fees, so at least the price they advertise equals the monthly you pay.
 
Exactly. Look at what Alaska's largest cable operator, GCI, is doing right now. And keep in mind that GCI is essentially a sibling of Charter, because they're majority owned by the same group that is Charter's largest shareholder (i.e. John Malone). In their largest market, Anchorage, GCI shut down QAM cable TV service at the end of April, forcing any customers still on that platform to migrate to their newer IPTV platform, Yukon TV (or drop GCI-provided TV service completely). Once QAM TV is shut down, a TiVo DVR (or any other CableCARD device) can no longer be used with that TV provider. GCI's QAM shutdown was done to allow the company to begin high-split upgrades to their DOCSIS network in Anchorage this summer. Their plan is to do this in all of their markets across the state between now and 2025, at which point they'll circle back to Anchorage and begin upgrading the DOCSIS network from version 3.1 to 4.0, which will allow even faster download and upload speeds.

Combine that with the fact that Charter just this spring invested a large sum to buy half of Comcast's Flex streaming video platform so that they could use it to provide 4K streaming devices to their own broadband customers starting in 2023. This tells me that, at least in some markets, we're going to see Charter shut down QAM cable TV and implement high-split DOCSIS in 2023. At that point, Spectrum TV will only be available in those markets via streaming (IPTV and/or OTT). And they'll use Flex streaming boxes/sticks as their preferred solution for those customers to access not just their own Spectrum TV app but also other video apps which can be downloaded and billed for through the Comcast/Charter app store (e.g. HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock, etc.).

My understanding is that Charter WorldBox set-top boxes (like Comcast X1 boxes) are hybrid IPTV/QAM devices, so they could theoretically still access Spectrum TV service even in areas where QAM TV has been shut down. But, of course, CableCARD devices like TiVo will not be able to make that leap.

So the bottom line here is that you should not expect your TiVo DVR to work with Spectrum TV by the end of 2023. Depending on where you live, it's certainly possible that it will continue to work with Spectrum TV, because (just as with GCI), it will take Spectrum some time to work their away around their entire footprint doing high-split upgrades. So you might get lucky and be one of the last ones to see Charter shut down your local QAM cable TV service in maybe 2025 or 2026. But there's no question that it's coming.
Thank you for this post. This was what I was trying to do research on to figure out how Charter is dumping Tivo / CableCard support and this is exactly what I was looking for. I assumed that QAM support was likely the issue, though the Charter reps I've spoke to over the phone don't have clue one about what changes are coming, when they're coming and how likely my Tivo EDGE units are going to be boat anchors as far as Charter is concerned. I know we kept hearing about the IPTV bridge option a number of years ago that Charter was working on as a post-CableCard scenario, though we all know where that likely ended up. Having them shift to IPTV makes sense and opens up that bandwidth for DOCSIS 4.0 and beyond.

Since there's no Tivo product that covers ATSC 3.0 yet (or ever), over-the-air support on anything without an ATSC 3.0 tuner is likely to be another line on the horizon that causes the current equipment to be semi-to-completely useless.

The main thing I'm trying to get from Charter is trying to find out the when, so I can plan to be off of them by the time they drop CableCard support. By the end of 2023 could be Jan 1 or Dec 31, so I'd like to get things in order. With AT&T fiber now in my area for 500/500 pricing at the same price as 400/20 Charter service, dropping CableCards makes that a quicker decision to move.
 
The main thing I'm trying to get from Charter is trying to find out the when, so I can plan to be off of them by the time they drop CableCard support. By the end of 2023 could be Jan 1 or Dec 31, so I'd like to get things in order. With AT&T fiber now in my area for 500/500 pricing at the same price as 400/20 Charter service, dropping CableCards makes that a quicker decision to move.
I said 2023, but actually, back in Jan., Charter's CEO stated that "2022 will increase the number of projects to deploy high splits in our service areas" in order to be able to offer symmetrical gigabit speeds on DOCSIS 3.1. I don't know if/where high-split has been done yet by Charter. I certainly have not read of any specific areas where Charter QAM TV has been shut down and, AFAIK, shutting down QAM TV is a prerequisite for high-split. IDK, maybe that isn't true? Maybe GCI (and others) have found it optimal to shut down QAM TV prior to high-split upgrades but Charter thinks otherwise? But I don't think that's true; unless and until that's proven to be the case, my working assumption is that before Charter implements high split in any large geographic area, that upgrade will be immediately preceded by QAM TV shutdown there.

Here's the article I quote from above:

Now, it's noteworthy that that article was published 1/28/22. And then Charter announced their Flex streaming platform joint venture with Comcast three months later on 4/27/22:


So it's possible that Charter decided in late winter "Y'know, before we shut down QAM TV in places that will impact a meaningful number of customers, maybe we should wait until we have a next-gen streaming device capable of running our Spectrum TV app (and all popular third-party apps) that we can hand them." And based on the reports from late April, it doesn't sound like Charter is going to be handing out those JV-produced Flex-based streaming devices to their customers until early 2023.

So if I had to guess, I'd say we may only see Charter play around with high-split upgrades in small area tests this year, getting their operational plans perfected so that they're ready to go guns blazing as soon as they have a supply of those new 4K HDR streaming devices ready to hand out like candy to existing and new customers.
 
Since there's no Tivo product that covers ATSC 3.0 yet (or ever), over-the-air support on anything without an ATSC 3.0 tuner is likely to be another line on the horizon that causes the current equipment to be semi-to-completely useless.
I have followed the development of ATSC 3.0 for years now and have gone from being a "hoper" to a "noper" on it. I doubt that it will ever succeed in being adopted widely enough by consumers to allow it to fully supplant ATSC 1.0. And even if that DID happen, based on what I understand about the length of consumer TV upgrade cycles, I can't see the ATSC 3.0 viewing audience being big enough, and the ATSC 1.0 viewing audience small enough to allow for the full shutdown of any major network affiliates on 1.0 to happen until at least 2030.

I say all this to tell you that while you may find it worthwhile to invest in an ATSC 3.0 OTA DVR, I don't think you have to worry about existing TiVo (ATSC 1.0) OTA DVRs becoming useless (because they're no longer able to receive local ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and PBS stations) for many years to come, if ever.
 
I said 2023, but actually, back in Jan., Charter's CEO stated that "2022 will increase the number of projects to deploy high splits in our service areas" in order to be able to offer symmetrical gigabit speeds on DOCSIS 3.1. I don't know if/where high-split has been done yet by Charter. I certainly have not read of any specific areas where Charter QAM TV has been shut down and, AFAIK, shutting down QAM TV is a prerequisite for high-split. IDK, maybe that isn't true? Maybe GCI (and others) have found it optimal to shut down QAM TV prior to high-split upgrades but Charter thinks otherwise? But I don't think that's true; unless and until that's proven to be the case, my working assumption is that before Charter implements high split in any large geographic area, that upgrade will be immediately preceded by QAM TV shutdown there.

Here's the article I quote from above:

Now, it's noteworthy that that article was published 1/28/22. And then Charter announced their Flex streaming platform joint venture with Comcast three months later on 4/27/22:


So it's possible that Charter decided in late winter "Y'know, before we shut down QAM TV in places that will impact a meaningful number of customers, maybe we should wait until we have a next-gen streaming device capable of running our Spectrum TV app (and all popular third-party apps) that we can hand them." And based on the reports from late April, it doesn't sound like Charter is going to be handing out those JV-produced Flex-based streaming devices to their customers until early 2023.

So if I had to guess, I'd say we may only see Charter play around with high-split upgrades in small area tests this year, getting their operational plans perfected so that they're ready to go guns blazing as soon as they have a supply of those new 4K HDR streaming devices ready to hand out like candy to existing and new customers.
Thank you for those article links, most helpful for more information about the upcoming boondoggle.

I would think that Charter would likely to shut down QAM before making the high-split as think if they're so gung-ho to put out these repeating notices to people about CableCards no longer being useful, they're likely to have some plan up the pipeline for making that change with at least tentative dates. I've yet to see any major change with Charter go on planned schedule to date and I've been a Charter customer for around 20 years, ending up at Charter via ATT acquisition of TCI and then Charter picking ATT's cable division. I know the date of 07/07/22 has been in the three emails and the one postal-sent notice for the half-price Apple TV 4K or the 24 months of the Spectrum DVR, so I would certainly hope that they're not pulling the plug on my CableCard use at the end of this coming week.

The first time I called them after the first email, that rep didn't know anything of what was going on save that CableCards couldn't be provided, though they would still be supported. Second rep from my second phone call just echoed what was in the emails + notice, that CableCards would eventually disappear from being supported, though didn't know when that would be. Calling their corporate office ended up as a dead end since the operator just shot me over to regular customer care and not someone with a clue of what is going on with this change. Since St Louis is/was Charter's "backyard", I can assume anything that is done with the QAM removal / high-split might be done here first.

I have followed the development of ATSC 3.0 for years now and have gone from being a "hoper" to a "noper" on it. I doubt that it will ever succeed in being adopted widely enough by consumers to allow it to fully supplant ATSC 1.0. And even if that DID happen, based on what I understand about the length of consumer TV upgrade cycles, I can't see the ATSC 3.0 viewing audience being big enough, and the ATSC 1.0 viewing audience small enough to allow for the full shutdown of any major network affiliates on 1.0 to happen until at least 2030.

I say all this to tell you that while you may find it worthwhile to invest in an ATSC 3.0 OTA DVR, I don't think you have to worry about existing TiVo (ATSC 1.0) OTA DVRs becoming useless (because they're no longer able to receive local ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and PBS stations) for many years to come, if ever.
At this point, if my Tivos aren't won't work for Charter any longer, I'll not likely need all of the Edge units I currently have. That would probably be the kick to start working on rolling my own solution as a parallel path for future migration, with anything I'd get would likely have a ATSC 3.0 tuner on-board. CableCards getting phased out across the main cable companies isn't likely a long-term help for Tivo in any way, as I imagine Comcast is going down the same path as Spectrum is in some parallel path.
 
At this point, if my Tivos aren't won't work for Charter any longer, I'll not likely need all of the Edge units I currently have. That would probably be the kick to start working on rolling my own solution as a parallel path for future migration, with anything I'd get would likely have a ATSC 3.0 tuner on-board.
If you're a OTA and/or tech hobbyist, or you just really like the idea of being able to record and store TV on your own hard drives, then it might be worthwhile for you to invest in ATSC 3.0 OTA DVRs. But as I've said before, I don't really see 3.0 taking off. We're seeing little-to-zero signs that the major broadcast networks owned by global media powerhouses (Disney, Comcast/NBCU, Paramount) have any interest in supporting 3.0 with, for instance, 4K HDR primetime content (or even 1080p HDR content). Meanwhile, CBS is already putting some of their primetime shows next-day on Paramount+ in 4K HDR. I see all kinds of reasons to believe that these big media companies see the successor to ATSC 1.0 and the existing national network + local affiliate system to be, not ATSC 3.0, but rather their own direct-to-consumer subscription and free ad-supported apps. My guess is that OTA TV will largely cease to exist by the mid-30s. We'll just stream everything, both national and local content, through one app or another, either paid or free.

CableCards getting phased out across the main cable companies isn't likely a long-term help for Tivo in any way, as I imagine Comcast is going down the same path as Spectrum is in some parallel path.
Comcast is the only major cableco to say that they're doing mid-split rather than high-split upgrades to DOCSIS 3.1 in the next couple years as an interim solution before then rolling out full-duplex DOCSIS 4.0. (Charter and others plan to do high-split and then extended-spectrum D4.0.) My understanding is that it's more feasible to retain QAM TV with mid-split than high-split, so it's certainly possible that Comcast doesn't kill QAM until they begin doing D4.0 upgrades in initial markets in 2025 or 2026.

As for TiVo, they know they're powerless to stop any of this. They know CableCARD is dead. When the FCC pulled the plug on requiring TV operators to support it a year or two ago, that was the obituary. TiVo's future (such as it is) is in offer hardware/software platforms for pay TV operators who license their solutions and, they now hope, in creating a smart TV app platform, although I think they're offering way too little, too late to be a viable competitor in that market against the likes of Google, Roku, Amazon, Apple, Samsung, LG, Comcast/Charter, Vizio, etc.

I think it's possible that around 2027, both Comcast and Charter just stop selling cable TV as we've known it and instead just offer to sell their broadband customers whatever combination of app-based third-party services they want. I suspect that by that point, those apps owned by traditional media companies will have seen their streaming services fully cannibalize all the content on their linear cable channels and probably even offer live stream of their most popular linear channels in the app itself. Imagine, for instance, if HBO Max (or whatever it's called by then) offer live streams of CNN, TBS, TNT, HBO, Cartoon, HGTV, Food, Discovery, TLC, etc. right inside the app, along with all their new and old content on-demand, along with all the other stuff they offer that's not on any linear channel (e.g. Max Originals). You could get all your live news and sports that Warner Bros. Discovery offers right in that app. And it would be a similar situation with Disney's Disney+ and ESPN+ apps; Paramount's Paramount+; and NBCU's Peacock. (Fox right now has a free Tubi app and a subscription Fox Nation app; I suspect we'll see them offer something like a paid upgrade tier in Tubi that will stream live Fox sports content while all Fox broadcast network content will stream free in Tubi.)

Bottom line is that the future is streaming apps. May as well adjust to that reality.
 
Hello group,

This is my first time visiting your forum which I found doing a search for Spectrum's cable card news. I was having an issue today with my TiVo Bolt missing a few channels and called Spectrum tech support. The rep said, "you do know we are discontinuing cable cards? We sent out email notices." I told the rep I have not received an email. After rattling off a list of cities, she notified me that my market is not yet on the list for discontinuation. I am in the Tampa Bay area.

I currently have a master TiVo Bolt unit and 6 Mini/Lux units around the house. If the cable card and tuning adapter are eliminated, that really jams me up. I will have to re-imagine my entire house. I love TiVo's intuitive software, which I've used for over 20 years. I have despised other DVRs I've tried (eg. Spectrum in a temp corporate NYC apartment).

What are my options if I get the cancellation here in Florida. When Verizon sold out to Frontier, they abandoned FiOs TV. I currently record four news channels daily for my occupation. What about getting TV to all my other TVs in the house without having cable boxes everywhere? I hope there is a viable solution. This clearly torpedoes a large segment of TiVo's business model and leaves me with a pile of obsolete gear.

ZBD
 
They have a dedicated support line for cable cards and TAs, and it's not the usual desk jockeys reading from a script. Those people know their business, and never failed to remotely fix any issues I had. Many of them also used TiVos, which helped.
The L-TWC dedicated CableCARD support group (which I believe was based in upstate NY due to the legacy of the Newhouse family) were, as you say, excellent. Sometime after the acquisition of L-TWC, and the (somewhat later) subsuming of the L-TWC CSR's into the Charter customer service approaches the dedicated number then forwarded to the general CSR pool, and that previous CableCARD group was (rumored) to be initially moved to a dedicated higher level tech support (no longer directly contactable by customers), and likely some moved to general CSR support (as while CableCARDs still exist, the numbers are small, and getting smaller).

I was fortunate enough to be able to deal with the L-TWC dedicated CableCARD support for a client, and they were, indeed, excellent. For another, somewhat later engagement, I ended up with the general CSR team (even after dialing the dedicated number), and things worked well, but from their statements (and struggles), it was clear they were not the experts I had previously dealt with.
 
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.
So, you are the perfect person for my questions. You are in a bowl. When the FCC mandated retransmission of local TV to service rural America, it was a real issue. When I bought my Series 1 in 1999, there was still a big issue needing taxpayer subsidy for people like you. This adds significant money to all cable bills. Would you help end the subsidy?

Next Question. TiVo used to be the answer to advertising. We watch and TiVo a ton using an RF switcher wired from cable box transceiver to receivers on slave monitors anywhere...just need multiple remotes. With two TiVos and HDDs we can store far more than we need. The whole point was bypassing the ads....How can you all do that anymore unless you pay through the nose for AD Free Streaming. Shouldn't consumers unite to convince Congress and the Agencies to allow TiVo or similar to compete in the market as uniquely being able to capture cable or some stream tiles without ads?
 
Hello group,

This is my first time visiting your forum which I found doing a search for Spectrum's cable card news. I was having an issue today with my TiVo Bolt missing a few channels and called Spectrum tech support. The rep said, "you do know we are discontinuing cable cards? We sent out email notices." I told the rep I have not received an email. After rattling off a list of cities, she notified me that my market is not yet on the list for discontinuation. I am in the Tampa Bay area.

I currently have a master TiVo Bolt unit and 6 Mini/Lux units around the house. If the cable card and tuning adapter are eliminated, that really jams me up. I will have to re-imagine my entire house. I love TiVo's intuitive software, which I've used for over 20 years. I have despised other DVRs I've tried (eg. Spectrum in a temp corporate NYC apartment).

What are my options if I get the cancellation here in Florida. When Verizon sold out to Frontier, they abandoned FiOs TV. I currently record four news channels daily for my occupation. What about getting TV to all my other TVs in the house without having cable boxes everywhere? I hope there is a viable solution. This clearly torpedoes a large segment of TiVo's business model and leaves me with a pile of obsolete gear.

ZBD
What about getting TV to all my other TVs in the house without having cable boxes everywhere?
You can use RF and buy a wired RF switcher box that take up to 3 inputs (e.g., 2 cable boxes and CCTV for Security). You wire the home from a central core where you put the boxes and at each TV location you place a red eye nearby (RF receiver), On each output source you place a transceiver IR eye which is wired to the switch. The switch outputs all channels from one source on channel 65, next source 67. final source 69. You need remotes wherever you have a monitor.
 
Hello group,

This is my first time visiting your forum which I found doing a search for Spectrum's cable card news. I was having an issue today with my TiVo Bolt missing a few channels and called Spectrum tech support. The rep said, "you do know we are discontinuing cable cards? We sent out email notices." I told the rep I have not received an email. After rattling off a list of cities, she notified me that my market is not yet on the list for discontinuation. I am in the Tampa Bay area.

I currently have a master TiVo Bolt unit and 6 Mini/Lux units around the house. If the cable card and tuning adapter are eliminated, that really jams me up. I will have to re-imagine my entire house. I love TiVo's intuitive software, which I've used for over 20 years. I have despised other DVRs I've tried (eg. Spectrum in a temp corporate NYC apartment).

What are my options if I get the cancellation here in Florida. When Verizon sold out to Frontier, they abandoned FiOs TV. I currently record four news channels daily for my occupation. What about getting TV to all my other TVs in the house without having cable boxes everywhere? I hope there is a viable solution. This clearly torpedoes a large segment of TiVo's business model and leaves me with a pile of obsolete gear.

ZBD
To be able to help you know what you should adopt as your next pay TV solution, I'd need you to answer a few Qs:

1. Tell me about those news channel recordings. How many hours per day do you record and how long do you store the recordings? Are you doing live on-the-fly recordings or do you have recordings set up in advance to always record specific news shows? Do you need to be able to indefinitely save local copies of those recordings so that you can, for instance, edit those videos on your home computer, e.g. stitching together bits of various news shows into a custom newsreel?

2. How many different TVs in your home do you need to access cable TV at the same time? For instance, maybe you want TV service available on 7 different TVs but you never have more than 4 of them playing live or recorded TV at the same time?

Unless your TiVo Bolt can be used to receive and record OTA TV from an antenna (and that's something you'd care to do), then you probably need to just list your TiVo equipment on eBay or elsewhere pretty soon and get whatever money out of it that you still can. Because once lots of Charter Spectrum cable TV customers around the country can no longer use their TiVos with that service, you'll see a flood of used TiVo DVRs for sale, driving down their value. May as well figure out your next set-up now and get on with the changes. But to help you do that, I need to know more about the way you use live and recorded TV, especially for your work-from-home job.
 
To be able to help you know what you should adopt as your next pay TV solution, I'd need you to answer a few Qs:

1. Tell me about those news channel recordings. How many hours per day do you record and how long do you store the recordings? Are you doing live on-the-fly recordings or do you have recordings set up in advance to always record specific news shows? Do you need to be able to indefinitely save local copies of those recordings so that you can, for instance, edit those videos on your home computer, e.g. stitching together bits of various news shows into a custom newsreel?

2. How many different TVs in your home do you need to access cable TV at the same time? For instance, maybe you want TV service available on 7 different TVs but you never have more than 4 of them playing live or recorded TV at the same time?

Unless your TiVo Bolt can be used to receive and record OTA TV from an antenna (and that's something you'd care to do), then you probably need to just list your TiVo equipment on eBay or elsewhere pretty soon and get whatever money out of it that you still can. Because once lots of Charter Spectrum cable TV customers around the country can no longer use their TiVos with that service, you'll see a flood of used TiVo DVRs for sale, driving down their value. May as well figure out your next set-up now and get on with the changes. But to help you do that, I need to know more about the way you use live and recorded TV, especially for your work-from-home job.
I used to have many more....now down to 4 tvs. No more than 2 simultaneous watchers 1080p or 4k. Can store 600 hours. 120 is enough. No stitching at this time. Need all rhe CBS and NBC secondary nets + AMC. Getting all from cable w/out commercials. Hate trouble bypassing commercials. Using 2 Premiers lifetime. Also wired rf to go to as many screens as remotes using pro grade RF switcher. Gonna miss the set up when we move in September
 
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