[Scott9mm]

I've have had Spectrum (formerly Time Warner) cable for over 15 years and I'm on some old TV plan that's long discontinued.

When I tried to add a sports package the customer service person said my Tivos (i.e. cable card and TA) would not work with the current (cheaper) Spectrum packages. That was a deal-breaker for me. BUT others here (Diane) posted that TiVo equipment will continue to work with new Spectrum plans (e.g. Silver).

So: Does anybody really know what the deal is with Spectrum vs. TiVo equipment? Are some plans incompatible with current cable cards and tuning adaptors?

 

[tivoknucklehead]

I've have had Spectrum (formerly Time Warner) cable for over 15 years and I'm on some old TV plan that's long discontinued.

When I tried to add a sports package the customer service person said my Tivos (i.e. cable card and TA) would not work with the current (cheaper) Spectrum packages. That was a deal-breaker for me. BUT others here (Diane) posted that TiVo equipment will continue to work with new Spectrum plans (e.g. Silver).

So: Does anybody really know what the deal is with Spectrum vs. TiVo equipment? Are some plans incompatible with current cable cards and tuning adaptors?

I have Spectrum Silver in Central Florida and my Edge works just fine with a cablecard and tuning adapter

 

[dlfl]

I can’t tell you what the real deal with Specturm is now because, happily, I haven’t had their cable service for almost two years now. But the real deal I saw was that they are the gang that can’t (or won’t bother to) shoot straight. It was always a. PITA to try to get a straight, accurate or consistent answer from them on any topic. Dealing with them on cable TV packages and prices made used car salesmen look really good. I’ve been happy with YouTube TV. I still use my TiVo to record OTA but that’s just a backup because YTTV has the local stations too.

 

[samsauce29]

I have Spectrum Silver in Central Florida and my Edge works just fine with a cablecard and tuning adapter

Same. Except in PA and with 2 Bolts.

 

[HarleyRandom]

I only get basic basic channels and when I tried to add Internet they said I wouldn't be allowed to keep that because it was a Time Warner package they didn't offer. My phone company finally gave me a good deal on faster Internet.

But at least with the Roamio I only need a Cable Card, not a Tuning Adapter. I found this out when the Tuning Adapter malfunctioned. I don't know about the Edge because I can't disconnect the cable because of the way the man put it in. Meaning if anything happens and I'm told over the phone to bypass the tuning adapter, I can't.

 

[mdavej]

Any plan that works with a Spectrum box will also work with a Tivo. Just ask for a cable card after the fact.

 

[CinciDVR]

When I tried to add a sports package the customer service person said my Tivos (i.e. cable card and TA) would not work with the current (cheaper) Spectrum packages. That was a deal-breaker for me.

I just had a similar conversation with Spectrum yesterday. I'm on a TWC legacy plan and wanted to change to a Spectrum plan. Not because it would be cheaper, but because it would give me 200/10 MB vs 25/2 MB for the same cost. Agent said I couldn't use a cablecard with the Spectrum plan. BUT... I have a Service Rate Card downloaded from Spectrum.net for my billing address (Cincinnati, OH) which specifically lists the cablecard as an option ($2/mo). So after an hour on the phone being transferred around, I hung up and filed an FCC complaint. I'll let you know if anything comes of it. Have you tried downloading a Service Rate Card from Spectrum.net for your billing address?

 

[Scott9mm]

So much good info. Thanks!! Never heard of a service rate card before but I'm looking at mine now! Excellent data.

By the way, I installed a decent antenna and with a 4-tuner Roamio in my barn for OTA and planned to cut the cord on cable TV (which costs more than my electric bill). Then my sportsaholic stepson moved here (overall a good thing) but wants everything sports plus some other cable.

I think all this means that Spectrum will continue TiVo support as long as the invoices get paid with minimal new cost on their part. On the other hand we've seen many chief executives do stupid things on a whim.

 

[cwoody222]

It’s likely there’s no TECHNICAL reason your new package won’t work.

The rep you talked to could be wrong or not know how to add/edit your account due to the CC.

Another possibility is that the bundle price of the new package requires a set top box. In that case you’d have to buy the package parts ala carte and pay more.

 

[mdavej]

It's likely there's no TECHNICAL reason your new package won't work.

The rep you talked to could be wrong or not know how to add/edit your account due to the CC.

Another possibility is that the bundle price of the new package requires a set top box. I'm that case you'd have to buy the package parts ala carte and pay more.

Whenever I got a bundle the required a box, I simply put that box in the back of my closet and got a cable card the next day. I once had to hang on to a Charter DVR which I never once plugged in or powered on for 3 years. If I had returned it, I would have lost my package. Just got to play their stupid games then get the card after the fact.

 

[Scott9mm]

I suspect this is exactly the case. They show the set-top box as required and the customer service lady either didn't know cable cards would still work or she was just repeating the party line. On a couple occasions she put us on hole for several minutes to "research" my situation. I'll go with mdavej's assessment.

 

[cwoody222]

When Spectrum did that to me (required a STB for a bundle) they were still going to charge me for the box to sit in my closet which negated the discount.

So I refused the box and lost the bundle.

 

[dlfl]

I just had a similar conversation with Spectrum yesterday. I'm on a TWC legacy plan and wanted to change to a Spectrum plan. Not because it would be cheaper, but because it would give me 200/10 MB vs 25/2 MB for the same cost. Agent said I couldn't use a cablecard with the Spectrum plan. BUT... I have a Service Rate Card downloaded from Spectrum.net for my billing address (Cincinnati, OH) which specifically lists the cablecard as an option ($2/mo). So after an hour on the phone being transferred around, I hung up and filed an FCC complaint. I'll let you know if anything comes of it. Have you tried downloading a Service Rate Card from Spectrum.net for your billing address?

Let us know if your FCC complaint gets you anywhere (frankly I doubt it will). Can't you get a better internet deal from Fioptics or MetroNet in the Cincy area?

I cut the (TV) cable two years ago but was still being charged $75 by Spectrum for 100/10. Fortunately MetroNet built into our area last year and I'm now paying them $65 (including taxes, etc.) for 200/200 fiber. I'm wondering if MetroNet will ever build into the Cincy area since Fioptics is already there.

 

[gkottner]

Let us know if your FCC complaint gets you anywhere (frankly I doubt it will). Can't you get a better internet deal from Fioptics or MetroNet in the Cincy area?

I cut the (TV) cable two years ago but was still being charged $75 by Spectrum for 100/10. Fortunately MetroNet built into our area last year and I'm now paying them $65 (including taxes, etc.) for 200/200 fiber. I'm wondering if MetroNet will ever build into the Cincy area since Fioptics is already there.

I can confirm that a cablecard works on the Spectrum packages. My friend uses a TiVo and had a cablecard with Spectrum Silver and recently switched to Spectrum TV Choice and was able to keep using her TiVo.
As far as Fioptics goes, it's really hit or miss here in Cincy. I live in West Chester and my friend who lives a mile away does not have Fioptics and I do. In fact, they started in my neighborhood (around 400 houses) in 2017 and still have not finished the neighborhood. I'm convinced that the only reason I have Fioptics is that my neighbor works for Cincinnati Bell.

 

[CinciDVR]

Let us know if your FCC complaint gets you anywhere (frankly I doubt it will). Can't you get a better internet deal from Fioptics or MetroNet in the Cincy area?

What I'm hoping the FCC complaint does is to get someone knowledgeable to call me. The people I was speaking to on the phone were clearly national agents. I'm hoping my complaint gets someone from Cincinnati to call me.

I can get Fioptics at my house, though we have fiber to the neighborhood - not fiber to the home. So the max speed would top out at maybe 50 MB download, though that's not guaranteed. The biggest problem is that Fioptics TV does not support Tivo devices because it uses IP streams.

I can confirm that a cablecard works on the Spectrum packages. My friend uses a TiVo and had a cablecard with Spectrum Silver and recently switched to Spectrum TV Choice and was able to keep using her TiVo.

I have little doubt that a cablecard would work since it is currently working. The thing I fear is that the agent would setup my Spectrum plan and not include billing for a cablecard and then my current cablecard would be disassociated with my account.

I received an email from the FCC on Wednesday with a ticket # and saying that it had been served to my provider on Oct 5. It says that my provider must submit to the FCC a written response regarding the issue within 30 days. So my fingers are crossed that someone knowledgeable at Cincinnati Spectrum will be calling me soon.

 

[dianebrat]

What I'm hoping the FCC complaint does is to get someone knowledgeable to call me. The people I was speaking to on the phone were clearly national agents. I'm hoping my complaint gets someone from Cincinnati to call me.
....
I received an email from the FCC on Wednesday with a ticket # and saying that it had been served to my provider on Oct 5. It says that my provider must submit to the FCC a written response regarding the issue within 30 days. So my fingers are crossed that someone knowledgeable at Cincinnati Spectrum will be calling me soon.

The issue is that Spectrum (and every other CableCo) is no longer required to support CableCARDs, so an FCC complaint is very different from just a few years ago when Spectrum would be doing something prohibited by law.

Why? The answer is "politics" and a pro-business from the prior administration.

 

[cwoody222]

Yes, CC are not mandated by the govt any longer but that’s not the issue here.

Spectrum has not decided that certain plans aren’t available with CC.

A sales rep drone was just wrong/misinformed/lazy.

Frankly, a FCC complaint for this seems like overkill.

Just call back and speak to the CC techs. They’ll ultimately have to transfer you to a competent sales agent but they should be able to help you get what you need.

 

[CinciDVR]

Frankly, a FCC complaint for this seems like overkill.

Just call back and speak to the CC techs. They'll ultimately have to transfer you to a competent sales agent but they should be able to help you get what you need.

Why should I be required to spend hours (yes hours - I already spent one trying to get the agent to get me to the right person)? Even if I managed to get to the CC techs, there's no guarantee that they know how to transfer my account from a legacy TWC plan to a new Spectrum plan. The FCC complaint is my way of hopefully short-circuiting a very inefficient Spectrum call tree. Hopefully it saves my time. If not, then I've lost nothing by filing the complaint and the added bonus is that the FCC receives some data that Spectrum customer service sucks.

 

[CinciDVR]

The issue is that Spectrum (and every other CableCo) is no longer required to support CableCARDs, so an FCC complaint is very different from just a few years ago when Spectrum would be doing something prohibited by law.

Yep, I know that. I'm hoping that the FCC complaint prompts Spectrum to gets someone that knows about both TWC legacy plans & Spectrum new plans, and cablecards to call me. If that someone calls me and says, "sorry, we don't support cablecards on our new plans" then I'm screwed. But if that someones says, "yep, we do support cablecards on our new plans and I'm going to help you get that setup" then I've saved a lot of phone tag time.

 

[pl1]

Why should I be required to spend hours (yes hours - I already spent one trying to get the agent to get me to the right person)? Even if I managed to get to the CC techs, there's no guarantee that they know how to transfer my account from a legacy TWC plan to a new Spectrum plan. The FCC complaint is my way of hopefully short-circuiting a very inefficient Spectrum call tree. Hopefully it saves my time. If not, then I've lost nothing by filing the complaint and the added bonus is that the FCC receives some data that Spectrum customer service sucks.

Sometimes, using the right names of federal agencies can get a company to respond, so it IS worth a try. One time, I was notified about a small inheritance. The bank was instructed to pay us 100% of it, but they didn't pay it all. We found out about it a few years later and we were told we had to go to probate court. So, I was looking on their site and I saw it was regulated by the S.E.C. So, I wrote a demand letter and said I was going to file a complaint with them. Bingo! We got our money in about a week!