[Torquer]

I have had a Roamio Pro for many years on Cablevision (Optimum/Altice), and have loved it. A couple weeks ago I started losing channels. I never had a tuning adapter before now. After 3 calls to their helpless support folks, and them resetting my cablecard, I now have access to almost no channels. So today a technician came out who actually knew something about Cablecards. He said they are changing to switched video and that I would need a tuning adapter. However, he showed me a memo from his team leader saying that Cablevision no longer supplies tuning adapters.

Sounds like Cablevision wants to kill off Cablecards and therefore Tivo, since the FCC decision no longer requiring cable companies to support it (Cable-box competition rules have been completely dismantled-to the detriment of consumers).

So does anyone know where I can buy a tuning adapter? I looked around and except for one used one on ebay I couldn't find any for sale. I would like to keep using my Tivo for a couple more years if possible.

 

[TishTash]

Most of the (few) Optimum/Cablevision stores have some, if you'd like to try them. That's how I got mine recently. (I had a few back when Cablevision flirted with SDV back in 2012, but they were drowned by Sandy.) That said, they gave it up very begrudgingly, complaining that I should just get Altice One and stop hanging on to ancient technology.

 

[Teeps]

I would still post a complaint with the FCC.
While this might not get them to supply a t/a.
The complaint will still be a "DING" on their operation.

 

[blacknoi]

I registered an FCC complaint just yesterday about this.

Randolph NJ walk in center tells me 2 days ago that they don't have Tuning Adapters, will never get them back in and he doesn't know how I'm supposed to get my channels other than renting a cable box.

I called customer service. I talked to 3 different people after saying "cablecard support" on the phone tree, got disconnected (I hope they didn't hang up on me) all 3 times, but not before they told me first to go pick one up at the walk in center (right after I told them I'm calling because the walk in center WONT give me them). So then they try to ship them to me but the system won't allow it (again saying customers should pick them up in the walk in center).

So they put me on hold, check with a manager, and then (ready for this?) tell me that Tivo has to supply me the tuning adapter, that Optimum doesn't provide them.

But answering the OPs question: officially you can't buy tuning adapters. They are/were never sold at retail. So any on ebay are grey market (likely lost or stolen from a cable provider somewhere). And if you bought it, Altice won't add it to your account anyway as its not their equipment.

Hoping the FCC can help but given the law about cablecards getting gutted, this may be a swan song.

 

[HarleyRandom]

I don't know what this means, but there's no sign on the building where I used to go to pay my Time Warner (later Spectrum) bill. Even before COVID-19 I was fed up with waiting for people to solve their time-consuming problems when they could very well have had an express lane. They used to have three people in the office and then they decided to have just the one and this noise that person considers to be music forced on me in the waiting room. Fortunately I don't watch any channels that require a tuning adapter, as I found out when the thing quit working. The man who was supposed to install it didn't know what one was and called my machine a Trevo and told his superiors that this 80-year-old man wanted him to install something for his ancient TV.

 

[samsauce29]

I don't know what this means, but there's no sign on the building where I used to go to pay my Time Warner (later Spectrum) bill. Even before COVID-19 I was fed up with waiting for people to solve their time-consuming problems when they could very well have had an express lane. They used to have three people in the office and then they decided to have just the one and this noise that person considers to be music forced on me in the waiting room. Fortunately I don't watch any channels that require a tuning adapter, as I found out when the thing quit working. The man who was supposed to install it didn't know what one was and called my machine a Trevo and told his superiors that this 80-year-old man wanted him to install something for his ancient TV.

In my area, they are closing or have closed the two existing stores and are consolidating in a new location near the Verizon store adjacent to the mall.

It could be that other cities are doing the same. Check your recent bills and see if you have a notice.

 

[HarleyRandom]

In my area, they are closing or have closed the two existing stores and are consolidating in a new location near the Verizon store adjacent to the mall.

It could be that other cities are doing the same. Check your recent bills and see if you have a notice.

I hadn't even thought to look at my bill. I just have it paid automatically now and I'm not even sure I'm getting one in the mail. And I ignore the emails saying my bill is ready.

 

[blacknoi]

The corporate office of Altice called me back. I had to reexplain the situation, so they put me on hold. When they come back they say they are totally out of tuning adapters, have no eta on when they will be in stock, wouldn't even commit to them ever coming back in stock, and to LOOK IN MY BILL for if/when they will be available again.

So the FCC complaint spurred a callback, but with a non-resolution.

 

[Torquer]

Yesterday I went to the local Cablevision office. I had my Cablecard in my hand and as soon as the man saw it, he said I bet you need a tuning adapter. He said several people had been in asking about them. He went on to say that they ordered some last week but he has no idea when they will come in. He asked me to write my name and phone number on a sticky pad note and said he would call me when they come in. And that was it.

I have no idea if anything he told me was true, or if he just said all that to get me out of his hair. But if true, it is a bit more encouraging them I thought it would be.

 

[blacknoi]

Yesterday I went to the local Cablevision office. I had my Cablecard in my hand and as soon as the man saw it, he said I bet you need a tuning adapter. He said several people had been in asking about them. He went on to say that they ordered some last week but he has no idea when they will come in. He asked me to write my name and phone number on a sticky pad note and said he would call me when they come in. And that was it.

I have no idea if anything he told me was true, or if he just said all that to get me out of his hair. But if true, it is a bit more encouraging them I thought it would be.

Out of curiosity, which office was it?

 

[Torquer]

Out of curiosity, which office was it?

Wappingers Falls, NY

 

[Torquer]

Yesterday, I filed a complaint with the FCC about Cablevision/Optimum not supplying Tuning Adapters for CableCARDs. Today a lady called me back from their corporate offices.

She said they were totally dropping support for CableCARDs and therefore Tivo, so there will be no Tuning Adapters available. She did offer me about 25% off my TV+Internet for 1 year, but I know I will be unhappy with their cloud DVR, compared to Tivo. We will probably take that offer for now, but I have been seriously investigating Dish satellite the last few days. People do seem to like their Hopper 3 DVR and they have a similar small box for other TVs in the house like the Tivo Mini's. So we will likely switch soon.

This is a really sad day. I feel Tivo has been the best designed and executed technology product we have ever owned. We will be sorry to have to get rid of it.

 

[Hank]

Why do some Optimum Tivo customers need a TA when others don’t?

I just had Optimum install two new CC in my TiVo’s and everything works fine.

 

[dianebrat]

Why do some Optimum Tivo customers need a TA when others don't?

I just had Optimum install two new CC in my TiVo's and everything works fine.

Legacy architecture
The current CableCo monopolies are all a patchwork of acquisitions, many with different hardware footprints that never get updated.

 

[bigL]

Why do some Optimum Tivo customers need a TA when others don't?

I just had Optimum install two new CC in my TiVo's and everything works fine.

what type of card did they give you? I am losing channels left and right

 

[TishTash]

Why do some Optimum Tivo customers need a TA when others don't?

I just had Optimum install two new CC in my TiVo's and everything works fine.

In the case of Long Island, Altice reinstitued TAs presumably to free up bandwidth. Cablevision had removed them in many places due to their persistent problems of restarting at all sorts of inopportune times while recording, which would cancel the recording and not resume when the TA came back online. It's a worthy concept of delivering less-watched channels on demand, but very unstable still.

 

[myklbear]

I have slowly been losing SD channels that I like to watch like C-SPAN 2 and 3, BBC news, Euro news to name a few as these that now seem to require a tuning adapter to view. Cablevision has chosen to not tell me I'm losing channels nor provide a solution nor offer a discount.

Back to original OP it also seems strange that as they have pulled them back that they have all disappeared and nowhere to be found (mysteriously). Can't even buy one yourself where they don't have responsibility to keep them up.

I know there are technical reasons for this but it seems to me that it's just another way of cable companies forcing out the TiVo.


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