# Cablevision phase-out of cablecard



## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

So, to make a long long story short my provider told me they are no longer issuing cable cards or supporting them. The new Bolt I got as a replacement to my dead one is useless to me without a functioning cable card. The old cable card wouldn't work with the new Bolt. Tivo agreed to refund my money and asked that I contact the FCC and media matters to file a complaint. Anyone else experience this with Optimum? I got a cable box but this is going to be hard not recording tv any more. I refuse to pay for their crappy DVR. What to do with the Bolt now. Tivo let me keep it.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Cable card is still the law of the land. You should get a phone call from Cablevision soon and a different story. The old card will start working when they pair it.


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## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't have a cable card anymore as I turned it in since it wouldn't work no matter what they tried to do. They told me every new box has to have a new cable card. When I went to get a new one they said they aren't carrying them anymore. Today I called customer service and got someone higher up on the phone who said there are no longer issuing or supporting them and I'd have to rent a DVR.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Well they keep telling you one lie after another. Every new box does not have to have a new card. They can't stop issuing and supporting them without violating federal law and risking fines. Your complaint should result in corrective action.


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## jcondon (Jul 9, 2003)

Check out this whole thread. But specifically this post....

Basically it seems they are supposedly unable to bind cards. Also going back to switched digital video. If/when that hits my area for channels I care about I am going back to FiOS. Good luck.

Similar thread or two over at dslreports.com as well with regards to them being unable to bind cards.

Cable card - Optimum - Not Authorized

TIVO Still work with Altice One? - OptimumOnline | DSLReports Forums


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## jimpmc (Oct 31, 2001)

I just had a new install of Optimum 2 weeks ago and they were able to provide multiple cablecards. There were some issues with the binding "system" on their end initially, but that appears to have been fixed. I have re-bound cards no less than 4 times in the past 2 weeks as I swapped out various TiVos. This has been done with regular support via phone and chat. They just needed the Host ID and Cablecard ID...sometimes the serial # from the card itself to make sure which one they were pairing.

Bottom line is that Optimum does still support cablecards...if someone isn't familiar, hang up and try again.


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## jcondon (Jul 9, 2003)

jett456 said:


> I don't have a cable card anymore as I turned it in since it wouldn't work no matter what they tried to do. They told me every new box has to have a new cable card. When I went to get a new one they said they aren't carrying them anymore. Today I called customer service and got someone higher up on the phone who said there are no longer issuing or supporting them and I'd have to rent a DVR.


I got a card back in February from the Peekskill, NY store.


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## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

I went to the store and was told no more cards and then today on the phone I was told the same again.


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

Fill out this form, profit:

Submit a request - FCC Complaints

-KP


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## jimpmc (Oct 31, 2001)

It is on their rate sheet and FAQ. You may need to schedule an onsite install (insist on no fee for this) to get one.

Optimum | FAQ


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## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

kpeters59 said:


> Fill out this form, profit:
> 
> Submit a request - FCC Complaints
> 
> -KP


Done!! and Tivo customer service gave me a# to call as well to report 202-418-7200


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## Paul Coco (Jan 21, 2003)

I recently spent almost 2 months with this BS and that's what it is. Cablevision is beginning to change some channels to SDV (switched digital video). Back in June I lost 8 premium channels (Cinemax and Starz channels) and that began an odyssey. I got the same stories about needing an Optimum DVR and every person I talked to had a different story. I will spare you a long, long story but the bottom line was I found out from the TiVo web site that all I needed was a tuning adapter from my cable company and the TiVo would work just fine. I was told they had no tuning adapters and, even if they did, it would not solve my problem. I kept at it and worked my way up the food chain to corporate customer support. Again, long story short, I eventually got 2 tuning adapters, 1 each for the Premiere and the Bolt. You will have to do the install but is is simple and straight forward and no problem to do.

Please, please do NOT buy their BS and keep at it until you get satisfaction. By law, they must supply cable cards.

More information on switched digital video here - Switched video - Wikipedia


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

Paul Coco said:


> I recently spent almost 2 months with this BS and that's what it is. Cablevision is beginning to change some channels to SDV (switched digital video). Back in June I lost 8 premium channels (Cinemax and Starz channels) and that began an odyssey. I got the same stories about needing an Optimum DVR and every person I talked to had a different story. I will spare you a long, long story but the bottom line was I found out from the TiVo web site that all I needed was a tuning adapter from my cable company and the TiVo would work just fine. I was told they had no tuning adapters and, even if they did, it would not solve my problem. I kept at it and worked my way up the food chain to corporate customer support. Again, long story short, I eventually got 2 tuning adapters, 1 each for the Premiere and the Bolt. You will have to do the install but is is simple and straight forward and no problem to do.
> 
> Please, please do NOT buy their BS and keep at it until you get satisfaction. By law, they must supply cable cards.
> 
> More information on switched digital video here - Switched video - Wikipedia


Paul, did you file an FCC complaint when you first had problems with the cable card? If not, were you aware of the FCC process?


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## Paul Coco (Jan 21, 2003)

fcfc2 said:


> Paul, did you file an FCC complaint when you first had problems with the cable card? If not, were you aware of the FCC process?


No, I didn't, because I never had a problem with the cable card per se. In the course of troubleshooting, one of their customer service people UNPAIRED my cable card and I had no TV at all for 2.5 days until a technician came to diagnose the problem and had them pair the card again while he was present. In the course of his visit, I spoke on the phone with his field supervisor and he was the one that told me that all I needed was the tuning adapter. So I knew, fairly early, that it was not a cable card problem and did not go to the FCC. The problem was, it seems to me, that Optimum went ahead with these changes to the SDV system without telling any of their support staff what was happening and most didn't have a clue what you were talking about. I knew more about the transition than they did! Everyone I talked to had a different story that would change over time. The turning point was when I bypassed the usual phone numbers and wrote to corporate headquarters. Then things got moving.

I don't know what plan you have so I should also alert you to something that happened last week. Received a letter advising that they were eliminating my TV Gold Plan and it would be replaced with their Premiere Plan and that they needed my confirmation by mid September (I think September 19). They provided a link to their web site that was useless. I called to find out what this meant. I was told this was good news for me and that there were only 2 changes from the plan I have been on. One, the price would go down $5 monthly and two, The Movie Channels and the Cinemax Channels would continue to be available but only via "On Demand." I explained that, as a cable card customer, I did not have access to "on demand" and that they would be taking away channels that I currently have access to. Eventually they relented and said I will continue to receive them. We shall see.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

Paul Coco said:


> No, I didn't, because I never had a problem with the cable card per se. In the course of troubleshooting, one of their customer service people UNPAIRED my cable card and I had no TV at all for 2.5 days until a technician came to diagnose the problem and had them pair the card again while he was present. In the course of his visit, I spoke on the phone with his field supervisor and he was the one that told me that all I needed was the tuning adapter. So I knew, fairly early, that it was not a cable card problem and did not go to the FCC. The problem was, it seems to me, that Optimum went ahead with these changes to the SDV system without telling any of their support staff what was happening and most didn't have a clue what you were talking about. I knew more about the transition than they did! Everyone I talked to had a different story that would change over time. The turning point was when I bypassed the usual phone numbers and wrote to corporate headquarters. Then things got moving.
> 
> I don't know what plan you have so I should also alert you to something that happened last week. Received a letter advising that they were eliminating my TV Gold Plan and it would be replaced with their Premiere Plan and that they needed my confirmation by mid September (I think September 19). They provided a link to their web site that was useless. I called to find out what this meant. I was told this was good news for me and that there were only 2 changes from the plan I have been on. One, the price would go down $5 monthly and two, The Movie Channels and the Cinemax Channels would continue to be available but only via "On Demand." I explained that, as a cable card customer, I did not have access to "on demand" and that they would be taking away channels that I currently have access to. Eventually they relented and said I will continue to receive them. We shall see.


Yes I understand, but "support" cable cards includes optional Tuning Adapters also. There are several folks here who used the FCC to get their TA availability/functional issues resolved fairly quickly.


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## schatham (Mar 17, 2007)

jett456 said:


> I don't have a cable card anymore as I turned it in since it wouldn't work no matter what they tried to do. They told me every new box has to have a new cable card. When I went to get a new one they said they aren't carrying them anymore. Today I called customer service and got someone higher up on the phone who said there are no longer issuing or supporting them and I'd have to rent a DVR.


I ran into that at Comcast (local office saying they did not have any and no one uses them anymore) and made them order me one. Be firm, they are being lazy.

They also played stupid when I brought back my X1 and told them to make the cable card the primary. Tried to tell me they could not do it. I just stood there and said yes you can. Guess what, they figured it out.


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## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

I got an email from the FCC today so I will be hearing from Optimum soon. Here's part of the email.

Here's what you can expect from the FCC's informal complaint process:

- Your provider should contact you directly in an effort to resolve your issue. 
- The FCC's role in this process is to facilitate a conversation between you and your provider.
- Your provider is required to submit to the FCC a written response regarding your issue no later than 30 days from today.
- The FCC will not contact you until we receive a response from your provider.

You can view a list of frequently asked questions about the informal complaint process at: Filing a Complaint Questions and Answers.


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## barnabas1969 (Aug 22, 2013)

Go here...

Direct Support forums | DSLReports, ISP Information

Find your provider.

These people specialize in CableCARD.


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## barnabas1969 (Aug 22, 2013)

jett456 said:


> So, to make a long long story short my provider told me they are no longer issuing cable cards or supporting them. The new Bolt I got as a replacement to my dead one is useless to me without a functioning cable card. The old cable card wouldn't work with the new Bolt. Tivo agreed to refund my money and asked that I contact the FCC and media matters to file a complaint. Anyone else experience this with Optimum? I got a cable box but this is going to be hard not recording tv any more. I refuse to pay for their crappy DVR. What to do with the Bolt now. Tivo let me keep it.


Go here:

Optimum Direct forum | DSLReports, ISP Information

They will probably want information like the MAC address of your cable modem.

When the idiots on the phone (and in the store) don't know anything about CableCARD... you should post here.


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## jett456 (Oct 4, 2007)

I heard from cablevision yesterday thanks to FCC intervention. They found me a store with a cable card 20 miles away. I will go pick it up Saturday and try to get it to bind to the Tivo. Thanks for all the tips.


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## A.K. (Nov 17, 2019)

fcfc2 said:


> Yes I understand, but "support" cable cards includes optional Tuning Adapters also. There are several folks here who used the FCC to get their TA availability/functional issues resolved fairly quickly.


Hi, I can't get cable card from New Paris Cablevision because I live in a retirement community and the cable is provided by them so I don't have an account in my name. I have tried to resolve this through people here but it seems there is nothing they can do. Does anyone know if I should file a complaint with FCC and if I do will it do any good?


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## mattyro7878 (Nov 27, 2014)

If they are delivering video via want, you are entitled to a cablecard. File a complaint.


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## elorimer (Jan 1, 2012)

You will probably need to open an account in your name for the extra charge. I'm surprised they aren't all over you for your own account so you can do add ons like VOD, HBO, etc not under the bulk contract.

My condo is that way so I am billed $1/month by Spectrum for the cablecard.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

A.K. said:


> Hi, I can't get cable card from New Paris Cablevision because I live in a retirement community and the cable is provided by them so I don't have an account in my name. I have tried to resolve this through people here but it seems there is nothing they can do. Does anyone know if I should file a complaint with FCC and if I do will it do any good?


There are exceptions to the cable card requirement, some small providers and some services which use IPTV vs cable cards are exempt. Does your cable company provide boxes with cable cards in them or do you just get a coax feed for your TV's?


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## A.K. (Nov 17, 2019)

fcfc2 said:


> There are exceptions to the cable card requirement, some small providers and some services which use IPTV vs cable cards are exempt. Does your cable company provide boxes with cable cards in them or do you just get a coax feed for your TV's?


This is a very small provider. They provide internet service also. Cable is just through coax cable. I've never been offered any boxes. They won't talk to me at all and I can't get anyone here to try to resolve the issue. So it looks like I'm out of luck. Thanks.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

A.K. said:


> This is a very small provider. They provide internet service also. Cable is just through coax cable. I've never been offered any boxes. They won't talk to me at all and I can't get anyone here to try to resolve the issue. So it looks like I'm out of luck. Thanks.


Sometimes you can use an OTA type of setup for a tivo, do you have a Tivo which supports OTA or cable card only?


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## A.K. (Nov 17, 2019)

Since mine got fried in power outage, I had to order new one. It's a Bolt 500gb. I made sure they know my problem of not being able to get cable card. They tell me it will do OTA and cable but I have to call them when it gets here so they can walk me through setup. I hope they know what they are talking about. Thanks for your help.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

A.K. said:


> Since mine got fried in power outage, I had to order new one. It's a Bolt 500gb. I made sure they know my problem of not being able to get cable card. They tell me it will do OTA and cable but I have to call them when it gets here so they can walk me through setup. I hope they know what they are talking about. Thanks for your help.


Note that the Bolt will do OTA ****OR**** cable, not both at the same time.


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## A.K. (Nov 17, 2019)

Thanks. I think that's what they told me but I didn't quite understand the explanation of how it would work. That's why I have to call them to walk me through the hookup even though I'm pretty good at hooking up electronics. The Bolt will be here today so I will know soon and will post on here in the next couple of days. Thanks everyone who helped me.


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