# A year with TIVO d she still isn't happy,an



## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

Hi everyone. I'm hoping you all can assist with an issue I've consistently been experiencing.

For much of the last year I've had significant tiling on most of the lower level television channels which results in the channel being unwatchable. I've contacted both TiVo and the cable company multiple time but both companies attribute the issue to the other. The signal strength on all channels is approximately 67. It should be closer to 80-99?

Suddenlink laid cat5 from the pole to mess of wires at office router, Office Moca box, and office router. All this is cat 5. I then have Edge in Bedroom1. Wires running to that bdrm I'm not sure what size it is? In my office, while the rest of the house is old 25 to 29 signal I believe. Curious if laying Cat 5/6 cable throughout my home could possibly help?

I have searched other threads and have tried Switching the Moca On/Off, adding a splitter, Tivo Moca/Poe filter but unfortunately nothing has worked. I am extremely frustrated with the lack of support from Tivo, at this point I have had 2 service calls from suddenlink with a 3rd planned to check the signal at the pole. 



I have searched articles and tried ideas from other threads but nothing has helped.

Thank you for any assistance.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Signal strength is definitely too low. I’m not familiar with a cat 5 feed as opposed to coax and I’m not sure how that meshes with moca. In any event you need a stronger signal. Perhaps Suddenlink can either fix their feed or put in an amplifier.


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## DeltaOne (Sep 29, 2013)

MichaelMac1 said:


> I am extremely frustrated with the lack of support from Tivo, at this point I have had 2 service calls from suddenlink with a 3rd planned to check the signal at the pole.


TiVo can't fix a low signal strength problem at your house. You need to get Suddenlink to verify the signal strength and fix the problem if necessary. After that...the wiring in your house is your responsibility. Either fix it yourself or hire a good electrician/AV guy to fix the problem.

I would be looking for signal strength to be 90 to 99%. Too low...get after Suddenlink and/or fix your wiring. Too high...add attenuation to bring the signal strength down to 90 to 99%. Maybe you could go as low as 85% or so? Maybe...but in my experience 90 to 99 is optimal.


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## Pokemon_Dad (Jan 19, 2008)

MichaelMac1 said:


> For much of the last year I've had significant tiling on most of the lower level television channels which results in the channel being unwatchable. I've contacted both TiVo and the cable company multiple time but both companies attribute the issue to the other. The signal strength on all channels is approximately 67. It should be closer to 80-99?


I went through something similar about a dozen years ago, with Comcast. Resolution required two or three visits by in-home techs to verify the problem was not in my house, followed by two visits by "network" linemen to trace the problem down the outside lines. They found water in some equipment a block or two away.

Tracking that down was tricky because the tiling and signal strength problems only happened to a specific range of channels, and only when the temperatures were around 40 degrees or lower, which in California often means only in the early morning. But eventually all was well.


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

I would be looking for signal strength to be 90 to 99%. Too low...get after Suddenlink and/or fix your wiring. Too high...add attenuation to bring the signal strength down to 90 to 99%. Maybe you could go as low as 85% or so? Maybe...but in my experience 90 to 99 is optimal.[/QUOTE]

What would you run in the house? Ethernet would be the best for the TIVO correct? I noticed in some articles bring the Cat 6 in then run Ethernet around the home and down the walls?

Delta thanks for input. I need to find what to have run? What did you do?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> What would you run in the house? Ethernet would be the best for the TIVO correct? I noticed in some articles bring the Cat 6 in then run Ethernet around the home and down the walls?


A retail Tivo can only accept a QAM cable TV input via coax cable, not Cat5/6 Ethernet. Networking is only used for guide updates, streaming from Internet video services, streaming over the home network between TiVo boxes, mobile streaming and/or content transfers between DVRs.

So... what specific model # TiVo do you have? Just the one EDGE?


MichaelMac1 said:


> I then have Edge in Bedroom1.


And is it connected via coax cable to a wall outlet? For that matter, are you trying to tune Suddenlink's cable TV via the DVR, or from an OTA antenna?

If the EDGE is connected to your home's coax, can you provide detail on how all your coax outlets interconnect, to each other and to the incoming cable signal source? What component(s) is(are) used to connect the coax lines, and what other devices are connected to your coax and where?


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

krkaufman said:


> A retail Tivo can only accept a QAM cable TV input via coax cable, not Cat5/6 Ethernet. Networking is only used for guide updates, streaming from Internet video services, streaming over the home network between TiVo boxes, mobile streaming and/or content transfers between DVRs.
> 
> So... what specific model # TiVo do you have? Just the one EDGE?


Thank you this one of my lost areas. I think they laid Cat 5 to the mess in office.
It is a Bolt 1GB model TCD8490000 and a TiVo Mini. Pardon the length yet wanted you to observe the gift Suddenlink leaves when I get home. I would be happy to let you know if I knew. Sure I labeled myself a real dummy when asking questions with limited knowledge


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> Thank you this one of my lost areas. I think they laid Cat 5 to the mess in office.
> It is a Bolt 1GB model TCD8490000 and a TiVo Mini. Pardon the length yet wanted you to see my mess.


What is pictured appears to be a cable modem (Motorola device in the TV cabinet; model #?), a router of some sort (the white device atop the TV; model #?) and a Pace-branded box (so I'm guessing a Suddenlink-leased box running TiVo software; model #?).

edit: Oh, and what is the "Netgear" device sitting on top of the Pace box? And to what is it connected?

Still missing is any understanding of how these devices are connected via coax, through what components (there's a 2-way or 3-way splitter missing from the pictures for this location; model #?), and how this single room location connects to other coax locations in your home and/or the incoming cable signal.

Also, given the cable modem and the Pace box are co-located, you should also be able to access the modem's signal stats page to evaluate signal strength. (We'd need the modem's model # to provide info on how to access its statistics.)


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

MichaelMac1 said:


> Thank you this one of my lost areas. I think they laid Cat 5 to the mess in office.
> It is a Bolt 1GB model TCD8490000 and a TiVo Mini. Pardon the length yet wanted you to see my mess.
> Appreciate it,


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> View attachment 55089


Ok, *that* is a BOLT. But what connections are pictured? (pic is too low resolution to be sure)

It appears like:
* power (white)
* HDMI (thick, black, in middle)
* coax (black, on right)

Anything else?

And does the coax connection run directly to the wall outlet?


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

pardon me the model is a 1GB IVO is located. I then use MOCA to run the edge. Yes coax runs to wall.


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

krkaufman said:


> Ok, *that* is a BOLT. But what connections are pictured? (pic is too low resolution to be sure)
> 
> It appears like:
> * power (white)
> ...


 HDMI to TV and then Power.
I have an Apple setting there that seems to make main TV give trouble when connected to another HDMI port like 3


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> pardon me the model is a 1GB IVO is located. I then use MOCA to run the edge.


No device pictured so far is a "TiVo EDGE." Are you mistakenly calling the pictured white BOLT an EDGE, or is there some other location where you have another DVR (the EDGE)? Is it the pictured BOLT that has the signal strength issues you've described?

What TiVo devices, and other Suddenlink-supplied devices, do you have in all? At what locations?

My current understanding:

*Location 1:*
Motorola cable modem (unknown model #)
Router (unknown model #)
Netgear device (MCA1001 MoCA adapter)
Pace box (unknown function or model #)
Coax splitter (unknown model #)

*Location 2:*
TiVo BOLT (white, TCD849000, coax to wall, MoCA client connection)

*Location 3 ?:*
TiVo Mini ???

*Central Junction:*
>>> ??? <<<
splitter or amplifier?
"PoE" MoCA filter?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> Suddenlink laid cat5 from the pole to mess of wires at office router


I'm now guessing that what you're referring to as "Cat5" is actually coax cabling.

Cat5/5e/6 cabling (aka Ethernet cabling) is what you see run between your router (sitting atop your TV) and the Netgear MCA1001 MoCA adapter (the yellow cable), and between the router and the Motorola cable modem (seemingly a grayish-blue cable).

Coax cabling (RG6, RG59) is what's used for propagating cable TV/Internet RF signals and MoCA.

Coax vs Ethernet | Finddiffer.com


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## DeltaOne (Sep 29, 2013)

MichaelMac1 said:


> What would you run in the house? Ethernet would be the best for the TIVO correct? I noticed in some articles bring the Cat 6 in then run Ethernet around the home and down the walls? Delta thanks for input. I need to find what to have run? What did you do?


Don't worry about the Mini until your main TiVo is working correctly. Once the main TiVo is working correctly you may find that the Mini is fine. If not, trouble shoot the Mini at that point.

You'll have coax running from outside the house to your main TiVo. Work with Suddenlink to find out if their signal, measured at the back of the TiVo is correct. That's your first step.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

What about *temporarily* moving the BOLT to the modem/router location, and using the coax and Ethernet connections currently linked to the Netgear MCA1001 MoCA adapter for the BOLT?

The BOLT could be configured with an Ethernet-only connection, with MoCA disabled, for the purposes of the test.


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

Mr Kauffman,
Pardon the time lapse, too many things going on this time of year. I will try the switch as you suggested. Yes, it is a bolt. After taking uo so much of your time I will with the run Link inside different. 
Do you run the 5 or 6 from pole into attic then with box to ethernet to each room we are changing?
The cable company you go with hs to be able to have the cards 
Much more than you realize I truly appreciate the time question you have spent with me.
Will chat again and thank you. 
Michael


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> I will with the run Link inside different.
> Do you run the 5 or 6 from pole into attic then with box to ethernet to each room we are changing?
> The cable company you go with hs to be able to have the cards


I couldn't follow any of the above, but, based on this bit...


MichaelMac1 said:


> I will try the switch as you suggested. Yes, it is a bolt.


... it sounds like you'll be trying the BOLT in a different location, using the connection currently attached to the Netgear MoCA adapter that's in the cabinet w/ the modem. Report back what you find, when you can. Good luck.


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

Kaufmanm,
Wanted to thank you for your assistance in assisting me in understanding the system. I stopped my Lowes and realize I can take the cable place the ethernet on the end. Looks difficult yet I feel my son and I can get it down.

Appreciate your time and knowledge you shared with me.
Take Care,
Michael


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

MichaelMac1 said:


> Kaufmanm,
> Wanted to thank you for your assistance in assisting me in understanding the system. I stopped my Lowes and realize I can take the cable place the ethernet on the end. Looks difficult yet I feel my son and I can get it down.
> 
> Appreciate your time and knowledge you shared with me.
> ...


This is worrisome. Can you better explain what you are doing or about to do? What you said is really not understandable.


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

Worrisome? Pardon my late post.
My wife and I enjoy TIVO at times. It then runs lines across screen or at times picture quits. 
Unplugging then reseating cables to modem, Moca, and TiVo it will work for a time. I am searching for the proper ethernet material to run in the attic and walls. I wonder if better connections and cable would assist me in this.
Do you have any helpful ideas?
Michael


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

MichaelMac1 said:


> Do you have any helpful ideas?


Suggestions have been made. Which of them have been tried, and with what result?


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## MichaelMac1 (Nov 26, 2020)

I tried to swap the Edge and Bolt. It did not seem to help. I have Suddenlink this coming week.I know to have speed tested at a few different places. Easier after kids have gone home. Apps worked fine yet, lower channels i still could not receive.
Thank you,
Michael


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