# Tivo Bolt and Comcast Setup



## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

Hi guys. I am about to move to a Comcast area and have purchased a bolt and a mini. I am assuming all I will need is the Coax hooked up to the back of the bolt and the coax hooked up to the back of the mini to have everything working ? No filters needed because Moca is built into the Bolt ? Any other gotchas I should be aware of with Comcast when setting up the bolt ?


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

gdog2004 said:


> Hi guys. I am about to move to a Comcast area and have purchased a bolt and a mini. I am assuming all I will need is the Coax hooked up to the back of the bolt and the coax hooked up to the back of the mini to have everything working ? No filters needed because Moca is built into the Bolt ? Any other gotchas I should be aware of with Comcast when setting up the bolt ?


You will need at least one MoCA filter installed on the input of the first splitter to enter your home and possibly one more on the input of your cable modem if it is not MoCA friendly. Comcast may be able to supply these if you inform them you are using MoCA. You will also need to rent a cable card to install in the Bolt. 
The hurdles start with getting the cable card properly paired. You can try activating your cable card online,
https://activatecablecard.xfinity.com/cablecardactivate/
Or try calling there cable card line if that fails, 877-405-2298.
Check all of the channels you are supposed to receive and make note of any not coming in. Call back to see if you get them working. Also, Comcast supports VOD with your Tivo, but that is sometimes problematic, this is more of an account problem than a CC problem.
If you didn't buy your Tivos directly from Tivo, it is best to create a Tivo account at least 3-4 days ahead and get your devices activated ahead of time.
If you are fortunate, you will get everything working....if not come back and post in the appropriate forum with your issues.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

fcfc2 said:


> You will need at least one MoCA filter installed on the input of the first splitter to enter your home and possibly one more on the input of your cable modem if it is not MoCA friendly. Comcast may be able to supply these if you inform them you are using MoCA. You will also need to rent a cable card to install in the Bolt.
> The hurdles start with getting the cable card properly paired. You can try activating your cable card online,
> https://activatecablecard.xfinity.com/cablecardactivate/
> Or try calling there cable card line if that fails, 877-405-2298.
> ...


Thanks for the reply. This does conflict with what I have read earlier though on reddit.(see first and second "update" post).
I'm a little confused on this. :/


__
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tivo/comments/3nvxp0


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

gdog2004 said:


> Thanks for the reply. This does conflict with what I have read earlier though on reddit.(see first and second "update" post).
> I'm a little confused on this. :/
> 
> 
> ...


Could not make heads or tails of the Reddit posts. What do you think is wrong with what I suggested.
The only thing is that I am assuming you will be able to get an Ethernet cable from the router to the Bolt. If you cannot, then you will need another MoCA adapter to make that connection and then use "connect to a MoCA network" on the Bolt's network settings.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> I am about to move to a Comcast area and have purchased a bolt and a mini. I am assuming all I will need is the Coax hooked up to the back of the bolt and the coax hooked up to the back of the mini to have everything working ? No filters needed because Moca is built into the Bolt ? Any other gotchas I should be aware of with Comcast when setting up the bolt ?


Your above "no filters needed" comment seems to be confusing "MoCA filter" with "MoCA adapter."

You will definitely need at least one MoCA filter installed, at Comcast's point-of-entry (PoE) to your home... thus the term "PoE MoCA filter" commonly seen. As fcfc2 said, additional MoCA filters are sometimes needed for devices negatively affected by MoCA signals being present on the coax lines. Cable modems and tuning adapters are the usual suspects in need of protection from MoCA, but Comcast doesn't use tuning adapters, so you'll just need to verify whether your cable modem is MoCA-compatible.

As for a MoCA adapter, to create your MoCA network to which the Mini could attach, there *is* this capability built in to the BOLT; however, whether you can leverage the BOLT's built-in MoCA bridge will depend on whether you can also connect the BOLT to your Ethernet LAN (i.e. so that it can bridge between your coax and Ethernet segments). If you cannot connect your BOLT back to your router's Ethernet LAN ports, then you'd need a separate, standalone MoCA adapter connected to both your coax lines and to your Ethernet LAN to create your MoCA network, to which both the BOLT and Mini could connect.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> This does conflict with what I have read earlier though on reddit.(see first and second "update" post). ...
> 
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/Tivo/comments/3nvxp0


That original reddit post ...
_Ok, so here is what I have setup currently and I need to know what to do next. I have my cable coming from my wall into a splitter. 1 half is going to my cable modem and the other is going to my Tivo Bolt right next to it. I then have a router plugged into my cable modem and then that is connected via wired Ethernet to my PC and my Tivo Bolt._​... indicated that their BOLT *could* be connected to their router's Ethernet LAN, so it *could* be used to create a MoCA network, using the "Use this DVR to create a MoCA network" network configuration option.





​
... and which the OP in that thread apparently managed to get working 11 months ago, per the final reddit post, here, though they did have to trudge through misinformation supplied by fellow redditors to get there.

As highlighted in that thread and stated above, the BOLT *does* include built-in MoCA bridging capability, and TiVo Minis have the built-in ability to connect via either Ethernet or MoCA.

edit: p.s. The OP in that reddit thread also would have benefited from knowledge on the quickest way to activate a TiVo Mini, as described here.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Any other gotchas I should be aware of with Comcast when setting up the bolt ?


Only that use of MoCA if you ALSO have an Xfinity X1 DVR and any X1 client set-tops in use can be problematic.

As for more general non-Comcast stumbling blocks, understanding where and how the coax connections in your rooms connect to each other is key to success. With this knowledge, you'll know where to install your PoE MoCA filter, could identify any splitters or other coax components that may need to be upgraded if you can't get your MoCA network working or find it underperforming, and could optimize your MoCA network by right-sizing any splitters to eliminate unused coax runs.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

Thank you all for your replies. 
OK here will be my setup. 
I am buying a new house (yay) that I have the option of setting up the ethernet cabling wherever I want. I am debating as to whether or not to put the cable modem in the basement or the first floor office. I am open to suggestions. 
The main bolt cable connection will also have an ethernet connection. The mini may or may not depending on where else I put my ethernet hardwired jacks.
So here is what I gather from fcfc2 and kkaufmans posts. (thank you guys in advance)

Create tivo account prior to comcast install
Use POE Moca filter on the coax coming into the house
Connect Bolt to coaxial and ethernet
Connect mini to Coaxial (ethernet not needed)

I will not be using X1 DVR. The Tivo Bolt and mini will BE my DVR/Cableboxes.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Create tivo account prior to comcast install


Yes, including registering/activating both devices, your BOLT & Mini.



gdog2004 said:


> I am buying a new house (yay) that I have the option of setting up the ethernet cabling wherever I want. I am debating as to whether or not to put the cable modem in the basement or the first floor office. I am open to suggestions.


Whatever works; it sounds like you have a lot of options since you can get Ethernet and/or cable drops wherever you want. Positioning the wireless access point centrally and on the middle or upper floor is usually desired, but is certainly adjustable depending on your particular approach to wireless coverage for the house.



gdog2004 said:


> The main bolt cable connection will also have an ethernet connection. The mini may or may not depending on where else I put my ethernet hardwired jacks.
> 
> ...
> Use POE Moca filter on the coax coming into the house
> ...


If you can have Ethernet everywhere, MoCA wouldn't be necessary; however, if you're looking to do MoCA, yes, the above setup would work -- assuming the devices are configured as indicated and you are using MoCA-compatible coax components to connect your coax runs.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

krkaufman said:


> Yes, including registering/activating both devices, your BOLT & Mini.
> 
> Whatever works; it sounds like you have a lot of options since you can get Ethernet and/or cable drops wherever you want. Positioning the wireless access point centrally and on the middle or upper floor is usually desired, but is certainly adjustable depending on your particular approach to wireless coverage for the house.
> 
> If you can have Ethernet everywhere, MoCA wouldn't be necessary; however, if you're looking to do MoCA, yes, the above setup would work -- assuming the devices are configured as indicated and you are using MoCA-compatible coax components to connect your coax runs.


OK TY. So stepping back,
Here would be my setup steps.

Create tivo account prior to comcast install
Register Bolt and Mini
Use POE Moca filter on the coax coming into the house

Have Ethernet cable go to Motorola MB7420 modem(NO built in Moca)

Connect Bolt to coaxial *and ethernet*
Connect mini to Coaxial (ethernet not needed here ?)
I will not be using X1 DVR. The Tivo Bolt and mini will BE my DVR/Cableboxes.

What are *"MoCA-compatible coax components" ? 
*
I am assuming the only thing I need outside of the Bolt, cable modem, mini, hardwired ethernet connection behind my TV and the Moca FILTER on the coax cable coming into my house. (btw should comcast have this filter or do I buy it ?)


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Have Ethernet cable go to Motorola MB7420 modem(NO built in Moca)


I can't find any specific mention of that cable modem being MoCA-compatible (i.e. MoCA signals won't freak it out), but it's new enough that it *should* be fine. However, *if* you find this modem behaving oddly when you activate MoCA, a MoCA filter on its coax input should clear up the symptoms. (example)



gdog2004 said:


> Use POE Moca filter on the coax coming into the house
> Connect Bolt to coaxial *and ethernet* -- configured with "Use this DVR to create a MoCA network" option)
> Connect mini to Coaxial -- configured with "Connect using MoCA" option)


Yes, this describes what should be a simple TiVo/MoCA setup. But what's missing is how these rooms will connect to each other, which leads to your next question...



gdog2004 said:


> What are *"MoCA-compatible coax components" ? *


Coax splitters and amplifiers, if an amp is needed.



gdog2004 said:


> (btw should comcast have this filter or do I buy it ?)


Yes, Comcast *could* supply the PoE MoCA filter and install it, but I'd recommend just buying one, to ensure you have one available at the time of install.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Have Ethernet cable go to Motorola MB7420 modem(NO built in Moca)
> 
> Connect Bolt to coaxial *and ethernet*


Oh, also... notably missing from your setup overview is your router. The Motorola MB7420 is just a cable modem, so you'll need some other device to act as your home network's router... and it's to this router's Ethernet LAN ports that your BOLT will need to connect. (The cable modem's Ethernet port would be connected to the router's single Ethernet WAN port.)


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

krkaufman said:


> I can't find any specific mention of that cable modem being MoCA-compatible (i.e. MoCA signals won't freak it out), but it's new enough that it *should* be fine. However, *if* you find this modem behaving oddly when you activate MoCA, a MoCA filter on its coax input should clear up the symptoms. (example)
> 
> Yes, this describes what should be a simple TiVo/MoCA setup. But what's missing is how these rooms will connect to each other, which leads to your next question...
> 
> ...


Ok so it sounds like I may just need another moca filter for the cable modem assuming I dont split the signal. To my understanding it doesn't pay to get a modem that is "moca compatible", its better just to get a good modem and use a filter. 
Where do you get these things ? Directly from Tivo ? Oh and yes I am aware that I need a router. I would like to use OTA antennae as well. Do I need to split the signal then ?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Ok so it sounds like I may just need another moca filter for the cable modem assuming I dont split the signal.


I don't know what you mean, specifically, by "split the signal." But, yes, you *may* need an additional MoCA filter on your cable modem, though, were I a betting man, it is unlikely given the newness of the model.



gdog2004 said:


> To my understanding it doesn't pay to get a modem that is "moca compatible", its better just to get a good modem and use a filter.


Definitely. Your modem seems well-suited to the task.



gdog2004 said:


> Where do you get these things ? Directly from Tivo ?


That's one source, yes. Along with Amazon, or other online retailers.

See also: MoCA-compatible splitters



gdog2004 said:


> I would like to use OTA antennae as well. Do I need to split the signal then ?


That's a whole 'nother issue. To what were you planning to connect the OTA antenna? OTA antenna cannot exist on the same coax lines as cable TV/Internet signals, and a BOLT doesn't support concurrent tuning of cable TV and OTA.

It might be time to throw together a diagram of your planned setup.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

krkaufman said:


> I don't know what you mean, specifically, by "split the signal." But, yes, you *may* need an additional MoCA filter on your cable modem, though, were I a betting man, it is unlikely given the newness of the model.
> 
> Definitely. Your modem seems well-suited to the task.
> 
> ...


I am planning on having Comcast cable for all channels except football on broadcast channels like fox.
I would like to use OTA for football to get the best possible quality. I have an indoor hdtv antennae.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> I am planning on having Comcast cable for all channels except football on broadcast channels like fox.
> 
> I would like to use OTA for football to get the best possible quality. I have an indoor hdtv antennae.


Were you planning on feeding that OTA antenna directly to your TV, or were you thinking that the BOLT could handle both cable TV and antenna simultaneously? The 4-tuner BOLT can only record cable TV or OTA antenna*, as configured during Guided Setup.

* _No TiVo DVR since the 2-tuner Premiere officially supports simultaneous tuning of both cable TV and OTA signals -- evidenced by it being the last model to include 2 separate coax inputs. That said, some have found the 4-tuner Roamio and BOLT models capable of recording from both, but it requires advanced filtering of cable and OTA signals combined prior to input to the DVR in order to prevent signal interference. That is, sacrificing channels from one source in favor of the other._​
edit: p.s. We're using a CableCARD 6-tuner Roamio Pro as our main DVR, with several Minis throughout the house, but also have a 4-tuner OTA-connected Roamio capturing some overflow content and a couple sub-channels our local Comcast provider doesn't carry.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

krkaufman said:


> Were you planning on feeding that OTA antenna directly to your TV, or were you thinking that the BOLT could handle both cable TV and antenna simultaneously? The 4-tuner BOLT can only record cable TV or OTA antenna*, as configured during Guided Setup.
> 
> * _No TiVo DVR since the 2-tuner Premiere officially supports simultaneous tuning of both cable TV and OTA signals -- evidenced by it being the last model to include 2 separate coax inputs. *That said, some have found the 4-tuner Roamio and BOLT models capable of recording from both, but it requires advanced filtering of cable and OTA signals combined prior to input to the DVR in order to prevent signal interference. That is, sacrificing channels from one source in favor of the other*._​


This is what I would LIKE to do. I am assuming, if I were capable of receiving certain OTA channels, they would no longer be available by my cable feed. Which is fine by me.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> This is what I would LIKE to do. I am assuming, if I were capable of receiving certain OTA channels, they would no longer be available by my cable feed. Which is fine by me.


No, if you were to simply merge your cable TV and OTA signals onto the same coax lines, you'd likely be able to tune nothing and your cable Internet connection would also go out. And even if you intelligently and selectively filter your incoming signals to allow through few OTA channels merged with your cable TV signals, given how digital cable TV works, nowadays, it's nearly guaranteed that the cable TV signals you'd need to filter out would not be limited to (or necessarily even include) just the OTA channel you're interested in.

The simple solution would be a 2nd DVR capable of tuning and recording the few OTA programs you're interested in, making sure you select a DVR capable of recording as many concurrent programs as you'd expect/need.

Alternatively, if you really want to look into what it would take to try capturing both cable TV *and* OTA via a single BOLT, I'd recommend sending a PM to TCF user 'HarperVision'. You have no idea how thrilled you'll make him.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

p.s. You could also team-up with a couple posters over on the official TiVo user forums, who are interested in doing the same (or at least similar) thing...

https://forums.tivo.com/pe/action/forums/displaypost?postID=11290889#e11290889


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

FYI... Also, as a super-duper long-shot, some people are hopeful that the upcoming 'Mantis' head-less OTA tuner from TiVo may be usable as a supplemental OTA tuner for CableCARD-only DVRs -- though there's been no indication from TiVo of any such capability.


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## gdog2004 (May 23, 2015)

krkaufman said:


> No, if you were to simply merge your cable TV and OTA signals onto the same coax lines, you'd likely be able to tune nothing and your cable Internet connection would also go out. And even if you intelligently and selectively filter your incoming signals to allow through few OTA channels merged with your cable TV signals, given how digital cable TV works, nowadays, it's nearly guaranteed that the cable TV signals you'd need to filter out would not be limited to (or necessarily even include) just the OTA channel you're interested in.
> 
> The simple solution would be a 2nd DVR capable of tuning and recording the few OTA programs you're interested in, making sure you select a DVR capable of recording as many concurrent programs as you'd expect/need.
> 
> Alternatively, if you really want to look into what it would take to try capturing both cable TV *and* OTA via a single BOLT, I'd recommend sending a PM to TCF user 'HarperVision'. You have no idea how thrilled you'll make him.


Hmm---ok how about this. Can a Tivo Roamio OTA with NO subscription still manually record OTA ?


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## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

gdog2004 said:


> Hmm---ok how about this. Can a Tivo Roamio OTA with NO subscription still manually record OTA ?


No TiVo subscription means no guide. Pretty much useless.


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

gdog2004 said:


> Hmm---ok how about this. Can a Tivo Roamio OTA with NO subscription still manually record OTA ?





thyname said:


> No TiVo subscription means no guide. Pretty much useless.


Also means it can not manually record anything.


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## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

gdog2004 said:


> Hmm---ok how about this. Can a Tivo Roamio OTA with NO subscription still manually record OTA ?


Just to be clear, Roamio OTA comes with tivo lifetime service included in the purchase price.

Unless you were talking about Roamio Basic (discontinued previous Roamio)


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

gdog2004 said:


> Hmm---ok how about this. Can a Tivo Roamio OTA with NO subscription still manually record OTA ?


As stated already by others... nope. However, the Roamio OTA with Lifetime/All-in service has recently been going for as little as $360 on Amazon (currently at $374).

With a BOLT already running, the only downside of the Roamio OTA might be that it can't do MoCA (would require the assistance of a MoCA adapter) and I don't believe you'd be able to *mobile* stream its content to mobile devices (iOS, Android).



thyname said:


> Just to be clear, Roamio OTA comes with tivo lifetime service included in the purchase price.


This is generally true of new systems, however you'd want to make sure before ordering. (Some retailers may still have old stock lacking the included service, and you'd certainly need to be careful on eBay, etc., if looking for used units.)


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

thyname said:


> Just to be clear, Roamio OTA comes with tivo lifetime service included in the purchase price.
> 
> Unless you were talking about Roamio Basic (discontinued previous Roamio)


He could also be talking about an older Roamio OTA that was sold without service, requiring a monthly sub. TiVo only started selling the Roamio OTA with lifetime included last summer, at first they were clearing out the original 500GB models at $300 with lifetime, then they re-released it with a 1TB hard drive for the current $400 with lifetime.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

krkaufman said:


> Were you planning on feeding that OTA antenna directly to your TV, or were you thinking that the BOLT could handle both cable TV and antenna simultaneously? The 4-tuner BOLT can only record cable TV or OTA antenna*, as configured during Guided Setup. * No TiVo DVR since the 2-tuner Premiere officially supports simultaneous tuning of both cable TV and OTA signals -- evidenced by it being the last model to include 2 separate coax inputs. That said, some have found the 4-tuner Roamio and BOLT models capable of recording from both, but it requires advanced filtering of cable and OTA signals combined prior to input to the DVR in order to prevent signal interference. That is, sacrificing channels from one source in favor of the other. edit: p.s. We're using a CableCARD 6-tuner Roamio Pro as our main DVR, with several Minis throughout the house, but also have a 4-tuner OTA-connected Roamio capturing some overflow content and a couple sub-channels our local Comcast provider doesn't carry.





gdog2004 said:


> This is what I would LIKE to do. I am assuming, if I were capable of receiving certain OTA channels, they would no longer be available by my cable feed. Which is fine by me.





krkaufman said:


> No, if you were to simply merge your cable TV and OTA signals onto the same coax lines, you'd likely be able to tune nothing and your cable Internet connection would also go out. And even if you intelligently and selectively filter your incoming signals to allow through few OTA channels merged with your cable TV signals, given how digital cable TV works, nowadays, it's nearly guaranteed that the cable TV signals you'd need to filter out would not be limited to (or necessarily even include) just the OTA channel you're interested in. The simple solution would be a 2nd DVR capable of tuning and recording the few OTA programs you're interested in, making sure you select a DVR capable of recording as many concurrent programs as you'd expect/need. Alternatively, if you really want to look into what it would take to try capturing both cable TV *and* OTA via a single BOLT, I'd recommend sending a PM to TCF user 'HarperVision'. You have no idea how thrilled you'll make him.


Ha ha thanks KRK! :up: I'm not THAT thrilled though! 

It really isn't hard to get both working, but as KRK says, there's only one rf coax input and the freqs will step all over each other. It's a painstaking task to go through all of your cable channels and map out all of their freqs and then see which OTA freqs you want inserted and where they can be. Then you'd need notch filters to hack out a slot for them at the appropriate freqs. I was fairly easy for me because I have analog channels on my cable system still so I just filtered those out and inserted other OTA and modulator channels. I don't guess that you have that luxury, gdog?

Another option is, if you ONLY care on Sundays and football times, you can conceivably use one of those old coax A/B switchers and have the antenna on one leg and cable on the other and ONLY switch it during the games. You'd have to keep in mind that any cable shows scheduled to record during this time will not and you would have to remember to switch it back and probably be there as a babysitter.

I agree with others that the simplest solution, though not the cheapest, is to use another TiVo capable of OTA reception. Maybe find an old 2 tuner Premiere with lifetime service on eBay?


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