# Suddenlink CableCards do not support HD?



## engineerboy (Dec 19, 2006)

My cable provider is Suddenlink, in Central Texas, but they are spread across multiple states. They have told me that their CableCards to not support HD programming, and I have verified this in my TiVo Premier.

My understanding is that FCC regulations are that cable companies must provide CableCards as a replacement for cable boxes, and to me that means that since my cable box used to get HD programming that my CableCard should support it. Is that a correct interpretation of the rules?

I've done some digging and can't find anything authoritative, and want to be sure I have my facts straight before escalating with SuddenLink, and thought the folks on here might know the answer to this one.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Scott


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## acvthree (Jan 17, 2004)

I can tell you that cable cards support HD.

It is their provisioning that must be the culprit. They are not turning on HD channels for your cable card. 

You should try to work up the support chain and talk to someone knowledgeable.


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## Mover480 (Jan 15, 2006)

Try this

http://help.suddenlink.com/Television/Pages/CableCardFAQ's.aspx#1


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## Allanon (Nov 2, 2005)

I'm in Amarillo, TX and have Suddenlink, I have 3 TiVo HD boxes, 2 of them with a MCard and 1 with 2 SCards. All of them get HD channels.

You will need to subscribe to one or more of the HD tiers of course. (HD Basic, HD Plus, HD Premium)


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## engineerboy (Dec 19, 2006)

Thanks for the info on SuddenLink in Amarillo, and I'm working my way up the support chain. My specific question, though, is are they bound by FCC rules to offer the same HD channels via CableCard that they are through their cable box? That will give me clout beyond righteous anger to use with them, but I want to make sure I have my facts straight before wielding it. 

Thanks,

Scott


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## rocko (Oct 29, 2002)

engineerboy said:


> Thanks for the info on SuddenLink in Amarillo, and I'm working my way up the support chain. My specific question, though, is are they bound by FCC rules to offer the same HD channels via CableCard that they are through their cable box? That will give me clout beyond righteous anger to use with them, but I want to make sure I have my facts straight before wielding it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Scott


Not sure you need to invoke the FCC. See which package you have - if it includes HD channels, call them and say "Channel XXX is supposed to be KXYZ-DT but it's not coming in on my TiVo". Additionally, check to make sure you have these stations set as "Channels I recieve".


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## supersnoop (Nov 13, 2007)

I've got Suddenlink in Pflugerville. Two S3 (each with two S-cards) and a THD with an M-Card. All get HD channels.


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## Suddenlink Help (Nov 9, 2009)

engineerboy said:


> Thanks for the info on SuddenLink in Amarillo, and I'm working my way up the support chain. My specific question, though, is are they bound by FCC rules to offer the same HD channels via CableCard that they are through their cable box? That will give me clout beyond righteous anger to use with them, but I want to make sure I have my facts straight before wielding it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Scott


Scott,

Hi - My name is Tina and I am with Suddenlink. I'd like to help with your inquiry - but need a bit more information. What area are you in Central Texas? The M Cards do allow for HD Programming - assuming that the area you are in has HD Programming. Please feel free to contact me directly at tina-AT-suddenlink-DOT-com for assistance. Thanks!


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## engineerboy (Dec 19, 2006)

Suddenlink Help said:


> Scott,
> 
> Hi - My name is Tina and I am with Suddenlink. I'd like to help with your inquiry - but need a bit more information. What area are you in Central Texas? The M Cards do allow for HD Programming - assuming that the area you are in has HD Programming. Please feel free to contact me directly at tina-AT-suddenlink-DOT-com for assistance. Thanks!


Tina,

Thanks for posting, I have emailed you further details about the issue. And it's nice to see SuddenLink engaged with the online community and responsive to issues!

Scott


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## engineerboy (Dec 19, 2006)

engineerboy said:


> Tina,
> 
> Thanks for posting, I have emailed you further details about the issue. And it's nice to see SuddenLink engaged with the online community and responsive to issues!
> 
> Scott


To follow up, within an hour of my emailing Tina at SuddenLink I was on the phone with their local CableCard expert, and shortly thereafter the problem was resolved. It turned out to be a provisioning issue.

So, thanks to Tina and everyone at SuddenLink for being responsive to issues and fixing them quickly!


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## MPclk2006 (Jun 22, 2011)

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I have a Tivo Premiere and never have had access to HD channels, I though I was not paying for them so I couldnt get them. Found out today that I should have access to all the HD Basic channels, I called suddenlink and they said that the cable cards do NOT work with Tivo, I found this thread and called back and the guy said to call Tivo and figure it out because he said that Tivo is not being offered in East Texas right now through suddenlink...I am confused here, do I have to wait until Suddenlink starts issuing Tivo's? I already have a premiere and an HD one, I am not about to buy/rent 2 more, what is going on?


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## dwit (May 5, 2004)

MPclk2006 said:


> Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I have a Tivo Premiere and never have had access to HD channels, I though I was not paying for them so I couldnt get them. Found out today that I should have access to all the HD Basic channels, I called suddenlink and they said that the cable cards do NOT work with Tivo, I found this thread and called back and the guy said to call Tivo and figure it out because he said that Tivo is not being offered in East Texas right now through suddenlink...I am confused here, do I have to wait until Suddenlink starts issuing Tivo's? I already have a premiere and an HD one, I am not about to buy/rent 2 more, what is going on?


Have you tried contacting Tina, of Suddenlink, who created post #8 above, with contact info?


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## Suddenlink Help (Nov 9, 2009)

MPclk2006 said:


> Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I have a Tivo Premiere and never have had access to HD channels, I though I was not paying for them so I couldnt get them. Found out today that I should have access to all the HD Basic channels, I called suddenlink and they said that the cable cards do NOT work with Tivo, I found this thread and called back and the guy said to call Tivo and figure it out because he said that Tivo is not being offered in East Texas right now through suddenlink...I am confused here, do I have to wait until Suddenlink starts issuing Tivo's? I already have a premiere and an HD one, I am not about to buy/rent 2 more, what is going on?


Hi -- I'm Tina from Suddenlink. I'd be happy to help -- please feel free to contact me at via email at [email protected] for assistance.


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## MPclk2006 (Jun 22, 2011)

dwit said:


> Have you tried contacting Tina, of Suddenlink, who created post #8 above, with contact info?


I did and without confirmation I think she played a role behind the scenes in getting this issue resolved. So after I posted here I contacted suddenlink again over the phone, they kept saying that not all M-card support HD and that I had to contact my local office to see if they had any in stock, I went to to the office the lady set up for a tech guy to come to the house (I specifically said "make sure he brings M-Cards with him") and set up the appt for Saturday as that was my next day off. The guy shows up on Saturday, says "99% of the time its not the M-Cards" and I ask him if he brought any just in case to which he said "nope". He called and sent up a trouble ticket to fix the issue and that it would take 15 minutes to a couple of hours. Come to find out the issue is that when the cards were taken out of the warehouse they were coded wrong (put a "2" instead of a "0" at the end of the code and rendered them useless with HD) so these "tech" guys somewhere in the US were supposed to fix it. I called again at 4pm to ask if it would be fixed and the lady said it would take 24 hours but more than likely not until Monday. Well to make long story longer, it did not get fixed until Monday when a lady from Suddenlink local office called and said they had finally fixed and that those "tech" guys do not even work on the weekends (so the guy that came to my house was full of crap).


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## engineerboy (Dec 19, 2006)

MPclk2006 said:


> Come to find out the issue is that when the cards were taken out of the warehouse they were coded wrong (put a "2" instead of a "0" at the end of the code and rendered them useless with HD) so these "tech" guys somewhere in the US were supposed to fix it.


I was the original poster of this thread (above), and yesterday Suddenlink came out to install a Cablecard in my second TiVo, and it had this exact issue. They are coming back tomorrow to try and fix it...


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## noname_com (Nov 30, 2007)

I have this issue with suddenlink in leander. It's almost as if they have no clue in what tivo and cable cards have in common. I spent 4 hours on the phone with tech support yesterday and I am not getting HD channels above 730 which are the Basic HD tier. These channels say not authorized. First tech support tried telling my my tivoHD and premiere were not HD units. HA!!! then I did not have basic HD on my package(mind you basicHD is a free option that suddenlink provides with extended service) so round and round finally got to a tier 2 tech who tried a few things and said I have to get new cable cards sent out. Suddenlink is making an impression on me and not in a good way. Ihad less trouble with timewarner and the installer with time warner in austin stayed until all the channels were received unlike the suddenlink tech who was here is the cards install them yourself and he called the numbers in and left, no checking to see if I had service or not. Sent an email to tina, hopefully she can handle it, because I really want NFL Networks


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## Suddenlink Help (Nov 9, 2009)

noname_com said:


> I have this issue with suddenlink in leander. It's almost as if they have no clue in what tivo and cable cards have in common. I spent 4 hours on the phone with tech support yesterday and I am not getting HD channels above 730 which are the Basic HD tier. These channels say not authorized. First tech support tried telling my my tivoHD and premiere were not HD units. HA!!! then I did not have basic HD on my package(mind you basicHD is a free option that suddenlink provides with extended service) so round and round finally got to a tier 2 tech who tried a few things and said I have to get new cable cards sent out. Suddenlink is making an impression on me and not in a good way. Ihad less trouble with timewarner and the installer with time warner in austin stayed until all the channels were received unlike the suddenlink tech who was here is the cards install them yourself and he called the numbers in and left, no checking to see if I had service or not. Sent an email to tina, hopefully she can handle it, because I really want NFL Networks


Hi noname_com -- I did receive your email -- thank you for reaching out. It is my understanding that we were able to resolve the issue you were experiencing. If you have any futher questions or concerns, please don't hesitate contact me. Thank you!


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## noname_com (Nov 30, 2007)

Suddenlink Help said:


> Hi noname_com -- I did receive your email -- thank you for reaching out. It is my understanding that we were able to resolve the issue you were experiencing. If you have any futher questions or concerns, please don't hesitate contact me. Thank you!


Ultimately the issue was resolved. New cable cards were not the issue. THe office did not even have new cable cards the tech could bring out the following monday. I give a lot of credit to the tech that did come out. He actually listened to my problem and agreed it was probably a provisioning issue. He spent about 5 minutes on the phone and spoke with someone who seemed to know something about cable cards and I was up rocking and rolling.

I wished this was the case the week before instead of spending a large amount of time on the phone running in circles
Tina, I was not sure you received my email as I had not received a response from you. Thank you for taking time to look in to this matter.
I have been happy so far with the suddenlink service once it was working properly.


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## jjd_87 (Jan 31, 2011)

Hate to bump an old thread but install last night resulted in the same situation. It is extremely frustrating because I have done this twice before and been able to receive all my channels properly. 

This time I'm moving into a brand new place so they had to run a new drop and set it up as a new account because I couldn't transfer accounts from my old place because I had service cut off for 3 months (BECAUSE IT BURNED DOWN) so they can now charge me about 25 bucks more a month. But whatever I just want it to work. Anyway after trying to run a drop off a pole on the opposite side of the house only to realize there was a closer tap, He was ready to leave to go to his last job. He wouldn't stay around to try and get my HD channels turned on insisting it was a problem on Suddenlinks end. Granted it is but its crappy to leave without making sure everything works since I just cut them a check.

So they are headed back today with new cable cards. How do I convince them this is something they need to activate on their end? The same thing happened the last 2 times I had this done but a call was made by the installer and everything was turned on correctly. Last night on call to "technical support" the woman was totally clueless, she even called back later in the evening to tell me that a cable card was the same as a DTA and you couldn't receive HD. I told her that was totally wrong especially considering I've done it at 2 other locations. So maybe if someone from Suddenlink still checks this I can get it straightened out. If not any suggestions of what to tell the installer this evening?


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## jjd_87 (Jan 31, 2011)

Well yesterdays tech came and of course brought no cable cards. But we did discover that the first installer hadn't paired the cable card, so of course no HD. So after trying to pair several times the woman on the phone told him the card wouldn't pair he would need a new one. So after calling around he decides run to the warehouse about 5-10min away and grab a new one. After 2 min he swings back in with a "brilliant" idea.

Apparently his tech buddy tells him I need to call TiVo and tell them to "upgrade the firmware". I respond with "The software is totally upto date, this is a SL problem not a TiVo problem. Then he proceeds to tell me that the techs other idea was to "Bring the TiVo to our warehouse to pair it for you". 

At this point I'm speechless, "No you will not take my new $700 Tivo to your warehouse. All we need is a new cablecard. I can do it or you can but I'm convinced that's the problem." Long story short he went got two new cards and the first one worked. Go figure. I've Tivo's up at two other locations in town with no problems. It wasn't like this was that bad but the suggestion of them taking my Tivo pissed me off.


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## nrc (Nov 17, 1999)

I didn't see it specifically answered in the thread so in case any one is still wondering - yes, FCC regulations require them provide all regularly scheduled ("one-way") channels that are available through their cable box available with a CableCARD. Usually that's everything but PPV, On-Demand, and interactive services.

They're also required to provide accurate information about programming available with CableCARD. Suddenlink appears to have repeatedly failed on both these counts. But unless consumers file complaints with the FCC there's little chance the problem will be corrected.

Read this page and follow the complaint link if your provider is not complying with CableCARD regulations.

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/cablecard-know-your-rights


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## jjd_87 (Jan 31, 2011)

Thats the problem. The company is completely complying to FCC guidelines the employees are just clueless about cablecards and customer owned Tivos.


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## nrc (Nov 17, 1999)

jjd_87 said:


> Thats the problem. The company is completely complying to FCC guidelines the employees are just clueless about cablecards and customer owned Tivos.


If someone is being told that they can't get HD channels then they're not complying with FCC regulations. They're required to provide accurate information about services available.


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