# Comcast Houston Switching to SA CableCards



## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

Got a letter from Comcast today telling me to bring in my Motorola cable cards to my local service center and get new ones (SA M-Cards apparently). 

To install the SA cable cards, all I need to do (according to the letter) is:
1. insert the new cable card
2. Wait 3-5 minutes for the "TV" to define channels once installed

Considering the multi-week ordeal required to get the Motorola cable cards (in now) working, I am a bit skeptical that this will go smoothly.

If/when anyone in Houston exchanges cards I would like to hear their stories. I'd like to hear any clue as to how they do pairing (Comcast is painting this as an automatic process). Do you have to put the new SA card in a specific TiVo? (I have three that take CCs) . 

I was also thinking of getting the new SA cards first, switching them at home, then when (if) they ever actually work, taking the Motorola card back to the service center. Not sure how that would fly.

Thanks


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I went to the midtown Comcast today and asked if I could get new CCs and bring the old ones back later. I was told no. I insisted that this would be best, the (very rude) lady said absolutely not. Then I acted like I needed new cards for a new device, she said no.

Supposedly when you take in your old cards they will update the information in their systems and activate the new cards while you are in the store. This is why you should be able to go and just "plug and play". I have my doubts.

I guess they already have the information for your Tivos in their system and since the CCs are unidirectional (data sent from Comcast to you), maybe it will work.

If I feel brave enough, I may give it a shot on Saturday.

It is my understanding that the Series 3 will not support Multi cards and that I will need two Single cards. I will be searching the forums tonight for this answer as well.

Wish me luck!

Brian


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

blibman said:


> It is my understanding that the Series 3 will not support Multi cards and that I will need two Single cards. I will be searching the forums tonight for this answer as well.


Correct, the Series 3 needs S cards, while the TiVoHD can use M cards.

If I get the letter I'm making them come get it. Not taking a cab just to swap cards.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

What I have found in the forums is that the S3 needs two CCs, either S or M (a M card will act as an S card in the S3).

I'm guessing the clerk at the Comcast office will have a set of steps to complete and will not actually know what they are doing--as long as I leave with two cards, S or M, I'll be fine.

I am curious on what the changes are that require all the Motorola CCs to be replaced by SA CCs. Earlier this year, they forced people to replace the Motorola HD cable boxes with SA HD cable boxes or SA HD DVRs. If CC is a standard, why should one card work when the other doesn't.

Brian


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## rv65 (Aug 30, 2008)

SA and Motorola use different encryption standards.


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## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

Keep us updated, please, regarding whether this "works". Thanks.


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## jrm01 (Oct 17, 2003)

Very interesting concept. They will update the information in your account when you exchange the cards. Seems like, if done properly, it should work. However, it seems that this would mean that they need to tell you when you get the new cards which card goes into which slot on the TiVo, assuming they use the card serial number in the pairing process. If they don't specify which is which you may have to swap them in TiVo if the first try fails.

The poster with three TiVos may have a little more of a control issue. May want to do one TiVo at a time if they aren't properly controlled. Before going in to get the cards I would check the Host-id on each TiVo and them ask them which cards are for which Host.


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## TheDecn (Feb 9, 2006)

bicker said:


> Keep us updated, please, regarding whether this "works". Thanks.


This swap has been a real mess for me, which unfortunately is what I expected. I have an S3 and an HD, so took in my 3 Moto cards yesterday to swap for SA. I asked the rep how this was going to work when they didn't have my Host ID or Cablecard ID, and she said all she needed to do was put the new serial numbers into my account and everything would be fine. I could just plug the cards in, wait for 5min, and I would be good to go. I asked her if she was sure I didn't need to call in ID numbers and she said not anymore.

I knew this wasn't going to work, and sure enough it didn't. I waited a couple hours and of course no encrypted channels. So I called tech support and they indicated I would need to wait at least 24hrs for Cablecard activation. Now, the three other times I went through this process in the past it did not take 24hrs and I was certain they needed my HostID, but I could not get anyone to listen after calling back 2 more times to 2 more techs. Late last night I checked in the Cablecard menus and sure enough the cards were still not activated.

So...this morning I sent a tweet to http://www.twitter.com/comcastcares and Frank hooked me up with a local (very polite and apologetic) corporate rep. He confirmed they do indeed need HostID and took all my info once again. Then he called back to tell me he forwarded info to their tech department, apologized that they were swamped but promised to have me fixed up by the end of the day. He called back once more after that to confirm that the techs had the info and would be working it soon. (By the way, the absolute best way to get help from Comcast is to send a tweet to [email protected] This is the third time I've used him and I always get top-notch help that goes way beyond what I would get with a normal phone call to support.)

So...hopefully they get this process fixed but as you can see it's definitely not going to be as simple as just taking cards in and swapping them. I will expect to have my encrypted channels on line by the end of the day, but we'll see! At least the local rep gave me his direct number so I won't have to go through a bunch of nonsense if I have to get support on the line again.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

How do you send a tweet? Don't they actually have to be following you?

Thanks.
Brian

PS I am in the middle of "the nightmare", will update soon.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I just sent an email and got a response from Frank, but I am not optimistic that my nightmare is over.

Brian

Frank said: "I have reached out to our contacts in Houston to see if they can assist. I also shared your email with the leadership staff because I have seen a few people having trouble with the conversion. Obviously we would not want to see them have this difficulty. There is a specific are that is handling setting these up so I am hoping our team we deal with will be able to make sure this is cared for as quickly as possible."


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

So, emailing [email protected] did get me a email reply and a call from a Corporate response person here in Houston named Micheal (on a Saturday evening).

From what I understand, what they do at the Comcast store is not going to work, because they need your host id. Of course, they should have this information for your prior cards. For the new cards, they need the serial number of the card and its mac address, both of which they already have. Customer support can only submit this information to Engineering via some kind of message/email. Then you wait. Some promise 24 hours, some promise 48 (the letter promised 3-5 minutes, the rep at the store promised 2 hours). I have talked to reps in Houston, "not in Houston" and in Mexico today. All different stories. If they could train all the store reps what to do, don't you think they would have sent some kind of memo to the telephone people?

I'll get a $5 credit out of this, yet I have lost a day of time AND I have not been able to watch programs that I really wanted to see (priceless?)

As I wait now, I have been told "by midnight tonight".

More updates later.

Brian


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## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

rv65 said:


> SA and Motorola use different encryption standards.


I have heard of places where SA cards are used while the boxes HD,DVR where from Motorola and vice-versea


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I think in Houston it all has to do with HD encryption/compression. They are keeping Motorola boxes for non-HD boxes. All HD DVRS, boxes and cable cards will have to be SA. The letter lists the channels you will not be able to get if you keep your Motorola CC or box.

B


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

blibman said:


> It is my understanding that the Series 3 will not support Multi cards and that I will need two Single cards.





Langree said:


> Correct, the Series 3 needs S cards, while the TiVoHD can use M cards.


The series 3 works just fine with M Cards. You just need two of them two record two things at once on a Series 3.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Adam1115 said:


> The series 3 works just fine with M Cards. You just need two of them two record two things at once on a Series 3.


ok, so you can't use one M card for 2 tuners like you can on the HD.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

Right but it's important to note, because some cable companies only offer M-Cards...


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

I swapped my cards today and they aren't working (Went to the office in Katy off of Mason Rd). I'm only getting a few channels 2-60 and then a few others like BBC and the locals. I waited about an hour and then called Tech Support. The tech I talked to said that I should at least be getting all 2-80 and the locals (~305 - ~311) and the music channels. She took down all of my info but seemed a little clueless. 

They had a really good system in place earlier. I have no idea why they just didn't stick with that. When I moved here from Dallas in June getting set up was virtually painless. I went to the office, picked up my cards, installed them, called support and gave them the card # and Host ID. About 2 days later everything worked fine.

Dallas was a nightmare. Took 2 months and about 6 service visits and everytime it was the same story "I don't know cable cards going to have to get a superviser". You'd think after a while when you say "Cable Card" and "Tivo" they'd send somebody that knew how to set it up. Finally found a "Comments to The President" form on Time Warner Dallas's Web page and within 24 hours everything was working fine. I have no idea why these companies make this so difficult.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

blibman said:


> It is my understanding that the Series 3 will not support Multi cards and that I will need two Single cards. I will be searching the forums tonight for this answer as well.





Langree said:


> Correct, the Series 3 needs S cards, while the TiVoHD can use M cards.


Incorrect. The S3 requires 2 cards. They work fine with M-cards, but regardless of the card type, the S3 requires 2. The THD can handle either 1 M-card or 2 S-Cards.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

blibman said:


> I think in Houston it all has to do with HD encryption/compression.


No. Whether HD or SD, Cisco gear will not work with Motorola gear, period.



blibman said:


> They are keeping Motorola boxes for non-HD boxes. All HD DVRS, boxes and cable cards will have to be SA. The letter lists the channels you will not be able to get if you keep your Motorola CC or box.


This is no doubt transitional for a staged rollout. HD customers represent less than half the total subscriber base, so by moving just the HD channels first, they can reduce the load on their deployment - not to mention their wallet - by doubling up the SD channels on both SA and Motorola QAMs and rolling out the upgrade for only HD customers first. Since SD channels only use 1/6 the bandwidth of HD channels, doubling up on SD channels on their new equipment is not technically or financially burdensome. Eventually I am sure once the HD deployment is complete, they will begin to roll out a staged SD deployment, perhaps in large measure through simple attrition. The turnover in STBs is huge.


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## TheDecn (Feb 9, 2006)

blibman said:


> So, emailing [email protected] did get me a email reply and a call from a Corporate response person here in Houston named Micheal (on a Saturday evening).


Michael is the guy that called me also, though it was around 11am this morning. Guess he is working late! And he was definitely able to help, as 2 of my 3 cards were indeed activated as of about 5pm tonight. One card in my S3 and the card in my HD. The other card in my S3 is still not working...guess maybe they made a mistake entering the info or something (hopefully I don't have a bad card). I have Michael's office phone number so I'll call him tomorrow or Monday.



gpsj1966 said:


> They had a really good system in place earlier. I have no idea why they just didn't stick with that. When I moved here from Dallas in June getting set up was virtually painless. I went to the office, picked up my cards, installed them, called support and gave them the card # and Host ID. About 2 days later everything worked fine.


I completely agree...their previous system was stellar. I activated cards 3 times in the past and had no trouble at all. Called a direct line and got a tech who knew exactly what he was doing and had all channels up and running in no time. Why in the world they would screw this up so bad knowing they are going to have to do this with many people over the next 30 days is beyond me!


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

blibman said:


> Supposedly when you take in your old cards they will update the information in their systems and activate the new cards while you are in the store. This is why you should be able to go and just "plug and play". I have my doubts.


The need to train their people better. Cable cards _*DO NOT WORK LIKE THIS*_. Until it's placed in the host device that's going to use it, the information for "their systems" doesn't even exist. If they're doing things like TW does, there's a phone number on the pairing screen -- call it and give _them_ the numbers.

For an OCAP (bidirectional) device, yes, all they need is the CC serial / MAC because it can send that information to the headend by itself. But nobody has OCAP devices. The only 2-way hosts out there are cable company STBs -- where you, the end user, aren't allowed to remove the CC.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Got a call from the cable card group at 9:40 pm. I had given Host ID and CableCard ID, but what they really need is MAC address and Host ID. They have nothing that cross references CableCard ID with MAC address. Of course, I was not at home and did not have the information with me. I asked her to just activate anyway and I would have a 50/50 chance of service. She said no. I asked her if I could call her back directly. She said no (this is the biggest problem with the "new system for activation"). She said she would call me tomorrow at 1 pm. I asked if someone could call sooner, but she was non-commital.

After we hung up, I realized that had she activated and it did not work, I would have just had to switch the cards in the slots and it would have worked. How frustrating!

Anyone who exchanges cards will need to call in and give the HostID/MAC address combinations to be forwarded to the engineering group.

This is based on some very bad decisions against customer service buy Comcast, IMHO.

More later,
Brian


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I sent this to Frank (Comcastcares):

Do you realize that this is a change from how it used to work? There used to be a phone number customers could call--this was removed in the last few months. A step backward.

And to give you a summary of the required steps.
1. Customer must go and exchange the cablecards.
2. Customer must call technical support and give them the combination of Host ID and MAC address.
3. Tech support must get this information to Engineering (this is what used to be a direct call).
4. Customer must wait up to 48 hours for Engineering to get the information and act on it. 
5. If some info is wrong, go back and start at step 2 and wait ....

The Engineering lady, Xxxxxxx, called me tonight 4.5 hours after I talked to Michael and he talked to Engineering. Of course I was not home to provide the info in step 2. I had been asked for the wrong information by technical support several times earlier in the day. Xxxxxxx had all the info she needed, but did not know which host ID went with which MAC address. I asked her to activate it anyway, since I would have had a 50/50 chance of getting my service back. She said no. Had she guessed wrong, I would have just had to switch my CableCards and I would have had service. I think this is an indication that she doesn't know how CableCards work, just steps to an end.

To summarize, neither the clerks in the store, the reps that answer the phone, nor the individuals in the pairing department are trained or understand steps 1-5 above.

In the end, I will get some $2 credit, and I will have lost the chance to see some once-in-a-lifetime television events today. In addition, I have wasted an entire 2 days trying to get this done. My time is worth more than $2.

Thanks for listening.

Brian


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## jlib (Nov 22, 2002)

blibman said:


> ...After we hung up, I realized that had she activated and it did not work, I would have just had to switch the cards in the slots and it would have worked. How frustrating!...


Wouldn't that very action of swapping the cards generate a new Host ID, hence unpairing the cards?


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Hmm! No letter here. I have pretty much all the channels except International and Sports packages. Everything still seems to be working!

Oh! we just recently got TWC in HD , that's it for the last year.


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

If we got tuning adapters with the new SA CableCards, we would have bi-directional communications. Couldn't the pairing -- at least theoretically -- be automated?


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Andyf--do you have SA or Motorola CCs/Boxes? If you only got HD this year, you may have gotten an SA card to start with. You also said TWC, this is a Comcast issue.

matt--I'm hoping we don't end up requiring Tuning adapters. You would hope that they would work better than one-way cablecards in terms of activations.

Another part of Comcast called this morning (automated call) to see if my new services were working. I pressed 2 for "No", now I'm going through it all over again. He said he did not need the host ids, so I do not give it much hope.

Also, last night I got a new phone number to try, but have not yet. It is called the digital activation line. It is 888-270-6445. I would have called it this morning, but I received the automated call first.

More later,
Brian


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## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

I'm not surprised.

And I think this really points out a point of value that a lot of people routinely and grievously fail to acknowledge and therefore fail to factor into their conclusions when comparing cable/satellite service providers: If what you have is working, there is a value that comes from not taking a chance and trying to change to a new provider, attributable solely to the fact that you'll probably deal with some problems associated with switching. The advantage associated with switching (more HD channels, lower cost, better PQ, etc.) has to be so firmly proven by sufficiently compelling objective evidence, so it more than trumps the problems you are very likely to encounter just in the process of switching providers. That's not to mention the likelihood that there will be certain inter-interoperability differences that may preclude using the new service in some of the ways you used the old service.

For me, it really has me figuring that it isn't worth switching to FiOS. I don't see enough evidence to indicate that what they are offering is so much better than what Comcast is offering to trump the specter of problems in transition. By the same token, it seems very clear to me that if Comcast announces the kind of transition described by the OP here in this area, then that will be an invitation to me to seriously consider switching to FiOS at that time. I might even consider making the switch once Comcast goes all-digital here, since that will render two of my three televisions unusable without the kind of changes that could cause the same type of trouble.

Best of luck, y'all, getting things straightened out.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

OK, my nightmare appears to be over. Here is my suggestion for the rest of you.

Advanced/Complex/Faster method:
1. Know that this is not an instant process and that it is going to take up to 24 hours.
2. If possible, get your Host IDs before you go to the Comcast store.
3. Go to the Comcast store. The rep is going to fill out an electronic form for each new card. Make sure that they include one of your host IDs with each card as well as the card's MAC address (printed on the card). These are the two numbers that the system needs to pair and activate your card. Make sure you know which Host ID goes with each card before you leave the store.
4. Go home and install your cards asap. Once the activation department activates your card, they may have to send a "non-standard hit" to it to get it going. You will want it available to receive this hit.
5. Wait up to 24 hours for the activation to happen. If it doesn't work, or you get impatient, email [email protected]

Simple method:
1. Know that this is not an instant process and that it is going to take up to 24 hours.
2. Go exchange your cards at Comcast store.
3. Go home and install your new cablecards.
4. Look up the MAC address and Host ID pair(s).
5. Call 713-462-9000 and get the rep to submit the form.
6. Wait up to 24 hours for the activation to happen. If it doesn't work, or you get impatient, email [email protected]

The activation line I mentioned earlier cannot help you at this moment (it is only for Motorola boxes with M-cards).

Suggestion to Comcast: Make Advanced Technical Support Personnel available to answer the phone and receive calls for customers, as we previously could. There should be a cablecard activation line, open every day of the week (not necessarily 24 hours).

Thanks.
Brian


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Thanks for the advice & ideas (esp blibman). I rec'd the letter last week, and figured I would wait until after NY to start this process. I have two S3s, so I will do one first while the other records any *essential* TV shows (do I have my priorities right in life or what?). Then the other.

Luckily it's the slow season. And I have y'all for guinea pigs!


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

blibman said:


> Andyf--do you have SA or Motorola CCs/Boxes? If you only got HD this year, you may have gotten an SA card to start with. You also said TWC, this is a Comcast issue.
> 
> matt--I'm hoping we don't end up requiring Tuning adapters. You would hope that they would work better than one-way cablecards in terms of activations.
> 
> ...


I have two Moto S Cards in a Series 3 since it first came out and a Tivo HD that is OTA only.

BTW, when I said TWC I meant The Weather Channel HD was added.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Still not working since Saturday. I figured I'd call in again. At first she insisted that something was wrong and that they needed to make a service call. I said since the only thing that has changed since Saturday were the cards how could it be anything else; particularly since I get some channels. Of course she also told me that she knew all about Tivo and then told me "Leave the Tivo on and turn the TV off". She seemed to think that the cards were in the TV and not the Tivo. Anyway I finally got her to go over the Host_ID's with me and it looks like that was screwed up. Of course she kept mumbling that the computer wouldn't take the number I was giving her. I suspect that I'll be calling back in a couple of days.


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

blibman said:


> Had she guessed wrong, I would have just had to switch my CableCards and I would have had service.


Wrong. The cards would have to be reset and re-paired -- a process that sadly, many cable companies still haven't figured out how to do without sending a tech out to physically replace the card. The card is only usable in the host (and specific slot) where it was activated without being reactivated.



[email protected] said:


> If we got tuning adapters with the new SA CableCards, we would have bi-directional communications. Couldn't the pairing -- at least theoretically -- be automated?


No. The TA is for tuning channels - PERIOD. It was designed, rather close mindedly, to run the SDV client in as secret a fashion as possible. The host has no means of communicating with the headend.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

cramer said:


> Wrong. The cards would have to be reset and re-paired -- a process that sadly, many cable companies still haven't figured out how to do without sending a tech out to physically replace the card. The card is only usable in the host (and specific slot) where it was activated without being reactivated.
> 
> No. The TA is for tuning channels - PERIOD. It was designed, rather close mindedly, to run the SDV client in as secret a fashion as possible. The host has no means of communicating with the headend.


I swapped my cards at the techs request and she reentered my HostID. Am I out of luck with these cards?

How exactly does pairing work?


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## 20TIL6 (Sep 7, 2006)

I was actually early onto this mess. Warning, long story. Comcast in Houston.

I have two S3 and one HD. Almost 2 months ago, I had Motorola M cards in all of them (2 for each S3, one for the HD).

At that time both S3 units would randomly drop channels. A TiVo reboot, or remove/insert the cablecard would temporarily fix it. But then they would drop again. The TiVo HD was working flawlessly.

I got tired of temporarily 'fixing' the S3 units, so I went for a card swap. I brought in 4 Motorola M cards, and expected to get Motorola cards. But I got Scientific Atlanta M cards. Brought them home, went through the activation process (which is different, the screens are different, just provided the Host ID and MAC address - the rep seemed clueless like she was expecting Motorola activation). Well, instead of getting all my channels after 24 hours it took about a week for all my channels to show up.

Everything was working fine for almost a month and then I lost 113 NFLSD, 300 NFLHD, 343 BOOMERANG. I might have lost some others, these are just the ones I noticed. The NFL stuff is in the sports pack, and others like 114 SPEED are still coming in. This issue is just on the S3 units with the new SA M cards - reboots or card removal/insertion won't fix this. The TiVo HD, with the one Motorola M card is still, again, working flawlessly.

So I call in again, and my issue is escalated. They send out a tech with cablecard experience, and he calls and says he is going to bring (4) Motorola S cards for the S3 units. We start the process, he calls a higher level cablecard support person for activation and he's told that no Motorola cards are being activated now, just SA cards. So we pull the Motorola s cards back out and put back in the SA m cards PLUS we take the Motorola M card out of the flawlessly performing TiVo HD and replace it with an SA M card.

So now I have no Motorola cards. All my TiVo units have SA M cards (2 in each S3 and 1 in the HD). And I still can't get the channels I was missing, 113, 300, 343. To add insult, now the 'flawless' HD is missing those channels as well.

Just yesterday I swapped all (5) SA m cards for another set of (5) SA m cards as advised to me. This morning I was on the phone with the escalated cablecard person to activate them, he can activate in real time. Still, missing those channels on all cablecards in each of my TiVo units. I can tell that the escalated support folks are as frustrated as I am.

I should say that as frustrated as I am, it is not lost on me that every person I have spoken with at Comcast about this has been extremely pleasant, and very eager to help. I think they are doing all they can to help me. But still, my problems are still here and in some form or another (cablecard issues), I have not gotten consistent TV service for the past 3-4 months.

The upcoming DirecTV/HD TiVo offering is looking VERY good to me at the moment. I never had issues like this with DirecTV.

Anyway, the escalation folks are still working my issue. If any Comcast folks are reading this.... know that your folks are being helpful as best they can.

One interesting thing that I always wondered. Why doesn't Comcast have TiVo S3 and TiVo HD units in their integration/testing labs so they can validate any changes they make to their network? It always seemed to me that Comcast would implement network changes, and never had a clue what impact those changes might have on cablecard TiVo devices.

Well, the cablecard person I have been working with DOES have an S3 that he is using for testing. And he is budgeting to add an HD for testing. But he told me that they currently don't have a TiVo service subscription on it. Not budgeted for that. And he mentioned that his test unit is running 9.4 software, not the 11 we all just got. Which makes me wonder, do you have to have a TiVo service subscription to get software updates? And if so, what good is a test unit if it's not running the software version of your productive community?

So if any TiVo folks are reading this..... Guys, Comcast should not have to budget for these test devices, and then either budget or just do without service subscriptions for those test units. You guys should give them a few test units WITH service. Seriously. I am a customer of both of you. In supporting me, you should be supporting Comcast with test units/service so they can support me.

We are talking about less than a $1,000 of support investment that benefits your common customer. I work for the world's largest computer company, the same one as your founders. We make support investments with partners by making HW and SW available for integration testing and those investments are far more than a $1,000.

Just to say, I was happy to hear that Comcast actually had integration testing units, but I was SHOCKED that they were actually having to budget for that equipment themselves.

I'll post again on status. I hope things finally get resolved.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

andyf said:


> Hmm! No letter here. I have pretty much all the channels except International and Sports packages. Everything still seems to be working!
> 
> Oh! we just recently got TWC in HD , that's it for the last year.


Dang it! I just got the letter. Got nothing scheduled to record before Jan 3rd so I'll get the cards the day after Xmas.


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

28 hours after switching, 27 hours after giving pairing information, one cable card is paired. The two remaining are not. [email protected] does not appear to be as interested in my situation as the were for blibman


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

What number are people calling. (713) 341-1000 or 1-800 COMCAST like the letter says?


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

I called the 713-462-9000 number.

What I think I'm running into is the same situation I ran into when I put in the Motorola CCs, the signal quality isn't up to snuff. Before, I used splitters, but replaced them with booster amps (Motorola BDA-100S4). Apparently that isn't enough.

For one of the two that did not pair successfully, I plugged the cable straight from the wall to the TiVo and had them try to signal it to re-pair again, still no joy. There is a technician coming out the 28th


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

Finally my TiVos & their CableCards are paired, all three of them. I guessed wrong about the signal quality being an issue. That was not a factor. Comcast was using the wrong information in setting up the hit. Once someone called who had figured this out, all three were authorized. Only took three days.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Thanks for the positive update. At least now we know it IS possible to get them working.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Well I've been through 2 attempted activation cycles and still not working. They entered the wrong HostID on the first attempt and not sure what the problem is on the second attempt. Neither time did they ask me for the cards MAC address. The second time I practically had to beg to get her to verify the numbers they had. That's when I found out that they had the HostID wrong. Should I return the cards for some new ones and try again? What # are people trying? I used the number that the card puts out 713-462-9000. Has anyone tried 713-341-8080? That was the old Cable Card Activation line.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Second set of cards. Still not working (but still early called on 12-26 4 PM CST). This time the tech on the phone didn't want a Mac Address or a Card ID; He wanted to match the card serial number with the Host_ID. Had to pull the card out to get that. Fun Fun Fun. Why can't they setup a method for doing this online?


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

After pulling a card, I eventually did find the card ID on the second or third line in the diagnostics menu - right under the MAC address. So you don't have to pull the card to get the info Comcast needs.

As to why Comcast doesn't make it easier, it is part of the cable industry's overall strategy to keep third party devices to a minimum. restricting TiVos et al to one way communications has made using a TiVo a major pain to the consumer -- by preventing an automated pairing of device and CableCard. It is contrary to the spirit of the law, but the FCC went along with it.

Now, even with tuning adapters and the bidirectional communications they bring, the cable companies still won't automate the process.

If they wanted to make it easier, the cable companies wouldn't have this low level 1980's era style of encryption and pairing (having consumers play with MAC addresses! ridiculous! Reminds me of setting up DLC in SNA for 3270 emulation back in the bad old days).


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Well it's been a full day and still not working. I called in again and went through the whole thing all over again (restart tivo etc). I've got a service appointment for Friday so that the tech can come out and tell me "I don't know anything about Cable Cards". Maybe they will at least test the line. After all it's got to be the line. Everythings been working fine for 6 months and the only thing that has changed are the Cable Cards and I stopped getting all of the channels as soon as I changed Cable Cards but it's got to be the line because they don't make mistakes entering the numbers. I must have been halucinating while I was calling to activate my cards because I seem to remember that each time they wanted different information.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Well I started this process today. Turned in two perfectly good Moto M Cards from my S3. They gave me 2 SA cards. They didn't take nor did they want any HostID info @ the comcast retail center on Tidwell. I had a lovely wait for 45 minutes :|


I got home, searched out this number (713-341-8080) from this forum. The 8080 number has, in the past, bypassed the nit-wits on the front line and put me directly in contact with "level 2" Cable Card Techs. They usually submit a form to the "engineering" team to "activate". This time was no different. They wanted the Serial numbers of the two cards and the HostIDs of my tuners. 

They said it should be "up to 48 Hours" to activate (non-standard hit) the cards, but "everyone's doing them all the time" so it shouldn't be that long. I don't know how much faith I have in that one, but at least I didn't stay on hold for 1hr or anything.

We'll see how it goes.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

That's exactly how it worked with me last Friday and it's still not working. Sent an email to ComcastCares and am waiting to hear back from that. I have all of my numbers (Card ID, Host ID, Serial #, MAC) for both cards written down.


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## reneg (Jun 19, 2002)

No cablecards at the Tomball location. After spending 20 minutes in line, they put my name on a call back list. Looks like I'll have to wait before I get to join in the fun.


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## bgtees (Dec 23, 2007)

Hmmm, I either haven't received the letter yet or I threw it away (I have the paperless billing option from Comcast, so all their mail asking me to go for the Triple Play!!! usually goes in the junk mail pile). I'm planning to go OTA next month anyway, think I'm gonna ride out the Motorola CC's (one M-Card in each of my TivoHD's) until then.

One of my friends who switched to the SA cards had a nightmare experience, took an e-mail to Frank (of course) to get it fixed.

Out of curiosity, which channels will I be losing?


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## obixman (Sep 7, 2004)

OK - have an new Tivo (HDXL) to replace a series 2. Hooked it up and webt through guided setup (recieved all analog) and called Comast. Comcast SE comes on the 24th, installs a motorola M card, says it all works, and leaves (my wife is at home) It never activates,l buut we get all the analog and unencrypted digital channels. I call COmcast on the 26th, and proceeded to get the card activated, but now have only about half the channels as before, and have even lost some of the analog channels.

On Friday we have a cablecard expert coming and he'll also install one of the new cablecards. They seemed surprised we had one of the old ones installed during such a recent install.

More as it develops.


Followup -

Cablecard expert came in on Friday - only they sent a regular installer! Argh - anyway he had the SA M card, popped it in and sent in the cdodes for pairing and activation. Comcast only has one number fo rthem to call, and he wsa on hold for about 20 minutes. Everything OK, they say they'll send the signals, and we wait and wait. The Comcast guy has to go on another service calls, - he calls back to us in about 2 hours and the cable card "shop" still haven't paired us. He makes another call and in about 10 minutes we're up and running.

In short - about an hour for a service call which wasn't needed and about 3 hours delay for activation.
Plus 2 short service calls and about an hour on the phone(by me) with the cable card "shop".



Oh well - it's working now.


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Similar story to most here. Started my process by returning my M-card for my HD unit on Monday afternoon. After calling the tech line and giving my info, I did get the 24-48 hours pitch. Got the normal non-encrypted and the local hd channels.

Yesterday my wife followed up with the tech support. Was told all the channels should be on by sometime later in the day. We did get the encrypted channels and the rest of the hd channels plus the HBO-Starz channels. Still missing out on a few though; 101 - NBA, 108 - MLB, 113 - NFL, 300 - NFL HD, 343 - Boom. (Haven't checked the International channels...)

I did see that we are now getting 290 - HDNET which we did not want/pay for previously. Channel 291 - HDNET movies has a msg that says "need a decoder/card".

I'm interested if anyone else has gone through the process, and now has all their channels back.

thanks
Ken


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Well I just called the 8080 line again and they now told me that it would be "up to 72 hours" to activate, and that they would call to validate that the cards work when they do it. He said that doesn't count weekends and holidays. Meaning.. they're not working tomorrow so if it doesn't get done.. we wait until the 2nd. They're probably only working 1/2 day today being New Year's Eve.

To make matters worse, I was playing with pyTivo and transferred a giant file and wiped out 80&#37; of my recordings. This is going to be a fun weekend I think.


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## rrdionne (Dec 20, 2004)

Just tried the 8080 number about 5 minutes ago and happened to catch someone right before they left! He activated my card and even called back to check it after he put it in! Thanks to these folks I'll have cable this weekend. And yes, the comcast folks insisted that I don't need to activate the new card.

Be advised that the nice person I talked to mentioned they aren't really responsible for the cable cards, but they are able to activate them. He also wanted to know where I got the number as it is supposed to be for internal use only. Probably the nicest person I have ever dealt with at comcast.


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## asills (Dec 23, 2004)

rrdionne said:


> Be advised that the nice person I talked to mentioned they aren't really responsible for the cable cards, but they are able to activate them. He also wanted to know where I got the number as it is supposed to be for internal use only. Probably the nicest person I have ever dealt with at comcast.


That's probably the guy my wife talked to today. She called to have him activate one cable card (more details in a later post), then she called back around 2 or 3 (I think) to ask him to make sure the people at the store know they need the host ID. He said "we don't ever deal with customers but we got stuck with this switch". My wife said he sounded pretty put out about the whole thing but was really nice


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## asills (Dec 23, 2004)

Ok. So I got my letter in the mail. Just switch it out and wait 24-48 hours. I knew this wouldn't work. I did some research and found this thread. Got my Host ID (which I previously thought changed w/ a new CC) for two TiVos (one S3, 2 IDs and one HD) and went to the store on 249.

I got in line and there was a girl working there who had previously been real knowledgeable and had given me the TiVo activation direct line before, so I was happy when she asked if she could help me. I handed her my 3 CCs, she asked if I got the letter, and started to fill out some things on the computer. I asked her if I could give her my Host IDs for the CCs, but she said "there's nowhere to put the Host in this form" so she refused to take it from me. She said the only thing it asks for is what type of device they're going in, so she labeled one for the HD and the other two for the S3. I said "so 24-48 hours and they'll work?" and she said "yes". 

I knew that wasn't the case but I didn't get home until after 5 so I had my wife call the next day (Tuesday). When she called (the main support line), the rep said she had to wait 24-48 hours. She couldn't get past their BS so she got off the phone with them. 

On Wednesday (today) I had her call the 8080 line. The rep she got mentioned that they don't normally deal with customers but with all the problems they've been having they've been getting a lot of calls directly from customers. He didn't seem thrilled to help, but pretty much immediately noticed he didn't have the Host ID and asked her for it. He also seemed upset that the rep at the store didn't get that info. "She didn't ask for it at the store?" (incredulously)

She got off the phone with him, he said it would take 24-48 hours. We have all of our channels tonight; no problems at all with the activated cards. We got one card that was giving 161-2, 161-4 and 161-52 (the middle one is the 'broken card' one I believe) and when she tried to get a new one yesterday the office at 249 was out.

After talking with my wife on IM, we were both "mad" that the rep at Comcast was upset with the rep at the store, but the letter we got says NOTHING about needing anything other than 24-48 hours as well as the store rep claiming that there is nowhere to put the Host ID. My wife called back and talked to a different person. She apologized to him for bugging him and said she empathizes that it's not his fault, but she "wants to know who to talk to who can make sure the people at the stores know what they're doing." Begrudgingly, the rep said "me" and said he would get in contact with the store manager to let them know.

I bet it won't have any effect, but it makes us feel better that perhaps some good might come from this by letting the people at the store know that if someone comes with the Host ID they can speed up the process.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

I went to the store on 249 around 10:30am and they were out of cards. Said she'd call me when they got more. Maybe Friday?


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I too am missing the following: 101 - NBA, 108 - MLB, 113 - NFL, 300 - NFL HD, 343 - Boom

Does anyone with SA cards get these channels? Maybe they just aren't being streamed using the SA encryption?

I have called three times. Comcast kept lumping me in with the other SA box problems that they are having and would not open a ticket for me. They tried to set up a service call, I told them that it is not a issue at my house, it is an issue on their end. Someone from ATS (Advanced technical services) is supposed to call me, supposedly "after they get into the office tomorrow"). If someone shows up at my house tomorrow, I will not be happy. I hope I get that phone call instead.

Any other ideas?

Thanks.
Brian


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I'm still waiting for them to contact us saying they're activating the cards. Sigh....


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Brian,

Here Comcast has NFL, NFL HD and NBA in a separate package (Sports and Entertainment Pack) along with another 9 sports channels for which they charge you $6 extra a month to get. I don't suppose they are shifting Houston to something similar are they along with the switch to SA cards?

Scott


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Scott--

I do subscribe to the Sports Package as well. The rest of the package channels are working, just not the ones I listed. We pay $7.95/month for the package in Houston.

Good idea though,

Thanks.
Brian


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I received a call from Clarence at Comcast today. He said the missing channels are a platform issue (the SA platform, I presume), and that they know it is a problem and it is being worked on. In addition, they have no idea when it is going to be fixed.

Seems to me that they could have sent the channels without encryption temporarily.

Brian


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## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

I doubt their contract with the content providers allow them to do that.


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Brian,

Similar results for me so far. Spoke with tech last night, and she did not tell me anything specific about the channels we're not getting. And she told me that no one else had complained specifically about this issue. And because I was the first..... Hopefully now that you and anyone else has complained about this, it will get escalated.

All they could do for me was to set up an appt. tomorrow afternoon with a Comcast repairman. Sounds like it might be a waste of time.

The Tech CSR I spoke with was friendly and tried to help but I probably gave her more information about the issue than she had. She also couldn't confirm any of the "big things" that Comcast has planned "coming soon". Other than the Internet is gonna get "really fast". I asked...for more money? Yep. I'm happy with my speed right now.

Ken


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Ken--

You are definitely wasting your time with a service call. And if they change your cards, you may be out service on your other channels for 24-48 hours.

Brian


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Third time's a charm. I called the 8080 number this evening when I got home (around 6:30) and talked to the same guy from 12/30 *Jose*.

I asked him to please check the status of the order. He said, they've not done the activation but he remembered putting in the order (and it showed that he did it on the screen). I said, well you said 24-48 hours, it's been more than that can you please put it through tonight. 

He said they'd "probably" get it tonight on his re-submission.

In 20 minutes I had 100&#37; of my channels back. I have the Digital + HD basics + HBO. No sports packs or anything fancy.

The signal quality is pretty much as it was (if not slightly better). None of my "typically weak" or flaky channels are flaky right now.

The moral of the story. Bypass what they tell you, keep bugging them on the 8080 number and they'll eventually get it right.

Jeff


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## asills (Dec 23, 2004)

Wow... most unexpected turn of events. I got a call from someone at Comcast a little while ago. He asked if my Cablecards were working. One is broken (and no office has had CCs to replace it yet), one is working, and the last one still needed activated. I assumed this was just a customer service bozo who wanted to do some sort of crappy survey... I was wrong.

He wanted to know what was and wasn't working, I asked if he could actually do the activation himself and he said yes. I went upstairs, gave him the serial number of the card (so he knew which one to work on), then the Host ID. He said he'd call back in 5 minutes to check on the card. In 5 minutes (exactly) he called back, my cable card was activated and that was it.

So even though Comcast Houston has been bungling this through their level 1 support and in-store lack of knowledge, they've at least realized they have a problem and have people proactively trying to make things right.

Now I just need to find an office with SA cards to replace my one broken one.

---

Side note: he said 399, 397 and a few others "are having trouble" and "are being worked on".


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Tech came out Friday. He seemed to know what he was doing. He didn't say "I don't know anything about Cable Cards" but did say "I hate working with Cable Cards". Anyway he checked all of the connections but, I never saw him put anything on the line to check the signal strength. He tried to call the Cable Card line but never got anyone. Finally he had someone hit the cards and presto everything started to work. Still missing a few channel though. Weird thing is I'm missing some of the Music Channels 777+. Also, there is an HD Weather Channel on 289 that isn't on the channel list on Comcast's web site but showed up when I ran the Tivo setup and displays the Cable Card screen (indicating that the card isn't allowing it to display). 

Comcast has discontinued HDNet Movies in Houston. That was about 75&#37; of what I watched. Anyone know anything about that. 

Missing:
149 MoviePlex (blank)
213 Investigation Discovery (Cable Card screen)
221 Fuse (blank)
289 HD Weather Channel (Cable Card screen)
297 Universal HD (Cable Card screen)
298 Versus HD (Cable Card screen)
343 Boomerang (blank)
397 Fox Movie Channel (blank)
399 Independent Film Channel (blank) 
400 Encore Movies (Cable Card screen)
402 Encore Love (Cable Card screen) 
403 Encore Westerns (Cable Card screen)
404 Encore Mystery (Cable Card screen) 
405 Encore Action (Cable Card screen)
779 Classic Country (Cable Card screen)
783 R&B Soul (Cable Card screen)
800 Classic Disco (Cable Card screen)
820 Salsa (Cable Card screen)
821 Mexicana (Cable Card screen)


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I look to be back in the muck again. Today, I lost all my channels -- everything. Then I called the 8080 num to see if my cards somehow got "deactivated". They said, nope.. they look ok on that end. 

Get this.. I actually GET my encrypted channels (HBO, Noggin, SCI, MIL). I DON'T GET my basic 1-100. Nothing! I don't get the HD locals either. 

They said they'd escalate me to an engineer on Monday. Sigh.

I WISH U-Verse would work with an S3


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I would definitely send a direct message to http://twitter.com/comcastcares or email [email protected] immediately. I normally get a response from the dm/Frank within an hour. They have people that should be able to help today.

If you don't know how to tweet, send me your phone number in a pm and I will send the message to Frank.

Brian


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Comcast repairman showed up yesterday. Good news...he didn't tell me to replace my SA card. He ended up calling it in, and was told that this issue with the 8 channels has been identified, and has been escalated up the line to the next level of support.

(So far...) channels 101, 108, 113, 221, 300, 343, 397, and 399 are the 8 high band channels that are not working.

I did get an automated call an hour after he left asking for my 1-5 feedback on his visit. When I gave a 1 (very dissatisfied), it transferred me to a Comcast rep. She has all my info, and the tech's info. She told me the same thing that this has now been bumped up to the ATS (Advanced Technical Staff?), and they'd be eventually calling me with a conclusion. Hopefully, all the channels working (like the Motorola card I had been using 2-3 weeks ago).

Obviously this thread has identified several different cable card issues that are separate, and are being addressed. I did tell the guy about the Tivo Community board, and how I knew this was not just my single card in my Tivo issue. Plus...I did take the advice of others here and tell the tech that Comcast spend some money on Tivo HD boxes and do some testing and stop using their customers as beta testers.

Ken


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

The Comcast store at 249 and Spring Cypress now has boxes of cards. They were all over the place. The nice lady was doing a lot of typing as she said she was activating my cards. I asked her how she knew which slot I was going to put which card into. I got a bit of a blank stare.

There was someone else next to me getting new cards also, the lady told the guy they should be activated in about 4 hours. My nice lady told me about 24 hours.

Amazing! Can't wait to get home, stick these puppies into my Series 3 and see my HD channels light up again. Hah!  I'll call the numbers in this afternoon and go to bed with my fingers crossed.


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## cepheid (Feb 16, 2002)

The Bellaire store on Bissonnet had cards this morning also. After typing a bunch 'o stuff, my helper lady disappeared into the back room for about 10 minutes, then emerged with a ragged copy of Time-Warner's (even had the old TWC logo scribbled out by hand) instruction sheet for calling the "8080" phone line to request activation. 

Interesting that they are giving that out now, but it makes me more hopeful that the process will go well when I call them this evening.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Installed the cards. Seemed to get recognized OK. Careful though, both cards went through a firmware update after about 10 minutes of being installed. Knawed my fingernails down to the core hoping it would be successful. Finally, both cards updated and I called in to activate.

Will go to bed with fingers crossed. I do get the locals in HD though without pairing which is the most important. Interestingly I don't yet get some of the lower channels like FX and FOXNEWS which I hope will come in after pairing or a GS.

Hmm! Do I do a GS now or wait until the cards are paired?

Edit: I did a GS and starting getting FOXNEWS. Some channels come in and some don't, it's a mystery. Cards still not paired this morning. I hope some time today - Leverage is on tonight.


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## Terial-DeVo (Nov 1, 2004)

Just posted this in the other thread before i found this one...
Start with the bad and only news...

nothing works yet for me

story thus far, please help if you have any ideas or suggestions 

I got the same letter and went to the store and got 4 new cards and have been in hell ever since!

I have:
S3 Tivo
Tivo HD
TV

Old setup and worked pefectly:
S3 Tivo had 1MultiStream card, 1SingleSteam card
TiVoHD had 1 MS card
TV had 1 SS card

New Setup
S3 Tivo has: 2 MS cards (both not working, i get about 45 channels, no premiums, and no random lower channels, like scifi, food network, spike, usa, etc...)
Tivo HD has: 1 MS card 1/2 working, i do not understand this one lol, 1 stream is working perfectly, i get ALL channels, if i hit livetv to swap between singnals, it is the same as the S3 cards, partial channels
TV has: 1 MS card, not working at all, can not even pull the HostID number off the card.

When i installed all these new cards, i put them all in at the same time, not one at a time, Comcast has been totally useless for me, i have called them consistently every day since the 31st and have gotten no where with them.

I am considering trying to have a tech come out, but there is no reason for it, they have all the information from the 4 cards that i have given them numerous times, but they are just not activating them or pairing them... i am getting really pissed as the new season of shows starts very soon!

I notice some of you saying there was a firmware update? when did this happen? was this on the TiVo? i had no updates happen when i installed any of my cards, all of my TiVo's are up to date as they update every night.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Terial-DeVo said:


> Just posted this in the other thread before i found this one...
> Start with the bad and only news...
> 
> nothing works yet for me
> ...


The cards that I received yesterday were rev F I think from 2007. When I inserted the cards into the TiVo, after about 5 minutes TiVo said the card's firmware was being updated. Took about 5 - 10 minutes. Then I called 713-341-8080 for the chance to get the most knowledgable CC support folks. They needed to know the serial # of the card and what the host ID of the slot was that it was plugged into.

I was very careful to take down the serial numbers of the cards and mark them CC1 and CC2 and made sure I plugged the CC1 card into the CC1 slot and the same for CC2. If you mix these up there's no chance it will ever work.

My cards still aren't paired yet but I do get some digital channels and the local networks in HD. Of course, it hasn't been 48 hours yet so I'm not totally panicking yet.

About your TV - it's possible that the TV doesn't support multi-stream CCs, they probably were not around when your TV was designed.


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## jmace57 (Nov 30, 2002)

My letter says I need to turn mine in by January 9 - I am tempted to keep them and lose the 8 or 10 channels until they get this fiasco fixed.

I was hoping you guys would be the guinea pigs and it would be smooth sailing for me...

Jim


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I'm back fixed again. Went ahead and called for a truck roll and true to form, things were magically all better this morning before the truck could get here.


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Called Comcast to check and see if anything was happening with the SA cablecard. Still without same 8 channels. No update, no news, and no promise to be repaired by date.

I asked if I go back to a Comcast office and get a Motorola M card and use that until the SA cards were fixed. Nope, not an option, not giving out any Motorola cards.

I am interested if there are any Houston Comcast Tivo customers using the new SA cablecard that has all working channels. (I didn't get a response to that question either from the CSR.)

Ken


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

My status hasn't changed. Still missing the channels as listed above.

I emailed [email protected] around the 29th of Dec. Wasn't really expecting an immediate response but a Customer Service Rep called on the 30th and left a message. She finally got me on the 31st. I told her that I was scheduled for a service call on the 2cond but wasn't sure that would solve the problem. She checked back on the 5th and I told her that I was getting most of my channels but still missing a few. She asked me to call her by the end of the week if I was still missing them. They are at least pretending to care about the problem.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Not much change here. Will call again this afternoon.

One cards did say on the CP screen that it had received CP Auth. The other card is still waiting for CP Auth. However, the card still has not been authorized to receive the channels I should be getting.


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## Terial-DeVo (Nov 1, 2004)

UPDATE - Everything is working!

as of last night, Comcast activated and paired the 2 cards that were in the S3 TiVo, so that TiVo is working perfectly now.

The HDTiVo was not working last night, i tried the 8080 number this morning and a tech called me back 30 minutes later (while i was still home!) and told me to go check that tv and bammo, everything on the HDTivo was working!

now the TV, it's a mitshubishi, and the tech on the phone said that it may not recognize MStream cards, so i am going to get a firmware update from Mitsubishi and see if that fixes it.

But the bottom line is that the 8080 phone number is the fastest result i have ever gotten!
The tech also said that since that letter went out they have been so slammed that activation does actually take up to 72 hours in some cases, he said normally it's a 4 to 6 hour process and it will get back to that once this whole swap out of cards settles down.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

The folks at 8080 rock. They seem to be doing TiVo hits in real time. I called yesterday afternoon and while the activation was supposed to have been done the previous evening, my channels still weren't coming in. The support person put me hold and called someone somewhere. After about 5 minutes he came back and asked if anything had changed. I checked CC#2 and all the channels I checked, including premiums were now coming in. I checked CC#1 and everything except the premiums were coming in.

We ended the call with the promise that they'd continue to work this and call me back later.

I checked the MMI screens and noticed that CC#1 was still waiting for CP Auth while CC#2 was CP Auth Received. Makes sense, premium channels are copy protected. I called back and explained the situation. Another 5 minutes on hold while they re-hit CC#1 and sure enough the premiums started coming in.

Note, it did take about 15 mins to get to talk to someone, they are very busy. But everything is now good. For some reason FMC and IFC just give me a black screen but who cares, I never watch those channels.


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## jmace57 (Nov 30, 2002)

Well - I have started my journey - decided to take the plunge today. Experience so far...

Plugged in cablecards (I remembered from last time to write down the serial numbers BEFORE I plugged them in) at 4:30PM. Rebooted the TiVo. Noticed I was getting the lower channels and every other higher (in the 300's) channel. No Starz, Encore or HBO. About 20 minutes later, a message popped up that the cablecards were being updated. Good sign.

Then I got a "Host" screen poput that said to call the 800-555-something number to "start service". I called that number...and it was a completely unrelated company - got a message playing talking about chat radio for 10 seconds then it hung up. I verified the number, called back and got the same 10 second message and it hung up.

I went cruising around the cablecard menu on the TiVo and got a different message saying to call 713-341-9000 (a little different from the standard 1000 number). Called in - after about 5 minutes on hold/voice mail hell, got to a person. She took down some information...then said she was going to have to escalate this to someone with more technical experience. She transferred me...and I got a message saying "you have been transferred to a non-working Comcast number...if you think this is in error, hang up and call 1-800-COMCAST".

Well, I called the 8080 number...spent almost 30 minutes on hold before an Indian woman answered. SHe asked me to go to the TiVo menu and get her the host numbers associated with the cablecards. I gave her them...thinking all was about done. THen she said "OK, I have taken all of the information...a colleague will be making the necessary changes and will call you." I asked when I could expect a call - 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day? She said "soon" and hing up.

So....that's where it stands - I will update when I know more.

[EDIT] - Well surprise, surprise...I did get a call back "soon" - about 20 minutes after this post. Everything is working 100%. This is my first good customer service experience with Comcast.

Jim


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Still no 300,113,108,101,343....

The stations are being streamed to SA DVRs and HD boxes. I really do not understand why they can't correct the channel lineup.

Very frustrated.

Brian


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

gpsj1966 said:


> Missing:
> 149 MoviePlex (blank)
> 213 Investigation Discovery (Cable Card screen)
> 221 Fuse (blank)
> ...


Is anyone who swapped over to the SA Cable Cards getting these channels?


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## cepheid (Feb 16, 2002)

gpsj1966 said:


> Missing:
> 149 MoviePlex (blank)
> 213 Investigation Discovery (Cable Card screen)
> 221 Fuse (blank)
> ...


I am getting all of those EXCEPT 221, 343, 397 and 399. These are simply blank.

I swapped cards on Monday (1/5) and started getting most channels that evening after calling in about 6:30 PM. The rest were active by Tuesday evening, but I still do not have the four mentioned above.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

I get everything except

221 FUSE
343 BOOMERANG
397 FMC
399 IFC

I'm guessing that since cepheid is missing these channels also,, that this is not a CC issue and more of a headend issue. Since I don't care about those channels I'm not calling in about them.

If you tune to a channel that sends you to the CC Host ID screen then you are not authorized to view that channel.

What I did was wait the requisite 48 hours after calling in the first time, then on the second call they starting sending hits to the box while I was on the phone. Took a couple of times to get everything working, maybe 30 mins on the phone.

HBOSIG did have a hard time locking in, in the Test Channels screen, but seems to work OK in normal use.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

I have been twittering with Frank Eliason about my issues (missing channels). He assures me that Comcast, SA and Tivo all know about the problem, and are working together to get it resolved. I even sent them links to this forum topic.

Of course, this should have all been tested before it was rolled out. I think the right person could fix it quickly.

I wish they could tell us when it was going to be fixed.

Brian

PS I'd really be interested in knowing the solution once it is fixed.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

Comcast called me and offered to come to my house tomorrow and put in Motorola cards and activate them immediately.

I had to think about it, but I decided against it. I have to wait three hours tomorrow, and then will have to have them come back by January 20th to switch back to SA cards, or else I will lose more channels (if they do the programming switch as planned).

It is a good offer, and I'm glad Comcast is trying to do something. I think it will be best to get the platform issue fixed.

Brian


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Offering to switch back to the Motorola cards sounds like they aren't very close at all to a solution for ths SA cablecards. Ditto to headslap to Comcast for rolling out an untested (or not fully tested) solution.

Same 8 channels with just a gray screen. I did have sound on channel 113 (NFL non-HD) last night for a bit. <shoulder shrug>

Still waiting ....


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Well...except for channel 101 (NBA), the other 7 did show up when I got home and flipped on the tivo. I won't complain that much since I rarely ever watched that channel. Glad my NFL channel is back.

No call or email from Comcast (I had sent another request to Frank last night). Guess it must be magic.

I'll still call Comcast and see what kind of reduction I'll get for my pain and suffering of missing channels for almost two weeks. 

Ken


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## jdc0423 (Nov 14, 2005)

I finally picked up my cards this evening. I left the CC store @ 4:45 & had everything up by 5:30. I did call the 8080 number. They push my CP auth through immediatly.

I am missing the channels below at the moment. We don't watch any of them so it is not a priority.

221 FUSE
343 BOOMERANG
397 FMC

John
399 IFC


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

UConnHuskyTx said:


> Well...except for channel 101 (NBA), the other 7 did show up when I got home and flipped on the tivo. I won't complain that much since I rarely ever watched that channel. Glad my NFL channel is back.
> 
> No call or email from Comcast (I had sent another request to Frank last night). Guess it must be magic.
> 
> ...


Same results here, everything except 101. We'll see if it "holds". I also need to check for some of the channels that I do not watch.

What an all-consuming battle this has been for me. Not sure what my next one will be, but I'll be glad if this is actually over.

I would still love an explanation on how this was finally fixed--just to see if my thoughts were in sync.

Brian


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## cepheid (Feb 16, 2002)

I'm getting everything now too, except 101... and I'm not sure I should be getting that one.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

I'm getting everything now too.


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## jmace57 (Nov 30, 2002)

I don't want to speak to soon, in case I jinx myself...but I swear the HD pictures are better than before...and I have not run into one pixellation issue <knocking wood frantically> since putting in the new cards.

Jim


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Called 8080 about my missing channels this morning. All he said was that they were aware of the situation and asked me to please bare with them. I asked about the Music channels (777 and above) and he said that they were having problems with those as well. That doesn't seem right to me. How would I get most of the music channels but miss a few. Also, once I clear the cable card screen, the channel displays for a few seconds and then goes black.


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Comcast called today and again apologized about the issues I've been having. She assured me that the Comcast, Tivo, and Scientific Atlantic technical group was still attempting to fix the problem. She told me that they did a software upgrade (on their end), but it didn't fix the problem. She told me that customers were still lacking the same 8 channels. (Haven't ever looked at the digital music channels..) 

I did advise her that 7 of the 8 channels were back, and the only one missing was the NBA (channel 100) channel. She said they were still attempting to resolve the issue, and my account would be credited for the time spent without the channels.

All in all...Comcast has been trying to accomodate as best they can. They can be faulted for not testing the SA cablecards enough to find the Tivo issue, but I can't fault them for not trying to fix the problems.

I appreciate this forum and the encouragement we give each other to contact Comcast (in this case), and keep on them until problems are fixed. I don't know how many people this actually impacted, but the percent of people who have HD Tivos that use cablecards and actually noticed some of these channels missing is probably less than 1&#37; of their customer base.

Ken


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## sleepy_greyhound (Jan 11, 2009)

I went to the store Wed. (7th) to exchange my CableCARD (for my TiVo HD). A few hours later I was getting some, but not all of my channels (I know this is crazy, but I don't have digital cable--only basic and expanded basic). I was getting all of my basic, but not all of my expanded basic channels (I was only getting 18 of the 63 expanded basic channels, to be exact). I called several different times, provided the info to have the card activated, blah, blah, blah. 

 As of Saturday (according to the tech, my card had been activated on Thursday) they told me the only solution was to have a tech visit. NO THANK YOU! This is after restarting the TiVo several times and repeating guided setup. So I went back to the store and exchanged the card out for another one (hoping the problem was in a malfunctioning card). This time I was so sick of Comcast that I didn't call in for the activation--because of course they told me I didn't have to in the letter anyway. Surprise, surprise. Same issue as before. Only some of my channels were coming through.

So Sunday morning I got fed up enough that I searched the internet for people who had this same problem. That's when I found this forum. I was all set to figure out what in the world "tweeting" or "twittering" or whatever is and how to do it (like someone else suggested), but I decided one more phone call wouldn't kill me. So I called tech support once more. 713-462-9000

 First off, this was the first person I had talked to since Wednesday that had actually asked what number would be good to call me back at. I knew immediately that I liked her. Then, this little Comcast angel told me that the card had been activated on Saturday (the day I picked up the card--so they were right! I didn't have to call to have it activated.) I guess the person in the store had done it right. But I explained that still I didn't have my channels. So she sent a refresh signal and BOOM! All my channels are coming in now.

Now, I'm not a moron. I had tried sending a refresh signal (using the automated menu) with the first CableCARD I picked up on Wednseday, and that didn't work. And I know I tried the refresh signal after the card had been activated. So my guess is that the "activation" wasn't done right the first time. Shockingly, no other tech that I talked to on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday even thought of sending a refresh signal. 

So it must be a combination of having someone activate the CableCARD properly AND having a refresh signal sent.

I hope my plight can make someone else feel better about their situation, and help others out there as they exchange their cards.

Good Luck, ya'll.

Oh yeah, I wasn't getting my music channels either, but now those are working, too.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Just found out HBO is not copy protected right now. At least HBOHD. Cinemax HD is copy protected.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

gpsj1966 said:


> Called 8080 about my missing channels this morning. All he said was that they were aware of the situation and asked me to please bare with them. I asked about the Music channels (777 and above) and he said that they were having problems with those as well. That doesn't seem right to me. How would I get most of the music channels but miss a few. Also, once I clear the cable card screen, the channel displays for a few seconds and then goes black.


If you are still getting the cablecard screen, then your card/cards are not activated or paired correctly. You need to call back in with your host id and the cable card MAC address and your cell phone number so that they can call you back.

For me, everything except 101 is working. They remapped the other channels in the channel list on Thursday night. Things should be working for everyone, if their cablecards are properly activated/paired. I really don't understand "bad cablecards", most of the time something else is wrong.

Brian


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

One of the problems is that they are so slammed with cable card activations they've brought in other poeple from other departments to answer the phones. It's hit and miss if you get someone who knows how cable cards work.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

blibman said:


> If you are still getting the cablecard screen, then your card/cards are not activated or paired correctly. You need to call back in with your host id and the cable card MAC address and your cell phone number so that they can call you back.
> 
> For me, everything except 101 is working. They remapped the other channels in the channel list on Thursday night. Things should be working for everyone, if their cablecards are properly activated/paired. I really don't understand "bad cablecards", most of the time something else is wrong.
> 
> Brian


This is what I suspected.

I've never gotten anyone that would take the MAC address from me. The last person at 8080 wanted the card Serial # and Host ID. I offered to give the MAC but he said it wasn't needed. Had to ask him to verify the numbers for me as it was.

Guess I'll have to call the Customer Service who contacted me when I emailed Comcast Cares.

I'm now getting all of the channels that were coming up blank earlier.


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## blibman (Oct 23, 2001)

gpsj1966--

Comcast should have a cross reference of serial number and MAC address. I have been told over and over that the new platform needs the hostid and MAC address to pair/activate.

Brian


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Well, it looks like I'm back to NOT working again. These SA cards seem to lose their minds after a few days in the Series 3 system. 

I'm back to not having ANY channels. I don't get anything without popping the SA cards our. My wife called it in and they're rolling a truck again tomorrow. This is BS. Once I get some spare bank, I'm pulling this plug on Comcast Cable.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

Looks like my cards are finally working. Called in around 9:30 PM and got right through.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

My issue is getting more ugly after a 2nd truck roll.

I sent a message last night to @comcastcares to prime the pump for today.
Frank replied with the following:

comcastcares If you have trouble after the visit tomorrow, email me directly [email protected] about 14 hours ago

to which I said.. this transistion has been a Pain...

He said:
comcastcares It has for me too! I have escalated the concerns over the whole process. It should not have been this difficult about 14 hours ago

Truck roll today...

this is my response to Frank

Frank,

First off, thanks for offering to take an escalation from me on this Houston SA CableCard rollout. I try to be an educated consumer, but in this case I can't help this process much more -- so I need your help.

The result of my 2nd Truck roll (symptom: lost all un-encrypted digital channels, standard HD, and a few Digital subscription -- encrypted channels: HBOHD, NOGGIN, MIL and some others work) ... visit 1/13 AM.

My wife reports: He spent 30 or 40 minutes futzing around with the TIVO & cards before deciding they were bad and we have to switch them out. He said we should ask for at least 10 to try out. That way we can find out which ones work & keep those without having to go back and forth to the store front.

This is really an unacceptable answer in my opinion. I shouldn't have to ask for 5 pairs of CableCards (presumably new equipment) to "find out which ones work" .. then having to work through the CableCard Pairing process with your engineers.. dealing with as much as 48 hour delays (not including weekends and holidays) to get them properly authorized and "hit" from the head end.

I've been using the Motorola M and/or S-cards since 2006 when the Series 3 first came out. I had only one "issue" before (after the TWC / Comcast switchover .. which wasn't too horrible, but required me swapping cards to resolve).

Please let me know what you can do to resolve this ASAP.

Thanks again!

===========
< 5 min later.. he's already replied.

I apologize. We will work to get this right


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

My wife reports the channels are back on and she got a call from an engineer (missed the call got a voicemail) around 12 central.

THANKS FRANK! ... so another one for @comcastcares. That works.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I spoke too soon again.. I'm broken for the 3rd (or is it 4th time). Now I have ZERO channels. I DM'd comcastcares... he said it's time to swap cards.

Remind me again why I began changing Cable Cards? What? So I wouldn't lose channels?... hmm


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## bgtees (Dec 23, 2007)

This is ridiculous. Are other Comcast markets having this must trouble or is this just a legacy of the Time Warner crapfest?


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Just to provide some balance here, but I'm still working 100&#37;.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

My wife went to the 290 Store front and has swapped our 1st pair of SA cards. We'll see if the 2nd is any better. She's calling them in to the 8080 line now.

I'm sticking with Frank (twitter's comcastcares) advice here. He said swap, so here we go.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

I dread when I gotta swap, the cab ride for me ain't cheap, so I'm putting it off.


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## gpsj1966 (Aug 9, 2002)

To add insult to injury; I got my bill today and they are charging me for a service call were the only thing the guy did was ask the engineer to hit the card. Time to call Customer Service again. Still gettting all my channels.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Just sent Tweet to @Comcastcares... told them the new cards were called in @1pm Central. We still don't have Encrypted channels. 

Getting basics + hd, and not much more

I'm on day 16 of this. Frank said he'd get me a good credit too. We'll see how that goes too.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Langree said:


> I dread when I gotta swap, the cab ride for me ain't cheap, so I'm putting it off.


My letter said you we had to be done with the swap by the 20th of Jan. Did yours say a different date?

Can I make the trip to the retail front for ya? They're on my way to work down 290. Let me know if I can help.


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## bgtees (Dec 23, 2007)

bluetex said:


> Just sent Tweet to @Comcastcares... told them the new cards were called in @1pm Central. We still don't have Encrypted channels.
> 
> Getting basics + hd, and not much more
> 
> I'm on day 16 of this. Frank said he'd get me a good credit too. We'll see how that goes too.


Frank did get me a good credit when we had some ridiculous broadband problems, so hopefully he'll take care of you.


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## bgtees (Dec 23, 2007)

bluetex said:


> My letter said you we had to be done with the swap by the 20th of Jan. Did yours say a different date?
> 
> Can I make the trip to the retail front for ya? They're on my way to work down 290. Let me know if I can help.


Well, I'm riding out my two Motorola M-Cards until January 29th (moving that day), so we'll see what happens. If I have to go over-the-air for nine days so be it.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

bgtees said:


> Well, I'm riding out my two Motorola M-Cards until January 29th (moving that day), so we'll see what happens. If I have to go over-the-air for nine days so be it.


According to my letter, you won't lose but maybe a handfull of HD stations. Everything else should be the same.


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## SCOHO83 (Jun 3, 2008)

I urge everyone in Houston to complain to the FCC and their local Congressional And Sentorial Rep about Comcasts' continued behaviour towards cable card support. The support is FEDERALLY MANDATED (remember they lobbied against the rule requiring they support cablecards in an effort to force you to use their DVR's and Cable Boxes (for more money to them). And this is how they fight it. Its a classic ploy. They make it not work then turn to the FCC and say "See, we told you this wouldn't work", and the FCC changes the rule, and we loose our TIVO's. You write to your rep here:

writerep.house.gov

and the FCC here

esupport.fcc.gov/complaints

Here the sample I wrote my rep. 



Dear The Honorable Michael McCaul,

As I am sure you are aware, the FCC in an attempt to keep competition and CHOICE alive and well in the Home entertainment world, required cable companies to provide subscribers the option to use cable cards, so that they were not required to use the Cable Company's Cable Boxes and DVR's. (Thus they could take their DVR's with them when they would move from state to state). I am one of these people (along with Thousands of Others in the Houston Area) who has selected this avenue. I have complained to the FCC that Comcast is NOT supporting the intentions and actually inhibits those who select this option. They do not support initial cable card installations (took me 6 weeks to get mine set-up the first time, and I am one of many); and now they want us to go through this experience again. (Forcing us to change the cards for new ones) and they still do not support this transition. (I include a thread showing the lack of support and frustration by this community of users). tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=413838.
I urge you to put pressure on the FCC to ENFORCE its requirements on Comcast in this regard. It appears currently that the FCC is a paper tiger, who in writing acts like they are a consumer advocate but turn blind eye when company's like Comcast fragrantly ignore their rules. Your attention would be appreciated.

Sincerely
Scott Hoffman
RNC Member and Donor.


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## DavidTigerFan (Aug 18, 2001)

Just FYI guys, we have SA Comcast cable cards in the Charleston Market. The only problems I've run into is getting techs that know what a cable card is. Once I get that and they authorize my account right I get all my HD correctly with a Series3.


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## SCOHO83 (Jun 3, 2008)

All,

Just to give credit where credit is due, I guess my fuss got some attention. I just received a call from Comcast, and a person there took my information and this time it was someone on the provisioning system, for the cards picked up and we were threw in 5 minutes (and all channels working). They should make it this easy EVERYTIME, and not just after some extreme (excuse the term) flaming and letter writing. They should actually make this a self provisioning system via a web interface. Then we become the one-way system's feed back (i.e. we see what the system has entered and confirm its correct, we see if encryption keys worked, and if not, we know its the card or the TIVO... No human mistakes in information transfer). (remember, this is one way communication on the cable card. Keys are sent from the NOC and if your card doesn't accept them for what ever reason, or the data is entered incorrectly, there is no feed back from your TIVO device (i.e. sucess or failure code) to the NOC. So they must assume that it took. With the web system (or some similar method), it could tell you, "we sent the key", and you would know to check the box, if channels still down, something wrong and you won;t be waiting for another day t respond! (ramblin' now)

Also, I went by and gave a print out of this thread to the local Comcast Store front and asked them to forward to their managers. I got so frustrated having the "Customer Care Staff" at the stores and on the phones (and the chat sessions) tell me that I was abnormal, and they weren't having problems withany one else, ever. (Jeez, remember the thread on the Motorola Cards? And that was even denied).


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## bgtees (Dec 23, 2007)

If I hadn't put up with so much nonsense from Comcast, if Frank wasn't the exception to the rule, then I wouldn't be dumping them in 13 days. Sadly when it comes to customer service, only the truly squeaky wheel gets the grease these days.


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## maudman (Jan 16, 2009)

I have now joined you merry people after reading almost all of the posts. I've installed the SA card (multi) in my HD Tivo, it did a short firmware update and I haven't seen most of my cable channels in the Houston market since Wednesday. About 20 calls to liars, idiots and well meaning, untrained alleged techs. just called the 8080 number (I told you that I've been reading) and they said 24 to 48 hours. I explained the situation. They said that they would call back. That's what they said yesterday. I've contacted Frank via e-mail at that link someone provided and asked if I should swap it out. He said that he wants his team working on it. Go team! Right.
In the CA screen where Tivo says that it should say "Ready" it says "Not Staged". Anybody else?

Maudman


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## maudman (Jan 16, 2009)

From all of the reading and all of the calls I'm back in business. WooHoo!!

Maudman


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

maudman said:


> From all of the reading and all of the calls I'm back in business. WooHoo!!
> 
> Maudman


Careful to not woohoo too loud. I'm down for the 3rd time AFTER the swap.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

This is the email I sent to Frank @ 11am today.

Frank, 

We're still not getting most channels. This is after your recommendation of swapping to a new set of cable cards (second pair) following the Houston Swap to SA cards and 2 truck rolls.

What can we do next?

We get these channels as of now (~24 hours after activation call was placed): 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 40, 42, 43, 44, 46, 50, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 65, 74, 75, 76, 98, 109, 113, 115, 122, 174, 221, 226, 239, 287, 300, 304, 305, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 320, 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, 335, 343, 397, 399

Our Subscription should be: Basic, Expanded Basic, Digtal Starter, Digital Preferred, Digital Classic, and HBO Pack

My wife is home all day, she knows how to access the cable card menus and can pull cards and reboot The Series 3 Tivo. This is day 17 since we did the card swap.

Sent:Account num, etc. 

Jeff

============ @ Tweet exchange
comcastcares They are working to resolve 8 minutes ago 

comcastcares I just emailed asking status. I will let you know 18 minutes ago


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Finally gave in and did the switch today, as I'm running up against the deadline. And no problems!

Went by the midtown SC yesterday (Thur) on the way home, picked up two cc. Got home, put them in, let it do the cc firmware update, then called the 8080 # and paired them. All they wanted was the Host ID. Guy said he would send the signal shortly. I rec'd a phone call about 30 mins later checking to see if it worked. Quickly checked the scrambled channels (415/419/460 etc) and they worked!

So this morning I do the other S3. Same process. Within hours everything is working.

So in the space of 12 hours I flipped two S3s, with no problems. With much sympathy to those of you with problems (really, I know how you feel), but at least it can work well. Not sure why some have problems, but in concept, it should work. 

BTW, when the 8080 guy called me back, he specifically asked me to check 101 & 108. They did *not* work. I told him I never watch them, but he said they've been having problems and wanted to see who gets them.


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## maudman (Jan 16, 2009)

bluetex said:


> Careful to not woohoo too loud. I'm down for the 3rd time AFTER the swap.


I see your point. You're missing the exact same channels I was. I'm hoping that no new engineering orders were submitted due to all of my calls and I lose everything. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Maudman


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

As of this morning, I have 1 card fully working, and the other card acting like it can't be authorized.

CableCard CP INFO:
Card 1: CP Auth Received
Card 2: Waiting for CP Auth

I'm thinking this Card2 I got is not properly flashed. It's not reporting info on a lot of menus that the other one is.

I'll have to go swap this one out and start the Auth process *AGAIN* for it. But for now I have Card 1 with all channels in place.

... *whispering* at least it's progress.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

bluetex said:


> As of this morning, I have 1 card fully working, and the other card acting like it can't be authorized.
> 
> CableCard CP INFO:
> Card 1: CP Auth Received
> ...


That's the state my CC#2 was in when I called 8080 a second time. The guy was on the phone with NOC and they determined it hadn't been setup correctly. 2 minutes later it was working fine.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

andyf said:


> That's the state my CC#2 was in when I called 8080 a second time. The guy was on the phone with NOC and they determined it hadn't been setup correctly. 2 minutes later it was working fine.


Andy, that's encouraging. The reasons why I jumped to the conclusion that it wasn't set up are these:

On the CableCard CA Screen: Status says, "Not Staged"
page 2 SubExpireTime says, "Mon Jan 1 1996 12:00:00 AM GMT"
On the Host ID Screen: says phone number to call is, "800-555-3434"

The working CableCard

On the CableCard CA Screen: Status says, "Not Ready-No CA Strm"
page 2 SubExpireTime says, "Sun Feb 15 2009 6:40:00 PM GMT"
On the Host ID Screen: says phone number to call is, "713-462-9000"

What do you guys think? Bad card or call again?


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Just the phone number alone tells me it hasn't received the firmware update. That is the phone number I saw prior to the update. Then after the update it showed the 713 number. It's obviously not working because it's not match to our headend and probably won't take a hit until the firmware is updated.


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## jpagan (Nov 24, 2007)

bluetex said:


> Andy, that's encouraging. The reasons why I jumped to the conclusion that it wasn't set up are these:
> 
> On the CableCard CA Screen: Status says, "Not Staged"
> page 2 SubExpireTime says, "Mon Jan 1 1996 12:00:00 AM GMT"
> ...


Check the Firmware revision number between both cards. That will tell you for sure if the firmware is current or not.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

andyf said:


> Just the phone number alone tells me it hasn't received the firmware update. That is the phone number I saw prior to the update. Then after the update it showed the 713 number. It's obviously not working because it's not match to our headend and probably won't take a hit until the firmware is updated.


I don't think there's anything left to do except swap. Comcastcares replied with "That card looks like it is not pairing". I asked if I should swap or if they can fix it from headend.. he said, "No I would like to get to the specialist that handled the other. Just may not be active"

I gave Frank the tech's direct line... but I know he won't be back unti Tues... 'cuz that's what he told my wife @ 5pm Friday.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Firmware .. on both says.
Build Ver: 122
OS Ver 01.01.10P3.1
Build Time: Jun 3, 2007, 16:58:34


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## jpagan (Nov 24, 2007)

Finally! I just checked and my channels seem to be back. I have not checked all channels but at least the HD and CP channels are working. My setup is very simple tho. I have a single TiVo HD with one CC. This morning I called the 8080 number. I told the lady on the phone I have been calling the 9000 number for three days and they always tell me the same thing. She appologized and then she asked me to remove the CC and give her the serial number. Then she asked me to put the card back in, wait for the card to reboot and read the Host ID. I asked if she needed the Card ID and the MAC but she said she did not. She said the serial number and the Host ID is all she needed. Then she asked me for a best phone number to contact me. She told me it may take up to 24 hours. Calling the 8080 number is what worked for me.

It is working now. But this does not excuse the service we are getting from Comcast. I was considering taking them to small claims court. You can sue them easily for up to $5000.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

How weird.

My Build Ver: 121
OS Ver PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702
Build Time: Sep 29 2008, 18:23:15

Both cards and both are working fine except 108 has stopped coming in again. I think that's a problem at their end which they seem to be working on.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Twitter response...
@comcastcares I will have someone reach out to you. If you need to replace we will send someone with multiple


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I'll give @comcastcares some props here.. when he says he'll get things moving again.. he does. Tech called me just now and found that they'd paired BOTH of my host ID's to the one card. GAH!

So he's put in the right Host ID and we're going to wait an hour before we do anything else.

I have a real call back number and we're waiting until 6pm (1hr) to touch base again.


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## Das Achteck (Mar 9, 2005)

andyf said:


> How weird.
> 
> My Build Ver: 121
> OS Ver PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702
> ...


That is the same data as my one working card. I called the 8080 number, the tech put in my data and after a hard boot (the TiVo froze as I was testing channels) everything was there (except 101 and now 108)

I have another one to install as soon as the 8080 techs get back to work. I don't want to work with the weekend/holiday crew if something goes wrong.


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

Wow. That was painless. I went to the Comcast storefront today and swapped out my 6 cable cards (for 3 Series3 units). Longest part was waiting in line. Came home, plugged them in. They all upgraded to new firmware. Called the 8080 number. Got on a tech who asked for the serial number (not the MAC address) of each card and the host ID. I had written the serial number and MAC address down for each card along with what slot they were in, so this wasn't a problem. He put me on hold for about 2 minutes and came back and asked me to check my channels. They were all working. He said I was lucky because he was just working the phones temporarily and he was authorized to actually go in the system and activate the cards right away. So I didn't even have to wait for the activation. Now I'm just redoing guided setup and I'll be done.

This is a far cry frm the process I went through with Time Warner when I first got the cards.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

nataylor said:


> Now I'm just *redoing guided setup* and I'll be done.


First, congrats on the easy update. I was also one of the lucky ones, and hope the rest of you are soon resolved.

On Guided Setup, when I did my first S3, it wanted me to go thru GS, so I did (including a loooong 'now organizing' wait--like 15 mins). When I did my 2nd S3 about 12 hrs later, it never asked nor suggested anything about redoing GS.

Why one, and not the other? And is there any reason I should do it on the 2nd S3? Which is running beautifully, BTW. :up:


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

I yanked my cards yesterday, hoping to exchange them. But Comcast was closed because of MLK day. All my boxes started complaining about redoing guided setup after a bit, as the "Cable Card Configuration" had "Changed." Even when I put in the new cards today, all 3 boxes still complained, so I did it. Maybe it's a function of how long the cable cards were out of the box?


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## maudman (Jan 16, 2009)

Das Achteck said:


> That is the same data as my one working card. I called the 8080 number, the tech put in my data and after a hard boot (the TiVo froze as I was testing channels) everything was there (except 101 and now 108)
> 
> I have another one to install as soon as the 8080 techs get back to work. I don't want to work with the weekend/holiday crew if something goes wrong.


I don't get those 2 channels either. I don't mind. In the 20 or so phone calls I had to make to tech support I have to give credit to the 8080 techs. When I called them things happened. Before that I was lied to, scammed and ignored. I won't even start on the 2 year fight for them to get my internet working.

Maudman


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Day 25.. I'm weary from the fight and still only have 1 of 2 cards working.

They're starting to suspect that my TiVo has a problem but they don't know a Series 3 from a hole in the ground.

When their cards come up with a BOGUS phone number (now the second in a row) I'm starting to suspect they have a bad set of burned in cards floating around out there.

I may try a different store front this weekend and see if I can get lucky. 

They want to swap slots and re-pair. I'm very reluctant to backtrack and give up the working card I have, but it would quickly clear up if I have a bad CC slot (slot2) if the problem stays.

I'm willing to bet my first born (and I LIKE HIM) that the problem will follow the CARD.


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## thedudeabides (Aug 7, 2003)

I've been monitoring this thread closely and have delayed switching my Motorola card due to some of the horror stories I've read. As of today (1/25/09), the HD channels all still work, even though they weren't supposed to as of 1/20/09. Anyone else experiencing the same thing?


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## lethcoeb (Apr 19, 2002)

I picked up the new cards a week ago, but have also delayed installing (mostly because I have not been home during working hours to call the -8080 number). Looks like for the most part the kinks have been worked out (with a few notable exceptions in this thread), so I at least feel comfortable that it will work when I do perform the swap.

I seem to have all of my channels, but will immediately do the swap if channels start going away.


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## thedudeabides (Aug 7, 2003)

lethcoeb said:


> I picked up the new cards a week ago, but have also delayed installing (mostly because I have not been home during working hours to call the -8080 number). Looks like for the most part the kinks have been worked out (with a few notable exceptions in this thread), so I at least feel comfortable that it will work when I do perform the swap.
> 
> I seem to have all of my channels, but will immediately do the swap if channels start going away.


I thought you had to turn in your old card(s) to get a new one?


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## UConnHuskyTx (Dec 31, 2008)

Just wondering if any of the people who have gone through this whole process ever got channel 101. It never came back for me, (although it works fine on other standard cableboxes I have).

Got our latest Comcast bill, and was given credit for multiple days without channels due to the CC issue. Not surprising but the pain and aggrevation don't seem to have been calculated in.

Ken


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

UConnHuskyTx said:


> Just wondering if any of the people who have gone through this whole process ever got channel 101. It never came back for me, (although it works fine on other standard cableboxes I have).


I do NOT get channel 101. Not sure if I ever got it before the swap as I never watch that channel.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

nataylor said:


> I do NOT get channel 101. Not sure if I ever got it before the swap as I never watch that channel.


+1

Not sure if 101 or 108 are coming in today. Don't really care, I never watch them either.


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## lethcoeb (Apr 19, 2002)

thedudeabides said:


> I thought you had to turn in your old card(s) to get a new one?


Nope - I simply asked for three more cards with the promise to return the old ones once the swap was complete...


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

UConnHuskyTx said:


> Just wondering if any of the people who have gone through this whole process ever got channel 101.


Nope.



lethcoeb said:


> Nope - I simply asked for three more cards with the promise to return the old ones once the swap was complete...


When I asked to do that, I was given the icy stare from hell. I then tried to pay/rent for two more, and I swear, the temp dropped another ten degrees.

Way way back when I first got my S3 and I was having cc probs, I was getting several cards at a time. I'd plug 'em in & out, calling to pair, doing it again, until I found two good cards. This was back when you often had to go thru 4-5 cards to get a good one. At $1.50/month per card, I could switch several cards over a day or two, and it only cost a few cents a day.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

My Wife just emailed me saying that "Bobby the Comcast tech" called saying they did everything they can think of and the problem is the software on the TiVo, and we should contact their support.

Can someone running a S3 and the New SA cards please let me know what version you're running. 

Thanks,


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

The software version on my S3 is 11.0b.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

nataylor said:


> The software version on my S3 is 11.0b.


Can you check the Firmware version on your SA CableCard menu?



bluetex_Wife said:


> He said it looks like the problem is we don't have the latest firmware update and we need to call TIVO.


This sounds like he's just trying to punt.

Jeff


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

bluetex said:


> Can you check the Firmware version on your SA CableCard menu?


From the "SA CableCARD CA Screen:"
Secure Micro Software Ver:
3.14

From the "SA CableCARD Diag Screen:"
H/W Model: 0800 Ver: 0012
Bldr ver: 121
OS Ver: PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702
Build Time: Sep 29 2008, 18:33:15


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

They seem to think because their Single and Multi stream cards work in their Tivo @ comcast, they should work for me.

They're not concerned that the ONLY OS Vers that I've seen working in their multi-stream cards is the PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702 as nataylor posts above.

They want me to contact tivo and get the "latest software" from them. I have 11.b also. I'll try to get them on a conf call with Tivo's engineers, but that's gonna take DAYS, I'm sure.


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

bluetex said:


> They seem to think because their Single and Multi stream cards work in their Tivo @ comcast, they should work for me.
> 
> They're not concerned that the ONLY OS Vers that I've seen working in their multi-stream cards is the PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702 as nataylor posts above.
> 
> They want me to contact tivo and get the "latest software" from them. I have 11.b also. I'll try to get them on a conf call with Tivo's engineers, but that's gonna take DAYS, I'm sure.


What version is on your cards? Also, is it really up to TiVo to update the software on the cards? When I plugged in my cards in (which all had dates stamped on them that were 7/30/08 or 7/21/08), they almost immediately upgraded their software automatically. I got a message on the screen that said something like "Updating CableCARD 1&2" and it wouldn't let me watch live TV.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Slot 1 (nonfuncation) 
Build Ver: 122
OS Ver 01.01.10P3.1
Build Time: Jun 3, 2007, 16:58:34

Slot 2 (functional)
H/W Model: 0800 Ver: 0012
Bldr ver: 121
OS Ver: PKEY1.5.2_F.p.0702
Build Time: Sep 29 2008, 18:33:15

Who's responsible for this Firmware version.. Tivo or Comcast?


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Wife just emailed me the tivo Version.. 11.0-01-2-648 === I coulda sworn it was b. but ok.

Before I go jump down someone's throat, do I have an issue?


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

Have you tried taking the non-functional one back and swapping it out for another card?


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Yes, you're non-functional card has the wrong firmware on it. That's a Comcast issue.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

nataylor said:


> Have you tried taking the non-functional one back and swapping it out for another card?


twice.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

andyf said:


> Yes, you're non-functional card has the wrong firmware on it. That's a Comcast issue.


that doesn't seem to be what Bobby cares to believe.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I submitted a question on Tivo's Customer help forums.. I'll call them later.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

I forwarded this to @comcastcares

Re: Comcast says Tivo Software is out of date - only one CableCard works at a timec 1:47 PM 
That is the latest version of the TiVo software. Only Comcast can get you cards with the "latest software". They can either deliver cards with the appropriate firmware already on them or, after the card is installed in the TiVo, send it a "cold init" to start a firmware update.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

The non-functional card probably tells you to call an invalid 800 # to provision the cards (the screen with the host id#). The functional card tell you to call (713) 341-9xxx which is one of the local Comcast numbers.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

andyf said:


> The non-functional card probably tells you to call an invalid 800 # to provision the cards (the screen with the host id#). The functional card tell you to call (713) 341-9xxx which is one of the local Comcast numbers.


This is SPOT Frigging ON. Yes. Both of the NON-functional cards lack the comcast phone number in them. They have 800-555-3434 and we've brought this up OVER and OVER to the two techs "Bobby" and "Mark". They don't think that matters either.

Gah!


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

@comcastcares Rox. Ya know no matter how bad things get. Frank has some pull.
I just got a call back from them saying, hey.. what were those OS versions again?


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

bluetex said:


> This is SPOT Frigging ON. Yes. Both of the NON-functional cards lack the comcast phone number in them. They have 800-555-3434 and we've brought this up OVER and OVER to the two techs "Bobby" and "Mark". They don't think that matters either.
> 
> Gah!


The problem seems to be that the cards just aren't "initializing" (not sure what the technical term is), and notifying the Comcast network that they exist, and hence aren't getting the required firmware update.

Have you tried swapping the cards and seeing if the now-functioning one works int he other slot? If it doesn't, I'd say it's the slot that has a hardware problem. I'm inclined to lean that way already based on the fact you've tried multiple cards all with the same result.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

nataylor said:


> The problem seems to be that the cards just aren't "initializing" (not sure what the technical term is), and notifying the Comcast network that they exist, and hence aren't getting the required firmware update.
> 
> Have you tried swapping the cards and seeing if the now-functioning one works int he other slot? If it doesn't, I'd say it's the slot that has a hardware problem. I'm inclined to lean that way already based on the fact you've tried multiple cards all with the same result.


We swapped the working card from slot 1 to slot 2. It continues to work. We've swapped 3 cards out trying to get 1 to work.

I'm tempted to try the non-working card ALL ALONE without the working one in slot 2 to see if by some off chance it'll init.

They said they sent an init today on my urging.

Comcast is rolling YET ANOTHER truck tomorrow to measure signal and work with a Scientific Atlanta Engineer who is evidentally in Houston.

The Comcast tech said, this isn't the only one like this, and had he known we were going to get to this point, he would have taken the step to measure signal sooner. :| I support software for a living.. you don't say that to a customer who's been effectively DOWN for 30 days.

Finally, I BEGGED them to note on the work order for the Truck roll to bring a pair of Moto S-Cards as a last resort, becuase if they're gonna leave me with < 100% working I want 89% rather than 62%.

That fell on deaf ears. Or he made some other excuse.

If this doesn't work. Tivo S3 w/Lifetime Service to eBay, Comcast to curb and we'll try our hand a U-Verse or Satellite.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

Truck roll and signal adjustment seemed to help some. Both cards have the proper firmware now. They both report as LOCKED (found the signalling). Card 1 is still not authorized. Baby steps.. but not resolved yet.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Tommorrow, call the 8080 number, explain how long it's been. They may be able to hit the card in real time and get you up and running.


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

andyf said:


> Tommorrow, call the 8080 number, explain how long it's been. They may be able to hit the card in real time and get you up and running.


No need to wait... with @comcastcares escallation. We got another visit tonight by Ray (3603) area escallation guy who brought me a new card. It immediately init'd and upgraded to the right firmware. He added it right away to the account from his truck, then called it in for the hit. It's all done.

So this afternoon's truck roll took my signal frequency from 75K to 102K kHz.. status locked and we're off to the races.

I'll read back in the thread to see if I'm missing any of the chans you guys were.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Comcast is slowly resolving their problems. I just checked and 101 and 108 are coming in great. Picture is really good.

Now, where's those new HD channels you promised in the letter?


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## bluetex (Apr 24, 2005)

indeed...the new cards seem to yield a sharper digital sd and hd pic. Bring on the new chans that we've now suffered for


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

andyf said:


> Comcast is slowly resolving their problems. I just checked and 101 and 108 are coming in great. Picture is really good.


+1. Whaddaya' know!

I'll still never watch 'em, but I got 'em :up:


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## CharleneC (Oct 17, 2007)

I have a Tivo HO and several months ago I spent weeks trying to get the two Motorla cards working. It turned out that one of the cards was bad. I finally got everything working and Comcast decides to switch cards. *sigh*

Not realizing the new cards are multi-stream, I swapped my two Motorola cards for two SA cards. I'm not getting a few channels such as The Weather Channel, Animal Planet, Disney, WGN America, etc. When I installed the SA card, I got a message that the firmware was being updated. 

I'm thinking I just have a bad card. I haven't yet returned the second card I picked up and, before I lose one or two days activating a new card, I wanted to get other opinions.

TIA,
--Charlene


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

I think your card is maybe OK. It won't initialize until after the firmware update. Now you can call the 8080 number and have them pair the card properly.


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## CharleneC (Oct 17, 2007)

I've made several calls to the 8080 number. Each time they've tried to re-activate the card. Today the guy who answered put me on hold for quite some time while he consulted the activation techs. They think the problem is a signal strength issue in the neighborhood. Sounds like the typical Comcast run-around and I've been down this road many times before.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

I'm still running my old cards, if I'm missing something I haven't noticed.


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## cit1991 (Jan 4, 2005)

Just thought I post some hope. I got both cards working on the second try.

I swapped the Moto cards for SA ones for my S3. One was totally bad, got a 161-X error that kept popping up. The second one worked for the lower channels and local, but no premium.

I took one back (the dead one), and swapped it into slot 1 (lower). I let it update before I called in the activation. 24 hours later it worked 100%. Then I took in the other one (the one half working). Same deal. Put it into slot 2, let it update, then called in activation. Again 24 hours later it's working too.


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## CharleneC (Oct 17, 2007)

After numerous phone and service calls, the missing channels are coming in and the tiling/pixelation problems are fixed. Only one problem remains -- channel 27 (TWC) doesn't come in. All the other channels are fine. Comcast is now suggesting I contact Tivo.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Who cares! We now have TWC in HD.


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## CharleneC (Oct 17, 2007)

andyf said:


> Who cares! We now have TWC in HD.


Which isn't the same feed as 27 and doesn't include the local info, just the national feed.


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## bigray327 (Apr 14, 2000)

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but my experience was totally positive. No line at the store, a knowledgeable rep (I didn't think those actually existed), another knowledgeable rep on the phone, and a flawless TiVoHD a few hours later. Things never go this easily.

Surely something bad is going to happen, now.


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

CharleneC said:


> Which isn't the same feed as 27 and doesn't include the local info, just the national feed.


Really? I did not know that. Sorry!


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

andyf said:


> Really? I did not know that. Sorry!


As in the weather chanel.

I'll give you the forecast for Houston for the next 20 years.

There's a 20% chance of rain.

Watch KPRC, I swear that's all he says.


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## bigray327 (Apr 14, 2000)

Langree said:


> There's a 20% chance of rain.


Amen. And I'd like to start a petition to keep Dr. Neil Frank from appearing in HD. <shudder>


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## CharleneC (Oct 17, 2007)

bigray327 said:


> Amen. And I'd like to start a petition to keep Dr. Neil Frank from appearing in HD. <shudder>


Appearances aside, I like Dr. Neil.

--C


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## JWard (May 24, 2000)

I still haven't switched. My HDTivo with 2 cable cards (from a year ago) is working just fine.


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## lethcoeb (Apr 19, 2002)

JWard said:


> I still haven't switched. My HDTivo with 2 cable cards (from a year ago) is working just fine.


Finally got another letter from Comcast this week telling me to switch my cards to that I can get all of the new upcoming HD content - I guess I can do it this week, since I have three new cards sitting on my shelf, just itching to be installed.

I only hope the 8080 number is still active (guess I should have handled this sooner).


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## thedudeabides (Aug 7, 2003)

It looks like Comcast is stepping up their efforts to get us to switch to the new SA cards. I got another letter last week. And so, after weeks of delaying the "inevitable," I finally bit the bullet and went to my local Comcast store on Bissonnet on Saturday and got the new card for my TiVoHD. 

I get home, plug in the new card, and it starts to update its firmware automatically. After its done, I call the 8080 number. No answer. So I call 1-800-Comcast and get through to customer service. They ask for the Host ID and Card ID, and tell me that the channels would be up and running within 24 hours.

So 24 hours later, and still no channels (except for local and a few random analog channels). I call customer support (this time, 713-462-9000) and get someone who tells me that the pairing was good, and didn't understand what the issue was. We go through a bunch of tests, all the while, he's on another phone with tech support. Why not let me speak to tech support directly? They don't allow it I'm told. After about 40 minutes of getting nowehere, I tell him to try whatever and I'll call back if its still not working.

In the meantime, we still have an old Motorola box and an S2 in our bedroom. Now the digital preferred channels are no longer working in there, either. No Noggin = very unhappy children. So, now I'm really getting annoyed. I call this morning and was told they dropped by digital preferred channels (for no reason), and to reinstate, with my HBO, would cost more than what I am currently paying. Why? There is no logical explanation. I'm waiting to hear back from someone who is supposed to be working the problem and getting me my old deal back (digitial preferred plus $10 HBO). I'm not too optimistic.

Oh yeah, and I'm still not sure my cablecard is working properly. I think I have some digitial channels now (like Noggin, thank goodness), but no Encore channels. I at least need some Encore lovin' to make up for my lack of HBO. 

Practically every person I know is switching to AT&T Uverse. Now, these are not die-hard TiVo users like me, so their loyalty is always up for grabs, but does Comcast not understand that they are seriously getting their butts kicked here? They should be doing everything possible to retain their customer base. I understand the reality, but it is still frustrating to have waited months for them to resolve the problems with the new cards only to have them continue to crop up. Of course, the ironic part is that I'm so in love with TiVo that I have no choice but to stick with crappy Comcast. Sigh.

For anyone out there considering swtiching cablecards - be warned, you may be in for a major hassle. I recommend some patience (scotch helps too).


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## emilyemem (Aug 6, 2008)

I've had my TivoHD since August and was content using it with coax, no HD but still basic channels. I live in a condo building and basic cable is wired in for everyone and there's no extra charge. 

Last Monday I get the bright idea that I want channels in HD and after going into the Comcast Service Store I find out that it won't even cost me extra. I go home happily to install the cablecard, blissfully ignorant to the potential problems that were waiting for me. For the next three days Comcast said they were authorizing my cablecard, but I don't think they actually were. Every night I would call and was told that it might take 24, 48, or 72 hours for auth to take affect. (The estimate increased by 24 hours every day.) While it was installed but not auth, nothing was coming in.

Fed up with waiting so long, I emailed the comcastcares address on Wednesday night and got a response. An agent in Houston started working with me and I think he successfully activated the card on Thursday. (CP auth received registered on the card). However, not all the channels were coming in. Sometimes 22 and up would come in. Some HD, but not all. No local channels in digital or HD. I switched out the cable card on Friday for a new one and after everything was authorized and updated... same result: some channels come in but not others. The ones that don't come in are a black screen and there's a message that says "Searching for Signal on Cable In" and directs me to Troubleshooting.

This message and the other symptoms of the problem made Comcast to think it was a signal problem and sent a tech out on Saturday to test the signal strength. He came out on Saturday and determined I needed a rewire. Last night a contractor came out and rewired my unit but it didn't do anything to change the problem. The tech plugged in a regular cable box to show that the signal is fine, and he said my Tivo was broken. I got on the phone with Tivo CableCard support (866-986-8486) and they suggested I needed to try a third cablecard. When I spoke with my Comcast go-to guy today he was skeptical that it was the CableCard..... so I called Tivo back and now they are telling me I have a fluxuating signal problem and I need an RF filter.

The thing that baffles me is that the channels that come in change randomly. Last night I got 12 (NBC) to come in from 7:00-8:30 but then it went away. During the day Oprah doesn't record, 11 (CBS) at 4:00pm, but the same day CBS *was* recorded from 7:30-8:00. Some days I get CNN in HD (299), other days it is not there. Often times there is a delay for the channels that do come in... the searching for signal message will appear for 5-10 seconds and then eventually the picture will come in. When I test the signal strength, sometimes that seems to help the channel "kick in" and start getting the picture. 

Currently, my Comcast contact is talking to an engineer and getting more information on the problem. I'm heading to the Comcast Service Center to pick up 2 more CableCards to try. This whole process has only been going on for a little over a week, but it has me so discouraged I honestly feel like there is no way to reach a solution. I've tried reading as much as I can in threads and on Tivo support to see if there's a way to resolve it, but I am at a loss.


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## Gowan (Apr 13, 2005)

And now I join the fray.

I got the letter in December, but kept putting it off until I got a letter this past weekend saying that the deadline was coming and I wouldn't get the new HD channels if I didn't switch. So, Monday morning, I went to the Tidwell location and swapped out my Motorola card for the new SA card.

I got home, plugged it in, called the number. Got the usual 24 hours spiel. Not getting premium channels, not getting most digital channels, DID get HD local channels.

After waiting 48 hours, I figured I'd call again today. Just to be sure, I shut down the TiVo, eject the card, put the card back and reboot. Now I'm hardly getting ANY channels.

I called the 8080 number and spoke to Gail. She didn't ask for my host ID or MAC address saying that they were already in the system and it said it was communicating. She said she'd send a signal. We waited. I flipped channels and pointed out the random nature in which I wasn't receiving channels. Got 24, didn't get 25, etc etc. She said she'd have to send a tech out...tomorrow.

When I got the TiVo HD in November, it took three days and a two tech trips to get it to work. The first tech didn't bring replacement cards, saying that they couldn't carry them with them. The second technician at the time told me that "Comcast is getting rid of CableCARDS and going back to boxes." I informed him that couldn't possibly be the case. He shrugged and said that's what he was told. (sigh)

Hoping for a better result from whoever shows up tomorrow. 

P.S. At what point should I escalate to @comcastcares? Do I send a message or just a regular tweet with @comcastcares or #comcastcares? I'm tech savvy but for some reason Twitter confounds me.


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## JWard (May 24, 2000)

I got the letter and got a card. Called comcast (713 number). 
I'm getting most basic channels. Including HD local channels. No HBO or Encore.


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## Gowan (Apr 13, 2005)

Tech came out this morning at 9am. Told him the situation, he tested signal strength, replaced some cables (just to be sure, he said). He asked, "If it's a CableCARD issue, why'd they send me?" Did NOT have replacement cards, said they weren't allowed to carry them.

Asked him for direct CableCARD number and he gave me the 8080 number which I already had. We eventually called again and got a CSR who knew what we were talking about (Willie) and he talked to a tech while we were both on speakerphone. Read my Host ID and MAC to him, he said he'd call back. Called back within 10 minutes, got my Host ID, MAC and CableCARD number again. This time it all went through and I got all my channels back. 

Whoo!


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## Das Achteck (Mar 9, 2005)

emilyemem said:


> I've had my TivoHD since August and was content using it with coax, no HD but still basic channels. I live in a condo building and basic cable is wired in for everyone and there's no extra charge.


Rewiring just your place won't help if the problem is with any of the equipment which distributes the signal to all the units. Your condo manager should have a contact person at Comcast who can get a tech on the job who can diagnose and fix that equipment.


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## JWard (May 24, 2000)

So I called the 8080 number and fought with the lady's supervisor who wanted to send a tech out. I insisted that they transfer me to a tech now. Eventually they relented.
The tech was able to "finish initializing my card" (didn't need the MAC id) and now I'm getting everything (as far as I can tell). She told me I'd have much better luck just the main comcast number and pressing whatever for technical support.


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## anonymous22 (Jun 11, 2008)

Count me in as another one who has had problems... I feel like I am repeating what a lot of others have said...

Have a Tivo Series 3 - got the dreaded letter to replace my Motorolla Cable Cards back in January - I kept putting it off knowing it would be a painful experience. When I first got my Tivo it took 2 or 3 trips to the Customer Service Center and countless phone calls to get them paired and activated.

Sure enough, that has been the case this time. I picked up 2 SA cards on Friday, March 13th (my own dumb fault for picking Friday the 13th to start dealing with Comcast...) Anyway, dropped off the Motorolla cards, picked up new ones, came home, put them in the Tivo, each one did a 5-10 minute Firmware update, got the black screen with Cable Card ID and Host ID, called up Comcast, gave them the info, heard it would be 24 hours.... so I waited.... Saturday came, still wasn't getting service so I called Customer support, they said it would be 24 business hours. So I waited.... Monday came, still no service, so I called and they said wait some more. I did... Wednesday came, still no service, so I call and they go thru the same process - they ask for the Host ID and that is it. I ask them if they need Serial # of card or Cable Card ID, they say no - I demand that they confirm them. Sure enough the first person had transposed Host ID's between the two cards. Told to wait antother 24 hours, so I wait... Thursday comes, still no service so I call. They say they need to send a Truck, I tell them that is not necessary that it worked fine for over a year until I swap the cards. I agree to have technician come and request he bring two cards with him.

Saturday comes, technician shows up - of course without Cable Cards, "We don't carry them on the truck". He is here for all of 10 minutes, checks signal says it is fine says that cards just needed to be paired. He calls on my behalf, same result. He says, "go get two new cards, hang on to these just in case".

That brings us to yesterday, I pick up two new cards... go thru the process - firmware update, pairing, etc, call Comcast and they say "The system won't accept these cards, those Host ID's are already in the system" ... I explain that the Host ID is the same because they are going into the Same Tivo and I am just trying to get any two cards to work. They tell me to bring all 4 cards in, pick up 2 new ones and start over.

So, Today I pick up 2 new cards... first thing I do is call Tivo support. Ask them to assist me in dealing with Comcast. They agree to do a 3-way call to walk Comcast thru the process. Tivo Support tells me that we are going to activate 1 card at a time. I put the first card in - firmware update, pairing information, and we call up Comcast.... Get a message "Due to high number of calls we are not accepting new calls at this time" ARGH!

Tivo Support is calling me tomorrow and we are going to try 3-way calling them again... Comcast is awful to deal with, they are unhelpful and incompetent. I wish there was an alternative choice in the Houston market. I am going on 11 days without service and cannot get a manager or supervisor to step in.

enough rambling... I'll post an update if I ever make any progress... I have no helpful advice since nothing I have tried has worked. I have called 1-800-COMCAST, 713-462-900, and 713-341-8080 - I cannot get a Comcast rep that is of any help. Only positive experience has been my interactions with TIVO customer support.

Interesting observation... EVERY TIME I talk to a Comcast rep they try to tell me that I don't need two cards, that their cards are multistream and I only need 1... I have to explain, no this is for a Tivo Series 3, it requires two cards, it treats multistream as single stream...


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## apassy (Mar 26, 2009)

After having read this thread several times and waited until I started getting letters about my old moto cable card, I took the plunge and swapped out my card for an SA one. 

Background: I've got a TIVO HD, previously working fine with one Moto m-stream cc. My activation with that one, about a year ago, was a fairly standard story - get 4 cards, swap and activate until one comes through. Fast forward to last week. They won't give me more cards until I bring in my moto card, so I bring it in and they'll only give me one card. 

I install it, wait for the firmware update on the card to complete, and call for activation. (713 - 341 - 8080). After a couple of hours, I get some channels, HD and not, but I'm missing alot, even below 100 (get Comedy Central, missing SciFi with the Battlestar Galactica finale coming!!!). I call back, they "reactivate", tell me to wait a full 24 hours.

I wait the full time, then call back. First tech says something about some TV's firmware being incompatible with the SA cards, then I patiently explain what I already told him: It's in a TIVO not a TV. And yes, the TIVO has the latest SW. He has me reboot the TIVO. No Joy. Well, at that point, "it's a signal problem" so he has to roll a truck. Next Appointment: Saturday or the following tuesday. I'm out of town on Sat, so tuesday it is. They offer credit for 24hrs, and I immediately ask for a week of credit, which they give me. 

Tuesday rolls around and Tweedledee and Tweedledum show up. First it's all about "all" of the splitters I have, even though at the end of the lines, there's still plenty of signal ( I have service to 4 tv's/tivos & a cable modem). Then it's a problem with the drop, which they replace. Still no joy. Then it's a problem with the 3 way splitter that I've only got connected to two things. At this point, I was frustrated, and since I'm an amateur radio operator, I understand signals and lines and what can go wrong, so I throw some jargon at him: "So should I terminate that open drop with a 75-ohm terminator? Do you think the signal reflection off of the infinite impedance on that open line is causing the problem?"

At that point he just mumbled something and left with his partner.

At that point, I just took the cc out, went back to the central office, asked to exchange it, and asked for two more for my "new tvs" Came back, install activate, wait 1 hour, no joy. Call back for reactivation, they try to tell me that my TV's older firmware is the problem, or that it should work let's roll a truck. No thanks. Swap for #2, call, activate HOORAY!!!! it's back.

So bottom line from my tale of woe:
1. Get a bunch of cards.
2. Install card, wait for firmware update to complete. when you get the Host ID screen with the 713 462-9000 number, you're good.
3. Call the 713 341-8080 number. They'll send the activation while you wait. It does take about an hour to hit once they send it.
4. Repeat 2-3 as necessary until you hit paydirt.

Tivo has an excellent troubleshooting guide that will help you identify where the problem is (signal, connectivity, activation, authorization), but I can't post the link. Just google: tivo HD scientific Atlanta Cable card MMI and it's the first link.

Unless you've never had cable in your house before, don't believe a thing the cable folks tell you. They are Idiots.


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## jjp007 (Feb 3, 2008)

I think I'm going to wait until I start losing channels before I dare to try to get a new cable card. I'm still burnt by that last attempt. HOURS on the phone with comcast aka the devil. Sigh if i could only try a different company but I am stuck with them.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

jjp007 said:


> I think I'm going to wait until I start losing channels before I dare to try to get a new cable card. I'm still burnt by that last attempt. HOURS on the phone with comcast aka the devil. Sigh if i could only try a different company but I am stuck with them.


If i get the letter i"m going to tell Comcast to roll a truck. I'll be dipped if I'm going to run around and wait 24 hours or more to have service restored. They can just roll to earn my $100 a month. If they threaten my service, I'll be happy to tell them I'll cancel.

As it was, the tech took 5 hours to get me going in the first place. In spite of me telling 3 people 6 times over 3 days they only gave him one card and he was sure the one wouldn't work.


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## jjp007 (Feb 3, 2008)

netringer said:


> If i get the letter i"m going to tell Comcast to roll a truck. I'll be dipped if I'm going to run around and wait 24 hours or more to have service restored. They can just roll to earn my $100 a month. If they threaten my service, I'll be happy to tell them I'll cancel.
> 
> As it was, the tech took 5 hours to get me going in the first place. In spite of me telling 3 people 6 times over 3 days they only gave him one card and he was sure the one wouldn't work.


They told me they couldn't bring the cards with them for a truck roll. That I had to go pick it up. Whatever. So far I still have the channels I need.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

jjp007 said:


> They told me they couldn't bring the cards with them for a truck roll. That I had to go pick it up. Whatever. So far I still have the channels I need.


I may try and play the disabled card  Getting to them for me, just to pick up a card would not be easy logistically.


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## gkiersted (Aug 15, 2007)

A little over a week ago I also succumbed to the pressure and swapped my motorola cards out for the Scientific Atlanta models in one of my two Tivo S3s.

After a (long!) phone call to Comcast to activate the cards, I'm having a problem and hope someone here can help. I seem to be getting all the channels I should except for "premium" channels like HBO.

Looking at the cablecard diagnostic screens, I see "CA Status: Ready", which sounds good, but on the copy protection screen, it says "Auth Status: Waiting for CP Auth" which sounds bad.

That is bad, right? What should the CP Auth Status be?

If CP Auth means what I think it means, it seems like it would explain why I would not be getting premium channels like HBO. I bet they're copy protected. I think "Waiting for CP Auth" is telling me my card has not been "authorized" to decrypt encrypted (EDIT - should have said "allow viewing of copy protected") channels.

Is that right?

The helpful guy at Comcast seemed to try pretty hard, but after quite some time on the phone claimed they had sent all the proper signals and since it wasn't working they'd have to send out a truck. He says since they sent all the right signals, the problem must be that my Tivo is not receiving them, so there must be a signal problem.

I think my Tivo must be getting good signals since all the non protected channels are coming in great, and the cards have responded to some signal because they show "Ready" on the CA screen (they didn't before the phone call).

My theory is that they missed sending some important signal, but I was unable to convince him of that. Is there some specific language to use to make sure they send the right signal? 

I know some here suggest swapping cards until you find one that works. Is that really necessary? Or is it a matter of getting the right signals (hits) sent?

Any advice on what to do next? The truck roll is tomorrow. What should I ask them to do? Is the theory plausible that there is a problem that is causing the activation signal to not reach my Tivo?

EDIT - additional information:

I followed cablecard troubleshooting steps at the tivo web site. 

Following these steps leads me to believe that the card is "activated" but not "paired". Step 6 sounds like it could be my issue:

------------------------------------------------------
Step 6: Checking CableCARD pairing (binding) 

"Pairing"or "binding" means the CableCARD and the host ID of the CableCARD slot are associated with each other in the cable providers billing system.

What can go wrong:

If the CableCARD is activated, but not paired, you can still view encrypted digital channels. When you tune to a copy protected channel, however, a gray-and-black screen with pairing information pops up, prompting you to call your cable provider.

------------------

The Tivo site says that resolution must come from the cable provider, but can be a result of the proper signal not being sent to pair the one-way CableCard, or the proper information not being entered into the billing system (pretty sure that's not it as i had all the numbers read back, but...), or the CableCard was never scanned into the system at the cable provider (not sure what this is or how to check for it - any ideas?).


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## Das Achteck (Mar 9, 2005)

TiVo has moved things around in the support area so I can't give you a URL to what you need, you will have to search for it. They have pictures and explanations of what you should see in the CC screens.

For example you can quickly determine whether your card is paired or whether you are "entitled" to HBO etc.

After you wade through all the relevant screens you should have a pretty good idea of what the problem is. Getting it fixed is another matter but with this information you will be in a better position to deal with Comcast.


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## gkiersted (Aug 15, 2007)

Das

That is an excellent resource. After running through those steps I am more convinced that I have a good understanding of the problem. Now I can focus on getting a good resolution!

For those who may wish to find that resource, I believe that a web search on the phrase: "Troubleshooting CableCARD activation and channel issues" should get you the appropriate page at tivo's web site.


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## bigray327 (Apr 14, 2000)

So does all this mean that more HD channels are coming to Houston soon?

Nevermind, just answered my own question. 



> Comcast will be adding a slew of new HD channels to its Houston market area on April 27, bringing the total number of high-definition choices in the area to 59. Recently launched baseball network MLB HD started of this month's additions when it was added to the lineup yesterday. Comcast also added a bunch of HD channels yesterday to its New Jersey market areas.
> 
> Stations being added this month in Houston:
> 
> ...


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

bigray327 said:


> So does all this mean that more HD channels are coming to Houston soon?
> 
> Nevermind, just answered my own question.


Excellent news. It looks like the HD channels I get on DirecTV but not Comcast, are now going to be on Comcast.

Are these still regular cable? No hint of SDV coming?


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## spaceboytom (Jan 8, 2006)

gkiersted said:


> Looking at the cablecard diagnostic screens, I see "CA Status: Ready", which sounds good, but on the copy protection screen, it says "Auth Status: Waiting for CP Auth" which sounds bad.
> 
> That is bad, right? What should the CP Auth Status be?


If I recall, "Waiting for CP Auth" means thet still need to do something on the Comcast end.

I swapped my card a few weeks ago and it took about 3 days before I had everything back.

1. Plugged in new card and let it do the firmware update.
2. Called the number on the cablecard screen to activate. They said OK, wait 24 hours to see channels. Status "Waiting for CP Auth".
3. After 24 hours, called back and new person told me original person had done nothing. Again, they said OK, wait 24 hours to see channels. Still status "Waiting for CP Auth". I believe all they did was submit a ticket to tech support to activate. 
4. After another 24 hours, called the 8080 and I was up and running with all channels within minutes. Status immediately changed to something else... can't remember exactly what.
5. So far the new card has been rock solid in my Tivo HD!

The moral of the story, go straight to the 8080 number and it shouldn't take 24 hours for changes to take effect if you are talking the the right person!

Looking forward to the new HD channels!

SBT


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Any idea what packages those channels are included in?

Will any be available in clear QAM or will all be encrypted requireing the cable cards/boxes?


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

I lost a ****load of channels today whole lot of "channel not available".

Guess I need to try and get this done.


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## rxntx2g3 (Apr 17, 2009)

I am also missing quite a few channels. for about 10 days....Comcast has refreshed cable card card on tivo hd ,rolled atruck twice.and all is good for a few hours,except for channel 39,then again channels 411,424,428,430,432,481 go no signal. My other TV has a card card inserted directly and have had no issues.


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## Mr Flippant (Jan 2, 2009)

New HD channels were mapped today... problem is the content has not been moved yet. Looks like a week of blank recordings and difficult navigation. At least there wil be a payoff in the end.

sigh


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## Lajonesin (Oct 6, 2003)

Got my new SA cad today, put it in, called the 8080 number and got all my channels. The rep said it doesn't take 24 hours anymore, it happens instantly. My only problem seems to be that some of the local channels aren't showing up on my Tivo guide. It says 'To be announced', which sucks. I have to manually record all my shows. Anyone know if this is a Comcast or Tivo problem?
BTW, the little slip of paper they give you with the 8080 number says the service center is only open from 8-5 but I called at 6 and got in right away.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Lajonesin said:


> My only problem seems to be that some of the local channels aren't showing up on my Tivo guide. It says 'To be announced', which sucks. I have to manually record all my shows. Anyone know if this is a Comcast or Tivo problem?


It's a TiVo problem, and the cause is the reverse of the post immediately above yours. The new channels have been mapped but are not active yet, old channels have been disabled in the guide but are actually still active. :down:


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

astrohip said:


> It's a TiVo problem, and the cause is the reverse of the post immediately above yours. The new channels have been mapped but are not active yet, old channels have been disabled in the guide but are actually still active. :down:


a bit of good news:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7227009#post7227009


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## Lajonesin (Oct 6, 2003)

New HD channels are in the guide data but the channels aren't up yet. Actual channels have no guide data. Great!! This basically makes my Tivo useless for 2 more days. I should get a credit for not being able to use the service I paid for. Tivo says the problem will be resolved within 48 hours. Putting old data back into the guide and pushing the new data again on the 27th. Anyone want to bet on that not happening correctly either? This should not have been such a hard thing to do.


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## thedudeabides (Aug 7, 2003)

rxntx2g3 said:


> I am also missing quite a few channels. for about 10 days....Comcast has refreshed cable card card on tivo hd ,rolled atruck twice.and all is good for a few hours,except for channel 39,then again channels 411,424,428,430,432,481 go no signal. My other TV has a card card inserted directly and have had no issues.


I'm missing 39 too. I was also missing 397, but that has mysteriously returned. Have you gotten any explanation as to why 39 doesn't work?


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

I haven't seen 39 for nearly two weeks now. That makes at least three of us with this issue. Not getting 682 either, but it disappeared about 5 days ago.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

[email protected] said:


> I haven't seen 39 for nearly two weeks now. That makes at least three of us with this issue. Not getting 682 either, but it disappeared about 5 days ago.


39? TCM? I'm looking at it right now, and 682.

I can't speal to the premiums in the 400's I don't get those.


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## Das Achteck (Mar 9, 2005)

Another missing 39 here, as well as 298. There is a signal, but the TV screen is black. The CC screens show that they are "ENT". The strange thing is that both come through on the CC equipped TV that the TiVo is feeding.

In addition, 302 is MIA on both.

I'm waiting for the dust to settle before I call 8080 about it.


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## lethcoeb (Apr 19, 2002)

apassy said:


> So bottom line from my tale of woe:
> 1. Get a bunch of cards.
> 2. Install card, wait for firmware update to complete. when you get the Host ID screen with the 713 462-9000 number, you're good.
> 3. Call the 713 341-8080 number. They'll send the activation while you wait. It does take about an hour to hit once they send it.
> ...


Just to note, this guidance was spot on - I managed to get through the switch yesterday (using the 3 cable cards I picked up way back in January) on both TiVos (Series 3 and HD) with almost no hassles, and the activation was performed within the hour after I made my (two) calls (one for each TV - on in the morning, and one in the afternoon).

I am glad I waited until you guys figured out how to do this efficiently and after you guys beat up Comcast enough so that they knew what they were doing...


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Months behind everybody else, but not being able to get down to swap my cards I finally got them to agree to do a truck roll for me and bring me a card(s).

Wish me luck.


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## cepheid (Feb 16, 2002)

Langree said:


> Months behind everybody else, but not being able to get down to swap my cards I finally got them to agree to do a truck roll for me and bring me a card(s).
> 
> Wish me luck.


Good luck. They'll probably charge $25 for the visit.

I found out last month that Comcast charges (or tries to) $25 for any visit even when the fault is their own external (outside the home) hardware. A failed junction box outside my home that serves three homes died in June and they charged me AND at least one other customer to fix it - yep, two $25 charges for one fix of their own failure.

Took two not-pleasant call to have them remove the charge, but they did.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

cepheid said:


> Good luck. They'll probably charge $25 for the visit.
> 
> I found out last month that Comcast charges (or tries to) $25 for any visit even when the fault is their own external (outside the home) hardware. A failed junction box outside my home that serves three homes died in June and they charged me AND at least one other customer to fix it - yep, two $25 charges for one fix of their own failure.
> 
> Took two not-pleasant call to have them remove the charge, but they did.


Yup, I'm being charged, but since cablecard delivery boy is not normal I think it's fair.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Langree said:


> Months behind everybody else, but not being able to get down to swap my cards I finally got them to agree to do a truck roll for me and bring me a card(s).
> 
> Wish me luck.


Update: Sunday they never showed or called.

yesterday, sent truck with no cards.

today supposed to show with cards.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Langree said:


> Update: Sunday they never showed or called.
> 
> yesterday, sent truck with no cards.
> 
> today supposed to show with cards.


Ok, yesterday's driver closed the ticket, said it was handled...he lied, to me and to them. I told them as much.

New Appointment Friday.


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## cepheid (Feb 16, 2002)

Langree said:


> Ok, yesterday's driver closed the ticket, said it was handled...he lied, to me and to them. I told them as much.
> New Appointment Friday.


Fairly typical of them, unfortunately.

When I had a new line run (to add high-speed internet), it took four appointments. First one never showed, second one didn't have the proper tools to install, third one arrived 4 hours after the appt window (after dark!), not knowing what the appt was for and could not do roof/exterior-wall work in the dark.

Fourth one got it right.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Langree said:


> Ok, yesterday's driver closed the ticket, said it was handled...he lied, to me and to them. I told them as much.
> 
> New Appointment Friday.


Cross whatever you can for me..

Or watch the news for "Houston Handicapped man beats cable installer to death."


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

5 appointments, 9 phonecalls and 1 strongly worded email later and I now have a happily married TiVO and cablecard.


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Now that I'm up and running..

Would all you Houstonites please log in to the Comcrap site and send feedback and tell them we want BBCA in HD. All the upgrading and moving things around they did and we don't have it.

I want more Torchwood, Doctor Who, and Being Human in HD!


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Went by the Midtown location today to return my Comcast DVR (been sitting unused for months--time to stop paying for it ), and...

It ain't there! Sign on the door says "This location has permanently closed".

When did this happen? And does this mean us inner-city & midtowners gotta use the Bellaire location? That place is unbearable. :down:


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## Das Achteck (Mar 9, 2005)

I discovered this last week. A pity, it was the place to go when you had to go. I agree about Bellaire. Northwest is better, but a long drive for you; they told me that Wednesday is their slowest day but avoid Friday and Saturday.


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## lethcoeb (Apr 19, 2002)

The Bellaire location is closest to me (West U) and the times I have gone recently (after work on weekdays and on a Saturday) it actually has not been too bad.

Earlier, especially during the TW/Comcast transition it sucked, but nowadays the wait has been anywhere from 0 people to 3 people...


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

lethcoeb said:


> The Bellaire location is closest to me (West U) and the times I have gone recently (after work on weekdays and on a Saturday) it actually has not been too bad.
> 
> Earlier, especially during the TW/Comcast transition it sucked, but nowadays the wait has been anywhere from 0 people to 3 people...


Well, Saturday it is then . . .

And if the wait is over 3 people, the next beer is on you!


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