# How to find host id without cable card.



## D. Weaver

Hello,

I recently bought a new Tivo Bolt and wanted to use an old cable card I had from a previous Tivo. However, when I try to call my cable provider they ask for the host id for my new Tivo. I am unable to attain, especially when inserting the old cable card (paired to a Tivo thats been in a closet). My cable provider says they cannot help if I don't know the host id. This includes if I were to go to the store and get a brand new card. Has anyone come across this issue?

Thanks,

D


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## Nickipedia

Go to Settings -> Remote, Cablecard & Devices -> Cablecard decoder ->Cablecard Options (for Installers) -> CableCard Menu -> CableCard Pairing

It will list your Host ID and Data ID.


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## D. Weaver

Appreciate the response, but the old cable card is giving my Bolt an error message, 161-1. The representative from my cable provider says they cannot pair the card to my new tivo device without the host id. I was also led believe that getting a new card from my local provider won't help without the host id either.


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## kpeters59

So, you're saying those steps failed when you followed them?

I was unsure if you could get to that menu without a card, but figured if you did have a card, even when an error might occur, that you'd be able to retrieve the Host ID...no?

-KP


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## mdavej

D. Weaver said:


> Appreciate the response, but the old cable card is giving my Bolt an error message, 161-1. The representative from my cable provider says they cannot pair the card to my new tivo device without the host id. I was also led believe that getting a new card from my local provider won't help without the host id either.


I don't know who led you to believe that. But assuming you can't navigate to the screen KP posted, a new cable card will fix it, and you will be able to see the host and data IDs to get the new card activated. If not, your Tivo has a major hardware issue and needs to be replaced.


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## D. Weaver

Yes, I followed the steps, but was unsuccessful. The error message 161-1 pops up continually and will knock me out of whatever menu screen I'm in (comes in as almost a notification). My Tivo isn't registering a card in the device, even though it's the proper M card.

Will visit my local cable store tomorrow.


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## kpeters59

CableCards don't fail too often...did you try to remove and carefully reinsert it?

-KP


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## Nickipedia

The Host ID and Data ID are also listed under Diagnostics


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## JoeKustra

D. Weaver said:


> Yes, I followed the steps, but was unsuccessful. The error message 161-1 pops up continually and will knock me out of whatever menu screen I'm in (comes in as almost a notification). My Tivo isn't registering a card in the device, even though it's the proper M card.
> 
> Will visit my local cable store tomorrow.


Older Motorola cards don't work in my Premiere. I think the part number (middle number) needs to be -017- or higher. I bought a few off eBay years ago. The oldest doesn't even show its information. My feed doesn't pair customer owned cards anyhow.

That number, like the card's MAC, is only found on the card. TiVo's diagnostics still don't include the information.


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## buildersboy66

Is your coax cable connected? I bet not! There is your fix.


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## buildersboy66

I hate to admit I went through hours on phone trying to get my bolt+ set up and cablecard transferred. 161-1 errors, cablecard loading incomplete 72%...lol the coax cable was not connected to the bolt+ all that time.


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## HerronScott

buildersboy66 said:


> hate to admit I went through hours on phone trying to get my bolt+ set up and cablecard transferred. 161-1 errors, cablecard loading incomplete 72%...lol the coax cable was not connected to the bolt+ all that time


Oops. 

Scott


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## D. Weaver

Thank you everyone for the response! The COAX cable has been plugged in this entire time. I also went to my local cable store today and got a new M-Card, same issues. I looked at the Tivo and none of the pins are bent for the M Card slot. When I'm on the phone with my cable provider they are saying they cannot bind the card to my Tivo. My Tivo on the other hand doesn't seem to recognize that a card is inserted.


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## sfhub

D. Weaver said:


> Thank you everyone for the response! The COAX cable has been plugged in this entire time. I also went to my local cable store today and got a new M-Card, same issues. I looked at the Tivo and none of the pins are bent for the M Card slot. When I'm on the phone with my cable provider they are saying they cannot bind the card to my Tivo. My Tivo on the other hand doesn't seem to recognize that a card is inserted.


Try giving the screws on either side of the cablecard bracket a quarter turn counter clock wise.

Some folks mentioned with the screws factory-level tightened their card wasn't recognized but slightly loosening them fixed the problem.


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## D. Weaver

Thank you for the screw suggestion, sadly, that did not work as well. I soooo hoped it did though.


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## D. Weaver

Any other ideas of how to find the host id? Cable company cannot help me without it. Tivo's technical support over the phone is brutal.


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## JoeKustra

D. Weaver said:


> Any other ideas of how to find the host id? Cable company cannot help me without it. Tivo's technical support over the phone is brutal.


The host ID is something generated by your box, like a checksum. It is used by some cable companies to "mate" the card to your hardware. If you change the hard drive that number changes and so does your card pairing. A loss of pairing is not usually fatal, and I went over a year without a paired cable card. The cable card pairing menu has that number, as does Diagnostics.

It may be that the cable feed can't proceed with pairing since their software needs it. My feed didn't use it until they encrypted the channels. It's kind of weird since my feed does not copy protect premium channels anyhow.

In Diagnostics there is a line "Paired:". Ignore the "No" that is always there. It's one of a few items that are inactive in Diagnostics & System Information. Your real problem:

"My Tivo on the other hand doesn't seem to recognize that a card is inserted". You have 30 days.


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## kpeters59

Base Roamio Won't Recognize Cable Card

If the Bolt is not recognizing that 2 different CC's were inserted, I'm afraid it's a bad Bolt...

-KP


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## D. Weaver

Looks like it ended up being a defective Bolt. Got the replacement and after a few calls, was able to get it up and running. Want to thank everyone who responded and provided input. Glad I was able to get this resolved before Game of Thrones tomorrow. THANKS!


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