# Comcast knows it has Cablecard problems but isn't fixing them.



## Unhappyeger (Jan 9, 2006)

Bought a new Roamio Plus about two weeks ago, and I went to Comcast and obtained a Cisco Cablecard. After installing everything, I had numerous intermittent problems, including error messages and messages indicating that I did not subscribe to certain channels. I then wasted a lot of time on the phone with Comcast. Fortunately, I found a Comcast forum that perfectly described my problem as a firmware issue

If you log onto that forum and complain, then somebody named "ComcastTeds" will update your firmware to version 1.5.3.1101 and all of your problems will disappear.

Basically, Comcast has known about these firmware problems for two years. They could have fixed them and saved everybody a lot of grief. But, they didn't fix their defective CableCards, because they want to discourage people from using Tivo.

Here is the link: http://forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-and-Equipment/Cisco-Firmware-1-5-3-1101/td-p/1967519

Good luck!


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## grey ghost (Feb 2, 2010)

Unhappyeger said:


> Bought a new Roamio Plus about two weeks ago, and I went to Comcast and obtained a Cisco Cablecard. After installing everything, I had numerous intermittent problems, including error messages and messages indicating that I did not subscribe to certain channels. I then wasted a lot of time on the phone with Comcast. Fortunately, I found a Comcast forum that perfectly described my problem as a firmware issue
> 
> If you log onto that forum and complain, then somebody named "ComcastTeds" will update your firmware to version 1.5.3.1101 and all of your problems will disappear.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain. I have been on a Cisco card ever since the Roamios came out and, just within the last couple of weeks, finally got my card firmware updated. Before I was updated, I found that stepping down to 5 tuners eliminated all the error codes and problems. Look at post #40 in this thread to give you instructions on how to step down Stepdown to fewer tuners

When my Cisco cablecard was updated to 1.5.3.1201, I was able to step back up to 6 tuners without a hiccup. Hope this helps


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## Unhappyeger (Jan 9, 2006)

grey ghost said:


> I feel your pain. ....
> 
> When my Cisco cablecard was updated to 1.5.3.1201, I was able to step back up to 6 tuners without a hiccup. Hope this helps


Amazing that you were able to get to 1201. I was only able to get to 1101, but it solved my problem.

I posted this thread, because I was hoping that the link to the Comcast thread would help people with a similar problem. If people go to the end of that Comcast thread and request a firmware upgrade, then they will get upgraded to 1101, which seems to solve almost all problems. Here is the link


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## grey ghost (Feb 2, 2010)

I had not had any contact with Comcast for months, then suddenly one night my Cisco firmware got updated. Totally random and I'm sure it was on Comcast's timeline for the updates. As I understand it, Comcast is now using cablecards for their own upper end boxes and that's probably why they finally upgraded the cards


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

Comcast has no incentive to do better with cablecards. They have to provide them because of the law. They are working to get that law changed. In the meanwhile, they provide the absolute bare minimum of support to meet the letter of the law.

As far as they are concerned, they want you to get frustrated and use their hardware. its cheaper for them to support.


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## mchief (Sep 10, 2005)

There is a 38 page thread on this exact subject. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=507973


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## Unhappyeger (Jan 9, 2006)

Here is what I am trying to say.

If you post a message on this Comcast board, then Comcast will upgrade your Cisco cable card to the latest firmware. Finally!!!

Good luck!


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## c_tripps_2k (Sep 12, 2005)

Unhappyeger said:


> Here is what I am trying to say.
> 
> If you post a message on this Comcast board, then Comcast will upgrade your Cisco cable card to the latest firmware. Finally!!!
> 
> Good luck!


Too little too late. They have punished way too many of their customers far too long. They are the most hated company in this country for good reason. They are nothing but a giant POS. :down::down::down:


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## Unhappyeger (Jan 9, 2006)

c_tripps_2k said:


> Too little too late. They have punished way too many of their customers far too long. They are the most hated company in this country for good reason. They are nothing but a giant POS. :down::down::down:


I agree with your comments about Comcast, but I wanted people to know on this forum that there is a way to get their firmware FINALLY updgraded.

I am pretty unhappy that I wasted so much time before I found that forum, and I wanted to try to help a few others. Here is the link again.


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## danak (Oct 14, 2011)

Unhappyeger said:


> Here is what I am trying to say.
> 
> If you post a message on this Comcast board, then Comcast will upgrade your Cisco cable card to the latest firmware. Finally!!!
> 
> Good luck!


I asked for an upgrade in the forum last night and my cablecard was upgraded to 1101 when I got home today. It works. This guy is doing a great job. From the sound of it, Comcast Customer Service needs to do a far better job informing its people in order to better help Tivo customers. People have posted horror stories in this forum and in that thread on going through customer service hell to try to get their cablecard upgraded.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

They seem to be pushing PKEY1.5.3_F.p.1201 out to several markets, probably due to the XOD rollouts. I had to email support to get 1101 several months ago, but 1201 appeared on its own earlier this week.

I'm in Houston, but there have been similar mass rollouts in Florida and a few other places.


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## Unhappyeger (Jan 9, 2006)

Incredibly, Comcast is still upgrading the firmware on these cards, one-by-one. So, if you have aCisco (Scientific Atlanta) card, the best approach is to make a request on this link.


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## ajayabb (Jan 12, 2007)

Like everyone else, I stumbled upon the xfinity forum and requested the updated firmware. Within 3 days i received the update, and now all 6 tuners work flawlessly


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## Torino (Oct 5, 2006)

How can you find out what cable card firmware you have?


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## CheriePie (Jun 20, 2012)

Torino said:


> How can you find out what cable card firmware you have?


Go into the diagnostics for the Cable Card under settings on your TiVo.

On my TiVo HD (series 3) there's a known problem with it hanging during diagnostics. It only seems to work right right after a restart. So I ended up having to pull the power plug and then I tried again right after it rebooted and got in fine.

That said, I've got the Motorola M-Card in my existing TiVo, not the Cisco. I just upgraded to a Roamio today which should be here next week, and I was under the impression I'd just be able to move my existing CableCard over from my old Tivo to the new one. My Motorola card does have the 06.25 firmware which I believe is the latest for the that card, but I'm gonna scan thru the Comcast forums and a few more places here to see if anyone has issues using the Motorola card in the Roamio. (feel free to link or direct me if you know anything I don't yet.)


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## CheriePie (Jun 20, 2012)

Further to my own message above, in case anyone else was interested, I found the following article:

http://zatznotfunny.com/2013-08/outdated-cablecards-limit-tivo-roamio-tuning-capabilities/

which indicates my Motorola fw 06.25 should be fine with the Roamio, as should Cisco/Scientific Atlanta version PKEY1.5.2.2801.


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## steveliv (Mar 9, 2006)

i have a motorola multi-stream that i had been using for about 3 years in a tivo hd. about a month ago i upgraded to a roamio plus and i moved the card from the hd to the plus, called the comcast cablecard line, and had six working tuners immediately. i guess my cards firmware was upgraded at some point.


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## Bighouse (Sep 3, 2004)

Out of curiosity, does anyone k ow the latest Motorola firmware, or if it's possible to request a firmware update on a Motorola card to get the most recent firmware?


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## VOLFAN (Nov 27, 2005)

CheriePie said:


> Further to my own message above, in case anyone else was interested, I found the following article:
> 
> http://zatznotfunny.com/2013-08/outdated-cablecards-limit-tivo-roamio-tuning-capabilities/
> 
> which indicates my Motorola fw 06.25 should be fine with the Roamio, as should Cisco/Scientific Atlanta version PKEY1.5.2.2801.


Thanks for this info CheriePie! You probably saved me an hour of research time! 

Edit: CheriePie - after you upgraded did you have to call to have the new Moto card paired with the Roamio? I'm assuming yes.


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