# Optimum Cable Card Issues With Tivos



## blakeb

Need info, I have 2 issues that I hope someone can help. I have a Bolt with a cable card that is authorized and sort of working. I had issues (missing channels) that were caused by Optimum not telling me I needed a Tuning Adapter. Once I installed the tuning adapter I was able to get all my channels but a new problem developed when watching some channels (TBS, BBC ect.) the picture freezes, then starts again or it pops up a warning Not authorized to watch this channel contact you cable provider. My other problem is on my Bolt Optimum customer service can't seem to get the card authorized. I have already sent complaints to BBB and FCC. Just a side note the BBB seems to have more clout then FCC. Thanks to all who can shed light on these issues.


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## stevet555

I am having the same issue with the freezing w/ V58 Tivo error message = Unauthorized on certain channels for the last 2 weeks or so. Channel 150, and some others work fine, but MSNBC, TBS, ABC (707), have more prevalent freezing -- I had a tech come out and check the signal which is fine, next step will be to replace the drop. I am NOT completely convinced its not a Tivo software update that caused this..


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## blakeb

stevet555 said:


> I am having the same issue with the freezing w/ V58 Tivo error message = Unauthorized on certain channels for the last 2 weeks or so. Channel 150, and some others work fine, but MSNBC, TBS, ABC (707), have more prevalent freezing -- I had a tech come out and check the signal which is fine, next step will be to replace the drop. I am NOT completely convinced its not a Tivo software update that caused this..


Who is your Cable Company and do you use a Tuning Adapter?


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## blacknoi

stevet555 said:


> I am having the same issue with the freezing w/ V58 Tivo error message = Unauthorized on certain channels for the last 2 weeks or so. Channel 150, and some others work fine, but MSNBC, TBS, ABC (707), have more prevalent freezing -- I had a tech come out and check the signal which is fine, next step will be to replace the drop. I am NOT completely convinced its not a Tivo software update that caused this..


This has been happening to me last and this week as well (Optimum, Morris County NJ system). ..random unauthorized messaged that result in a moments screen-freeze-breakup and then once the new auth-key is received from the cablecard, the picture resumes. Very annoying.

At first I thought it was because I had some channels on my guide not filtered out that I didn't subscribe to (and a suggestion was trying to record it ...I'm still on TE3 on my 2 bolts), but everything that is there, I subscribe to.


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## stevet555

@blakeb -- Optimum cable Long Island, no tuning adapter.


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## RickNY

You're not alone:
Freezing and V58 Error
Freezing and V58 errors

And for what its worth -- the FCC complaint will get you a contact from Altice Executive Relations -- which will possibly get you more attention.


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## techpro2004

same bug, authorizing for a few seconds then it resumes. My cable co is also optimum.


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## Life4M

blacknoi said:


> This has been happening to me last and this week as well (Optimum, Morris County NJ system). ..random unauthorized messaged that result in a moments screen-freeze-breakup and then once the new auth-key is received from the cablecard, the picture resumes. Very annoying.
> 
> At first I thought it was because I had some channels on my guide not filtered out that I didn't subscribe to (and a suggestion was trying to record it ...I'm still on TE3 on my 2 bolts), but everything that is there, I subscribe to.


Hi Everyone,

Just joined this forum as I stumbled upon this thread yesterday and I'm having the exact same issues as Blacknoi above (And everyone else for that matter). I'm an optimum customer, in Morris County NJ, and in the last 2 weeks I started having the same issue with V58 unauthorized messages, picture freezing, then resuming. Earlier this week I tried replacing my cable card thinking that it was failing on me. After going to the optimum store, asking the store rep who gave me the new card "Is this card authorized?" And her replying of course, I went home popped the new card in and none of my premium cable channels were working. So now I have an on-site tech coming to activate the cable card this morning(Optimum could not do it remotely after spending about an hour on the phone with them). I will definitely be sure to speak to a supervisor and make sure that they are aware of this thread. Not sure that will help forum members in other localities, but I will keep you posted. Also will be opening a ticket with TIVO Support to make sure their aware (they open in a few hours 8AM PT). I'm fairly certain once my cable card is successfully activated the problem is going to persist. Also, will be sending the FCC a complaint regarding this as well. This is absolutely ridiculous, I've had my TIVO Bolt for over 5 years and have been a completely satisfied customer up until this point. Seems like this is through no fault of TIVO's at all, optimum seems to be the common thread here. I have replaced all my splitter's with brand new ones. I'm sure optimum will want to inspect my tap. Don't think any of that will help. The fact that Blacknoi is reporting the same exact issue in the same exact time frame is throwing up red flags for me that this is some sort of an issue on Optimum's Headend.


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## blakeb

Life4M said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Just joined this forum as I stumbled upon this thread yesterday and I'm having the exact same issues as Blacknoi above (And everyone else for that matter). I'm an optimum customer, in Morris County NJ, and in the last 2 weeks I started having the same issue with V58 unauthorized messages, picture freezing, then resuming. Earlier this week I tried replacing my cable card thinking that it was failing on me. After going to the optimum store, asking the store rep who gave me the new card "Is this card authorized?" And her replying of course, I went home popped the new card in and none of my premium cable channels were working. So now I have an on-site tech coming to activate the cable card this morning(Optimum could not do it remotely after spending about an hour on the phone with them). I will definitely be sure to speak to a supervisor and make sure that they are aware of this thread. Not sure that will help forum members in other localities, but I will keep you posted. Also will be opening a ticket with TIVO Support to make sure their aware (they open in a few hours 8AM PT). I'm fairly certain once my cable card is successfully activated the problem is going to persist. Also, will be sending the FCC a complaint regarding this as well. This is absolutely ridiculous, I've had my TIVO Bolt for over 5 years and have been a completely satisfied customer up until this point. Seems like this is through no fault of TIVO's at all, optimum seems to be the common thread here. I have replaced all my splitter's with brand new ones. I'm sure optimum will want to inspect my tap. Don't think any of that will help. The fact that Blacknoi is reporting the same exact issue in the same exact time frame is throwing up red flags for me that this is some sort of an issue on Optimum's Headend.


Good luck trying to get a supervisor I have tried with no luck, as for getting your card authorized they are never pre-authorized. The on site tech can't do it they will need to give the card and host info. to someone in a tech department (not the person you talk to on the phone they don't know what they are doing, they just read out of some manual) The procedure requires something they don't know. I know this first hand as I fought with trying to get a cablecard authorize on my new Edge. Thru customer service no help. On site tech came took cablecard information and host ID then left and turn the information over to someone - one day later card was authorized. Good Luck


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## RickNY

So, I had been putting this off for a while but today I downgraded my TE4 Roamio Plus and Mini Box’s to TE3.. I know someone else mentioned having TE3 and experiencing this issue, I can also confirm that the problem still exists on TE3.. I’m not sure if there was any sort of firmware updates pushed through to the tuner during its time on TE4, but I’m pretty sure this is firmly an Optimum issue. 

I filed an FCC complaint the other day, so I’ll let that play out. I’ve been suggesting that others having this problem do the same - front line support is both not answering the phone and I doubt they will do anything to get it resolved.


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## blacknoi

Just got my power back after 5 days due to Isaias, and no freezing today the past few hours, for what it’s worth.

edit: nevermind. Getting freezing on the Yankee game / YES.


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## RickNY

blacknoi said:


> Just got my power back after 5 days due to Isaias, and no freezing today the past few hours, for what it's worth.


I've noticed some channels don't freeze at all. So far any HBO or Showtime channels we've watched today. And some freeze often - A&E, CMT, TruTV, History, TBS - to name a few


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## stevet555

@RickNY -- Seems like a similar list of channels freezing for me as well. Some more often than others / frequent.


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## Life4M

Just wanted to provide an update. Was able to get my replacement cable card authorized by the onsite tech from Optimum. He told me that optimum (Now Altice) (specifically in Randolph, NJ) is updating the headend on site in preparation for upgrading their coaxial connections to deliver 1GB speeds. In doing so, they are moving the frequencies that the existing channels are sitting on. He recommended that I get a tuning adapter, which I did. The tuning adapter has been able to connect a total of 2 times in the last 3 days, and does not stay connected for an extended period of time. Usually it’s giving me a “No Tuning Adapter” message. Basically seems like a waste to me, although the tech did say that it might not make a difference until they’ve finished migrating the channels with this 1GB upgrade their doing. 

Overall I’m still having channels freeze up with the V58 error, which is frustrating. It seems better than it was a few weeks back where basically every channel was freezing up every 5 minutes. I’m going to wait it out for another month or two, hopefully they’ll finish doing whatever they need to on the backend.


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## RickNY

Life4M said:


> The tuning adapter has been able to connect a total of 2 times in the last 3 days, and does not stay connected for an extended period of time. Usually it's giving me a "No Tuning Adapter" message.


That means the Tivo lost the USB connection to the TA. If you have a Bolt, Tivo states that the TA needs to be plugged in to the top USB port. May want to check that.

The V58 errors, Ive noticed -- are less during the daytime hours and get worse at night. Also, Ive been keeping track of which channels seem the worst.. Based on what we watch, 746 (A&E) is pretty bad.

While the tech meant well, the TA or SDV doesn't have anything to do with the V58 errors. In fact -- all of the channels I have run into the V58 issue with are not SDV channels, they are linear HD channels.

Also, our channels here on the Brookhaven system were all migrated to SDV similar to yours back in March - which is when I installed the TA. The V58 error just popped up starting around 3 weeks ago for us.


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## old_dood

Tivo/Optimum Long Island customer. I've also been having the same issues. At first, with Bolt+, Tivo determined my signal/noise ratio was too hot. I even asked a question here as to whether the Edge was less susceptible. I got no responses. So I saw the big discount on the Edge with lifetime service and bit. After power came back on installed the Edge with new CC I got at Huntington Optimum store. 5 hours later (one on hold) Optimum rep couldn't bind it. We also tried the CC that was in my Bolt. She unbound it but couldn't get to bind to the Edge but she told me she'd call me back 7am Monday (yesterday). I submitted an FCC complaint that night.

She did call me back on time the next day and claimed she was trying to get through to a higher level of support but could not. Overall, she seemed pleasant and conscientious. For some reason she had to hand me off to someone else who also seemed to be very dedicated. Again, we tried both CC to no avail. He did get to another person for help and it was determined I should go back to Optimum store for another CC.

I spent an hour waiting on line outside in the heat (covid requirement....no waiting on line inside), got new CC, got home and the tech called me back at predetermined time. Installed new CC with same result. It's now around 4pm. I tell him we'll stop at 4:45 at which time I'm connecting an Optimum Samsung box so I can watch TV at night but I'm putting my original (Bolt) CC back in the Edge. At around 4:30 he tells me IT BOUND!!!!!!!. What did you do? "I unbound it first and then it bound".

While watching on the Edge last night, picture is still breaking up although it doesn't seem as frequently as with the Bolt. Seriously considering returning the Edge now but first trying some signal attenuaters I ordered from Amazon last night.


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## RickNY

TiVo will pretty much always tell you the signal is too hot if the SNR is over 35.. The key metric is signal being displayed as 100% on the TiVo - if all of the signals are showing below 100%, the SNR at higher than 35 should be acceptable. 

I’ve been through every combination of attenuation from 0 - 16 dB in the past two weeks - it doesn’t change the frequency of V58 errors for me. I’m convinced it is something being inserted into the stream at the headend that is interfering. I get an initial breakup and exactly 30 seconds later - a 2nd one. It does not happen on broadcast non-encrypted channels, and does not happen on premiums (we have HBO, Showtime, Starz)


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## old_dood

yep, in addition to using the -7db port on my splitter, I added cable attenuaters totaling an additional -25db. my signal levels are good and s/n are in the Tivo recommended range. Although it seems to be improved, the pixelization, hesitation, and V58 errors still occur.


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## Demadtekneek

Same issue w/ optimum refusing or not being able to bind cablecard over the phone. Been dealing with customer service for over 20 hours this week. 3 cablecard. 8 calls. 4 visits to the optimum store. No progress. This is a new edge replacing and old roamio that wasn't recording properly although now I'm starting to think optimum was the problem all along. Just filed FCC complaint.


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## mattyro7878

Dont let them wear you down. They want you to throw up your hands and say "just ship me one of your boxes".


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## RickNY

mattyro7878 said:


> Dont let them wear you down. They want you to throw up your hands and say "just ship me one of your boxes".


Thats exactly what they want you to do.. Just a follow-up to my FCC complaint, someone from executive office answered my complaint.. Had me replace the card at the walk-in center and problem still exists.. Rep told me they've done all they are required to do and the problem must be with Tivo - and if I want to persue a service call, I'd be responsible for service charge if they couldn't find anything wrong at the house. Told me if I replaced with Optimum equipment, they'd be happy to help.


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## pbug56

blakeb said:


> Need info, I have 2 issues that I hope someone can help. I have a Bolt with a cable card that is authorized and sort of working. I had issues (missing channels) that were caused by Optimum not telling me I needed a Tuning Adapter. Once I installed the tuning adapter I was able to get all my channels but a new problem developed when watching some channels (TBS, BBC ect.) the picture freezes, then starts again or it pops up a warning Not authorized to watch this channel contact you cable provider. My other problem is on my Bolt Optimum customer service can't seem to get the card authorized. I have already sent complaints to BBB and FCC. Just a side note the BBB seems to have more clout then FCC. Thanks to all who can shed light on these issues.


No idea if this is affecting you, but if you have an Altice One system in your Optimum household many Optimum cable cards will NOT work at all with your TIVO's because of firmware problems. We got past this when we 'upgraded' to A1 by having a tech with a large stack of cable cards go through them one by one until it worked. It didn't help that some of the cards he brought were still 'bound' to TIVO's they'd been removed from, though. It worked OK for many months but now we have nearly non-stop V58 errors on some channels.


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## pbug56

Demadtekneek said:


> Same issue w/ optimum refusing or not being able to bind cablecard over the phone. Been dealing with customer service for over 20 hours this week. 3 cablecard. 8 calls. 4 visits to the optimum store. No progress. This is a new edge replacing and old roamio that wasn't recording properly although now I'm starting to think optimum was the problem all along. Just filed FCC complaint.


Do you have ALtice One in your home? Most of the cablecards the techs have won't work in an A1 house because of firmware problems.


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## RickNY

We do not have A1. From what I understand, you can’t mix legacy equipment and A1 in the same house. We have 1 Samsung legacy box, 1 Roamio Plus, and 5 Minis. And no issues on the Samsung box


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## jafa

Some technical info...

We are helping a HDHomeRun CableCARD customer seeing A/V glitches on Omtimum/Altice. Testing with channel 759. It sounds like it might be the same thing.

Not a reception problem. Each time the problem occurs the cable system has sent a new/different PMT which the host is required to send to the CableCARD. The CableCARD does a CCI challenge which the HDHomeRun responds to and A/V data resumes. The user sees a pretty big glitch in the audio and video but it recovers.

I haven't yet determined what changes each new PMT.

Nick


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## stevet555

@jafa , are you working with Optimum so there is at least some hope they will identify the problem in their plant, and resolve? 
thanks-
Steve


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## bofis

if I have a cableCARD in my TiVo Bolt that's working perfectly fine on Optimum (NOT Altice One) would I have much of a problem switching it into a new TiVo Edge and calling them to bind it to that device's MAC instead?


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## RickNY

bofis said:


> if I have a cableCARD in my TiVo Bolt that's working perfectly fine on Optimum (NOT Altice One) would I have much of a problem switching it into a new TiVo Edge and calling them to bind it to that device's MAC instead?


Maybe.. You may have to call a few times before you get someone that knows what they are doing. They appear to be answering the phone now - up until last week, you'd call and get an announcement that due to COVID they could only offer self help online.


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## old_dood

bofis said:


> if I have a cableCARD in my TiVo Bolt that's working perfectly fine on Optimum (NOT Altice One) would I have much of a problem switching it into a new TiVo Edge and calling them to bind it to that device's MAC instead?


exactly what I did. I had a working Bolt/CC combo. I ordered an Edge but because of previous problems with Optimum being able to bind a cablecard, I picked up a new cablecard and an Optimum STB. After quite a bit of time, Optimum was able to bind my existing CC to the Edge but I decided not to keep the Edge. I put the cablecard back in my original Bolt about 10 days ago and Optimum still has not been able to bind it. My advice, if you decide to order an Edge, is to have have a new cablecard (or more) and an Optimum STB available for when they give you the same level of expertise they've given me.


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## RickNY

With Altice snubbing their nose at the legal requirements of CableCard support, I wonder at what point does the FCC notice?


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## Cyn72m

I have Optimum on Long Island. I have a premiere box that started with that error v58 randomly.. went through 2 new cable cards .. i spoke w tivo and got a New Edge box to rule a Tivo error out.. three weeks into this i got
My Edge couple of days ago .. opened a claim with FCC and working with Altice corporate office supposedly.. finally got the 2 tivo boxes paired with the cards. Still randomly getting the error.. more so on the premiere box.. after speaking w tivo that box is not recognizing the card even though the cp id states its authorized so that may be a cable card slot issue. So today optimum had me get 2 tuning adapters but the one i hooked up to the edge appears to be in need of an activation from optimum which will be painful!! I know it gets annoying but keep pressuring them!! Im on my 4th week and around 16 hrs of phone time with them.. even tivo 3 way called them and they put us through to billing! The tivo rep was appauled how we were treated!! Ive been a user since 2002.. so it has gotten worse with both party’s.. more so with Optimum .. they take hours to pick up if they dont bounce ur call to others or hang up..


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## old_dood

after not being able to get CC activated in my Bolt Vox (where it had previously worked fine), Optimum said they'd send a tech at no charge. He shows up with a new cable card, emails in the s/n and host id, he leaves within 20 minutes, and one hour later the system working fine. I experienced no picture break up until the evening. Signal level 100% and signal to noise >38 on all channels all day but no picture problems until the evening.


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## Cyn72m

I have the same problems.. at night got lots of pausing and pixelation & still pauses and only once did i get the v58 error until the tuning adapters light went solid after midnight i just got pausing and pixelation on the higher channels in the 700 range.. their corporate office called me at 9 am to follow up and are perplexed and still having their trech tomorrow .. everything was working fine up til early july.. this error is on my New Edge box


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## Tony Vartuli

As of last week, it looks like Optimum now requires that you use a tuning adapter box for Tivo to operate properly. Switching cable cards doesn't help.


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## RickNY

Tony Vartuli said:


> As of last week, it looks like Optimum now requires that you use a tuning adapter box for Tivo to operate properly. Switching cable cards doesn't help.


Yes, as systems throughout the footprint have been migrating SD channels to SDV -- but that is not the cause of this issue, and getting a TA does not remedy the problem (it only allows you to get the channels that were migrated to SDV). This issue occurs whether you have a tuning adapter working or not even connected. Most (if not all) of the channels reported having these issues are not SDV channels.


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## Tony Vartuli

Hi RickNY, have you found some other remedy yet?


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## RickNY

Tony Vartuli said:


> Hi RickNY, have you found some other remedy yet?


No, I'm in the same boat as everyone else. I've had a working TA since March.. I replaced the CableCard last week at the direction of the executive office, which did not resolve. And I also picked up a SiliconDust HDHomerun Prime and added a 2nd CableCard & TA to my account confirm that this is NOT a Tivo problem, but a problem at their headend (the same issue occurs on the Prime, video/audio freezes every few minutes -- it does exactly the same thing the Tivo does, minus the V58 error - which is a Tivo-specific error)

I cant emphasize enough - this is not a Tivo issue - dont let them try to tell you it is.


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## Tony Vartuli

My tivo, an older primeire, which I've been using for a number of years, all of a sudden, lost access to all but HD channels. Tried changing the cable card several times, but that cost me all the scrambled stations, and didn't bring anything back. I was hoping the tuning adapter was my last hope. I talked to two optimum technicians, here at my house, and they said that is what I needed.


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## Cyn72m

Tony Vartuli said:


> Hi RickNY, have you found some other remedy yet?


Yea i agree.. they put out a memo as july 12 i believe that TA are needed but i had a TA put on yesterday and immediately after that i continued to get those erorrs til now... still. I don't believe its the fix At All..


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## stevet555

Seems to me if there is an issue across Homerun + Tivo, the FCC complaint should have some bite, (you would hope), as they cannot pawn off the problem to Tivo. Also, I wish Tivo had an option to kill the annoying banner, the stutter is annoying, but worse with the constant banner - or display somewhere less annoying.


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## citicat

While this is clearly Optimum either ignoring or deliberately causing this problem, Tivo had better consider a lawsuit to try and get Optimum to fix it. I got Tivo for my father a couple years ago, and now I keep getting phone calls "why don't I have the lower channels" "why does it keep freezing". Not to mention dealing with it myself. We're both on Long Island, seems like many if not a majority of the complaints are from here?


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## blacknoi

Morris County NJ system. I have the freezing on both my bolts and attached minis.


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## RickNY

The majority of complaints are from Long Island because that is where the NDS CableCards are primarily deployed. There are 2 or 3 Optimum systems in NJ that also use the NDS cards and none that I am aware of in CT. The other areas use Scientific Atlanta/Cisco CableCards - which dont experience the issue.

Morris NJ is an NDS system as well. Pretty much all of the systems that had access to the Sony iO boxes when they were first rolled out for digital TV - before the SA boxes came around.


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## SC42

Will relate my experience just to pile on to this issue:

Nassau county, NY. Bolt with NDS CC. Freezing and V58 started a month ago. I don’t subscribe to any movie channels, just The package that has CNN, Fox, MTV, etc. Changed out CC several times as they couldn’t get it bound. Just yesterday a 3-way call with TiVo and Optimum finally got the most recent card I picked up bound. I also picked up a cable box just in case, because I wanted to watch a hockey game yesterday. Got my channels back, but freezing and V58s persist. Also have a TA. Optimum rep, who was the only one (including a field tech) who could UNbind the card then REbind it to my Bolt said the TA is now required for SOME channels. She couldn’t provide an email list, but started to read them off. The list included some international channels, none of which were in my package. I disconnected the TA, and watched the game with the picture going black 2 times in a row about 30 seconds apart, every so often. Not frequently enough to make it unwatchable.
Now I’m back to square one, trying to resolve the freezing. My signal strength is at 92% for most channels, and SNR is 37. TiVo says get it down to 29-35 but not sure if I want to pursue that too far. Optimum would have to send a tech to do that apparently.
While on the 3-way call, TiVo rep did share the phone number they call, which ultimately got me to the Optimum rep (
“Optimum advanced technical department“) who could bind my CC. Is it proper to post it here?


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## RickNY

Don't bother trying to mess with your signal. It wont have any impact at all on the problem we are all experiencing.. I have both a Tivo Roamio with 5 Minis, as well as a SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime. Both devices use NDS CableCards, and both devices have the same issue, and both have TAs. SiliconDust analyzed logs from their devices to determine what is happening - and it has nothing to do with signal levels. It has to do with specific CableCard messages relating to the CCI flag. SiliconDust determined that at each point where the picture breaks up (and on the Tivo, this leads to a V58 if it lasts long enough) - "At each of those times a new PMT was detected. The PMT information is sent to the CableCARD." and "The PMT contains information about what audio and video streams are present in a particular program. Any time it changes, the host device has to report that to the CableCARD, which requires it to restart the decryption of that channel, which can lead to video freezes or glitches because of a brief amount of time when non-decrypted data is output"

Also - if you're interested in the SDV changes -- this is what they did on the Brookhaven system. On my Tivo, for all channels where there is both an SD and HD offering, I only have the HD version selected in the channel list. In March when they migrated our system, here is the list of SD-ONLY channels that they migrated to SDV (and now requires a TA) and which SD-Only channels stayed linear (does not require TA) -- Also, if you use them -- all of the Stingray Music Channels are SDV and need a TA:

Moved to SDV (Requires TA)
61 NEWS12+LI
66 CSPAN-2
77 CSPAN-1
103 EUNEWS
104 BBCW-NA
115 ACC2
116 CTANY
120 DISCFAM
122 NTOON-E
124 TEENICK-E
130 UKIDS
141 DLIF
156 FUSION
157 COWBOY
165 ART28
176 ASPIRE
178 TVONE
184 GAC-E
185 BETHER
186 MTVCL-E
190 FXMOVIE
248 ACCSD
323 SHOBY-E
324 SHONEXT-E
325 SHOFAM-E
326 SHOWOMEN-E
342 STARZK-E
344 STARZBK-E
345 STARZ-W
346 STARZCM-E
347 STARZ5-E
352 ENCSUS-E
353 ENCWEST-E
354 ENCCLASS-E
355 ENCBLACK-E
356 ENCFAM-E
357 ENC-W
358 ENCACT-E
359 ENCESP
397 FLIX-E

Linear SD Channels not requiring TA at this time:

18 GOV-ACC
20 PUBLIC
59 CNHN
84 CHEDDARHD
88 GSN-E
95 WWORDT3
102 NEWSMX
107 CSPAN-3
108 WABCDT3
110 WABCDT2
111 WPIXDT3
112 WCBSDT2
113 WNYWDT2
114 WPIXDT2
118 LO
129 BOOM-E
131 WNETDT2
132 WLIWDT3
133 WLIWDT2
140 WWORDT4
143 GETTV
144 WLIWDT4
173 AHC
174 LIFEMN-E
175 UP
179 LOGO-E
226 TENNIS
395 MGMSD


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## Joe R

Just got a new tivo edge. Hooked it up last Wednesday 8-26-2020, put the NDS Optimum cable card in, called Optimum to pair the card and the customer service rep said that since june they are not handling the cable cards and she gave me a tech number for Tivo to call. When I talked to the lady there she asked me if I had Optimum and I said yes and she said she didn't know why they were telling people that since Optimum does activate and pair the Optimum cable cards. She said she would call Optimum tech and have then call me. Got a call from Optimum tech and he said that the customer service rep mis-spoke and evidently she meant that she didn't do it, that tech does it. He tried but they couldn't activate the card and said it was not a bad card but he had to refer it to the more experienced tech level to resolve it. On Saturday, I had received no call back regarding the problem so I called Optimum again and the the customer rep checked the status and said that the Optimum Tech people were working with the Tivo tech people to resolve the problem. As of tonight, Sunday, 8-30-2020, I still only have local channels 702 to 714 and have not heard a peep out of Optimum. When I try other cable stations I get the V58 error every 5 seconds. We have been a tivo customer for over 15 years and never had a problem. We have have a premier, bolt and have a mini which all work fine, but the Edge problem is getting to me and we even discussed trying to get a refund and go back to the Bolt. But from the discussion here it appears that the problem is bigger than just the cable card. We are in Monmouth County, NJ. I received a Tuner from Optimum awhile ago but have never needed it and it appears that it doesn't resolve the problem anyway.

P.S. It would be nice to see some input from some current Tivo Techs or Execs responses as to the problems posted on the board since this is a Tivo sponsored board!


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## RickNY

Joe R said:


> P.S. It would be nice to see some input from some current Tivo Techs or Execs responses as to the problems posted on the board since this is a Tivo sponsored board!


Understandably we are all frustrated. But this is 100% an Altice/Optimum issue, on many fronts. First there is the issue with them being unable to pair cards at telephone support. For whatever reason, they are emailing all pairing requests to someone somewhere that does this. If a tech comes to your house, it's the same deal. The "executive office" rep that has been working with me from my FCC complaint just yesterday got access to the pairing system himself, but prior to that - he was contacting someone else and putting me on hold for 45 mins while someone else did the pairing.

Secondly, there is the V58 issue. Now - I'm your case, the repeated V58 errors are normal once you tune an encrypted channel before the card has been paired. Once it's paired, that ugliness will go away - but you will still get the random video and audio freezes. If these happen on a channel that is broadcasting CCI 0x02 (Copy Once), you'll also likely get a V58 that recovers when it occurs. This is also an Optimum issue - and it also happens on the Silicon Dust HDHomerun Prime when connected to the NDS card.

This is why everyone has had to resort to FCC complaints in an attempt to get it resolved. With any luck, the FCC takes notices the large number of CableCard complaints in a short period of time and gets in touch with Altice.


----------



## JoeKustra

Joe R said:


> P.S. It would be nice to see some input from some current Tivo Techs or Execs responses as to the problems posted on the board since this is a Tivo sponsored board!


TiVo or Xperi have no relationship to this board and it is not sponsored by TiVo. If you want to contact them directly, use FB or Twitter.


----------



## Tony Vartuli

I set up my tuning adapter on Thursday. Unfortunately, I did not see any improvement. I set up a service call for this Tuesday, 9/1. Yesterday, 8/30, Out of the blue, I received a call from an Optimum Tech. He said, check your channels. Magically, they did something on their end, and now it is all working. I'm seeing all my channels again, since yesterday. I hope it holds up! By the way, I'm on Optimum in Greenwich, CT with a Tivo Premiere.


----------



## old_dood

SC42 said:


> Now I'm back to square one, trying to resolve the freezing. My signal strength is at 92% for most channels, and SNR is 37. TiVo says get it down to 29-35 but not sure if I want to pursue that too far. Optimum would have to send a tech to do that apparently.


don't bother, it won't fix the problem. I've added coax attenuators to drop the signal and s/n to what Tivo recommends. It makes no difference.


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## jafa

Confirming, the problem isn't signal related.


----------



## Hippster

Just for the record, Altice's Suddenlink division is just as awful at cable cards now. Been trying for a week at my parents new place to get an Edge system working and the overseas call centers are absolutely useless when it comes to pairing.


----------



## Joe R

JoeKustra said:


> TiVo or Xperi have no relationship to this board and it is not sponsored by TiVo. If you want to contact them directly, use FB or Twitter.


Sorry about that, new here and made a bad assumption that Tivo sponsored this. I have filed a complaint with the FCC and we will see what happens. Still no call back from Optimum techs and still not getting the service we paid for.


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## JackieGaGa

Nassau County Long Island getting V58 error I.m also using a tuner adapter


----------



## Miss Knapp

I just got a TiVo edge back in the middle of July. I thought it was defective because after it has been set up properly, the unit would randomly reboot itself when I was using features such as going through my “to do“ list and changing the times I would record stuff. Sometimes it would just go to the gray screen with the arrows on it. After this had happened several times, I started documenting it. TiVo sent me out a new Edge and I sent back the original one.

Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the second one. Has this happened to anyone else? I have Verizon FiOS and a MoCA connection. Is it something to do with the software on the Edge? I have a TiVo Roamio Plus and never had this issue. 
Thanks in advance


----------



## jafa

We have dumps of the actual data that is triggering the chain of events that results in video corruption or loss of the channel.

The cable system keeps changing the Program Mapping Table (PMT). Any time the PMT changes a message is sent to the card. The card stops descrambling and repeats the CCI process with the host. Descrambling resumes and operation returns to normal. Video is lost/corrupt during this process but should recover.

Each time the PMT changes the sequence number increases by 1 as expected.

The only difference in PMT is the addition or absence of an ES PID with a stream type of 0x86. There are no descriptor tags, no associated ECM PID, and that isn't an expected stream type.

We can code the HDHomeRun to fixup/avoid the problem however this does appear to be a problem at the cable headend.


----------



## stevet555

@jafa - nice technical explanation, does someone have a contact to get this in front of TIVO as well for coding perhaps? Not sure of how historically they fix bugs that are this deep!!

So the expectation would be HDHomeRun will recover without any pixelation / loss - I assume.
Thanks!


----------



## nyjklein

jafa said:


> We have dumps of the actual data that is triggering the chain of events that results in video corruption or loss of the channel.
> 
> The cable system keeps changing the Program Mapping Table (PMT). Any time the PMT changes a message is sent to the card. The card stops descrambling and repeats the CCI process with the host. Descrambling resumes and operation returns to normal. Video is lost/corrupt during this process but should recover.
> 
> Each time the PMT changes the sequence number increases by 1 as expected.
> 
> The only difference in PMT is the addition or absence of an ES PID with a stream type of 0x86. There are no descriptor tags, no associated ECM PID, and that isn't an expected stream type.
> 
> We can code the HDHomeRun to fixup/avoid the problem however this does appear to be a problem at the cable headend.


Man, do I miss Wilt Hildebrandt. This is exactly the kind of complex issue with Cablevision he was willing to step in and get resolved.

Jeff


----------



## jafa

We released new HDHomeRun firmware to a customer to test a proposed workaround.

So far the new HDHomeRun firmware has detected the problem multiple times on SCIHD and DSCHD. Each time the new code successfully prevented the problem from tripping up the CableCARD. No glitches observed in the video.

Talking with some CableCARD experts to see if this approach is acceptable for general release.


----------



## SC42

I filed my FCC complaint less than a week ago. Got a call today from Altice/Optimum corporate customer relations. They’re having a tech come here on Friday, and the relations person is supposed to follow up later in the day. She was very pleasant on the phone at least.
I recorded a video of the pixelation and going black to show the tech. I can share @jafa’s findings. Can I expect any progress to be made, and do you have any suggestions on what else I can do to make the tech visit worthwhile? TiVo Bolt here.


----------



## citicat

jafa said:


> We released new HDHomeRun firmware to a customer to test a proposed workaround.
> 
> So far the new HDHomeRun firmware has detected the problem multiple times on SCIHD and DSCHD. Each time the new code successfully prevented the problem from tripping up the CableCARD. No glitches observed in the video.
> 
> Talking with some CableCARD experts to see if this approach is acceptable for general release.


Hopefully good news. Please let us know how it goes.


----------



## jafa

For anyone with a HDHomeRun PRIME, the HDHR3-CC 20200905beta1 firmware released today includes the workaround that avoids this problem.


----------



## RickNY

jafa said:


> We released new HDHomeRun firmware to a customer to test a proposed workaround.
> 
> So far the new HDHomeRun firmware has detected the problem multiple times on SCIHD and DSCHD. Each time the new code successfully prevented the problem from tripping up the CableCARD. No glitches observed in the video.
> 
> Talking with some CableCARD experts to see if this approach is acceptable for general release.


As both an HDHomeRun and TiVo user, I can verify that this now released firmware for the HDHomeRun does indeed resolve the issue on that platform. I've been testing for several hours with TiVo and HDHomeRun tuned to same channel, and when the TiVo freezes, the HDHR no longer experiences the problem.

At least I have one CableCard platform that I can use without the issue. Hopefully TiVo engineering can resolve this in software as well


----------



## stevet555

@TiVo_Ted, do you still have a line into engineering on this thread? Or anyone else for that matter?
Lots of folks on Optimum w/CC have been stuck for a few months with this issue, and looks like another vendor figured it out. Thanks in advance!
Nice work @jafa, and HDHomeRun, very responsive. I am impressed.


----------



## lemur21

Reading this - it sounds like there's no resolution to this?

I don't know what HDHomeRun is 

I've had the misfortune of 1) losing my channels (when no one at Optimum realized we needed a tuning adapter) and then 2) spending 12+ hours on tech support in this last week. I called about the minor problem (screen freezing); and -- through their ineptitude -- they ended up unbinding my cc and not knowing how to reconnect it.

I have a tech coming today (someone who -- purportedly -- knows about Tivos and tuning adapters (because the guy they sent on Monday walked in and said, "Oh, I don't know how to work with this equipment" and left) 

Is it even worth having the tech come today? Maybe just to show him the issue? Or, is my only real recourse to finally make the switch to Fios?


----------



## TheatreWiz

Ditto on that; however, I have not experienced the screen freezing. Regarding a tech coming to your house, the first guy who came to our house was in an AT&T van - he's one of Optimum's outside contractors and he knew nothing about cablecards and tuning adapters. On the second service call an actual Optimum employee came in an Optimum van and he was able to get us going.


----------



## RickNY

lemur21 said:


> I don't know what HDHomeRun is


It is a network TV tuner that uses a CableCard and can also have a tuning adapter plugged in like a TiVo. You then watch TV using an app on your TV, computer, streaming device, phone, tablet, etc. it can also be used with a PC to record.


----------



## jafa

The tech visit will rule out other issues like signal level etc.

The specific problem we are tracking won't be solved by a tech visit as the head-end is sending something odd that is triggering the TiVo to send a message to the card which the card reacts to by stopping and restarting decryption (complete with CCI exchange).

1) I don't think the head-end should be doing what it is doing
2) I think TiVo is likely doing things right as per the spec.
3) I don't think the card should be reacting the way it is.

I re-read that section of the CableCARD specification for host devices (HDHomeRun/TiVo) - the HDHomeRun was doing things right as per my reading of the spec. I think TiVo is likely doing the same thing (I think correctly) as it has similar symptoms. What I can't explain is why people using official STBs aren't seeing a problem. I suspect the official STBs aren't following the same spec.


----------



## lemur21

I had a tech out on Monday - and he checked the signal level -- which we knew it wouldn't be.

And ... the tech scheduled to come today just blew me off (again ....) LOL

Have we determined that Fios *doesn't* have this issue? If so -- I'm good to change now, I believe ............


----------



## lemur21

RickNY said:


> It is a network TV tuner that uses a CableCard and can also have a tuning adapter plugged in like a TiVo. You then watch TV using an app on your TV, computer, streaming device, phone, tablet, etc. it can also be used with a PC to record.


Fascinating! So, same thing ... as a Tivo. Very cool.

You're close to me, Rick, right? (I'm in Ronkonkoma) -- I think I'm basically ready to jump to Fios today .... LOL ....


----------



## RickNY

jafa said:


> What I can't explain is why people using official STBs aren't seeing a problem. I suspect the official STBs aren't following the same spec


So, my theory on this is that the NDS CableCards are using the legacy VideoGuard conditional access system, while the official STBs (at least the Samsung boxes) are using tru2way DCAS which uses NDS K-LAD. The Samsung boxes do not have a CableCard installed in them, nor do they use a smart card. At least that's my theory. It would be interesting to find out if users of the legacy Scientific Atlanta boxes on Long Island experience the issue - as those boxes used an NDS smart card inserted in the front - and I believe that was VideoGuard as well.

Optimum received a waiver for the separation of conditional access thing, and never issued boxes with internal CableCards

There is some good info here on this stuff:
Samsung Boxes Break In at Cablevision | Light Reading

Probably key to your question:
"But to get the deal done, SA agreed to support SimulCrypt, a system that allows more than one conditional access system to operate on a single video program stream. That all-important concession allowed Cablevision to preserve its use of the NDS platform and keep its set-top box options relatively open. " - if I had to guess this probably is part of the problem itself.


----------



## RickNY

lemur21 said:


> Fascinating! So, same thing ... as a Tivo. Very cool.
> 
> You're close to me, Rick, right? (I'm in Ronkonkoma) -- I think I'm basically ready to jump to Fios today .... LOL ....


Yup, next town over in Farmingville near Suffolk CC. No Fios available here at all.


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## lemur21

RickNY said:


> Yup, next town over in Farmingville near Suffolk CC. No Fios available here at all.


Do we know if Fios users are having similar issues?


----------



## RickNY

lemur21 said:


> Do we know if Fios users are having similar issues?


No, why would they? This is an issue at the Optimum headend


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## lemur21

RickNY said:


> No, why would they? This is an issue at the Optimum headend


SOLD!

But, seriously, I'm chatting with Optimum's "data" department now ... I suspect it'll be a dead-end as well; but it's not the standard "tech support" area.


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## lemur21

OK - my update.

After calling Retention - they sent me to Data. They listened to what I said (maybe understood; who knows ....)

From there, I was put on hold. Ironically - they didn't ask for my cable card serial number; they didn't ask for my HostID. The woman came back on the phone -- maybe 10 mins. later -- and said "OK, I fixed it."

She had me turn on the TV and asked if I was still having the problem. I explained it doesn't work like that - it's sporadic and unpredictable. It could be an hour. I asked if there was a code or Case ID ... there isn't. 

I said - okay, well, if this DID work, I'm happy to pass it along to the Tivo group ... what should they say when they call in? She said, "Just say problems with a cable card" - which sounds suspiciously like -- maybe -- she didn't do anything.

But, admittedly, so far, I haven't had any freezing. I'll watch the NBA game and NFL game tonight and see if anything comes from that. If the whole night goes by, I'll think maybe it's resolved. If it isn't resolved -- I'll call Fios tomorrow evening.


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## JackieGaGa

I couldn't take it anymore I switched to Verizion Fios yesterday. No more picture freeze and V58 Error messages. I'm in Nassau County Long Island


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## JackieGaGa

lemur21 said:


> Do we know if Fios users are having similar issues?


None zero. No TA needed


----------



## Hank

lemur21 said:


> OK - my update.
> 
> After calling Retention - they sent me to Data. They listened to what I said (maybe understood; who knows ....)
> 
> From there, I was put on hold. Ironically - they didn't ask for my cable card serial number; they didn't ask for my HostID. The woman came back on the phone -- maybe 10 mins. later -- and said "OK, I fixed it."
> 
> She had me turn on the TV and asked if I was still having the problem. I explained it doesn't work like that - it's sporadic and unpredictable. It could be an hour. I asked if there was a code or Case ID ... there isn't.
> 
> I said - okay, well, if this DID work, I'm happy to pass it along to the Tivo group ... what should they say when they call in? She said, "Just say problems with a cable card" - which sounds suspiciously like -- maybe -- she didn't do anything.
> 
> But, admittedly, so far, I haven't had any freezing. I'll watch the NBA game and NFL game tonight and see if anything comes from that. If the whole night goes by, I'll think maybe it's resolved. If it isn't resolved -- I'll call Fios tomorrow evening.


Thanks for this. We're locked into Cablevision since FIOS isn't allowed into our area. I have two Tivos (Bolt and Roamio) with two cablecards which worked fine for the three years we've been here. We've now moving to a new house also in a Cablevision monopoly town, so we're stuck again. I've move to FIOS in a microsecond if I could.

Anyway, I took one TV and the Roamio to the new house today to get cable+internet installed. The signal was good, and internet was good. He took a photo of the back of the CC to send to the C.O. Then I came home (old house). Didn't wait for the CC to get activated.

But now tonight (old house), we're getting the V58 error on most (but not all) channels.

I'm hoping that they mistakenly activated BOTH CC at the new address, and not just the one I told them to. But I suspect it's worse. The installer today said that CV has been out of CC for a long, long time -- basically if you don't have one, you're not getting one. PERIOD. He was surprised that I had mine, and assured me it was easy to move it to the new address. I'll be back there on Saturday to see if the Roamio is working and activated. In the mean time, we have no TV at our old house.


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## RickNY

Hank said:


> The installer today said that CV has been out of CC for a long, long time -- basically if you don't have one, you're not getting one. PERIOD.


Take what your installer said with a grain of salt. As of right now, there is no truth to this. Installers get very few CableCard installs once they started making them available as a self-install item many years ago. If you go to a walk-in center and ask for a CableCard, they will give you one. When I picked up my card for the HDHomeRun, they had a newly opened box of unused cards, and mine was issued from that. They come in a carton with like 2 rows of 20 cards in them. This was about 3 weeks ago. Likewise, my TA was brand new and never used.

Now when I was there a few weeks prior to that to swap my first card for the TiVo, I was given a clearly recycled card. And when I picked up my first TA in March, that TA didn't have a box. But both the card and TA I received 2-3 weeks ago were both brand new


----------



## Hank

Ok, good to know. He was otherwise very efficient and knew what he was doing.


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## lemur21

And ... just got two freezes in the last two minutes. I presumed that would be the case.

Looks like I'm calling Fios tomorrow night to see what sort of deal they have ... :/


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## lemur21

(Funnier still - my son just turned on the TV in the other room ... looks like *all* my channels are now missing from that one).

I think we found out what happens to weathermen that are wrong *more* than the average ... they become Cablevision tech support ..............


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## Demadtekneek

Update. After filing a BBB complaint the card is activated BUT I'm missing a lot of channels. Optimum executive was supposed to call back to confirm but never did. Honestly I've about had it and am about to just give up and return the tivo while I still can. Very disappointed BC I've been a tivo customer for a long time and they've always been great. And also I hate feeling like I'm being bullied by optimum but it's been over a month now paying for services I can't use.


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## SC42

My update - had a second Optimum tech come out that the Altice corporate customer relations I spoke with sent out. As soon as I mentioned cable card to him, before he even entered my home, he said “there’s nothing I can do” (about the freezes/pixellation/V58s) and that it has to “go to engineering” which is apparently run by a different part of Altice than Optimum service is. He did check signal levels and all were fine. I followed up with the relations person and while I was initially hopeful that she would take an interest in my problem, she seems unfazed. Will check with engineering, blah blah. Since I have 5 cell phones on an Altice plan, I’m kind of stuck with Optimum. I did relent and pick up one cable box, so I could watch the Islanders properly. Pained me to do it, but I figured it’s worth the $15 for the month. I’ll keep pestering the relations lady some more.


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## debsi

Same exact issue at my house. My signal is fine and same errors on both tivo units and same issue at my mothers house in another town on her tivo. Called Altice Sales Department to inquire about their recording devices. You can go to the store and pickup their Samsung DVR recorder ..going to try that tomorrow and see if that works. Kills me to give up my tivo.


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## lemur21

Since my Fios install (for an extra $45 a month (!) isn't for another week -- although, that *is* for more channels and a 1gig internet (compared to 200mbps); I figured I'd try and get my unbound cablecard fixed for the next week.

Called in - 45 minute wait. They called back. After a few minutes, the woman said "I have to have someone else call you back in 10 minutes (that was 30 minutes ago) -- so she can use "the tool."

I'm starting to think the only tool involved, at this point, is me .....


----------



## debsi

stevet555 said:


> @blakeb -- Optimum cable Long Island, no tuning adapter.


I have two tivos at my house, one had a tunning adapter. The tech that came who tested my signal said they don't use the tunning adapters any more (i'm on LONG ISLAND) so we removed it from the setup and went directly into the tivo with the cable card and still have the problems with the v58 freezing etc. My other tv never had the tunning adapater and has the problem also.


----------



## polyTV425

debsi said:


> I have two tivos at my house, one had a tunning adapter. The tech that came who tested my signal said they don't use the tunning adapters any more (i'm on LONG ISLAND) so we removed it from the setup and went directly into the tivo with the cable card and still have the problems with the v58 freezing etc. My other tv never had the tunning adapater and has the problem also.


Curious if those of you with this issue have Altice One service to the house, and/or if any of you are in Connecticut.

I don't have an Altice One box and am in CT. A few weeks ago Optimum switched to SDV here, and didn't bother to tell anyone. I lost my SD and some other channels, but have decided to not deal with an installer coming here with a Tuning Adapter. The channels that are now dropped are kind of irrelevant to me.

But notably, we have not had any freezing or other picture issues, even after they went to SDV.


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## lemur21

The tuning adapter doesn't require an install -- as long as you can plug in a USB cable, you can install the adapter.

But, I wonder if the cablecard in Ct. is different than the one on Long Island (I suspect it is ....)


----------



## stevet555

I guess no progress on this by Tivo and Optimum/Cablevision -- time to look at FIOS, sucks they don't care about the customer experience.


----------



## lemur21

I've heard that about Fios -- but I've also heard the service is so good you never need tech support .... 

In the end, neither one is going to be perfect ...


----------



## SC42

Sloooooowly I've been carrying on a conversation with a rep in Altice's Client Relations office. They're going to send the "lead tech" to my house this Friday. I was told today that they had resolved the known cable card issue we're experiencing, and they currently have no other open cases. Based on this thread, I can't see how that's possible. I at the very least am expecting to get credited for any additional expense I incur with the one cable box I took in.

Is it time to see if TiVo has any interest in addressing this like HD Homerun did? Anyone have a phone number for someone higher up there?

If anyone wants the number for Altice Client Relations, feel free to PM me.


----------



## knwl

I've been dealing with client relations too. After 4 techs coming to the house, I said no more - that the problem is on the engineering side and referred them to this forum for details. They call every few days to tell me they are working on it. They know they haven't fixed the problem yet...and that there are other open cases. I told them I'm willing to give them a reasonable period of time to address it before I give up and switch to FiOS. We are nearing the end of that timeframe.


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## lemur21

I can call -- if someone has the number. Is "Client Relations" different than Retention?

My FIOS install is scheduled for 10/16; I have a VERY definite timeframe. I'm happy to let them know that.


----------



## Jets

There are multiple threads about this CableCard issue with Optimum/Altice. Edge/Bolt/Roamio/Premier and in the general forum. Would be great if they could be linked.


----------



## stevet555

Post i found from other sub-forum - Intermittent freezing and intermittent v58 messages


----------



## esresr

I am an optimum customer and lost most of my low channels last night - how do i know if this would be fixed with a TA? I spoke with someone at optimum who said I could get a new cable card, but I have little confidence that would actually help. Is the TA something I could just go to the optimum store and request, or are they harder to get?


----------



## SC42

esresr said:


> I am an optimum customer and lost most of my low channels last night - how do i know if this would be fixed with a TA? I spoke with someone at optimum who said I could get a new cable card, but I have little confidence that would actually help. Is the TA something I could just go to the optimum store and request, or are they harder to get?


I wouldn't recommend getting a different cable card. Binding it to your TiVo could be a headache. You can First get a TA at the store for free and no monthly cost. Don't quote me, but it may restore your low (SD?) channels. If you get the right optimum rep, they should be able to tell you what channels need a TA.


----------



## lemur21

esresr said:


> I am an optimum customer and lost most of my low channels last night - how do i know if this would be fixed with a TA? I spoke with someone at optimum who said I could get a new cable card, but I have little confidence that would actually help. Is the TA something I could just go to the optimum store and request, or are they harder to get?


Yep - the TA will get you your SD channels back.

Then, you'll just have the freezing


----------



## bofis

So I had a perfectly fine working Multi-Stream CableCARD in my TiVo Bolt...just got an Edge, so put the same card into the Bolt and called up Optimum. The first guy said their tool was down so he'd escalate it up to the engineers to update my Device ID, no dice. Called 2 more times, and each person said they were doing it, or that it was done on their end, but yet the TiVo keeps popping up the CableCARD message and most channels do not work.

Now the final person I spoke with, who said she sent every possible signal, is saying I need a tech to come out and check this out. However, I know the signal strength is fine, and the CableCARD worked literally this morning in the Bolt that it's been in for a few years. Sigh.


----------



## bofis

blakeb said:


> Good luck trying to get a supervisor I have tried with no luck, as for getting your card authorized they are never pre-authorized. The on site tech can't do it they will need to give the card and host info. to someone in a tech department (not the person you talk to on the phone they don't know what they are doing, they just read out of some manual) The procedure requires something they don't know. I know this first hand as I fought with trying to get a cablecard authorize on my new Edge. Thru customer service no help. On site tech came took cablecard information and host ID then left and turn the information over to someone - one day later card was authorized. Good Luck


As a follow-up here, do you have any idea exactly what the tech was able to do that no one over the phone could handle? I'm in the same exact boat now and they're sending out someone to my apt on Saturday to resolve this since 3 people over the phone FAILED to activate/bond my new Edge to the previously-working CableCARD... >


----------



## SC42

@bofis - I went through the exact same series of attempts at binding a cc to my TiVo. What finally got it working was calling TiVo and having them 3-way call an optimum "Advanced technical department" person (not the CSR you get when you call the 800 number), and it was done very quickly. Just lucky? Maybe.


----------



## bofis

SC42 said:


> @bofis - I went through the exact same series of attempts at binding a cc to my TiVo. What finally got it working was calling TiVo and having them 3-way call an optimum "Advanced technical department" person (not the CSR you get when you call the 800 number), and it was done very quickly. Just lucky? Maybe.


Interesting, who did you speak with at TiVo, and also, do you remember what they had to do differently from what the useless customer support people already attempted?


----------



## SC42

I spoke with a general Tivo tech person who pulled Optimum tech person into the call. The only thing that may have been done differently is that the cable card has to be UNbound from the previous users account/equipment then bound to your TiVo.

The "regular" optimum CSRs? Nice people when they're not on duty I'm sure, but a bunch of them literally hung up when I spoke the word "TiVo". That's NOT a coincidence.

I think my next move is to see if TiVo is willing or able to escalate this to their engineers to see if a firmware fix is possible, like it was for HD Homerun. It's pretty obvious Optimum has no interest in lifting a finger. Besides, the tech who was at my house today related how Altice is looking to sell off their television service.


----------



## bofis

SC42 said:


> I spoke with a general Tivo tech person who pulled Optimum tech person into the call. The only thing that may have been done differently is that the cable card has to be UNbound from the previous users account/equipment then bound to your TiVo.
> 
> The "regular" optimum CSRs? Nice people when they're not on duty I'm sure, but a bunch of them literally hung up when I spoke the word "TiVo". That's NOT a coincidence.
> 
> I think my next move is to see if TiVo is willing or able to escalate this to their engineers to see if a firmware fix is possible, like it was for HD Homerun. It's pretty obvious Optimum has no interest in lifting a finger. Besides, the tech who was at my house today related how Altice is looking to sell off their television service.


So I tried calling TiVo support today, after Optimum flat out lied to me and gave me their number saying it was the "Optimum TiVo support division" but really gave me TiVo's phone number. The TiVo support agent got Optimum on the phone, but it was via the same exact 800 number I had used, went through all the stupid useless troubleshooting prompts, and then got us to a useless agent who eventually hung up on us. The TiVo agent did find the setting that's wrong in all the CableCARD menus, and it was the "CP" menu, the Copy Protection authorization was not given, it's sitting there awaiting "CP Auth" and he said it should have course say the status of it or "CP Auth Received" instead. Now if only anyone could do that for me....


----------



## lemur21

bofis said:


> So I tried calling TiVo support today, after Optimum flat out lied to me and gave me their number saying it was the "Optimum TiVo support division" but really gave me TiVo's phone number. The TiVo support agent got Optimum on the phone, but it was via the same exact 800 number I had used, went through all the stupid useless troubleshooting prompts, and then got us to a useless agent who eventually hung up on us. The TiVo agent did find the setting that's wrong in all the CableCARD menus, and it was the "CP" menu, the Copy Protection authorization was not given, it's sitting there awaiting "CP Auth" and he said it should have course say the status of it or "CP Auth Received" instead. Now if only anyone could do that for me....


I'm going to call CV as well this afternoon (since my install with Fios is scheduled for 10/16).

Have we established this is *absolutely* something CV should (and *can*) be doing? I believe so -- I love that they're hanging up on people ... :/

Even those who have gotten a modicum of relief; you're still getting the intermittent freezing/V58 errors, right?


----------



## JackieGaGa

lemur21 said:


> I'm going to call CV as well this afternoon (since my install with Fios is scheduled for 10/16).
> 
> Have we established this is *absolutely* something CV should (and *can*) be doing? I believe so -- I love that they're hanging up on people ... :/
> 
> Even those who have gotten a modicum of relief; you're still getting the intermittent freezing/V58 errors, right?


I'm so glad I switched to Fios it is well worth it.


----------



## lemur21

Called CV - spoke with the corporate relations department ... turns out that's *not* the right place ... they only handle legal issues. They transferred me to someone else (a "specialist") and I relayed all the information here.

She (apparently) understood what I was talking about .... and she explained that they *knew* about the issue (because so many people have called, lol); and it's been "escalated."

She also said there's no estimated date for the fix. I explained I didn't have an estimated date either -- I had a very specific date (Oct 16) -- which is when my FIOS install will take place (presuming this isn't corrected).

I also relayed the 4 tech visits that were no-shows ... but she was non-fazed by that as well (again, probably more of a call for Retention ... I'll call them about a week before my install to explain why I'm leaving ........) :/


----------



## SC42

This all makes me long for the days of rabbit ears again, and finding other forms of entertainment when needed.


----------



## bofis

lemur21 said:


> Called CV - spoke with the corporate relations department ... turns out that's *not* the right place ... they only handle legal issues. They transferred me to someone else (a "specialist") and I relayed all the information here.
> 
> She (apparently) understood what I was talking about .... and she explained that they *knew* about the issue (because so many people have called, lol); and it's been "escalated."
> 
> She also said there's no estimated date for the fix. I explained I didn't have an estimated date either -- I had a very specific date (Oct 16) -- which is when my FIOS install will take place (presuming this isn't corrected).
> 
> I also relayed the 4 tech visits that were no-shows ... but she was non-fazed by that as well (again, probably more of a call for Retention ... I'll call them about a week before my install to explain why I'm leaving ........) :/


Call back, when the prompt asks what you're calling for, say CABLECARD! and keep trying until you get someone competent. I just moved my cableCARD from my Bolt to a new Edge with lifetime and it took 7 calls and one appointment I just canceled to get someone who was able to "send the authorization" to the card, since the device ID was already in there for the new box, but under "CP Auth" it was waiting. The issue was resolved instantly once the guy did his thing finally.


----------



## SC42

@bofis - I'm glad you got your card bound to your TiVo. Now are you experiencing the freezing/V58s?


----------



## lemur21

Yeah - my card is bound already -- (after it had been *un-bound* by CV techs twice before ... but I still get the V58/freeze).

They have until 10/15


----------



## bofis

SC42 said:


> @bofis - I'm glad you got your card bound to your TiVo. Now are you experiencing the freezing/V58s?


Nope, all channels that used to not work are now fine, and it says "CP Auth Received" now in the CableCARD CP Menu, which I think was the trick.


----------



## Steve

I had a problem recently I thought was a cable card problem that turned out to be something else.

They added the Showtime promotion to my account and I was able to tune the main SHO channel (820) on two of my cable cards, but not the third one. All I saw was “searching for signal”. But the third one was tuning the add’l SHO channels (821-827) just fine. Strange!

The first agent I spoke to thought it might be a problem with the cable card, so he removed and re-bound it. I was very surprised he was able to do it in 10 minutes. In the past, binding was always a one-hour ordeal.

That didn’t work, so I went to the Optimum store yesterday morning and swapped that card for a new one. They bound the new one in 10 minutes as well! Still didn’t work, so I told the CSR I would make a call to TiVo, to see if they had any ideas.

Before I called TiVo, for the heck of it, I thought I would try swapping the coaxial cable from my wall outlet to the box. Don’t you know that solved the problem? Had I tried that first, I could’ve saved myself a trip back-and-forth to Cablevision and two hours on the phone! Oh well.


----------



## lemur21

bofis said:


> Nope, all channels that used to not work are now fine, and it says "CP Auth Received" now in the CableCARD CP Menu, which I think was the trick.


I checked - my CP Menu *also* says CP Auth Received ... but I'm still getting V58 messages and freezing.

I don't think that was it. :/


----------



## Hank

Well, I'm up and running for now. I had CV do a truck roll to 'install' two cablecards in my Tivos. (no charge for the truck roll). The guy was here all of 5 minutes, but said their CC system was down, so he took a photo of each CC and said he'd phone it in later. Never happened. I called in the next day, got a human who was extremely helpful (without being transferred even once!!) -- gave her the CC ID and Host ID for each card, and within 5 minutes, both were activated. 

I checked the CP Menu and I do have "CP Auth Received" and I'm not getting any errors.


----------



## jafa

Write-up that might help - suggest sending the following to Optimum/Altice:
https://download.silicondust.com/support/optimum_altice_long_island_video_glitch.pdf

Nick - Silicondust


----------



## bofis

jafa said:


> Write-up that might help - suggest sending the following to Optimum/Altice:
> https://download.silicondust.com/support/optimum_altice_long_island_video_glitch.pdf
> 
> Nick - Silicondust


That's great, can you also send this over to TiVo so maybe they can implement their own fix since that would certainly be faster than getting Optimum to fix their network...


----------



## Hank

Does anyone's Stingray music channels work on CV+Tivo? I get the channels with no errors, but no music either.


----------



## Steve

Hank said:


> Does anyone's Stingray music channels work on CV+Tivo? I get the channels with no errors, but no music either.


Not working here either, just north of NYC. I called tech support and they're supposedly escalating it.

The Stingray iOS app works OK, tho.


----------



## bofis

Hank said:


> Does anyone's Stingray music channels work on CV+Tivo? I get the channels with no errors, but no music either.


Nope, same as others have said, I'm on Optimum in Brooklyn, but the Stingray channels are just blank with no sound, though also no error. Everything else I should get comes in fine though so far ::knock on wood::


----------



## ohs

Same issue in Long Beach NY, with Optimum CableCard + Tivo Bolt.
Random black screen pix-elation with brief v58 error.
My wife went to Bethpage Optimum store twice (3hour and 1h15 minute wait) to replace the cable card.

Afterwards, phone/chat support was unable to Bind the cable card (spoke with maybe 7-8 reps combined). TV as channels would work briefly then go to Activate Host ID, grey screen.
Weird part was some channels would work fine on the Tivo Minis.

Optimum sent a on-site technician who didn't even check the drop, but called some internal number and binded the card successfully. I got all my channels but initial issue of random black/v58 kept working.

Switched over the Fios this past Sunday. No more v58 issues and I cancelled my Cablevision account today. 
The Optimum cancellation rep said something like "We did perform upgrades and there is now a new way to bind the card".
I let him know that I already switched and would prefer not to troubleshoot anymore.
Another interesting note: Verizon Technician said she had to drive/wait a total of 2 hours at a couple of Verizon facilities because they couldn't find a cable card.
She obviously was able to obtain one, arrive onsite and perform installation OK.


----------



## lemur21

I can assure you - the V58 error still exists.

My install is 10/16 -- can't wait. Yeah, a little more money; but blazing fast internet (and I can actually watch TV without it constantly ... freezing ... every .... five ... seconds ....)


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> Well, I'm up and running for now. I had CV do a truck roll to 'install' two cablecards in my Tivos. (no charge for the truck roll). The guy was here all of 5 minutes, but said their CC system was down, so he took a photo of each CC and said he'd phone it in later. Never happened. I called in the next day, got a human who was extremely helpful (without being transferred even once!!) -- gave her the CC ID and Host ID for each card, and within 5 minutes, both were activated.
> 
> I checked the CP Menu and I do have "CP Auth Received" and I'm not getting any errors.


Do you remember what number and time you called? I have called several times and get people who haven't a clue. We had a HD failure months ago in one of our Premiere's. Need to have them rebind the cable card but no luck so far. Considering a switch back to FiOS.


----------



## Hank

jcondon said:


> Do you remember what number and time you called? I have called several times and get people who haven't a clue. We had a HD failure months ago in one of our Premiere's. Need to have them rebind the cable card but no luck so far. Considering a switch back to FiOS.


I called the number on their website under "Connecticut". Probably around noon.


----------



## jcondon

I ended up chatting them tonight. Was having really slow Internet tonight. Like Saturday. Saturday it cleared right around midnight. Tonight I had to reboot everything which didn't work on Saturday. 

Anyway they guy I had in chat seemed fairly knowledgeable so I asked him about the cable card. I think it took about an hour but he got the card working. We were about to give up and then it started working. But noticed some channels were missing. He claimed we didn't pay for them. Checked with the wife and we do. Started up a new chat and after 10 mins of them checking my account info was told their system is down (same thing I was told on Saturday too). 

So all 3 cablecards seems to be working now. Will try chat again tomorrow night maybe and see if I can get them to add back the SD StarzEncore channels. We get the main one in HD but the rest are gone from all 3 Tivos. 

If it wasn't for the pandemic I probably would have just ordered FiOS. Don't want to deal with an installer wandering around my house right now. I am pretty sure they will push to replace the old ONT on the side of the house.


----------



## SC42

jafa said:


> Write-up that might help - suggest sending the following to Optimum/Altice:
> https://download.silicondust.com/support/optimum_altice_long_island_video_glitch.pdf
> 
> Nick - Silicondust


I just got my Altice customer relations person to agree to receive this writeup from me and forward to their engineers. Fingers crossed. Thanks for putting it together Nick.


----------



## Blockheads88

SC42 said:


> I just got my Altice customer relations person to agree to receive this writeup from me and forward to their engineers. Fingers crossed. Thanks for putting it together Nick.


There has been confirmation that this has been an reported Outage as of 9/22/20.. Last I heard in the beginning of the week there has been no update / ETA but there has been a lot of pressure so hoping this is resolved soon... May also seeing some reports of not as much Freezing as of today but not sure..


----------



## esresr

Blockheads88 said:


> There has been confirmation that this has been an reported Outage as of 9/22/20.. Last I heard in the beginning of the week there has been no update / ETA but there has been a lot of pressure so hoping this is resolved soon... May also seeing some reports of not as much Freezing as of today but not sure..


Can you describe what the outage from 9/22 is? I'm missing a bunch of channels (mostly SD), got a TA from optimum but that didn't seem to help either. It started on 9/22, so wondering if this is related, but haven't gotten anybody at optimum who is remotely helpful.


----------



## Blockheads88

esresr said:


> Can you describe what the outage from 9/22 is? I'm missing a bunch of channels (mostly SD), got a TA from optimum but that didn't seem to help either. It started on 9/22, so wondering if this is related, but haven't gotten anybody at optimum who is remotely helpful.


From what I heard the Outage that is reporting is the specific V58/Freezing/TiVo issue. But they are calling it an outage but not really an outage. The TA Should resolve the Missing SD Channels.. I don't have an TA and get the D261 error I believe is showing on SD and some premium channels... Seems like something else may be going on with the missing channels.. I would take a look at Freezes and V58 errors.. - OptimumOnline | DSLReports Forums (Page 12) which is another big thread about this issue.


----------



## jcondon

I spent about 3 hours last night chatting and calling them trying to StarzEncore back. First rep (chat) after while he gave me some nonsense about needing tuning adapters. Everything I can find on it says these channels do not require it in Dutchess County. We get the one HD channel but none of the rest. We were watching one of these channels last week. 

The one CC that was fixed the night before was broken again by the first rep. After a bunch of dropped calls and HORRIBLE call quality phone center calls in India I guess another rep gave me 6 months free of Showtime since he couldn't get StarzEncore working. I did not even ask for compensation or anything free. Gave me the usual spiel about Tivos (or maybe cable cards) don't work so good. Wanted to setup an onsite visit. He at least was able to get the broken cable card rebound and working. 

Not sure I even remotely care about 6 months of free Showtime (assuming it is actually free). Decent chance we bail for Fios if the nonsense continues. Our price lock in expires in a month or two anyway.

Will try again maybe next week. Amazing how inept they are.


----------



## Blockheads88

jcondon said:


> I spent about 3 hours last night chatting and calling them trying to StarzEncore back. First rep (chat) after while he gave me some nonsense about needing tuning adapters. Everything I can find on it says these channels do not require it in Dutchess County. We get the one HD channel but none of the rest. We were watching one of these channels last week.
> 
> The one CC that was fixed the night before was broken again by the first rep. After a bunch of dropped calls and HORRIBLE call quality phone center calls in India I guess another rep gave me 6 months free of Showtime since he couldn't get StarzEncore working. I did not even ask for compensation or anything free. Gave me the usual spiel about Tivos (or maybe cable cards) don't work so good. Wanted to setup an onsite visit. He at least was able to get the broken cable card rebound and working.
> 
> Not sure I even remotely care about 6 months of free Showtime (assuming it is actually free). Decent chance we bail for Fios if the nonsense continues. Our price lock in expires in a month or two anyway.
> 
> Will try again maybe next week. Amazing how inept they are.


I don't have an TA and in LI. But do have STARZ Package and able to get Starz Encore CH 816 without TA. I do know that I don't get some random movie channels with the D261 error (I believe that number). That error usually means an TA would be needed.


----------



## jcondon

Do you get 351-358 and 398?

We did a few days ago


----------



## Blockheads88

jcondon said:


> Do you get 351-358 and 398?
> 
> We did a few days ago


Those are the SD Channels.
You may need to go to the HD Channels - Optimum | TV Channel Lineups
Click on the location name and you will see the channels you should be going to..
Since I am in LI I don't get SD channels without TA. 
The link above is slow to get updated so something may have changed and just not updated yet..


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## jcondon

I will check when I get home but don't believe anything other than 351 has an HD alternative. That one hd channel does work.


----------



## RickNY

There are indications over at dslreports in the huge thread there that this problem may have been fixed sometime yesterday. I have been watching channels through the day that I know to be problematic (A&E is one of the worst for us), and so far through the morning and evening, I have not seen the issue at all. 

Would be helpful if others can confirm whether they are still seeing this. 

Also - the people earlier in this thread that asked about the Stingray music channels - those were moved to SDV on our system back in March and now require a tuning adapter. I’m on the Brookhaven system.


----------



## stevet555

@RickNY - seems to have improved for me as well here on Long Island. Fingers crossed they fixed this 3 month long issue..


----------



## doncarl

i came to report that i noticed no more picture freeze v58 errors from long island optimum.
i would like to know if optimum fixed it or if it was a fix by tivo.
if anyone knows what was done to fix this 3 month long problem please post it.
i remember reading someplace that optimum was working on a software fix to the cablecards that should be completed the end of september , maybe this is it.


----------



## Hank

I don't know if this is related, but sometime after 4pm yesterday, now on my Bolt I'm getting NO channels at all, a V52 error on all channels, and a Cablecard error "to start service...". I hooked up my old Roamio and it works fine, so there is signal from the headend. 

At some point yesterday I did disconnect my Bolt to move components around my new TV stand, and after that, no joy. Is it possible that I fried my Bolt, or did the CC just get de-activated?


----------



## Hank

oops.. I swapped CCs in the Tivo's, now neither one works! GAH!


----------



## Steve

Hank said:


> oops.. I swapped CCs in the Tivo's, now neither one works! GAH!


Swap them back and check the host ID screen, to see if it still says "One-Way Authorization received." Otherwise, you'll need to call support to rebind them.

Go to settings, cable cards, cable card decoder, cable card installation, cable card menu, host ID screen


----------



## Hank

Steve said:


> Swap them back and check the host ID screen, to see if it still says "One-Way Authorization received." Otherwise, you'll need to call support to rebind them.
> 
> Go to settings, cable cards, cable card decoder, cable card installation, cable card menu, host ID screen


I did swap them back immediately. On both, I get "Type: One-Way"

On the BOLT, I still get zero channels and V52 error
On the Roamio, I get a few channels, but NOW, for the first time, I'm getting video freezing and V58 errors, then a CC error.

Oh, on the BOLT, when I do the cable channel signal strength test, it gets 0 digital signal received "No digital signal" on all channels.

I'll call CV a little later today.


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## jafa

If a card is moved to a new host it loses its pairing - moving it back won't restore operation.

You can remove and re-insert without losing the pairing as long as the host didn't see another card and the card wasn't put in another host.

Details - the card and the host agree on a key when they first encounter each other. Every time the host starts the card they both verify the other still has the same key. The card and the host only remember the current key. If either the card or the host see a miss-match they start the key generation process again.


----------



## Steve

Hank said:


> I'll call CV a little later today.


Be sure to tell them the cards were previously bound.

I'm bringing that up because once I remember having difficulties because the CSR neglected to "unbind" on their end, before starting the re-bind. That was with their old binding app, tho. Maybe no longer an issue.


----------



## Hank

Steve said:


> Be sure to tell them the cards were previously bound.
> 
> I'm bringing that up because once I remember having difficulties because the CSR neglected to "unbind" on their end, before starting the re-bind. That was with their old binding app, tho. Maybe no longer an issue.


Yes, she tried to "unbind" and "rebind" both cards several times with no luck.

I have to drive to a CV store today to get two replacement CCs.  Not looking forward to that.

I'm really hoping my BOLT isn't broken in some way.


----------



## Hank

<rant>
Perhaps I'm missing something, but why are cablecards so difficult to get working? Why can't they be as easy to provision as say a "bring your own cable modem" modem? Like where you just log onto a website and register the MAC and/or serial number. CV could just on the head end say "this CC is activated only for this account" and I can put that activated CC into _any_ device on my coax network. The head end is smart enough to know which premium channels I get, it should be smart enough to know which CCs are active on my account also. 
Also, why aren't cablecards just chips with encrypted information (like a credit card), and all the necessary hardware be inside the actual device? Let the consumer device decrypt the chip like a credit card, and then allow access to the content? Why did they choose to go with a hardware PCCARD form factor? Seems like it creates more problems than it solves. A credit-card like CC could just be sent in the mail, no truck roll needed or complicated binding over the phone.
</rant>


----------



## jcondon

Most likely copy protection. Someone could probably build a cable card device that doesn't honor the do not copy flag or something. This way if the Host ID isn't approved they can block it from receiving programing or something like that. 


The cable companies are no longer required to support cable cards. So instead of inept half arse support they will probably go away altogether. I am missing most of my SD channels since my latest issues with them. Most but not all of what we watch has a HD channel. Probably beat my head against the wall and then call them later in the week. See how else they can screw this up.

YouTube TV was looking good to us but recently dropped a few sports networks my wife wants. 

I had a lot better/smoother results with Verizon Fios. So it can be done well. Altice just chooses not to care or are just inept or both. Add to that switched Digital and it just sucks a lot of the time. It will be sad but I can see some day in the not to distant future all my Tivo's being useless boat ancors.


----------



## Hank

jcondon said:


> I am missing most of my SD channels since my latest issues with them.


Have you tried to repeat guided setup? When I did GS at our new house, there were two different options for CV in this part of CT -- one "HD" and one "SD". The first time I did GS I choose the "HD" option, and all the channels were messed up and the HD channels started at channel "1". I redid GS but choose the "SD" option, and it was returned to normal (like at our old house) with all SD channels in the low numbers and HDs up in the 600s-700s+.


----------



## SC42

I was super excited to hear about the possible resolution to the pixellation/freezing/V58s! So I went to watch some TV yesterday morning and my Mini siad it couldn't find the host (Bolt). I power cycled the Bolt, and received the "flashing lights of death". Coincidence? Or just plain bad luck for me?


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> Have you tried to repeat guided setup? When I did GS at our new house, there were two different options for CV in this part of CT -- one "HD" and one "SD". The first time I did GS I choose the "HD" option, and all the channels were messed up and the HD channels started at channel "1". I redid GS but choose the "SD" option, and it was returned to normal (like at our old house) with all SD channels in the low numbers and HDs up in the 600s-700s+.


We have 3 Tivos. The one in the living room and the one in the basement were fine prior to me calling in the week before last. The Tivo in the living room also lost many of its SD channels. Haven't checked the one in the basement but did lose the SD StarzEncore channels on it.

2 used to be WCBS in SD. Now it doesn't work. Says we don't pay for the channel IRC. Press D for the HD version. The HD version works fine. If all the SD channels had a HD equivalent that would be fine. We get the main StarzEncore HD channel in the 81x's just fine.

We didn't notice until last night we were missing other SD channels. Thought it was just the StarzEncore ones and one other. Was told on one call we don't pay for it. Another call we need a tuning adapter. All for things that worked days before we called for the one cable card.

I will try a guided setup though and see if it makes a difference some how. I doubt it but I ALWAYS pick the wrong one the first time. Thanks for the idea.


----------



## lemur21

I was away this weekend - and my Fios install is scheduled for 10/16.

So, I'll have to watch MNF this evening and see if I get the freezing error. If I do, it's a no-brainer - I still switch. If the freezing error *isn't* there; I have a choice to make.

Fios will probably run me about $40-45/month more (after all discounts). But, that's giving me 1gig internet (instead of 200) and the same channels.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.


----------



## stevet555

Update after watching for a few days on the cable card v58 Tivo errors. While I do not get the v58 error (+10 annoying), I am getting occasional (call it "cut-outs" / lost frames/audio on Fox News and CNN, although they are hardly noticeable. When i rewind, it is less noticeable than live. Suddenly, Motortrend TV (150) is occasionally pixelating / black screen for 1 sec- where it was prefect previously.
Not sure its related to the fix, but i will take this vs. the other, but still not 100%.

Steve


----------



## Hank

That could be a failing hard drive.


----------



## stevet555

@Hank - thanks - seems too much of a coincidence as the new behavior started when folks indicated optimum put in their fix. Any way to test the HDD while inside the box? The unit is a Roamio only 2 years old..


----------



## SC42

stevet555 said:


> @Hank - thanks - seems too much of a coincidence as the new behavior started when folks indicated optimum put in their fix. Any way to test the HDD while inside the box? The unit is a Roamio only 2 years old..


TiVo Kickstart Hard Drive Test Information and Instructions


----------



## Hank

Well, that was easy (part 1). I went to the CV store, waited in line about 5 minutes, and got 2 new CCs easy-peasy.

I haven't installed/bound them yet, that's later (part 2)


----------



## LeeG

Yeah - I have a roamio pro with optimum for 6 years- working great. I just added an Edge - and had at least 10 service phone calls, and an on-site service visit. I was directed by Optimum to call TiVo twice, I was told by 2 different reps that the problem was fixed, and another 2 reps told me their supervisor would call me back (no one ever did). Most of the reps had heavy accents with lots of background noise, making reading off host-ID etc difficult. Unbound and rebound several times. Eventually I had only SD channels...finally seems to be working now with all channels.

Long, slow, painful process...but finally have it up and running - I'm never touching that cablecard!! 

If TiVo is gonna stick around, they need a way to make this tech work better - I wont go through it again, and I've been a TiVo fan for 20 years....


----------



## Hank

LeeG said:


> Long, slow, painful process.


Oh boy, I was ready to <redacted> CV yesterday! I got 2 CCs from the store no problem, but then spent the first hour in voice-response hell trying to get a human, and when I finally did, and explained that I "have to cablecards I need to bind", THREE separate times (because I was hung up on thrice), the CSR said "oh, cablecards, you need to go to the store first" -- I JUST SAID I GOT TWO NEW CABLE CARDS! The other responses I got was "you need to hook up to cable boxes"? NO FFS!

Getting nowhere on the phone, I tried chat. Got an agent after three tries. But he must have been working 10 cases at once, because, and I'm not exagerating here, there was a full FIVE MINUTE delay between each reply and response. It took THIRTY MINUTES just to "validate" my account. When I finally got my account validated, the chat agent "terminated the chat". FML

I try the phone one last time after at least an hour now, and got a woman on the phone who immediatly said "oh, you need to go to the Optimum Store...." at which point I unloaded an hour of Optimum Hell frustration on her (not her fault), but HFC, I was at the end of my rope at this point. To her credit, she did not hang up and proceeded to try and bind the two CCs.

After an hour of binding and rebinding over and over again, I still have two dead Tivos. On the Bolt, I get no channels at all and a V52 error. On the Roamio, I get just a few basic-cable channels and V58 error on the rest. As well as constant 'to start service' errors on the CC screen. Both are hooked up to the same incoming cable (which I'm going to try troubleshooting later). What's strange is everything worked perfectly two days ago.

So after 75 minutes on the phone, she finally agreed to send a truck out tomorrow. I'm now thinking it's a signalling problem on the pole or some wiring fluke in the house.

I've never had so much trouble getting CCs activated before.


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> So after 75 minutes on the phone, she finally agreed to send a truck out tomorrow. I'm now thinking it's a signalling problem on the pole or some wiring fluke in the house.
> 
> I've never had so much trouble getting CCs activated before.


Or CV just sucks. Years ago I had a truck roll on CC activation with cablevision. The tech was able to activate the card after about 45 mins of being on hold. There was nothing wrong with the signal or cards. Just poorly trained reps and a crappy system are my guess. I can't tell you how many reps I have talked or chatted with who don't ask for the host id. I am like on my screen there is a host ID. Maybe you need that. Ok sure give me that.

50/50 the tech who comes out tomorrow will tell you how bad Tivos and/or cablecards are.

I wish you luck tomorrow. I still haven't done the guided setup for the missing SD channels.


----------



## Hank

jcondon said:


> chatted with who don't ask for the host id.


Yup. It was 45 minutes in before she asked for the host id for the Roamio. NEVER asked for the host id for the Bolt. 

edit: Both my Tivos say "Waiting for CP Auth"


----------



## wendlan

Hank said:


> I try the phone one last time after at least an hour now, and got a woman on the phone who immediatly said "oh, you need to go to the Optimum Store...." at which point I unloaded an hour of Optimum Hell frustration on her (not her fault), but HFC, I was at the end of my rope at this point. To her credit, she did not hang up and proceeded to try and bind the two CCs.
> 
> After an hour of binding and rebinding over and over again, I still have two dead Tivos. On the Bolt, I get no channels at all and a V52 error. On the Roamio, I get just a few basic-cable channels and V58 error on the rest. As well as constant 'to start service' errors on the CC screen. Both are hooked up to the same incoming cable (which I'm going to try troubleshooting later). What's strange is everything worked perfectly two days ago.
> 
> I've never had so much trouble getting CCs activated before.


I believe that Altice is the now the parent company of both Suddenlink and Optimum, and likely share the same call center. I had CableCard Tivos for over 15 years, and activated many under Suddenlink. But, now under Altice, I had no luck and their service reps either have no training or system access to successfully pair a CableCard. "Go to the store" is an excuse so they can get off of the phone - you likely didn't need new cards at all. The fact that they introduced the V58/freezing error further convinces me they don't care about CableCards any longer.

Here's my story I posted about earlier this year with Altice. I hope you can get it resolved!


----------



## Hank

Just got a customer installation survey from CV... I basically just copy/pasted my rant from above and gave them all "0" scores.


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> Just got a customer installation survey from CV... I basically just copy/pasted my rant from above and gave them all "0" scores.


I got two surveys so far. I can't honestly remember which of the 6+ calls and 4 or 5 chats is which.


----------



## Hank

I have a truck roll scheduled for today 11-2pm.
Just got a call from someone who sounds like they actually know what they're talking about, asked for the host IDs of both boxes and will work on it from their end, hopefully not needing the service call.


----------



## Hank

Well, we're making progress, albeit very slowly. We got both boxes to get CP AUTH RECEIVED, but zero channels on the BOLT, and a few choppy basic channels on the Roamio. That was upstairs.

I brought both boxes down to the living room and same thing. 

I had a suspicion that the coax cable in the living room was old and possibly contributing to the problem, so I fished a new coax cable down into the basement to replace the one that was here probably for 20 years. 

Bingo! I now get ALL channels on the Roamio! And a strong digital signal when doing the signal test.

But still ZERO channels on the BOLT when connected to the same coax. All channels get Error V52.

Called CV back and they unpaired and re-paired that card, still no luck. Tested Roamio again, ALL GOOD!

So the problem appears to be the BOLT, or possibly the second new CC is bad. The CV truck will be here in a while, so hopefully they can swap out the CC and try again. But if the third CC fails the same way, it looks like the BOLT is malfunctioning and not receiving a digital signal. Does that make sense? Is that possible?

Am I looking at trashing this box with lifetime service, or does Weaknees do Bolt repairs for problems like this?


----------



## mattyro7878

I have Xfinity in CT and I simply will not be adding, changing, swapping or doing anything that might cause my setup to be addressed. No TA needed here and everything is working well. Without that FCC backup I feel like I'm walking in the dark near a cliff alone. When I need help, it aint gonna come runnin like in the past!!


----------



## jcondon

I had an opportunity to call them today for our work cable modem. When I was done with that. I asked him if he could help on residential account.

He seemed to think that they are moving some of these channels to switched digital and said they don't have any TA's around. He mentioned channels numbers which were for other channels. I conferenced my wife in so she could verify the channels he thought would be the missing ones were not. I wanted to try a TA to see if this really true for the channels we lost a couple weeks ago right around the same time I called to have them rebind the card. I wanted to prove that wasn't it. He said they don't have any TA's and said the stores don't either. 

He was easy to understand and there wasn't a lot of background noise. First call in weeks like that. Perhaps because I called the number on my works bill. But he said he works both business and residential accounts.

Hope Hank had better luck with his truck roll.


----------



## Hank

Nope! We tried a third new CC in the Bolt and and still NADA. This time I think I had a Level 3 tech on the line who actually knew what he was doing. The card would activate with 'CP Auth Recieved', but then no channels would be received. Doing signal strength test, no digital signal is received on ANY channel.

At this point, I think it's the Bolt that's broken. There was nothing else to test.


----------



## jcondon

That sucks. Even with an unbound card we would get a few channels.


----------



## Hank

Yeah. Two nights ago this BOlt was getting a couple basic cable channels, but now nothing.

I might try hooking up my lifetime Series 3 and calling them to re-bind this cablecard to confirm it works.


----------



## jcondon

Has nothing to do with your issue but, do you pay for Starz Encore? And if so do you get them on the working Tivos? 351-358. Also Flix on 397? Seems they are the same channels in CT as NY for these at least.


----------



## Hank

jcondon said:


> Has nothing to do with your issue but, do you pay for Starz Encore? And if so do you get them on the working Tivos? 351-358. Also Flix on 397? Seems they are the same channels in CT as NY for these at least.


On the Roamio:
Those are the right channel numbers for those networks. But I don't get them "channel not available"


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> On the Roamio:
> Those are the right channel numbers for those networks. But I don't get them "channel not available"


Thanks, do you know if you pay for them? They are in the select package and Gold packages I believe.


----------



## Hank

No, sorry, I don't think we pay for those.


----------



## Hank

And because I'm a masochist, I got on to an Optimum chat today to re-add HBO to my account (since they nixed it when I moved). That went pretty well, actually. 

Then they needed to verify my account. Ugh, I thought, here we go. When I had to do this yesterday on chat, it took 30 MINUTES, and then they disconnected the chat. They usually want phone number, address, zip code, PIN code, my pet's name, the name of the street of my paternal father, and so on and so on. 

But not this time! She only asked for the MAC address of my (non-Optimum) router. I'd never seen that before. Luckily I had the box handy and was able to give it to her. And that was it. Got HBO added in two minutes, and 10 minutes later, it was active on my cablecard. 

Now I'm just waiting to see how long it takes to activate my HBOMax login.


----------



## Steve

jcondon said:


> Has nothing to do with your issue but, do you pay for Starz Encore? And if so do you get them on the working Tivos? 351-358. Also Flix on 397? Seems they are the same channels in CT as NY for these at least.


FWIW, I get Starz Encore on 816, but n/a on 351.


----------



## jcondon

Steve said:


> FWIW, I get Starz Encore on 816, but n/a on 351.


Strange. I get both those channels but not 352-358.


----------



## Steve

jcondon said:


> Strange. I get both those channels but not 352-358.


I'm set up for "Optimum SD & Cablecard South Westchester".

I'm currently on the STARZ/SHO promotion, and I get all the HD channels in the 800s (except 815), but none of the SDs in the 300s.


----------



## jcondon

I am in Dutchess and no longer receive...

351 StarzEncore
352 StarzEncore Suspense
353 StarzEncore Westerns
354 StarzEncore Classic 
355 StarzEncore Black
356 StarzEncore Family
357 StarzEncore West
358 StarzEncore Action
397 Flix

We were watching one of these StarzEncore channels a couple of weeks ago. Right before we called in to have them rebind one of our 3 cards. Pretty coincidental we lost these channels right at the same time. But I guess if you aren't getting them either and are supposed to is really just a strange coincidence.

Thanks for the replies.


----------



## Faiz din

jafa said:


> For anyone with a HDHomeRun PRIME, the HDHR3-CC 20200905beta1 firmware released today includes the workaround that avoids this problem.


If you stop subscription are there any channels free if so how many?


----------



## Steve

jcondon said:


> I am in Dutchess and no longer receive...
> 
> 351 StarzEncore
> 352 StarzEncore Suspense
> 353 StarzEncore Westerns
> 354 StarzEncore Classic
> 355 StarzEncore Black
> 356 StarzEncore Family
> 357 StarzEncore West
> 358 StarzEncore Action
> 397 Flix
> 
> We were watching one of these StarzEncore channels a couple of weeks ago. Right before we called in to have them rebind one of our 3 cards. Pretty coincidental we lost these channels right at the same time. But I guess if you aren't getting them either and are supposed to is really just a strange coincidence.


I lost all the Stingray Music channels as well. Not sure when that happened, tho. I hadn't tried them for months.


----------



## Hank

I get no Stingray channels. But I did a few months ago when they switched over from the old service.


----------



## jcondon

Until today I never tried to tune into a Stingray channel. The ones I tried today do not work.


----------



## Hank

Well, as reddit would put it, I Am the Ashole. 

I pulled out from the dustbin my old OLED Series 3 Tivo with PLS.

Took the cablecard from the Bolt, popped it into the S3, and immediately, I got the basic cable channels, which I didn't get on the Bolt with the same cablecard. 

I called the direct number of the woman who helped me yesterday morning (she's WFH, so I had her cell number! LOL), and she quickly bound the CC to my S3, and within two minutes, all the channels are being received. 

So that can only mean my Bolt is busted and can no longer detect or translate or decrypt any digital signals. When doing the channel strength test, I get 0 digital signal on all channels.

So any ideas how I can get it fixed? I see Weakknees has a $50 mail in diagnosis service, I guess I'll try that unless anyone has any other ideas.

And boy howdy! This S3 is SLOOOOOOOOOW!


----------



## bofis

Hank said:


> I pulled out from the dustbin my old OLED Series 3 Tivo with PLS.
> ...
> And boy howdy! This S3 is SLOOOOOOOOOW!


I'm sure it feels that way these days, but man do I miss that OLED screen showing exactly what two programs were recording and the time


----------



## OasisNYK

I just moved from NJ to CT - hurt to give up FiOS and switch to Optimum. I have Altice One and a Premier XL4. I have a cable card for the Premier but have not been able to get it activated. A few CSRs have told me Tivo's/Cable cards do not work with Altice One. Can someone confirm that is true? I see a few of you have your own cable modems so I assume that is the only way to get a Tivo to work with Optimum/Altice these days.


----------



## Hank

Do you have a coax splitter with one feed going to Altice 1 and the other the Tivo?

I'm no expert, but they should be separate issues (activating the cablecard and the Altice One).

Yes, we miss FIOS A LOT!


----------



## OasisNYK

Yes the lines are split, Optimum is telling me that a cable card will not work on another box as long as there is an Altice One in the house.


----------



## Hank

Ok, like I said, I'm no expert. I don't know why that would be, but whatever.

I'm still waiting to hear from Weaknees about my broken Bolt I sent back for repair.


----------



## wendlan

OasisNYK said:


> Yes the lines are split, Optimum is telling me that a cable card will not work on another box as long as there is an Altice One in the house.


Likely not a technical restriction, but just that their billing system can't handle both on the same account.


----------



## SC42

It’s been almost 3 weeks since the aforementioned V58 fix happened on Oct. 2nd. I can report that I no longer see any freezing, black screens or V58 errors. However, I am still seeing significant pixelation on SOME channels (Travel Channel, for example) on my Bolt and all 4 minis. Anyone else still having this same trouble? Nassau county Long Island here.

PS - I have a brand new hard drive in after a fatal failure, so that should be excluded as a culprit


----------



## Hank

Well, I sent my BOLT to weaKnees for repair, and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, using the OTA tuner. I told them the problem was somewhere between the cablecard and the tuner(s), and can they look into that. Well, they said they can't diag motherboard issues like that, so they're sending it back to me un-repaired. So now I have a TiVo BOLT that basically works, but just won't decrypt any cablecard channels (although it does receive the "CP Auth Received" message when binding the cablecard. So I guess it's a doorstop now?

So I bought a Roamio Plus with PLS here on TCF for $210. It's here, but the BOLT isn't back with the cablecard, so once that gets here, I hopefully can bind the CC to that Tivo. 

Not sure what to do with the BOLT now. I guess it would be good for someone who only does OTA?


----------



## doncarl

SC42 said:


> It's been almost 3 weeks since the aforementioned V58 fix happened on Oct. 2nd. I can report that I no longer see any freezing, black screens or V58 errors. However, I am still seeing significant pixelation on SOME channels (Travel Channel, for example) on my Bolt and all 4 minis. Anyone else still having this same trouble? Nassau county Long Island here.
> 
> PS - I have a brand new hard drive in after a fatal failure, so that should be excluded as a culprit


i am suffolk county long island. I agree the v58 is fixed but i get once in a while some pixelation, it is very small and very short, i think the small amount of pixelation is from cablevision equipment and it caused the tivo to lose audio and throw the v58 error. but now i think tivo modified the software so it dosen't do the v58 thing when a small amount of pixelation happens. this is much improved. THANK YOU TIVO.

if you are getting alot of pixelation you might want to try this cable amp, it worked well for me.
https://www.amazon.com/PPC-Active-R...r+moca&qid=1598908036&sr=8-35#customerReviews


----------



## Hank

doncarl said:


> . THANK YOU TIVO.


Was it TiVo that fixed the problem, or Optimum on their headend?


----------



## Steve

Hank said:


> Well, I sent my BOLT to weaKnees for repair, and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, using the OTA tuner. I told them the problem was somewhere between the cablecard and the tuner(s), and can they look into that. Well, they said they can't diag motherboard issues like that, so they're sending it back to me un-repaired. So now I have a TiVo BOLT that basically works, but just won't decrypt any cablecard channels (although it does receive the "CP Auth Received" message when binding the cablecard. So I guess it's a doorstop now?
> 
> So I bought a Roamio Plus with PLS here on TCF for $210. It's here, but the BOLT isn't back with the cablecard, so once that gets here, I hopefully can bind the CC to that Tivo.
> 
> Not sure what to do with the BOLT now. I guess it would be good for someone who only does OTA?


 Hank, sent you a PM.


----------



## doncarl

Hank said:


> Was it TiVo that fixed the problem, or Optimum on their headend?


i am just guessing, but since the v58 error dosen't come up anymore but you see pixilation on the channels that used to be a problem. my guess is that tivo modified their software

here is some info i sent tivo support 2 months ago
https://download.silicondust.com/support/optimum_altice_long_island_video_glitch.pdf


----------



## Achim Franz

yesterday I filed a report with FCC and Optimum Long Island called me back today. They basically dropped all support for cable cards and if you want to get e.g. HBO, you need a tuning adapter which they don't provide anymore. I think they want to eliminate Tivos to promote their own DVRs. The channel guide for cablecars out here only lists a few channels

Optimum | TV Channel Lineups

I just received a Tivo Edge as a replacement for my Bolt+ which died with a bad disk. I saw the V58 error coming up for a few seconds, but since early October I can't get most of the channels I pay big money for with Optimum.


----------



## Achim Franz

doncarl said:


> i am suffolk county long island. I agree the v58 is fixed but i get once in a while some pixelation, it is very small and very short, i think the small amount of pixelation is from cablevision equipment and it caused the tivo to lose audio and throw the v58 error. but now i think tivo modified the software so it dosen't do the v58 thing when a small amount of pixelation happens. this is much improved. THANK YOU TIVO.
> 
> if you are getting alot of pixelation you might want to try this cable amp, it worked well for me.
> https://www.amazon.com/PPC-Active-R...r+moca&qid=1598908036&sr=8-35#customerReviews


Optimum claims the pixilation and V58 errors came from them updating the system, when they started to stop supporting cable cards.


----------



## Achim Franz

Steve said:


> I lost all the Stingray Music channels as well. Not sure when that happened, tho. I hadn't tried them for months.


do you have a tuning adapter ? Optimum told me you can only get some extra channels with a tuning adapter and Starz and Showtime you can't get at all anymore with a cable card.


----------



## Hank

Achim Franz said:


> yesterday I filed a report with FCC and Optimum Long Island called me back today. They basically dropped all support for cable cards and if you want to get e.g. HBO, you need a tuning adapter which they don't provide anymore. I think they want to eliminate Tivos to promote their own DVRs.


I think you have some bad information. I had a Optimum tech tell me the same thing, but I went through 6 different/new cable cards trying to diagnose the problems with my BOLT. Optimum has PLENTY of cablecards in stock.



Achim Franz said:


> The channel guide for cablecars out here only lists a few channels
> 
> Optimum | TV Channel Lineups


In CT, I get all the channels in the lineup, including HBO, _without_ a tuning adapter.


----------



## jcondon

Achim Franz said:


> do you have a tuning adapter ? Optimum told me you can only get some extra channels with a tuning adapter and Starz and Showtime you can't get at all anymore with a cable card.


A couple weeks ago we were given Showtime for 6 months so they couldn't give us the Encore channels. I haven't tried them in a few weeks but they did work recently. This is up in Dutchess though so maybe different in you area.


----------



## jcondon

Hank said:


> I think you have some bad information. I had a Optimum tech tell me the same thing, but I went through 6 different/new cable cards trying to diagnose the problems with my BOLT. Optimum has PLENTY of cablecards in stock.
> 
> In CT, I get all the channels in the lineup, including HBO, _without_ a tuning adapter.


Tuning adapters seem to be what is hard to get. Which seems to be required (maybe) for the Starz Encore channels. I had one years ago and it was a POS that would lock up frequent hosing all my recordings. If we could get one I would put it on the downstairs Tivo which we don't use much for recording.


----------



## Achim Franz

jcondon said:


> Tuning adapters seem to be what is hard to get. Which seems to be required (maybe) for the Starz Encore channels. I had one years ago and it was a POS that would lock up frequent hosing all my recordings. If we could get one I would put it on the downstairs Tivo which we don't use much for recording.


In my phone all with Optimum I was told you need the TA for most of the channels with a CC out here on eastern LI. I'll try the local store tomorrow, but it would be surprised that optimum says you need a TA but we don't have any for you.


----------



## Steve

Achim Franz said:


> do you have a tuning adapter ? Optimum told me you can only get some extra channels with a tuning adapter and Starz and Showtime you can't get at all anymore with a cable card.


Not sure why they said that. No tuning adapter here and I'm enjoying the Starz and Showtime promotions now with my cable cards. And the Stingray channels worked fine back in August, IIRC.


----------



## Achim Franz

Steve said:


> Not sure why they said that. No tuning adapter here and I'm enjoying the Starz and Showtime promotions now with my cable cards. And the Stingray channels worked fine back in August, IIRC.


They claimed to have switched in October. But Optimum will say anything to get out of a service call.


----------



## Lrscpa

In Northern NJ, I was getting all channels without a tuning adapter, with the exception of 3 of the Cinemax channels. BTW, I got a new TiVo Edge today and attempted the CableCARD pairing using Optimum's online chat window. It took almost an hour, but it was able to get done in one phone call.


----------



## Achim Franz

Lrscpa said:


> In Northern NJ, I was getting all channels without a tuning adapter, with the exception of 3 of the Cinemax channels. BTW, I got a new TiVo Edge today and attempted the CableCARD pairing using Optimum's online chat window. It took almost an hour, but it was able to get done in one phone call.


I'm trying this for 2 weeks now, a couple of time they manage to eliminate the gray Tivo message about protected channels and calling your provide, just to be replaced by the V58 error of channels not being authorized. It os very frustrating. After my FCC complains Optimum called twice, without solving the problem, but offered to lower my bill by $17.


----------



## Lrscpa

Achim Franz said:


> I'm trying this for 2 weeks now, a couple of time they manage to eliminate the gray Tivo message about protected channels and calling your provide, just to be replaced by the V58 error of channels not being authorized. It os very frustrating. After my FCC complains Optimum called twice, without solving the problem, but offered to lower my bill by $17.


I've been using CableCARDs pretty much since they were introduced. While it wasn't always an easy process depending on the rep I was speaking to, I never had a CableCARD pairing or authorization issue that wasn't solved on the first call.

I am thinking that perhaps some areas have a different/better "back end" as it relates to dealing with CableCARDs.


----------



## stevet555

RickNY said:


> There are indications over at dslreports in the huge thread there that this problem may have been fixed sometime yesterday. I have been watching channels through the day that I know to be problematic (A&E is one of the worst for us), and so far through the morning and evening, I have not seen the issue at all.
> 
> Would be helpful if others can confirm whether they are still seeing this.
> 
> Also - the people earlier in this thread that asked about the Stingray music channels - those were moved to SDV on our system back in March and now require a tuning adapter. I'm on the Brookhaven system.


@RickNY -- Unfortunately, the v58 issue with Cablevision of Long Island returned for me CNBC, and A&E specifically. The error seems to be worse, as it does NOT recover, only changing the channel returns to live broadcast!!!


----------



## lemur21

I made the switch to Fios ... no tuning adapter; no pixelation ... and - while I'll need to upgrade my wifi adapter in my laptop (to take advantage of the 5ghz) -- that will put me into the 450mbps range .... over 50 ... which I'll take for the extra $35-40 a month .....:/

They were all sorts of "Oh, we'll do this for you if you stay" etc. ...Nope. Nope. Nope. (and, hearing that the error is back just solidifies my decision ... watching "live" sports with hang-ups every 30 seconds was driving me nuts).


----------



## Hank

Once you go FIOS, you never go back.*

*Unless you move to a town with a forced Cablevision monopoly. Then you're screwed.


----------



## razor237

Wow cablevision support had gone to utter dog ****. My bolt HD failed and got an edge replacement should be good to go get the cable card paired to the new box should be easy as it always has been but no 4 phone calls to India later and still cant get anyone who knows what they are doing. i should have just replaced the HD and been done with it has anyone had any luck getting the cards paired properly


----------



## Hank

Yes, you have to keep trying to get someone who knows how to BIND cablecards. Don't say "pair".. say "I need to BIND my cablecard to my Tivo". That might get you to the right person.

Once you get that person, it should only take 5 minutes to send the binding/auth codes.


----------



## lemur21

You have to call retention and threaten to leave ... then they respond.

But, if you're in a non-Fios area, they'll know you're bluffing, so YMMV ....


----------



## Achim Franz

razor237 said:


> Wow cablevision support had gone to utter dog ****. My bolt HD failed and got an edge replacement should be good to go get the cable card paired to the new box should be easy as it always has been but no 4 phone calls to India later and still cant get anyone who knows what they are doing. i should have just replaced the HD and been done with it has anyone had any luck getting the cards paired properly


welcome to the club, I have been after the exact situation here on eastern LI for two weeks now, got a new Tivo Edge after my Bolt+ died, new cable card after a few pairing attempts, and all I hear from optimum is that cablecards are not really supported anymore, you get a few channels, but need a tuning adapter for some of the rest, which you can't get as I just confirmed in my local store, and many channels you won't be able to get at all anymore, even so you pay for it. It is clearly their way to push Tivo out and force you to use their equipment. Please file a complained at the FCC (fcc.gov), you will get calls back from Optimum within a day and in my case their offered to lower my bill, but not solving the actual problem.


----------



## razor237

Yeah ive tried asking both ways lol , i may go get a new card and maybe that will get them to actually try ... i had less trouble getting my Series 3 working lol


----------



## razor237

Achim Franz said:


> welcome to the club, I have been after the exact situation here on eastern LI for two weeks now, got a new Tivo Edge after my Bolt+ died, new cable card after a few pairing attempts, and all I hear from optimum is that cablecards are not really supported anymore, you get a few channels, but need a tuning adapter for some of the rest, which you can't get as I just confirmed in my local store, and many channels you won't be able to get at all anymore, even so you pay for it. It is clearly their way to push Tivo out and force you to use their equipment. Please file a complained at the FCC (fcc.gov), you will get calls back from Optimum within a day and in my case their offered to lower my bill, but not solving the actual problem.


Yes they are trying to drive people off the Cable cards , they really suck .


----------



## KENL

razor237 said:


> Yes they are trying to drive people off the Cable cards , they really suck .


Upgraded my basic Roamio to a plus model _I purchased on Ebay. I have fios, went to their site and found an automated process to switch cable card from my old Roamio to the used plus model. Easy and worked first time. _


----------



## Hank

FIOS _RULEZ_!


----------



## razor237

Yeah i wish i could get FIOS its good stuff unfortunately i cant get it they wont finish my area  time to move :tearsofjoy:



KENL said:


> Upgraded my basic Roamio to a plus model _I purchased on Ebay. I have fios, went to their site and found an automated process to switch cable card from my old Roamio to the used plus model. Easy and worked first time. _





Hank said:


> FIOS _RULEZ_!


----------



## Hank

razor237 said:


> Yeah i wish i could get FIOS its good stuff unfortunately i cant get it they wont finish my area  time to move :tearsofjoy:


I've moved THREE TIMES and I _still_ can't get out of the CVMZ.


----------



## Joe816

It looks like I'm stuck in the same situation as everyone else. But heres more. I recently had a cablevision issue and they actually came and fixed it a week ago. But when the guy came he told me that Cablevision will not be supporting Tivos at all. And that by the end of November 2020 I will lose all of my channels. There is no work around. They told me this a month ago and I emailed Tivo and they actually told me that this was not true. I was relieved because i had just upgraded my Tivos and purchased 2 Tvo Bolt +. I just spent $600 on my upgrade. But now that this new worker told me, I have been trying to contact Tivo support and they will not reply. I have been a life long customer, and they will not respond. Do I have 2 very expensive paper weights sitting around? What are all of you doing? I want to keep Tivo because I like the features. Does Optimum offer anything comprable?


----------



## Steve

Joe816 said:


> It looks like I'm stuck in the same situation as everyone else. But heres more. I recently had a cablevision issue and they actually came and fixed it a week ago. But when the guy came he told me that Cablevision will not be supporting Tivos at all. And that by the end of November 2020 I will lose all of my channels. There is no work around. They told me this a month ago and I emailed Tivo and they actually told me that this was not true. I was relieved because i had just upgraded my Tivos and purchased 2 Tvo Bolt +. I just spent $600 on my upgrade. But now that this new worker told me, I have been trying to contact Tivo support and they will not reply. I have been a life long customer, and they will not respond. Do I have 2 very expensive paper weights sitting around? What are all of you doing? I want to keep Tivo because I like the features. Does Optimum offer anything comprable?


Checked here and didn't see any chatter about Optimum TiVo support going away. You might want to post your question there.


----------



## Hank

I've learned from my own experience and this very thread that the Optimum techs don't know what they're talking about.


----------



## driverseven

I'm in Westchester County, NY and in the last couple of weeks I went through hell with Optimum but I did succeed in getting a new cable card and having it paired. Not one of the 10 different Optimum employees I spoke with during this process told me that they wouldn't support cable cards or Tivo. In fact, getting a new cable card from the retail store was simple: just show up with it and wait while she checked out the new one. Getting it paired (or binded) was the hard part.

I posted this saga on a different thread. I'll repost it here in case it helps anyone going thru something similar. I know what's like when you are trying to solve this problem -- any hint can help make a difference in success v. failure



> I succeeded in getting Optimum to pair a new cable card this week but it was not easy. It require 9 different attempts. I know it was 9 because the last service rep told me she had read my file. So they do actually keep notes on your customer service calls. A couple of those were via Chat where I threatened to switch to FIOS if it wasn't resolved. (Some of those sessions were over an hour long.)
> 
> Three times, the call or chat ended with them saying that I needed to call a different number; twice, the number was Tivo customer support. One time it ended with them telling me that they don't have the tools to support a cable card.
> 
> What is really frustrating is that once I finally was speaking with a technician who had the proper instructions it was all resolved in 15 minutes. All she really needed was the Cable Card ID and Host iD and the right software tool in front of her. That person told me it was the first time they were doing this. All of the support reps. were women with strong accents who were obviously working from very simple scripts.
> 
> My problems started because HGTV started to freeze and pixelate. I thought I might fix it by re-seating the cable card. After I did that, the Tivo hard disk failed. After I fixed the hard disk, when I called Optimum to pair it , I was told I needed a new cable card. So maybe in the end my HGTV problem was an old cable card. I have heard that FIOS does provide better Tivo support, so if this happens again, I am making the switch.


My comments were posted originally in this thread
Optimum states they no longer support Tivo


----------



## veritech

I was having the same v58 error messages with both my Tivo's. I called Optimum multiple times and had multiple visits from techs that had no idea what they were doing. Here is my story...
On one of my calls I found a rep that knew about cable cards and he rebound them, it didn't help. So he said I needed a visit to the house. Three techs came to the house, the first 2 checked the line from the pole to the house and said my signal is fine & it was somewhere down the line so they would escalate my issue to the line division. I complained multiple times to the board of public utilities and finally had an Altice rep call me, he sent a specialty tech out. When this guy came he went right to the Tivo and found that my signal was so bad he couldn't even run a test, he went to the line coming in and found it was disintegrating. I been in this house for 20 years and the line has never been replaced so its older than their online service. He replaced the line and the rebound the cards and that was the end of the v58 errors and that increased my internet speed as well, BUT it also changed my stations. A few months back Optimum changed their TV package names and content which in turn discontinued the SD Channels (this has been discussed in other parts of this thread), they also WILL NOT support all the stations you are paying for in your package. I have the Select package and I am missing over 50 stations, some of them are HD channels. I was told by the Altice rep that this is their policy now, my response to him was "So since I'm a Cable Card user and not a renter of your equipment you are sticking up my ass, your sticking it up all Cable Card users Ass" his response was a (A little laugh) then said "I wouldn't put it in those words but basically your not getting the full channel package if your a cable card user". So which brings me to the next step, which is a fight over my service which is on going. I have not payed my bill in full for 2 months now and will not till I get a credit or a reduced rate.


----------



## stefanomjr

Sorry this is long I'll try to keep it in bullet format: 

1. My TiVo Bolt would lose a few channels every 6 weeks or so. I'd call Optimum and they'd shoot a signal to the card and fix the problem.
2. Last time this happened I called and the tech fixed the issue and told me that they saw an error on the card and I should really take it to my local cable store and get a new card. He said to do it sooner than later because the card would eventually fail.
3. Took it to the LCP store on 1/8/21 - got there at 8am (when they open) and had to wait over an hour to get in. Was given a card. Drove home and tried to get the card bound. Was eventually told the card was defective. So at noon I drove back to the store, waited in line another hour and drove home with a card. It was 8:30pm by the time we gave up trying to bind the card. At that point I was on the phone w/ both TiVo support and Optimum. I spent 12 hours. 2 hours of driving, 2 hours waiting in line and 8 hours on the phone. By the end of the day I'd called Optimum 15 times! Their automated system would make you go through 10 minutes of useless troubleshooting that had nothing to do with why I was calling and when I did get someone from India or Egypt they would literally hang up on me after about an hour of them reading from a script. (I was later told by a Optimum tech guy that had to come to the house that they do that because they have a quota) So the 15 calls i made they either told me I needed to wait 15 minutes for the card to bind and they would call me back (they never did) or they just hung up on me.

Optimum ended up calling me on Saturday morning, someone from their Long Island City HQ, asking if the problem was resolved. We spent 10 minutes trying to bind the card and they said they would work on it on their end.


Went back to the cable store the following Monday and begged them for TWO cards so I wouldn't have to come back in case the card was also broken. Again didn't work, again wasted a full day - 9 phone calls that day...also more hangups. At this point, i begrudgingly agreed to have a tech visit. 

Tech came, spent 5 hours in my house and went through another 4 cards he had on him. Still couldn't bind the cards....had a level 2 tech on the call. At this point they all agreed it was my TiVo box. I called TiVo tech support to try and get them on my side. Reading these community board I knew it had to do with their frequency compression and something on their engineering side.

TiVo was useless!!!! They told me I most likely did need a new TiVo and since my Bolt was out of warranty I would have to buy a new TiVo AND since they weren't running any promos I'd have to pay for my lifetime service again since they wouldn't transfer my existing one to the new box.

This was nine days ago. I've since switched to Fios. They came, installed a new OTN ran a line to the wall where the TiVo and TV are. Pulled out a brand new card and bound it in 5 minutes!! 

If you have Altice Optimum I recommend you switch to Verizon Fios. Optimum rates a negative one in customer service. The cable cards they have are all refurbished and no newer than 2012. They dont support tuning adaptors anymore so if/when that breaks you are told to find one on Ebay. Whatever changes they made to their systems they no longer are capable of binding cards (assuming the cards even work). 

Side note: when i called to cancel my Cable subscription (I'd been using cable TV since my parents got cable in 1979!) they offered me two months free cable and one of their boxes for a year - rent free. No thank you!


----------



## jcondon

Yeah once we get our Covid vaccines we will likely switch back to FiOS. We have had a lot of disappearing/reappearing channels. Mostly on one of the 3 boxes. Wasted countless hours talking to their "support". Recently had channels moved to SDV and have been told they don't have any more TA. A few reps say maybe the store might. Others say no stores have it too bad. Got free Showtime and Starz for a few months since all but one of the Starz/Encore channels isn't available (supposedly anyway) to us with out the TA.

They are horrible the last year or so with cable cards. In the past once you got the card paired it just seemed to work (at least for me). But now its a crap shoot. What channels will disappear for a few days? Which ones will go away forever. What story will tech support give you?


----------



## Hank

stefanomjr said:


> Sorry this is long I'll try to keep it in bullet format:
> 
> 1. My TiVo Bolt would lose a few channels every 6 weeks or so. I'd call Optimum and they'd shoot a signal to the card and fix the problem.
> 2. Last time this happened I called and the tech fixed the issue and told me that they saw an error on the card and I should really take it to my local cable store and get a new card. He said to do it sooner than later because the card would eventually fail.
> 3. Took it to the LCP store on 1/8/21 - got there at 8am (when they open) and had to wait over an hour to get in. Was given a card. Drove home and tried to get the card bound. Was eventually told the card was defective. So at noon I drove back to the store, waited in line another hour and drove home with a card. It was 8:30pm by the time we gave up trying to bind the card. At that point I was on the phone w/ both TiVo support and Optimum. I spent 12 hours. 2 hours of driving, 2 hours waiting in line and 8 hours on the phone. By the end of the day I'd called Optimum 15 times! Their automated system would make you go through 10 minutes of useless troubleshooting that had nothing to do with why I was calling and when I did get someone from India or Egypt they would literally hang up on me after about an hour of them reading from a script. (I was later told by a Optimum tech guy that had to come to the house that they do that because they have a quota) So the 15 calls i made they either told me I needed to wait 15 minutes for the card to bind and they would call me back (they never did) or they just hung up on me.
> 
> Optimum ended up calling me on Saturday morning, someone from their Long Island City HQ, asking if the problem was resolved. We spent 10 minutes trying to bind the card and they said they would work on it on their end.
> 
> Went back to the cable store the following Monday and begged them for TWO cards so I wouldn't have to come back in case the card was also broken. Again didn't work, again wasted a full day - 9 phone calls that day...also more hangups. At this point, i begrudgingly agreed to have a tech visit.
> 
> Tech came, spent 5 hours in my house and went through another 4 cards he had on him. Still couldn't bind the cards....had a level 2 tech on the call. At this point they all agreed it was my TiVo box. I called TiVo tech support to try and get them on my side. Reading these community board I knew it had to do with their frequency compression and something on their engineering side.
> 
> TiVo was useless!!!! They told me I most likely did need a new TiVo and since my Bolt was out of warranty I would have to buy a new TiVo AND since they weren't running any promos I'd have to pay for my lifetime service again since they wouldn't transfer my existing one to the new box.
> 
> This was nine days ago. I've since switched to Fios. They came, installed a new OTN ran a line to the wall where the TiVo and TV are. Pulled out a brand new card and bound it in 5 minutes!!
> 
> If you have Altice Optimum I recommend you switch to Verizon Fios. Optimum rates a negative one in customer service. The cable cards they have are all refurbished and no newer than 2012. They dont support tuning adaptors anymore so if/when that breaks you are told to find one on Ebay. Whatever changes they made to their systems they no longer are capable of binding cards (assuming the cards even work).
> 
> Side note: when i called to cancel my Cable subscription (I'd been using cable TV since my parents got cable in 1979!) they offered me two months free cable and one of their boxes for a year - rent free. No thank you!


If you read previous posts in this thread, I pretty much had the same experience and problem with the Tivo Bolt. Tried for days to get multiple cablecards to bind and it never worked. Until I tried binding the CCs in my other Tivos (Roamio and S3) and they all worked nearly instantly. So yeah, it's not the cablecards! I even sent the Bolt to Weaknees for $60 to get checked out, but they can't test the Cablecard module and sent it back saying the tuner works just fine. Duh, I knew that already! I told them up-front the exact problem (no CC binding) but they took my money even though they knew they couldn't test it properly. I found that to be pretty shady business.

I don't have the choice to move to FIOS here, Cablevision has a monopoly. So I ended up buying a used Roamio Plus to replace the Bolt, which still sits here useless. I might try to sell it since the antenna tuners work and it still has Lifetime service.


----------



## SC42

I got an email from Optimum yesterday, explaining that my NDS card needs to be replaced with a “PowerKey” model, which they’ll ship to me. I also got a phone number (different than the regular customer service #) to call for setup. Anyone else get this? I’m not looking forward to binding this new card. Maybe an attempt to force us out of cable cards?


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## tpm

I received an email from Optimum stating NDS CableCards are out of business. I have Cisco CableCards being mailed to me


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## blacknoi

Same email received by me. Strap in kids!!


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## tpm

blacknoi said:


> Same email received by me. Strap in kids!!


 Hopefully installs easy


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## blacknoi

Wish they'd send me a tuning adapter at the same time... been hunting for them for months and even after an FCC complaint, still can't get one.


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## SC42

tpm said:


> Hopefully installs easy


I'd be surprised if this goes down easy. The Optimum notice says the NDS cards won't work as of April 1st. Can anyone envision this scenario:

Optimum Rep says "I acknowledge that you are trying to bind our Cisco/PowerKey cable card to your third party device, but I am unable to do this, and federally mandated support for cable cards is no more. It must be an issue with your TiVo. I suggest contacting TiVo for support or going to an Optimum store to acquire cable box(es)."


----------



## tpm

SC42 said:


> I'd be surprised if this goes down easy. The Optimum notice says the NDS cards won't work as of April 1st. Can anyone envision this scenario:
> 
> Optimum Rep says "I acknowledge that you are trying to bind our Cisco/PowerKey cable card to your third party device, but I am unable to do this, and federally mandated support for cable cards is no more. It must be an issue with your TiVo. I suggest contacting TiVo for support or going to an Optimum store to acquire cable box(es)."


Hopefully easier than that. They are being somewhat proactive. Usually however it takes a visit with a tech to get it binded


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## SC42

tpm said:


> Usually however it takes a visit with a tech to get it binded


Not in my experience. All the techs I've encountered just get an email sent to the inside people who need to do the binding. Many posts here relate how it takes multiple phone calls to customer service to get the right person on the line who know how to bind the cards.


----------



## tpm

SC42 said:


> Not in my experience. All the techs I've encountered just get an email sent to the inside people who need to do the binding. Many posts here relate how it takes multiple phone calls to customer service to get the right person on the line who know how to bind the cards.


Where I am it's always taken a tech at the house who communicates with whoever he calls to get it straightened out


----------



## driverseven

I've had Cisco cable cards for many years; I told my horror story of re-binding a Tivo Bolt after the hard disk was replaced. One of the phone reps told me to replace the cable card and when I went to the store, they gave me a card of the same model.

It took me many phone calls but I concluded that you just need to be persistent and find a rep who is willing to dig out the script and knows how to follow it. If I have to do it again, I will try to escalate to a supervisor ASAP (and if that doesn't work, I'll switch to FIOS). Maybe I'm overly optimistic but the fact that they were pro-active in replacing the NDIS cards means somewhere in the dark bowels of Altice, someone realizes they should support cable cards. I take every opportunity I can to complain that lack of cable card support will be a dealbreaker for me with Altice.


----------



## Achim Franz

SC42 said:


> I got an email from Optimum yesterday, explaining that my NDS card needs to be replaced with a "PowerKey" model, which they'll ship to me. I also got a phone number (different than the regular customer service #) to call for setup. Anyone else get this? I'm not looking forward to binding this new card. Maybe an attempt to force us out of cable cards?


got the same message today ... let see if that changes everything, I ended up getting a cablebox so I can watch channels I don't receive on my Tivo anymore.


----------



## Steve

driverseven said:


> I've had Cisco cable cards for many years; [...] It took me many phone calls but I concluded that you just need to be persistent and find a rep who is willing to dig out the script and knows how to follow it.


My experience as well. Couldn't have said it any better.


----------



## Achim Franz

SC42 said:


> I got an email from Optimum yesterday, explaining that my NDS card needs to be replaced with a "PowerKey" model, which they'll ship to me. I also got a phone number (different than the regular customer service #) to call for setup. Anyone else get this? I'm not looking forward to binding this new card. Maybe an attempt to force us out of cable cards?


yes , me too, they should add a tuning adapter too ...


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## WR2M

I also got a letter regarding the cable card replacement. Yesterday around 7pm 2/24 I lost all the encrypted channels. All I get now is 2-13 
I'm running a Tivo Roamio. Anyone else experienced this ? Has Tivo done any updates ?


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## tpm

I received a letter which is the same as the email. No channels have changed for me however. Hopefully new cards show up next week


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## Achim Franz

WR2M said:


> I also got a letter regarding the cable card replacement. Yesterday around 7pm 2/24 I lost all the encrypted channels. All I get now is 2-13
> I'm running a Tivo Roamio. Anyone else experienced this ? Has Tivo done any updates ?


Same issue here, my Tivo is becoming useless, but I think that is what Optimum wants to promote their DVRs.


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## HarleyRandom

Before I could do anything on my Roamio I had to read a message saying I could get a good deal on an Edge for cable. Three problems with this. One, cable is too expensive and if I can ever get someone to install an antenna and it works, goodbye to Spectrum. Two, I have to get a cable card. Or I have been told I can make it work with an antenna. I have one that currently receives no channels because I had to use a flat screen TV and unlike the old TV, the antenna can't go on top. It used to work when on top. Three, I have to hook the Edge up to something and it likely won't work with the old TVs.

For now, if I were to take advantage, Edge is like my Bolt, something to store shows. I'm out of space and deleting "Jeopardy" episodes I probably saw and church services I don't really need to watch since they are online. I think.


----------



## markmj000

WR2M said:


> I also got a letter regarding the cable card replacement. Yesterday around 7pm 2/24 I lost all the encrypted channels. All I get now is 2-13
> I'm running a Tivo Roamio. Anyone else experienced this ? Has Tivo done any updates ?


I have two Bolts. About a week ago, one of them lost all my pay stations (800s) and a few others (V58 error). A couple days later my other Bolt lost almost all but 2-13. I just assume that Optimum is reconfiguring the back end for the new cards without regard to the existing cards. I am in Ledgewood, Morris County, NJ.


----------



## WR2M

markmj000 said:


> I have two Bolts. About a week ago, one of them lost all my pay stations (800s) and a few others (V58 error). A couple days later my other Bolt lost almost all but 2-13. I just assume that Optimum is reconfiguring the back end for the new cards without regard to the existing cards. I am in Ledgewood, Morris County, NJ.


I'm right in Landing so we're pretty close. Hopefully the new cable-cards will restore all our missing channels, GOOD LUCK !


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## tpm

I received tracking for the new CableCards. Should have them shortly


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## SC42

Got my 2 cards yesterday. Manufactured in 2012 and 2015. Optimum’s really going all out for us card users! Will install soon. Good luck to us all.


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## tpm

SC42 said:


> Got my 2 cards yesterday. Manufactured in 2012 and 2015. Optimum's really going all out for us card users! Will install soon. Good luck to us all.


Mine are coming tomorrow, Wednesday.
So I guess they are replacing outdated cards with newer outdated cards

let us know how installation goes


----------



## NashGuy

SC42 said:


> Got my 2 cards yesterday. Manufactured in 2012 and 2015. Optimum's really going all out for us card users! Will install soon. Good luck to us all.


I don't think there have been any new CableCARDs manufactured for a few years now. The government mandate that cable operators install them in their own boxes expired at the end of 2015. And then the separate mandate that operators offer them on a standalone basis for use in retail devices (e.g. TiVos) expired last year. So I'm sure there won't be any more made by Cisco or Motorola or whoever. At this point, cable operators are just shuffling through their existing supply until they're all broken, or there aren't any more customers requesting them, or the operator just decides not to fool with them any more.


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## Achim Franz

SC42 said:


> Got my 2 cards yesterday. Manufactured in 2012 and 2015. Optimum's really going all out for us card users! Will install soon. Good luck to us all.


received three cards 2012/2013/2013, even so I only need one. for two days now I'm trying the number they gave us in the email without reaching anybody. The new card works, but I only get the basic channeks and V58 errors for the others.

Update: Finally got someone on the phone and all works great again, but it took hours on hold.


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## Achim Franz

tpm said:


> Mine are coming tomorrow, Wednesday.
> So I guess they are replacing outdated cards with newer outdated cards
> 
> let us know how installation goes


Here is some good news for a change, after hours on hold I finally got someone who knew about cable cards and he bonded my new Cisco card with my Tivo and I have all the channekls back I was missing before, like CNN, HBO, STARZ, ... without tuning adapter.


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## stevet555

The fact that you cannot get someone to actually successfully bind the card is pathetic. You would think with the size of this swap, they would actually have it sorted. I received my card, and will prepare for a week of lost service (again) .. sigh..


----------



## tpm

stevet555 said:


> The fact that you cannot get someone to actually successfully bind the card is pathetic. You would think with the size of this swap, they would actually have it sorted. I received my card, and will prepare for a week of lost service (again) .. sigh..


That's crazy


----------



## Achim Franz

stevet555 said:


> The fact that you cannot get someone to actually successfully bind the card is pathetic. You would think with the size of this swap, they would actually have it sorted. I received my card, and will prepare for a week of lost service (again) .. sigh..


This would worth to inform the FCC about, which usually gets Optimum moving. But if you call the number what was in the emails about your new card, 866.442.0098, remember that they only work from 8-5h and be prepared to sit and wait on hold for a few hours like I had to, but it did solve all the problems I had before.


----------



## jcondon

With the deregulation of Cablecards last year I don't think the FCC cares anymore either. 

I just hope they don't get to me until May. At which point I will just switch back to FiOS I think. They still seem to support cable cards.


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## tpm

Just got done having 2 CableCards binded. Just over 2 hour hold time  but the woman knew what she was doing and had both TiVos up and running in about 20 minutes


----------



## SC42

I’ve got a success story to share. I got off work at 2 so I had a small window of time to get this done. Called the 0098 number and lost the call after 30 minutes twice (thank you Altice Mobile). Dug out my old “Advanced Technical Services” phone number (which I believe is who TiVo calls when you ask for a three way support call). I was told to call Optimum billing to get the new card activated on my account first, then ATS would help pair/provision the card. Called billing at 8882765255. The auto attendant identifies this as Optimum Business. After a few prompts, I got through to residential billing (1 minute hold time). Gave the rep the PK number from the card. She said she needed the serial number instead (huh?) and transferred me to someone else who would assist. This guy told me he’s in billing, support, video, internet, but couldn’t provide a department name. Anyhow, after 2 minutes to pair the card with my TiVo host id, I was getting “regular” channels (CBS, etc...). He said it sometimes takes a few minutes for the other channels to activate, and that he would call me back in 20 to check. 5 minutes later I had all my channels! AND, he did call back!! 

I think I’ll go play the numbers tonight.


----------



## J3ff

We have most channels other than things in the 100 range. Anyone have optimum, tivo and channels in the 100's ?


----------



## RickNY

J3ff said:


> We have most channels other than things in the 100 range. Anyone have optimum, tivo and channels in the 100's ?


Yes, yes, and yes - all working here in Brookhaven (I have a tuning adapter)


----------



## Hank

yeah, all our HD channels are >600


----------



## tpm

Hank said:


> yeah, all our HD channels are >600


 Mine are 700 HD for most popular stations


----------



## tpm

I have Roamio and Premiere boxes and except for a couple of channels comes in good.
I did have an issue yesterday with the v58 error but I contacted Optimum Help via private message on Twitter no less. Got a return answer within 5 minutes and resolved my issue


----------



## Hank

tpm said:


> Mine are 700 HD for most popular stations


Yeah, the popular ones, but the HD channels have been leaking under 700 for a while now.


----------



## RickNY

Hank said:


> yeah, all our HD channels are >600





tpm said:


> Mine are 700 HD for most popular stations


I could be wrong, but I think the poster was referring to issues receiving channels in the 100 range (100-199) - many of which are SD and have been moved to SDV and require a TA


----------



## tpm

RickNY said:


> I could be wrong, but I think the poster was referring to issues receiving channels in the 100 range (100-199) - many of which are SD and have been moved to SDV and require a TA


I have issues with channel 150 but it did work in the past. Very pixilated and choppy. Was never mentioned I needed a tuning adapter


----------



## RickNY

tpm said:


> I have issues with channel 150 but it did work in the past. Very pixilated and choppy. Was never mentioned I needed a tuning adapter


OK... 150 is not SDV, so shouldn't require a TA (at least on the Brookhaven system) and comes in fine for me..


----------



## tpm

RickNY said:


> OK... 150 is not SDV, so shouldn't require a TA (at least on the Brookhaven system) and comes in fine for me..


Good to know, Thanks


----------



## jcondon

Our last discount ran out. Bill up to $168.xx. Been trying out Youtube TV. It has TCM and SNY which are important to my wife.

Initial plan was to switch to FiOS 300/300 Internet $39.99 plus a $50 GC. However they want checking account info for that rate. Auto pay on a credit card is $49.99. Cablevision can do autopay on a credit card and give their discounted rate. 

Funny timing I think my neighbor just switched today to FiOS. Verizon was at their house for an hour this afternoon.

So for now we are keeping Internet with Cablevision for $39.99 300/20. Likely will switch the Internet to FiOS at some point. We have an older router that may or may not be supported so that might have been an additional cost. Plus not having to deal with an install now is nice. 

The bump in price and their crappy CC support over the last 2 years was enough to push us away from their TV. According to the rep I dealt with we were the 3rd call today that mentioned Cablecard issues. 

Tomorrow I will drop off their cablecards and wireless router (haven't used that in months maybe a year).


----------



## RemyM

Anyone else on the Norwalk CT system getting a D261 error on channel 712? It started right after they encrypted broadcast basic.


----------



## rmd3003

Quick question. If I replace my Roamio with Edge, can I reuse my cable card (optimum)? Simply remove from Roamio and plug into Edge. Or I need to return and get another card?

Thanks


----------



## Hank

rmd3003 said:


> Quick question. If I replace my Roamio with Edge, can I reuse my cable card (optimum)? Simply remove from Roamio and plug into Edge. Or I need to return and get another card?


You can use the same card, but you have to call Optimum to have them bond it to the new Tivo. 
Write down the numbers on the back of the card before calling.


----------



## longtimeTivoCT

RemyM said:


> Anyone else on the Norwalk CT system getting a D261 error on channel 712? It started right after they encrypted broadcast basic.


We have this issue on channel 845 (QVC) as of 48-72 hours ago, but 712 works OK. Also on Optimum/Norwalk. The Optimum page still lists 712 and 845 as CableCard channels, and there is no mention of a tuning adapter requirement: https://www.optimum.net/cdn/static....up-cablecard/CableCARD-Channel-Lineups-CT.pdf

We have been with TiVo since Series 1, and TiVo has survived just about every threat possible in our household - including recent stories of hours and hours on hold with Optimum, every challenge imaginable with re-pairing cable cards (“what is a cable card?”, “Optimum doesn’t support cable cards”), FCC complaints, etc.

*But losing QVC might be the final straw in this household.* (Not with me, but I am not the sole decision maker!)

What’s frustrating is that I never received a notice from Optimum that any changes would be made. We did not install tuning adapters when the SD channels started to require them (we just ignore those channels) and it’s odd that a single HD channel (QVC) would randomly start to display this D261 error. But here we are, perhaps at the end of an era.

For what its worth, the QVC app on Apple TV is an option, but the image quality is quite soft. Even on a channel like QVC where image quality is not as important, it’s noticeably soft to the point that non-AV people notice.


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## RemyM

longtimeTivoCT said:


> We have this issue on channel 845 (QVC) as of 48-72 hours ago, but 712 works OK. Also on Optimum/Norwalk. The Optimum page still lists 712 and 845 as CableCard channels, and there is no mention of a tuning adapter requirement: https://www.optimum.net/cdn/static....up-cablecard/CableCARD-Channel-Lineups-CT.pdf
> 
> *But losing QVC might be the final straw in this household.* (Not with me, but I am not the sole decision maker!)


I posted on the Optimum direct forum of DSL reports this morning and what a surprise, it started working again in time to record the news at 5:00.

They started moving premium channels back to SDV recently, not that I have any.

For my wife, News 12 is the only reason we still have Optimum. I would have gone back to an antenna by now.


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