# Warning: Comcast channel lineup SNAFU



## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

Some time recently, Comcast here in SE Michigan did a massive channel lineup reorganization and as a result, the Tivo channel lineup and guide data in my Bolt are very SNAFU'd.

1. It appears as though Tivo simply overlaid the new lineup over the old one. Channel numbers that did NOT change still have the correct channel names. Channel numbers that DID change have the correct channel names BUT if the new channel number is a channel that was not previously checked in the "channel list", it will not show up in the guide and you cannot tune to it. By the same token, all the old channel numbers are still present in the channel list with their old names (and still checked if they were previously checked) but when you tune to one you get a "channel not authorized" error unless that channel number was re-used for a new provider.

2. As of 11AM September 22, and after several forced connections, there is no guide data for all the re-located channels (shows as TBD)..... looks like Tivo has not updated the guide data for the relocated channels.

3. When I compared the Comcast lineup to the Tivo lineup for the relocated channels, I also found five or six where the relocated channel in the Tivo lineup had the wrong name (verified by examining the onscreen logo on the actual programming). The channel name DID agree with the Comcast lineup. 

I called Tivo support this morning and they are looking into it. I sent them a link to my channel lineup and they could see the discrepancies. How long this takes to get fixed is anyone's guess. In the mean time, we have lots of stuff on the ToDo list that is set to record the wrong program and/or won't record at all because the channel is no longer where Tivo is looking at it.

In the mean time I manually un-checked / checked all my desired channels per the new Comcast lineup so at least I can tune to them. 

We got a letter from Comcast a month or so back announcing this reorganization and I had a hunch this would be the result.......

Paul


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

Same in West Michigan. 

Tivo support tells me that it will be approximately five days until it will be fixed.


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## BigGuy62 (Apr 16, 2017)

Comcast rolled out a new lineup in Mass but also kept the old channels, so pretty much every network is in the lineup twice. I had some issues, but calling TiVo they were able to get Comcast to update the database that Comcast provides for 3rd party CableCard equipment vendors to get the linup from.
This is definitely a Comcast issue.
It can also help to re-run guided setup, but even then if Comcast has incorrect data in the database, there is not much TiVo can do, other than getting Comcast to fix it


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

BigGuy62 said:


> Comcast rolled out a new lineup in Mass but also kept the old channels, so pretty much every network is in the lineup twice. I had some issues, but calling TiVo they were able to get Comcast to update the database that Comcast provides for 3rd party CableCard equipment vendors to get the linup from.
> This is definitely a Comcast issue.
> It can also help to re-run guided setup, but even then if Comcast has incorrect data in the database, there is not much TiVo can do, other than getting Comcast to fix it


Running guided setup doesn't fix this. I tried before contacting Tivo support.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

So what is the consensus? Comcast provided the wrong info to Tivo? After I reprogrammed all my checked channels, they are all correct with a couple exceptions. It is just the lack of guide data that is holding up the works. 

FWIW, I just forced a connection and didn't get anything new. 

Paul


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

pgoelz said:


> So what is the consensus? Comcast provided the wrong info to Tivo? After I reprogrammed all my checked channels, they are all correct with a couple exceptions. It is just the lack of guide data that is holding up the works.
> 
> FWIW, I just forced a connection and didn't get anything new.
> 
> Paul


Hard to say, IMO. However, I can't imagine our asking Comcast to fix it would get anywhere. Tivo needs to solve it even if that means getting Comcast to do something.


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## BigGuy62 (Apr 16, 2017)

Yea, Comcast provided incorrect info.
This has been an ongoing issue for me as Comcast rolls out new channels. at least 1 out of 3 times, it is incorrect info and I have to contact TiVo who then calls Comcast. takes from 2 to 5 days to fix, mostly on the Comcast side.
The sooner you call Tivo or use the lineup incorrect form that faster it gets fixed. Since they moved support overseas, the lineup form is definitely a faster fix


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

BigGuy62 said:


> Yea, Comcast provided incorrect info.
> This has been an ongoing issue for me as Comcast rolls out new channels. at least 1 out of 3 times, it is incorrect info and I have to contact TiVo who then calls Comcast. takes from 2 to 5 days to fix, mostly on the Comcast side.
> The sooner you call Tivo or use the lineup incorrect form that faster it gets fixed. Since they moved support overseas, the lineup form is definitely a faster fix


But at least here in SE Michigan, the Tivo channel lineup IS (mostly) CORRECT. All that is missing is the guide data for all the relocated channels. Of course, without guide data a Tivo is pretty useless.....

Paul


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

pgoelz said:


> But at least here in SE Michigan, the Tivo channel lineup IS (mostly) CORRECT. All that is missing is the guide data for all the relocated channels. Of course, without guide data a Tivo is pretty useless.....
> 
> Paul


Same issue here. Some channels are mislabeled but most are correct. There is little guide data above 1000.

Isn't Tivo responsible for guide data once they have the correct channel?


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

pgoelz said:


> But at least here in SE Michigan, the Tivo channel lineup IS (mostly) CORRECT. All that is missing is the guide data for all the relocated channels. Of course, without guide data a Tivo is pretty useless.....


If you don't have guide data then the TiVo lineup is wrong and needs to be updated by TiVo. The TiVo is getting the channel map from the CableCARD which allows you to check them in the channel list and see whatever call letters/channel identification provided by the CableCARD.

Scott


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

HerronScott said:


> If you don't have guide data then the TiVo lineup is wrong and needs to be updated by TiVo. The TiVo is getting the channel map from the CableCARD which allows you to check them in the channel list and see whatever call letters/channel identification provided by the CableCARD.
> 
> Scott


Ah, that kinda makes sense. So the cable card is updated by Comcast and the Tivo determines which channels are available based on what the cable card tells it? But..... before I unchecked all the old channels, they were still displayed complete with guide data. However, trying to tune to one of them produced a "channel not authorized". Which I assumed meant the cable card would not allow tuning to the channel. ?????

Paul


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

pgoelz said:


> Ah, that kinda makes sense. So the cable card is updated by Comcast and the Tivo determines which channels are available based on what the cable card tells it? But..... before I unchecked all the old channels, they were still displayed complete with guide data. However, trying to tune to one of them produced a "channel not authorized". Which I assumed meant the cable card would not allow tuning to the channel. ?????


Correct, and that's because the TiVo lineup still includes the old channels (the channels you see is a combination of what the TiVo lineup has and what the cableCARD map supplies which ideally should be identical).

Scott


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

So.... it sounds like Comcast changed their lineup and didn't update Tivo..... AT ALL? That would explain why the old channels are still shown and have guide data. So why in the world is it taking Tivo so long to fix this? Get the new lineup, move the re-mapped channels and their guide data and call it a day? 

And when they finally get this fixed, we are still left with all the other issues... chief among them for me anyway is the unreliable slide remote operation that seems to have come along with the latest software update. At least they seem to be aware of it. 

Paul


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

pgoelz said:


> So.... it sounds like Comcast changed their lineup and didn't update Tivo..... AT ALL? That would explain why the old channels are still shown and have guide data. So why in the world is it taking Tivo so long to fix this? Get the new lineup, move the re-mapped channels and their guide data and call it a day?
> 
> And when they finally get this fixed, we are still left with all the other issues... chief among them for me anyway is the unreliable slide remote operation that seems to have come along with the latest software update. At least they seem to be aware of it.
> 
> Paul


You submitted a lineup change to TiVo?

I haven't seen any changes here with our Slide Remote and our Roamio Pro but others have reported problems (especially Bolt?).

Scott


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

HerronScott said:


> You submitted a lineup change to TiVo?
> 
> I haven't seen any changes here with our Slide Remote and our Roamio Pro but others have reported problems (especially Bolt?).
> 
> Scott


Yes, I submitted the issue via phone and online. I just now (two days later) got an Email asking for my Comcast channel lineup. Why would they be asking ME for it? That should come officially from Comcast, not me. But I sent them a PDF of the same info they could have gotten on the Comcast web site just in case.

As for the remote, when I mentioned the issue, she looked it up and said there were other reports of remote issues so they are at least aware of it. When it will actually get FIXED is anyone's guess.

Sorry for the snarky tone... its just that where in the old days Tivo (in general) used to be bulletproof... set it and forget it.... it has lately been plagued with small (and sometimes not so small) annoying issues. And the fixes can take anywhere from weeks to never to get addressed. And we pay monthly for this level of service.

Paul


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## sfhub (Jan 6, 2007)

pgoelz said:


> Yes, I submitted the issue via phone and online. I just now (two days later) got an Email asking for my Comcast channel lineup. Why would they be asking ME for it? That should come officially from Comcast, not me. But I sent them a PDF of the same info they could have gotten on the Comcast web site just in case.


It may sound counterintuitive, but a motivated TiVo user might be the best person to get the guide data from rather than navigating a bureaucracy to reach an unmotivated comcast employee.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

BigGuy62 said:


> Yea, Comcast provided incorrect info.
> This has been an ongoing issue for me as Comcast rolls out new channels. at least 1 out of 3 times, it is incorrect info and I have to contact TiVo who then calls Comcast. takes from 2 to 5 days to fix, mostly on the Comcast side.
> The sooner you call Tivo or use the lineup incorrect form that faster it gets fixed. Since they moved support overseas, the lineup form is definitely a faster fix


It occurred to me this morning that there are no messages in the "messages" section of the menu stating that the lineup has changed. Looks like Comcast didn't send Tivo incorrect information...... they didn't send ANY information at all. That, or Tivo / Rovi totally dropped the ball.

Paul


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

An update came through last night for my area. I took a quick glance and it looks correct.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

Ashton said:


> An update came through last night for my area. I took a quick glance and it looks correct.


So.... where are you? I'm in SE Michigan. I just forced a connection a minute or so ago and it didn't download anything.

I called Tivo yesterday and successfully got a one month service credit applied to our account to compensate for the loss of service. At the time we were being told it could be "7-10 days" before it was fixed and I wanted to make a point. It was good that they were willing to credit us but I doubt it made the point I wanted it to since I guess we aren't really dealing directly with Tivo any more when we call customer support.

And as a total aside..... since it was looking like our Tivo would be down for a while I went over to the Xfinity store (walking distance from me) and tried to get an X1 box to try while the Tivo was down. They said they could not put an X1 on my account if I did not remove my cable card (didn't want to do that) so I got a standard Motorola DVR box. An hour later we took it back  We have always had a Tivo so I was not prepared for the prehistoric 480p GUI on the standard Comcast set top box! It was so klunky and awful that it just wasn't worth struggling with it. Four lines per screen for the guide with vast wasted space. Really?

Paul


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

Looks like SE Michigan just got fixed. I forced a connection at 4:15PM and it resulted in a brielf download and a much longer install. Afterwards, all channels with missing guide information now have guide information populated. 

Paul


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## donkeykong (Jun 20, 2004)

pgoelz said:


> Looks like SE Michigan just got fixed. I forced a connection at 4:15PM and it resulted in a brielf download and a much longer install. Afterwards, all channels with missing guide information now have guide information populated.
> 
> Paul


Thank you for posting this, Paul. I'm in SW Michigan using Charter and yesterday, my TiVos' channels were updated and I lost almost all of my guide data with the exception of the few channels that were not changed (HBOHD-E, ShowtimeHD-E, etc.). Forced a connection but nothing happened. I'm hoping that this will resolve soon!


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

donkeykong said:


> Thank you for posting this, Paul. I'm in SW Michigan using Charter and yesterday, my TiVos' channels were updated and I lost almost all of my guide data with the exception of the few channels that were not changed (HBOHD-E, ShowtimeHD-E, etc.). Forced a connection but nothing happened. I'm hoping that this will resolve soon!


Actually, that sounds backwards from our Comcast struggles. In our case, what I think happened was Comcast re-organized the channels, updated the cable card but never told Tivo. So all the guide data was still on channels we could no longer tune to. And of course, Comcast and Charter are separate entities.... I think?

Good luck getting it fixed. In our case, it took the better part of a week. Tivo has a process and it does not seem to matter how many customers are affected.... they wont expedite it.

Paul


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## Ashton (Dec 3, 2014)

pgoelz said:


> Looks like SE Michigan just got fixed. I forced a connection at 4:15PM and it resulted in a brielf download and a much longer install. Afterwards, all channels with missing guide information now have guide information populated.
> 
> Paul


Glad to hear you're back up and running!


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## Mark cassar (Oct 1, 2017)

Just want to say **** you TiVo for moving your customer service....this sucks and you ass holes don't care...just save a buck, we pay monthly or yearly to have you run our TV not us...get your **** together!


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