# Cable Card



## Norskedar (22 d ago)

I'm having issues with spectrum & getting missing channels back. They said I needed an updated cable card. New cable is in & in their system, but now I'm missing even MORE channels! I read that spectrum will not be supporting cable cards anymore. I haven't heard anything from spectrum on this. Is this true? I love my tivo edge and have a few months to pay on it yet.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Norskedar said:


> I read that spectrum will not be supporting cable cards anymore.


Where did you read that?


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## xberk (Dec 3, 2011)

Norskedar said:


> New cable is in & in their system


What do you mean "new cable is in" ?? .. Where are you located? ..


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## Norskedar (22 d ago)

New cable card is installed in my tivo is what I meant to say. An actual spectrum tech is here not a contractor tech. Installing a tuning adapter. Says it may or may not work. I have 2 months left to pay on my tivo edge & I may have to just end up paying for something I'm not going to be able to use. Might have to get a spectrum dvr. This tech has dealt with cable cards before. Says that VERY FEW people actually have dvr's that they own anymore.


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## Norskedar (22 d ago)

mdavej said:


> Where did you read that?


Found an article online. Googled it. Don't remember exactly what I googled.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

Well if Spectrum just now sent you a new cable card, doncha think that means they’re supporting it?

There was no need for you to get a new card, they just didn’t know how to fix your original issue. Now you have a new issue that your new card is not properly provisioned on Spectrum’s system to give you all your channels.

Your ONLY recourse here is to call Spectrum and demand they figure it out.


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## gjustice (Mar 8, 2003)

I had to deal with them (again) last week. They've "officially" stopped "supporting" CC, but since some of their own devices use them, they can't dismantle the infrastructure behind them, just eliminate people that know how they work. Tuning Adapters (also in the CC realm and required in some (most?) markets) are finding waning support. They CAN make them work, just have to be persistent. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME with "normal" support phone/chat. use the CC number above, and ask for a supervisor if you get a "script reader" that won't work with you.


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## seanandrsn (Dec 12, 2010)

I've had the same issue in the past with Verizon Fios. I alway need to get a next level tech to understand that the cable card needs to be manually paired to the account. This happens any time I remove a card. I can use the automated system for reauthorization but I don't get any Fox channels (FX, FXX, FS1, FS2, Fox Business[I don't watch anyway])

Once I call and talk to a tech I always as how familiar they are with cable cards and if they have 2nd level support available to help troubleshoot. I always explain that the card needs to be manually programmed. They typically will go through their standard script and send anoth automatic hit to the card but I tell them the same thing that the card needs to be manually added & if they are unsure how to do it to reach out for additional support. Once a Level 2 tech gets involved I typically get all the channels in about 2 - 3 minutes.


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## Tom76017 (Jun 26, 2002)

I have spectrum and a tuning adapter is required for some channels. It is a TiVo cable card issue.

*Switched Digital Video (SDV) Overview*
Switched Digital Video (SDV) is an efficient way to add new channels and services on existing bandwidth by switching out digitally-encrypted channels when nobody is watching them. These channels then switch back when needed.
On an SDV system, only the digital channel you're watching is transmitted (switched in) to your home at any given time. Channels not in use aren’t transmitted (switched out) until you tune to a new channel.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

Tom76017 said:


> I have spectrum and a tuning adapter is required for some channels. It is a TiVo cable card issue.
> 
> *Switched Digital Video (SDV) Overview*
> Switched Digital Video (SDV) is an efficient way to add new channels and services on existing bandwidth by switching out digitally-encrypted channels when nobody is watching them. These channels then switch back when needed.
> On an SDV system, only the digital channel you're watching is transmitted (switched in) to your home at any given time. Channels not in use aren’t transmitted (switched out) until you tune to a new channel.


I wouldn't call it a "TIVo cable card issue".

Switched Digital VIdeo requires the STB to request a SDV channel from the headend.

With thousands of headends across hundreds of cable providers across the nation, it's impossible for a retail device such as TiVo to be configured to communicate with any/all headends a consumer may encounter.

The SDV Tuning Adapter, provided for free from your provider, enables TiVo (or any retail DVR sold publicly) to communicate with the headend and request the SDV channel.

It has nothing to do with Cable Cards and is not specific to TiVo.


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## mattyro7878 (Nov 27, 2014)

I have a Bolt, Roamio and a Premiere. First sign of trouble with any of them and I will probably go with xfinity box simply because so many stations are going ip I am paying for channels I cannot watch. I like tivo too much h to willingly part with them but...


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## jus.rayeni (1 mo ago)

I am having the same issue with optimum formerly suddenlink of which for 10 years had no issues I will give you an update once I resolve my issues wit no channels showing up message V58 you are not authorized.


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## unto (Feb 2, 2005)

cwoody222 said:


> I wouldn't call it a "TIVo cable card issue".
> 
> Switched Digital VIdeo requires the STB to request a SDV channel from the headend.
> 
> ...


How do they know which channel I am watching? I used to be able to have for example 4 HBO channels on different tuners on my Bolt, and I could switch back and forth between them. But now, only the one I am watching is buffered. The other 3 channels are not buffered, and I can't rewind them at all. This is happening on my Bolt TE4 all the time, but my Bolt TE3 doesn't usually do this.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

unto said:


> How do they know which channel I am watching? I used to be able to have for example 4 HBO channels on different tuners on my Bolt, and I could switch back and forth between them. But now, only the one I am watching is buffered. The other 3 channels are not buffered, and I can't rewind them at all. This is happening on my Bolt TE4 all the time, but my Bolt TE3 doesn't usually do this.


I don't know who "they" are.

TiVo should be recording/buffering 24/7 on each tuner, regardless of what the programming is.

Are you sure you're changing tuners and not channels?

It wouldn't be unusual for HBO (especially secondary HBOs) to be SDV channels so it's possible the ones that aren't buffering have "timed out", SDV channels only stay tuned for a limited time, until they're requested again. But those channels should still buffer, but perhaps you're trying after they've timed out.

Although that doesn't explain why you say one TiVo has the issue and another doesn't. They'd both be subject to their SDV channels timing out.


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## unto (Feb 2, 2005)

cwoody222 said:


> I don't know who "they" are.
> 
> TiVo should be recording/buffering 24/7 on each tuner, regardless of what the programming is.
> 
> ...


When my Bolt reboots after a power outage all 4 tuners are at the channel that was being output to the TV at the time of outage. That value must be stored in nonvolatile memory (hard drive) on the TIVO for that to happen. 
If the Bolt TE4 is tuned to 4 different SDV channels, if I press Live TV button repeatedly within 2 minutes or so, all channels are buffered and I can rewind what I missed. However, if I wait 4 or more minutes, the channels that I have not been watching are not buffered and I cannot rewind them. It is like they (Spectrum) knows which channel is being watched, and instructs the Bolt to not buffer the other channels. This occasionally has happened with my TE3 Bolt, but not nearly as often. Is it possible the TE4 software allows Spectrum to query which channel I am watching, and pass instructions to my TIVO to not buffer the other stations?


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

unto said:


> When my Bolt reboots after a power outage all 4 tuners are at the channel that was being output to the TV at the time of outage. That value must be stored in nonvolatile memory (hard drive) on the TIVO for that to happen.
> If the Bolt TE4 is tuned to 4 different SDV channels, if I press Live TV button repeatedly within 2 minutes or so, all channels are buffered and I can rewind what I missed. However, if I wait 4 or more minutes, the channels that I have not been watching are not buffered and I cannot rewind them. It is like they (Spectrum) knows which channel is being watched, and instructs the Bolt to not buffer the other channels. This occasionally has happened with my TE3 Bolt, but not nearly as often. Is it possible the TE4 software allows Spectrum to query which channel I am watching, and pass instructions to my TIVO to not buffer the other stations?


I wouldn’t say it’s quite that complicated.

If you’re only seeing SDV channels not buffer I would say what it happening that the SDV channel knows it’s not on an “active” tuner (one being watched or recorded) and it releases its lock on the channel, which immediately stops the buffer.

Once you navigate back to that channel, the lock is re-requested, the channel tunes, and buffering begins again.


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