# TWC and Roamio: Black screen on popular shows?



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

Hey everyone. I've been a TiVo user for many years, and I've run into a recurring problem that I can't seem to solve.

Right now, I'm on TWC, using a CableCard and Cisco TA. I've had (and still do) many, many issues with the stupid tuning adapter. Black screens, "channel not available" errors, V52, etc.

For the last few weeks, a few minutes before Breaking Bad, my screen will go black with no error messages. AMC will be working perfectly fine in the minutes before the show starts, but like clockwork, the screen will go black about 5-10 minutes before the show airs.

After the show, sometimes AMC will return, sometimes it won't. When it does return, it will record a subsequent rerun of the show. 

I've found that unplugging the TA a few minutes before the show starts will fix the issue occasionally, but not all the time. 

It's almost like I'm dealing with a TWC capacity issue or something. I've had the exact same thing happen with Walking Dead last season-- both shows with a very large viewership.

Anyone know what's going on? This is happening on both an XL4 and Roamio PLus.


----------



## mvnuenen (Jun 1, 2007)

I am wondering if the current tuning adapters can handle the workload of 4-6 tuners. My Premier xl ( 2 tuners) never had an issue but currently with the Roamio i get frequently the same problems as you reported. My TA is from the first delivery TWC supplied so i guess its already pretty old.


----------



## AdamNJ (Aug 22, 2013)

i think you guys might have an issue whith how many tuners the ta can handle. i'm not on twc, but i believe some ta's can only handle 2 or 4 tuners. i would call up twc and see if they say how many tuners your model ta will support, and if there is a better one that u can use or an update they can push.


----------



## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

Exact same thing hapenned to me tonight with Breaking Bad. It was great (I was watching previous episode on AMCHD) then the channel went black when the new episode started. I tried several times with channel up and down, never able to get the channel. Ended up watching in standard definition. I tested again when the show ended, and it was working


----------



## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

Same thing with the Walking Dead a few months ago


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

Same here, been having the issue all week. I'm going to try the 4 tuner setting on a Pro to see if it helps by limiting the streams on the TA. My TivoHD w/ 2 streams perfect.


----------



## mvnuenen (Jun 1, 2007)

jwbelcher said:


> Same here, been having the issue all week. I'm going to try the 4 tuner setting on a Pro to see if it helps by limiting the streams on the TA. My TivoHD w/ 2 streams perfect.


Do i understand there is a setting that limits the Roamio Pro to 4 tuners? I like to try that as well if it exists. Where do i find it?


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

It could be, because they are both very popular shows, and since you need a tuning adapter to tune, that AMC is of course an SDV channel. That being said, my theory on what's happening is there are too many people tuning in for the show in your area and the head end can only support so many concurrent connections being streamed onto their network at the same time, and you lose out. That's the whole point of SDV. It's so they don't have to have that channel, and all their SDV channels, broadcasting full time in order to save bandwidth. They're banking on not everyone tuning in at the same time. 

It wouldn't surprise me if their STBs take precedence over cable cards when tuning into these channels as well. Just another reason to piss off the customer trying to use their own cable device enough to return it and go back to the crappy cable co's equipment and make them more $$$.

.....just a thought.


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

mvnuenen said:


> Do i understand there is a setting that limits the Roamio Pro to 4 tuners? I like to try that as well if it exists. Where do i find it?


Look up member "TiVoMargret" and you'll find a post by her describing the remote codes to use. It's in a thread about missing tuners 5-6 if you want to search.


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

HarperVision said:


> Look up member "TiVoMargret" and you'll find a post by her describing the remote codes to use. It's in a thread about missing tuners 5-6 if you want to search.


Found it:



TiVoMargret said:


> If the CableCARD in your Roamio does not support 6 tuners, here is how to reduce the number of tuners Roamio will use:
> 
> Go to Settings > Channels > Channel List
> and enter one of the following number sequences using the number buttons on the remote. This will tell Roamio the how many tuners it can use.
> ...


----------



## tenthplanet (Mar 5, 2004)

HarperVision said:


> It could be, because they are both very popular shows, and since you need a tuning adapter to tune, that AMC is of course an SDV channel. That being said, my theory on what's happening is there are too many people tuning in for the show in your area and the head end can only support so many concurrent connections being streamed onto their network at the same time, and you lose out. That's the whole point of SDV. It's so they don't have to have that channel, and all their SDV channels, broadcasting full time in order to save bandwidth. They're banking on not everyone tuning in at the same time.
> 
> It wouldn't surprise me if their STBs take precedence over cable cards when tuning into these channels as well. Just another reason to piss off the customer trying to use their own cable device enough to return it and go back to the crappy cable co's equipment and make them more $$$.
> 
> .....just a thought.


 Over time I've seen reports that SDV gives fits to people with only cable company equipment also. Those people were not happy. It would worth it to get tech help cable from your cable provider.


----------



## mvnuenen (Jun 1, 2007)

HarperVision said:


> Found it:


Thanks!!!


----------



## i_luke (Sep 1, 2013)

I am having a similar problem with TWC too. None of my basic or expanded basic channels are working now that I've switched to the Roamio. I have a Premier and it works fine. 

TWC has no clue and they are sending someone out. They are telling my that all of their signals are digital and the channels aren't analog. I've read in the earlier posts that you guys are using a "tuning adapter." Any suggestions on how I find out if I need one. I have TWC in Western Kentucky.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

mvnuenen said:


> Thanks!!!


I've been having some better results at 4 and even 5 tuners. Soon as I bump up to 6 tuning starts to fail. In the DVR diagnostics you'll find which tuner failed. It will say the tuner #, channel, and status. For me the status of failed tuner is waiting for response.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

i_luke said:


> I am having a similar problem with TWC too. None of my basic or expanded basic channels are working now that I've switched to the Roamio. I have a Premier and it works fine.
> 
> TWC has no clue and they are sending someone out. They are telling my that all of their signals are digital and the channels aren't analog. I've read in the earlier posts that you guys are using a "tuning adapter." Any suggestions on how I find out if I need one. I have TWC in Western Kentucky.


I had a similar problem with Brighthouse. While TWC is big on SDV, given your Premier is working, its doubtful you need a Tuning Adapter. My issue at Brighthouse was the CableCard was added to the account wrong and wasn't receiving *many* of channels. I asked asked for their "PRT" group (Priority Response Team) to help with the issue - this got past their front-line reps and onto someone that can help. They found I was missing a code on the new cable card. He said, in their jargon, it "was missing a code from the occurrence". He said the occurrence is the cablecard and the missing code related to channels. As soon as he added the code, bingo, back in business. I wasted about 3-4 hours this week getting the reps to add the cablecard and then fix it so it would work.

Good luck with yours. Just hang in there with TWC until you find a rep that knows what a cablecard is


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

jwbelcher said:


> I had a similar problem with Brighthouse. While TWC is big on SDV, given your Premier is working, its doubtful you need a Tuning Adapter. My issue at Brighthouse was the CableCard was added to the account wrong and wasn't receiving *many* of channels. I asked asked for their "PRT" group (Priority Response Team) to help with the issue - this got past their front-line reps and onto someone that can help. They found I was missing a code on the new cable card. *He said, in their jargon, it "was missing a code from the occurrence". He said the occurrence is the cablecard and the missing code related to channels.* As soon as he added the code, bingo, back in business. I wasted about 3-4 hours this week getting the reps to add the cablecard and then fix it so it would work.
> 
> Good luck with yours. Just hang in there with TWC until you find a rep that knows what a cablecard is


I think what he was saying was "OCURs", meaning:

OpenCable Unidrectional Receiver, here: http://www.cablelabs.com/opencable/specifications/ocur.html


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

So, here's an update on my situation.

I had a tech out to my house yesterday. When I had called the CableCard hotline, they told me that my FDC levels were too low, and needed to be raised. They claimed that the levels were to blame for my issues.

As many of you probably know, getting a knowledgeable tech is a lottery at best. The guy that came to my house spoke like he knew what he was talking about, so I trusted him. He examined the levels and claimed it was "physically impossible" to boost the FDC numbers past their current level (-12). He claimed that low FDC numbers wouldn't impact anything important. I told him that the CableCard hotline had said, on multiple occasions, that the levels needed to be between -7 and +7. He claimed that those levels would "cause more problems than they fix" and that I really didn't want levels that high.

He told me that a "network" issue on their end was probably the cause, but wouldn't provide any additional information, let alone a "fix" for such issues. Okay.

Then, he asked me how many tuners were in my Tivo Premiere XL4 (I'm running this and a new Roamio), and I told him that it had four tuners. He looked at me for a moment like I was stupid and said, "well there's your problem! Our tuning adapters can only tune to two SDV channels at a time!"

First, I told him that I didn't believe that was true (I was under the assumption that they handled four simultaneously) and that it couldn't be the source of my problems, as I was only attempting to record Breaking Bad with no other simultaneous recordings. He wasn't taking any of it. He told me he was 100% certain that was the issue.

So, he proceeds to, over the course of 4 hours, completely mangle my enclosed component rack. *He split the coaxial coming off the wall and ran that to two separate tuning adapters, each connected to same TiVo via USB*. Now, having had such immense problems with one tuning adapter, the idea of having two to worry about was not appealing.

During the course of this "fix," he had to call a minimum of ten people to get clarification on a myriad of things. Listening in on his conversation, it seems as though his manager told him that the tuning adapters were not limited to two SDV channels, but four, which he dismissed as being incorrect. He kept insisting, to everyone he talked to, that they were limited to two.

When I asked him how running the coaxial cable through two tuning adapters would impact my MoCA network, he claimed it wouldn't. He also installed a signal booster.

He left, and almost immediately, one of the tuning adapters started blinking, which knocked out every SDV channel. Not only that, but the TiVo was getting no MoCA connection, despite countless resets.

Completely unsatisfied, I called the CableCard hotline, where the woman proceeded to tell me that the tech obviously had no idea what he was doing. Great!

She told me to disconnect one of the tuning adapters, which I did. She also told me that now my RDC numbers were below target, even though they were perfectly fine before the tech arrived. Surprisingly, the FDC numbers that were "physically impossible" to raise were now almost perfect.

The CableCard hotline also confirmed my suspicion that the tuning adapters can handle four simultaneous SDV channels, not two, and that daisy chaining two of them was a recipe for instability.

She scheduled someone to come out on Monday and try to raise my RDC levels now, which I'm doubtful will do anything.

So, long story short, I lost four hours of my life so that a tech, who smelled terribly of BO (I had to spray my house afterwards&#8230; no joke), could mangle my meticulously maintained component rack and cause more issues than before he arrived.


----------



## scole250 (Nov 8, 2005)

I'd ask to speak to the tech supervisor and tell him to take that jack leg out of the rotation.

And call the (NC) RDU TWC techs for advice before hacking up your setup.


----------



## CoxInPHX (Jan 14, 2011)

BrianMundt said:


> The CableCard hotline also confirmed my suspicion that the tuning adapters can handle four simultaneous SDV channels, not two, and that daisy chaining two of them was a recipe for instability.


The Tuning Adapters can actually support 6 tuners.


----------



## FACTAgent (Aug 28, 2013)

About two years ago when I got one of the first Ceton 4-tuner PCI cards, I remember reading somewhere that you could be limited to two streams if the tuning adaptor did not have updated firmware. I never checked this out because I was not trying to tune any SDV channels on that setup (just on my Tivo HD XL, which only had two tuners anyway).


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

CoxInPHX said:


> The Tuning Adapters can actually support 6 tuners.


Hmmm. Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Looks like I was given the wrong information twice then!


----------



## CoxInPHX (Jan 14, 2011)

FACTAgent said:


> About two years ago when I got one of the first Ceton 4-tuner PCI cards, I remember reading somewhere that you could be limited to two streams if the tuning adaptor did not have updated firmware. I never checked this out because I was not trying to tune any SDV channels on that setup (just on my Tivo HD XL, which only had two tuners anyway).


Prior to the FCC Mandate which took effect August 8, 2011 (and was postponed to Nov, 2011) , the Cisco SDV Tuning Adapter with a Firmware prior to FLASH: STA1.0.0_1520_LR_*F.1402* did only support 2 Tuners. So perhaps that is where the confusion come in.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1373A1.pdf

Although the FCC provision only specifies 4 Tuners, most all Cable Cos have updated to support 6 Tuners.
"Operators also must ensure that retail devices can tune *at least four simultaneous channels*, or as many switched digital channels as that operators most sophisticated operator-supplied set-top box, whichever is greater."​


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

CoxInPHX said:


> Prior to the FCC Mandate which took effect August 8, 2011 (and was postponed to Nov, 2011) , the Cisco SDV Tuning Adapter with a Firmware prior to FLASH: STA1.0.0_1520_LR_*F.1402* did only support 2 Tuners. So perhaps that is where the confusion come in.
> 
> http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1373A1.pdf
> 
> ...


Cool. Thanks for the link. I actually printed this out for my followup tech visit on Monday. When the previous tech told me that it was limited to two simultaneous tuners, I told him that I thought four-tuner functionality had been mandated by the FCC, but he told me I was mistaken. Guess not!


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

So, again, like clockwork, my signal went out just before Breaking Bad. I called and spoke to a woman at the CC hotline, who told me that it definitely is a capacity issue. I asked what I could do to make sure that this doesn't happen again, and she said, "you could get a TWC DVR."

Uh yeah... I think that's what they call a monopoly.

Unbelievable. TWC has to be the worst company I've ever had the misfortune of working with. 

I'm on hold right now trying to get a substantial discount on my monthly bill. In total, I've spent six hours on the phone (five weeks in a row of service calls) and four hours supervising the tech that came to my house and screwed things up. So, I'm out ten hours of my life and I'm paying through the nose to lose that time.


----------



## Smirks (Oct 7, 2002)

BrianMundt said:


> So, again, like clockwork, my signal went out just before Breaking Bad. I called and spoke to a woman at the CC hotline, who told me that it definitely is a capacity issue. I asked what I could do to make sure that this doesn't happen again, and she said, "you could get a TWC DVR."
> 
> Uh yeah... I think that's what they call a monopoly.
> 
> ...


Does TWC have any sort of executive customer service? I think it's time to go there if they do. If not, email the TWC CEO, or SVP of your region, or someone with power. Seriously. Someone'll see it and get the ball rolling.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

Smirks said:


> Does TWC have any sort of executive customer service? I think it's time to go there if they do. If not, email the TWC CEO, or SVP of your region, or someone with power. Seriously. Someone'll see it and get the ball rolling.


Tivo should be working with Cisco / Motorola to troubleshoot these TA / SDV errors. However, after being sued for patents, these vendors maybe less willing to work cooperatively. We'll be stuck with these errors until these two figure out how to work together.


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback guys. I looked and I can't find the number or contact info of a higher-up. Anyone have any good contact information?

A few months ago, I spoke with a woman at the CC hotline. I asked about a discount for all my troubles, and she said that my calls were being saved on my file and that, when I finally got things fixed, they'd give me a substantial discount. This same sentiment was echoed when I went in to TWC to handle a billing mistake two months ago.

So, fast forward to last night. Completely fed up, I asked the CC tech to transfer me to billing, and she told me she couldn't. Instead, she gave me a number to call. After an hour of sitting on hold, I just gave up and called back. Strangely, the second time, I managed to speak to someone within minutes.

Long story short, I'm screwed. Though they have record of my repeated calls (dozens and dozens in the last few months), they only gave me $20 in credit for one month. That's $20 for almost eight months of constant trouble.

They explained that I needed to call the billing department every single time I have issues with my CableCard, which at this point is two or more times a week.

To sum things up, in addition to calling the CC hotline waaaaaaay too often, now I have to make a followup call to the billing department, which kept me on hold for an hour. I calmly explained that logic to the billing support rep, but she didn't seem to get it.

Ughhh.

So, I have a tech coming out to the house in about two hours. I'm sure it's going to be more of the same confusion, so I'm not very hopeful. I'm just going to have him raise the RDC level so they don't have any more excuses. Maybe when they run out of "explanations" I'll finally get somewhere.

Truthfully, if my issues were as simple as calling the CC hotline once every three months or so, I'd be fine with that. But, when the issue can be recreated every single week, like clockwork, that should point to a very specific, very real problem that should be easy to identify and fix. They don't seem to be interested in doing that.

It's incredibly frustrating when you can get an admission of the issue and be told there's nothing they can do.


----------



## Smirks (Oct 7, 2002)

BrianMundt said:


> Thanks for the feedback guys. I looked and I can't find the number or contact info of a higher-up. Anyone have any good contact information?
> 
> A few months ago, I spoke with a woman at the CC hotline. I asked about a discount for all my troubles, and she said that my calls were being saved on my file and that, when I finally got things fixed, they'd give me a substantial discount. This same sentiment was echoed when I went in to TWC to handle a billing mistake two months ago.
> 
> ...


Try the folks listed here, including the Glenn Britt (the CEO):

http://elliott.org/contacts/time-warner-cable/

Alternate email for Mr. Britt (found on a different site): [email protected]


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

Smirks said:


> Try the folks listed here, including the Glenn Britt (the CEO):
> 
> http://elliott.org/contacts/time-warner-cable/
> 
> Alternate email for Mr. Britt (found on a different site): [email protected]


Great. Thanks for the info man!


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

BrianMundt said:


> ... I called and spoke to a woman at the CC hotline, who told me that it definitely is a capacity issue. I asked what I could do to make sure that this doesn't happen again, and she said, "you could get a TWC DVR."...


By "capacity" I assume you mean too many people tuning to the same show? If so, how would getting one of their DVRs fix that issue? It seems as if what I said on another thread about them intentionally sabotaging cable card users may just have some validity!


----------



## TiVoMonkey (Jan 12, 2002)

HarperVision said:


> It could be, because they are both very popular shows, and since you need a tuning adapter to tune, that AMC is of course an SDV channel. That being said, my theory on what's happening is there are too many people tuning in for the show in your area and the head end can only support so many concurrent connections being streamed onto their network at the same time, and you lose out. That's the whole point of SDV. It's so they don't have to have that channel, and all their SDV channels, broadcasting full time in order to save bandwidth. They're banking on not everyone tuning in at the same time.
> 
> It wouldn't surprise me if their STBs take precedence over cable cards when tuning into these channels as well. Just another reason to piss off the customer trying to use their own cable device enough to return it and go back to the crappy cable co's equipment and make them more $$$.
> 
> .....just a thought.


That's not how SDV works at all. SDV is a bandwidth saving tool so that they can add more channels to each viewing area by not streaming channels no one is watching. If someone in your viewing area is already watching Breaking Bad, they have already allocated the bandwidth for it. A million people in your viewing area could watch Breaking Bad because it's already on an assigned QAM channel. Just like a regular non-SDV channel.

The only way the screen would be going black because of SDV doing that would be because Breaking Bad is NOT popular enough and everyone in your viewing area tuned away from AMC right when it started and your didn't tune it in time.

If at least one person is tuned to it and got the stream to start, it will be there until the last person tunes away from the channel and on one else tunes to it within 3 minutes.

SDV may be breaking the TiVo tuning in a different way, but it's not because a show is too popular. That is the whole idea behind SDV, to serve the most popular channels and clear out the bandwidth of the channels no one is watching. Only the fringe channels that barely anyone watches will ever get pruned and possibly have no QAM channel to be assigned to.


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

TiVoMonkey said:


> That's not how SDV works at all. SDV is a bandwidth saving tool so that they can add more channels to each viewing area by not streaming channels no one is watching. If someone in your viewing area is already watching Breaking Bad, they have already allocated the bandwidth for it. A million people in your viewing area could watch Breaking Bad because it's already on an assigned QAM channel. Just like a regular non-SDV channel.
> 
> The only way the screen would be going black because of SDV doing that would be because Breaking Bad is NOT popular enough and everyone in your viewing area tuned away from AMC right when it started and your didn't tune it in time.
> 
> ...


OK thanks for the explanation. I don't have time to research now but I will to get a better handle on it. Do you have any links to validate? That'll make it a little easier for me.


----------



## CoxInPHX (Jan 14, 2011)

HarperVision said:


> OK thanks for the explanation. I don't have time to research now but I will to get a better handle on it. Do you have any links to validate? That'll make it a little easier for me.


All the posts by *lrhorer* in the following thread are some of the best SDV info.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=479999

The WIKI page is not bad either.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_video


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

TiVoMonkey said:


> That's not how SDV works at all. SDV is a bandwidth saving tool so that they can add more channels to each viewing area by not streaming channels no one is watching. If someone in your viewing area is already watching Breaking Bad, they have already allocated the bandwidth for it. A million people in your viewing area could watch Breaking Bad because it's already on an assigned QAM channel. Just like a regular non-SDV channel.
> 
> The only way the screen would be going black because of SDV doing that would be because Breaking Bad is NOT popular enough and everyone in your viewing area tuned away from AMC right when it started and your didn't tune it in time.
> 
> ...


I'm not too familiar with the workings of SDV, but I can communicate what I was told by the CC hotline, whether or not there's any truth to it.

In short, they told me that their network was having difficulty handling the large amount of requests for the channel (in this case, AMC), and that the only thing I could do was to rent a TWC DVR.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

BrianMundt said:


> I'm not too familiar with the workings of SDV, but I can communicate what I was told by the CC hotline, whether or not there's any truth to it.
> 
> In short, they told me that their network was having difficulty handling the large amount of requests for the channel (in this case, AMC), and that the only thing I could do was to rent a TWC DVR.


If that's the case, you should file a complaint with the FCC. Treating CableCard+Tuning Adapter different from a Two-way receiver would be akin a prioritizing TCP/IP packets to punish you for using another service provider for VOD (E.g. Netflix). Think net neutrality regulation (although its probably not legally the same). If true, its complete B.S.


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

BrianMundt said:


> I'm not too familiar with the workings of SDV, but I can communicate what I was told by the CC hotline, whether or not there's any truth to it.
> 
> In short, they told me that their network was having difficulty handling the large amount of requests for the channel (in this case, AMC), and that the only thing I could do was to rent a TWC DVR.


Now that's more the way I understood it to work and the gist of what I was getting at earlier. Oh well, time for more research.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

HarperVision said:


> Now that's more the way I understood it to work and the gist of what I was getting at earlier. Oh well, time for more research.


The problem with the theory is that your TWC box must request the SDV channel the same way as the tuning adapter. SDV channels are switched no matter the platform. If was a throughput issue, the TWC box _should_ have the same results unless they prioritize their box over yours. However, once the channel is being pumped into your neighborhood, any STB can access it once it knows the frequency its being broadcasted. The only difference between their box and Tivo is that their box has 2-way built-in. Their box even has a built in Cablecard (which the FCC required to ensure interoperability). Apparently, the FCC got it right, if you dont make Cable Cos eat their own dog food, as in the case of the tuning adapter, the consumer gets screwed by an unfair playing field.


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

jwbelcher said:


> The problem with the theory is that your TWC box must request the SDV channel the same way as the tuning adapter. SDV channels are switched no matter the platform. If was a throughput issue, the TWC box _should_ have the same results unless they prioritize their box over yours. However, once the channel is being pumped into your neighborhood, any STB can access it once it knows the frequency its being broadcasted. The only difference between their box and Tivo is that their box has 2-way built-in. Their box even has a built in Cablecard (which the FCC required to ensure interoperability). Apparently, the FCC got it right, if you dont make Cable Cos eat their own dog food, as in the case of the tuning adapter, the consumer gets screwed by an unfair playing field.


I called for clarification. They stated that they needed to "prioritize access for their paying DVR customers." Guess my $150/month doesn't cut it.

Again, I don't want to say definitively that this is the case. This is just what I'm being told.


----------



## TiVoMonkey (Jan 12, 2002)

BrianMundt said:


> I'm not too familiar with the workings of SDV, but I can communicate what I was told by the CC hotline, whether or not there's any truth to it.
> 
> In short, they told me that their network was having difficulty handling the large amount of requests for the channel (in this case, AMC), and that the only thing I could do was to rent a TWC DVR.


Once the SDV channel is assigned a QAM, there should be no tuning issues. A tuning issue would only come into play if people were trying to watch other channels than the ones already assigned QAMs. And there was a capacity issue at the server that is taking tune requests and finding QAMs for the channels.

Using a TWC cable box would not help with that. The customer service person you talked with has no more of an idea how SDV works than you do. Especially since they suggested that.

My TiVo Premiere has this same issue too, always has had it. I don't see how it would be an SDV capacity issue, as I have the blank recording problem at all different times, and unauthorized channel problems all the time. If I tune away and tune back, it is usually fixed.


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

TiVoMonkey said:


> Once the SDV channel is assigned a QAM, there should be no tuning issues. A tuning issue would only come into play if people were trying to watch other channels than the ones already assigned QAMs. And there was a capacity issue at the server that is taking tune requests and finding QAMs for the channels.
> 
> Using a TWC cable box would not help with that. The customer service person you talked with has no more of an idea how SDV works than you do. Especially since they suggested that.
> 
> My TiVo Premiere has this same issue too, always has had it. I don't see how it would be an SDV capacity issue, as I have the blank recording problem at all different times, and unauthorized channel problems all the time. If I tune away and tune back, it is usually fixed.


Well, there's something going on. Both of my TiVos go out at roughly the same time (between 5-10 minutes before the start of Breaking Bad). TWC-supplied DVRs work perfectly.

My friend, who lives about 20 miles from me, has a new Roamio as well as TWC DVR. Guess what? He has the issue with his Tivo but not with the TWC DVR. His TiVo demonstrates the exact behavior as mine.

I've struggled with the blank screens, channel not authorized errors, V52/V53 errors, etc. However, I've never had an issue that's so predictable. It's like clockwork, every single week. And it's not just an isolated issue. That's the only thing that leads me to believe it's a capacity issue, as the CC tech suggested.


----------



## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

TiVoMonkey said:


> My TiVo Premiere has this same issue too, always has had it. I don't see how it would be an SDV capacity issue, as I have the blank recording problem at all different times, and unauthorized channel problems all the time. If I tune away and tune back, it is usually fixed.


What firmware do they have you on?

Mine is 
Cablecard : PKEY1.5.3_F.p.0601
Tuning Adapter: STA1.0.0_1520_LR_F.1601


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

BrianMundt said:


> Well, there's something going on. Both of my TiVos go out at roughly the same time (between 5-10 minutes before the start of Breaking Bad). TWC-supplied DVRs work perfectly.
> 
> My friend, who lives about 20 miles from me, has a new Roamio as well as TWC DVR. Guess what? He has the issue with his Tivo but not with the TWC DVR. His TiVo demonstrates the exact behavior as mine.
> 
> I've struggled with the blank screens, channel not authorized errors, V52/V53 errors, etc. However, I've never had an issue that's so predictable. It's like clockwork, every single week. And it's not just an isolated issue. That's the only thing that leads me to believe it's a capacity issue, as the CC tech suggested.


"Things that make you go.........Hmmmmmmmm????"


----------



## BrianMundt (Sep 2, 2013)

HarperVision said:


> "Things that make you go.........Hmmmmmmmm????"


No kidding.

The first tech that came to my house (he was an idiot, so I'm taking everything he said with a grain of salt) told me that he has never seen a "stable" tuning adapter/CableCard setup, and that he typically went on service calls, checked levels, and left knowing it the issues would crop up again. He told me there were serious issues with the technology and implementation. The second tech said as much as well. Doesn't inspire too much confidence!

Then, the CC hotline admitting that it was capacity issues (jury's still out on that) and not having any fix... TWC is the first company I've ever encountered that admit's to a serious issue and, in the same sentence, tells me the only solution is to spend more money with them.

That's like a food company poisoning their product and then selling the antidote and a marked-up cost.


----------



## CoxInPHX (Jan 14, 2011)

BrianMundt said:


> I called for clarification. They stated that they needed to "prioritize access for their paying DVR customers." Guess my $150/month doesn't cut it.
> 
> Again, I don't want to say definitively that this is the case. This is just what I'm being told.


Record that conversation, and ask for that explanation in writing, and see what they say.

What they told you is prohibited by the FCC, and is a cause for fines.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1373A1.pdf

What are cable operators required to do? Beginning August 8, 2011, cable operators must:

· Provide accurate information about the capability of retail CableCARD-compatible devices. Cable operators must not
mislead their customers regarding the ability of retail CableCARD-compatible devices to tune switched digital
channels. See 47 C.F.R. § 76.1205(c).

· Ensure access to all linear channels. Consumers have identified problems accessing switched digital channels on their
retail CableCARD-compatible devices.10 Cable operators must ensure that subscribers can use their retail devices
to access all of the linear channels that comprise the cable package to which they subscribe.11 Operators also
must ensure that retail devices can tune at least four simultaneous channels, or as many switched digital channels
as that operators most sophisticated operator-supplied set-top box, whichever is greater. See 47 C.F.R. §
76.1205(b)(4).​


----------



## jstevenson (May 6, 2007)

had the same issue in LA TWC last Sunday for Breaking Bad. Just didn't tune in at all. Blank / 0 length recording. Showed that it was recording but then there was nothing there.

Haven't really had time to play with it or see if any of the tuners were failing. Though I'm pretty sure I had checked to ensure I could pull six SDV channels prior, so it seems like something else.


----------



## mvnuenen (Jun 1, 2007)

So after a period of no problems, all of the sudden I have difficulties again tuning certain channels (Discovery, IDHD, APLHD and others). I tried to set the Roamio to 4 tuners only (Settings>Channels>Channel List and then entering the code 88634). However, after doing this I do not hear those thumbs up dings. Am I missing something?


----------



## DigitalDawn (Apr 26, 2009)

Go to live TV and hit info. Go down to the tuner icon and see how many tuners are available. You should see only 4.


----------



## skaggs (Feb 13, 2003)

I have TWC and a TA, however I do not have a Roamio. I do have a Premiere XL4 and a 2tuner Premiere. I have also experienced similar frustration with TWC service, be it on the phone or techs in my home.

My XL4 will produce the black screen on occasion, the 2 tuner one has never had this issue. 

I know this is not a solution, but it is a "work-around" that works for me. When I get the "black screen" after attempting to tune a channel, I push the INFO button and then go down to see what channels my 4 tuners are currently on. I have found that by changing the 3 tuners I don't intend to use to tune non-SDV channels, the remaining tuner will tune a SDV channel.

For example, I want to watch HGTV (SDV) and select that channel with my TiVo. I receive a black screen. Go to the INFO screen and see that the other 3 tuners are on SDV channels. I select each of these tuners individually, one at a time, and tune them to the local NBC, ABC, and FOX affiliates (non-SDV channels). The remaining tuner, when switched to the HGTV channel (an SDV channel), will display correctly.

There must be some kind of issue with the CC/TA attempting to access multiple SDV channels simultaneously. 

I have contemplated ditching the Premieres and moving to a Roamio with Mini, but after reading that the Roamio experiences similar black screen problems as my XL4, I'll wait until I hear TiVo has issued a fix. I'm also waiting to hear if the Roamio out-of-house streaming will be hindered by the same CCI byte issue that prevents me from downloading shows on non-OTA broadcast channels to my mobile devices, as TWC has unnecessarily set the CCI byte. But, that issue is for another thread.


----------



## peekb (Feb 12, 2005)

skaggs said:


> I have TWC and a TA, however I do not have a Roamio. I do have a Premiere XL4 and a 2tuner Premiere. I have also experienced similar frustration with TWC service, be it on the phone or techs in my home.
> 
> My XL4 will produce the black screen on occasion, the 2 tuner one has never had this issue.
> 
> ...


+1 to everything here, though skaggs and I are both on Time Warner in Albany. I'm in Glenville to be specific. I have had the same issues on my XL4, used the same "workaround" with success. My 6 tuner Roamio exhibits the same behavior, but the "fix" isn't as foolproof with this machine. I do notice that it's literally every other channel tune after about midnight. Not sure what the significance is of the timing. Earlier in the evening, things work a lot better.


----------



## mvnuenen (Jun 1, 2007)

DigitalDawn said:


> Go to live TV and hit info. Go down to the tuner icon and see how many tuners are available. You should see only 4.


Thanks!! A bit of a duh moment for me but much appreciated! I had the special effects turned off so that's probably why I didn't hear the dings in the first place...


----------

