# Move Comcast Cable Card from Roamio to Bolt - Suggested Steps?



## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

Greetings All,

I've found a number of similar threads, but thought I'd try to get a fresh set of guidance from the minds of the community.

I've got the new (refurbished) Bolt with Lifetime service. I've upgraded to a 3TB drive, and tested the Bolt (and the new UI) on antenna for a week. I'd now like to move the Bolt up to the main TV, and move the Comcast cable card from the Roamio to the Bolt. I'd like some input on the best way forward. Here is what I think I need to do:

1) Power down the Roamio
2) Move Bolt to main TV
3) Move cable card from Roamio to Bolt
4) Re-run Guided Setup on Bolt (selecting cable service instead of Antenna)
[Somewhere in here, I think I have to write down some info from the Cable Card]
5) Call some magical # for Comcast Cable Card Gurus and hope and pray I get someone who can type in letters and numbers correctly (and, aside, why, in 2019 can't I do this online?)
6) Wait some minutes
7) Test to see if I get all channels I should be getting, including premiums
8) If yes, YAY! If no, go back to step 5.

Is that correct? Is there a better way?

After that works, I intend to re-do guided setup on the Roamio to use the antenna for a few weeks until I pull off any shows I want to watch, then I'll wipe it out and try to sell it, along with its Lifetime service. At that time, I'll look for an FAQ for the best way to do that process too. 

Thanks,

John
(Continuous TiVo user since 2002)


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## xberk (Dec 3, 2011)

>>(selecting cable service instead of Antenna)

I'd call Comcast before you run guided setup to make sure you know which cable service to choose and to make sure you can get through to the right folks who know about TIVOs ..


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## rjrsouthwest (Feb 19, 2016)

I did the same thing you are doing and I moved the card over to the bolt and within a half hour all the channels except for premium channels were working. Then called the number for cable card service with comcast and within 15 minutes the premium channels were also up and working before the agent and I hung up.


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

OK, I followed the steps I outlined, and all went well. I called the Comcast CableCARD Support Line at 1-877-405-2298, and while I got the robot to start, I did say "CableCard Installation" and after confirming my info, it sent me to a human who answered "Comcast CableCard Support." He was very polite, knowledgable, and fast. As others have mentioned, he said, "hang on to that number -- it is the fastest way to get to people who understand CableCards at Comcast."


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## mcf57 (Oct 19, 2012)

While I haven't fully tried this yet so not sure how well it works, I got word that Comcast does now indeed have an online activation area for cable cards. here is the link:

Comcast cable card welcome Page

If anyone tried it, let us know how well it does or doesn't succeed


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## Phil T (Oct 29, 2003)

It might work setting up a new card in a new TiVO but it does not work moving a card between boxes. I tried.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

mcf57 said:


> While I haven't fully tried this yet so not sure how well it works, I got word that Comcast does now indeed have an online activation area for cable cards. here is the link:
> 
> Comcast cable card welcome Page
> 
> If anyone tried it, let us know how well it does or doesn't succeed


It has worked for me, both for upgrading an hdd on a Roamio in the past, and more recently, for transferring my cableCARD from a Roamio to a Bolt.

I then had to call in to troubleshoot my Bolt. When it was determined my Bolt was defective, the CSR deactivated the Bolt, and told me to re-pair with the Roamio at the link above. And that worked immediately as well.


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## Phil T (Oct 29, 2003)

pl1 said:


> It has worked for me, both for upgrading an hdd on a Roamio in the past, and more recently, for transferring my cableCARD from a Roamio to a Bolt.
> 
> I then had to call in to troubleshoot my Bolt. When it was determined my Bolt was defective, the CSR deactivated the Bolt, and told me to re-pair with the Roamio at the link above. And that worked immediately as well.


I think the key was having the CSR deactivate it first. The web site will not deactivate a CableCARD.


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## short circuit1 (Feb 24, 2019)

The comcast cable card online page worked perfectly fine for me in central Mass. First time was 18 months ago to switch from a roamio to a bolt, and then a week ago to go to a bolt with all in. The channels and HBO transfered without a hitch. I had to force a connection to get the xfinity app to work for on demand. I did not make any calls to any csr’s. It seems like it depends on your location.


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## thomb (Jan 22, 2008)

My situation was similar, but slightly different. I've been on 2 Tivo HD (series 3) units for the last 10+ years. And then retired both in favor of 2 new Bolts (refurbs). I upgraded to 2 TB drives, inserted the old Frontier Communications (formerly Verizon fios) cable cards, plugged in and had all my channels instantly. Amazingly easy, no phone call or anything. Really surprised me. This includes all premiums, locals, sports packages. The way it SHOULD work.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

thomb said:


> My situation was similar, but slightly different. I've been on 2 Tivo HD (series 3) units for the last 10+ years. And then retired both in favor of 2 new Bolts (refurbs). I upgraded to 2 TB drives, inserted the old Frontier Communications (formerly Verizon fios) cable cards, plugged in and had all my channels instantly. Amazingly easy, no phone call or anything. Really surprised me. This includes all premiums, locals, sports packages. The way it SHOULD work.


Not sure how that's working if they have any DRM on HBO. 

I know that I had to repair my son's Tivo when we moved the CableCARD from an HD to a Bolt with FIOS.

Scott


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## Davelnlr_ (Jan 13, 2011)

mcf57 said:


> While I haven't fully tried this yet so not sure how well it works, I got word that Comcast does now indeed have an online activation area for cable cards. here is the link:
> 
> Comcast cable card welcome Page
> 
> If anyone tried it, let us know how well it does or doesn't succeed


When my Bolt+ failed, and they sent a replacement, I moved the cablecard from the broken bolt to my backup Premier, and used this online website to enter in the new info from the Premier, and it popped on right away. Then when the new bolt arrived, I tried the reverse, however the Bolt was bad too, and I couldnt put the card back into the premier and get it to activate, since it never actually activated in the new Bolt, but the cablecard hotline got that working, and I went to Xfinity store and got a second cablecard to test out with the second replacement (which also failed to work). The THIRD bolt+ finally booted, and the cablecard needed to be entered using the phone, so some times it works, and sometimes it doesnt.


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