# Base Roamio Won't Recognize Cable Card



## 1985BearsFan (Sep 15, 2013)

Today, I am trying to set up the refurbished base Roamio that I purchased last week. I am upgrading from a TiVo HD. The problem I've run into is that the Roamio won't recognize the Scientific Atlanta cablecard that I've removed from the HD. In fact, it won't even recognize the Scientific Atlanta cablecard from my Premiere.

I understand that cablecards need to be paired with an individual TiVo. However, I'm not even able to get to that point of being able to pair the card with the TiVo. During Guided Setup, the TiVo says "No card."

I've called TiVo tech support and they blamed it on the Scientific Atlanta cable card being an old model. They said I should go to my cable company (Cox) and ask for a bunch of new cable cards and try them all. What I don't understand is how that could be the problem if my HD, Premiere, and Roamio Pro all are working fine with the Scientific Atlanta cards.

I'm trying to figure out if there is a trick to inserting the cable card in a base Roamio or whether I have a dud Roamio (I did buy a refurb, after all). 

Any suggestions/thoughts?


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

You may have a dud, but most times refrubs are tested more than their counterparts.

Did you go ahead and finish guided set up and then enter the card? That seems to work better than doing it during guided set up.


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## rnaude241 (Sep 12, 2015)

I'd say it's a dud as well. Ask Cox for the newest version they have.


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## 1985BearsFan (Sep 15, 2013)

So, yesterday, I tried the refurb Roamio with all three cable cards that I currently have (one for a Roamio Pro, one for a Premiere, and one for an HD). None of them worked so, on the advice of both TiVo and Cox, today I went to a local Cox store and obtained three new cable cards (the only three they had in stock). Two of them are the same model Scientific Atlanta that I already have. The third is a newer model Cisco that shows a 2014 manufacture date. None of those three cards worked in the TiVo so I again called TiVo support today. End result: I'm being shipped out a replacement Roamio today or tomorrow. So, the saga continues....


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

1985BearsFan said:


> So, yesterday, I tried the refurb Roamio with all three cable cards that I currently have (one for a Roamio Pro, one for a Premiere, and one for an HD). None of them worked so, on the advice of both TiVo and Cox, today I went to a local Cox store and obtained three new cable cards (the only three they had in stock). Two of them are the same model Scientific Atlanta that I already have. The third is a newer model Cisco that shows a 2014 manufacture date. None of those three cards worked in the TiVo so I again called TiVo support today. End result: I'm being shipped out a replacement Roamio today or tomorrow. So, the saga continues....


Just now reading this and after your first couple of posts, I was going to say that it looks like maybe to card slot contacts are damaged.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

UCLABB said:


> Just now reading this and after your first couple of posts, I was going to say that it looks like maybe to card slot contacts are damaged.


Bearsfan, send me the Cablecard connector to use with my OTA before you send it in, haha! 

PS - Sorry to hear of your troubles and pray it all gets fixed very soon for you!


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

Sorry dude that's bummer and such a waste of time. I'm sure new replacement should be fine. I got my roamio basic yesterday. Swapped drives for 2TB EURX and installed M-Card from old TiVo HD. Start first time boot up. it went thur pretty quick. Only thing i just need call comcast to pairing Cablecard when I'm ready to use Xfinity ON-Demand (person don't use on-demand that much) I like feature how Premiere and Roamio play nice each other with same TiVo os.


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## 1985BearsFan (Sep 15, 2013)

HarperVision said:


> Bearsfan, send me the Cablecard connector to use with my OTA before you send it in, haha!
> 
> PS - Sorry to hear of your troubles and pray it all gets fixed very soon for you!





Nelson2009 said:


> Sorry dude that's bummer and such a waste of time. I'm sure new replacement should be fine. I got my roamio basic yesterday. Swapped drives for 2TB EURX and installed M-Card from old TiVo HD. Start first time boot up. it went thur pretty quick. Only thing i just need call comcast to pairing Cablecard when I'm ready to use Xfinity ON-Demand (person don't use on-demand that much) I like feature how Premiere and Roamio play nice each other with same TiVo os.


The good news is that I opted to refrain from installing the 3TB Western Digital drive before setting up the Roamio. I thought it was best to make sure the Roamio worked properly before upgrading the drive. I am very grateful that I exercised some restraint.

The bad news is that I was assured they would ship me the replacement Roamio without waiting to receive the bad one and without me having to give them a $200 deposit (based on another poster's experience, I too complained about having to provide a $200 deposit when I paid only $50 for the Roamio and when the Roamio did not even work out of box); however, I have yet to receive an e-mail confirming the replacement unit has shipped.


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## ptaylor (May 13, 2014)

1985BearsFan said:


> The good news is that I opted to refrain from installing the 3TB Western Digital drive before setting up the Roamio. I thought it was best to make sure the Roamio worked properly before upgrading the drive. I am very grateful that I exercised some restraint.
> 
> The bad news is that I was assured they would ship me the replacement Roamio without waiting to receive the bad one and without me having to give them a $200 deposit (based on another poster's experience, I too complained about having to provide a $200 deposit when I paid only $50 for the Roamio and when the Roamio did not even work out of box); however, I have yet to receive an e-mail confirming the replacement unit has shipped.


Just bought my first TiVo, a roamio plus, and had a hell of a time getting a cable card to work. Problem turned out to be wrong cable card, which was brand new from the cable company. Apparently there are different types. Took technical support from cable company and TiVo to work that out.


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## 1985BearsFan (Sep 15, 2013)

Quick update: I received the replacement Roamio this past Monday (9/21). I popped in the CableCard on Tuesday morning, and the Roamio immediately recognized it (a far cry from what happened with the first Roamio I was sent). I called Cox and successfully paired the cablecars and tuner with the Roamio and now all is good. Just need to upgrade the hard drive now. Thank you all for your help!


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## NJ Webel (Dec 8, 2004)

Thank you for posting the resolution! I'm glad TiVo made it right and that the replacement box worked for you.


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

Glad to heard it all work out enjoy it


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## 1985BearsFan (Sep 15, 2013)

I forgot to mention last night that yesterday I called TiVo to complain because I was promised the replacement Roamio would be shipped last Monday, Tuesday at the latest, so I would receive it last Thursday or Friday. Turns out, it wasn't shipped until Wednesday, and I didn't receive it until Monday. As an apology, they're sending me another Slide and two plush toys for my kids. I requested simply providing me with an extended warranty gratis, but the TiVo rep said he could not do that because the warranty is provided by a third-party insurance company.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

1985BearsFan said:


> Today, I am trying to set up the refurbished base Roamio that I purchased last week. ... The problem I've run into is that the Roamio won't recognize the Scientific Atlanta cablecard that I've removed from the HD.
> 
> ... During Guided Setup, the TiVo says "No card."


As a side note, I experienced this a few days ago when setting up a basic Roamio with a CableCARD on Comcast.

In my case, the issue was likely that I took a shortcut and (gently) flipped the Roamio over and inserted the CableCARD into the bottom panel slot WITHOUT POWERING OFF the Roamio. I was worried that I'd been given a bum card by Comcast.

However, after power-cycling the Roamio the CableCARD was recognized and the "CableCARD was inserted" screen automatically popped-up, and I was able to start the pairing process.


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