# Charter unable to supply CableCARD with more than 2 tuner support.



## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

I am having an issue with Charter. My local Charter store only has 2 tuner Motorola M-Cards. They state that they cannot get any other. Talk to Charter nationally and they say they have a 5 tuner Scientific Atlanta card but I have to get it at my local Charter store as they do not have a mechanism in place to mail the card. Go to my local Charter store and they say they cannot get the card. Rinse and repeat. Been trying to get a resolution over the past month to no avail. Even when told that the FCC requires they provide at least a 4 tuner card they say sorry. Did get a Charter area supervisor to call me over a week ago to say they will look into it, but no return phone call and they would not give me any contact information to call or email them back. Very frustrating.


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

Have you actually tried a CableCard from you local office that "only supports 2 tuners." In many cases, local CS is generally clueless about what these CableCards can actually support and have it ingrained in their mind that since Charter Dvr's can only do 2-tuners, that's all the CableCard firmware is capable of as well.

Furthermore, national support is equally clueless. There has never been a firmware version for Cisco/SA cards that can do only 5 tuners. As the firmware progressed, they could do 4, then 6 tuners. In addition, the fact that they suggested that you use a Cisco/SA card in your area is ridiculous. Since the local office is supplying Motorola, you local head end is Motorola equipment and the Cisco/SA card would be completely incompatible.

Does you Charter region use Tuning Adapters? There have been reports where the TA firmware is very old and can still only do 2-tuners, but this has been rare.

Before escalating further, try a "2-tuner" card from you local office and see what you actually get.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

Yes I have tried the CableCARD they gave me with the tuning adapter. That is how I found out it is only a 2 tuner card. Perhaps a firmware update would help but that is a path I tried and ran into a brick wall as well. Best I can tell about the TA, it's firmware can support at least 4 tuners and based on Google searching, it looks like it supports 6 tuners.


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

For Motorola equipment, the firmware requirements are as follows:



> The following CableCARD firmware versions are capable of handling six tuners:
> 
> Motorola CableCARDs-version 2.65 or later
> 
> ...


From Tivo Support article here. Quoted text taken from "CableCard Troubleshooting" section.

They are definitely violating the FCC CableCard rules. Presumably either the TA or CC Firmware is below requirements and you need a firmware upgrade. Unfortunately, it seems like Charter is clueless.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

You are correct that the FCC requires them to provide at least a 4-turner CableCard. Look at the CableCard and Tuning Adapter diagnostics pages and find what version of the firmware each are running so you can at least narrow it down to whether it is a CableCard issue or a Tuning Adapter issue. It's almost certainly out of date firmware on the CableCard. Then I would go ahead and file a formal complaint with the FCC. Sometimes, filing a formal complaint will light a fire under the cable company to get things rolling. Here's the website:

http://www.fcc.gov/complaints


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

Looks like firmware on the CableCARD is 3.25 and the tuning adapter has platform version 01.37 built 11/22/2010


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## AdamNJ (Aug 22, 2013)

fill it out:

http://www.fcc.gov/complaints

edit: +1 for tarheel's post


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

Well went back to my Charter store. Exchanged the equipment. This time I got a newer part number of the Motorola M-Card (012 vs 002) with FW 3.25. Installed it and now I have 6 tuners. So I finally resolved the issue. Unfortunately Charter does not know their CableCARDs very well.


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## jrsobx (Mar 6, 2014)

They really don't know their cable cards. Every time I've hooked up a Tivo, Charter has to send out a truck to come call the special phone number. I can stick the card in the box and call the 800 number over and over with no results. The Charter guy comes in my house, pulls out his cell phone and calls a different number and it works within a few minutes. 

Charter sucks.

(Sorry to have my first post complaining about something)


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

They (both local and national) do not know their CableCARDs. By random chance I got a CableCARD that worked. The first one did not. I asked for a newer card and they stated this is all they had. I had asked for another card and it was the same part number as the first. I left and returned just before closing and asked for a CableCARD and TA. The clerk went and got one for me and low and behold it was a newer part number. Went home and inserted it and I had 6 tuners. Now it took 50 minutes on the phone to convince the person that I knew what I was talking about. The problem is that they deal mostly with their Motorola boxes and all they need is a S/N to activate it. However with the Motorola M-Card, they need to input the Data number as well on their end. Last time it took over an hour and being transferred to 4 people before finally talking to one who listened and inputted the data number. This time the person listened and was doing the research and finally got it done. I refused several offers each time for a truck roll. The time before this, I let them schedule a truck roll a week later. Then I just called back and got it working after being transferred around and then cancelled the truck roll.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

I went through the same issue with my first Roamio Pro and using the two M-Cards I had from my S3. Charter could never get either one to pair at all, not to mention try and check tuners.

I ended up calling them out to replace the card and the TA and the newer card had the same 3.25 FW and I know I've had no issues with this first Roamio Pro. 

The second Roamio Pro had one of these FW 3.25 CableCards in it from the get-go because the Premiere that it replaced appeared to have a bad tuner, though initially, swapping the CC and TA fixed the issue for a day's time.

You're right, Charter doesn't know their CableCard info to save their lives.


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## hasbeen (Feb 21, 2015)

For what it is worth, I just installed yesterday. Had a big to do with the installer who was a Charter Contractor. He took one look at the TiVO (a Roamio Pro) and announced that ALL charter cable cards only supported 2 tuners and if I wanted more than two tuners I was out of luck. He called his "supervisor" at my request to confirm and I asked to talk to him and he swore that Charter only supported two tuners on a cable card. The guy then started heading towards the door. Meanwhile I was checking this thread and told him to go ahead and install anyway. Well the firmware on the card was 6.25 and it installed perfect on the first try and seems to support all six tuners. I had time to try 4 tuners last night and they all worked. He was supposed to be their ace cable card installer. 

But he still got even with me. He refused to have anything to do with the 3 Mini's that the had and went out of his way to do the install so that I could not set up a Moca network. He terminated the line to the DVR in the outside connection box that has some sort of proprietary screw to open it and just ran the internet/phone line into the wiring panel inside the house. He then removed all the splitters that were in there from Dish and closed it up. So I had to do what I could to try and get some ethernet connections but I am going to call back today and complain and tell them that I want the DVR line terminated at the wiring panel like it should have been. Then I can get a splitter and setup a Moca network. 

The installer was late, it was late on a Sunday and it was clear he had no interest in doing the work. Not a good start to my expanded relationship with Charter (I used them for internet since there is no reasonable competition but used Dish for TV until both my Hoppers died in the same week).


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

hasbeen said:


> For what it is worth, I just installed yesterday. Had a big to do with the installer who was a Charter Contractor. He took one look at the TiVO (a Roamio Pro) and announced that ALL charter cable cards only supported 2 tuners and if I wanted more than two tuners I was out of luck. He called his "supervisor" at my request to confirm and I asked to talk to him and he swore that Charter only supported two tuners on a cable card. The guy then started heading towards the door. Meanwhile I was checking this thread and told him to go ahead and install anyway. Well the firmware on the card was 6.25 and it installed perfect on the first try and seems to support all six tuners. I had time to try 4 tuners last night and they all worked. He was supposed to be their ace cable card installer. But he still got even with me. He refused to have anything to do with the 3 Mini's that the had and went out of his way to do the install so that I could not set up a Moca network. He terminated the line to the DVR in the outside connection box that has some sort of proprietary screw to open it and just ran the internet/phone line into the wiring panel inside the house. He then removed all the splitters that were in there from Dish and closed it up. So I had to do what I could to try and get some ethernet connections but I am going to call back today and complain and tell them that I want the DVR line terminated at the wiring panel like it should have been. Then I can get a splitter and setup a Moca network. The installer was late, it was late on a Sunday and it was clear he had no interest in doing the work. Not a good start to my expanded relationship with Charter (I used them for internet since there is no reasonable competition but used Dish for TV until both my Hoppers died in the same week).


Complete incompetence! 

I would drop Charter like a hot potato and go back to Dish or get DirecTV and make sure I tell the highest supervisor possible at Charter that I could as to the reasons why, TiVo or not! The Genie is serviceable.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

hasbeen said:


> He terminated the line to the DVR in the outside connection box that has some sort of proprietary screw to open it


http://www.amazon.com/EUBEST-Cable-...726926&sr=8-2&keywords=terminator+screwdriver

or, if you're really cheap


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## hasbeen (Feb 21, 2015)

tarheelblue32 said:


> http://www.amazon.com/EUBEST-Cable-...726926&sr=8-2&keywords=terminator+screwdriver
> 
> or, if you're really cheap


Thanks so much. I called and *****ed at Charter and they are supposed to send someone out to make the Tivo wire terminate in my wiring panel like they should have done in the first place. If they don't then I will try this as a fallback solution. It is good to have options.


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## hasbeen (Feb 21, 2015)

HarperVision said:


> Complete incompetence!
> 
> I would drop Charter like a hot potato and go back to Dish or get DirecTV and make sure I tell the highest supervisor possible at Charter that I could as to the reasons why, TiVo or not! The Genie is serviceable.


I dropped Dish because both of my Hoppers failed with hard drives within a week of each other and one of the replacements started to have problems. I don't know what the cause is but I can't stand the constant losing of recorded shows. Also with the bundle price (I was already getting my internet from Charter, they are the only high speed choice I have) I am saving enough to pay for the Tivo Pro, 3 Minis and lifetime service in the first year. At the end of the promotion, I will still be $50 cheaper. Hard to fight with.


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## SallyC (Jan 1, 2015)

There must be a lot of variation in Charter stores & employees. I've had nothing but good service. They gave me the right CableCARD right away. Also gave me a tuning adapter "because I have to, but you won't need it." One phone call later and the card was paired with all 6 tuners working just fine.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

hasbeen said:


> I dropped Dish because both of my Hoppers failed with hard drives within a week of each other and one of the replacements started to have problems. I don't know what the cause is but I can't stand the constant losing of recorded shows. Also with the bundle price (I was already getting my internet from Charter, they are the only high speed choice I have) I am saving enough to pay for the Tivo Pro, 3 Minis and lifetime service in the first year. At the end of the promotion, I will still be $50 cheaper. Hard to fight with.


Sounds like you did the right thing, as long as Charter does what they say they are.

I really just wish TiVo made a Roamio version for DirecTV, because I'd switch back in a heartbeat!



SallyC said:


> There must be a lot of variation in Charter stores & employees. I've had nothing but good service. They gave me the right CableCARD right away. Also gave me a tuning adapter "because I have to, but you won't need it." One phone call later and the card was paired with all 6 tuners working just fine.


That's half the problem with these MSOs. No consistency whatsoever!


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## hasbeen (Feb 21, 2015)

SallyC said:


> There must be a lot of variation in Charter stores & employees. I've had nothing but good service. They gave me the right CableCARD right away. Also gave me a tuning adapter "because I have to, but you won't need it." One phone call later and the card was paired with all 6 tuners working just fine.


I had issues with my internet a couple of years ago with them. I customer service people were idiots but I eventual thought I had worked it all thru with them. Then I went to the store to swap modems as they told me to do and the store people were great, sorted out my billing issues and gave me the new modem. They knew exactly what to do vs the people on the 800 number.


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## ort (Jan 5, 2004)

I don't have much to add other than, yeah... Charter has no idea what the heck they are doing when it comes to TiVos and CableCards. It's really pretty pathetic.

The level of ignorance and incompetence is pretty stunning really. It's easily the worst part about being a TiVo user.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

ort said:


> I don't have much to add other than, yeah... Charter has no idea what the heck they are doing when it comes to TiVos and CableCards. It's really pretty pathetic.
> 
> The level of ignorance and incompetence is pretty stunning really. It's easily the worst part about being a TiVo user.


Correction, it's the worst part about being a Charter customer.


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