# Spectrum cable



## Robert Landon

Spectrum cable, i’ve been notified by spectrum cable that they will no longer be offering the cable cards and they are doing an upgrade so my current cable card will no longer be working on my TiVo edge has anybody heard about this, 
I just bought the TiVo edge and now I’m finding out that I may not be able to use it because the cable card will no longer work does anybody know anything about this. I have been A TiVo customer since the year of 2000 January 1 of 2000.

thank you


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## Robert Landon

Is Spectrum killing TiVo support? Answer: It’s complicated


TiVo users received a message from Spectrum suggesting that CableCARD support is going away, but the cable company is light on specifics.




www.techhive.com


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## series5orpremier

Started being discussed here. Without any specific cutoff date they're just trying to scare you to turn in your cablecard. If they ever really do turn off your cablecard then cancel Spectrum because there are streaming alternatives to their streaming system.








Spectrum and cable card


who is your cable provider? my cable provider is a local outfit... EATEL (now REV)... south Louisiana only...




www.tivocommunity.com


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## Robert Landon

Thank you


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## Dusty Roads

Robert Landon said:


> Spectrum cable, i’ve been notified by spectrum cable that they will no longer be offering the cable cards and they are doing an upgrade so my current cable card will no longer be working on my TiVo edge has anybody heard about this,
> I just bought the TiVo edge and now I’m finding out that I may not be able to use it because the cable card will no longer work does anybody know anything about this. I have been A TiVo customer since the year of 2000 January 1 of 2000.
> 
> thank you


Hi,

I'm getting the exact same emails and regular mails that you are. I have spoken to Spectrum twice. I called support the line number and asked when they would no longer support my Roamio. Person on the other end admitted that there is no definite cutoff date and that they were just trying to get Tivo users to stop using their Tivos. I asked that they stop sending me the emails/mail. They continued to send them so I thought if they do stop supporting, I would take advantage of the offers: Free cable box for 2 years, free Cloud DVR for 2 years, Apple TV at 1/2 price. This time I called the number listed on the email/mail. The person on the other end again said there was no definite date to stop the service and who was my cell phone provider. Why was he asking me that, this had nothing to do with why I called. He kept wanting to sell me a cell phone package. I said I had no interest in that and that wasn't why I called. He tried several times to sell me this package. I said I wanted to talk about the offers listed. I then read them off the mail. He didn't know anything about them, put me hold to ask his boss, and finally admitted that I didn't qualify for any to the offers. I said rather forcefully to stop sending me any more emails/mail if they aren't going to honor the offer and hung up. If I get anymore of these offers I am calling the BBB to complain.


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## hapster85

Dusty Roads said:


> If I get anymore of these offers I am calling the BBB to complain.


Might make you feel better, but that will have about the same impact as complaining about it here.


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## mbaumwell

series5orpremier said:


> ....they're just trying to scare you to turn in your cablecard. If they ever really do turn off your cablecard then cancel Spectrum because there are streaming alternatives to their streaming system.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spectrum and cable card
> 
> 
> who is your cable provider? my cable provider is a local outfit... EATEL (now REV)... south Louisiana only...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.tivocommunity.com


 I like having shows on a local disk. If the streaming fails, then what? Does the Spectrum box have a disk?

Where I live, Spectrum has outages more than I like. I want a DVR (TiVo preferably) that has a disk and as good a UI as possible.


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## Mike704

When I was a Spectrum Cable subscriber I had their DVR which wasn't as good as a TiVo. It was slow and clunky. I was using it less often and instead relied on Spectrum's very good on demand system. Seems I could go to a channel and call up just about any show any time. I broke away from cable TV and just keep them for internet because the price kept rising and we don't watch enough TV to make it worth it. TiVo OTA to the rescue! All the programming on the subchannels in my area keeps the TiVo stocked with more good TV than I can watch!


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## wjbatlanta

I'm not getting any Spectrum notices (yet).....earlier this year I bought a new Edge (prior units Premiere and Bolt) - I still was using the original Motorola card from my Premiere (approx 2010 with COMCAST).
At that time they asked my to turn it in and get a CISCO. I told them the Motorola was my property and that it worked fine with my Premiere and BOLT on Spectrum (I was part of the beta for TIVO and COMCAST). I know they only cost approx $10 or less but they still keep charging me $2.50/month. When I called about the charges, I was told they won't be supporting the cards soon - no date provided. Is there possibly a department within TIVO that works with cable companies? 

My brother's cable company (not Spectrum in another city) is buying TIVO Streams and modifying them to work within their network instead of "cable boxes". Their config seems to be a cloud environment where 60hours of programming is stored for playback. Additional space can be purchased. It used the Hydra gui and a modified remote.


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## cwoody222

wjbatlanta said:


> I'm not getting any Spectrum notices (yet).....earlier this year I bought a new Edge (prior units Premiere and Bolt) - I still was using the original Motorola card from my Premiere (approx 2010 with COMCAST).
> At that time they asked my to turn it in and get a CISCO. I told them the Motorola was my property and that it worked fine with my Premiere and BOLT on Spectrum (I was part of the beta for TIVO and COMCAST). I know they only cost approx $10 or less but they still keep charging me $2.50/month. When I called about the charges, I was told they won't be supporting the cards soon - no date provided. Is there possibly a department within TIVO that works with cable companies?
> 
> My brother's cable company (not Spectrum in another city) is buying TIVO Streams and modifying them to work within their network instead of "cable boxes". Their config seems to be a cloud environment where 60hours of programming is stored for playback. Additional space can be purchased. It used the Hydra gui and a modified remote.


Your brother’s cable company is not buying Streams and modifying them.

They have a partnership with TiVo to license their hardware and software and lease them to their subscribers.


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## suzannesstud

I just received confirmation, after getting several emails and letters, that at least in my area of Central Kentucky, beginning on or before the end of August 2022, any and all CableCARDs and devices with embedded CableCARDs will cease to function. This includes the CableCARDs themselves, and it also includes any Spectrum receivers which have embedded CableCARDs such as the Arris Motorola DCX 32xx models. All of the affected equipment will be replaced with current DVR receivers which do not use any CableCARD or CableCARD/Tuning Adapter combo technology.

Both a local technician and customer service representative confirmed that, if the equipment is not changed out by the time the system upgrade occurs on or before the end of August, the affected equipment will no longer be able to utilize any Spectrum TV services as the system upgrade will automatically cause deactivation, unpairing, and removal of any and all CableCARDs and Spectrum receivers with embedded CableCARDs from customer accounts.

I’m not sure if this will happen company-wide all at the same time or if it will happen region by region or area by area, but I was told Spectrum will no longer use CableCARD technology of any type, and once the upgrade completes, the technology will be considered decommissioned and retired.

It will be sad having to give up TiVo because, to me, it is the best out there, but it is looking like CableCARDs are about to become a historic thing of the past, at least as far Spectrum is concerned, and other MVPDs may follow suit if they haven’t already.


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## cwoody222

suzannesstud said:


> I just received confirmation, after getting several emails and letters, that at least in my area of Central Kentucky, beginning on or before the end of August 2022, any and all CableCARDs and devices with embedded CableCARDs will cease to function. This includes the CableCARDs themselves, and it also includes any Spectrum receivers which have embedded CableCARDs such as the Arris Motorola DCX 32xx models. All of the affected equipment will be replaced with current DVR receivers which do not use any CableCARD or CableCARD/Tuning Adapter combo technology.
> 
> Both a local technician and customer service representative confirmed that, if the equipment is not changed out by the time the system upgrade occurs on or before the end of August, the affected equipment will no longer be able to utilize any Spectrum TV services as the system upgrade will automatically cause deactivation, unpairing, and removal of any and all CableCARDs and Spectrum receivers with embedded CableCARDs from customer accounts.
> 
> I’m not sure if this will happen company-wide all at the same time or if it will happen region by region or area by area, but I was told Spectrum will no longer use CableCARD technology of any type, and once the upgrade completes, the technology will be considered decommissioned and retired.
> 
> It will be sad having to give up TiVo because, to me, it is the best out there, but it is looking like CableCARDs are about to become a historic thing of the past, at least as far Spectrum is concerned, and other MVPDs may follow suit if they haven’t already.


Please post the letters and emails you’ve received that give such definitive dates and details.

Until then, I don’t believe ANYTHING a “local technician” or “customer service representative” says. Especially when what they tell you is so extreme and dire.

If your CC device is going to completely cease to function in less than 6 weeks, Spectrum would be sending you very detailed written confirmation.


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## suzannesstud

cwoody222 said:


> Please post the letters and emails you’ve received that give such definitive dates and details.
> 
> Until then, I don’t believe ANYTHING a “local technician” or “customer service representative” says. Especially when what they tell you is so extreme and dire.
> 
> If your CC device is going to completely cease to function in less than 6 weeks, Spectrum would be sending you very detailed written confirmation.


The letters and emails weren’t what gave specific dates and details. I simply kept ignoring those, as they have been coming for about 3 to 4 months now, until we got a call from Spectrum today to discuss what is getting ready to take place. The person who called gave us the information about what and when.

After I talked to them, I called a local technician, whom has also been a great and very trustworthy friend of ours for many years, to ask him if what I was told was legitimate or if it was just an attempt to get us to give up our CableCARDs and upsell us to switch to their units. He advised me it was actually legitimate in our area. He was actually the technician who installed our CableCARD and Tuning Adapter when we got our TiVo Premier Series 4 shortly after it came out and back when it was Time Warner Cable. He told us that, between him and the gatepost, we were better off with TiVo than one of their DVRs.

He also helped us get our CableCARD transferred to our new TiVo Edge For Cable unit when the power supply in our Premier Series 4 finally bit the dust. I hated that, too, because it was the last TiVo unit manufactured that let me have cable and my antenna all-in-one without having to have separate dedicated units or having to switch any cables back and forth to go from one to the other. That was a little less than a year ago, and at that time he told us we might not get to continue using our new TiVo Edge with Spectrum for much longer because the plan to permanently phase out and kill all remaining CableCARDs was already in the works. At that time, he didn’t know for sure when our area would be completed, but he said to hold on to our CableCARD and Tuning Adapter for as long as we could until the time came involving the system upgrade which would kill all of the CableCARDs that were still active on our area’s system upon completion.

We have known him personally since before he ever worked for Time Warner and now Spectrum, and he has always been a straight up honest person so I trust him to be honest about this issue, too, which after confirming with him today whether or not Spectrum was being truthful, he said unfortunately yes, and it will be by the end of August 2022 in our area. He also knows that, with me having worked a number of years in the Telecommunications industry selling similar products for a competitor, I am all to familiar with the tactics companies use to try to get a customer to buy something or to take an upsell on something that the customer doesn’t really need, want, or isn’t truly necessary for them to maintain their current level of service as is.

A while back, our area went to all digital encryption where you have to have a receiver of some kind regardless of whether or not the TV is a smart TV with a Clear QAM-256 tuner, and when Spectrum support couldn’t seem to figure out why certain channels starting saying they were no longer authorized after that overnight upgrade, even though they worked up to the time the upgrade occurred, he was the only one who actually knew how to solve it which ended up having to do with the fact that we were a legacy Time Warner subscriber. He made sure to emphasize that no higher priced package or rate would be required to get things back working again, and he made sure Spectrum didn’t try to upsell us to fix it even though he knew I wouldn’t have settled for that anyway because I knew better.

I normally only call him on tech issues when it is something I can’t solve myself but where there is no need to wait on the phone for Spectrum support because it is a fairly simple fix I can generally perform myself, without the need for CSR intervention, after him telling me how to do it or when there is something to which I need to get a truthful and trustworthy confirmation about to make sure what is the truth and what is not.

I know there is a lot of doing and saying in my response here, but since I very much trust my longtime friend, and he has never steered me wrong, I don’t have any reason, at this point, to doubt what he says about Spectrum killing all of the CableCARDs, and all of the cable boxes containing embedded CableCARDs, still left out there in Spectrum’s cable ecosystem. From what I can tell, with his information, it sounds like the change will more likely occur area by area, rather than all at once company-wide, like how it did with the Swtiched Digital Video (SDV) upgrade and the conversion upgrade to all digital which did away with being able to see some cable channels without requiring a cable box because of where different head-ends and systems were not all at the same points in their system upgrade lifecycles.

I wish I could be the bearer of better news on this, but after getting confirmation from a truly trusted source, it currently appears that this is actually going to happen, and also that more likely, rather than an all at once company-wide scenario playing out, the scenario will end up as one where the area and system, in which each affected customer resides, will play the bigger factor as to when Spectrum will do the system upgrade in their area.


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## cwoody222

suzannesstud said:


> The letters and emails weren’t what gave specific dates and details. I simply kept ignoring those, as they have been coming for about 3 to 4 months now, until we got a call from Spectrum today to discuss what is getting ready to take place. The person who called gave us the information about what and when.
> 
> After I talked to them, I called a local technician, whom has also been a great and very trustworthy friend of ours for many years, to ask him if what I was told was legitimate or if it was just an attempt to get us to give up our CableCARDs and upsell us to switch to their units. He advised me it was actually legitimate in our area. He was actually the technician who installed our CableCARD and Tuning Adapter when we got our TiVo Premier Series 4 shortly after it came out and back when it was Time Warner Cable. He told us that, between him and the gatepost, we were better off with TiVo than one of their DVRs.
> 
> He also helped us get our CableCARD transferred to our new TiVo Edge For Cable unit when the power supply in our Premier Series 4 finally bit the dust. I hated that, too, because it was the last TiVo unit manufactured that let me have cable and my antenna all-in-one without having to have separate dedicated units or having to switch any cables back and forth to go from one to the other. That was a little less than a year ago, and at that time he told us we might not get to continue using our new TiVo Edge with Spectrum for much longer because the plan to permanently phase out and kill all remaining CableCARDs was already in the works. At that time, he didn’t know for sure when our area would be completed, but he said to hold on to our CableCARD and Tuning Adapter for as long as we could until the time came involving the system upgrade which would kill all of the CableCARDs that were still active on our area’s system upon completion.
> 
> We have known him personally since before he ever worked for Time Warner and now Spectrum, and he has always been a straight up honest person so I trust him to be honest about this issue, too, which after confirming with him today whether or not Spectrum was being truthful, he said unfortunately yes, and it will be by the end of August 2022 in our area. He also knows that, with me having worked a number of years in the Telecommunications industry selling similar products for a competitor, I am all to familiar with the tactics companies use to try to get a customer to buy something or to take an upsell on something that the customer doesn’t really need, want, or isn’t truly necessary for them to maintain their current level of service as is.
> 
> A while back, our area went to all digital encryption where you have to have a receiver of some kind regardless of whether or not the TV is a smart TV with a Clear QAM-256 tuner, and when Spectrum support couldn’t seem to figure out why certain channels starting saying they were no longer authorized after that overnight upgrade, even though they worked up to the time the upgrade occurred, he was the only one who actually knew how to solve it which ended up having to do with the fact that we were a legacy Time Warner subscriber. He made sure to emphasize that no higher priced package or rate would be required to get things back working again, and he made sure Spectrum didn’t try to upsell us to fix it even though he knew I wouldn’t have settled for that anyway because I knew better.
> 
> I normally only call him on tech issues when it is something I can’t solve myself but where there is no need to wait on the phone for Spectrum support because it is a fairly simple fix I can generally perform myself, without the need for CSR intervention, after him telling me how to do it or when there is something to which I need to get a truthful and trustworthy confirmation about to make sure what is the truth and what is not.
> 
> I know there is a lot of doing and saying in my response here, but since I very much trust my longtime friend, and he has never steered me wrong, I don’t have any reason, at this point, to doubt what he says about Spectrum killing all of the CableCARDs, and all of the cable boxes containing embedded CableCARDs, still left out there in Spectrum’s cable ecosystem. From what I can tell, with his information, it sounds like the change will more likely occur area by area, rather than all at once company-wide, like how it did with the Swtiched Digital Video (SDV) upgrade and the conversion upgrade to all digital which did away with being able to see some cable channels without requiring a cable box because of where different head-ends and systems were not all at the same points in their system upgrade lifecycles.
> 
> I wish I could be the bearer of better news on this, but after getting confirmation from a truly trusted source, it currently appears that this is actually going to happen, and also that more likely, rather than an all at once company-wide scenario playing out, the scenario will end up as one where the area and system, in which each affected customer resides, will play the bigger factor as to when Spectrum will do the system upgrade in their area.


So, to summarize, you claim Spectrum is making a change to their system which will render your equipment 100% unable to receive their service in less than 6 weeks and you’ve received no formal written communication with specific steps necessary to retain you as a customer able to receive service?

Sorry, I don’t think that’s likely.


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## suzannesstud

cwoody222 said:


> So, to summarize, you claim Spectrum is making a change to their system which will render your equipment 100% unable to receive their service in less than 6 weeks and you’ve received no formal written communication with specific steps necessary to retain you as a customer able to receive service?
> 
> Sorry, I don’t think that’s likely.


I was initially communicated by letter about the change around 12 or better weeks ago, but I had been ignoring all of the emails and letters I had gotten since then because I didn’t initially believe they would be all out doing that as was stated in the letters and emails since it was quite the radical move to be making in leaving customers with devices which use CableCARDs unable to continue using them with Spectrum TV service.

Then came a call yesterday to which I confirmed with a very much trusted source whom him and I have known each other as very good friends on a personal level for many years. If I question something Spectrum says and truly want to know the real deal as to whether or not such matter carries any merit, he is literally the next best thing to seeing an actual official company memo on such matter in question. On such a radical issue like that, I will always seek his knowledge before making a determination of whether or not the issue warrants my attention to it because I know he will tell me honestly either way it goes and regardless of whether the outcome would be in my favor or in Spectrum’s favor.

The letters and emails did communicate steps to follow, but I didn’t include those because that didn’t seem to be in the meat of the discussion, before I first responded to it, other than that some of the responses indicated they also got letters about the change while others indicated they have not as of yet. Those who have not gotten letters appear to not have a projected timeframe on the hit list yet while those who have gotten letters are getting them multiple months prior to when action needs to be taken along with subsequent communications about every couple of weeks after that if they don’t respond.

The steps mentioned were either that we would be supplied with a free DVR receiver for each affected device, or if we didn’t want Spectrum’s units, we could instead use an Apple TV+, which is not related to Spectrum in any way, as Apple TV+ supports HD and SD viewing all of the channels (also including the local channels) via the free streaming app available in the Apple TV+ App Store along with Spectrum supplying free Cloud DVR on their end to retain the DVR ability being lost as a result of no more TiVo. The letter did not specifically mention, but if the customer has a Roku 3 or later device which still has the Spectrum TV app installed, like how mine is, that can also be used instead as it will also allow HD and SD viewing of all the of channels (also including the local channels) along with Spectrum supplying the free Cloud DVR for the DVR side of it. The CableCARDs themselves do not get returned as Spectrum doesn’t want them back, but the Spectrum receivers with embedded CableCARDs in them will be swapped for the newer units which don’t use them if we choose to go that route. If we do end up going that route, our technician friend is going to arrange to have the work order assigned to him so I won’t have to bother with doing a self-install on my own followed by having to call in to activate the new equipment then either having to take the affected receivers back down to the local office to turn them back in or ship them back to Spectrum.

He also suggested, that for our area, action should be taken by Monday 08/11/2022, but he said that there would likely still be a few extra days built in beyond that to make sure all affected customers can either get the needed equipment to self-install or get a technician scheduled to come do it for no charge.

I don’t like this whole issue anymore than anyone else does, but with the FCC no longer requiring MVPD’s to support CableCARDs, which has actually been the case for a while now, I’d expect more providers to likely follow suit on ditching the technology because they don’t even seem to be on board with the idea of using the newer Tru2Way technology which is CableLab’s successor to CableCARDs and would have allowed support of non-cable provider devices, such as TiVo, to continue. TiVo and other TV and device manufacturers could then have built the Tru2Way technology into their devices and it would be problem solved, but as it stands, that is not happening, and although TiVo talked about possibly manufacturing Tru2Way TiVo devices in the past, it has never come to fruition because the cable companies are not wanting to support devices which aren’t theirs as that takes away from the revenue stream their units generate.


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## Teeps

Bottom line:
No need to worry; it works until it doesn't.


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## suzannesstud

Teeps said:


> Bottom line:
> No need to worry; it works until it doesn't.


That is very true.


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## cwoody222

suzannesstud said:


> I was initially communicated by letter about the change around 12 or better weeks ago, but I had been ignoring all of the emails and letters I had gotten since then because I didn’t initially believe they would be all out doing that as was stated in the letters and emails since it was quite the radical move to be making in leaving customers with devices which use CableCARDs unable to continue using them with Spectrum TV service.
> 
> Then came a call yesterday to which I confirmed with a very much trusted source whom him and I have known each other as very good friends on a personal level for many years. If I question something Spectrum says and truly want to know the real deal as to whether or not such matter carries any merit, he is literally the next best thing to seeing an actual official company memo on such matter in question. On such a radical issue like that, I will always seek his knowledge before making a determination of whether or not the issue warrants my attention to it because I know he will tell me honestly either way it goes and regardless of whether the outcome would be in my favor or in Spectrum’s favor.
> 
> The letters and emails did communicate steps to follow, but I didn’t include those because that didn’t seem to be in the meat of the discussion, before I first responded to it, other than that some of the responses indicated they also got letters about the change while others indicated they have not as of yet. Those who have not gotten letters appear to not have a projected timeframe on the hit list yet while those who have gotten letters are getting them multiple months prior to when action needs to be taken along with subsequent communications about every couple of weeks after that if they don’t respond.
> 
> The steps mentioned were either that we would be supplied with a free DVR receiver for each affected device, or if we didn’t want Spectrum’s units, we could instead use an Apple TV+, which is not related to Spectrum in any way, as Apple TV+ supports HD and SD viewing all of the channels (also including the local channels) via the free streaming app available in the Apple TV+ App Store along with Spectrum supplying free Cloud DVR on their end to retain the DVR ability being lost as a result of no more TiVo. The letter did not specifically mention, but if the customer has a Roku 3 or later device which still has the Spectrum TV app installed, like how mine is, that can also be used instead as it will also allow HD and SD viewing of all the of channels (also including the local channels) along with Spectrum supplying the free Cloud DVR for the DVR side of it. The CableCARDs themselves do not get returned as Spectrum doesn’t want them back, but the Spectrum receivers with embedded CableCARDs in them will be swapped for the newer units which don’t use them if we choose to go that route. If we do end up going that route, our technician friend is going to arrange to have the work order assigned to him so I won’t have to bother with doing a self-install on my own followed by having to call in to activate the new equipment then either having to take the affected receivers back down to the local office to turn them back in or ship them back to Spectrum.
> 
> He also suggested, that for our area, action should be taken by Monday 08/11/2022, but he said that there would likely still be a few extra days built in beyond that to make sure all affected customers can either get the needed equipment to self-install or get a technician scheduled to come do it for no charge.
> 
> I don’t like this whole issue anymore than anyone else does, but with the FCC no longer requiring MVPD’s to support CableCARDs, which has actually been the case for a while now, I’d expect more providers to likely follow suit on ditching the technology because they don’t even seem to be on board with the idea of using the newer Tru2Way technology which is CableLab’s successor to CableCARDs and would have allowed support of non-cable provider devices, such as TiVo, to continue. TiVo and other TV and device manufacturers could then have built the Tru2Way technology into their devices and it would be problem solved, but as it stands, that is not happening, and although TiVo talked about possibly manufacturing Tru2Way TiVo devices in the past, it has never come to fruition because the cable companies are not wanting to support devices which aren’t theirs as that takes away from the revenue stream their units generate.


But what you said was, “The letters and emails weren’t what gave specific dates and details.”

I suspect they were the MARKETING EMAILS that many, many, many people have already reported and discussed and do NOT indicate service is stopping.

Its only when you spoke in person with people not really authorized to give you notice of material changes in your service were you told the sky is falling.

Until you have hardcopy written verification of such a severe service change including dates and details, I am not convinced.


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## suzannesstud

cwoody222 said:


> But what you said was, “The letters and emails weren’t what gave specific dates and details.”
> 
> I suspect they were the MARKETING EMAILS that many, many, many people have already reported and discussed and do NOT indicate service is stopping.
> 
> Its only when you spoke in person with people not really authorized to give you notice of material changes in your service were you told the sky is falling.
> 
> Until you have hardcopy written verification of such a severe service change including dates and details, I am not convinced.


I get you on that.

As far as previous changes that actually occurred, none of the letters or emails on those contained any specifics either, but they still occurred as stated. They were just like the ones I have been receiving on the CableCARD issue and have the exact same vagueness as in previous issues except that these ones for this CableCARD issue point at the CableCARD support department in which the number given helps you provision and troubleshoot CableCARDs specifically.

I’ve always had to call whenever I’ve received a notification that something is happening in the area because they can’t seem to spell out details, in their letters and emails, to the point where it isn’t necessary to have to call with a list of questions. They always have that same vagueness and obscurity. I’m just fortunate to have worked in the industry for enough years to develop a good understanding of how many of these things work where I can spot telltale signs of an attempt at a clever coverup and how things can evolve into going in different directions that really frustrate customers when the company decides to make changes that can be very much detrimental to those affected, and I am also very fortune to have someone I know well enough for him and I to be on the same level of understanding both personally speaking and technically speaking because we both have the same level of knowledge and background.

Just as he reiterated to me, though, the information given only speaks for our area, in particular, which is in the Central Kentucky area of the Southern and Southwestern Ohio region of Spectrum’s footprint. It does not, however, speak for, and should not be construed as representing, any other areas or regions of the country, at this point, as to where those areas or regions currently are in that whole process because different ones may be somewhat farther off than other ones are before Spectrum actually gets around to them.


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## cwoody222

Here’s the communication going out in central KY. It’s the same one that we’ve already debunked.









Spectrum and cable card


Another example is the IndyCar race in Toronto today, only available on Peacock (a first for them), but NBC is only going to show 5 minutes of commercials so I can deal with that. I doubt it will be available after it airs though. When I checked Peacock a couple days ago (after my post above)...




www.tivocommunity.com


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## andy7121

Like many of you, over the past couple of months, I have been getting phone calls, emails and letters from Spectrum, telling me that my cable card would not be compatible with future network upgrades. Spectrum was offering either a receiver (free for the first 24 months) or 50% off an Apple TV. The letter was supposedly from Kathleen Griffin, the VP of Marketing Communications. This might be a generic name, much like Betty Crocker or Ronald MacDonald.

I was too busy to do anything about this, but this week I decided I'd better look into the situation. What a mess!

On Tuesday (8/9/22) I called the toll-free number in the letter. The number (866-532-2598) turns out to be the Spectrum cable card support line. Initially I was connected with some guy who did not know much about cable cards or TIVO or this program, so he handed me over to a woman named Star in the billing department. I explained that I had a TIVO with a cable card, and that since the cards were not going to work in the future, what I needed was a box that would go between the cable line and the TIVO that would perform the function of the card. Star did not know anything about this; as a matter of fact, this was the first call she had ever received about this program. She talked to a supervisor, who then talked to another supervisor. Nobody could figure this out. I was on hold several times. After about an hour, Star said they would sort it out and send me what I needed. The receiver would indeed be free for the first 24 months, then $8.99 per month after that. And if I had any problems, I could call back to the billing department and ask specifically for her. Yeah, right.

The next day (9/10/22) I received a big box from Spectrum. What did it contain? Not one, but two Spectrum DVR units. One was a Motorola DCX3501-M. The other was a Motorola DCX3510-M ; both were labeled as being HD Dual Tuner DVR units. These DVRs were obviously used, since they were scratched and dented. And here's the odd thing: both contained cable cards. The 3510 had a grill top through which I could actually see the cable card. The back plane of each unit had a slot identified a “M-Card Device Only.”

I did not need – or want – a DVR, so I called back to Spectrum. Talked to 3 different people. (I tried getting to Star in the billing department, but I was informed that there was no way to contact a specific individual. Of course.)

The third person I talked to really gave me the run-around. When I asked about the fact that these units actually had cable cards, at first he denied that they did. Then he said that the units would work without the cable cards. Then he said that the cable cards would work with their equipment only. He said he could send me a receiver, but he could not guarantee that the unit would have a coaxial cable out connection. He suggested that I visit my local Spectrum store; I think he just wanted to get me off the phone. Oh, and you must make the channel selection on the receiver, not on the TIVO DVR. This obviously would not work.

I remember with my model 2 TIVO, there was a jerry-rigged capability of hooking up a pair of infra-red lights controlled by the TIVO to change the channel on my set-top box. Are we back to that?

After 2 hours on the phone with Spectrum and 3 different people, I got disconnected. I cannot find an email address for Spectrum support. I suppose if I go to my local store, I won't get disconnected. But what are the chances of some local clerk being able to address the problem?

What are my choices at this point? Continue to try to work with Spectrum to solve the problem? Go with ATT? Ditch cable and just go OTA? Simply go through Internet?

In case you ever need it, here is a website with the manuals for all of Spectrum's receivers and DVR units: Spectrum.net


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## mdavej

Your only option with TiVo is cable card or OTA. There is no such thing a a box that goes in between that can decode and feed video to your TiVo. So Star was correct to be puzzled by your proposal and send you the thing that actually does work.

You are correct that Spectrum DVRs also have a card and that your TiVo should continue working as long as their own boxes do. 

Personally, I would sell the TiVos, cancel Spectrum and get YouTube TV. Why give Spectrum your business if they won’t support your equipment.


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## andy7121

Per Spectrum's site, I need to obtain an authorization to return the two DVR units. But, when I called Spectrum, they said that all I need to do is box up the units and take them to my nearest UPS store. Be sure to get a receipt

The woman I spoke to was very forthcoming. I asked about the warning that cable cards would no longer work at some future time. Yes, she confirmed that. Then why do the two DVR units have cable cards? It's not that cable cards per se will no longer work; Spectrum will continue to support cable cards that are installed in *THEIR* DVRs. But, at some time in the future, they will not support cards that are installed in TIVO units. So, I can continue using my TIVO and my existing cable card as long as the cable card works. At some time in the future, if the cable card stops working, then Spectrum can / will decline to replace it. The FCC requirement to support cable cards in 3rd party units has been rescinded. So this whole issue is about marketing. They want you to use their DVR units, rather than 3rd party units.


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## Teeps

mdavej said:


> <SNIP>
> Personally, I would sell the TiVos, cancel Spectrum and get YouTube TV. Why give Spectrum your business if they won’t support your equipment.


.
I hear this all the time. 
And while not a bad idea; internet service is still needed... where does it come from?


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## slowbiscuit

He meant TV, not HSI.


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## andy7121

mdavej said:


> Personally, I would sell the TiVos, cancel Spectrum and get YouTube TV. Why give Spectrum your business if they won’t support your equipment.


As you suggest, maybe the time is right for a server-based solution, rather than a client-based one. Our TIVO boxes at home have provided successful client-based solutions for years. Has anyone tried the TIVO Stream-4k media streamer?


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## mdavej

andy7121 said:


> As you suggest, maybe the time is right for a server-based solution, rather than a client-based one. Our TIVO boxes at home have provided successful client-based solutions for years. Has anyone tried the TIVO Stream-4k media streamer?


The Stream 4k is just another streaming stick, no Tivo functionality whatsoever aside from the poorly executed streaming aggregator front end they attempted to build. On the plus side, I think they're about $15 on clearance at Walmart, if they have any left. I think a more mainstream streaming stick with hope for future updates would be a better move, i.e., Apple, Amazon, Roku, Google, etc., even though they cost a little more.

I was also sad to leave my old friend Tivo as well. But cable card is essentially dead, and there is no replacement. You really have no choice but to move on if you want to DVR cable channels. I moved to streaming years ago simply because cable TV got too expensive. It's been a little bumpy, but I've saved a ton of money. I still have one Tivo left as an OTA backup in case streaming gets too expensive (it's getting close to my limit).


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## Teeps

mdavej said:


> The Stream 4k is just another streaming stick, no Tivo functionality whatsoever aside from the poorly executed streaming aggregator front end they attempted to build. On the plus side, I think they're about $15 on clearance at Walmart, if they have any left. I think a more mainstream streaming stick with hope for future updates would be a better move, i.e., Apple, Amazon, Roku, Google, etc., even though they cost a little more.
> 
> I was also sad to leave my old friend Tivo as well. But cable card is essentially dead, and there is no replacement. You really have no choice but to move on if you want to DVR cable channels. I moved to streaming years ago simply because cable TV got too expensive. It's been a little bumpy, but I've saved a ton of money. I still have one Tivo left as an OTA backup in case streaming gets too expensive (it's getting close to my limit).


What internet service do you have?
What is the speed?
What is the cost?


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## cwoody222

mdavej said:


> The Stream 4k is just another streaming stick, no Tivo functionality whatsoever aside from the poorly executed streaming aggregator front end they attempted to build. On the plus side, I think they're about $15 on clearance at Walmart, if they have any left. I think a more mainstream streaming stick with hope for future updates would be a better move, i.e., Apple, Amazon, Roku, Google, etc., even though they cost a little more.
> 
> I was also sad to leave my old friend Tivo as well. But cable card is essentially dead, and there is no replacement. You really have no choice but to move on if you want to DVR cable channels. I moved to streaming years ago simply because cable TV got too expensive. It's been a little bumpy, but I've saved a ton of money. I still have one Tivo left as an OTA backup in case streaming gets too expensive (it's getting close to my limit).


How is CC “essentially dead?

It’s still supported by Spectrum, VZ Fios, Comcast, Cox and others.


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## mdavej

cwoody222 said:


> How is CC “essentially dead?
> 
> It’s still supported by Spectrum, VZ Fios, Comcast, Cox and others.


You know as well as I do. FCC mandate is gone, and others are using all kinds of underhanded tactics to put it in the grave for good. Cable co. threats are posted here every day. It’s only a matter of time.


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## mdavej

Teeps said:


> What internet service do you have?
> What is the speed?
> What is the cost?


T-mobile at the moment, terrible speeds, but only $50/month. It’s sufficient for what I need. If slower internet was an option at an even lower cost, I’d sign up in a heartbeat. My YouTube TV is $55. Beauty of it is I can use it in 3-4 homes simultaneously, saving me and my family hundreds of dollars per month over all. If it were only me, I’d be satisfied with OTA only, which is free.


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## Teeps

mdavej said:


> T-mobile at the moment, terrible speeds, but only $50/month. It’s sufficient for what I need. If slower internet was an option at an even lower cost, I’d sign up in a heartbeat. My YouTube TV is $55. Beauty of it is I can use it in 3-4 homes simultaneously, saving me and my family hundreds of dollars per month over all. If it were only me, I’d be satisfied with OTA only, which is free.


Thanks for the info.


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## andy7121

Ha Ha. Seven days later, my cable card stopped working. I called Spectrum. They said that cable cards do not work in my area any more. My conclusion is that they *disabled my cable card* and are refusing to reactivate it. My choices are ATT / Uverse or Satellite or YouTube TV. I will be able to keep Internet and Phone on Spectrum.

Now, the next day, I have installed YouTube TV and I am 95% happy with it.

I watched a movie on the Sundance Channel. There was one series of commercials, about 7 of them, 30 seconds each. I could not fast forward through the commercials, but that was the end of them.

There is more of a graphic / visual interface than TIVO, which is text based. The YTTV interface is more like Netflix or Prime.

YTTV can also run on its phone app, where there is a built-in button to cast to my TV, but I don't see the advantage of doing that. Maybe if I did not have a smart TV.

On YTTV you can have 6 legal accounts. This would be good for families. Since this is server / cloud based, it's good for folks who travel.

Since my TIVO Bolt acts as my downstream MoCA adapter, I should try running YouTube TV over WIFI. But I might need mesh distribution from the router for speed.

Have not figured out yet how to tell YouTube that I have Netflix and Prime. I have to exit from YTTV and then go to the TV hub.

The fast-forward in YTTV is in 15-second intervals through commercials.

Speed over Internet is fine. No stutters. Ethernet, not WIFI.


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## Teeps

andy7121 said:


> Ha Ha. Seven days later, my cable card stopped working. I called Spectrum. They said that cable cards do not work in my area any more. My conclusion is that they *disabled my cable card* and are refusing to reactivate it. My choices are ATT / Uverse or Satellite or YouTube TV.
> 
> I will be able to keep Internet and Phone on Spectrum.


Why would you do that?
Especially if you can get ATT fiber optic internet; I got an offer of 300mbps internet for $55 @ month plus tax. With no contract.
Punish spectrum the only way you (we) can... drop them like a hot rock.


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## cwoody222

andy7121 said:


> Ha Ha. Seven days later, my cable card stopped working. I called Spectrum. They said that cable cards do not work in my area any more. My conclusion is that they *disabled my cable card* and are refusing to reactivate it. My choices are ATT / Uverse or Satellite or YouTube TV. I will be able to keep Internet and Phone on Spectrum.


Where is this?

Still not convinced it’s not a technical error.

Did they provide notice your services were changing? Are you being charged for the CC rental?

Surely we’d have heard from others if this was happening.


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## samsauce29

Interesting random find on Reddit. (Unsure if this was some internal Spectrum comm or someone posting a pic of their bill. Feels like internal to Spectrum.)

At least in this one apartment complex in Austin, they'll be getting high split and "app-only TV" soon, if it hasn't happened already.

I have a promo through 5/17/2023, figure I'll ride that out, then transition completely over to YouTube TV. (I've found YTTV to be very good in many ways, but it just can't match up to having tuners filled with College Football on a Saturday afternoon!)


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## andy7121

cwoody222 said:


> Where is this?
> 
> Still not convinced it’s not a technical error.
> 
> Did they provide notice your services were changing? Are you being charged for the CC rental?
> 
> Surely we’d have heard from others if this was happening.


Where: St. Louis MO
Technical error? No, I think it's all marketing. 
Did they tell me? No. Am I being charged for the card? I guess I will find out on the next bill.
Have others had similar problems? Different parts of the country maybe. Maybe not everyone is on this blog.


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## cwoody222

andy7121 said:


> Where: St. Louis MO
> Technical error? No, I think it's all marketing.
> Did they tell me? No. Am I being charged for the card? I guess I will find out on the next bill.
> Have others had similar problems? Different parts of the country maybe. Maybe not everyone is on this blog.


So they disabled your ability to view all television with no prior notice to official change notice to your billable services?

I don’t buy that.

I suspect a technical error occurred and the CSR you spoke you INCORRECTLY stated “CableCards no longer work”.

If an entire region was deactivated, there’d be other reports.


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## Teeps

The OP's problem could be as simple as a Cisco vs Motorola branded cable card, as the two brands are not interchangeable.

Went through that earlier this year. Went through several truck rolls before 99% of the problems were resolved.
One truck roll, the tech had a cable card, but it was a cisco. He said this card will not work in this area. So he left.
The next guy had a Motorola card and got it working.

Context: the above problem started after replacing a failed HDD in a S3 model 648250. Which uses 2 cable cards.


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## CarlosSanger86

andy7121 said:


> Ha Ha. Seven days later, my cable card stopped working. I called Spectrum. They said that cable cards do not work in my area any more. My conclusion is that they *disabled my cable card* and are refusing to reactivate it. My choices are ATT / Uverse or Satellite or YouTube TV. I will be able to keep Internet and Phone on Spectrum.
> 
> Now, the next day, I have installed YouTube TV and I am 95% happy with it.
> 
> I watched a movie on the Sundance Channel. There was one series of commercials, about 7 of them, 30 seconds each. I could not fast forward through the commercials, but that was the end of them.
> 
> There is more of a graphic / visual interface than TIVO, which is text based. The YTTV interface is more like Netflix or Prime.
> 
> YTTV can also run on its phone app, where there is a built-in button to cast to my TV, but I don't see the advantage of doing that. Maybe if I did not have a smart TV.
> 
> On YTTV you can have 6 legal accounts. This would be good for families. Since this is server / cloud based, it's good for folks who travel.
> 
> Since my TIVO Bolt acts as my downstream MoCA adapter, I should try running YouTube TV over WIFI. But I might need mesh distribution from the router for speed.
> 
> Have not figured out yet how to tell YouTube that I have Netflix and Prime. I have to exit from YTTV and then go to the TV hub.
> 
> The fast-forward in YTTV is in 15-second intervals through commercials.
> 
> Speed over Internet is fine. No stutters. Ethernet, not WIFI.


You can no longer order U-verse Cable TV. If you get AT&T TV service, it can only be DIRECTV or DIRECTV Stream


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## wjbatlanta

cwoody222 said:


> Your brother’s cable company is not buying Streams and modifying them.
> 
> They have a partnership with TiVo to license their hardware and software and lease them to their subscribers.


...perhaps that was the case - but now they're been offered the opportunity to purchase devices instead of paying per TV (paying a special recalculated monthly rate).
still the same gui - hate it.


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## jfharrison

My Spectrum Cable Card termination date is announced as 03 Jan. After that my Tivo Premiere Series 4 essentially will be a brick. I kept the Premiere because it has OTA capability, oh boy, I can still get the Big-3 networks. I have ATT fiber & Apple TV device.

Other than installing an antenna, what are my options for continuing to use my Tivo?


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## cwoody222

jfharrison said:


> My Spectrum Cable Card termination date is announced as 03 Jan. After that my Tivo Premiere Series 4 essentially will be a brick. I kept the Premiere because it has OTA capability, oh boy, I can still get the Big-3 networks. I have ATT fiber & Apple TV device.
> 
> Other than installing an antenna, what are my options for continuing to use my Tivo?


This date was in writing and explicit? Can you post it, with what city you’re in?

Aside from OTA, your only other option for TiVo is use another provider that supports CC.


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## jfharrison

cwoody222 said:


> Can you post it, with what city you’re in?


Reno, Nevada


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## cwoody222

jfharrison said:


> Reno, Nevada
> 
> View attachment 77748


Well, that certainly does sound more dire than the similar but less severe letters they were sending months ago.

I do still wonder what will happen on Jan 3, and if service does cease, whether it’s due to implementation of incompatible new technology (“high-split” internet delivery for higher speeds) or just arbitrary.

Also curious that at least one other Spectrum area is offering “high split” tuning adapters, presumably to retain CC support.

Please do report back on Jan 3 if you end up keeping the CC until then.


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## mbaumwell

Well, Spectrum finally followed through in Nevada. After getting all the "That's a nice TiVo with a tuning adapter and cable card you have. Be a shame if anything happened to it." e-mails -- they did it. Now my TiVo can't get any channels at all. 

Conversation: "Me: Bastages! You killed my TiVo! Them: But, sir, we can get you a most magnificent streaming solution! Me: Does it have any _local storage_ to download content? Them: No. We use the cloud, which is truly very beauteous! Everyone loves clouds! (mumble: yes, you must have working internet to see anything). Me: Not acceptable. I want a real DVR with local storage so that I have a chance to watch something during one of your frequent internet/cable outages. Plus, up here in the sticks we have many wintery snowstorms which knocks out cable and internet in addition t your frequent outages. Them: Ah! We have a DVR; it's truly wondrous! Me: Fine. Send it." 

And so, Spectrum sent me a 2010 vintage DVR with 2 tuners and a remote with 110 buttons, the tiniest of which you need to control the 4 or 5 most commonly used play/pause/record functions. And forget a guide or search that really works. It really is back to the late 1990s.

Spectrum is the only cable provider here out in the sticks (by which I mean pine trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains). 

AT&T has fibrous internet, but apparently no DVR. Only streaming from the cloud.

So to the experts out there: Any solutions? Is my TiVosity experience memory-only now? Does AT&T&T& at least have a user friendly receiver and remote system? How painful is it to use Spectrum's cloud streaming service? Or am I better off completely transitioning to 3rd party streaming services (Netflix, Prime, Apple, Paramount+, some of which I have now and use with an iDevice).

Thanks


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## jackgopack4

mbaumwell said:


> Well, Spectrum finally followed through in Nevada. After getting all the "That's a nice TiVo with a tuning adapter and cable card you have. Be a shame if anything happened to it." e-mails -- they did it. Now my TiVo can't get any channels at all.
> 
> Conversation: "Me: Bastages! You killed my TiVo! Them: But, sir, we can get you a most magnificent streaming solution! Me: Does it have any _local storage_ to download content? Them: No. We use the cloud, which is truly very beauteous! Everyone loves clouds! (mumble: yes, you must have working internet to see anything). Me: Not acceptable. I want a real DVR with local storage so that I have a chance to watch something during one of your frequent internet/cable outages. Plus, up here in the sticks we have many wintery snowstorms which knocks out cable and internet in addition t your frequent outages. Them: Ah! We have a DVR; it's truly wondrous! Me: Fine. Send it."
> 
> And so, Spectrum sent me a 2010 vintage DVR with 2 tuners and a remote with 110 buttons, the tiniest of which you need to control the 4 or 5 most commonly used play/pause/record functions. And forget a guide or search that really works. It really is back to the late 1990s.
> 
> Spectrum is the only cable provider here out in the sticks (by which I mean pine trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains).
> 
> AT&T has fibrous internet, but apparently no DVR. Only streaming from the cloud.
> 
> So to the experts out there: Any solutions? Is my TiVosity experience memory-only now? Does AT&T&T& at least have a user friendly receiver and remote system? How painful is it to use Spectrum's cloud streaming service? Or am I better off completely transitioning to 3rd party streaming services (Netflix, Prime, Apple, Paramount+, some of which I have now and use with an iDevice).
> 
> Thanks


Do you have a desktop PC and open space on your hard drive? You can download Channels DVR (Channels — Live TV & DVR) and log in with your Spectrum credentials to stream and record to your PC with TV Everywhere (the platform that cable companies and channels use to allow online streaming of content). Saves files to drm-free MPEG that you can do whatever you want with.


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## Teeps

jackgopack4 said:


> Do you have a desktop PC and open space on your hard drive? You can download Channels DVR (Channels — Live TV & DVR) and log in with your Spectrum credentials to stream and record to your PC with TV Everywhere (the platform that cable companies and channels use to allow online streaming of content). Saves files to drm-free MPEG that you can do whatever you want with.


Channels DVR sounds great but what's the catch?


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## jackgopack4

Teeps said:


> Channels DVR sounds great but what's the catch?


A little fiddling required to get it up and running and costs $8/month or $80/year (not aware of a lifetime option). Some channels don’t have a TV Everywhere option but those seem few and far between (the only one I have an issue with is MSG, a local sports network for the New York market). 
they have info on their site too about which streaming cable providers provide access to which channels


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## cwoody222

I tested Channels/Recording TV Everywhere with Fios and found it very underwhelming and not nearly as user friendly as TiVo.

Tivo is the best way to watch tv. Things like Channels, to me, is more like a way to watch video files from your pc on your tv. That’s not what I want to do.


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## Teeps

Interesting... $8 a month for their service/app.
I looked no further on their web site. When I didn't see a price on the home page

I fear that I will be in the same boat as *mbaumwell *(post #46) sooner or later.
This could be a great option as I DO prefer recording programs...

Thanks for the info and link.


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## cwoody222

mbaumwell said:


> Well, Spectrum finally followed through in Nevada. After getting all the "That's a nice TiVo with a tuning adapter and cable card you have. Be a shame if anything happened to it." e-mails -- they did it. Now my TiVo can't get any channels at all.
> 
> Conversation: "Me: Bastages! You killed my TiVo! Them: But, sir, we can get you a most magnificent streaming solution! Me: Does it have any _local storage_ to download content? Them: No. We use the cloud, which is truly very beauteous! Everyone loves clouds! (mumble: yes, you must have working internet to see anything). Me: Not acceptable. I want a real DVR with local storage so that I have a chance to watch something during one of your frequent internet/cable outages. Plus, up here in the sticks we have many wintery snowstorms which knocks out cable and internet in addition t your frequent outages. Them: Ah! We have a DVR; it's truly wondrous! Me: Fine. Send it."
> 
> And so, Spectrum sent me a 2010 vintage DVR with 2 tuners and a remote with 110 buttons, the tiniest of which you need to control the 4 or 5 most commonly used play/pause/record functions. And forget a guide or search that really works. It really is back to the late 1990s.
> 
> Spectrum is the only cable provider here out in the sticks (by which I mean pine trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains).
> 
> AT&T has fibrous internet, but apparently no DVR. Only streaming from the cloud.
> 
> So to the experts out there: Any solutions? Is my TiVosity experience memory-only now? Does AT&T&T& at least have a user friendly receiver and remote system? How painful is it to use Spectrum's cloud streaming service? Or am I better off completely transitioning to 3rd party streaming services (Netflix, Prime, Apple, Paramount+, some of which I have now and use with an iDevice).
> 
> Thanks


Did you try to obtain the new “High Split Adapter” to replace your existing TA?

That - plus having a rep re-pair their card if needed - has fixed others issue.

In 99.99% of the time when Spectrum tells you “sorry, TiVos no longer work, there’s no solution” they are wrong.

I’d call back and be aggressive that they need to fix it.

Without specific prior notice (not the marketing emails you referenced) they can’t just shut off your device.


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