# All going great... UNTIL the cable card...



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Well, you know where this post is going...
The cable guy came today. Mediacom. 
Was suppose to bring "2" cable cards. I even called to double
check mediacom had down that 2 cards were requested. 
But the guy came with only 1 card. (naturally)

Anyways... he couldn't get it to work.
Plugged it in, the premiere said "M-Card Installed".
But he couldn't get it "paired".
In the cablecard setup screen under installer menus,
there is a "CON:NO" display. Thats needs to be CON:YES. (anything but :NO)
No matter how many "hits" they sent, it would not pair.
The cable guy admitted he did not know much about cablecarcds or TIVO's.
YIKES!!!
He could do a "hit" himself from his handheld gadget, and he said the "hit"
was saying it was successful on his end. That it was finding the card ok.
But no matter, still a no-go.

I called tivo cs and as far as they could tell i did everything right, as far as all the updates and everything on my part. CS said make sure no cable splitters were in the way, there was none on the line. So tivo cs could not do much.

So after 3 hours, the cable guy left, requesting another guy come out next week that might have more experience with cablecards.

I have 2 new premiere's and we tried both with this card, and no-go results on both. So it is NOT the units. And since the premiere's see the card installed, I really doubt a bad card is the issue. Very unlikely. Very very!

I know it has to be on mediacom's end. They are not init the card correctly, or its not added to my account properly, or they are not sending the right hits to activate the card. Something???

But I dread Im in for a looooong fight with mediacom and "THE CARD".
And I know these cable companies rather you use and pay for their DVR and not tivo. 
So I have to wonder if they just try to discourage the use of cablecards
by not activating them correctly on purpose? Making it a nightmare hoping the customer will just give up?

What mediacom doesn't know or realize, if they can not get the card(s) to work, I will just go with basic cable line directly to the tivo. Drop all high end cable channels. Not use any card. Especially since I also now have netflix and amazon thru these premiere boxes. Plenty of stuff to watch just with those options... 
Why do cable companies act like this cablecard install is their first?
I'm sure they know exactly how to get these cards to work. 
They just refuse to cooperate with the customer.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

This is exactly the type of complaint that warrants FCC attention...

http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm


----------



## tattube (Oct 24, 2010)

randy1649 said:


> Well, you know where this post is going...
> The cable guy came today. Mediacom.
> Was suppose to bring "2" cable cards. I even called to double
> check mediacom had down that 2 cards were requested.
> ...


I attribute both these issues to incompetance, rather than intent.

I have a TPXL fed by Comcast and had similar problems with startup. 
A little perseverence (well ok, a lot) - meaning more than a few phone calls to comcast before finding a knowledgeable rep, finally got the tivo running.

I have his name and number on speed-dial for future reference.


----------



## Stuxnet (Feb 9, 2011)

My Charter tech has 2 contacts he calls when things don't go smoothly. He told me both contacts have multiple TiVos w/cable cards and can pair any installation... works for me 

I'm guessing Mediacom outsourced tech support... hopefully they'll have someone who actually owns one of these machines.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Just wondering since this "pairing" seems to be typical issue for most and most cable companies, what was it they finally did that worked? Was it the "hit", or a TIVO setup setting issue, or a procedural (first do this then do that) issue? What was it that worked?


----------



## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Sometimes it's both - the card was not setup correctly for a one-way device (Tivo) and the pairing info was wrong in their system. Or the billing was incorrect and the card was not authorized. It can be multiple issues, and 90%+ of them are the cableCo's fault.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Yes. the key with cable cards is to get a tech that knows the correct person to get in contact with to enter the information. And also knows the information that the person needs. I know when I had comcast, there was only one person in m area that could enter the correct info from the pairing screen to get a cable card up and running. everyone else did not have access to the same system.


----------



## gnocchiman (Apr 25, 2011)

My story is the same as everyone's...maybe a little more. 

I'm trying to install 2 new Premiere units with Comcast Bay Area, and am now several WEEKS, dozens of phone calls, 2 truck rolls, and 2 conference calls with Tivo/Comcast...still nothing.

I know from past experience with my older Series 3 unit, that if you find the right Comcast support person they can make some changes and get it up and running in a few seconds. But why does it have to be like finding a needle in a haystack?

If anyone knows the secret password that gets them through to a competent support person, PLEASE post your advice....I beg you!!!


----------



## rocko (Oct 29, 2002)

Fire off a Tweet to @comcastcares.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Well the mediacom cable guy came and went. Two new cards. Still a no-go.
He even rewired new cable thinking that might help.
Another service call again tomorrow, more cards. This is totally #%$*%^ !!!!
Two new premieres boxes. I can't believe its the boxes.

If I ever get this going, Im going to open up a business only installing cablecards into tivo's. Charge $75 an hour. And I will probably be swamped with work...

If I could I'd buy the motorola cablecard new myself direct and see what happens.
I think these cable M-cards are all the same? A new cablecard should come with every tivo unit.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

BTW...
When talking to mediacom, all they do or say they can do is send a HIT to the card(s).
No special HIT, just their typical HIT. Mediacom says since the card(s) are on my account, serial # of the card(s), that is all it requires.
So asking them about needing other info from the card, other numbers, they say no.
As far as they are concerned, a HIT is a HIT is a HIT. And HIT's are not solving the problem.
And the card(s) have been added to my account, they say.

My gut feeling is cable companies just do not want to do this cable card thing. That would make sense since the FCC told them they have to supply cards.
If the FCC had to get involved, someone was resisting in the first place. That someone being the cable companies.
So they put people through this nightmare "we can't get it to work". And how do you prove cable companies are not intentionally fighting this issue still?
No way to prove it. They probably figure eventually we will give up and use their cable company DVR. That is what they want.

I know computers. I know pretty much about technology. You just don't get recurring bad hardware over and over.
Thats like ordering 25 hard drives from newegg, and all of them being bad. It just doesn't happen.

If the TIVO recognizes the M-cable card has been inserted, you know the card is operational. Period.


----------



## mae (Dec 10, 2001)

I don't know where you are, but I had a problem with mediacom. The issue seems to be they have many small, diverse legacy systems and have centralized many functions. The one here is surrounded on four sides by Comcast and we keep hoping they will get bought out (something I never thought I would say...I want Comcast).

Over 5 years ago, I had a tv with a cable card slot, so I called and ordered service. They told me they don't have cards. When the installers came with a box, they asked why I didn't order a card, so I told them. Of course they didn't have one, but seemed to know what they were doing when they came back with one a few days later, but couldn't get it to work. Neither did a second.

They told me to wait until they got a new shipment, and sure enough that worked the first try. 

My experience with them has not been very good when there have been problems They closed their call center at the local office and all calls go to Iowa or Florida or who knows where, and those folks are responsible for many different systems with different technologies. One rep sent a "special" hit that borked my box, and they didn't have any replacements locally.

I faxed a letter to their CEO, and received a call from a very nice person locally who has been great at getting long running and seemingly impossible situations fixed. At least here, if a local doesn't give you their direct dial, there are no listed numbers...all calls from listings go to the big call centers.

I don't have a TiVo at that house (it is a second), but I would suggest escalating to corporate to get the (one of the few) people at you local who know what they're doing and can resolve it. Good luck!


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

yep, obviously time to move up the chain anyway you can. The techs have no training and are just shooting in the dark. The hit is not doing it and that is because the back end systems are not setup correctly. The only way it would be hardware is if all the cable cards they bring are old and they need a newer revision of the card to be compatible with their headend.


----------



## jbcheshire (Jun 6, 2006)

I have had the same issues with Charter when they installed cable cards in my Premiere units. The first go-round the tech in the office that was entering the information had keyed the serial number of the card wrong in their system... Something to have them check..


----------



## windsurfdog (May 1, 2009)

Everyone who is having a new cablecard installed should read and become very familiar with this:
Troubleshooting CableCard and Channel Activation Issues
Especially pay attention to those links that pop up a pdf with screenshots of the cablecard screens on them. I printed them out and referenced them with the Comcast Tech last time I had one installed. The tech hadn't done one before and thanked me for teaching him. He was done in about 30 minutes.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

I myself verified the serial # after the first fail. 
Another mediacom guy is coming yet again today in a few hours, with more card(s).
I also just ordered a motorola M card from someone on eBay that claims their cards are in full working condition. Only spent $15, worth a try...
If mediacom fails again today (which I kinda expect), I should have the ebay M-card by the 4th mediacom visit. And will make them try that card (or I can try it I guess).

The thing is... all mediacom claims they need is the cards serial # entered and added to my account, which they say it is. And I verified the serial # already. And all mediacom does is sent their typical HIT. They claim they do not have different HIT's to send. Their HIT is an all in one HIT, according to mediacom.
And another thing, asking to have this issue sent to higher level tech support goes nowhere since mediacom claims they have no higher level of support to send you to.

It's clear mediacom does not want to mess with cablecards and especially in TIVO's !!!!!

Im now wondering if they are hitting me for a home service call charge on every visit, even though this issue is from an original unresolved service call...?
That is where I will turn ballistic.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

windsurfdog said:


> Everyone who is having a new cablecard installed should read and become very familiar with this:
> Troubleshooting CableCard and Channel Activation Issues
> Especially pay attention to those links that pop up a pdf with screenshots of the cablecard screens on them. I printed them out and referenced them with the Comcast Tech last time I had one installed. The tech hadn't done one before and thanked me for teaching him. He was done in about 30 minutes.


That is good detailed info, HOWEVER... dealing with the cable company, they will claim they have no different HIT's to send. Just their basic all-in-one HIT.

The troubleshooting guide refers to different HIT's, the hit for "one" way devices (M-cards) and the hit for the "cable box", the two way hit.
Try telling mediacom they have other HIT's they should try... a big no-go.

Fact is... these cable companies just do not want to get into debugging "your" tivo issue. All they will commit to is plugging in the card, registering the card with a call to their support activation center, and then support sending the "HIT" to the card. If those steps fail to get your card going, the cable guy just gives up and reschedules another house call for another day to try more cards. Thats about it for their part.


----------



## nrc (Nov 17, 1999)

steve614 said:


> This is exactly the type of complaint that warrants FCC attention...
> 
> http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm


I can't emphasize this enough. The cable industry's version of reality as they report it to the FCC is this: There are NO problems with cableCards or tuning adapters thanks to their "professional" installers. When there are problems it's usually attributed a faulty device or outdated firmware. Unless enough consumers start complaining to prove otherwise, the FCC will continue to accept that version of reality.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Have to update...
Still another service call and mediacom tech DID get one of the cards/tivo's working. This guy absolutely knew a lot more about the process. He was into all the tivo cablecard setup menu pages and noting every setting. Then working with his handheld gadget and mediacom cs, he got one of his new cards working within 5 minutes. 
His other new card, when popped into my "second" tivo premiere unit gave an error immediately. Said it failed to be recognized. Would not even show up with the message "M-card installed". Just a failure error.

So then he thought it was the tivo itself, so he removed the "working" card from unit #1 and plugged into tivo #2. The "good" card was recognized but would not map channels. Then I remembered I had done the setup process again (earlier) on the second unit for just cable-line to unit basic cable (no card). So he waited while I went thru the setup again with the swapped "good" card inserted, and the second tivo unit mapped correctly and worked perfect with that "good" card.
Soooo.. both tivo premiere units "were" working and totally operational.

So the guy swapped back the bad card and still got that failure to recognize error.
So he again called his cs rep he deals with, and she said that card, the bad one, was a new "logic stream" card (she got this info from looking at the history serial # of that card from their warehouse). 
In other words, that card had failed to install before on other non-tivo units.
Even though it was indeed the motorola M-card, it was in-fact different from the other M-cards. That "logic-stream" notation.

So we got one tivo working and scheduled still another service call for this saturday, and a new card.

Im now confident this mediacom rep can get the second tivo going. 
He was as dedicated and hard set to make it work as I was. So at least I have to say he was not trying to play around as the other techs were. Or maybe more so, the other mediacom techs knew nothing and gave up easily.

And finally... was it worth the nightmare (you may ask)?
YES!!!
The picture on the "working unit #1 is amazing!!!
Much much better than what I was getting using the mediacom PACE-HD cable dvr box.
Now... I don't know if its the tivo unit or what, but the HD picture is by far noticeably better than before, with using the cablecard. 

Now... mediacom DOES supply great quality HD signal. Long ago when mediacom supplied HD OTA signal thru their wire (no box needed), and I went directly cable line to the HD digital tuner on the tv, I noticed back then the picture was outstanding compared to DirecTv.

So Im thinking... now that I basically have the same setup, with the mediacom line going directly to the tiro unit tuner, and not through a cable-box dvr, and with the cablecard only serving as "the decoder", that I now basically am bypassing any cablebox and going directly cable-line to the tivo input. 
But whatever is going on, the HD picture is amazing using the tivo box!

So YES... it is worth the fight to get those cable cards working.
And this failure nightmare with cable cards does seem to be bad cablecard issues, as hard as that might be to believe. 

ps. And as the mediacom tech was leaving, I asked WHY so many cards had to be tried before getting one to work. He blamed TIVO inc. for "NOT" working with motorola directly to resolve compatibility issues with TIVO and these motorola cablecards.
He claimed TIVO never once worked directly with motorola to ensure card compatibility.
And THAt was why so many issues arise when using motorola cable cards with the TIVO unit.
And I now tend to believe this is in fact the whole core issue behind the cablecard nightmare.


----------



## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

randy1649 said:


> In other words, that card had failed to install before on other non-tivo units.


Ah yes, nothing like putting known bad hardware back in the warehouse.

I remember many years ago when I went to FAU, the computer tech would scratch his initials on a board he was sending back to be repaired. If he got the same board back again, and it still didn't work after the "repair", it would mysteriously have an accident and be damaged in shipping .


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

randy1649 said:


> He claimed TIVO never once worked directly with motorola to ensure card compatibility.
> And THAt was why so many issues arise when using motorola cable cards with the TIVO unit.
> And I now tend to believe this is in fact the whole core issue behind the cablecard nightmare.


umm - they work elsewhere. So while it could be very true TiVo did not work with Motorola, since M cable cards were not finalized and out when the S3 was made and just out when TiVo HD came out, it still was the fact that the last tech knew what CS and the back end systems had to do that made the card work.

Hope they gave you some fabreeze to deal with all the BS they were handing you.

Glad the card is working.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Yes.. someday it would be nice to get a chair, some straps and a little sodium pentothal and get to the bottom of this with the cable companies. It doesn&#8217;t take rocket science to see that the cable companies are not especially fond of tivo's. Especially when the cable company offers their own dvr box, and tivo is cutting in on their profit. But once the cablecard is up and working, tivo vastly out performs and cable tv dvr box both HD PQ and operation reliability. I had the PACE HD dvr box, and multi-room service from Mediacom. It NEVER worked as advertised. Period! And they charged $17 for the PACE dvr and another $17 for multi-room service. Tivo does all that. And a cable card costs $3.99 a month. So it&#8217;s easy to see the cable company wants it their way, not your way.
The fact the FCC had to get involved just shows companies like Mediacom have no love affair going with tivo. But they should... Now that I&#8217;m getting outstanding HD PQ with my cable card, much better PQ than with the cable HD PACE dvr box, I&#8217;m more likely to add additional HD programming packages, like MGM and Smithsonian.


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

> Another mediacom guy is coming yet again today in a few hours, with more card(s).
> I also just ordered a motorola M card from someone on eBay that claims their cards are in full working condition. Only spent $15, worth a try...


As I posted before, mediacom got one TIVO with card working. 
The second TIVO and 2nd card error 161-1 (dead card).
*I also said before I had ordered an motorola M-card off eBay.*

Well... that card came and when plugged in the TIVO came up with error 161-1.
Yep, buying off eBay was a crap-shoot for $10. No real loss.
But I noticed this eBay seller is now selling a pack of 3000 motorola M-cards for (get this) $30,000 for all 3000. And auction also states NON TESTED. lol


----------



## Stuxnet (Feb 9, 2011)

randy1649 said:


> But I noticed this eBay seller is selling a pack of 3000 motorola M-cards for (get this) $30,000 for all. And states NON TESTED. hehehe


What's the likelihood they are not cable cards at all? hmmmm...


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

I am glad to report...
The cable guy just left (4th house call since starting this post) and FINALLY got the second TIVO & card working. He brought 2 more cards out, and the first one he tried worked. However, the pay-channels were not coming in. But the error "channel not authorized - contact your cable company" was coming up when tuning to pay channels i.e. HBO, SHO, STARZ, MAX. Getting that resolved took another 1 1/2 hours. Obviously something on the cable companies side. They sent several more HITs, and finally one took and the pay channels came in. So now the circle in complete. Both TIVO's and cards working.
Four house calls. And I think going through 5 cable cards (I lost count).

One thing the tech mentioned as to why so many cards wont work, he said is that too many "hits" sent to a card can damage the card. And since so many hits are needed to get the card going, that might explain why so many bad cards are in circulation? I don't really know. But it's all working now. And in the end, it was worth the hassle. Maybe not to the cable tech, but to me. 

PS. Do not buy a cable card off someone on eBay. That is unless you're willing to take a gamble. A gamble you most likely will lose. I didn't mind the loss of $10 I paid, but some are selling these motorola M cards for $30+ on eBay with "no returns".
I will get my $10 back at any length with eBays buyer protection.

And as they say on Dragnet: Mark VII Limited (i.e. case closed)


----------



## Cap'n Preshoot (Apr 25, 2011)

randy1649 said:


> That is good detailed info, HOWEVER... dealing with the cable company, they will claim they have no different HIT's to send. Just their basic all-in-one HIT.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide refers to different HIT's, the hit for "one" way devices (M-cards) and the hit for the "cable box", the two way hit.
> Try telling mediacom they have other HIT's they should try... a big no-go.
> ...


The *TRICK* is in figuring out how to reach a 2nd tier support person at the cable company (someone who at least knows what a cablecard is). At Comcast this (reaching 2nd tier support) is practically impossible because 1st tier support is paid for every subscriber they assist, but do not get paid for those callers they must hand-off to 2nd or 3rd tier.

.


----------



## trevorius (Aug 24, 2006)

First, I want to thank all on this site and especially the link to;

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/137#Step4DeterminingiftheCableCARDisactivated

Yesterday I went to my local Comcast office and asked for an M card. I asked the guy if he had done this before and he said yes. I asked him if it was gold tipped (something I had read previously here). Great! It would cost me $1 per month. 5 minutes in and out. WOW.
Then today UPS delivered my Premiere. Great! I carefully hooked it up, went through set up. Great!
I called Comcast around 4pm hoping to be able to tape a show at 5. Not great!
I gave him all the numbers. At the end of the 2nd group of numbers I heard him make a noise. After the activation attempt, I noticed that the data # and another number were almost the same. I told him about this, he just had no idea what I was talking about. In any case, nothing happened. I was put on hold and transferred. I decided to restart my TIVO. (DON'T DO THIS!). I got to the 2nd tier but didn't know it and decided to end the call after I asked if it was just 'downloading'.
Cut to the chase, 7 hours and 5 phone calls later I sit here with my jerryrigged old series 2 that has almost never failed me. Sure it had the usual problems with '6' when changing channels, but....

Important lesson is know what you are talking about. I realize my problem is that I didn't realize my CON had to be YES. You must check your Conditional page, if the CON is No, nothing can happen. I truly realize that Comcast reps have no idea, they are turning pages reading a script. I had 1 chat session where they tried to sell me something. Every call wanted to send a technician.

I noticed a few calls the people had heavy accents, late on Friday, I can overlook that. If they don't know what the CON means, it is hopeless. The last poor guy finally told me that my card had to be activated at the Comcast center. I asked why they would hand me an 'inactive' card. Good grief, what a nightmare.

Moral: I will go for a new card tomorrow with, one way signals (the TIVO never sends a signal back, I heard alot about how my TIVO didn't reply), the card has to be 'active' see;

http://support.tivo.com/euf/assets/files/Moto_MCARD_Activ_auth.pdf

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/137#Step4DeterminingiftheCableCARDisactivated is a very important link.

The guy at the store did say 'don't let them try to activate it twice'.

I am going to get 3 cards and tell them I will mail the other 2 back later. I will make them show me that;

'The Conditional Access Screen shows
Con: Yes when the headend
has turned on service to the 
CableCARD'

I will verify the headend and service before I leave the store.
This is an insane way to run a business. They kept telling me they had my TIVO registered, it was just the card. The nerve of a business handing me something that didn't work. I will write to the FCC.

Do the people at the store have to do something? Are different cards for 2-way and 1-way? This is just crap. I might get 5 cards, they owe me.

Just ask about the conditional access screen, if they dont know what it is, hang up, you are just wasting time.


----------



## trevorius (Aug 24, 2006)

I went to the Comcast store today and made them give me 3 cards.
I put one in that had a different serial number type from the other 2.
I made a call, the guy seems to know what he was talking about and in 10 minutes all my channels were in.
It does seem that they can activate the card remotely, but the people I talked to yesterday had no idea what they were talking about.
TIVO has GREAT pages on the cablecards and one should study them and refer to them when trying to activate the cards.
Thank you for this site!


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

*** update 7/5/11***
Been a while since here...

I got yet a third premier unit last week. 
A while back I posted that I ordered a cable M-card off a guy on ebay, that it would not work, gave an error code as if a dead card or had some major problem.
Anyway... I had sent that card back, and this ebay guy exchanged the card.

But by then mediacom cable had installed their cards and both tivo's were working. 
So I never tested the new ebay exchanged card.

Well, on this third tivo I just got, I tried the exchanged ebay M-card and it seems to work great. Shows as of it paired right away. The card stats on tivo setup screen looks good, just as it did when mediacom finally got their own cards working.

So....
Now I need mediacom to activate the card.
I was searching for the MEDIACOM official thread on the site and cannot find it.
There also was a guy that posted in the official mediacom thread, who actually worked for mediacom. Can't find or remember who that was either.

Is there an official mediacom area on the forums?
Anyone remember who the mediacom employee was that posted in that thread often?

I wanted to post/ask if mediacom allows you to use your own M-card?
And if I can PM the forum member that works for mediacom, maybe see if he can activate the card. 
Thanks!


----------



## randy1649 (Apr 18, 2011)

Never mind... There "is" a mediacom forum, but its not on this tivo community forum.
A senior moment...


----------

