# No HD Channels with a Cable Card?



## hemigod (Jun 8, 2007)

I just got this response from my cable company.... (see bold part)

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Thank you for contacting us regarding cable cards. There are both S and M cards available, single and multi use. We have the multi-stream cards, and you have to set up an install as these are only put in with a technician. The order can be set up over the phone, as we need to schedule a good time when you can be available.

The card rate is the same as a digital box rate - depending on where you are, they are either $5.00 or $5.99 per month.

Please be aware that a cable card does not allow you access to the guide, PPV or VOD that a digital box provides, *nor does it allow access to HD channels that a DVR provides.*

The cable cards are not stocked in the retail stores so if yo wish to have one installed, you may call into customer service at 265-5400 or 1-800-800-4800. 
Please let us know if you have any other questions, and a customer service representative will be happy to assist you
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Is this true!!!!!!? Or is my local cable company smoking crack?


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## CubsWin (Mar 20, 2010)

Completely false. As long as HD channels are included in your programming package, you will receive them with a cable card. They just want you to lease their expensively-priced HD receiver.


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## hemigod (Jun 8, 2007)

Awesome thank you! My premier will be here tomorrow, and I just about had a heart attack.

Thanks for the info CubsWin


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

The answer is "it depends". If they use SDV, to deliver their HD channels to your house you'd need a tuning adapter from the cable company to hook up to your TiVo. With the cable company DVR, you would not need this.

Of course, it could just be FUD and they don't know what they're talking about, in which case you'd get the HD channels just fine. But it's not true that it's necessarily "completely false" what they said.

EDIT: you seem to be using GCI in Anchorage, AK. I didn't find anything when googling about them using SDV. You might want to check just in case though.


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## Goldwing2001 (Sep 30, 2006)

hemigod said:


> I just got this response from my cable company.... (see bold part)
> 
> ---------------------------------------
> Thank you for contacting us regarding cable cards. There are both S and M cards available, single and multi use. We have the multi-stream cards, and you have to set up an install as these are only put in with a technician. The order can be set up over the phone, as we need to schedule a good time when you can be available.
> ...


They may be referring to SDV HD channels. I have Time Warner cable, and most of their HD channels are SDV. You will need a "Tuning Adapter" in order to view the SDV HD channels. My cable company is not charging me for the Tuning Adapter. I've been using it for about six months now without any problems.


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## comma splice (Feb 4, 2010)

hemigod said:


> Is this true!!!!!!? Or is my local cable company smoking crack?


Crack.


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## hemigod (Jun 8, 2007)

Ok, I did some reading on SDV and it seems like the 1st Gen CablesCards can't talk back to the Cable Co. The new cards can, but need to be in a device with two-way capabilities to decode SDV.

TivoHD apparently didn't have this ability.

Does anyone know if the premier is a two-way device to decode SDV with a Multistream CableCard?

GCI might well be using SDV to roll out their HD programming.

I guess if all else fails, hopefully i can get this tuning adapter device as well.


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## Goldwing2001 (Sep 30, 2006)

hemigod said:


> Ok, I did some reading on SDV and it seems like the 1st Gen CablesCards can't talk back to the Cable Co. The new cards can, but need to be in a device with two-way capabilities to decode SDV.
> 
> TivoHD apparently didn't have this ability.
> 
> ...


Unfortunetly, the new Premiere is not a two-way device. You will still need a tuning adapter to view SDV channels.


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

hemigod said:


> Ok, I did some reading on SDV and it seems like the 1st Gen CablesCards can't talk back to the Cable Co. The new cards can, but need to be in a device with two-way capabilities to decode SDV.
> 
> TivoHD apparently didn't have this ability.
> 
> ...


The Premiere will still need a tuning adapter.


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## flaminiom (Dec 27, 2008)

Sometimes these guys only understand the basic sales info. If you want HD, you need an HD box or DVR. Don't have box or DVR, then no HD. 

In reality, you just need to be set up for the HD tier on your account and everything but VOD will be available.


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## wbertram (Jun 14, 2002)

Goldwing2001 said:


> Unfortunetly, the new Premiere is not a two-way device. You will still need a tuning adapter to view SDV channels.


You may or may not be aware that RCN Cable has contracted with TIVO to supply special Premier TIVOs which will be one of the DVRs supplied by RCN to their customers. These RCN/TIVO DVRs will be modified to allow access to the RCN VOD offerings. So they must be capable of two-way operation! Perhaps this capability will be offered by TIVO to their customers at some point in the future. You can read about the RCH offering at www.rcn.com


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

wbertram said:


> You may or may not be aware that RCN Cable has contracted with TIVO to supply special Premier TIVOs which will be one of the DVRs supplied by RCN to their customers. These RCN/TIVO DVRs will be modified to allow access to the RCN VOD offerings. So they must be capable of two-way operation!


In the case of the RCN TiVos, I'm pretty sure they are still only one-way through the cable lines. I believe they get around this by sending requests back to RCN via the internet.


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## wbertram (Jun 14, 2002)

gweempose said:


> In the case of the RCN TiVos, I'm pretty sure they are still only one-way through the cable lines. I believe they get around this by sending requests back to RCN via the internet.


Could be.


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## nrc (Nov 17, 1999)

Just to be clear, the only working standard right now for two way communication with the cable head-end from a third party box is Tru2Way. Tru2Way is only available in four or five major markets and requires the that the device use the cable company's software.

There's no complete solution to the problem available right now and the cable industry likes it that way. 

The good news is that the FCC has proposed to require cable companies to provide an Internet interface that would allow third party boxes to control switched channels. It's anyone's guess whether that will make it through and how soon it could be implemented, but we can always hope.


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## Dr_Diablo (Nov 24, 2003)

hemigod said:


> I just got this response from my cable company.... (see bold part)
> 
> ---------------------------------------
> Thank you for contacting us regarding cable cards. There are both S and M cards available, single and multi use. We have the multi-stream cards, and you have to set up an install as these are only put in with a technician. The order can be set up over the phone, as we need to schedule a good time when you can be available.
> ...


I was forced to have BH come out an install a convetor box on trop my tivo if I wanted to get the HD channel lineup


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## hemigod (Jun 8, 2007)

Got my premier yesterday and got it all setup lastnight. The GCI CSR I talked to lastnight said I could get HD channels with just the CableCard. 
Got an appointment for this Sunday for the tech to come install it. $20 install charge, Bah! So we'll see.

This is a vast improvement over my series 2. The menus and guide are finally fast again. No more lag. I'm happy with it!

I get a few OTA HD channels, and I might grab a cheapy antenna to see if I can get more channels OTA, while I wait.


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## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

Hey hemigod,

Any updates on how your CC install went, and whether you're getting those HD channels OK? I am making the switch to HDTV and the Premiere, and GCI is also my cable provider. Am interested in any reports about your experience with them.


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## 737Chris (Jan 28, 2011)

I, too, am interested in HD programming and Tivi with GCI.


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