Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
JerseyJoe
Enthusiast - Level 2
Great, glad to hear it! Thanks, Charles.
0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
brennok76
Contributor - Level 1
I just wanted to post that I ordered a cable card without a problem earlier this week. I also made sure when I spoke to the person who called to confirm my install that they notated I needed a M-card. The installer showed up early and we were pretty much up and running in a few minutes. The only issue we ran into was the Tivo info screen displays the O's as 0's so when he tried to plug in the S/N it wouldn't go through. Of course after he left I realized I forgot to ask for attenuaters since my HTPC with clearqam tuners is suffering from the same issues Tivo had before there latest patch. I had him check the signal which he said was fine but I am still getting dropped recordings and pixelation which I am guessing is due to the errors in the signal.
0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
Humble
Enthusiast - Level 3
The TIVO person I talked to said to make sure the signal strength was between 80-90.   I used a -8db attenuator and my signal ranges from 75-93 depending on the channel.  I have no pixelation, no closed captioning problems, , no recording issues, no nothing.   I had minor closed captioning problems until I put the attenuator on.  I have the most current software update and TIVO's claim that you no longer need attenuators was not correct in my case.
0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
optides
Newbie

Congratulations on a seamless install.  I'm envious; my 2008 install seemed endless, but I know it now as a piece of cake compared to my summer 2009 CableCard situation.

Back then I got CableCards for two Tivos, a series 3 HD and a HD (one needing two single-stream cards, one which could take a multiple-stream but got two singles also).  It was a hard installation, with three Verizon sorts here for hours in 2008.  But they got it, eventually, and both units worked for 10 months.

Everything worked fine until three months ago, when the living room Series 3 started losing its TV performance.  I was busy travelling at the time, so did not beat on Verizon enough to get replacement cards then.  The phone techs would have me reboot the machine -- it would work an indeterminate time.

I knew what I was avoiding, and accepting spotty DVR service from my main Tivo.   Over the past 15 days I have had four Verizon tech calls involving in total 5 Verizon employees (one a supervisor with more Tivo/Cablecard familiarity).   All nice people; four perfectly frank about limited Tivo/Cablecard experience. They must call in to authorize, commence pairing of the cards; mailing them to me wouldn't work, I'm sure.  The Verizon techs have, over 15 days, expended 16.5 hours on my case!  Pretty expensive for Verizon, I'd think.

Nothing has worked right.  At best I have had one or the other CableCard working right, so to speak, but eventually the entire unit gets bummed out, quits giving TV, and  requires rebooting.

I have spoken with numerous phone-in Verizon techs, most all of whom I suspect know as little about CableCards as the guys in my house.  They have one script to follow.  Then they tell me that all is working well, from their distant diagnostics.  I read to them Tivo diagnostic screens intended for the cable company; they get abashed (a little), and set up another appointment with a house call.

$80 is cited only if something is my fault, upon the house visit.  I laugh.  Then I get encouraged to show appreciation for wonderful Verizon service by telling friends and family to sign on.  I snort.

This an apparently never ending charade, and I have another house call when I can be home for the morning, in two days.  Of course I have little faith that the deal will be settled, the Tivo resurrected, and all well.  I am already browsing Comcast ads, the other cable company in my area, to see what deals they have this summer.  I wasn't all that pleased with them, back when I used them, but to tell the truth in retrospect, and in comparison with Verizon, they actually seemed to know what they were doing!

One other thing.  The instructions in the Tivo site for installing CableCards in a Tivo are pretty good; print them out for your Verizon tech who visits, for they may represent more than he ever knew.  Not that those instruction have helps solve my problem (which I believe is not enough CableCards to find a good one -- but no matter how I push the issue, the techs never have but one or two cards).

The Tivo folk are also pretty good over the phone.  I have sought reassurance the problem is Verizon and not the Tivo; they have given it.  They taught me a few things about diagnostic screens in the Tivo, which helped here (especially for explaining to a phone tech or two at Verizon that is diagnostic run is just plain hooey!).   The best of three recent Tivo helpers was the one I think of affectionately as the Dragon Lady or the Tivo Nurse Cratchit -- she brooked not dissent, told me exactly what to do, and led me to even more diagnostic screens than her colleagues.

And in close, one other good thing about Tivo phone techs -- they have been willing in two instances to talk, in length, with the Verizon road tech visiting that day.

Anyway, wish me luck.  I no longer work in an office, fortunately, so I can be home for this fiasco.  I have grown dubious, and more dubious with each false start fix, that Verizon will ever master the situation.  I think I'm riding it out just to see what happens, to see if they can overcome.   Then, if the system is actually working right and not bombing out erratically, I may then decide to transfer my allegience back to my old friends at Comcast (who rescued me a decade ago from Bell Atlantic, Verizon's precursor's, abject inability to keep an early DSL working.)

0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
fioscustomer123

Wow.. sounds like quite an ordeal getting CC working for many folks. I was actually considering this option if I came across a good deal on a tivo, but the stories aren't terribly reassuring.

Sadly, I 100% understand where you guys are coming from with your CS headaches. Through my numerous splendid "encouters" dealing with CS, it appears to me that Verizon uses a Mickey Mouse customer service system/ordering system, which is the root of the problem. When you have problems, CS reps can't actually make "notes" on the account about your calls, and orders that are placed while you're on the phone, aren't actually confirmed till AFTER you hang up the phone. God forbid something happens to your order, or it's out of the ordinary in any way, or it gets canceled, and you will be calling on the day of an appointment, only to be told "there's no order in the system." Also, how they don't have set prices in their "system" is completely beyond me. I guess all their prices are listed on post it notes in the CS rep's cubicle.. lol

Like many others that are/were disgruntled with "cable" companies, it seems like verizon is in fact no better (arguably they're worse in terms of CS). Just something else to consider when signing up for the service.. If they don't get things straightened out, I will very likely jump ship back to cable.

0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
inpHilltr8r
Enthusiast - Level 1
So just for the info. I also had a signal strength problem with my series 3 TiVo. Weirdly the attenuators didn't help, but putting a splitter on the line did. Everything seems fine now.
0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
KenAF
Specialist - Level 2

Once your TiVo has upgraded to version 11.0d, all forms of signal reduction (attenuation, splitters, etc) should be unnecessary.

No TiVo comes preinstalled with 11.0d, and it typically takes 2-4 days for a new TiVo to automatically upgrade to the 11.0d software.  You can check your current version under Messages & Settings -> System Information. 

0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
jfranch
Newbie

Can anyone CONFIRM or DENY that there is or IS NOT a charge for a Cablecard install?

I just called 8-24-09 and was told there is a $79 charge for a cablecard install.

Is there anything I can reference to get this fee waived or avoided?  Thanks.

0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
JerseyJoe
Enthusiast - Level 2

I had a CableCARD installed in a TiVoHD July; note that I am not a new FiOS customer.  The new rental charge for the CableCARD appears on my August bill, but the $79 installation fee Verizon customer service swore up and down they could not waive is not on the bill.  This matches the experience of my brother, who had an installation done a few months ago, as well as other posters in this thread and the statements of several Verizon employees who have posted in this thread.  Even though customer service swears you'll be charged $79 for the installation, the billing department doesn't (or can't) bill for it.

And, no, there's nothing you can reference to get the CSRs to realize that there's no charge for a CableCARD installation.  It's ludicrous that there's still such confusion and miscommunication about this issue within Verizon, but CharlesH, a Verizon employee in the New Jersey Fiber Solution Center, posted in this thread that he is personally taking steps to make sure the reps in the customer service department are properly trained about this issue, but I'm sure it's slow going.

0 Likes
Re: FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards
jfranch
Newbie

Thanks JerseyJoe.  

I just called up and got a install date for this Wednesday morning.  This was the 2nd call I made today and was told by both that there is a $79 charge.    I placed order anyway to replace my current Tivo (2 S cards) with 1 M card and then bring another M card for my new TivoHD.  (I am an existing customer not a new one)

So I will post in here after install and let you all know how it goes and if I got billed the $79 or not.

New Question:   I had someone give me there M cards (he had Comcast).  So I have them but I assume Verizon won't let me use them right?  🙂

Message Edited by jfranch on 08-24-2009 07:23 AM
0 Likes