dathing
join:2002-01-09
Sykesville, MD
1 edit |  Sure... We'll get right on that.
Geeze. I've just spent a month trying to get Comcast to get the cablecards working correctly in my TIVO. I can't imagine them adding another box. Wasn't the whole point of the cablecards to avoid another cable box? The cable companies will drag their feet with this adapter solution, just as they have with the implementation of cablecards. Cablecards were mandated, and they've made it clear that they intend to meet only the minimum standard of service required by law. They have no incentive to make it work smoothly. |
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DonLibes
Premium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19 | Render CableCards useless?
Could someone explain why SDV would render CableCards useless? |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
1 edit | They are only one way and cannot talk to the headend to tell it what channel to send. The purpose of this adapter is to give it a return channel.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
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antonio010
join:2002-11-24
| reply to dathing
Re: Sure... We'll get right on that.
So you exclaim how the cable cards are supposed to remove the need for a box, yet complain that it doesn't work in your tivo box. Oh the irony.
The new multistream cards are supposed to be 2 way. However, I don't know if any MSO has enabled that feature. |
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banditws6
Shrinking Time and Distance
join:2001-08-18
Naples, FL
 ·Comcast
| reply to dathing
It took about three weeks to get the CableCARDs working in my TiVo HD as well (I'm also a Comcast customer) for no other reason than the fact that, in my area, Comcast does not know how to properly deal with CableCARDs. That, and the fact that their billing system imposes such restrictions on the authorization and use of the cards that any minor problem can result in the need for a tech to come out and replace the card entirely.
The process should be as simple as having the customer pick up cards, call a provisioning number at Comcast and read the technician the card ID and host ID values. Unfortunately you could call Comcast half a dozen times and never get anyone who understands CableCARDs.
You're right in that Comcast does not want to do any more than the minimum necessary to support CableCARD devices. There is really no reason for them to, after all. They make their money from DVR rentals, and from their On-Demand offerings which CableCARD devices cannot utilize. Because CableCARD customers are a very small fraction of the total customer footprint, they feel it's no skin off their nose if they treat that small fraction like crap. It doesn't excuse them, but I can understand it.
As such, sad to say, I can only recommend CableCARD devices like a TiVo to people who really, really hate the Comcast DVR (like me) and really, really have the determination and patience necessary to work with the cable company until everything is up and running...which could take anywhere from fifteen minutes to several weeks, if not months.
Comcast isn't yet employing SDV technology in my area, but I'm glad to see the SDV-enabling device is already in testing. Too bad it has to be so big, but that's probably because speed to market dictated that existing enclosure tooling be used.
Despite the rigmarole I went through to get it working, I am much, much happier with my TiVo HD than I was with my Comcast HD DVR.
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"I'll follow the law until it's just stupid." -Ted Nugent |
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Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to antonio010
said by antonio010  :So you exclaim how the cable cards are supposed to remove the need for a box, yet complain that it doesn't work in your tivo box. Oh the irony. The new multistream cards are supposed to be 2 way. However, I don't know if any MSO has enabled that feature. ALL cable cards are 2 way.... But there is no Equipment that takes cable cards that is two way.... It is a Equipment limitation, not a cable card limitation.... |
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Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to DonLibes
Re: Render CableCards useless?
What is SDV?
SDV stands for Switched Digital Video, a scheme where not all TV channels are broadcast out from the cable headend to the homes that it serves all of the time. This is attractive to cable companies, because they can offer more TV channels than their cable plant has the bandwidth to broadcast. For example, you cable company may have 10 different channels in your lineup, but only 5 physical channels to send them from the headend to the houses they service. This requires a cable box that can communicate back upstream to the headend and say “I would like to watch ESPN2HD now” and then headend would take that request, assign it to a frequency and then tell the cable box “ESPN2HD is available on xxx,xxx kHz”
Taken from:
»www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/sh···t=357703 |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
4 edits | Bring VOD support too
Bidirectional services may also be used for VOD support by 3rd parties like TiVo too. I guess that is what the OpenCable platform is all about.
It's a shame that TiVo couldn't just make a box that recorded HD from Component Video just like the S1 and S2 boxes recorded SD from S-Video and composite video. Then they could avoid all this crap all together.
Also both my Cox and TWC STBs have active firewire and I'm able to record HD via firewire to my HD D-VHS deck. I wonder if TiVo could have done the same. |
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flashcore
join:2007-01-23
Lutherville Timonium, MD | Price?
I just have to ask, how much are the cable company's going to gouge there customers for this device once its available, i'm guessing you wont be able to just go out and buy one so probably $15-$30 a month? |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
1 edit | From what I read, customers would just buy it outright from TiVo. It's just a USB adapter...the actual controller ware would be in a TiVo software update. |
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unoriginal
join:2000-07-12
San Diego, CA | reply to antonio010
Re: Sure... We'll get right on that.
Tivos only work as a one way device with the cablecards. Thats why even with this external dongle Tivo users with cable still wont get On Demand or PPV channels. Just the SDV HD ones that people seem to want the most. |
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flashcore
join:2007-01-23
Lutherville Timonium, MD
| reply to Dogfather
Re: Price?
Based on this statement
"The NCTA and CableLabs have said the device will work with any one-way cable-ready product with a USB connector and has been updated with the necessary firmware."
If it will work with any cable-ready product with a USB connector and the right firmware, I would say the cable company's will want this devices restricted in the same way there settop boxes are restricted so that you have to rent it from them to use with there system just like the cable cards. |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·PHONE POWER
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to banditws6
Re: Sure... We'll get right on that.
Its too bad some of you have such trouble your cable company's CableCARD service. In my case, I bought my mother a Series 3 HD TiVo right when it came out. The cable guys (Comcast, at the time) came out with the two cards. They looked a bit sheepish when I told them they'd be installing to something other than a TV, but they went ahead and gave it a try. Numbers and such came up on the screen and they got on the phone with provisioners. The cards were activated and it was all good to go in less than 30 minutes without a single hitch. It's worked solidly for a over a year now. |
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Ebolla
join:2005-09-28
Dracut, MA
| reply to Dogfather
Re: Bring VOD support too
said by Dogfather :Bidirectional services may also be used for VOD support by 3rd parties like TiVo too. I guess that is what the OpenCable platform is all about. Its the devices not the card that is only one-way. if the card wasnt a 2way device then the DCHxxxx boxes wouldnt be able to gain access to vod. |
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BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Everett, MA
clubs:
·Comcast
| reply to Dogfather
unless of course you want that damn dual tuner thingy to work.
Hardware limitations make it that recording from an external jack actually takes up more bandwidth then taking it from an internal tuner.
It has something to do with the onboard mpeg decoders and encoders. I can't remember which forum had it I think it was the tivo hacks forum. But they came to that conclusion.
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" |
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DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
·Comcast
·Patriot Media
| reply to DonLibes
Re: Render CableCards useless?
Its cables way of hurting there revenue, anyone with an non upgradable HDTV will become useless. Because Cablelabs was too stupid to think a few years ahead. So a TV set bought in a store today, will be obsolete in a few months. I cant believe they are getting away selling them. Yet there was a mandate for analog sets. |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·PHONE POWER
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to DonLibes
quote:
Could someone explain why SDV would render CableCards useless?
Normally all HD channels are broadcast together, simultaneously, on different frequencies. The "guide" has information on where each channel is actually located. So when you want ABC-HD, your tuner might tune, say channel 106, stream #1, and plays it back.
But with much bandwidth as HD channels require, cable operators are moving to SDV, which makes the system operate more like an "on demand" channel. The cable box says, "Customer wants to watch Food-HD" and the cable system begins broadcasting it on a certain frequency so the box can tune into it. This will allow them to offer a virtually limitless amount of more obscure channels.
CableCard TiVo is a one way system, it has no way to tell the cable company what the user is selecting. The USB adapter will remedy that. |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to DaveNJ
It is only "useless" if you are beholden to cable and don't want the cable box. There are not that many people using CableCARDS (which attach directly to the TV) and instead connect to the cable company converter box via component or HDMI (or, if you don't fix the Comcast install, composite) inputs. Those are hardly "obsolete".
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to banditws6
Re: Sure... We'll get right on that.
said by banditws6 :The process should be as simple as having the customer pick up cards, call a provisioning number at Comcast and read the technician the card ID and host ID values. Unfortunately you could call Comcast half a dozen times and never get anyone who understands CableCARDs. If people were honest, it COULD be that way.. however, rightfully so, any cable operator is going to want to know where the equipment is being activated.
I doubt you will ever pick up a phone to activate new equipment for some time to come.. I'm guessing that even customer owned equipment will require a truck roll. |
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Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ | reply to unoriginal
Correct... Hopefully OCAP (or whatever it is) will fix that |
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