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skntek
join:2012-02-27
Paw Paw, MI

skntek

Member

[Cable Card] Cable Card HD Channels

I have a regular SD box and an HD box. I want to replace the HD box with a cable card in my HTPC. Last fall I just went and picked one up at the local Comcast office (never been charged anything for it) brought it home and activated it that night. It works fine, except that it won't tune in the HD channels that are part of my programming package. I get an message about not being subscribed to that channel, but the same channel will tune in fine on my HD box. Local HD's do work though. If I ever get it working right then I'll return the HD box.

I called Comcast and after multiple attempts I got someone who I thought understood what I was trying to explain. They were going to send a signal to the card and they said if the channels didn't work within an hour I should call back. When I called back they said my card must not have responded and it'd require a tech visit.

It's very difficult for me to schedule to be home during the day for a tech visit, has anybody had a problem like this? Any idea what I can do or who I can contact at Comcast? It seems like it should be a simple programming issue, and other than this the cable card has been perfect.
TheMayor
join:2002-05-09

TheMayor

Member

You could try going to the cable store & grabbing another cable card. Possible the cable card you have, has issues.

However it could be possible that the rep didn't know how to add the HD to your profile, so they would be allowed on the card.

When I was having a 2nd cable card setup, the rep added showtime (he asked if he could temp add some channels I wasn't paying for, so he knew the pairing to their system worked)
Russ6
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX

Russ6 to skntek

Member

to skntek
said by skntek:

I have a regular SD box and an HD box. I want to replace the HD box with a cable card in my HTPC. Last fall I just went and picked one up at the local Comcast office (never been charged anything for it) brought it home and activated it that night. It works fine, except that it won't tune in the HD channels that are part of my programming package. I get an message about not being subscribed to that channel, but the same channel will tune in fine on my HD box. Local HD's do work though. If I ever get it working right then I'll return the HD box.

I called Comcast and after multiple attempts I got someone who I thought understood what I was trying to explain. They were going to send a signal to the card and they said if the channels didn't work within an hour I should call back. When I called back they said my card must not have responded and it'd require a tech visit.

It's very difficult for me to schedule to be home during the day for a tech visit, has anybody had a problem like this? Any idea what I can do or who I can contact at Comcast? It seems like it should be a simple programming issue, and other than this the cable card has been perfect.

It sounds like the cablecard didn't get paired up (authorized) correctly. Ask Comcast to unpair it and then pair it up again. Good Luck!

MarkRussell
@comcast.net

MarkRussell

Anon

It does sound like a pairing issue, but its very possible that Comcast will simply stonewall and demand that the only way to fix the issue is with a tech visit, claiming that they do not possess the tools to do it over the phone. It CAN be done remotely on their system, but only during business hours in the day (domestic call centers) usually by either the technical support department, sales department, or customer service department.
brianstretch
join:2001-12-31
Ann Arbor, MI

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Sounds like the same nonsense I went though last year.
»[Cable Card] Ceton to the rescue!
You need to get them to bump you up to a tier 2 tech, who will then probably have to get someone above him to fix this. Your CableCARD wasn't provisioned correctly. Swapping it for another card probably won't work because they're probably all incorrectly provisioned. You're getting the default channel selection of low-def basic cable channels and high def broadcast networks (unencrypted).

I wish I could say that I'm surprised that Comcast still hasn't sorted this out. Anyhow, once properly sorted you'll get your HD channels without having to pay that stupid "HD technology fee".
skntek
join:2012-02-27
Paw Paw, MI

skntek

Member

Thanks for the replies. What of I'm afraid of is that my almost working setup is going to break if Comcast messes with it. I'd really like to return the HD box, not pay the stupid HD technology, and save the $18 / month.

Did you just call the normal Comcast support number? Any tips on getting someone in Tier 2 who might have a clue? It's a joke that this is so difficult.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

This was posted in a CableCARD thread in the Comcast TV Help and Support Forum (»208.74.204.149/t5/Xfinit ··· ct-p/CTV ):

"For CableCARD problems please call 1-877-405-2298."
brianstretch
join:2001-12-31
Ann Arbor, MI

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When I swapped in the new CableCARD and tried to activate it I told the guy that I wasn't getting all the channels and read the Ceton diagnostics error message. He had me try some useless things then bumped me up to a tier 2 tech. For you, it's probably best to try the CableCARD phone # that telcodad posted. If your tuner software provides an error message when you try to test a HDTV channel that's very useful in getting Comcast to do what you want.
wolfofone
join:2012-02-22
united state

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Hi OP

I ran into this issue as well, where I was getting local HD, local SD, and expanded SD but not the expanded HD that I should have gotten. The tech was on the phone for about two hours (lots of hold time) and eventually we went from tier 1 to tier 2 to NASR where they told us that the card must have gotten caught up in the DAC and was not being authorized properly. He said that we could wait and see if the proper authorization would go through (which could take 24 hours or so), or they could try a different card. Well, the tech tried the other two cards he had and 1 was bad and the other also had the HD issue. We then were waiting on another tech to bring out more Cable Cards when the original card started working (to our luck, just as the second tech showed up, whoops!). I did manage to find this number for tier 2 in my research: 1-877-761-5015 which is supposed to be Tier 2 for CCs according to the guy over at the HD Homerun Prime forums. My setup includes 1 Cable Card in a HDHomerun Prime connected via Ethernet to my desktop via router using Windows Media Center. Before the card got the correct authorization, I kept getting that subscription only message you mentioned. I'm not sure if they said/meant DAC, but that's what it sounded like .

Hope it helps
skntek
join:2012-02-27
Paw Paw, MI

skntek

Member

I called Comcast at the number given above by telcodad and after a rather irritating back and forth repeating the numbers multiple times I got bumped to tier 2. I explained the problem to the tech who said he was going to send a "special" type of hit to the card which strips its programming and rebuilds it completely. He also noted that they don't like to do these do often as they can screw the up the card.

I checked after about 45 minutes and was pleasantly surprised to be able to tune in the missing HD channels. Also surprising, the tech said he'd call me back to check after an hour, actually called back. I assumed they just said that to get you off the phone as typically I don't get call backs.

Now I can return the HD cable box, but I wonder if it will make the stupid "additional outlet" and "HD Technology Fee" charges disappear. Does anybody know? If the HD Tech Fees will my HD channels go too? I know brianstretch got his working without the fee, it seems that Comcast is extremely inconsistent on this stupid fee.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

they are extremely inconsistent on all cable card fee.

Now with just a cable card you should get under FCC law.

Pay only for equipment you have. Your operator must give you a discount on any packages that include the price of a set-top box if you choose to use your own CableCARD-enabled device. FCC Rule 76.1205(b)(5).
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Yep, Comcast is not complying with the new FCC rules about cards, which state that rentals must be fairly and uniformly priced. Every other MSO charges a single rate for a card, but Comcast plays games with outlets and different rates for every market.

If you get hit with the outlet charge, file an FCC complaint.
Robyn5
join:2012-03-09

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At least where I live - Comcast charges exactly the same amount for HD STBs and cable cards provisioned with HD. So I wouldn't count on saving any money by using the cable card (although billing mistakes are always possible). Also - I wouldn't expect to be charged for a HD cable card connection unless and until I got that connection up and working.

I recall having lots of those provisioning problems when I was trying to use cable cards on my 2 cable card TVs. And I was paying money for them - not trying to get service for free . The problems were always fixed (sometimes over the phone - sometimes by a tech house call). But the fixes kept failing. I finally gave up on the cable cards (perhaps 5+ years ago).

Perhaps it is possible that you're having problems because your HTPC is "linked" with your HD box. And it has to be "delinked" before you can activate the cable card with your HTPC. I know that whenever I move a HD box from one TV to another - it has to be linked to the new TV (which is done over the phone). Robyn
Robyn5

Robyn5 to telcodad

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to telcodad
said by telcodad:

This was posted in a CableCARD thread in the Comcast TV Help and Support Forum (»208.74.204.149/t5/Xfinit ··· ct-p/CTV ):

"For CableCARD problems please call 1-877-405-2298."

Just FWIW - I got a Norton security alert with I clicked on your link. Didn't bother to stick around and find out what the problem was. Robyn

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

That's interesting.

OK, then try this thread in the Comcast TV Help and Support Forum: »forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· /1201443