Verizon FiOS TV → [TIVO] Here comes the copy protection bit (letter)

I had ordered a new CC for my HD HomeRun Prime late last year and successfully activated via the online process at that time. My CC did report that it successfully authenticated and activated on each power up of the HDHRP so I didn't expect any issue now. Unfortunately after receiving the letter from VZ, I figured why don't I check channel 131 as instructed. . .and to my dismay I got a message that I was not subscribed to that channel. Upon checking my CC status again I find that it is no longer activated (paired). When attempting to follow the VZ instructions, the automated system indicates my card is already activated and I need to be redirected to an actual person for further action. After over an hour and a half of trying different steps VZ was still unable to activate my CC. I was told that according to a 3rd-level engineer this is expected and sometime before the 31st a signal will be sent to properly activate my CC and I need to wait until after that date to confirm this.

Even if you previously had a successful activation previously it is probably prudent to verify your CC is still properly paired before the end of the month. Some simple searching shows I am not alone in this problem unfortunately

I am not holding my breath, but we do still have a few weeks. I plan to next post in the VZ Direct forum here with the ticket number from my call to see if that helps.

Go onto chat and have them reactivate the card. Mine was flaky bigtime after that headend glitch a few months ago. Once they do that you should see this in the log:

20120615-08:14:58 CableCARD: M-CARD reset
20120615-08:15:03 CableCARD: Motorola card (0000:0265)
20120615-08:15:03 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication in progress
20120615-08:15:03 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication success, activation success

I wouldn't waste much time on this, because if you see channels out after the 31st just call them up and ask for credits..

I hear rumors it's only premium at this point, so if they go out then you really can squeal.

Finally got my 4 TIVO cable cards authorized and paired and can now see CH 131. After 3 phone calls and a VZ decision to send me 4 new cards (1 of which was bad so they sent me another), I activated them using VZ in Home Agent. They were activated and I could view regular TV but no CH 131. As a last resort I used the chat function and actually got someone who I worked with for 4 hours and got all CC's working properly. In total I spent over 7 hours on the phone and Chat. It shouldn't be this hard. BTW, I found that when the agents tell you to check CH 131 they often don't wait long enough as it took mine a good 5 minutes after they said to check before they worked.

Hopefully this is the last of the CC saga.

Ursa...

I got lucky and got someone who'd dealt with cabecards before. He deactivated my cards, asked me for the host and data numbers for each card, and then reactivated them one by one. I was shocked at how easy and fast it was.

Verizon just needs to make step by step instructions available to tech support so there's no confusion.

I don't wanna start a new thread so I'll just put it in here. Can you get Cablecards from the FiOS stores or do you need to order them via phone or online? Ordered components for a HTPC with the Ceton Tuner card (been planning this for a while, finally gave in) and am obviously going to need a Cablecard.

Thanks,

-Shark2k

Yes, you can get them from the store.

I picked up my last 2 CableCARDs from the local FiOS store so I didn't have to pay the stupid flat rate shipping fee - it's pretty bad when the shipping fee for a tiny $4/mo card is $10.

Both my cards were activated instore so when I went to do the self-install online they "actived" almost instantly. Of course this meant that they arn't paired to the devices they're in (even though in the self-install you enter all the data required for pairing). I'm just going to play the wait and see game come the beginning of August if the cards give me trouble on the affected premium channels. If problems do occur it can't hurt to ask for a credit to lower the bill considering the double rate increases this year...

Thanks you two, appreciate the answer. Just got my mobo and memory today. Now just waiting on the CPU, SSD, PSU, case and tuner card. Then I get to be a part of this issue .

-Shark2k

Update: After getting my replacement cable cards authorized, what I feared came true. My bill reflected them at $3.99/mo. I had been under a 24 mo. contract that had them at $2.99/mo. So yet another call to VZ, and I am told I will get a 'valued customer discount' back to $2.99/mo for the remainder of my contract. So, all told it only took 5 phone calls and many hours to get this all straightened out.

I dont ever remember cable cards being 2.99, even 2 years ago. Always been 3.99. Am i wrong?

Many years ago they were $2.99 each....

I used to have eight cable cards when I had my Series 3 TiVos. I paid $23.92 a month for all of them.

I'm still being charged $2.99 per cable card

So are any of the channels copy protected yet?

Out here in California everything is still in the clear.

Nothing here yet either.

Nothing here either. Literally. Now that my services have been down for 109 hours since FIOS botched my upgrade to the 150/65 tier.(well the TV has been out for the last two days-phone and internet has been down 109 hours)

»www.avsforum.com/t/14218 ··· 22263910

According to this post on the AVSForum they have implemented the copy-once flag in New York on all of the premium and various non-premium channels. I thought sure that someone would mention it here when it happened. It would be nice to get a list of all of the channels affected.

Well that post is wrong - this is only for HBO/Cinemax channels....

It has begun...

Beginning today here in VHO8 the Cinemax channels are showing CCI flags of Copy Once (0x02). I can't verify HBO, since I'm not subscribed, but it should be copy protected too now.

HBO on VHO7 is CCI 0x002.
Non premium channels that are 0x00 have not changed.

HBO is not protected here yet.

It's the same here, in VHO4, for Cinemax.

Although everything is still fine here for Epix, Showtime, TMC, and Starz which was expected. I don't have HBO though but if Cinemax is restricted then HBO will be too.

Can someone explain to me why you would announce on a public forum (which I'm sure Verizon has assigned a "social media" employee to keep an eye on) that your VHO doesn't yet have the copy once flag on HBO?

Do you want Verizon to encrypt your HBO?

I doubt Verizon is going to forget to turn the copy protection on.

Even with the setting still at 0X00 the HBO and Cinemax channels can not be recorded via FireWire to a computer so the change to 0X02 does not make a big difference.

Hmm, let's see - Verizon sent out a letter stating certain premium channels will have copy protection enabled after a specific date. 'Certain' providers want Verizon to start enforcing the CCI flag to help protect content. Verizon isn't doing anything outside what their carriage agreement states. And Verizon isn't 'encrypting' anything - they are just enforcing the CCI flag that the provider sends.

Which is exactly my point - when you're in a VHO where you got lucky that someone at Verizon forgot to flip the CCI switch then it's a dumb idea to announce that information.

Keep it secret! Keep it safe!

There's no "getting lucky" about it. You can bet HBO has people all over the country checking to make sure VZ has added the CCI flag as mandated.

Verizon has always done things with their in VHO's in phases like adding new channels. It can take a week or two to add a channel to each VHO. This is no different. Verizon isn't just going to forget to "flip a switch."

Well, as I suspected would happen, my CableCARD equipped TVs can no longer tune to any of the HBO or Cinemax channels. This is after spending several hours on the phone with Verizon in early July when I received my letter. Three calls and replacement cards have still not resolved my issues.

I guess it's time for another call to tech support but I'm not too optimistc they'll be able to resolve it, as I'm not sure my older TVs support Simulcrypt, which I guess is in use in MA due to the mixed Motorola/Cisco boxes in this VHO.