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mkanet
join:2008-06-11
Vallejo, CA

mkanet

Member

[Cable Card] Most hassle-free way to provision HDHomeRun cable-c

It looks like Comcast is getting ready to pull the plug on all QAM digital TV tuners without encryption. I'd like to know the easiest possible way to activate the below device with 3 TV tuners.

HD HomeRun Prime (3 tuner cablecard device for PCs)
»www.silicondust.com/prod ··· n/prime/

This may sound like a stupid question, but would it be possible to activate/provision/register the 3 tuners without actually previewing/tuning into TV channels? I dont have the device installed on my PC yet; and, prefer to get all provisioning/activation issues out of the way before installing drivers/software.

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

Re: [Cable Card] Most hassle-free way to provision HDHomeRun cab

If you mean the cable card then it is no you can not activate it. You will need the cable card installed to get the pairing numbers to tell Comcast.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall to mkanet

MVM

to mkanet
I have one of these devices and I can tell you that getting it installed is not hard. Call Comcast, and say you need a cablecard. They will probably dispatch a tech. When he gets there, have the HDHomerun plugged in and ready. Put the card in and go to the HDHomerun Config utility to get all the information. Its also on the bottom on the unit. They will call in the card ID and the host ID. That will activate the service and you are good to go.

It literally was a 15 minute operation to get mine installed. The tech was clueless on how to do it to a non-Tivo, but if you have everything prepared when he gets there, you are good to go. If you can talk Comcast into sending you the cablecard for a self install, then do so.

Good luck!
mkanet
join:2008-06-11
Vallejo, CA

mkanet

Member

Nightfall, thank you so much for answering my question completely. This is exactly what I was hoping to hear!
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

You don't need a tech (and don't want to pay for an install), just pick up a card at the local office, get the HDHR Prime fully installed, then put the card in and call Comcast's card activation line, they'll give you the number when you get the card or you can google it.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall

MVM

said by GTFan:

You don't need a tech (and don't want to pay for an install), just pick up a card at the local office, get the HDHR Prime fully installed, then put the card in and call Comcast's card activation line, they'll give you the number when you get the card or you can google it.

Sometimes you can get a pickup or a cablecard, other times you cannot. You are right in that you don't want to pay for an install if you can avoid it. At the same time though, you may have to. You may be required to, and if you are, don't sweat over it. While the tech was there, he checked the signals and even had to fix a tap on my connection in order to get the cablecard to work.

I am not saying that everyone will need to have work done in order for a cablecard to work for their connection. Just that a cable card has certain things that may interfere with the service or the card may not work. The tech roll costed me $25, and I was ok with that. Within 15 minutes I was up and running. I would have been irate if I drove to Comcast, brought the card back and it didn't work.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Comcast is required to offer self-installs per FCC mandate, you can always pick up a card if they have them in stock or make them ship you one for free if they don't. And self-installs are usually not that big a deal since the new card rules went into effect last year, pairing is usually a simple 10 minute phone call as mentioned.

Bottom line is there's really no need to pay for a truck roll, if the self-install doesn't work you make them roll a tech for free.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall

MVM

said by GTFan:

Comcast is required to offer self-installs per FCC mandate, you can always pick up a card if they have them in stock or make them ship you one for free if they don't. And self-installs are usually not that big a deal since the new card rules went into effect last year, pairing is usually a simple 10 minute phone call as mentioned.

Bottom line is there's really no need to pay for a truck roll, if the self-install doesn't work you make them roll a tech for free.

Depends on your install situation. In some cases, the location may need to have a tap removed at the source. In other cases, there may be issues with the signal. I can tell you from experience that activating a cable card is a little different than activating a cable box. As I said before, when I went from cable boxes to a cable card, I had to have the truck roll because there was a known issue with the tap at my location. If you had internet but no cable TV before, thats another issue.

It certainly would be nice to classify every install as a no brainer self-install, but the fact of the matter is that not every install is that simple.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

What I said is that they have to OFFER self-installs, of course it's your choice as to whether you want to pay for a truck roll. And you're missing the point that if you can't get it working, they need to roll a truck to fix it on their dime because it's 90%+ going to be their issue.

I've done 3 of these in the last year with no issues btw.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall

MVM

said by GTFan:

What I said is that they have to OFFER self-installs, of course it's your choice as to whether you want to pay for a truck roll. And you're missing the point that if you can't get it working, they need to roll a truck to fix it on their dime because it's 90%+ going to be their issue.

I've done 3 of these in the last year with no issues btw.

I think the main difference is if you have had cable tv before or if you haven't. If you have had cable TV before, then you are right, it should be on their dime. If you haven't, then the install will probably be $25 to get it going. Self install kits are not required if you have not had the service before or if you are adding services such as cable TV to a cable internet only account.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Yes, they are required to be offered for cards as long as Comcast offers a SIK for their own STBs, new install or not (and they do, my daughter got one last year that way and she never had an account with them before).

You really have no idea what you're talking about, so I'm done.
mkanet
join:2008-06-11
Vallejo, CA

mkanet to Nightfall

Member

to Nightfall
Nightfall, I have two more questions.

1. Do I only need to pickup only 1 "cablecard" even though the HDHomeRun Prime has 3 TV tuners? Is it a physical card that plugs into the HDHR Prime?

2. Does the HDHR Prime only need 1 coaxial cable for all 3 TV tuners to work or does it require 3 separate cables (one of each tuner)?

Thanks everyone for all your information. It looks like I'll just call 1-800-COMCAST; and, ask them to mail me the cablecard. I definitely dont want a tech to visit my home.
SpHeRe31459
Premium Member
join:2002-10-09
Sacramento, CA

SpHeRe31459

Premium Member

The answers are
One and One

One CableCARD can actually decrypt as many as 6-channels at a time.

One coax input. The tuners are little pieces of silicon on the card, the card itself splits the cable signal internally to the 3 tuners.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall

MVM

said by SpHeRe31459:

The answers are
One and One

One CableCARD can actually decrypt as many as 6-channels at a time.

One coax input. The tuners are little pieces of silicon on the card, the card itself splits the cable signal internally to the 3 tuners.

This right here.

The HD Homerun Prime is an awesome piece of technology. I love it compared to the Ceton that I used to have. The network shared tuners capability is really a marvel. I love being able to watch TV not only on my Media Center PC, but all my Xbox 360 extenders and then on my PCs as well.

I am sure you will enjoy.

If you have any questions about the HD Homerun Prime in specific, check out the HD Homerun Prime forums on Silicondust's website.

As for you wanting to just get a cablecard, I agree with you. You should ask for that. Since you didn't specify if you had cable TV previously or not, I can tell you that you may not qualify for a self install kit. Just keep in mind that there may be situations where a truck roll may be required. Don't let that stand in your way though. The cablecard really is a great piece of technology.