How to connect mini-box to TiVo?

what tivo model?  was it new from tivo or did you buy it second hand?  the card card slot might be broken if you can't get any cards to work.

Series 4.  It's a little older, but we bought it new.  I was under the impression that if we got it hooked up correctly with the minibox, it should work.

You can use the minibox with your TiVo but it will be severely crippled.  The TiVo can't change channels on the minibox, AFAIK, it doesn't have an IR blaster built-in.  Also, the only signal input is coax.  That means all you get is SD, you can't record in HD from a minibox to a TiVo Series 4.  IMHO, if you can't use a cable card that TiVo is useless.

if it has a warranty I would check on the cable card slot and see if there is something wrong with if you can't get cable cards to work.

How long ago did you try to get the CableCARD to work?

Get another CableCARD and Tuning Adapter and try it again.

It was probably Cox's fault at not Authorizing the CableCARD and Tuning Adapter correctly.  Assuming the TiVo is not defective.

Thank you all very much. I had a feeling that was going to be the answer.  I will call Cox about another cable card, and see if that helps.

I added a cable card to my series 3 HD Tivo and it works ok. The cable card package from Cox included a tuning adapter but I had to disconnect it because the tuning adapter caused Tivo to freeze.

The Rhode Island market does not have any switched channels for the basic level of service.