Tivo HD + CableCard + Tuning Adapter = Headache

Hi Everyone,

I am in the Hampton Roads region and I added a cablecard (ARRIS M-Card) and tuning adapter (Motorola) to a Tivo HD to try to get ahead of the "all digital" thing and the things have not gone well. I only get about 10-15 channels now, all from the Starter and Starter HD groups (but I don’t get all channels in those groups). I subscribe to Cox Premier, so I should have about 300 total channels. The channels that are not coming in just have a black screen, no error message or anything. With a cablecard, but non-functional tuning adapter, how many channels should I be getting? It seems unlikely that almost all channels are SDV and require a tuning adapter.

It took three Tech Support calls (all were very nice) to get the cable card validated but the tuning adapter is still not working. Interstingly, the cable card’s “Data” number was different each time I called (I thought that was a static number), but now it appears stable. The CC ID and Host ID did not change. The Conditional Access screen of the the Tivo’s CableCard setup section, which basically just shows a black and white screen of data provided by the card or Cox, shows:

Con: Yes EBCP: Yes Val: V 0x0F

The tuning adapter does not do anything except blink the amber light. I have tried the self-activation multiple times and I believe the support folks initiated activation as well. The Tuning Adapter Diagnostics section of the Tivo (black and white screen provided by the adapter or Cox) shows:

MTR-700 Downstream Status

OOB Freq: 75.250 MHz

Carrier Lock: Yes

SNR: 24 dB Good

Data: Yes

Hunt Mode: None

INBAND FREQ: 000.000 MHz QAM64

Carrier Lock: No

SNR 0 dB Poor

The Tivo knows the tuning adapter is there because when I go to the Tivo's DVR Diagnostics screen it says:

Tuning Adaper: Not available

Last Status: Initializing

Channel List Received: Yes

If I pull the USB connection the Last Status changes to Not Connected, so the Tivo knows the adapter is there.

So, I’m trying to figure out if the problem is the card, or tuning adapter, or both. Bryaninphx mentinoned in another thread that the ARRIS branded cards have had problems with Tivo in Hampton Roads. Some idea of what channels I should be able to get with just the cablecard (i.e. without the tuning adapter) would really help diagnose this problem. Insight into why the tuning adapter will not initialize would be great as well. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,

Dean

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bryaninphx
Valued Contributor
9 years ago
Your CableCARD looks good: Con: Yes EBCP: Yes Val: V 0x0F

What is the value for Auth: (S or MP) it should be S, MP is a problem

The CableCARD Conditional Access Menus help is here:
https://support.tivo.com/articles/Troubleshooting/Motorola-CableCARD-Troubleshooting-Series3-HD

If you disconnect the Tuning Adapter, you should receive most all the Starter and Essential channels,

Once the TA is connected, it takes over the Channel Mapping for all channels, so if you get more channels w/o the TA then your TA is the problem.

These values are part of the issue:

INBAND FREQ: 000.000 MHz QAM64 (needs a frequency listed)

Carrier Lock: No (should be Yes)

SNR 0 dB Poor (should be 30dB to 40dB)
deanchat
Contributor
9 years ago
When tuned to a station that shows a picture the Auth value is FWK and the CCI is 0x02. When tuned to a station that I SHOULD get, but is black instead, the Auth is MP and the CCI is 0x00. The Tivo diagnostics shows signal strength of 100 and SNR or 36-37 for both Tuner 0 and 1 (both from the single M-Card in the Tivo).

Disconnecting the tuning adapter doesn't change anything, still the same 10-15 Starter channels (mostly locals, although a couple of non-locals like FamilyNet).

Yes, I assumed the INBAND values for the TA were no good but don't know what they really mean.

Thanks,
Dean
bryaninphx
Valued Contributor
9 years ago
The Auth: MP is the same problem that several others are having in the Hampton Roads market, and also the Orange County, CA market, and a few other reports in Motorola based Cox markets.

Did you take out the CableCARD and see if it is ARRIS or Motorola?

You have two problems, the CableCARD is not Authorized and Provisioned correctly, and your Tuning Adapter isn't either.

These reports are not necessarily exclusive to the TiVo Bolt

http://forums.cox.com/forum_home/tv_forum/f/4/t/12896.aspx

http://forums.cox.com/forum_home/tv_forum/f/4/t/11837.aspx

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10745168#post10745168
deanchat
Contributor
9 years ago
The CableCard is an ARRIS. When I picked it up I remember one guy at the store said to another that this was a "new one" (which sounded good to me, little did I know). The odd thing is the Tivo HD is not new and all the issues should have been ironed out long ago. I have been using two Tivo HDs with analog signals for a long time (one of them since 2008) and I know that people have been using them with cablecards for a long time as well.

Thanks for those links, very interesting info in there. Do you suggest I try to get an older (Motorola branded) card?

Thanks,
Dean
bryaninphx
Valued Contributor
9 years ago
Yes, the older Motorola, CableCARD most likely has an older firmware that hopefully will be more compatible with your TiVo.

I would probably swap out the Tuning Adapter too, but maybe just one at a time, first to see if the Motorola CableCARD will do the trick.
Becky
Moderator
9 years ago
Hi Deanchat,

One of your CableCARDS is not paired and is missing the Host ID and Host Data numbers. If you'd like, I can try to pair it for you from my end. If more convenient, either myself or one of my teammates can give you a call when you are at home to see if we can get the card paired correctly.
deanchat
Contributor
9 years ago
bryaninphx said:

Yes, the older Motorola, CableCARD most likely has an older firmware that hopefully will be more compatible with your TiVo.

I would probably swap out the Tuning Adapter too, but maybe just one at a time, first to see if the Motorola CableCARD will do the trick.

Is there a screen that shows the firmware version? I think I will focus on the CC for now and worry about the TA later.
deanchat
Contributor
9 years ago
Becky said:
Hi Deanchat,

One of your CableCARDS is not paired and is missing the Host ID and Host Data numbers. If you'd like, I can try to pair it for you from my end. If more convenient, either myself or one of my teammates can give you a call when you are at home to see if we can get the card paired correctly.

Hi Becky,

I think you are seeing that because I picked up two M-Cards on Friday for two Tivos (both Tivo HDs), but have only installed one. One card is still in its packaging. I wanted to get one Tivo working with a card first instead of messing with both at the same time. Right now the one with the CC installed gets the 10-15 channels I mentioned before while the other Tivo is still doing fine with analog.

Do you think I should take the current CC out of the Tivo and try the unused card? Both are ARRIS cards so, according to Bryan's comment above, the other one likely has the new firmware that seems to give me problems.

-Dean
ColleenD
Moderator
9 years ago
deanchat,

What happens if you disconnect the Tuning Adapter and run a new channel scan?
deanchat
Contributor
9 years ago
ColleenD said:
deanchat,

What happens if you disconnect the Tuning Adapter and run a new channel scan?

It appears there is no facility for running a channel scan. The Tivo downloads your list of channels, which you can edit, but I have not seen a channel scan option. I get a strong signal, but most of them show no picture. For example, when I tune to ESPN I get a black screen but going to the signal strength option in the Tivo shows a signal strength of 100.