For what it is worth, here is my cablecard experience so far:
Got the package, unpacked it, it has NO splitter in the box, unlike the diagrams that Charter's site shows, but, the box did have a stubby cable, so, from main split to TA, then TA to the HDhomerun PRIME.
Plugged in the tuning adapter, and it kept on blinking the amber LED for 20-30 mins.
I didn't know if it was supposed to be a solid amber LED first, before you call to activate the card or not.
Well, anyway, after 30 mins, it was still blinking, so, I called in to activate.
Gave them the #'s, and got everything authenticated (or so I thought), and then, while we were talking, the TA finally had a solid amber LED.
OK, hung up, and did a channel scan. This takes a really, really long time.
When that was done, it said I had ~55 channels. I thought that was a bit odd, but, whatever.
Hmm the TA rebooted after around 1 1/2 hours or so, and is blinking again.. looks like Charter pushed the 1.37 firmware to the TA.
Fired up quickTV for testing, and it worked...kinda. Well, what I mean is, for the channels it found it worked. However, I was still missing channels that I should be getting.
I noticed in the system logs of the HDhomerun prime, it said Authenticated success, validation none.
Hmm. none.
OK, call up Charter again, and read off the #'s again...and... it validated this time around.
CableCARD: authentication status: authentication success, validation success.
Time to do a channel scan again.... (did I mention this takes forever?) but time to go out and get something to eat, and when I get back in ~1hour, I hope it would be done.
Come back home, and it is done.
I look at the stations, and it shows 98 this time around. I suppose that is better than before... so, back to quickTV I go, and poke around... hmmm... wait, I still have missing channels! Grrr.
I didn't feel like talking on the phone, so I did chat, and, they sent a reset to the MCARD or.. maybe it was a firmware upgrade. No idea. Logs show:
20140517-04:54:21 CableCARD: card indicated fatal error or firmware upgrade (ccio_detect:214)20140517-04:54:21 CableCARD: technical error 0 (ccio_detect:215)20140517-04:54:21 CableCARD: message: A technical problem is preventing you from receiving all the cable services at this time. Please call your cable operator and report error code 161-0 to have this problem resolved.20140517-04:54:21 CableCARD: M-CARD reset20140517-04:54:24 CableCARD: Motorola card (0000:0625)20140517-04:54:24 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication in progress20140517-04:54:24 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication success, validation successTime for another channel scan....zzz ZZZ zzz OK back, it is up to 224 channels found now... that is more like it! A quick look, and yeah, seems I got my missing channels.
I really don't care for about 85-90% of the other channels, but, nothing we can do about this for now.
Anyway, Charter needs to have this fully automated.
There is no reason why they can't have a web page that requests the info from you, and then does what needs to be done to get it to activate.
There needs to be a way for the customer to reset the cablecard, like you can with the modem, or cablebox in an automated way.
The package should include a splitter, if you are supposed to use a splitter.
Now, time to set up NPVR, and I suppose give WMC another shot. :)
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