TiVo HD Series 3 CableCARD Issues SOLVED :-)

I FINALLY got my second TiVo HD Series 3 WORKING. After two TiVos...I kind of see a pattern of why I wasn't getting channels on some of my tuners. It took about four calls this time to finally get someone on the phone who would be patient with my assessment of the situation. So...Here are the SECRETS to hopefully getting your TiVo running:

First, make sure Comcast has matched the cablecards to the correct host IDs. You can pull out the cards yourself and write down the cablecard numbers. Then go into the Messages and Settings menu. Select Account & System Information menu. Then, the CableCARD Decoders menu. Select Configure CableCARD 1 and then CableCARD Menu. Look for the Host ID Screen (the name is different for Multistream and Singlestream Scientific Atlanta cards). Write down the Host ID number for CableCARD 1 (with the number on the card). Do the same for CableCARD 2. The numbers can get screwed up when the Comcast Rep enters them. If this fails to get your channels working...

Make SURE the Hierarchy of your Comcast equipment is listed correctly on your account. I will try to order this in layman's terms from what I wrote down after I convinced my Comcast Rep to check the equipment order:

Comcast Hierarchy

1. HD DVRs must be listed FIRST!!
2. Non HD DVR boxes next
3. HD cable boxes (without a DVR)
4. Digital Converter (which she said were regular cable boxes)
5. Modem (for internet access)
6. Phone service (I think it was an EMTA for those getting Comcast phone service)
7. Cablecards

If you are still missing channels on one or more of your tuners, make sure the TiVo rate is linked to your account (I'm not sure how they do this, I just know not having it messed up my first TiVo HD Series 3).

A working TiVo HD Series 3 rocks!

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