My CableCards are Digital Simulcast only.

[dkennedy]

With the help of a Time Warner Tech at my home, we finally figured out why some channels appear and disappear.

Digital Simulcast !

While the TWTech was at my home, we removed the Cablecard from the back of one of my HDTV's and rescanned the channels. It picked up the local HD channels plus the analogs. No surprise there...

When we inserted the CableCard and did the same rescan, we picked up all digital simulcast channels, no analogs!

Some how the TW headend setup my CC for digital simulcast only.

Disney East (34 analog) is being fed as analog, this is why I can view Disney on channel 34 on my Kitchen analog TV but not on any of my CC HDTV"s because it is SDV or so I thought. Of course, I argued the point that I had Disney East on digital channel 110, so the tech told me that 110 was really 34 analog mapped to 110 and so he was going to prove it.

Now, the fun part. The TWTech made a call to the office and *presto* I had my analogs back with digitals. I check each channel with the JVC menu system, sure enough Disney channel 34 was back and all the other analog channels under 80, and so I started to move up to channels above 100 and to my surprise my tv indicated Disney East channel 110 as analog (how did I know? the JVC places a D in front of any channel number being tuned in digtal).

Hmmm...choices choices choices...the Tech gave me the choice of staying with analog/digital or digital on CC. I opted instead to go back to all digital because I find the PQ much better.

So the question is, why isn't Disney East being digitally simulcast? Why??? Is it contractual?? I dunno, neither did the tech or the person at the headend but they would look into it....one tech said it is mapped to 110 on the lineup for STB's but wasn't mapped on the digital only listing for my CC version....hmmm...SDV programming codes? but its analog...how can that be SDV?...or does that indicate separate and distinct digital lineups based on CC versions? or does that indicate that a higher CC version has more capabilities for digital only mapping? Would that be an M-Card? The tech did not know...and he had no M-Cards with him to try...

What I do know is that I can make a call and get Disney East back by asking for analog/digital provisioning on my CC, but it's just one channel that the kids want and they can watch it on the analog tv...well there maybe other non-digital-simulcast analog channels I am missing but PQ rules...

Now for my two Sony HDD-DHG500's...it's funny...both Sony's have CableCards...one is receiving digital only and the other analog/digital. So the tech made a call....*PRESTO* all digital....I do like it when tech's know what they are doing but I wish they were more informed on the technology....and have hardware options with them on service calls...like the new M-card...

Aren't we the customer? Shouldn't we be informed when we're switched from analog/digital to a digtal only lineup? Why keep us frustrated and in the dark about these things? Shouldn't we have a SAY in these things? Should they ask or give us an OPT IN & OUT option???

Something is definitely not right. Accordingly, if Disney channel 34 is SDV...why is it on analog? and why discontinue mapping the analog channels for CC and go digital only lineups for CC. I saw it...the supposed SDV channel is analog...and I have CC....Ok it was the analog version of Disney...mapped to 110...but...it was there....on my CC lineup...something...that I was told can't be done with CC but was and taken away....but apparently can be...if TW permits it...

Signed,

Angry & Frustrated

[dkennedy]

Add TCM channel 58 to non-digital-simulcast channels that you can view on analog TV's but not with digital provisioned only single stream cablecards.

It looks like there is a new tier system in the works at TWC.

Single Stream CableCards - digital simulcast only channels (no SDV & analogs) - <pros> PQ is much better <cons> no non-digital-simulcast analogs & no SDV channels)

Multi-Stream CableCards -

2-way CableCards -

STB's - digital, SDV & analogs

[Skaggs]

dkennedy said:

Add TCM channel 58 to non-digital-simulcast channels that you can view on analog TV's but not with digital provisioned only single stream cablecards.

Channel 58 is listed as SDV when I view it through my SA 8300HD DVR diagnostic menu. Therefore, no viewing with a cable card.

I have M-Cards in my TiVos, and cannot view any of the channels listed in the SDV channel list with the TiVos.

dkennedy said:

Aren't we the customer? Shouldn't we be informed when we're switched from analog/digital to a digtal only lineup? Why keep us frustrated and in the dark about these things? Shouldn't we have a SAY in these things? Should they ask or give us an OPT IN & OUT option???

I have contacted Albany TWC via email many times with questions about cable cards and SDV. These emails were sent to both "ASK MIKE" and VP Peter Taubkin. Never have they answered any of the cable card or SDV questions. It is all a big SECRET that they don't want to reveal.

[dkennedy]

I don't think this has to do with SDV.

TCM channel 58 and Disney channel 34 are both being sent as analog channels. CC can be provisioned to receive both analog & digital channels, just like they have for years before SDV.

Now with digital provisioning on CC, you don't get the analog mapping, therefore, you can't tune in the analog channels anymore. Which in turn, makes it look like the channel disappeared to SDV world when in reality it is not mapped to CC anymore.

The tech proved this at my home when he provisioned one of my Sony HDG-HDD500 with a single stream CC to analog/digital, I had Disney like always on channel 34 and 110 as analog.

So why did they stop provisioning cablecards for analog & digital? The tech's didn't know, what they did know was I couldn't keep the analog/digital provisioning...it was discontinued. I know I said before that I could call to get it...and now I can't get...TW Reps can't find the old analog/digital provisioning codes anymore...I wish I had told the tech to leave it on.... Nice...unilateral TW decision...but why???

The simple answer...TWC is pushing their STB's....go get an STB.

Signed....

Very Angry & Frustrated TW Customer

[dkennedy]

*******update******

I gues if you call tech support on this issue and raise enough trouble and eyebrows and your angry enough....people start rethinking and listening....anyways...

All my cablecards are now provisioned for ANALOG/DIGITAL. I have Disney on channels 34 & 110 and TCM on 58 & 434 just like before using single stream cablecards.

[Skaggs]

Didn't you get them to give you a month free when complaining of the channels you once got with a CC going SDV?

I might give that a shot.

[peekb]

dkennedy, I'm being hit by this now as well. Cinemax channels 729-732 are broadcast and can no longer be tuned by my CC's, along with the channels you mentioned and various others. Checking against my STB, they are not SDV but broadcast as you stated. My question to you is, how hard was it to get someone at TW to listen and re-provision your cards for analog/digital? Did they even know what you were talking about? I find TW support to be mostly clueless over the phone. Thank you!

Update: It appears a bunch of the HBO channels are affected as well.

This is ridiculous...Over 90 channels on SDV and another 10 or more that are analog and no longer mapped? Yet I still have to pay for all of them.

[Skaggs]

I can tune 729-732 with the CC in my TiVo HD.

Are you using a TiVo w/CC? If yes, you may want to read the TivoHD losing channels again thread.

[peekb]

I have a TiVo S3...

I just did another reboot and they are still gone. Same with Science, Military, Disney, TCM, several additional HBOs, etc. A buddy of mine in Clifton Park has an S3 as well and while he gets 225 and 220, he's missing 58, 34 and 110 as described above.

It appears I'm seeing this analog/digital issue in addition to something else with the Science/Military channels...

[peekb]

Man this is annoying. Now 210, 225 (Science, Military) are back as are the missing Cinemax and HBO channels. 34, 58 and 110 remain missing as reported by dkennedy above.

[hurnik]

Maybe we need to find out who dkennedy called and we can all call and complain about this. Supposedly the tech is coming today (the lady on the phone had no idea what provisioning "analog/digital" was). If they don't fix it, I'm filing a formal complaint with the PSC and the FCC over this. Didn't have any problems like this until they started doing their stupid SDV rollout and now it looks like they messed up with something and either refuse to fix it or are just too stupid to fix it. (although at least dkennedy got it working, but took a few phone calls apparently).

[dkennedy]

admin said:

Didn't you get them to give you a month free when complaining of the channels you once got with a CC going SDV?

I might give that a shot.

Yes, they gave me credit for one month of TW services:
cable and Road Runner.

[dkennedy]

peekb said:

dkennedy, I'm being hit by this now as well. Cinemax channels 729-732 are broadcast and can no longer be tuned by my CC's, along with the channels you mentioned and various others. Checking against my STB, they are not SDV but broadcast as you stated. My question to you is, how hard was it to get someone at TW to listen and re-provision your cards for analog/digital? Did they even know what you were talking about? I find TW support to be mostly clueless over the phone. Thank you!

Update: It appears a bunch of the HBO channels are affected as well.

This is ridiculous...Over 90 channels on SDV and another 10 or more that are analog and no longer mapped? Yet I still have to pay for all of them.

It is very hard to get someone who even knows how to provision CC's to analog/digital because the smart ones at the headend decided to "re-use" the existing code for digital only. Mine are currently working but it took a level 3 tech support from NYC to resolve my problem, I had to keep calling tech support and after a couple of weeks it was bump up from level 1 to 2 and then 3.

I got another month of credit on my bill for all my troubles with CC. Get the credit, tech support gave me a full credit for all services including Road Runner.

[hurnik]

So basically we all need to call and open service tickets and demand credit for the weeks that we've not had the channels. Then keep calling until they fix it.

Oh, BTW, the service tech never showed up. I had to call back and the lady didn't even apologize, I had to demand the $20 credit (ooh, for 2 hours of my time they wasted) and request another service call (now it's for this Friday night supposedly).

I think I'm going to file a complaint with the PSC and possibly dig up the Tivo number to get their legal dept. involved with the cable card fiasco.

[hurnik]

Oh, and if possible, I think we all need to make sure we call and complain. Here's my info if someone needs to refer to it (ie, when you call them if you just say "I know others with the same problem" they probably won't care--of course they don't care anyway, but who knows).

Kevin Hurni
Loudonville, NY
Scheduled service call for this Friday at 6:30 p.m.
I'm not receiving the 6 channels (3 stations, each one is digital and analog) that nobody else can get either.
I've got an M card with TivoHD