[mythtv-users] Comcast CableCard Info

Gary Buhrmaster gary.buhrmaster at gmail.com
Fri Jul 22 05:52:38 UTC 2011


On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 18:55, Ken Truesdale <kat at tiac.net> wrote:
>...   Can I just show up at my local Comcast center and ask for a cable card or will they laugh at me - do they really need to be special ordered as I was told?

I have said this before, but "Comcast" is not Comcast is not Comcast.
Each region has their special character.  I needed to stop into my
local Comcast office to update some billing information (and they
preferred to see some documentation on paper for this particular
change), and while I was there, over a month ago, I asked when they
would allow CC self-installs, expecting late July or August as an answer.
The rep said they did it then, and would I like to get one.  I had no
CC ready tuner at the time, so said later.  I live in the SFBay area.
So the only answer that is going to be helpful is from someone else
from your greater Boston area, because Comcast is not Comcast is
not Comcast.

>  If I need to tell Comcast by phone or at their office about the device
>  it is going in, do I say "Ceton" or do I say "TiVo" just so they don't
> shut me down?

Your rep will vary.  When I called Comcast for my cable modem
install, I was lucky to get someone who understood what I was
talking about when I said "linux".  It probably did not hurt that I
knew exactly what info they needed, and provided it to them.  If
you want the least amount of hassles, I would say words to
the effect of "Microsoft Digital Cable Tuners", and "Ceton" for
the vendor, and that you want to "pair and activate a CableCARD
with the Ceton InfiniTV 4 OCUR digital cable tuner"  The info they
will need (and you need to have available in advance) will be your
cableco account number, and the "Cablecard ID", "Host ID" and
"Data" from the various config screens (they also tend to ask about
the serial number of the card, although as I recall that is not actually
used for the actual activation, but it completes their data entry task).
You should make sure you can get that info out of your system before
you call, otherwise the rep is as likely as not to direct you to
Windows Media Center menus.

Good luck.  Please post your experience, for others.

Gary


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