[mythtv-users] Myth, Charter, Prime, no channels

[Leo Butler]

Gary Buhrmaster <gary.buhrmaster at gmail.com> writes:

> On Sun, Feb 1, 2015 at 8:52 PM, Bert Haskins <bhaskins at chartermi.net> wrote:
> ....
>> Under WMC I can now get many, many channel listings but selecting any channel gives
>> " Subscription Required"
>> Please note the above cablecard status.
>> Charter claims that they have done all that they can do!!!

I have not been following this thread, but I had a similar experience
last year when charter went all digital in my area. It took several
weeks to resolve the issue, and I learned a few things:

-the frontline charter customer service is not knowledgeable about
 cablecard devices, you need to talk to the "tivo" specialists (there
 are some threads on dslreports with direct numbers into these guys,
 which may or may not work);

-I had success asking for a specialist after several calls (I guess my
 case was escalated);

-eventually, we went through 2 cablecards before I finally pinpointed
 the power supply on the tuning adapter as the culprit. A helpful but
 not very knowledgeable technician was sent out to replace it. After
 that, it still required a couple iterations to properly configure the
 cablecard on their system. The tech was a great sport who was
 fascinated by my myth setup and the prime, so he was willing to see the
 whole thing through.

-there was no indication anywhere in the logs that the tuning adapter
 was not working properly. I think I found that by a process of
 elimination and probably some suggestions from people here.

Best,
Leo

>
> Just to be sure, when you look at the logs, do you
> see something equivalent to:
>
> 19700101-00:00:00 System: reset reason = power on
> 19700101-00:00:00 CableCARD: USB device 07B2:6002 connected
> 19700101-00:00:00 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver connected
> 19700101-00:00:01 CableCARD: M-CARD inserted
> 19700101-00:00:03 System: network link 1000f
> 19700101-00:00:04 System: ip address obtained: ###.###.##.## / ###.###.###.##
> 19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: Motorola card (0000:0265)
> 19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication in progress
> 19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication
> success, validation success
> 19700101-00:00:31 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver downstream status: success
> 19700101-00:00:31 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver upstream status: success
> 19700101-00:00:31 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver authentication status: success
> 19700101-00:00:31 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver operational status: initializing
> 20150131-01:01:01 CableCARD: time changed from Thu Jan 01 00:00:41
> 1970 to Tue Jan 31 01:01:01 2015
> 20150131-01:01:01 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver operational status: ready
>
>
> If some of the lines do not indicate success, or ready,
> then no matter what Charter thinks, you are not
> actually validated (both the CableCARD and the
> Tuning Resolver need to show authenticated).
>
> However, to be honest, the "subscription required"
> sounds like a classic (well known) problem
> that indicates there is one more step to do by Charter.
>
> Motorola (Arris) franchises tend to enable channels
> (actually, usually, the tier you subscribe to) in a two
> step process.  First is the account.  The account needs
> to have the channels to be able to receive them.  The
> other is the card itself.  If the card does not have the
> channels enabled you get the "subscription required"
> message even if your account has the correct information.
> Sometimes this enabling of the card channels is hidden
> behind the covers of the interface that a CSR enters the
> data into and they never know about it.  Sometimes it is
> an explicit step they they have to perform (and can either
> forget, or mistype the data).
>
> What I would try to do is to call Charter, with your
> WMC screen available, get to the CableCARD
> desk, and tell them the card is shown as validated,
> but that are not getting your subscribed channels.
> That (at least for some other operators) is the term
> that they recognize means that the card is not
> properly provisioned(*).
>
> Most CSRs are far more likely to know what WMC
> is than MythTV, so being able to report the messages
> you get on WMC is the way to have the conversation
> (and some have a script they can ask about and work
> with).
>
> Good luck.
>
>
>
>
> (*) Sometimes, if the card is in a "unusual" state
> inside their system they have to delete it entirely
> from your account, delete it from their system
> inventory, and then re-enter it, and start over.  That
> usually means the card was not properly entered
> originally, or sat in some corner of some pile and
> expired inside their system.
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