Tivo Dumb.


Hi
I've purchased Tivo thinking that I could use it instead of renting a cable box from TimeWarner cable, but was apperently placed into the very dumb situation that made me look like I'm dumb.

It only decodes a small portion of HD channels out of large number provided by the cable service. Having trying to reach Tivo customer service I was told to go here there up'n'down to read some of their activation gibberish and stuff and several reps would say that I have to contact my cable provider. Poor cable techie came to my place twice and spent nearly 3 hours each to investigate the issue and I've gotta give him and the company credit for that trying to swap card, swap decoder and still nothing worked. Than I've asked him to bring his own cable box instead of Tivo and it opened all of the HD channels that I'm suppose to get -- BINGO BOOM! Now I have a grounds to pressure Tivo and started throwing some arguments that it works with cable box but doesn't with Tivo and finally figured out that I have to activate and pay an ADDITIONAL $15/mo to decode HD channels and some further dump features that I would rarely need ever.

So have I've been fooled to purchase unit that is useless without additional activation and $15/mo service or I haven't? It realy doesn't make a sense for me to double my payments for same digital cable services. the same additional $15/Mo will give me rental of cable company box that does the same job without paying fo the unit at all.

All I wanted to purchase is pure cable box or two to decode HD channels, but instead Best Buy fooled me with that usless Tivo.

Appreciate your thoughts and input.
128x128marakanetz
It realy doesn't make a sense for me to double my payments for same digital cable services. the same additional $15/Mo will give me rental of cable company box that does the same job without paying fo the unit at all.
I think you know the answer.
The cable card standards set by the FCC are finally being enforced which is the cause of your issue. I had to reactivate my cable card under the new standard with Verizon FiOS to avoid the same situation. Took a 10 minute customer service call for me. This is a Time Warner problem not a TiVo problem. Time Warner needs to activate your cable card appropriately.
After an additional surfing through Tivo blogs I have to admit that Swampwalker is right.

Tivo's for dumbs indeed.
I don't really understand the comments above, but here's the deal: You should have to pay only a very modest monthly fee (on the order of $1 - $2) for the cable card from your cable provider. That card, which goes in the TiVo box, will allow you get via your TiVo all the HD channels you pay for. All of them.

TiVo is a bit more expensive than the cable company DVR. It is a better user interface (IMO) and, for me, that's what makes it worth paying extra for.
I don't care about DVR at all at any time. What Tivo states that you can't decode HD channels with no subscription or activation 'n that's what everybody spell at Tivo community.
Why would you get a TiVo if you don't want a DVR?

Nevertheless, I don't believe you need a subscription to get all your channels -- that's a function of your cable provider.
Drubin has it right. TIVO is a DVR with a mandatory subscription service, not a cable box. If you don't want a DVR and TIVO's scheduling services, then TIVO isn't the product for you.

I have a TIVO, and went through the recent HD conversion with my cable provider. To get all the HD channels I subscribe for recognized by TIVO, I needed a multi-stream cable card ($2 a month from my cable provider) to insert in the back of my TIVO machine. It worked great after I followed TIVO's installation instructions.

Now, it is true that between TIVO and the cable card I am paying $15 a month for the TIVO to work, as compared to $12 a month for my cable company's DVR option. But TIVO's interface and recording options are better, so for me it is worth the extra fee.
TIVO is a DVR with a mandatory subscription service, not a cable box. If you don't want a DVR and TIVO's scheduling services, then TIVO isn't the product for you.
My point, exactly.
When TIVO 1st came on the picture it was a true breakthrough technology. When the cable companies saw how great a demand there was for this service, it developed the DVR capacity within their own cable boxes. The success of the cable companies product has been so great that I read an article placing TIVO on a list of companies that's in danger of not existing by the end of the year! Right or wrong, this is simply another example of a small fish being devoured by a shark! My bro-in-law swears by TIVO, he's owned one since the companies inception. The thing that doesn't work for me is that by using the Tivo box instead of the cable box, he doesn't have access to pay-per-view or on-demand, services that I consider much more useful than DVR!
Thought of Tivo being able to work instead of cable box and decode HD channels with no subscription just like a regular cable box that you don't have to pay a rent of $9/mo for, but only paying for cable card $2 and that's precisely what I've asked Best Buy sales rep for. I didn't ask for DVR at all.
The thing that doesn't work for me is that by using the Tivo box instead of the cable box, he doesn't have access to pay-per-view or on-demand, services that I consider much more useful than DVR!
That's no longer true, at least with Comcast. The latest TiVo boxes do get Comcast on-demand (not sure about PPV, but I think so). TiVo also gives direct menu access to Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, Amazon, YouTube and other video services.
Marakanetz,

You come across a an old guy who can't adapt. A DVR stops you from being tied to TV schedules and allows viewing anytime YOU want to. No more missed shows.

I have a lifetime subscriptions on two of my boxes. Wherever I go and however long I have the boxes, I never have to pay a monthly fee again.
Not that I can't adapt but don't want to and don't need to. My budget isn't for lifetime subscriptions definitely and I'm not too devoted nor frustrated missing shows. There are so many channels on TV that the day I want to watch I'll always find something and I don't really need lots. Sports prefer to watch live and if I miss an important game, I would most-likely read about it rather than watching it recorded. PayPerView sports events I like to watch at the bars that would have small cover of $10 instead of paying $50 per event + getting social and outdoor.