InfiniTV Cablecard and ClearQAM question

[duanew]

I have an InfiniTV 4 pci-e and it works very well now that I have the stable beta software on it. I have only standard definition at this time (due to money reasons). I have 6 or so Clear QAM channels in HD that I can pick up using a separate TV that I have.

I am wondering what I have to do to make the InfiniTV see them. I have read somewhere else that inserting a cablecard turns off Clear QAM capabilities. Is this true?

Do I have to get another tuner to pick up these channels?

I am running the channel search right now to see if it will find anything. I will update with the results.

[erkotz]

I'm a bit unclear - do you have a CableCARD in your InfiniTV?
If you put a CableCARD in your InfiniTV, it will use the channel map from the CableCARD. This means it won't scan blindly for ClearQAM channels, but as all are typically in the channel map, this is generally a non-issue.

[duanew]

Thank you for the answer. I was unable to find anywhere that had an answer to my question. Yes I do have a cablecard in the InfiniTV.

I have figured it out. The first set of drivers that I loaded were not stable on my card. I think that it is the current non beta drivers available. My card would take twice as long to tune a channel as it does now and consequently the auto channel scan would remove many or most of the channels that I knew that I had so I never used it. I finally let it complete the scan (took almost 3 hours) with the beta drivers and it found a bunch of new channels and quite a few of them HD. So all is good now.

[erkotz]

I'm still a bit confused - if you have a CableCARD in your InfiniTV, no scanning should take place. What software are you using? Does the InfiniTV Diagnostic Utility show your CableCARD as ready?

[duanew]

if you have a CableCARD in your InfiniTV, no scanning should take place.

I guess that is not exactly scanning but the auto selection option of the channels that receive in the guide. I have the very basic digital cable and there are many channels that I do not receive that have to be removed from the guide. Oh yea, I am on Comcast.

What software are you using?

Windows 7 Home Media Center

Does the InfiniTV Diagnostic Utility show your CableCARD as ready?

Actually no. I have the "Cablecard did not receive a Validation Signal" error. I have called a few times to try to get Comcast to fix the error but they were unsuccessful. I get all of the channels that I thought that I was supposed to get with the basic cable and now I almost all of them in HD. Everything is running so great that I decided to ignore the error.

I asked the question here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1336614/lates ... t_22483199
and here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1336614/lates ... t_22483994
and I did not get an answer.

[RyC]

Just a note, Comcast is probably going to be one of the first companies to get rid of ClearQAM channels, if they haven't already.

[duanew]

Just a note, Comcast is probably going to be one of the first companies to get rid of ClearQAM channels, if they haven't already.

I was able to pick up at least 15 channels on a tv the other day so they have not gotten rid of them yet. They were mostly standard definition though.

[RyC]

I have Comcast in the Bay Area, and I used to get a ton of clear QAM channels, but now it's only the locals. Just something to remember in case they disappear one day (hopefully not!).

[erkotz]

Does the InfiniTV Diagnostic Utility show your CableCARD as ready?

Actually no. I have the "Cablecard did not receive a Validation Signal" error. I have called a few times to try to get Comcast to fix the error but they were unsuccessful. I get all of the channels that I thought that I was supposed to get with the basic cable and now I almost all of them in HD. Everything is running so great that I decided to ignore the error.

Did you open a support ticket with us? We can reach out to Comcast and get it sorted out.

[duanew]

Did you open a support ticket with us? We can reach out to Comcast and get it sorted out.

I did not open a ticket. Just wondering, is it something that I should be concerned about?

[Crash2009]

We get 32 channels for $20/mo here in Michigan. Comcast will not give us a CableCard with the $20 package. If I am reading you right, your area must be different. If you get the CableCard set up properly you will get "all" the channels into your Infini, that you get on your TV. Added bonus is that you will be able to record.

It sounds like your CableCard is not paired. It's pretty simple for Comcast to do this, once you get to the correct department. Next time you call them, select option 3 (I have called about this before) this will get you up a level, to a rep with more experience. Tell them you need your CableCard paired, no not the one in the set top box, the one on your computer. Tell them it's like a TIVO if they still don't understand.

Open up Ceton Diagnostics "like this" and give Comcast the numbers you see where I have placed the red question marks.

[erkotz]

Did you open a support ticket with us? We can reach out to Comcast and get it sorted out.

I did not open a ticket. Just wondering, is it something that I should be concerned about?

The card not being paired only prevents you from receiving "high-value" (CCI >0x00) content. On Comcast, I don't believe anything in the standard tier is marked with a CCI > 0x00, so this is likely a non-issue

We get 32 channels for $20/mo here in Michigan. Comcast will not give us a CableCard with the $20 package. If I am reading you right, your area must be different. If you get the CableCard set up properly you will get "all" the channels into your Infini, that you get on your TV. Added bonus is that you will be able to record.

It sounds like your CableCard is not paired. It's pretty simple for Comcast to do this, once you get to the correct department. Next time you call them, select option 3 (I have called about this before) this will get you up a level, to a rep with more experience. Tell them you need your CableCard paired, no not the one in the set top box, the one on your computer. Tell them it's like a TIVO if they still don't understand.

Open up Ceton Diagnostics "like this" and give Comcast the numbers you see where I have placed the red question marks.

Comcast should be providing CableCARDs regardless of tier. If you have a Ceton tuner and are having trouble getting one, please open a support ticket with us and we will assist.

[duanew]

The card not being paired only prevents you from receiving "high-value" (CCI >0x00) content. On Comcast, I don't believe anything in the standard tier is marked with a CCI > 0x00, so this is likely a non-issue

Ok Thank you. I see what the problem is. I don't have and pay channels at this time and probably won't in the future. I don't think that they are worth it because of all of the crap movies that they show most of the time. I will try to get it fixed though.