I currently have just basic Charter cable provided by my homeowners’ association (no cable box or CableCard, just a coax sticking through the wall). Most of the ~100 channels are in SD, but a few are in HD (as indicated by the on-screen channel info display). I’ve been spoiled by previously having a DirecTV Genie with all of its great features, and I’d like to come as close as possible to that experience, with minimal additional costs.
I looked into Charter’s DVR but it is pricey for only recording two programs at a time (vs. Genie’s five, while watching a sixth that was previously recorded). It looks like the way to go is the TiVo Roamio Plus. I’m pretty much a novice in the cable world, so I am hoping that those more knowledgeable can weigh in on my assumptions and questions below.
Here are what I have determined to be the steps needed to make this a reality:
A. Buy the Roamio unit (either with the monthly $14.99 fee or the $499.99 lifetime plan).
B. Ask Charter to supply a Multi-Stream CableCARD ($2.99 per month).
C. Possibly obtain an SDV (Switched Digital Video) Tuning Adapter, depending on whether or not Charter has implemented Switched Digital Video in my area (and/or depending on the answer to Q4, below).
D. Install the CableCARD per the steps corresponding to its manufacturer (Cisco, Motorola or Scientific Atlanta), as shown in the “Charter CableCARD Installation” instructions.
E. Contact TiVo to activate the Roamio unit.
F. Contact Charter with the Serial number and Host ID number, and request activation of the CableCARD.
G. Pray.
This point is not 100% clear to me, but from what I have gathered, for this Roamio-based system it would NOT be necessary to set up any ADDITIONAL Charter services beyond the already HOA-supplied basic cable (Note: For the questions that follow, please base any answers on having no need for additional channels that are not already included in my basic service).
Q1. Can anyone confirm the accuracy of the above statement, or if it is incorrect, tell me what additional (i.e. extra-cost) service(s) I would need from Charter and why?
Q2. Stating the question another way, would my (currently zero) monthly costs consist only of Roamio’s $14.99/month (or alternately, the lifetime plan) plus Charter’s $2.99/month fee, for a total of $17.98, or would there have to be other Charter fees for the Roamio to function?
Q3. Without adding extra-cost Charter packages, would having this Roamio-based system provide any additional HD capabilities beyond the few HD channels my basic cable service already provides (see paragraph 1, above)?
Q4. The Charter “CableCARD Reference and Troubleshooting” webpage states: “Customers using a CableCARD TiVo device will need to install a Tuning Adapter to view digitally encrypted channels.” Does this statement apply to the Roamio or just to previous-generation TiVo units?
Q5. Is the “Tuning Adapter” mentioned in Q4 the same as the SDV device listed in Step “C,” above?
Q6. The Charter “CableCARD Reference and Troubleshooting” webpage states: “Digital CableCARDs leased from Charter installed into 3rd party peripherals (such as TiVo) do not support interactive services such as VOD, iPPV, and the On Screen Guide.” Are they only referring to Charter’s interactive services, or does this statement also mean that I cannot access VOD and/or an on-screen guide as provided by my TiVo’s service?
Q7. Am I missing any steps?
I looked into Charter’s DVR but it is pricey for only recording two programs at a time (vs. Genie’s five, while watching a sixth that was previously recorded). It looks like the way to go is the TiVo Roamio Plus. I’m pretty much a novice in the cable world, so I am hoping that those more knowledgeable can weigh in on my assumptions and questions below.
Here are what I have determined to be the steps needed to make this a reality:
A. Buy the Roamio unit (either with the monthly $14.99 fee or the $499.99 lifetime plan).
B. Ask Charter to supply a Multi-Stream CableCARD ($2.99 per month).
C. Possibly obtain an SDV (Switched Digital Video) Tuning Adapter, depending on whether or not Charter has implemented Switched Digital Video in my area (and/or depending on the answer to Q4, below).
D. Install the CableCARD per the steps corresponding to its manufacturer (Cisco, Motorola or Scientific Atlanta), as shown in the “Charter CableCARD Installation” instructions.
E. Contact TiVo to activate the Roamio unit.
F. Contact Charter with the Serial number and Host ID number, and request activation of the CableCARD.
G. Pray.
This point is not 100% clear to me, but from what I have gathered, for this Roamio-based system it would NOT be necessary to set up any ADDITIONAL Charter services beyond the already HOA-supplied basic cable (Note: For the questions that follow, please base any answers on having no need for additional channels that are not already included in my basic service).
Q1. Can anyone confirm the accuracy of the above statement, or if it is incorrect, tell me what additional (i.e. extra-cost) service(s) I would need from Charter and why?
Q2. Stating the question another way, would my (currently zero) monthly costs consist only of Roamio’s $14.99/month (or alternately, the lifetime plan) plus Charter’s $2.99/month fee, for a total of $17.98, or would there have to be other Charter fees for the Roamio to function?
Q3. Without adding extra-cost Charter packages, would having this Roamio-based system provide any additional HD capabilities beyond the few HD channels my basic cable service already provides (see paragraph 1, above)?
Q4. The Charter “CableCARD Reference and Troubleshooting” webpage states: “Customers using a CableCARD TiVo device will need to install a Tuning Adapter to view digitally encrypted channels.” Does this statement apply to the Roamio or just to previous-generation TiVo units?
Q5. Is the “Tuning Adapter” mentioned in Q4 the same as the SDV device listed in Step “C,” above?
Q6. The Charter “CableCARD Reference and Troubleshooting” webpage states: “Digital CableCARDs leased from Charter installed into 3rd party peripherals (such as TiVo) do not support interactive services such as VOD, iPPV, and the On Screen Guide.” Are they only referring to Charter’s interactive services, or does this statement also mean that I cannot access VOD and/or an on-screen guide as provided by my TiVo’s service?
Q7. Am I missing any steps?
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