New Tivo Bolt install on Charter with SA Cablecard and Cisco Tuning Adapter

I've read the various forum threads and documentation on installing the Tivo Bolt and Tuning adapter on Charter cable and I think I'm ready. My equipment is Tivo Bolt, Scientific Atlanta Multi-Stream Powerkey PKM800 cablecard, ratty looking and well-used Cisco STA1520 TA.

The eventual config is:

- install signal splitter at incoming Charter coax cable.
- run 1.5 foot coax from splitter to Tivo Bolt
- run 1.5 foot coax from splitter to TA
- run USB from TA to Tivo Bolt

Initially though, I thought I would get just the Tivo Bolt with Cablecard working, without the TA, assuming that whoever I talk to at Charter (the big wildcard, right?) is OK with that approach and depending on what other input I get here.

So, I would:

- Config TIVO and register, activate.
- Install cablecard per documentation and call Charter to "sync" it up
- Power up and connect TA and get that going

One of my questions, if I go this route is, do I attach the USB from the TA to the Tivo box BEFORE powering up the TA or should I wait until the TA is updated/loaded (and how would I tell that?).

Anyway, any input welcome and I will update this thread with my experience