Tivo HD rebooting only with cable card inserted

[jbrunson83]

I have a very similar problem. Mine has been going on for the last six months. I'll just unplug my cablecard and non-digital cable for a few days. After a few days of this, I try plugging it back in and it normally works again. Sometimes it works for a couple of months and then stops. It most recently started power cycling with the cablecard in this morning. The last time it power-cycled I went out and bought the APC Battery/Surge Protector recommended on this site. However, I've read how sensitive Tivo is to power issues and I unfortunately live in an apartment that's 60 years old. My three prong outlets aren't really grounded. I've got cable through Charter who has already given me numerous problems.

Is it a power issue, card reader problem, cable signal strength, or software issue? Any ideas? Everything seems to work for a month or so and then goes crazy.

[WK-Jeff]

I have a very similar problem. Mine has been going on for the last six months. I'll just unplug my cablecard and non-digital cable for a few days. After a few days of this, I try plugging it back in and it normally works again. Sometimes it works for a couple of months and then stops. It most recently started power cycling with the cablecard in this morning. The last time it power-cycled I went out and bought the APC Battery/Surge Protector recommended on this site. However, I've read how sensitive Tivo is to power issues and I unfortunately live in an apartment that's 60 years old. My three prong outlets aren't really grounded. I've got cable through Charter who has already given me numerous problems.

Is it a power issue, card reader problem, cable signal strength, or software issue? Any ideas? Everything seems to work for a month or so and then goes crazy.

It's pretty hard to say what's going on with your TiVo, I'm sorry. I can say, though, that with ungrounded outlets, surge protectors really don't do much good.

[JoshP]

Tivo rebooting with cable cards installed

I am having the same issue. It started Rebooting after I ordered a Pay Per View event in middle of January, after 15 months of working perfectly. I paid to have a second Tivo HD box sent out. It never got past the Tivo welcome movie after I inserted the cable cards.

Tivo tells me that the 4 cards installed in the last 3 weeks are all "Bad". I have talked to my cable company and they have actually been helpful but can only recommend switching to their hardware (which I can't believe sounds like a good idea). I can't believe my cable company is actually turning into the good guy while Tivo is playing the part of the bad guy. What a let down!

Support told me to have the cable company bring out more cards, I asked how many... would 10 be enough? Support admitted today there "may be an issue with compatibility", and they are working on it.

Can I request an older Tivo OS?
Any help would be appreciated!

[WK-Michael]

So both of your units exhibit the same exact behavior?

Have you tried booting your unit and setting it up without the CableCARDs, then inserting them while it's running?

[christsis]

My level 2 support upgrade on the issue simply resulted in Tivo saying "We're aware of a problem with Charter and the cablecards. We are working on a solution and will call you when it's fixed."

That's it, they even listed off that it's Motorola and Scientific Atlanta cards. So basically Charter + CableCARD + Tivo = you're SOL for now.

[oshane]

I'm having the same problem.

A few weeks ago, the TiVo HD started rebooting intermittently and with the CableCards in would reboot at about the Cary Grant screen.

After removing the wireless network adapter, coax and CableCards and powercycling the machine, it stopped rebooting . . .

Until I reinserted the CableCard(s) (I have to single Motorola S-Cards).

TiVo Cust. Supp. recommended trying new CableCards. That worked for a little while but no go.

I tried quickly initiating guided setup without CableCards, which took me all the way through the setup process even with the new CableCards inserted. No rebooting . . .

Until a few minutes later.

Eventually, the box would reboot without the CableCards inserted (!), so TiVo and I both thought it was a box failure.

***

This was occurring simultaneously to this thread, so I didn't see that others had the same symptoms.

***

Meanwhile, I purchased a replacement box which arrived today. I'm not sure if the CableCards are or aren't the problem, but this new ("new"?) box had problems displaying through HDMI until I tried a new cable. That eventually failed anyway, but in the meantime, I was able to repeat the same failure-mode present in the old box: the TiVo will boot, go through guided setup, etc. and work fine until I put one or two CableCards in the slot.

Given previous posts (and the HDMI issue), I'm inclined to think the second box's motherboard is fubar and that I should request a third replacement ??

***

Or could it simply be an incompatibility between the cards and the Tivo.

I live in Wyoming and use Bresnan as my cable provider. They, like Charter, have been extremely helpful (if not confused). They don't have much familiarity with TiVo, but they think it is highly unlikely that the problem lies in all five CableCards they've given me to test the problem.

I'm ] [ this close to shelving the TiVo HD and opting to use the cable company's Motorola DVR . . .

But I'd like to avoid that since I have a lifetime subscription on the original box (which TiVo was kind enough to replicate on the replacement).

Help.

[christsis]

I'd be willing to give my Level 2 case number to people that are experiencing the exact same issue I am. Maybe if we get enough people referencing that number saying "I have the exact same problem as ticket ####" we'll get Tivo off their ass to do something.

[LewNet]

So both of your units exhibit the same exact behavior?

Have you tried booting your unit and setting it up without the CableCARDs, then inserting them while it's running?

This method only works temporarily. It might last for a few hours or a day then goes back to the booting issue. I am in agreement with christsis, Tivo admitted compatability issues with Charter and Motorola cards to me as well but has failed to addressed them stating that it's the cable company's problem, which I completely disagree with.

[climbchild]

Same problem

I have the same problem has there been any progress on this issue? Mine keeps ending at a black screen with a very high pitched noise emitting until I pull the plug. Any help or new info would be appreciated.

[WK-Michael]

I have the same problem has there been any progress on this issue? Mine keeps ending at a black screen with a very high pitched noise emitting until I pull the plug. Any help or new info would be appreciated.

You've tried it without the CableCARD(s) and it's fine?

[christsis]

Mine is finally working with 11.0c and a new cablecard firmware update. Never did receive a response from Tivo however.

[LewNet]

Mine is finally working with 11.0c and a new cablecard firmware update. Never did receive a response from Tivo however.

How did you get the cablecard firmware update? Is that automatically downloaded from Tivo?

[WK-Michael]

11.0c is a software update from TiVo - not a CableCARD firmware update. It comes automatically from TiVo on a regular dial-in. You probably have it.

[christsis]

CableCARD update happens automatically. It's whenever Charter feels like pushing it out. When you put in the card it will go from "Wait to Start" to something like "Updating"

Nothing you can do other than scream and yell at Charter to push the update from the head unit in your area.

[FL-Bill]

Cable Card Woes

I have 3 series 3 units each has 2 cable cards. 2 of the units work fine and the 3rd is mirroring the problem being discussed in this thread. My initial research let me to replace the hard drive. Well the additional space is awesome and the unit stopped rebooting but I can’t pair the cable cards in this machine now. I have Comcast coming out next week to change the cards. (In my area you can’t pick the cable cards up and Comcast is always booked a week + out) Be that as it may the problem appears to be two fold 1. All the problems started after the software update and 2. The problem appears to be directly related to the cable card. Since my other 2 series 3 units are still working fine I think it may make a strong argument for the cable card firmware being the problem.