cablecard no longer supported

[richlaf]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to for this question, but here is my problem. Starting October 1st, my Service Provider will no longer support cablecards. Can I use my hdhomerun Prime without the cablecard just to get whatever content they broadcast as Clear QAM? If so, would I remove the cablecard and rescan or just leave in the cablecard? Thanks

[signcarver]

If they have any clear qam that will work however you may need 3rd party software to properly support it for guide and dvr as often the providers don't provide the proper psip data with channel name and virtual channel number and both of those are needed for the guide data SD provides... third party software typically allows you to manually map such to use with other guide sources while SD is 100% dependent on the scan results.

[EddieP]

I thought only the ATSC tuners did clear QAM ? ... not the Primes.

[richlaf]

Thanks for the information on the cablecard and the need for software to handle psip data. If you have any software recommendations that woud be great.

[jasonl]

I'm assuming this is Optimum/Altice? They were the first ones to kill off clear QAM. You're just completely SOL.

[signcarver]

I thought only the ATSC tuners did clear QAM ? ... not the Primes.

The prime is a qam (cable) only tuner... doesn't matter if it is cablecard or clear qam as far as the tuner goes... however cablecard's main benefit other than decryption is that it gets a channel map that has virtual channel number and name. Clear qam can also have such information in the channel's stream but most cable companies don't properly provide this. For example in my area at one time locals were clear qam and physical 4.1, 4.2, and 4 3 were cable channels 10, 12, and 15 which corresponded to local 10.1, 12 1, and 15 1 however they did not provide either virtual channel number (either the 10 or 10.1) so the prime (or ota hdhomerun) added them to its lineup as 5001, 5002, and 5003. SD's software can only tune by that info (when such works with lack of guide data not certain of current ui state for the 5000's). Those channels will not get guide so won't work with SD's dvr.

Most of the other ota hdhomeruns also handle clear qam in addition to ota methods for their intended market such as 8vsb (atsc) but the prime will not work with those methods.

[wilme2]

I would wait and see what happens. So many times Spectrum has sent notices about cablecard support, but it still works - their customer service support just went from very bad to impossibly worse. Now in 2024 I had to ask to change to a high-split converter instead of Tuning Adapter, but they provided them without any trouble.

[gtb]

I'm assuming this is Optimum/Altice?

I think, technically, Optimum/Altice only indicated CableCARDs would stop working in October, and was vague about the exact date (although the wording of the email/letter suggested earlier rather than later), and the underlying PowerKEY Time Warp bug does not actually hit until November. Optimum/Altice is probably just trying to get everyone migrated to something else before they get a thousand calls all at once when the PowerKEY cards fail to function (they still will get a lot of calls from those who, even though they were repeatedly warned, ignored the contacts). They will be able to claim they tried to help.

[mercblue281]

Optimum provides no solutions. Only problems. Have TiVo and HDHomerun prime. Both work well for their purposes. Now Optimum is killing both and not providing any adequate solution to deliver the TV package that is being paid for.
Trying to see if it's possible to utilize internet only and FuboTV. Awkward, but given that i have Roku's on all the TV's i wouldn't need additional hardware.
So many problems and no good solutions. DirecTV streaming offer looked ok as well but they charge a hardware fee and it's expensive.
How is it 2024 and this is all terrible? possibly worse than when cable was the only option.

[mercblue281]

CableCard support from Optimum was dropped yesterday. TiVo and HDhomerun lost all channels. Optimum has provided no solutions.

[bigfan99]

My Optimum CableCARD service also stopped on 30-Oct. The only channels that HDHomeRun PRIME (HDHR3-CC) tuner can find are the PEG channels (Public, Educational, and Governmental). All the over-the-air (broadcast) channels and CableTV channels are gone. It's been a great ride. Perhaps I will revisit SiliconDust when the ATSC 3.0 dust settles.

[imanjunk1963]

Yep Optimum hosed my Technicolor/Cisco CCard as of 11/7/2024 I learned today 11/8. I spoke ith L3 and they offerred for my case the STREAMING box among other things by asking they cancel my cable package and I could still get the basic tv stations streamed I only used before but will see if they try to raise the internet price up which I bet they will and my yearly renewal has to be made by end of Nov. And I am in a place where there are no alternatives other than maybe cell service but unsure if ATT Verizon or TMobile is offered and which the best to get at least consistent download speeds of 50mb and based on my cell service for TMobile it sucks here.

[jkarkut]

I have Optimum service as well. Disappointed...but renting cable boxes is their bread and butter. My question is this...how can the HDHRPrime be used from today on? Does is have the capability to pick up broadcast basic channels that may be available on the cable line itself? Another is...with SiliconDust push a firmware update to allow the HDHRPrime to pickup OTA signals from my antenna? I have two of these units. Avoiding tossing them in the trash...

[kyl416]

Does is have the capability to pick up broadcast basic channels that may be available on the cable line itself?

It does, but on Optimum nearly everything except public access is encrypted. You might also stumble upon a VOD session from one of your neighbors as those are usually in the clear too.

Very few providers have a clearQAM lineup anymore. Like here in NEPA Blue Ridge only has their community bulletin board and the EAS channel in the clear.

[jasonl]

Optimum was the first cable service to lose clear QAM channels back when it was still Cablevision. They got approval from the FCC to encrypt everything by arguing they couldn't protect things in apartment buildings in NYC. Comcast later pushed for and received blanket approval for everyone to go 100% encrypted as long as they had eliminated analog service.