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Gray screen "known issue"...get a cable card.

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  • #1

    Gray screen "known issue"...get a cable card.

    I called TiVo tonight about the ongoing issue I have been having with our HD TiVo. Since we got it this summer, it has been not recording shows and showing a gray screen periodically.

    The first service tech said it was a "known issue". After the recommendation to unplug and plug in the TiVo he said it was not a TiVo issue, but a software issue. What?

    I wanted to have TiVo Series 3 activated so I can record shows with my TiVo at no charge since it was a "known issue". I just want a TiVo somewhere in my house to actually record shows.

    After repeating my issue to the Customer Service rep, she made sure the first tech actually told me there was a know issue. She then put me on hold and told me that there is no known issue with the TiVo. Her proof was that she has one it it works fine and she talked to a Level 2 Tech about the issue. What?

    I was transferred back to another service tech. After repeating my issue again, I was told my issue is not having a cable card in my TiVo. I just want to record analog channels, but apparently I need a cable card to map to the channels since the cable company varies their signals and the cable card helps the TiVo lock onto these channels. However, he assured me it is not a "requirement" to have a cable card. I will just have to restart or not have my shows record without one. What?

    This is totally unacceptable. It is a known issue, it is not a known issue, I need a cable card, but I don't need a cable card. If I get a cable card TiVo can blame Charter and Charter can blame TiVo and my shows will not be recorded sometimes. Not a good night with TiVo.
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  • #2
    You will need a CableCARD to get any station that would otherwise require a cable box to receive. If you didn't have a TiVo and wanted to get all of the stations in your programming package, would you need a cable box? If so, then you need a CableCARD for your TiVo.

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    • #3
      jcook - this may not be a help - but my HD Tivo also gives me a grey screen and stops recording - almost once a week. I just unplug it and replug it in. I can't be bothered to call in about it. I use a cable card....

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      • #4
        SIMILAR ISSUE so I'll post it here ...

        I have a Series3 HD TiVo with 2 S-CableCards that's been working fine for several months until my recent cable upgrade. (Unit purchased from WK with 1TB drive.)

        I upgraded service with Comcast here in Nashville TN from Digital Starter plus HD (working fine) to Digital Service plus HD and it's all gone screwball now. Several times a day, one of those black-&-gray CableCard status screens pops up and the recorded show or live TV I'm watching freezes. The CLEAR button sends the status screen away and after a short pause the video starts up again right where it left off.

        Now that's really annoying but the real problem is that about every 2 or 3 days, TiVo crashes jumping to the Powering Up screen. Now I've had re-booting issues in the past but this is different because it doesn't re-boot; it sits on Powering Up apparently forever (coupla hours I've left it). The fix is to unplug the TiVo, wait 30 seconds or so and then plug it back in.

        If we're out of the house we lose all scheduled recordings and downloads until we return and do this procedure. Maddening!

        Looking forward to an upcoming vacation, who the heck do I call? Comcast can be hopeless most times, TiVo's no help at all and WK (where I bought the unit) can only tell me that it's probably a HD problem, which it isn't.

        Any ideas, anyone?

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        • #5
          Can you try the kickstart 54 just to be sure it isn't a drive issue?

          http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-kickstart-hd-tests.php
          Been here a long time . . .

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          • #6
            Kickstart does not work for me

            The kickstart codes absolutely do NOT work on my unit. I have tried repeatedly over the years. I press the Pause button on the remote and never get the amber light alone; it just continues rebooting. I have pressed the Pause button before I plug the unit back in, simultaneous to plugging it in, slightly after I plug it in and 5 seconds after I plug it back in. Still I NEVER get the amber light alone. I have also ignored the lack of the "amber light alone" and entered a 2-digit code (e.g. '54') anyway and still nothing. If that's built in to the bootup PROM it doesn't work on my Series3 at all.

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