TiVo HD and TWC?

[Steely]

Tried the search feature but couldn't find any hits.

Anyone using the TiVo HD with TWC?  How are people liking it?  Does TWC provide a multistream cable card?  

Also, what does TWC charge in addition to the cable cards?

[kevbeck122]

You might be able to get a multistream card, but I don't know for sure.  I know there are multistream cablecards, but I've only seen them in the latest Scientific Atlanta HDC boxes they're deploying.  Each card costs $3.10 a month according to the 2008 pricing update.. used to be $2.50.  Other than that it's just the normal programming charges.

Just so you know, you won't get ESPN2HD, HGTV HD, A&E HD, or TBS HD with cablecard.  There are several regular digital channels you won't get either.  There's an add on supposedly coming soon to Tivo that will allow for two way services, so you'd get those channels with that.

[Steely]

Thanks for the heads-up about the new HD channels.  I was not aware that we would not get those channels.  Glad you told me before I convince the wife that the TiVo HD is the way to go.  I wonder what is different about those channels vs the others.

So far I'm not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about getting a TiVo HD.  I also hear from TiVo Community that the installation process can be painful.

[kevbeck122]

TWC uses switched digital video (SDV) on the latest HD channels and some of the digital channels.  Here's an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_video.  It's similar to how the icontrol stuff works.. the box has to request the channel before you'll be able to see it.  TWC's boxes can do this, but cablecard devices can't.