Troubleshooting Tips: Time Warner + TiVo + CableCard + Tuning Adapter

Here's just a simple post (I'll keep it updated as I learn more tricks and tips) in case someone is having trouble with the mix of Time Warner Cable, Tivo, CableCards and Tuning Adapters (In this case a Cisco STA1520). I've had a few occasions in thepast year or so where things didn't work right -- Time Warner, to their credit, has been able to resolve all of them, but sometimes it's been hard.

Useful Phone Numbers

General tech support: 1-877-77-CABLE
CableCard support direct line: 1-866-532-2598

Common Failures

8-blinks on the tuning adapter

Symptoms: The Tuning Adapter blinks in groups of 8 flashes. If you get to this point the TiVo can see the adapter but any of the switched digital channels are blank.

If you see the tuning adapter blink 8 times, then pause and repeat then you have the box in brick mode. From what I understand the initial programming lasts for around 4 weeks. If the head-end doesn't ping the box from time to time it bricks itself. Tech support can hit the box and reset it and it'll work for another 28 days or so then fail again.

Solution: This was solved by changing the provisioning of the tuning adapter.

A smart tech (forgot his name) came out and before he came in to replace yet more wires thought about the problem in his truck. On the phone with his supervisor they re-provisioned the tuning adapter and it's been working great since.

Continuous blinks

This is a new problem that I just encountered today (5/25/2010). The TiVo was seeing the adapter like before but things were just screwy. I didn't even bother checking the channels since I knew they'd be messed up. A reboot of the TiVo and adapter didn't change things.

Solution: Tech support had me power cycle the tuning adapter. Before the adapter was fully booted (before the power button was pressed to turn it on) he sent a reset hit. After powering the unit on with the power button he sent an addressable and refresh hit. After this the LED came on solid and all was good again.

If anyone has any more tips, just respond and I'll add them to the list.