I just ordered a TiVo Bolt. I hope it will not be a huge pain in the you know what to get it hooked up. I have Charter in S.C. I hate their DVR box and decided to go TiVo route. IS set up difficult. Will I get the run around from cable company to get the Cable Card? Will I need anything in addition to the Cable Card?? I am nervous and excited at the same time. Wife doesn't understand. Lol
TiVO Bolt
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You probably will need a tuning adapter connected as well for any channels that are transmitted via switched digital video (SDV), Charter provides these for no monthly charge by request. Both the CableCARD and tuning adapters can typically be picked up at your local office or brought via a technician truck roll.
The hardest part is usually the initial pairing and authorization of both, but after that they usually are rock solid -- sometimes it "might" take several calls to find a CSR that is familiar with CableCARD's. I recommend you try 1-888-487-7959, as this is supposed to be the direct number that gets you to the "special" department that deals with CableCARDs the best.
I would have had no problems with my Tivo Roamio install if they would have let me just grab a cable card and tuning adapter from the local office. Since I was also new to cable TV they insisted on a professional installer and all he did was complain about me making him do a Tivo install instead of just using their DVR. It took forever because he was being stubborn.
I already had an active cable modem in my entertainment center so it couldn't have been an easier install for him. All he had to do was install a splitter and call in the numbers.
Later I had to have the Tivo replaced because a power surge fried something. They replaced it for free under warranty. When the replacement arrived I just put the cable card in and hooked up the tuning adapter myself. Then I had to call into the special CSR number posted above and read them some numbers off a settings screen in the Tivo.
It couldn't have been easier and the entire setup took about 10 minutes the second time. If you can bring your old box into the local office and convince them to just give you the cable card and tuning adapter you are much better off doing it yourself. Plus you won't be charged the "professional installation" fee.
I already had an active cable modem in my entertainment center so it couldn't have been an easier install for him. All he had to do was install a splitter and call in the numbers.
Later I had to have the Tivo replaced because a power surge fried something. They replaced it for free under warranty. When the replacement arrived I just put the cable card in and hooked up the tuning adapter myself. Then I had to call into the special CSR number posted above and read them some numbers off a settings screen in the Tivo.
It couldn't have been easier and the entire setup took about 10 minutes the second time. If you can bring your old box into the local office and convince them to just give you the cable card and tuning adapter you are much better off doing it yourself. Plus you won't be charged the "professional installation" fee.
They'll do a truck roll to bring you a CableCard & a tuning adapter. You might want to pick up a short printer type USB cable too for your tuning adapter (I think it is an A-male to B-male cable. The tech that came out to install mine didn't have one, and was baffled as to why the tuning adapter wouldn't connect properly with the TiVo. I told him the diagram that came with my TiVo showed a USB connection, he was like "I've never done that before". When he was outside talking to the office I went and found a cable, plugged it into the TiVo and tuning adapter and all was well.
The pairing and authorization can be a challenge, but I believe they've gotten better at it. Once you get it working you will be VERY happy. I actually ran the guided setup on mine when it arrived before the cable guy game to download the channel lineup and all of that. You can do that without the cable card. I even set my channel list before I got the card. It only shows the HD channels in my case, and a few SD channels I want to be able to pick up.
The pairing and authorization can be a challenge, but I believe they've gotten better at it. Once you get it working you will be VERY happy. I actually ran the guided setup on mine when it arrived before the cable guy game to download the channel lineup and all of that. You can do that without the cable card. I even set my channel list before I got the card. It only shows the HD channels in my case, and a few SD channels I want to be able to pick up.
It's up to you. They will gladly let you keep it and keep charging the appropriate fees if you want to keep it 
OF course I wont need it but would not want to turn it in until I know the TiVo will work for sure.
I looked at the Bolt. But for me, it would have just been a repetition of what I currently have. My TV is UHD with Amazon and Netflix both offered as a part of the TV along with other UHD Apps. So, I decided to just stick with the Roamios that I had, though I did add a Mini. I may have gone for the Bolt had it not been $299, which I consider to be expensive under the circumstances that I described earlier in this post.
I'm with you Ice. I still can't figure out why the Cable Companies do such a terrible job in the area of DVR's. Cheapskates!
I heard the X1 is nice but due to my situation (we get cable as part of rent) I didn't "qualify" for it
Charter makes the choice easy. Their current boxes are from somewhere in the mid 2000's, so a Tivo is a no brainer. Charter says they have a world box coming, but it seems they move at a glacial pace with regard to implementing anything new.
As for keeping the Charter box, I kept one for 4-5 days after I got my Roamios/Minis(I have a Roamio Plus, a Basic and now 3 minis) set up, just to make sure everything was and continued to work(I had a field day trying to get one of the two tuning adapters online). Then I just ran the box down to my local Charter office and made sure they took it and the DVR fee off my bill.
As for keeping the Charter box, I kept one for 4-5 days after I got my Roamios/Minis(I have a Roamio Plus, a Basic and now 3 minis) set up, just to make sure everything was and continued to work(I had a field day trying to get one of the two tuning adapters online). Then I just ran the box down to my local Charter office and made sure they took it and the DVR fee off my bill.
