Cable card does not include local community TV channel

veronawi

We live in Verona, WI. We have a cable/internet bundle from Spectrum... and we are using a cable card. The local TV station is listed as being hosted on channel 990. However that channel is not in our lineup either from the information in my services I can find or in my guide on my TiVo.

Are local public channels required to be carried by the local cable TV? I don't even know who to ask... I get into a loop when trying to chat online. I stopped into my local Spectrum store and the line was already too long to feel like this question was worth waiting to have not answered by the person there.

I asked our newspaper which lists the two local TV providers and they said both companies offer those channels. I don't see a package where I can add it on... and a dozen or more other communities have their local TV stations on my guide. I feel like this is going to be a cable card / tuner issue which Spectrum always hates to deal with. Does anyone know who I can ask about this?

HT_Greenfield

Before assuming it’s a CableCard problem, i’d find out from anyone else around there that has a regular Spectrum cable TV set-top box if they’re able to get 990 and if they aren’t, i’d get back ahold of The Verona Press and let them know about the discrepancy and ask them if they could double-check their story with the cities of Verona and Oregon as well as the Wisconsin Community Media organization.

William_M

Hi @veronawi, welcome to our community!

You should get any local channels that are designated for your area. What is the name of the network? Do you see it on our channel lineup after entering your address?

veronawi

Hi William_H-

That is my understanding too and what the people in the city say also. However, I have now spent over 3 hours with different Spectrum people. Twice on chat... it goes nowhere... they just keep on resetting my device. I finally had some time to go into the Fitchburg Spectrum store. Here are my results. The person there first told me:

• "It's not on the Latino package lineup that you are on. It's only on Basic." I explained that I get other community channels, Cottage Grove, Fitchburg McFarland
• Then she messaged someone and I was told it won't work because I have a cable card and I had to use streaming. Now that I am home, I can verify streaming also doesn't work.
• I asked if I could get her to print out where it said 990 wasn't offered on cable cards. She refused.
• She also made me sit and wait while the person she was chatting with got down with another customer.
• 30 minutes later I was told I should read all my notices on my bills about channel changes I went through the last 6 months... didn't see anything mentioned about channel 990.

It frustrates me that she did everything to give me fake answers to my question... instead of helping to track down the reason something that should be working wasn't working.

veronawi

@William_M also, when I click on your link... I don't see the channel listed. It's not a major channel... it's a public access channel broadcast by the city.

Satch

Hello @veronawi

Have you powered off your TV and Tivo, unplugged it for several minutes and than rebooted? Perhaps in order for sent signals to work, the device receiving the signals must be an authorized Spectrum box or Spectrum DVR receiver?

Am I correct that you automatically get Spectrum Basic and Expanded Basic with any Spectrum box plan? Therefore the Latino package should include this. What is the exact name of your network on Channel 990 in your area? This would be a Public Access type of station, and should be offered at the lowest programing level.

To resolve this, find someone in your community with an authorized Spectrum box to see if they get the channel, as suggested by @HT_Greenfield . If they get the channel, you will need a box equipment update from Spectrum. If they don't get the channel, report back here, because than this would be a Spectrum issue that needs further investigation.

Cable Cards are being phased out by cable companies around the country with new advances that the boxes and streaming services support, but the cards do not because of their age, and they are third-party products, where the TV vendors are moving away from them.

Very interested in finding a solution that works for you.

Satch

HT_Greenfield

Who knows what the mix-up is but the city of Verona is coincidentally the only one of those municipalities that doesn’t publish on their own official website exactly which channel number to find their supposed community access P.E.G. channel on:

https://www.vi.cottagegrove.wi.gov/718/Cottage-Grove-TV

https://www.fitchburgwi.gov/2148/Where-Can-I-Watch-FACTv

https://wi-mcfarland.civicplus.com/170/McFarland-Cable-Channel-WMCF

https://www.ci.verona.wi.us/291/Cable-Access-VHAT