Time Warner Experience #twcny #tivo

After reading all the reports of problems and phone calls to Time Warner, I expected to have lots of trouble with my new tuning adapter.

What is a tuning adapter?

Let's start with why I need a tuning adapter...

• Cable technology can only deliver a certain number of channels on the coax line.
• Old analog channels take up the most room and luckily those are slowly going away.
• Even still, the number of channels they offer these days exceeds the maximum number that the cable can support.
• There are many ways to solve this problem, and Time Warner chose to go with a technology called "Switched Digital Video" or SDV (SDV means the channel you are getting down the line "Switches" when you change the channel).
• In other words, the cable company only sends a limited number of channels down the line.
• When you change the channel, you might be "requesting" a different set of channels be sent down the line.

That "request" makes SDV a two-way system.

My TiVo Premiere only supports one-way communication, and therefore CANNOT send the necessary request to the cable company. In order for my TiVo Premiere to request the channel, it needs a tuning adapter. The tuning adapter plugs into the TiVo with a USB cable. Of course the coax from the cable company also goes through the tuning adapter and then to the TiVo. When I change the channel with my TiVo, it tells the tuning adapter what channel I want and the tuning adapter sends the necessary request to the cable company.

I have read lots of horror stories about Time Warner resetting something every month. That was causing customers in certain locations to lose all their SDV channels. Those customers would have to call and have them essentially re-activate the equipment every month.

I've also heard similar stories about the initial setup of the tuning adapter. Installers would have to come out and try many different adapters before they would get one to work, etc, etc.

I had to order a tuning adapter from Time Warner Central New York (#TWCNY) because they don't have any on hand. This was my fist signal that things were going to get difficult. Exactly one week from the date I ordered the tuning adapter, I still hadn't received my tuning adapter. I was planning on driving to my local Time Warner office to see if they had any information about my order.

To my surprise, the tuning adapter was waiting for me at the doorstep.

I immediately brought the box inside and opened it up. Not only did it contain EXACT instructions to install the adapter myself, but it also had a very accurate description of why I needed one with my new TiVo (I say accurate because I've read many articles about the topic.)

I followed the directions and plugged everything in. After a little while (probably 30 seconds, but it seemed like an hour), I noticed the green light was still flashing on the tuning adapter. I ran the diagnostics that TiVo provides and it said I didn't have any channels.

I reluctantly called the 800 number that was listed in the instructions, fully expecting to have to order another one or jump through hoops for hours. The representative on the phone said he saw that the tuning adapter was active and authorized on my account already. I suggested that maybe I need to reboot the TiVo.

He agreed and when the TiVo finished booting, I immediately had ALL of the channels coming in for the first time! That was WAY easier than I thought it would be!

Facebook Privacy - Does It Concern You?

There has been a lot of talk about privacy concerns on Facebook, especially with the planned release today of the new "easy" Facebook privacy controls. However, do you know if these issues really affect you and your company? Here's what you need to know:

1. On a Facebook Company Page, there are very limited privacy options.
2. Country Restrictions:
   
   • Entering one or more countries means that only people located in those countries listed will be able to view your Page. This also means that logged out users will not be able to see your Page. If no countries are listed, your Page will be visible to people located in all countries. You understand that you are responsible for setting the proper country restrictions to ensure that the content of your Page is appropriate for the country or countries where you allow it to be visible.
3. Age Restrictions:
   
   • Selecting an age restriction means that anyone under the specified age will not be able to find your Page in search or on friends' profiles or view the content in other ways. This also means that logged out users will not be able to see your Page. The Alcohol-Related age restriction sets the minimum age based on the location of the user. Only users in Canada and South Korea who are 19+, in Japan and Paraguay who are 20+, in India who are 25+, and elsewhere (including the US) who are 21+ will be able to view your Page. You understand that the Alcohol-Related age restriction is only for convenience and that Facebook does not represent that by using that setting your Page will be legally compliant in all countries where your Page is visible. You understand that ultimately you are responsible for setting the proper legally compliant age restrictions for each country where your Page is visible.
4. Published:
   
   • Published (publicly visible)
   • Unpublished (visible to no one but admins)
5. Default View for Wall:
   
   • Posts by Page and Fans
   • Only Posts by Page
6. Fan Permissions:
   
   • Fans can write or post content on the wall
     
     • Fans can post photos
     • Fans can post videos
     • Fans can post links

Keep in mind that according to the Facebook Terms of Service, you are not allowed to create a Profile Page for a brand/product/organization. Profile Pages are for individuals only, and the biggest privacy concerns affect only Profile Pages.

If you are interested in how you can make Facebook work for your company, please contact us!

How will the new GA news affect you?!

There was an email in my Inbox when I got back from vacation that stated:

Say goodbye to search analytics


Google just announced their new secure search beta...the search term is not passed through the referrer, and hence no analytics tool (not even a good old log analyzer) will have any idea of what a visitor searched for to reach your site.

Will this affect you and your website? Do you currently use the search term passed through the referrer string for analytic information on your website? Contact us if you are wondering how this will affect you and your website!

New Features on LinkedIn

Don't forget to update your LinkedIn Company Profile now that the new features are being rolled out!

Questions? Contact us TODAY!