Thank you very much for all the replies. All the questions I can think of right now have been answered. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll find time to work on this project.
Seeing as how you have TW, I'm going to provide this link. It gives TW's phone number that leads you directly to people who do nothing but cable card stuff. Use that number to activate the card (not the one media center gives you) as well as any issues you have.