San Jose parking validation confusing? (rating, deal, park)

[citizensadvocate]

Anyone find that while downtown San Jose's parking validation program may look and sound very straightforward on paper, but in practice its a pain to deal with?

On those parking maps that the San Jose CVB hands out it merely explains look for the business with Pv sign to validate your parking card from a Pv lot. Though what it doesn't explain is that businesses only validate a particular Pv lot they contract with. So you may believe you just have to park in a lot with Pv sign and patronize a business with Pv sign and think you will get hour or two of free parking Though the business owner may have end up saying, sorry we do not validate that lot's tickets. Its particularly frustrating when there are two Pv lots within equal distance of each other and the business but the business would only validate one of them but we don't know which one.

Though anyone have good info on which business validate which lot in San Jose? I know its explicitely mentioned that the tech museum validates convention center parking garage. Though rest of the information is clear as mud.