ITGuy72
Permanently Disco
Premium
join:2001-11-01
New York | Good news
Bring on more HD channels. |
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Chris 313
Come get some
Premium
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA
clubs:
 ·Comcast
·Comcast
·Charter Pipeline
 ·Comcast Digital Vo..
·AT&T CallVantage
| Good for them!
I wonder what they'll do to existing customers later? Offer a upgrade path, or discounted digital service for 6-12 months to get them to switch to digital service?
It'd be interesting to see what they do next.
91% digital customer base? Very impressive. Too bad Comcast hasn't done that yet. |
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stevek1949
We're not in Kansas anymore
join:2002-11-13
Virginia Beach, VA
1 edit |  FIOS Has Been Digital for over a year.
"We will be the first major cable company in the nation to stop selling analog expanded basic,"
FIOS has been all digital for over a year. I suspect that all cable systems will move this way as a revenue producer to get the STB fees. |
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Jmartz
join:2000-07-20
Tenafly, NJ
1 edit | Pointless
Of course with all of this newly acquired space, they will still be compressing the crap out of their HD, which looks terrible now on some channels.
Would be nice if Cablevision would negotiate agreements for channels like ESPN U, Big Ten Network, and FOX Business... and don't forget about BBC America!
They have this ongoing need to offer a lot of HD.. most of which is just stretched SD. They seem to have forgotten about all the SD channels they aren't, or refuse to carry. |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
 ·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
| reply to stevek1949
Re: FIOS Has Been Digital for over a year.
Verizon is a phone company, not a cable company.
Yeah yeah I know under state franchises they'll be classified as a cable company (and I agree that they are more like a cable company than a phone company with FiOS) but I'm sure this is what CV will say when people say that FiOS was first. |
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Gres7
join:2001-03-05
Brooklyn, NY | Why should anyone
pay (even $15 + Box/remote rental) if you could get it free off air?
I have build my own UHF antenna in 1 hour (as per uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com ) put it on my attic and picture is just as good or maybe even better.
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dslwanter
Why would I want DSL? I have FTTH
Premium
join:2002-12-16
Lowellville, OH
·Armstrong Zoom In..
·AT&T Midwest
|  Good
Analog signals do take up too much space. Just think of what a cable op can do with that extra space, more HD channels, maybe less HD compression, perhaps more room for DOCSIS 3.0, etc.
I think the only problem they may run into is people not wanting to pay for a box, unless of course they're going to give it for free with the service.
--
Need a DJ within 60 miles of Youngstown, OH? Check out my service: »www.thebomb102djservice.com |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ | reply to Gres7
Re: Why should anyone
Some people can't get reception even if they have a high gain rooftop antenna.
With interference from white space devices, this may be even more widespread. |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·PHONE POWER
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to dslwanter
Re: Good
People who don't want to rent the boxes have nowhere to go. The alternatives, satellite and telco TV, also require some sort of set top.
As for OTA - this article is about expanded basic. Sounds like they're still selling "broadcast" basic (OTA equivalent for people who can't get OTA).
--
AT&T U-Hearse
Your funeral. Delivered.
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Youngjm
join:2002-04-01
Ada, MI | reply to Chris 313
Re: Good for them!
91% have embraced digital service but are they using digital on all the sets in the home? I know I have digital service but at least 3 sets still rely on analog signals. |
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viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| reply to Eat Me
Re: Why should anyone
said by Eat Me  :Some people can't get reception even if they have a high gain rooftop antenna. With interference from white space devices, this may be even more widespread. QFT |
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Big Pete 82
join:2009-01-30
Corona, CA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to Youngjm
Re: Good for them!
said by Youngjm :91% have embraced digital service but are they using digital on all the sets in the home? I know I have digital service but at least 3 sets still rely on analog signals. What you are describing I think is where shit is going to hit the fan. Does the 91% count the families with secondary tvs on analog? Very few families will be willing to upgrade their other 2 or 3 tvs from analog if they have to pay an extra $15-20 for a bunch of set top boxes. Who knows, maybe the Cable Co will just start giving away some sort of digital converter to appease them, but that could get expensive too. |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
1 edit | reply to djrobx
Re: Good
I was wondering that myself.
I always thought that 'broadcast basic' - aka channels 2-13
was somewhat regulated. I know a few years back on Commiecast, they would not sell broadcast basic to me, and stated that it was not available for my zipcode. 
--
Canada = Hollywood North |
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LurkerLito
join:2004-06-08
| reply to Youngjm
Re: Good for them!
I have the same issue. I have 2 TVs that I am renting a box from Cablevision (1 HD, 1 standard) and 4 other TVs that depend on the analog channels. If every TV will require a box Cablevision will definitely lose me as a customer. If I will need a Box on every TV I might as well move to FIOS triple play. The analog stations are the ONLY reason I am keeping the Cablevision TV service because FIOS will be more expensive if I have to rent boxes for the other TVs. |
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HiDesert
join:2008-08-17
| reply to Chris 313
said by Chris 313 :91% digital customer base? Very impressive. Too bad Comcast hasn't done that yet. Last I checked Comcast digital service was allot more $$ then the expanded service and half the channels were still on the analog spectrum anyways. The one thing that really bugged me about comcast digital HD boxes made by Scientific-Atlanta was the volumn levels would vary hugely from channel to channel and the regular SD channels colors would be too rich.. not accurate, the analog ones still suffered from interference and the HD was the only ones that looked decent. In my area, the digital service is worse then the analog for CC.. Actually, compared to my Dish they are both crap. But that is with the Scientific-Atlanta boxes. |
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ggmorton
join:2002-07-24
Houston, TX
| QAM tuner
A QAM tuner is what is needed by the people who don't want to rent a new cable box. The government should require this functionality as well for all new TVs. As long as the cable companies broadcast it in the clear, then it will work. |
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fmorriso
join:2004-02-17
Sterling, VA
| Better than Adelphia's approach in October 2005
This is much better than what Adelphia did to its analog customers back in October 2005.
I remember when Adelphia's analog system went down and, instead of fixing it, they simply told anyone who called that they refuse to fix the analog system and that we would all have to bring in our analog converter boxes to their office and exchange them for a digital one, which included the much higher monthly programming price tag for digital service. It was the height of arrogance.
Needless to say, I became a satellite TV viewer that same week and, when I finally went in to give Adelphia back the analog converter box, I gladly announced in a loud voice to the 10-15 people waiting in line that I didn't want or need Adelphia's cable service because I am now getting a much clearer picture on more channels at a lower cost via satellite than even the old Adelphia analog monthly cost. |
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jt10
@comcast.net | reply to Big Pete 82
Re: Good for them!
most cable companies will be letting people borrow two free dtas. these are boxes that will convert the signal the only problem is they dont do ondemand or get the digital programing guide. comcast is handing them out in the bay area of California. |
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xirian
Premium
join:2003-01-26
Beacon, NY | reply to ggmorton
Re: QAM tuner
The digital version of anything outside of broadcast basic is encrypted. |
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HiDesert
join:2008-08-17
1 edit | reply to fmorriso
Re: Better than Adelphia's approach in October 2005
said by fmorriso :I am now getting a much clearer picture on more channels at a lower cost via satellite than even the old Adelphia analog monthly cost. This is not hard to do. I have a Dish 322 dual tuner with radio controlled remotes for the cost of only one receiver. I also have better PQ and more channels then comcast expanded for LESS money. IMO, the only thing holding things together for the overpriced cable companies is the fact that you can still plug in additional sets at no extra cost via the RG6 coax. If they choose to go this route they will have to give out free boxes or they will be faced with competing with the satellite companies on price.. And at this point, they can't. So they would be forced to decrease prices or face loosing a ton of market share. In this case, 9 percent still use analog and those people at this point are not interested in paying more or migrating to digital. Therefore they Grandfathered them in the old analog service since nobody is willing to loose 5% or 9 percent market share over night. And like others have said, how many are still using the analog along with a digital combo? For those will the analog stream just die.. I'm thinking it will still be there its just new customers won't be able to order it. But those 9 percent at this point are probably not interested in upgrading to the more expensive digital. And how many others would bail that are still using the analog along with digital boxes. They potentially could loose more then 9 percent. So they are delaying the inevitable. What are they eventually going to do with these customers? Do bad and force them to pay more (and loose them no doubt as customers) or give out free boxes. Obviously, they don't know and are just delaying the problem.
Cable companies have a real problem on their hands. Over the years they have outpaced satellite in price. The only thing that has benefited the extra cost is the option to plug a dozen sets to the analog spectrum. When they do finally pull the plug it will be happy days for DTV and DISH. |
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