kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
1 edit | [Comcast] Dallas/Fort Worth Metro Vol. I Guys I work for Comcast in Dallas and I have been told that we are going to have what Comcast calls a "Soft" launch on HDTV here in the Dallas MetroPlex. From what I have been told we are going to be offering 4 channels to start off with that will be in HD. Two of which are HBO and SHO but the other two are TBA. I am speculating that they will be NBC and ABC. I hope we get ABC so we can watch some Monday Night Football in HD. But I just wanted to spill some beans on this subject.
kcharg
--
kcharg
»home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
 lazybum1979
Premium
join:2002-07-28
Burkburnett, TX
clubs: | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I woulda thought a market as big as D/FW would've had HDTV kickin already. Hope ya like it! | |
|
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Well we should have HDTV but the Dallas Market as a whole was in such ruins because of the AT&T Broadband nightmare that when Comcast took over we had to all slow down and somewhat re-evaluate things. But I can't wait for this to come down, because I just purchased a 46-inch Philips Widescreen HDTV Monitor and I am ready to put it to use!!!
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
hdindallas
@attbi.com
| hey man are you for real? i have been waiting so !#$#% long for HDTV over cable..
when is this going to be available? is it available right now?
i am fired up because even if HBO is only being offered right now, i'd sign up just to watch Carnivale
also, any word on ESPN?? you would think that the Sunday Night Football would be a big draw | |
|
PlanoHDTVfan
@Dial1.Dallas
| Somehow, a four channel HD package doesn't seem all that impressive in an area that has six HD channels available off the air for free -- and where OTA reception is generally pretty good. So while it is a start, I can't really understand how this is going to provide any incentive for people to keep cable in lieu of going with OTA HDTV and/or satellite. | |
|
 | 
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
 ·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex said by PlanoHDTVfan:
I can't really understand how this is going to provide any incentive for people to keep cable in lieu of going with OTA HDTV and/or satellite.
An OTS receiver costs $400, and a sat HD system even more. Why pay that kind of tag when the cable company can just rent you a box for roughly $5 a month with out any other changes in billing or wiring of the house. | |
|
| |
OTAHDTV
@advantexcom.net
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I paid $350 for my OTA HDTV STB and $50 for my antenna for a total of $400. I receive 16 digital OTA HDTV channels in the Dallas,TX area and pay NOTHING per month!
Most of the cable companies force you to purchase their expensive digital cable package instead of the low end basic package before you can get their HD channels plus you have to pay the monthly fee for their STB and the quality is not as good as OTA or SAT.
HDTV Picture quality is always in this order:
1 OTA - signal is native/untouched from broadcaster
2 SAT - signal is modified - compressed/decompressed for uplink
3 Cable - signal is modified and muxed with 80 other channels to compete for bandwidth over poor quality equipment/cable/wiring | |
|
| | | |
| | | curious125
join:2003-12-11
Dallas, TX
| just curious....i too live in dallas and was wondering what type of setup you have (ie, antenna, STB, and what part of town you live in), as i am investigating the purchase of silver sensor (indoor OTA HD) antenna, samsung sir t150 or 151, and already have HD ready Mitsubishi 55" monitor. the point is, i don't necessarily want to put an antenna on my roof, nor do i want to spend 600$ on STB, hence buy older samsung model. any suggestions or wisdom you might impart? thx in advance. | |
|
| | | |
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I have the Samsung SIR-T151 OTA Receiver and it works pretty good, you would want to get one of the TERK inside antenna's and that should be just fine for you. Here's the website I bought mine off of: »store.yahoo.com/hypaudio/sirt151.html
By far the cheapest OTA receiver on the NET!!!
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
panth1
The Coyote
join:2000-12-11
Boca Raton, FL | Explain the "AT&T nightmare" that you are referring to.
--
ISPs: Road Runner/Powerlink Status: Road Runner | |
|
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Well to give an overall response, I am scheduled to receive an HDTV Box from my company sometime next week. They are telling me that HBO and Showtime are definitely being released and probably WFAA-8 (ABC) also is going to be released but the 4th channel is still being worked on.
kcharg | |
|
|
hdindallas
@attbi.com | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex so if you're receiving your box next week, the service should probably be turned on by then
hmm..i just called comcast and they said that it would come out by the end of the year
so this "soft" launch is internal right now? | |
|
stewlevine
join:2002-05-28
Dallas, TX
| A couple of questions...
1. Can non-employees sign up yet?
2. Does the box being used let us integrate our over the air antennas like the DirecTV boxes do?
3. Can we use HD in room where we only have one (the 'A') wire run into the room?
4. Do we need to provide our own component video cables?
5. Where's ESPN HD? | |
|
|
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex 1. Don't know.
2. No. The box only decodes QAM signals, 8VSB is not inserted into any Comcast plant, nor do any on their boxes decode 8VSB signals.
3. Some one else can answer this one.
4. Should not have to, Comcast charges roughly $30 for the installation of the HD boxes, which includes 1 component video cable, a new drop to the house and the replacement of the cable line that feeds the HD box.
5. Many markets already have ESPNHD, its on here in MI. | |
|
|
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| 1. Only employees can get it now, hence the word "Soft Launch." They are (For Once) doing a beta test before they release it mainstream.
2. The Motorola boxes will not perform this function. »broadband.motorola.com/hdtv/dct5100.html
3. As far as I know if you only have your A-side running to that room then know you'll need a B-side. Our Digital Signals run over the B-side and I am pretty sure that they will be putting HD over the B-side.
4. NO
5. ESPN HD is being worked on, one of the Big Wigs I spoke with yesterday said that they were working hard to get ESPN HD soon.
Anymore questions?
kcharg | |
|
| | stm555
join:2002-02-04
Plano, TX
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Ok, question #6, will they also be providing digital audio?
Coax or optical connections would be superb. I had digital audio in Lubbock (west Texas) and I'm completely baffled why they don't offer it in the metroplex. Band of Brother's was great in DTS. | |
|
| | | |
| | | stm555
join:2002-02-04
Plano, TX
| Of course DTS on DVD will be better than anything cable can throw out, since cable can not do DTS audio. But it still should have been Dolby Digital on HBO. And yes all the HD Motorola boxes have both Toslink(Fiber) and Digital COAX. Are you sure cable can't do DTS? It was a while back (obviously when Band of Brothers was on HBO), but I coulda sworn my receiver lit up the blue light and said 'DTS' on it. That's great that it will provide the digital audio, especially the resampling over PCM. I hated having to switch audio sources all the time just because I changed channels/shows.
I just saw an announcement that came with a friend's bill. It said that they'll also be offering a PVR service. Anyone know if that includes the HD channels?
And speaking of PVR, do the 5100 boxes have the direct serial IR hookup for the Tivo? The IR blaster things are pretty annoying. | |
|
| | | | |
| | | | |
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| ESPN is now working!!! Just had some of my inside people look at my account further and they were able to get my ESPN HD working. Now that the launch is tomorrow for the Dallas MetroPlex everything should be coming through fine:
650-Showtime
651-HBO
653-NBC HD
655-FOX
668-ESPN HD
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
| | | | | | rossr5
join:2003-11-15
Garland, TX
| re: hdtv and vod Kcharg,
Do you know when we will get vod here in Dallas? I thought we would be getting vod with hdtv. I had called to get info this weekend and they said they were just offering hdtv. They also said they had a short supply of them and I would have to make an appointment for install,$30 dollar charge.
So, I guess we will get vod with the pvr dct-6200 box or another. I've seen it on our website for vod nothing for pvr though. I hope with vod and pvr we don't have to pay for install and we can just swap them out. | |
|
| | | | | | |
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Re: re: hdtv and vod My understanding from meetings that I have been in, is that we are not going to be offering VOD until we can get the NRB's (Non Responding Boxes) down to an acceptable level. The Dallas Metroplex as a whole has too many, because of Contractor's going out doing Digital Installs without phone lines. Well now we are almost fully upgraded to a RF Return system. In about 2 months I think we'll be ready for VOD. That's about when all the upgrades will be long gone and we'll have had enough time to hit those NRB's that are such a big pain in the A$$. So it would be safe to say that sometime in early January we should see the release of all these new products: (HDTV being already release, DVR's which I think should be coming about a month from now and of course VOD).
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
| | | | | | | | rossr5
join:2003-11-15
Garland, TX
| Re: re: hdtv and vod Kcharg,
Will we be getting the new tv guide with the pvr boxes or is that coming with vod? Do you know if when they come out with those boxes in a month if we can just swap out our old dct-2000 boxes for the new boxes. They had said that they had a short supply of the 5100's now. Do you know if there going to use the new dct-6200 for pvr or are they getting more of the 5100's? | |
|
| | | | | | | 
rkrocha
join:2000-09-23
Garland, TX | vod will be limited EO 1/04, more by 3/04...enjoy. | |
|
| | | | | | | | rossr5
join:2003-11-15
Garland, TX
| Re: re: vod rkrocha,
Your response "vod will be limited EO 1/04 more by 3/04.
Does the E stand for Edition? What does the O stand for? Also, Do you or any one else have any idea when the new tv guide interactive i-guide will be coming out? This is the picture in picture guide with other enhancements different then the new tv guide blue which is an interm guide for dvr coming soon.
Ross | |
|
| | | | |
aasdfasfd
@attbi.com
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Uh wrong. DTS is compressed. There are several DTS bitrates, one of which at least is comparable to Dolby Digital (and is the most commonly used on those DVD discs which have both DD and DTS). There is no technical reason whatsoever they could not put DTS over cable. | |
|
| | | | | |
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex DTS do use minor compression, but there is NO comparison between DTS and DD. DD sucks compared to DTS. If you can not hear the difference between a DD and DTS track on the same DVD such as Terminator 2 then you shouldn't be wasting your time with a home theater. And yes there are technical reasons why they can't do DTS right now. The broadcasting studios would have to apply for the SDK from DTS corp then get all the encoders and decorders for convert their 5.1 tracks to DTS(the local news will never be DTS, its not multi-channel). Then all the box manufacturers would then also have to lease the technology and intellectual property to have DTS boxes. They are not going to go through all this just for the small hand-full of people who really would care about it. | |
|
| | | | | | |
aasdfasfd
@attbi.com | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Exactly - there is no *technical* reason. I didn't say anything about marketing or licensing issues.
Both Dolby Digital and DTS use lossy compression. | |
|
| | | | | | | |
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Wrong. DD uses lossy compression, DTS does NOT. it uses a minor amount, and the amount that it does increases its audio quality and bandwidth. Go to »www.dtsonline.com and read their technical information and you will find out the information that you still are missing. And yes there are technical reasons, DTS audio uses too much bandwidth to fit in the the same stream with video and stereo or dolby digital for the rest of the people. It will NEVER happen. | |
|
| | | | | | | | |
aasdfasfd
@attbi.com | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex DTS is lossy the same as Dolby and all other digital audio compression formats (MP3, etc..) | |
|
| | | | | | | | |
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Ok, stay in your dream world and believe what you will. You don't have your facts straight but since you posting anonymously I will just ignore what you think is correct. | |
|
| | | | | | | | |
asdfasdfas
@attbi.com
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Right.... I'd love to see how you are going to take over 700kb/sec of raw audio data (per-channel, so 5 channels would be over 3500kb/sec) and compress it to 754k/sec without losing anything. Magic?
Just because I choose not to give my email over to yet another potential source of spam and/or remember yet another username and password for yet another internet forume (I probably read/post regularly on 20-30 forums) doesn't mean my opinion is any less valid than yours. Get over yourself LOL. Anyway I think we've derailed this thread enough so I won't go on any further with you who obviously think you know everything. | |
|
| | | | | | | | | 
sonofjay
Mission Accomplished - Bush May 1, 2003
Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-14
North Attleboro, MA
 ·Vonage
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex It's my understanding that DTS strips out the audio that cannot be heard by the human ear and then compress what remains using non-lossy encoding. DD does not strip out any audio and because of this it has to use a "lossy" compression in order to achieve the same compression level as DTS. So "technically" they are both lossy but the loss experienced using DTS is not discernable to the human ear. I myself think that DD has a more natural, fuller sound and that DTS sounds too "artificial" for lack of a better term, but everyone has their own opinion on the matter.
imrf, although I agree with you that some DVDs sound better with DTS, I disagree that DTS is the better sounding encoding option. I think T2 (and other such movies) have more to do with the sound engineers and producers than the actual technology used to encode them.
Finally, I agree with "anonymous" that there is no technical reason that DTS couldn't be used. The real reason is that DD is the choice of the majority of film studios and is the standard of SD as well as HDTV.
--
The war is over?? | |
|
|
Named here
@ibm.com | Is there a schedule for when additional HD channels will be added to the Comcast lineup? I really want HDTV, but not bad enough to cough up the extra money for only 4 channels.
Thanks!! | |
|
| |
hugenstein
@airband.net
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Got my HD installed yesterday afternoon. Cowboys game looked great(even though its not really HD). I was looking forward the Sunday night ESPN game, but of course ESPN was the only channel that didn't work. Hopefully they will get it fixed tonight.
Anyway Fox "Low Def" football looked great, HBO movies and Sopranos and Carnivale were great. Hopefully we will have CBS, ABC, UPN and some other good channels(Discovery) in the next few months. | |
|
| | |
rsw
@comcast.net
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Yes, a few more HD-channels sure would be nice.
I've have had problems with getting CC to work on channel 653 and I just learned tonight from Comcast that CC is not supported on the HD transmit in Dallas. Anyone know if one can expect CC to work any time soon? Is it the same on the other Comcast markets as well? | |
|
| maginethat
join:2003-12-06
Lake Stevens, WA
| From a Redmond, WA Comcast employee here... HD has been here all summer so far... here are answers to your Q's:
1) During "soft-launch", No, non-emp's cannot sign-up for HD
2) No, the HD Motorola 6200 does not Dual Tune like a DTV Box
3) I am assuming the system in which you live is a "Dual" System... I wouldn't have the answer to this one, though I would be inclined to say yes, since I know that modems work on just the "A" leg in those types of systems, as well
4) No, componenet cables are provided... 15' length (at least here)
5) ESPN HD is Ch 173 here... and boy does it ever look awesome !!!! LOL
Enjoy down there when you finally get it. Incidentally... Dual-Tuner HD PVR's on the way to Redmond area next month some time! | |
|
hdindallas
@attbi.com
| mits integrated tuner picks up scrambled channels here
the channel numbers coincide with the analog numbers for HBO and showtime
i don't know if that means HBO and show are on there but it definitely implies that some channel is on the air
i got the message "this channel is scrambled and cannot be viewed" | |
|
PlanoHDTVfan
@Dial1.Dall
| > An OTS receiver costs $400, and a sat HD system even more. Why pay that kind of tag when the cable company can just rent you a box for roughly $5 a month with out any other changes in billing or wiring of the house.
To receive six channels of OTA HD instead of just two channels -- and to not pay any monthly fee to receive them. From my viewpoint, the cost of the Comcast HD service is the $5 plus whatever basic cable costs -- and that to avoid buying a $300 OTA receiver (cheapest price I've seen) and using an antenna.
But I presume at this point the primary intent of this service is to keep current subscribers with HD-ready sets from defecting to satellite or OTA, not attracting new subscribers. | |
|
| 
mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I can't see paying $300+ for a hdtv receiver. Comcast HDTV gives you everything you need for $5/month. | |
|
lazybum1979
Premium
join:2002-07-28
Burkburnett, TX
clubs:
| How much does it run you to get a HD setup from the cable company? I can't seem to find that information anywhere in this post.
--
Crunch, Crunch, Crunch, Crunch, Wouldn't you like to be a cruncher too? | |
|
|
mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I think $5-10/month plus a $20 install fee. | |
|
| |
OTAHDTV
@advantexcom.net
| Whats this $5-$10 per month crap?
The cheapest price for Comcast basic digital cable is $50 per month, thats $600 per year! Does the basic digital cable package include HDTV? or is there an additional charge to add the HD channels?
I pay $33 per month for basic non digital cable from my cable company, a difference of $17 per month which in 2 years will cover the cost of my OTA HDTV STB and antenna and I dont have to pay a monthly fee for a STB and I receive 16 OTA HDTV channels + 60 non digital cable tv channels. | |
|
|
asfdasdf
@attbi.com
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex and you don't get HBO, Shotime or ESPN HD. Plus you need to have a stupid looking antenna on top of your house and all the wiring, then you need to switch back and forth between the antenna and cable/satellite/whatever you have. With cable it's a 1-system 1-box solution (including DVR by the way which is yet ANOTHER box if you use a OTA system) | |
|
| johnathanel
join:2004-06-12
Clinton Township, MI | so what hd channels do you recieve, you said you had 16 of them, especially for that cheap price i want that. | |
|
hdindallas
@attbi.com
| i think some of the hd channels are on the "A" side already
i tried my mits integrated tuner and it picked up a bunch of channels but they were all scrambled
can you give us a date when the service could possibly be available? are they really going to make us wait till jan 1st or is there a chance of getting it earlier? | |
|
PlanoHDTVfan
@Dial1.Dall
| > Comcast HDTV gives you everything you need for $5/month.
Locally, after you consider that Showtime and HBO account for two of the planned four channels, that leaves two "basic" HD channels. That means no UPN HD (which is starting here next week with "Enterprise" and "Jake 2.0"), no WB HD, and probably no CBS HD.
I'd hardly call that "everything I need" -- maybe I could say "everything I need -- except the programming", since most of the HD that I watch (or will watch) regularly is on those three networks. | |
|
dalbrit1
join:2003-10-16
Arlington, TX | Kcharg, any update to give? Have you received your box yet and if so, what channels are you getting in HDTV? Any news on when the rest of us mere mortals can expect to be let loose at hi-def?
Mark | |
|
|
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I am scheduled to get installed on Friday October 24th @ 8-11 time frame. I will definitely update you all then.
kcharg | |
|
hdindallas
@attbi.com
| yes please do update us when you get it installed
i thought you said that it would be happening sometime this week
main thing is what channels are they offering 
i'm not too attracted anymore unless ESPN is going to be offered seeing as how they have a bunch of NBA games on their HD schedule | |
|
|
See 6 replies to this post |
|
dsadfas
@comcast.net | ugh..anyone still alive to give us an update? | |
|
|
See 7 replies to this post |
|
Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest
·Comcast
| Comcast is using Motorola DCT-5100 boxes for HD. They come standard with the outputs listed above. There are DVI boxes out there as well. The channels the will be in all markets soon, if not already, will be (HD) ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS (some markets), ESPN, HBO, SHO, PBS, INHD1, INHD2, and there are three more channels launching by the end of the year. | |
|
| stewlevine
join:2002-05-28
Dallas, TX
| Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex Doubtful that ABC and CBS will be available in Dallas in the near term since WFAA is owned by Belo and not by ABC and Comcast has not worked out a digital carriage agreement with Belo yet, and KTVT is a CBS O&O, and again Comcast and CBS have not yet come to an agreement. | |
|
Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest | The USB, DVI (if applicable), and the ethernet port on the back are all disabled. The smart card, and other ports on the front are disabled. There is a firmware upgrade happening in the upcoming weeks that will enable the DVI port. | |
|
dalbrit1
join:2003-10-16
Arlington, TX | Any update Kcharg?
I just called to see what the status was, and was told "mid-December" by the guy on the phone. Has the launch been pushed back again?
Kinda sucks for the rest of us if you (Kcharg) are already enjoying HDTV!! | |
|
| kcoutant
join:2003-11-10
Dallas, TX | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I agree. The $400 dtv offer is looking better and better, especially if I won't get cbs and will have to wait to get espn. How's the viewer guide on comcast digital? | |
|
| stewlevine
join:2002-05-28
Dallas, TX
| said by dalbrit1  :
Any update Kcharg?
I just called to see what the status was, and was told "mid-December" by the guy on the phone. Has the launch been pushed back again?
Kinda sucks for the rest of us if you (Kcharg) are already enjoying HDTV!!
I called today, the CSR I spoke with said launch would be Saturday, she could not take an order for the boxes. The only downside, no self-installs as of yet. | |
|
| |
kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Re: It's finally coming to Dallas on Nov. 15th!!! Ok.......After about 3 or 4 different people emailing me, I have finally found out a set in stone date. It is indeed this Saturday November 15th. They will be starting to take orders on November 15th. So I am thinking that you all could probably get installed somewhere starting that following Tuesday. One more important update is that I have been told they should have ESPNHD working before this Saturday. One more small rumor has it that we are working hard at getting CBS HD and Discovery HD lined up next, so take that one for what it's worth!!!
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ | |
|
klsjdlkrj
@comcast.net | are the InHD channels available | |
|
|
Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex INHD are available/ they are cable only channels. | |
|
| |
imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex I think he meant are the being sent in that local Texas market. Some of the systems that just had HD turned on don't have all the channels yet. | |
|
|
| (topic locked) |
|
·
·