 
ronpin
Imagine Reality
join:2002-12-06
Nirvana
 ·AT&T Southwest
1 edit | Why not? Cable cos. can cram more channels onto an all digital signal. If they're resisting the inevitable push from local broadcasters to include the new DTV subchannels -- they're dumber than I thought. The satellite TV cos. are all digital -- and cheaper than most cable providers. | |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| Re: Why not? said by ronpin  :
Cable cos. can cram more channels onto an all digital signal. If they're resisting the inevitable push from local broadcasters to include the new DTV subchannels -- they're dumber than I thought. The satellite TV cos. are all digital -- and cheaper than most cable providers.
The satellite companies still also have significantly less customers than the cable companies (despite being cheaper for higher level services) while the cable companies know that analog customers will ditch them in droves when they are forced to go back to having a settop box or buying a new tv.
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Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
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| | mglunt
join:2001-09-10
Fredericksburg, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | Re: Why not? said by marigolds :
The satellite companies still also have significantly less customers than the cable companies (despite being cheaper for higher level services) while the cable companies know that analog customers will ditch them in droves when they are forced to go back to having a settop box or buying a new tv.
Well, with DTV adding half a million subscribers last quarter alone, that is changing fast. Ever seen their commercial where the people are readin fan letters? Notice the number change from "11 Million fans and counting" to "12 Million fans and counting"? I see a ton of dishes in this area. In some neighborhoods, roughly 2 out of 3 have a visible dish.
I just bought my first house... I can now ditch Comcrap and go back to DTV. I was getting tired of paying $66 a month for 70 analog channels, 10 digital channels, and watching all their lame commercials about how great their "digital" service is. | |
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Sweet Witch
Be the flame, not the moth.
Premium,MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey | A new TV?? So does this mean that when my cable co switches my current TV (analog I'm guessing since it was $99 for a 19") will no longer work??
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Stewy85
Premium
join:2003-01-16
Sharon, WI
clubs: | Re: A new TV?? I was just thinking the same thing.
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| davidcb13
join:2004-02-06
Branchville, NJ | No It will work but you will just need a digital Converter. | |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA | I was wondering the same thing. | |
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| B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| said by Sweet Witch :
So does this mean that when my cable co switches my current TV (analog I'm guessing since it was $99 for a 19") will no longer work??
Eventually, YES, it will no longer work!
That's been their intent all along. I happen to think it's stupid. You WILL be able to purchase a "converter box" tuner of some kind, though, to keep using your "horrible, antiquated" old 10, 12, 19, 20, 21, 25, 27, 30, and 36" televisions. Vermin. With enough people complaining perhaps they'll postpone it again.
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In a realm outside causality and function | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: A new TV?? And right now those converter boxes cost $400 if I'm not mistaken....a price I bet they continually artificially inflate for the next four years to encourage users to buy new televisions..... | |
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Morac
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
 ·Comcast
| I know they are testing a device that sits outside your house where the cable first comes in that will convert and split out all the "analog" channels from the digital signal. This will allow people without cable boxes to continue viewing the "analog" channels.
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The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. | |
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Doomsday121
@205.173.x.x
 from:
dadkins
| It will absolutely work. Your TV will still be able to get any analog channels on cable. Analog Channels will be available on cable tv for many years. Over the air broadcasts should end in 2006.
The FCC is only mandating that digital tuners be added to TVs. That doesn't mean they won't have analog capability. | |
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Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| Re: A new TV?? said by Doomsday121:
It will absolutely work... on cable tv for many years. Over the air broadcasts should end in 2006.
That's an interesting definition of "will absolutely work"!
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In a realm outside causality and function | |
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Doomsday 121
@205.173.x.x
| Re: A new TV?? Yes, especially since the life of a typical TV is about ten years and there will not be a complete conversion from analog content in less than five.....he doesn't have anything to worry about.
The point is- IT WILL ABSOLUTELY WORK regardless of these regulations.
By the time it becomes an issue for his TV, he is going to want to HDTV anyway. | |
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DrTCP
Yours truly
Premium,ExMod 1999-04
join:1999-11-09
Round Rock, TX | said by Doomsday121:
Analog Channels will be available on cable tv for many years.
It is up to the Cable company for that. | |
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DrTCP
Yours truly
Premium,ExMod 1999-04
join:1999-11-09
Round Rock, TX
| said by Sweet Witch :
So does this mean that when my cable co switches my current TV (analog I'm guessing since it was $99 for a 19") will no longer work??
You will need an external converter box. | |
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| | B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| Re: A new TV??
So none of you has a problem with the fact that, once the rule goes into effect, NO ONE will be able to receive ANY television signals unless they buy a BRAND NEW SET, or else PAY for cable, or else PAY for satellite, or else PAY for an overpriced converter box?
There ARE people who enjoy commercial and public television over the air, you know, and they may not like the idea of being forced onto cable at $50 a month or more. This move is not necessary.
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In a realm outside causality and function | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: A new TV?? Yes what happens to the "basic" $10 cable package the FCC mandated cable companies provide, but which they try their best to hide from being available? | |
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Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | Re: A new TV??
And they're doing a damn good job of it; I never heard of it!
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In a realm outside causality and function | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| Re: A new TV?? Heh, join the club.
If you ask, you're supposed to be able to get just the basic networks and your local public TV station....usually from $5 to $15 dollars. I think it's currently required by law.
They all have different names for it...Adelphia I think calls it "antenna service".
TIme Warner calls it basic:
»www.twcarolina.com/services/cabl···able.asp
WOW calls it "limited basic"
I suppose that will be gone and yeah, everyone will be forced to buy the standard digital lineup for a minimum of $40 or whatever they decide to charge..... | |
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ArchAngel21x
MacFan Pro
Premium
join:2001-10-28
Lincoln, NE | Re: A new TV?? And to add insult to the customers, TW has decided that they will not offer DVR rentals to limited basic subscribers. At least not in Lincoln NE  | |
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
1 edit | Hoo hoo hoo hee hee hee!  I already have all of this from my little Dish network receiver.  | |
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xdeadhead
220, 221, Whatever It Takes.
Premium
join:2000-11-08
Mechanicsburg, PA | Re: Hoo hoo hoo hee hee hee! simmer down nah there oat willy
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
·Qwest.net
1 edit | Oat Willy said by xdeadhead :
simmer down nah there oat Willy
You know you are the only person who has ever caught on to
where the "onward through the fog" quote comes from. It has kind of been my personal motto for about 30 years
I wanted to use Oat Willy as my avatar but I couldn't come up with a good image of him you could see when compressed down to the size used here. Now that I know your back ground I am not surprised you would know about him.
My favorite underground comic character was Doctor Atomic.
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"Remember when hacking a loogy
it comes not so much from the lungs but from the soul." | |
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bobafett020472
join:2000-10-10
Algonquin, IL |  And this will cost us what in the long run
So they will just push more people to sat. like they did me. | |
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rid0617
join:2003-07-20
Greer, SC
| Is it worth it? Between the reality shows and other crap, at the rate it looks now, when another tv is mandatory I will probably give up tv. Not worth paying more for this garbage when there are so many other media things to do. Just want I want to do, spend $400 so I can watch more survivor, idol and idiots eating worms | |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| Something to consider... Cable like going all digital. It makes it significantly easier for them to configure and change services. It would eventually reduce some of their equipment demands. It would help sell their bundled packages. Also, it gives a chance of competing with satellite on signal quality as well as allowing the transition to more HD content. And this can even all be done for a lower cost and hence potentially cheaper prices (or at least more time to the next price increase).
So why don't they go all digital? Because people hate "the box". A surprisingly large number of people drop digital cable because they do not like using the dct (even with the faster menus out now), because they do not like having to return equipment, because they do not like having a new or more complicated remote. As well, there is pretty much no scenario for an all digital conversion in which cable companies can retain price sensitive basic cable customers nor even expanded basic customers in some markets.
The option is to just simple forget about those customers are target the high end customers, after all, one of those customers can account for as much gross revenue as 8 basic customers. Only problem is, that is exactly the market where satellite can best compete with cable right now, so cable would have to improve their competitiveness with satellite before going all-digital and losing the revenue base from basic customers. (Oh yeah, and there also is that whole factor that the cities lose a fairly important revenue stream as well).
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ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet
telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu
Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
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| mikeyman
Premium
join:2002-11-11
Bakersfield, CA | Re: Something to consider... I'll just stick with Dish Network, hehe. | |
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reub2000
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Evanston, IL | Don't forget that digital cable makes things harder to record. I'd never remember to leave my box at the channel I wanted to record.
And the cable companies can't charge me per tv by charging me for the cable box. | |
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hailinfantry
Bizarro Quinn
Premium
join:2004-01-18
Brooklyn, NY
| The whole-house converter issue The problem with placing a whole-house converter at the demarc is you lose all of the bandwidth gained by going all-digital in the first place. Once cableco's reposition their services within the spectrum to allow more HD, VOD, and telephony services, you won't be able to use the demarc converter anyway (if you intend to use any of those services).
Innovation in this case is EXCELLENT. It's time to move ahead. In the meantime, cable companies should charge substantially reduced rates on digital set tops for folks that wish to have analog capability for years to come. | |
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jap
Premium
join:2003-08-10
038xx | Ack! Waste of life, TV. I long for the day when my data connectivity provider knows little about TV services rather than the other way around. | |
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YellowDart
join:2003-07-09
world
| DCA The most likely solution will be either the Digital Cable Adapter which is estimated to cost $20-25 The other option is the $40 set-top. The current consensus by operators is that it will be a blend of both. Here is a little bit abut the DCA:
This patents-pending DCA converts digital video signals for viewing on analog television sets, which is critical for cable operators in order to pursue the dream of an “All-Digital Network.”
“Cable operator technologists are discussing the benefits of having an all-digital network, and the FCC is chomping at the bit to regain the analog spectrum for other uses,” said Neil Gaydon, president of Pace Micro Technology Americas. “Having an all-digital network is a win-win situation for both parties, and our Pace Digital Cable Adapter will accelerate this revolutionary change,” he added.
Benefits of The Pace Digital Cable Adapter
Pace’s Digital Cable Adapter (DCA) will provide the adapter necessary to reclaim the bandwidth that analog services require.
Ultra low-cost. This ultra low-cost adapter makes it affordable for cable operators to provide to non-digital cable customers.
Converts digital signals for play-out on analog TVs. The Pace DCA is the low-cost solution that cable operators need to provide digital service to basic cable customers who have analog television sets.
Bypass Mode. Until an all-digital network is realized, the Bypass Mode on the Pace DCA permits analog signals to pass through to analog television sets. This means cable operators can begin deploying the Pace DCA immediately to gradually get an adapter to all analog cable customers in preparation for their digital-cutover.
Customer-Installed. The Pace DCA will be mailed to consumers directly with installation instructions. No truck roll is required by the cable operator, saving time and money.
Two Tuners. With two digital tuning paths in the adapter, consumers can connect to both the television set and the VCR. This feature enables consumers to watch one channel while recording a different channel on their VCR.
On-Screen VCR Recording Scheduler. This feature provides consumers the ability to schedule times on the Pace DCA to record programs on their VCR.
Stereo Output. The Pace DCA has stereo output so audio can be connected to a consumers’ stereo TV and stereo VCR.
IR Transceiver. The Infrared (IR) transmitter/receiver has a remote eye that is tethered to the Pace DCA so the adapter is hidden and only the transceiver is shown. The IR transceiver receives the IR signal from the remote control and transmits commands to the VCR from the DCA.
PSIP Support. Support for elementary user interface can entice customers to install the device and offer additional user value. | |
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ifarrell
join:2000-08-10
Willow Spring, NC
 ·Vonage
| Typo? Comcast spent four billion in 2004 upgrading outdated cable systems (like this one in Vacaville, California) and will spend about three and a quarter billion doing the same thing in 2004.
Does this mean they are going a total of $7.25B in 2004 or did someone not re-read this.
Me thinks they meant $4B in 2003????
OK, so I'm a smart ass!!!!!!!!!!! | |
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linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium
join:2002-12-03
United State
·CenturyLink
| Re: Typo? No, it means they are going to try to force you into buying their very expensive digital signal years before it is necessary or mandatory. All television channels come from the same signal: satellites placed 22,000 miles in the atmosphere. The only difference is how you get it.
Monday my Dish-TV is being installed. I get 120 channels, 10 Showtime channels, and local programming for the same cost as the 42 non-premium channels offered by my cable company. They removed C-Span 2 and added one more of the fabulous, in-the-wild, channel of re-runs I watched forty years ago. I'm surprised they aren't trying to palm off Walter Conkrite and WWII news clips as FOX News. You can only kid a kidder so much and the cable companies are about out of lies.
As for Dish TV raising rates?? In my town it's just the reverse. When Cox bought the local company in 2000 our cost was $24.95 for everything except premium channels. Now it is $100 for all channels plus Internet. The Internet connection is as bad as the washed out cable signal. It sucks.
Who let the big pigs loose, huh? Who let the big pigs loose.
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Macintosh: no windows, no gates and the Apple inside | |
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Going Digital
