 
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Hurry Up! Analog is garbage and I hate having to pay for it to get the other stuff that I want. Comcast couldn't be rid of this dinosaur soon enough.
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"At the moment of conception." | |
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 | Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL
| Re: Hurry Up! said by pnh102  :Analog is garbage and I hate having to pay for it to get the other stuff that I want. Comcast couldn't be rid of this dinosaur soon enough. But paying $3 - $4+ /m for a $35 box that can't do stuff the full cable can do is real bad.
Paying $5 - $6 for each full SD box.
Paying $7 - $9 for each HD box.
Paying $15 - $20 for each HDDVR box.
Makes Direct tv look good
$5 /m for a box first one free
only 1 HD fee per house
only 1 DVR fee per house and there HD DVR have E-sata and 2-3+ times the space of a comcast HD DVR. | |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| Re: Hurry Up! I agree, the fees suck, I dropped down to just one HD DVR and used a bunch of component video splitters to watch the output on a different TV. I also use an HDHomeRun box to stream content to other TVs.
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"At the moment of conception." | |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: Hurry Up! I have 1 digital, and 3 analog (comes with digital)
If they switch to _all_ digital, I'd have 4 OTA HD digital 
I'm not paying an extra $5/tuner to TWC + remote fee | |
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| | | b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA | careful what you wish for. You may find when things go all digital your HD-Homerun may be rendered useless as it lacks a cablecard slot. | |
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mikef1
Mike
join:2004-10-28
Littlestown, PA
1 edit | said by pnh102 :Analog is garbage and I hate having to pay for it to get the other stuff that I want. Comcast couldn't be rid of this dinosaur soon enough. Digital is garbage and I would hate having to pay extra for digital cable, along with paying for the digital receivers to get the stuff that I want that I currently get now with Analog.
With the latest price increases my basic cable/internet comcast bill has broken the $100 a month level. Not happy about that at all. Going digital now for me would be at least another $20 a month.
I understand that analog channels take up more bandwidth than digital, but there are many of us that don't want/need or can't afford hundreds of channels. | |
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| | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| Re: Hurry Up! They're not going to make you buy the digital channel backs above what is now the analog. They're only moving those to the digital side which would require the box to free up space.
Most if not all of the channels that are on basic/analog now are offered to you that way due to the MSO is converting those for you. | |
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dn0
join:2005-07-05
USA
| FCC Testing If any CATV people are reading:
What about FCC proof of performance.
The FCC still forces the cable companies to run their proofs using analog channels, and they have said nothing about digital testing yet.
Come on FCC, you are forcing us into a digital world, which is great, but you need to catch up yourselves.
Portland: what are your plans for proofs? Ignore them?
Or do you plan on leaving 11 or 12 analogs just to satisfy the Govt tests? | |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC | Re: FCC Testing What is an "FCC proof" as you're talking about here? | |
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI
| If you are talking about compliancy testing, RF is RF. Digital channels (QAM or eQAM) still use up the same EIA channels (6Mhz) that an analog channel uses.
On our cable plant, we do leak tests all the time, and the introduction of digital has no impact on any FCC testing. | |
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Boogeyman
Drive it like you stole it
Premium
join:2002-12-17
Huntsville, AL
| Re: This is bullshit WHen I got my HD serice upgrade from CC, I was on the lowest analog tier available. When we asked what we could get for HD, they showed us a chart and we saw the lowest digital tier was actually $7 cheaper than what we were paying.
After the digital switch, I think they will only require a cable box for vod, hd, dvr stuff. They are just waiting untill most tv's are capable of picking up a digital signal without a box.
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Im Your Boogeyman, Thats What I Am | |
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dnoyeB
Ferrous Phallus
join:2000-10-09
Southfield, MI
| Re: This is bullshit They have to because the municipalities channels and other public service channels should be receivable by everyone without a box. So if they switch digital, they will either have to make the case that everyone can get the channels, or they will have to give 1 digital box away for free.
At least thats the case in Michigan where they tried this and got smacked down instantly.
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dnoyeB
"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard. " Ecclesiastes 9:16
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| Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
1 edit | said by r81984 :They need laws to prevent this until there is a cheap alternative to getting digital from the cable company. It is not right that by making this switch the company gets to raise everyones bills for box rentals. Let's hope the FCC never grants Comcast waivers to enable the privacy mode (non-separable security is illegal) on the DTAs. That way clear QAM tuners could become the cheap alternative at least for the expanded basic tier. | |
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not me 2
@comcast.net
| Re: This is bullshit It's my understanding that in some markets they are already encrypting most of their digital lineup. I believe the locals are un-encrypted but everything else is encrypted so you have to use a settop box to see anything other than the locals. At least that's what people have posted here and on other forums. | |
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| | | AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL | Re: This is bullshit I would actually argue that in most markets the digital transmission is encrypted and the unencrypted is the minority. | |
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| | | | b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA
·Comcast Formerly ..
| Re: This is bullshit said by AVonGauss :I would actually argue that in most markets the digital transmission is encrypted and the unencrypted is the minority. Same here, the only unencrypted QAM on our Comcast system is the local networks that amounts to about ten or twelve whole channels and some of them are doubles. | |
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| | | | | Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
1 edit | Re: This is bullshit Portland will be the first area to get the DTAs.
"Comcast COO Steve Burke later downplayed concerns that the DTAs will provide access to the operator's expanded basic digital signals without encryption -- at least for the foreseeable future.
"In many senses, it (digital video fed through DTAs) will be more secure than the analog distribution," Burke said. "We will not be using encryption initially, and that's fine in terms of our programming contracts." Those DTAs, however, could activate so-called "privacy mode" encryption via a firmware upgrade, but doing so could force the operator to seek out a special set-top waiver from the Federal Communications Commission." | |
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI | too late. FCC has allowed exemptions after 365 days on digital, as long as 100% of the plant is digital. Don't worry, the consumers will loose in the end. | |
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| | | Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
1 edit | Re: This is bullshit said by quetwo : FCC has allowed exemptions after 365 days on digital, as long as 100% of the plant is digital. Don't worry, the consumers will loose in the end. Next year we will have a new FCC Chairman (although Kevin Martin may remain on the FCC for another two years) and hopefully the new Chairman will care more about consumers. | |
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| Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
2 edits | said by r81984 :Where are the cheap $40 cable DTV boxes or HDTVs with built in cable card slots??? Unfortunately cable card slots are expensive and a separate box with such a slot will cost even a cable company buying large volumes well over $100 each. A separate clear QAM tuner could certainly be manufactured for sale to the public for less than $75 and much less in volume. Then we just need cable companies to agree to keep the expanded basic tier (even when digital) unencrypted. | |
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI
| Re: This is bullshit The current deal is that Comcast will give a consumer a 12 month credit for the lowest STB available in that market. After the 12 months, and for each additional box, there is at least a $4 charge per month, per box.
While this may change for each market, this is what is being offered for markets that have already gone 100% digital, like Chicago and Muskegon, MI, to name a few. | |
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| | | | reslor1
join:2003-01-10
Hackettstown, NJ
| Re: This is bullshit My area went all digital in August 2007. The STBs were free for one year. They are 4.99 each for the second year, then the go to 8.99 each after that. Ouch!! Any boxes added at any time are 8.99 as I found out when I question why I was being charged 4.99 for 2 boxes and 8.99 for one. The 1st box is free with the digital service. | |
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| Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ
| what needs to be done is allowing customer owned equipment with cable TV. this would drive down the cost of hardware. with modems even one from bestbuy cant be made faster then your tier because the bootfile comes from the cable company. why not make it so digital STBs have a bootfile. you go and buy a box and then call up the cable company and get it activated and it gets pushed a BF that says it can get x channel packages. could even have a "Walled Channel" that allows the customer to do it.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
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| degauss1
join:2001-07-02
Hillsboro, OR | This is BS in my book. My $10 basic TV bill does what now? This will likely provide the impetus to move wholly to Verizon. | |
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AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL
| Not as evil as you think, but not up for sainthood either... If the Engadget article from last night (»www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/31/co···ortland/) is correct, the basic tier channels will not be (initially) encrypted which means any TV with a built-in "QAM" tuner or an external device with a "QAM" tuner could be used alleviating the need for a rental box of any kind. With that said, I don't believe Comcast has publically stated they promise to keep them unencrypted for any specific amount of time.
I still believe the Comcast CATV division needs a major overhaul and needs to take notes from its HSI division. Comcast CATV is a distributor of content, you want to make that content easily accessible to your (paying) subscribers. Even in a single household, one solution is not going to fit all demands. Just some basic thoughts:
* The main digital tier, broadcast it unencrypted so QAM tuners can use the signal - you're already broadcasting it anyway. You're attempting to monetize and in turn penalizing subscribers for being multi-TV households which in the long run I would argue hurts the business more than it helps.
* Switched digital video is probably essential in the short term to remaining competitive in some areas. Work with CE vendors to produce a cheap box that can support SDV and decryption via the existing cable card mechanism. This does not conflict with the previous point, it compliments it by allowing consumers to subscriber to more programming, increasing revenue.
* Just allow the existing cable card enabled boxes to be sold by local and online subscribers at market prices without artificial influences, duh... They have an access box capable of dealing with all of your initiatives such as SDV and also as a gateway to other service offerings.
* tru2way may have a future as a platform, but a lot remains unproven about that as well - its uncertainty is partially driven by MSOs placing too much of their other agenda in to the program. My point, don't place all your hopes for access in to the tru2way program. If people cannot easily get the content, they won't bother or will seek out other methods thus eliminating the need for CATV. I can tell you I for one would not buy a tru2way enabled TV and then pay a monthly access fee on top of the programming costs - you're out of your mind.
The reoccurring them from above? Allow multiple, convenient, methods for your subscribers to access the content which you redistribute as a source of revenue. I'm sure the telcos a decade ago would have argued their (cash cow) landline business would be around for decades to come - is it? | |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA
| Re: Not as evil as you think, but not up for sainthood either... You're standard did in fact exist. It was called DCR+. It was a bunch of easy to implement protocols. Tru2way supporters and Cable Companies rejected it. Even Sony who supported DCR+ went to tru2way. Tivo thinks tru2way is better than DCR+. DCR+ supposedly was oudated and CableLabs whined about how expensive it was to implement. They claimed that they would have to add to buy new hardware. | |
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI | Chicago? I believe Chicago went all digital last summer.... While they aren't going DOCSIS 3.0 yet, they do require a DTA/STB box to get content... | |
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| Lion84
join:2007-08-10
Marietta, GA
| Re: Chicago? Any idea how the DTA works? How do VCRs and DVD recorders without IR blasters work with the DTAs? (Can DTAs be programmed to tune to a particular channel at a certain time?) Can a sub buy as many DTAs as they want, with no additional per-outlet/DTA charge?
Depending on answers to those questions, Comcast may be facing some stiffer competition from satellite or services like U-verse. | |
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| | | Lion84
join:2007-08-10
Marietta, GA
| Re: Chicago? Thanks for the pics.
If these actually can modulate the entire digital extended tier to analog channels then this box is a winner. If it just handles one channel at a time to channel 3 or composite video output, then this thing does not impress me. | |
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| dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL
| said by quetwo :I believe Chicago went all digital last summer.... they do require a DTA/STB box to get content... NOT on the B1 (limited) basic tier - it's STILL in analog as well... | |
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| | robl27
Premium
join:2008-07-16
Mary Esther, FL
·Cox HSI
 ·Vonage
| Re: Chicago? Yes, chicago went all digital last year. Misleading info on this site.
Just because it's on the internet, doesn't make it true. Pays to do some research before posting stuff.
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»www.cband.info A great way to pass the time! Interactive (IRC) radio you won't find elsewhere!
Put Winamp or Itunes to good use and join our growing family | |
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windyciity
@optonline.net
| Re: Chicago? said by robl27 :Yes, chicago went all digital last year. Misleading info on this site. Just because it's on the internet, doesn't make it true. Pays to do some research before posting stuff. chicago IS NOT ALL DIGITAL. they have 30 or so analog channels that are basic local and government channels so if u dont know what you are talking about...dont type. portland will be 100% digital no analog at all! | |
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| | | dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL
| said by robl27 : Pays to do some research before posting stuff. So why didn't YOU do the same??? | |
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cubbies
@optonline.net
| said by quetwo :I believe Chicago went all digital last summer.... While they aren't going DOCSIS 3.0 yet, they do require a DTA/STB box to get content... they have 30 analog channels. they use lot of dct700 boxes during their conversion. | |
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Mr Anon
@il.us
| I thought so too, unfortunately I didn't see your post before I posted. I have a buddy in Chicago that has comcast, I'll ask him to plug in his line directly to his TV and see if he gets anything. He had an old scientific atlanta cable box but last year comcast came and said it has to be replaced and they gave him a little mini moto box, on all his connected TVs. | |
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Endgame
Your member at work
Premium
join:2005-07-07
USA
 ·Pacific Bell - SBC
1 edit | I'll be switching to AT&T U-verse then... Once Comcast gets rid of their extended basic analog channels in the SF bay area I will probably switch to at&t's U-verse U100 package because it will be cheaper even with the extra STB fees. I have 3 analog SDTV's that need cable service and I'm not paying rental fees for 2 more digital cable boxes plus the remotes! If comcast does this they need to stop charging us cable box rental fees period (well at least for the SDTV ones anyways)! I don't care for HDTV because it costs a lot more for the TVs (new or used) and for the HD service. | |
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Zen6
@rr.com | svc calls I can just see it now, thousands of service calls. This will be funny. | |
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mystryfiostk
join:2008-07-17
00000
| Re: svc calls said by Zen6 :
I can just see it now, thousands of service calls. This will be funny.
yup. with the low expectations of comcast pq, all of those craptastic analog pictures will translate to tiling mayhem overnight.
thing of beauty. | |
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| | Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
·Comcast
| Re: svc calls But maybe not. The tiling and low pq of digital seems to be a problem with digital simulcasting. If there was no more analog, then that pq may increase back to its original levels. For example, my hometown's digital channels have gone downhill as the line-up expanded while we are digital simulcasting. I think it may greatly improve if we lost most of the analogs. | |
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| | | Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
| Re: svc calls said by Georgiaboy :If there was no more analog, then that pq may increase back to its original levels. You may be right, usually 10-12 SD digital channels are crammed into 6 MHz. If the number is reduced to 9 the picture quality should improve and be very close to DVD quality. | |
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cableteck
@rcn.com
| said by Zen6 :
I can just see it now, thousands of service calls. This will be funny.
comcast is being proactive and offering customers more channels to compete. yes there will be service calls but trust me service calls is better than a disconnect call. | |
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Richard B
Fur It Up
join:2007-06-22
Portland, OR | No thanks I am not a big television person perhaps no more than 5 hours a month. This is why I subscribe to the basic analog tier. if I'm forced to go to digital with a higher price I might just go back to DSL. | |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | DTA pricing Comcast is giving out 2 DTA's for free in the Portland Market. If you need more than 2 then you must pay 1.99 for each one thereafter. | |
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Mr Anon
@il.us | Wha? Didn't BBR report that Chicago went all Digital like earlier this year or last year? | |
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Travelfan1
RIP Analog Go Digital
join:2005-08-23
Iselin, NJ |  Portland going really ALL-digital?
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Fredfred
@comcast.net | Re: Portland going really ALL-digital? Broadcast channels will by simulcasted in both digital and analog for at least the next 5 years. | |
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| | Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA | Re: Portland going really ALL-digital? Comcast doesn't have to keep the locals in analog if they hand out boxes to everyone. That seems to be the point of the DTAs. | |
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AstroBoy
join:2008-08-08
Parkville, MD | Confused I have 6 SD analog TVs and 2 VCRs.
Will I need to pay extra for 8 converters?
If so, this sucks big time! | |
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Portland First Comcast Market To Go All Digital
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