rds24a
Teach Your Children
Premium
join:2000-12-13
Springboro, OH
clubs:
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
Issue 1: The DVR doesn't sweeten the deal here with TimeWarner. It costs extra.
Issue 2: Channels 2-75 are still analog to be backward-compatible with normal televisions.
Issue 3: TimeWarner advertises that digital is only a few bucks more than regular cable, but only in the fine print do they mention the extra charge for each converter box.
Issue 4: I have to use a converter box at all...that's annoying.
Issue 5: 250 of the 500 channels are pay-per-view. Plus, how many home shopping networks do I really need?
Issue 6: With my broadband internet connection, who has time for television?
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»www.brittanyrescue.org |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Yes, I agree...the fact that channels 2-75 are analog with TWC stinks. Having to switch your receiver when you hit the higher channels is lame.... |
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Agent 86
| I'm surprised that so many people subscribe
...to "digital" cable, considering what a lousy deal it is compared with either "analog" cable or DBS.
VOD might be interesting once they have a *lot* more content available. In the meantime a Tivo is the way to go. |
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achuchma
join:2001-04-11
Tampa, FL
| Torn...
I like my digital cable in Chicago...kinda...
My biggest beef is the fact that 2 - 70-something are still analog. This would be fine if Comcast offered the analog channels in digital band as well, but they only do this for the pay channels.
I HATE the MPEG-1 encoding. HATE HATE HATE! It truly sucks...there is nothing like watching a movie on digital cable that is "blocky" on dark scenes. They really need to upgrade to an MPEG-2 or better format.
I can live with the cable box. I actually like the channel guide (if it were only faster), but I would be happier if the boxes had an S-VIDEO output. There is nothing worse than having a kick-a$$ home theater system that needs to still be set-up with old RCA-jacks...
The programming is starting to suck. I know sports sell, but why in the world do I need 30, yes, 30 digital NBA channels?! I would be fine with this if they added other channels as well.
I have considered going to RCN (Comcast's competitor in Chicago), but they offer less channels and do not carry the BBC. Their signal is also questionable. It is fiber on the pole, but analog coax when they bring it to the home.
I would consider a dish, but my neighbors have one and they aren't too pleased with that either.
I guess it doesn't matter since TV has turned into the Home Shopping Infomercial Reality Show wasteland...BLAH!
Okay, I feel better now!
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Hey, idiot, it's not just a name change. |
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Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
 ·Site5.com
 ·AT&T Midwest
·Comcast
| reply to rds24a
Re: Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
said by rds24a  :
Issue 1: The DVR doesn't sweeten the deal here with TimeWarner. It costs extra.
Same with satellite providers. Their PVR isn't free. However, from people that I talk to, the PVR changes the way you watch TV. Sure, it costs a little more, but if you get your moneys worth out of it, then you are happy.
quote:
Issue 2: Channels 2-75 are still analog to be backward-compatible with normal televisions.
It would be nice if those lower channels were digital. However, that would kill analog cable. It will take time to get it to all digital.
quote:
Issue 3: TimeWarner advertises that digital is only a few bucks more than regular cable, but only in the fine print do they mention the extra charge for each converter box.
Satellite providers advertise $39.99 a month for 150 channels, but only in the fine print do they mention you have to buy all the equipment up front.
quote:
Issue 4: I have to use a converter box at all...that's annoying.
Same with satellite
quote:
Issue 5: 250 of the 500 channels are pay-per-view. Plus, how many home shopping networks do I really need?
Same with satellite
quote:
Issue 6: With my broadband internet connection, who has time for television?
I agree. I don't watch much TV to begin with. 
I wasn't going through each arguement to point out fallacies. Merely the point that Satellite and Cable TV have got similar issues. To have cable go all digital would really upset a lot of people who just want analog service. However, that is the direction this is all going. All digital format will eliminate cable theft from illegal converter boxes that descramble analog signals (at least till the next descrambler comes out).
It is definetly a difficult situation.
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My Domain
Nightfall's Hockey and Life Journal
[text was edited by author 2003-06-17 11:32:33] |
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Bobcat
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Bedminster, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL
| Why give them more money?
Why would I want to give my cable company more money? I don't even subscribe to premium or scrambled channels (i.e., I don't have a cable box). They'll have to pry my analog cable-ready TV out of my cold, dead fingers.
[text was edited by author 2003-06-17 11:32:28] |
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thelastrace
join:2003-01-05
West Roxbury, MA
| Personally I like it
I'm not sure where your people are located but I have had digital cable here in Boston for about 3 years now and I think it is great. Its only $5 more a month then analog was. Plus you get the the on screen tv guide which is easier then looking up in the actual guide. It gives you the info on the program. New feature now with the pay per view channels is that you can pause, rewind, and fast forward the movie you need to. Well thats how I feel about it and I hope it is offered to you people at a lower cost soon. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to Karl Bode
Re: Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
said by Karl Bode :
Yes, I agree...the fact that channels 2-75 are analog with TWC stinks. Having to switch your receiver when you hit the higher channels is lame....
I don't understand exactly what you mean, but if you get channels above "75", using your example, you must already have a "box". So you're already using that box to view channels "2-75", right ??
What TW doesn't say is that customers who get their "Basic Plus" package, basically channels 2-75, is that it's not really digital. But ask 'em and they'll tell you it is. They spew "digital, digital, digital" all the time. Then again, that just goes back to the clueless people that work for them (not all of them, mind you).
Also, they raised the cost of ALL packages "because of the network upgrade to digital", but their two lowest tiers did NOT change, so why raise the cost ?? One, 'cause they can and two, 'cause they've mislead people.
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-= Mindspring MaxDSL via Covad 1536/384 TeleSurfer Pro =-
[text was edited by author 2003-06-17 11:42:38] |
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apollo80
join:2002-01-31
Richmond, VA
| reply to achuchma
Re: Torn...
-----------------------------------------------------------
I can live with the cable box. I actually like the channel guide (if it were only faster), but I would be happier if the boxes had an S-VIDEO output. There is nothing worse than having a kick-a$$ home theater system that needs to still be set-up with old RCA-jacks...
------------------------------------------------------------
I have Comcast Cable, too (for now), but there are Svideo digital cable boxes available. They don't advertise them, because most people won't utilitze the svideo connection in the back, but you obviously will (most people just hook up their cable box to their tv by coaxial cable and that's it). Call Comcast, find your nearest location, and you can swap your digital cable box with standard rca composite to one with svideo out for free. Also, these boxes come with optical and/or coaxial audio out. If you have HBO, Starz!, or another channel that airs programming in Dolby Digital 5.1, and you have the receiver to play it back, you can, say, watch The Sopranos and hear it in 5.1 surrondsound. |
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grunteled
Puffy And Prickly
Premium
join:2001-06-13
Kansas City, MO
clubs:
| reply to achuchma
Wow.... are you serious? I've never seen or subscribed to digital, so I had no idea. The quality is based on MPEG1... VCD quality basically? No way would I pay anything extra for that. I can handle a little snow but blockies (artifacts) on all my TV would tick me off.
I have made some VCD copies of VHS tapes I have and I can stand to watch those copies, although like you said, some scenes are just terrible if the light is low, or all one color. No way would I pay to have a recording like that, nor watch a broadcast like that.
I'm shocked, I figured MPEG2 would be the way they went for quality viewing. |
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rds24a
Teach Your Children
Premium
join:2000-12-13
Springboro, OH
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to thelastrace
Re: Personally I like it
TimeWarner Western Ohio
All prices plus tax and franchise fees.
Normal "Classic" Analog Cable (Channels 2-75)
$40.95
Digital Choice Package (195 channels, digital music, on-screen guide, no premium channels)
$52.00
PLUS $6.95 per television to receive digital channels
Digital Choice Package plus DVR
$52.00
Plus $6.95 per television with or without DVR
Plus $9.95 per television with a DVR for DVR services
Summary:
Normal cable: $40.95
Digital on 1 TV: $58.95
Digital on all 3 TVs with 1 DVR: $82.80
Um, yeah.
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»www.brittanyrescue.org |
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zcd
Condom Sense
join:2001-10-03
Grand Prairie, TX
clubs:
|  reply to thelastrace
Digital Cable sucks
My mom has AT&T in Dallas and everytime it rains, say goodbye to all those 500 channels of crap. First it goes blocky, spazzes out, and then you lose signal. It's all ANALog until it gets to the box, so I don't really understand why it goes to crap when the sky falls out. |
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achuchma
join:2001-04-11
Tampa, FL | reply to apollo80
Re: Torn...
I'll have to do that!
Thanks for the advice!
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Hey, idiot, it's not just a name change. |
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minidu
Premium
join:2002-09-28
Mackinac Island, MI
| Not again
I had digital cable with Time Warner in Naples, the picture was good, but the reciever was VERY slow to change channels.
I really like Direct TV. If the Cable companys could get their equipment to work as well as this does, then I would think about it, but not until
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Experience -- a great teacher, but the tutition fees... . BOFH |
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puritan
@63.99.x.x
| reply to Nightfall
Re: Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
You must have only shopped DirecTV. With Dish network, you do not purchase the equipment. You lease it, also like cable. That includes the PVR, and there is no monthly fee for the PVR like TIVO. There is a one time $50 payment for the PVR. Not a big deal.
I do however agree that I do not need 40 sports channels, and I do not need the shopping channels.
My only real complaint about satellite is that I cannot customize the box. I want to set up a short list of channels for my kids to watch, and eliminate the rest. That isn't available yet.
puritan |
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achuchma
join:2001-04-11
Tampa, FL
| reply to grunteled
Re: Torn...
Sadly, it's MPEG-1 here in Chicago. Don't know if it is different in other service areas.
It is not what I had expected. When I first got my digital cable a few years back, I asked the tech what was wrong with the picture, and his response was "oh, nothing...it's just the MPEG encoding that we use...you'll get used to it"
Truth to tell, I never have. I am at a point where I refuse to watch movies on digital cable. I'll just rent the DVD. The only reason why I still have digital is for BBC America and the original programming on Sho and HBO.
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Hey, idiot, it's not just a name change. |
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puritan
@63.99.x.x | reply to puritan
Re: Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
Oh yeah, and there is no monthly activation fee for each box like DirecTV. DirecTV makes you buy the equipment and then charges you $5 per box to hook them up. With DISH, you just pay the $5 a month and they give you the equipment.
puritan |
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Crypto_Bug
join:2001-05-31
Torrington, CT
| reply to minidu
Re: Not again
I dumped my DirecTV and switched to Digital Cable. My cable provider is Optimum and the service is far superior to anything I had with DirecTV. I get more channels and Video on Demand is only $5.95 per month and then all the movies are free. Plus the combination of my DirecTV and High Speed Internet used to be $175.00 per month. I switched and now I get more channels and the same high speed Internet for $120.00 per month.
DirecTV just plain sucked especially when it came to Customer Service. Ever call there and wait on hold for almost 2 hours to speak with someone because something wasn't working? This happened to me every time I called them. |
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vic102482
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Upper Marlboro, MD
| reply to Nightfall
Re: Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
Not true.:) Satellite has alot more channels than most typical cable systems. You buy equipment but you get a full rebate or its free off of the top. The quality is excellent compared to that of digital cable. I had both at the same time, and we talked about this in the satellite/cable forum. Cable companies have to use alot moer compression because alot more data (VOIP, Internet, Analog etc.etc.) fact still remains that most time Digital Cable wont stand up to most (I say most not all) Satellite Systems.
I know you like cable, but there is no way you can sugarcoat my 59.99 dollar bill that is missing half the channels. 32.99 is the actual basic for the dish, 39.99 is 2nd teir. Cable is too expensive, no fault of the cable company (on second thought....;)) but its difficult to roll out and maintain, and they have analog and digital which puts them at a disadvantage to satellite.
I dont like either, I miss my "special";) analog cable.
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I tie a rope around my penis and jump from a tree, don't you wanna grow up to be just like me!!!!
[text was edited by author 2003-06-17 12:29:02] |
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NPGMBR
join:2001-03-28
Arlington, VA
| reply to minidu
Re: Not again
I have Comcast Digital Cable in the Metro DC area.
The service is great but what I hate is that in order to get HBO and SHO on my two analog boxes I had to have a digital converter in my apartment.
The bastards moved all the premium channels to digital as a means of getting people to switch to Digital. Funny thing is I called today to downgrade. I have an analog box in my bedroom, as does my roommate. But we have a digital box in our living room. Personally, I only watch The Sopranos and Sex and the City.
So despite that fact that downgrading would mean no more Sopranos and Sex it does not matter because I have friends that can record the shows for me.
I know the cable companies don't think its a big issue, but I'm one of those people that just last month had my Verizon landline disconnected. My only voice communication line is my AT&T Wireless phone.
At this point in my life I just don't see a need to spend money on an unnecessary phone line, and since my roomie and I don't watch much TV outside of Sex and The Sopranos, it makes no sense to keep paying 140 bucks to comcast.
But somehow I get the feeling that if I downgrade they'll tell me that I have to have the digital package to keep my internet connection. |
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