 | | What a pain. That will cost the cable companies some money. Especially for customers that want to stay with analog. I rather have analog than a digital box. It's a pain turning two things on at a time just to watch T.V. | |
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 | | | Re: What a pain. sure... I bet the second that it takes two turn on the TV and Cable box with the provided "universal" control takes a toll on your life.
You can always get a cablecard ready tv and just press on one time. That might save you half a second. | |
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| wentlancYou Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH | The cable box is on all the time. ALl of those added seconds per year gives me the time to reply to a worthless gripe like yours.
Sorry dude, it's really not a hassle at all. Find something more significant to be unhappy about. | |
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| | | | Re: What a pain. The real hassle comes when you have to pay for the digital box on multiple TVs/recorders. And the thought of replacing them with a cablecard version is not attractive. | |
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| | | wentlancYou Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH | Re: What a pain. Agree with you completely there. But, without all of the electronics inside of the television, hopefully they will be a little less expensive. And you never have to worry about interoperability between providers. This means switching from satellite to cable, or cable provider A to cable provider B, without having to change out stuff in your TV.
Personally, I'd rather have lightning nuke their box instead of my TV any day. Just another spin on things. | |
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| | | |  KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: What a pain. said by wentlanc:Personally, I'd rather have lightning nuke their box instead of my TV any day. Just another spin on things. The first rule of lightning damage is that it will find the most expensive piece of electronics you own to short through and destroy in order to protect the 5 cent fuse.... 
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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| | Reviews:
 ·Bright House
| said by wentlanc:The cable box is on all the time. ALl of those added seconds per year gives me the time to reply to a worthless gripe like yours. Sorry dude, it's really not a hassle at all. Find something more significant to be unhappy about. Even better, leave the box on all the time. It's already on anyway when you turn it off. How do you think the cable company shuts them down for non-payment? The box can be on or off, it will still respond to the cable network as long as it has power. So think, is it really necessary to turn it off? Oh, and if you're thinking any particular component is "off" when you hit the power button, think again. The modulator is still on, modulating on channel 3, the processor is on, so you can hit power, and so the time works. IR receiver is on, etc... So what is your REAL issue with it? Or did you just not know the above. 
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|  The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | I say let the cable company go all digital with the requirement to provide 1 converter for free for every legal bedroom the home has unless you have one bedroom, then you get 2.
If you need more boxes than you have bedrooms you obviously can afford a new TV | |
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| | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: What a pain. That actually makes sense, so it'll never happen...
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | dynodbPremium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | said by The Beer:I say let the cable company go all digital with the requirement to provide 1 converter for free for every legal bedroom the home has unless you have one bedroom, then you get 2. If you need more boxes than you have bedrooms you obviously can afford a new TV Listening to some of you, I'm surprised that DSL or cable broadband every got off the ground since- you know- it's not compatible with your old dial-up modem and you had to rent or buy a new one!!!
The more important question is- what place does the FCC have in regulating cable TV in the first place? With broadcast TV they at least had the excuse that it was using public airwaves... but cable? A thoroughly optional, unneeded entertainment service that rides their own infrastructure? | |
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| | | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: What a pain. By that argument they have no business regulating telephone either. And we don't need any electric or gas regulation since they ride on their own infrastructure too.
Is there a manual for these anti-consumer talking points somewhere? They're all starting to sound the same.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | | | dynodbPremium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | Re: What a pain. said by RadioDoc:By that argument they have no business regulating telephone either. And we don't need any electric or gas regulation since they ride on their own infrastructure too. Is there a manual for these anti-consumer talking points somewhere? They're all starting to sound the same. Except I didn't mention electric, gas or POTS regulation; these services are considered essential utilities. I fail to see how the ability to watch South Park or the Sopranos is so essential as to subject the industry to federal regulation.
Unnecessary regulation makes it more difficult for a competetor to enter a market, reducing competition and ultimately hurting the consumer. In addition, the added expenses imposed by complying with such regulations are necessarily going to be passed on to the customers in the form of higher taxes. | |
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| | | | |  marigoldsGainfully employed, finallyPremium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 | Re: What a pain. Weather alerts and government access are more than entertainment. Now, everything past basic cable, that part I would call unessential. | |
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| | | | | | dynodbPremium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | Re: What a pain. said by marigolds:Weather alerts and government access are more than entertainment. Now, everything past basic cable, that part I would call unessential. And you can't get weather alerts on radio or broadcast TV? Do you really tune into Comedy Central or TNT for local weather alerts? How many people on this planet pay for cable so they can get the government access channels? Face it, 99.9% of people who pay for cable do so for the entertainment value.
Cable TV might offer more than just entertainment, but it's certainly not essential- I somehow managed to survive my first 19 years on this planet without it. | |
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| | | | | | | marigoldsGainfully employed, finallyPremium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 | Re: What a pain. said by dynodb:said by marigolds:Weather alerts and government access are more than entertainment. Now, everything past basic cable, that part I would call unessential. And you can't get weather alerts on radio or broadcast TV? ... Face it, 99.9% of people who pay for cable do so for the entertainment value. Not if you do not get broadcast tv, which is true of a very large part of even the metropolitan United States.
And broadcast tv does not carry government access at all.
100% of people who want government access channels are paying for cable.
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| | | |  swintecPremium,VIP
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME
kudos:3 | Ahhhh..thats your problem...You think cable is more than an entertainment service. | |
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| | | | | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: What a pain. I think of them as pirates. Arrrrr.
There are alternatives for just about everything except water & sewer these days (since most urbanized areas prohibit private wells and septic fields). If you are going to make the "entertainment luxury" argument then let's just take it to its absurd extremes, shall we?
Where is that corporate talking points manual, anyway?
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | | | | | | | Re: What a pain. said by RadioDoc:There are alternatives for just about everything except water & sewer these days (since most urbanized areas prohibit private wells and septic fields). I have a private water company service my area and trash is handled by a private company contracted by the township. The only thing that is public is the sewer system.
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| | | | | | | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: What a pain. I meant individuals with wells and individual septic systems, not privatized utilities. But you knew that...
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | | | | | | Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA | Re: What a pain. I used to live in Leverett, MA. Cable TV is not available there, period. Should they have been required to wire me up and drop off an analogue box? They can provide whatever service they deem saleable.
All we did was call up Dish and have them install one in the front yard. Of course that year without internet (refused to use dial up) was a nightmare; fortunately I was in college at the time, and had access on campus. | |
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| | | | | | | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Before this gets even sillier, I was responding in kind to these stupid "it's a luxury!" comments that always pop up (and by the same poppers) whenever this subject comes up. And if you'll go read what I posted, I said "except water and sewer these days" so you're comparison is void anyway.
I don't expect anything from the "FCC/government". Yet another straw man from you.
I expect a corporation, which is under at least minimal rate regulation, to quit trying to pass along a significant de facto rate increase as some sort of "gift" to the customers who will now be paying significantly more and in many cases have their product experience significantly altered. You can say "it's a luxury!" all you want. It does not abate the stench of this back-door price increase.
Nobody seems to want to address that. Not even you.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | | | | | | | swintecPremium,VIP
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME
kudos:3 Reviews:
 ·RapidVPS
 ·Sprint Mobile Br..
 ·VoicePulse
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: What a pain. said by RadioDoc:I don't expect anything from the "FCC/government". Yet another straw man from you. I expect a corporation, which is under at least minimal rate regulation, to quit trying to pass along a significant de facto rate increase as some sort of "gift" to the customers who will now be paying significantly more and in many cases have their product experience significantly altered. You can say "it's a luxury!" all you want. It does not abate the stench of this back-door price increase. But you ARE expecting something from the government and related entities, you are expecting them to step in for you and ease the rates, like many people in this country for many different products/services.
What are you basing your opninion on when you imply the cable companies are charging to much? If all of the cable companies country wide charge around the same price (which they do), isnt it safe to say that is the going rate for cable? It isnt like theres 3 other cable companies charging 75% less than the big players so we can say ahh ha! we are getting shafted. Surely we can SPECULATE we are getting ripped off, but thats all. Obviously if analog were to go off of cable companies networks, each TV would need a box, and right now we speculate that we would have to pay for each of those boxes, well, sir, they have to be paid for somehow. There IS a cost to do business. Perhaps you could look into seeing if UNICEF offers cable service? | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Re: What a pain. "If all of the cable companies country wide charge around the same price (which they do)"
Uh, no they don't. My time warner cable bill is MORE than double what cablevision charges 3 blocks away. How much? One hundred dollars per month MORE. I pay $200 per month for TV and internet with NO telephone- they offer no discount for a triple play because theres no compitition. Verizon has been trying to bring fios here but now that same regulation is biting us in the ass by not allowing it... | |
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| | | | | | | | dynodbPremium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | said by RadioDoc:I don't expect anything from the "FCC/government". Yet another straw man from you... Um, no. You agreed with the post above suggesting that cable providers be allowed to switch to all digital as long as they were required to provide a free box for every bedroom. I'm not sure who but the government would "allow" or "require" such a thing.
You can say "it's a luxury!" all you want. It does not abate the stench of this back-door price increase.
Nobody seems to want to address that. Not even you.
It's not been made clear how the cable companies would handle the switch or what costs to the consumer there would be, therefore your argument is based on your speculation of what might happen as a certainty. What's that about a straw man?
Even if they do end up requiring customers to rent a converter, they're offering an improved service- digital cable, more HD channels, etc- in the process. If the extra $5/month to get the upgraded service so offends you, cancel your service, simple as that. It's not like going without indoor plumbing or electricity. | |
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| | | | | | | | | The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | Re: What a pain. OK I will accept this instead of the cable company "GIVING" a box...
Place the DCT2000 and it's counterparts on the shelves at Walmart and places of the like and let the market decide the price.
Let Tivo manufacture a box to a set of standards that requires no stupid cable card.
Let "Cyberhome" or "Apex" manufacture and sell a digital cable box.
There is no reason with a set of standards this could not be done, even if they can't tune "Encrypted" channels such as HBO or Skinamax.
How many hundreds of telephone manufacturers are there today? Does a Telephone cost $600?
This is no different than the Western Electric discussions of the 70's and 80's. | |
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| | |  ScreeIn the pipe 5 by 5
join:2001-04-24
Mount Laurel, NJ
·Comcast
| said by dynodb:Listening to some of you, I'm surprised that DSL or cable broadband every got off the ground since- you know- it's not compatible with your old dial-up modem and you had to rent or buy a new one!!! It's still not off the ground for many, who can't afford it, and luckily it's OPTIONAL of course. Forced to upgrade to digital won't be optional, is the whole point of the bitching.  | |
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| | | | Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA | Re: What a pain. You're not forced to use cable to receive TV. The analogue channels are terrible and need to go. They're a waste of resources, and provide a vastly inferior product. I've got to rewire the cable to my upstairs and encase it in conduit because the EMI from nearby power cables destroys the analogue signal. All the digital channels are crystal clear.
In any case, I'll just use the other side. I want it gone, and I'm poor. That's enough right? | |
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| | | | | said by dynodb:Listening to some of you, I'm surprised that DSL or cable broadband every got off the ground since- you know- it's not compatible with your old dial-up modem and you had to rent or buy a new one!!! The difference being that a person can still choose to use dial-up access even though broadband is available. Not so with digital-only TV signals; existing analog equipment becomes a doorstop on conversion day. | |
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| | | | Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA | Re: What a pain. Unless you plunk down ~$50's (probably soon to be $15-$20) for a decoder box. Like if you want to hook your DVD player up to your analogue only TV. I actually used to do this in my BR, before I got rid of my DVD player. | |
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| | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| said by The Beer:I say let the cable company go all digital with the requirement to provide 1 converter for free for every legal bedroom the home has unless you have one bedroom, then you get 2. As long as satellite competition is around the Cable companies will be fairly friendly about this... they will let you have additional boxes, for minimal or no additional fees.
But don't be fooled. If Satellite competition is mitigated (either through FCC or other government actions denying them the bandwidth they need, or through strangulation by content providers) the cable companies would quickly go back to a pay-per-TV or pay-per-box model. In fact I remember here they used to do that years ago until Satellite took off. With analog people used to run their own cable "lines" from the main jack to avoid those fees.... but of course Digital boxes would stop all that.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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| | | The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | Re: What a pain. I had to go look at Cox's site I remembered them having some type of super cheap box...
»www.cox.com/Omaha/Cable/Cox%20Ca···cing.asp
It's there, $0.20/mo
I have to say we did stay with Cox for a long time because of the muti TV charge from D* however overcame that when the Cox digital receivers ended up costing more.
And yes I remember the 80's and per TV charges, nothing different than per phone charges from Ma Bell. | |
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| | | | | | Re: What a pain.
SA8510 |
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| | | Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA | They did the same with home networking routers (something that most people here might actually remember!). Remember it used to be against the TOS to have a router hooked up to your residential line. You actually were supposed to pay for a separate modem FOR EACH computer you wanted hooked up to the interweb. | |
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| | | Exactly!
If the cable industry is to provide digital channels to save on bandwidth, why not go a step further and adopt IPTV with all channels on demand carried over TCP/IP over Ethernet and leave the coax cable with analog channels alone.
This way digital-ready devices of any type, be it an HD-DVD player, a DVR of any sort, a game console, a PC or an HDTV can be plugged into already existing network in many homes and play digital content.
The older legacy analog tuner devices (TV, analog FM/AM radio) will still be able to receive and play their programming from the coax. Let's face it, they will be with us for a long time.
This is like demanding for the phone company to discontinue analog lines (POTS) and start carrying some digital form (ISDN, SIP, MGCP, etc) over the old twisted pair copper and RJ-14 jacks and forcing people to replace their phones.
It is ridiculous. | |
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| | | Also I'd rather have some noise and some shading in the picture that analog channels have than have limited resolution, compression artifacts, color steps instead of smooth gradients, delay and jitter between picture and sound, and constant hick ups of the image that digital channels offer. | |
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| | amungusPremium
join:2004-11-26
America Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: What a pain. Couldn't agree more.
However, there's one problem. Here, at least, they digitize everything before sending it out of the plant. Granted, it's a higher quality conversion than what a cable box will do, but it's still digitized, compressed, sent across fiber, then demodulated somewhere before going back to coax.
I saw the weirdest thing the other night. Nearly EVERY channel was locked up and frozen on a still shot. Some major piece of equipment either froze up, overheated, or just broke. It was back to normal by the next day, but it sure was weird to see analog channels frozen like that. | |
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| | |  Vchat20Landing is the REAL challengePremium
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH | Re: What a pain. Actually, what you are probably seeing is the channel feed itself having problems. Contrary to popular belief, majority of your channels (except for SD locals in some cases) are received in digital anyhow at the headend. Then there's extra hardware that does the conversion to analog for each and every channel. I have yet to see any cableco worth anything do repeated digital>analog conversions down the line at various nodes/taps.
I too have seen artifacts like this myself here with Time Warner, though very rarely. I have seen them as worse as a handful of channels sitting on a blank screen with an overlaid 'No Signal' in the corner. It's not all that uncommon anymore.
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I swear, some people should have pace-makers installed to free up the resources. Breathing and heart beat taxes their whole system, all of their brain cells wasted on life support.-two bit brains, and the second bit is wasted on parity! ~head_spaz | |
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| | Fishie
join:2003-01-14
Riverside, CA | Exactly! I find the compression artifacts to be VERY annoying. For some reason, looking at "snow" or shadowing doesn't seem that obtrusive to my brain. The coloring is hard to digest too. Generally, they are very over saturated. The reds generally fall apart into blocks.
I have looked at a lot of T.V.'s and signals from various locations in Southern California. All of those locations seem to suffer from this problem. | |
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| | | The FCC should stick with their original decision:
In 2001, a proposal requiring cable to carry both analog and digital signals, known in the industry as "dual must-carry," was voted down by FCC commissioners. And for those people who will need a converter, they should only get 1 subsidized by the law that was passed that promised 1 free converter for the switch to all digital. If poor people need more than 1 converter, then pay for them.
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My BLOG
My Web Page | |
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| | marigoldsGainfully employed, finallyPremium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
kudos:1 | Re: What a pain. said by fAcEtIOUs:And for those people who will need a converter, they should only get 1 subsidized by the law that was passed that promised 1 free converter for the switch to all digital. If poor people need more than 1 converter, then pay for them. Do you define that by the person, family, account, dwelling, or household? | |
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| | | | | Re: What a pain. said by marigolds:said by fAcEtIOUs:And for those people who will need a converter, they should only get 1 subsidized by the law that was passed that promised 1 free converter for the switch to all digital. If poor people need more than 1 converter, then pay for them. Do you define that by the person, family, account, dwelling, or household? per cable drop. Usually 1 per dwelling.
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My BLOG
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| | | | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: What a pain. said by fAcEtIOUs:said by marigolds:said by fAcEtIOUs:And for those people who will need a converter, they should only get 1 subsidized by the law that was passed that promised 1 free converter for the switch to all digital. If poor people need more than 1 converter, then pay for them. Do you define that by the person, family, account, dwelling, or household? per cable drop. Usually 1 per dwelling. To be fair, it should be per current outlet. They still charge for those in most places.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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|  alex4lifeAlex4lifePremium
join:2001-06-22
Delta, BC | said by brianiscool:That will cost the cable companies some money. Especially for customers that want to stay with analog. I rather have analog than a digital box. It's a pain turning two things on at a time just to watch T.V. My digital cable box turns on both the TV and the Digital box with one click of the remote.
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"For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children's future, and we are all mortal." - John F. Kennedy | |
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bmn? ? ?Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
1 edit | Yet another example that shows... That Kevin Martin doesn't know what he is doing, just like most of the commissioners at the FCC. Talk about a huge move backwards if this asinine plan is enacted. Clearly this guy only got his job cause he was up someone in the administration's a$$ cause it certainly doesn't seem he has the qualifications for it...
It is just like watching the Congress idiots debating stem cells. None of them know what the hell they are talking about, but THEY are the one's making policy.
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Prove it... | |
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See 10 replies to this post |
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| | error in snippet The snippet makes an error in saying cable has a deadline. The deadline is for OTA broadcasters. | |
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| | | Re: error in snippet Thanks, fixed. | |
|
 calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA | Let's stay with a decision, please.... OK, the cable industry got the FCC to require that every TV in America bigger than a 9-inch screen to be "cable-ready". NOW they want to drop the signals that reach these "cable ready" sets that they have forced us to pay for.
I say force the cable companies to keep providing signals for the sets that they made us buy. We shouldn't have to take it in the shorts because the marketing guys in the cable industry can't stay on message.
calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
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|  KoolMoeAw ManPremium
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD | Re: Let's stay with a decision, please.... Hear Hear!
I don't mind have an STB for the main TV, or maybe even the second one, even though I don't like that I *have* to rent them. The SD STBs, at least, should be included in the price. It's misleading to state a given level of TV service costs $n when, in fact, it costs $n + STB rental.
For instance, I have a cable drop in the office, but for me to get any 'decent' TV on my computer's tuner, I'd have to rent yet another cable box and fit it on my desk. Lame. And what if I want (which I don't) a small TV in the kitchen? Another STB on limited counter space?
Bah.
Cable cards are definitely a decent answer, but wtf is taking so long? Plus, have to buy new TVs...again.
I like this FCC idea, amazingly...
KM
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Don't Lie - Be Kind - Realize your Potential | |
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 GlenQuagmireGiggidy Giggidy Giggidy GooPremium
join:2004-02-16
Grand Rapids, MI | More Services Moving cable systems to 100% digital is just progress. I agree that its going to be painful for some but if we want the cable companies to offer more services and faster cable modem speeds they will have to eliminate analog broadcasts. I may be incorrect but I though you could get 10 digital channels for one analog. I am not trying to defend the cable companies but I for one would love to see more high def channels. What I wish is that they would make all of the extended basic channels unencrypted so that I can use a digital TV without a cable card.
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Yes, its stuck in a windows this time. | |
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|  BonezXBasement DwellerPremium
join:2004-04-13
Canada | Re: More Services isn't it also cheaper to send digital signals then analogue ? | |
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Reviews:
·ProLog
 ·DIRECTV
| Basic will always be analog, expanded will not Chicago has just completed moving all of the expanded basic service to digital only. The regular basic service (Must Carry's and PEG's) are and will remain in the analog domain. So if they keep their basic service (Usually 22-30 Channels) in analog, there's still plenty of room freed up for more HDTV and data services. Throw Switched Digital Video on top of that and your bandwidth increases even more.
Believe me, 30 Analog channels saves a ton of bandwidth rather than having 77 Analog channels. | |
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cuindy
join:2000-07-21
Aurora, OH | If the Cable Industry drops Analog signal, Buy Dish stock. If the Cable Industry drops Analog signals, then the I along with many others will switch to the "dish". Its one
the of the main reasons I have stayed with cable. I DO NOT WANT to get a stupid set top box for every TV in the house. There are still way to many TV with analog only tuners.
Plus, Setup boxes make it pain to turn the most setup on and off. I agree with another posters that some reporters have way too much time on their hands and they seem to need to invent stories. | |
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See 8 replies to this post |
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deadzonedPremium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA | I Bet.. Man I bet that Martin's office is really, really, nice over there at the At&t headquarters... Maybe more like a big office suite or something!
Seriously, why does this guy even bother anymore? He HAS TO KNOW how transparent and bad he looks regarding anything other that what's in the best interest of MA BELL. I wish he would just cut to the chase and do what he's going to do and get it over with, I hate the waiting. | |
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 morboComplete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000 | telco friendly FCC kicks cablecos? say it ain't so!
why? because Martin is in the pockets of AT&T and this will hurt cableco? seems likely! | |
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See 6 replies to this post |
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Reviews:
·Optimum Online
 ·Verizon FiOS
| one year contract customers who sign up for one year deals should get the first box free and 1/2 price every other box. good old digital carrot and stick approach. still, this will push some customers out of subscription altogether, whether cable likes it or not.. but in cable's eyes, they weren't very profitable customers anyhow; | |
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| | Makes no sense! I hate Comcast as much as the next guy, but why should cable be forced to carry both analog and digital feeds when the broadcasters are going to be putting out only digital? The cable companies shouldn't have to bear the consequences for Congress's decision to switch the airwaves to all digital.
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| | | Re: Makes no sense! The gov't is making money off the deal and they are using that cash to help fund a tuner program. Comcast is just making the switch and letting consumers deal with it themselves. | |
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| | Just Make It As Easy as Analog The transition period might be necessary, but eventually all digital systems will be the rule. My fear is that it'll be a continuance of the current nonsense where it's nearly impossible to get Cablecards or use any device that isn't rented from the cable company. | |
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| morboComplete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
1 edit | Re: Just Make It As Easy as Analog but where's the added value / value equation then? these companies lose out on serious dollars! they want it just like leasing telephones from ma bell used to be... | |
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| | RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: Just Make It As Easy as Analog said by morbo:they want it just like leasing telephones from ma bell used to be... * DING * | |
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| | Just what does this mean? I read the headline and I though it was the most inefficient and illogical idea I have heard today until I read the story.
On the first page of the article I got the impression that the FCC wanted cable after the switch to carry Not only the analog broadcast of ch5 but also of Digital ch5 (and possibly the sub channels.
Upon reading the second page it looked like the FCC wanted to force cable companies to keep an analog broadcast on their services for users that don't have a digital box.
The first request actually makes sense as I am under the thought that cable isn't forced to switch to digital and they may not out right kill their analog service until they have completed switching customers like the unreported efforts of comcast. They are now offering digital stbs that are little more than what the scientific atlanta boxes were when they introduced channels higher than the standard uhf dial. They are a little larger than a large radar detector but thats besides the point, they get a digital broadcast of basic expanded and would ensure service for a customer if they were to go all digital.
However even with that if a company refused to broadcast the digital version of a channel (and subs) to all customers except those that had a "digital" package that would not really serve the good of the public which is what the FCC should be trying to do.
I don't care if the cable co's go to all digital or not but I'd want acceptable cable card use and/or the possibility for me to buy a digital tuner. My only nit pick with Digital service is that I can tell its compressed - SD TV I can see the compression, there are transmission errors, hiccups and such, occasional encoding error (blending of scenes) and I hate to pay for what I feel is worse than what I had. | |
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| | | Re: Just what does this mean? Why do you have to pay more for digital package to get FREE OVER THE AIR digital versions of the channels and subs? | |
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 justbitsMore fiber than ATT can handlePremium
join:2003-01-08
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
·AT&T Yahoo
| Terrestrial analog broadcasts ONLY Please provide evidence stating that all analog transmissions must be switched to digital transmissions by February 19, 2009!
The digital TV transition is ONLY for over-the-air antenna received terrestrial analog TV transmissions. This has nothing to do with cable providers!
Cable companies have not been mandated to switch over to all-digital transmissions. Cable companies are switching to digital transmissions for every reason but the 2009 OTA HDTV transition: 1) cost ... either in reducing cost to transmit the signal or in justifying higher fees to customers due to upgrading their systems, 2) a way to eliminate analog cheater boxes and to require customers to upgrade to proprietary digital cable receivers, 3) a way to track actual consumer TV viewing habits, and 4) bandwidth reclamation. | |
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| | | Re: Terrestrial analog broadcasts ONLY Exactly... And you have Comcast VPs spreading FUD and improperly claiming they must convert everyone to digital to comply with federal law. | |
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| | HAAR! Right now Cox uses 5-750MHz for all of its programming. I dont know how many channels we have, exactly, but it's in the hundreds. 5-45 MHz is used for cable modem upstream connections, and then analog channels 2-116 are carried on 50-550MHz.
500 Megahertz of bandwidth for 70 or so channels (2-68+ch116)?
Then from 551MHz to 750Mhz, Cox simulcasts digital basic, expanded, premiums, HD, cable modem downstream carrier, On Demand, Music Choice, Zone Channels, etc. ALL OF THIS WITH ONLY 200 MHz of bandwidth.
To those who'd say the cable cos made you buy a television, that's lunacy. You bought a television for whatever reason. DCT 700s are cheap and easy to use, and it stands to reason that if there could be a complete digital transmission without having to support legacy analog, you'd probably see enough added value to offset the cost of the converter box, which really isnt as much of a pain or inconvenience or conspiracy fodder as you'd think.
Besides, with Dish you usually have to get a contract and pay for every little incremental upgrade (not that you dont with cable, but it seems cable's packages have more for less)and PURCHASE THE BOXES AND BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE NEW ONES FOR NEW FEATURES. With cable (at least here) you lease the box, and if it goes out, it's replaced for FREE. If it messes up, replaced for free. And during the time it takes for a service person to come to you house, you can unplug the rf in from the cable box and hook it into the television you were forced to buy and still get....basic cable! Try that with dish! Heaven forbid a bird crap on your dish while chillin out on top of your roof and mess up your playboy channel.
Oh, and dont hold your breath for 15megabit internet from a satellite. | |
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| Reviews:
·Comcast
| Re: HAAR! Does the term fanboi mean anything to you ?
WoW does cable pay you to astroturf like that ?
If not they really should.
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"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" | |
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| | | | Re: HAAR! what's fanboy-ish about it? The majority of that is why digital is better than analog. Dont you think CDs sound better than cassettes?
I might've gotten some of the facts wrong about dish, but all the literature i've read about it in this area (eastern oklahoma) confirm the majority of what i said.
I assume by calling me a cable fanboy that must make you a satellite fanboy. I guess all we have left to do now is thumbwrestle it out until one of us cries uncle.
Snoogans. | |
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| | | said by rx7freak:Besides, with Dish you usually have to get a contract and pay for every little incremental upgrade (not that you dont with cable, but it seems cable's packages have more for less) More for less with cable? I say BS.I just gave cable the boot. Compare cost, here with cable I paid $48+ per month for basic and expanded basic. Total? 62 channels.
Dish-network? $47 for 200 channels. You're right about the Sat contract, 18 months, add in the kicker to the deal, $10.00 rebate for the first ten months. That includes second TV or room free, any additional TV or room is $5.00 per month extra. Adding a third room, one still gets more value from dish. Monthly total $37+ for digital sat. TV, cable can't match that deal.
DSL from ISP is @ $39.99 per month. Both cheaper than cables offering.
I won't say, bird dropping would miss the dish. It's very unlikely a little dropping would block the receiver from obtaining the signal, even if it did ten minutes, a ladder and cleaning rag, all is well. 
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Its the Democrats fault. In fact it is the Speaker of House Polosi fault. Everything is the Democrats fault. Everything. Just like Everything was the Republicans Fault when they were in power. | |
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| KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| said by rx7freak:Besides, with Dish you usually have to get a contract and pay for every little incremental upgrade (not that you dont with cable, but it seems cable's packages have more for less)and PURCHASE THE BOXES AND BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE NEW ONES FOR NEW FEATURES. Actually I wish it was this way. In the past it was more this way, you could buy your own boxes fairly cheap. However a lot has changed. They've caught on to the cable companies practices of charging "Rent" or "Lease" fees so these days they actually strongly discourage the purchase of the box (By setting prices astronomically high on the boxes that have the features) and instead "Leasing" them to you for that extra $5.00 a month... plus they still lock you into year long contracts and have service level requirements for the boxes that do things like HDTV and so on... so as well as the lease fee, there is a penalty fee if you drop below a certain level of programming.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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 reub2000Premium
join:2001-12-28
Evanston, IL
1 edit | MythTV It's much more convenient to use analog cable with recording devices like VCRs and mythtv. How exactly are they supposed to tune to the right channel when they need to record if the tuner is in another box. Or they trying to kill these so they can charge a monthly fee for the cable's dvr?
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My pbase gallery | |
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 mtech
join:2002-10-20
Jonesboro, AR | re:What a pain. Whatever happened to standards? IMHO there should be one standard for the signal received from the provider whether they be satellite, cable or OTA. The equipment manufacturers could then build the tuners into recorders, TV's, Media Center computers, etc. The only need for cable boxes would be for older, non-analog devices. Currently, the need for cable/satellite boxes seems to be driven by encryption type and need for additional revenue stream (rental). | |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA
kudos:2 | Why Not Everyone Then? The last time I check CATV service is a luxury; if you want it, pay the necessary $$ for the appropriate equipment/service and you can have it. Televisions are entertainment, not a right that everyone "needs" to have.
If the cablecos are required to simulcast analog and digital, the telco and sat TV providers sure as hell better be required to transmit analog as well. Otherwise, this is anti-competitive gibberish that does cause harm to the market. There is no "need" for analog service. If there was, we'd continue the OTA service offerings. | |
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wthPremium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City,IA Reviews:
·Mediacom
| Why not one box for everyone Would like to see someone come out with a cable box that would go in my basement/garage where the cable comes into the home. This box would then have up to 6 amped outlets to connect all of your rooms/tv's to. Then you would have a dedicated RF remote for each tv/outlet in the home, with just the one "box" in the basement/garage. Each remote would have a "unique" chip identifier chip so the box would "send" the correct channel to the right tv. (It sounds nice/simple....but probably expensive. | |
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Do it baby!