 Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:2 | A little price comparison I came up with.... I'll give you an example for a cable provider....
Where I live there are give or take 180,000 basic cable subscribers....
The cable company would have to visit each one, and install a box to do this all within a time line that would make it all a feasible project.....
Imagine buying 180,000 home converters at we'll say $200.00 a piece
$36,000,000 for the devices.....
Then the cost for the call centers to call and arrange appointments with all 180,000 cutomers to install the device at their home....
$1,000,000
Then they would have to do 180,000 truck rolls...
$8,000,000
So right now we are at
$45,000,000
Plus redesign of the system adding power supplies etc to power the devices on the side of the home....
And this would have to be done within a quick time frame to make it worthy.. (lots of OT or Contractors)
And this is for a medium sized cable system.... Imagine a major Metro area like Chicago, LA, Phoenix which have 400,000-600,000+ subs.....
And bandwidth would still be eaten up inside the home on the home coax and boxes would still be needed for HD and Digital... | |
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  PolarBear03The bear formerly known as aaron8301Premium
join:2005-01-03 | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... With all do respect, I simply don't believe there are that many analog subscribers. | |
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 |  CableToolPoorly Representing MYSELF.Premium
join:2004-11-12 | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... said by PolarBear03:With all do respect, I simply don't believe there are that many analog subscribers. I agree. Analog only are on the decline. Basic subs are on the decline. You would only be doing this on the analog only , cable ready subs. And depending on what the device is, you most likely wouldnt need to make an appointment. It might be as simple as swapping a housebox with another, or larger ground block.
And if there are appointments needed few automated calls is all it will take. 
" We will be in your area the week of BLANK to perfrom an upgrade on your address, -various information given- if you would like to speak to someone about this press "5" a rep will return your call or you will be transferred.." yadda yadda.
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| | PolarBear03The bear formerly known as aaron8301Premium
join:2005-01-03
1 edit | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... Your scenario sounds much more likely, CableTool.
Another thing that came to mind: back in the day when most TVs and VCRs only had 12 channel tuners (3 in my house when I was a kid in the 80's), ALL cable subscribers had to have a set top box to have cable, like it or not. So this is something that shouldn't be too foreign to the general public (especially the older folks who (1) used to have those old TVs and (2) probably have analog right now). | |
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| | | | | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... Having the set top boxes was no more desirable then than it is now! | |
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| | | | PolarBear03The bear formerly known as aaron8301Premium
join:2005-01-03 | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... My point is, people are USED to it, and understand it's purpose. | |
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| | | | cuindy
join:2000-07-21
Aurora, OH | Let us also not forget that a lot of remote controls will
bite the dust and working a new cable box and old TV and remotes can be a pain.
Also, if the cable companies dump all analog then they will also loose even more customers to the "dishes". One of the main problems with changing to the "dishes" having to have a set top for every TV is no longer a problem as now the cable companies will have the same problem.
What I do see is number of analog channel dropping and people being forced to get more set top boxes on their main TV. I have DVR on main HDTV and would not part with it.
If they cut the analog bandwidth in half that should free up enough bandwidth and still a reasonable amount of channels until all the non-digital TV, VCR, and DVD recorders bite the dust. 40 Channels is more than enough for most secondary TV's. | |
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| | | | | | | Re: A little price comparison I came up with....
Which is exactly why the FCC mandated a standard channel scheme on cable and TV's with cable ready tuners for that scheme to stop the cable companies from arranging some goofy channel scheme as they were doing so you had to rent their box at substantial yearly cost. Many people complained about that crap.
People do NOT want to rent STB's. This has been shown over the years. The only ones who do are thoise that want HBO, etc. Which is one of the big reasons cable companys want to go digital. You will HAVE TO RENT a STB just to get basic service. Right back to the gravy days. | |
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| | Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:2 | To enter someones property and make a "permanent" attachment to their home hey would need their permission...
However if someone could come up with a solution where the conversion happened at the tap it would be more viable... | |
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| | | | | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... They allready have your permission. The obtained it when they ran the cable to/on your house. They then have the right to upgrade and maintain their equipment. | |
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| | | | Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:2 | Re: A little price comparison I came up with.... Don't have permission to permanently affix anything to my house..... | |
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| Fubar
join:2001-02-20
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:2 | THe 180,000 come from any type of video subscriber....
This "box" needs to be isnatlled on evey video home ar a STB would be needed on every TV.... | |
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1 edit | Keep analog...but make it useful Why not dump all of the garbage on analog to free up bandwidth? Dump shopping channels, govt access, etc. Just keep 15-20 channels of decent content.
This way those of us who still want analog can keep the channel's we actually watch. You digital fanboys get more space, and comcrap doesn't have any additional costs or risk loosing customers to satellite.
I have the most limited analog cable you can get, about 15 channels for $12 a month. I'd switch to digital if it cost within 15% of that including STB. Unfortunately a switch to digital is $50 minimum and I do not watch enough TV to justify that price. So if they force me, I will simply get an antenna and not be a customer at all. How do they win then?
I really hate STB's by the way. I have a stack of black boxes 4-5' high in my living room ...hideous! I don't need another one! | |
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