rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| reply to syslock
Re: Bring me bandwidth!
said by syslock  :They are already testing some cities here in MI at 100% digital. No more analog TV. I don't have a problem with that but I wish they would sell me a device that I could put at the demarc to convert the subscribed digital channels to equivalent analogs. I read something about a device that was capable of doing this. I'd have no problem picking the top 50 channels if it had a capacity limit.
I really don't yearn for a return to the days when it was common to rent a cable box for $5/month/TV. |
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DreamWraith
Premium
join:2004-04-07
Mount Vernon, WA
| if they switch to full digital only broadcasts, i would imagine they would provide the *basic* boxes free of charge.
something like this:
»broadband.motorola.com/consumers···ault.asp |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| That would be great but I'll believe it when I see them handing out free converter boxes. I would also think that they have to charge or rent because I would need like six of these. Given the cost, I can't imagine they would just give them away for free. I could live with them providing the first n units free and then charging me a one time fee per extra. I just don't want to pay $5/month in perpetuity for every TV in the house.
I didn't read the link thoroughly. Can this box receive the all the digital channels to which I subscribe -- including HBO/Cinemax and the like? |
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DreamWraith
Premium
join:2004-04-07
Mount Vernon, WA
| sorry. i dont know anyone who has six tv's.... my mistake.
afaik, they will provide the first for free, in the very least. They only cost 90 dollars for them to buy from motorola, so i would imagine that the rent on extra units would be very low... like 1 or two bucks a month. |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| I have three kids. Two have TV cards in their PCs and use Windows Media Center. In a couple years I'll have three kids with TV cards.
It's great because Media Center has parental controls so they cannot watch bad stuff and it allows them to record their shows when they air. Then they get to watch them AFTER they finish homework, sports, boy scout duties and chores. It also allows me to periodically review what they are watching so I can "come up to speed" so I'm not in the dark when they start using new "in" phrases. It's much better than sticking an "open" TV in their room. Plus they use the computer for homework, e-mail and it teaches them basic 21st century skills while my squid proxy keeps them safe from bad sites.
I suppose $1/month/TV would be fine but $2/month/TV is significant ($10/month) since right now I don't pay ANYTHING with cable-ready TVs and the analog service. |
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PGHammer
join:2003-06-09
Accokeek, MD
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| reply to DreamWraith
That box is no longer allowed, as it doesn't support CableCARDs.
The waiver that Comcast requested (and the FCC denied) was based on this same small STB (the all-digital version of the longtime favorite Motorola (and before that, GI/Jerrold) IMPULSE analog STB). The FCC requires that *all* STBs act as CableCARD host devices past a *date certain* (later this year). So the DCT-7xx is a dead duck. |
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