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 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·AT&T DSL Service
1 edit | HDTV will be a ripoff scheme. $250 a month anyone? HD is the next big shafting of consumers.
The Original plan was that HD was replace SD. Ie same channel, same content, better picture and sound but most importantly, SAME PRICE. Ie, call it an "upgrade" if you will.
But like everything else, it's being marketed as "Better" and that means "We're going to charge you more". I predict by the time SD dies out and everything is HD that Pay TV Programming will cost somewhere between 300% to 400% more per month then SD packages did.
It's kinda like when CD's replaced Albums and tapes. Same music, better quality, result = big price increase.... same thing happening with "DVD-Audio" too. Same Music, higher priced again.
The idea of HD merely phasing in replacing SD is dead. The idea of HD as the next big way to grow profit margins is firmly entrenched in the provider's mindset... and since there's no real competition, there is nothing to keep prices low. So you can bet the charges, fees, prices all are going to grow, and your wallet will get thinner... | |
 djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
kudos:1
 ·Verizon Wireless..
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·VOIPo
·PHONE POWER
| With most cable companies, HD network channels are free. You can even pick them up directly with a QAM tuner if you have a TV that's so equipped. HD premium channels (e.g. HD HBO) usually comes included with an HBO subscription. Its only if you want HD extra channels that you generally have to pay a separate HD fee, which many gladly pay for.
Plenty of us cannot stand to watch standard def crap anymore.
HD equipment (e.g. TiVos/DVRs, cable boxes) obviously is going to be more costly for now since recording 19.2mbps streams and playing them back at 1920x1080i resolution takes more processing power and storage than 5mbps 720x480 standard def ones. At some point these parts are going to become very generic and cheap and there just won't be an HD distinction with the equipment. Motorola never even offered non-HD DVR!
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Laser eye surgery rocks! I love frickin' laser beams. | |
KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| said by djrobx:With most cable companies, HD network channels are free. Yeah, because they are HD OTA, lol.
I'm talking about as the current channels (not premium movie channels) convert to HD. I'm not even really worried about equipment costs being higher due to more powerful CPU's, more storage requirements, etc. Mass manufacturing will drive those down in costs. Hell you can build em now pretty cheaply.
What I'm concerned about is that as we switch over from SD to HD the providers will simply charge a ton more for the channels and service because they can. They will say it's better so you need to pay more.... but that wasn't how it was originally supposed to be. It was supposed to be just a change in standards from the old to the new, better standards. It wasn't supposed to be something that will cost 3x or 4x more per month. But the writings on the wall... it will.
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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!) | |
 en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to djrobx
I still have to find a decent way to burn them to my DVDR.
It does come with HDMI output.. but only S Video / input.
If it can be done with a DVD-R, why pay for a TiVo or HD-DVR.
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Canada = Hollywood North | | |
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