Comcast XFINITY TV → Comcast says no HD boxes until possibly February???

Hi everyone. I have a bit of a problem. Like many Americans, this holiday season, I finnally decided to get a HDTV. Two infact.

So about a week ago, I figure I better get the HDTV box right away, so it would be here when the TV comes. So I go in to my local comcast office in Woodbury NJ. Lady says they don't have any, I can't goto another office to get one, but another shipment will be in tommorow between 11:00 and noon. So I come back the next day, the same lady says there was a delay, come again tommorow. I hear other angry customers saying things such as this is the 5th time they have come here, ect. So I wasn't expecting much the next day when I went in again right at 11:00AM. This time the lady says its still delayed, but this time wrote down my name, address, and phone number( on a notepad). I was now on a list, with about 6 names infront. She said she would just call me when they come in.

With 6 names infront of me, I figured I would get a call as soon as the first shipment of boxes het there. However day after day went by, and nothing. I figured the list was just BS at this point (given she wrote it on a notepad, not down on a computer or anything), so I called up comcast. This is when comcast tells me the hd box is on backorder, and it could be as far away as February before I can get one.

So is this just BS? How can comcast be so behind knowing HDTV's was gonna be the hot seller this season? Why is comcast advertising a free HD box for triple play sign ups, if they don't have any?

I feel i'm getting lied too, since I haven't seen any other talk on several forums about there being no hd boxes, and the lady at my comcast office the other day said they were awaiting a delivery.

So does anyone know whats going on, and if there is anyway I can get an HDTV box ASAP???

Does your TV have a cable card slot? Are they possibly offering cable cards? Would you be opposed to getting a Tivo HD and having cable cards installed?

No cablecard (atleast I don't think) This is the tv i'm getting
»www.amazon.com/Samsung-L ··· ?ie=UTF8

Would prefer not to have to pay more for a tivo box.

These boxes are apparently in short supply. Rest assured, they'd surely love to start charging you for them.

You can always purchase a TiVo...

Anyone go to the NE Phila office recently? I was going to go the weekend before Christmas to get 2 HD boxes, I'm wondering if maybe I should eat the half a month extra cost to make sure I have them.

My father was there the Sat after Thanksgiving, no problem getting as box then.

Jeff

I quickly glanced into the user manual and it indeed doesn't appear to have a cablecard entry:

»www.samsung.com/us/suppo ··· &vType=R

HDTV has been "the hot seller" for the last couple of years at this time.. It's not necessarily comcast's fault that there are no boxes... they don't make them, just buy them from Motorola.

Also.. if you want HD now, then you should take a DVR for the time being. What you'd be out is about $15 to $20 until February until you can swap for a regular HD.. you don't have to keep the DVR for ever but it would at least get you through the time being.

Lied to? I wouldn't say "comcast" is lying to you.. when boxes are short, there is no "official" receiving date. You are simply being given the answer that the rep 'hears' in passing.. again, there is no official bulletin that goes out, usually, that says "boxes will arrive..."

Each year, about this time, you can pretty much count on HD shortages..

Additionally.. if they are advertising an HD box for the triple play sign up, they could have budgeted 20% extra boxes for the promo and the promotion could take off 10 fold..

Take the DVR for now and swap when they come in. It won't set you back much or you'll likely have to wait a while longer for one.

(another way to look at it is.. when you go into a store, and something is advertised, do they always have an ample supply for everyone? .. answer,.. no. It happens)

I picked up two HD boxes about two weeks ago here in the Seattle market!
I had to wait in line for almost an hour,because everyone else was doing the same thing.
That also could be the reason for the rental price.
It was only $6.50 for the first HD STB,but $11.90 for the second!

I agree with the others- get the DVR box. It is HD, and it is what you will ultimately want anyway. Once you have one, you'll never go back.

Damm, it's funny seeing that you guys can get HD (non-DVR) boxes AT ALL. Insight here ONLY offers HD DVR boxes & has NEVER offered non-DVR HD boxes - if you want an HD box from Insight, you're gonna take DVR.

Not sure how or if it would work but you might try calling 1800comcast and scheduling a tech to bring them out to you.

There probably would be a modest one time fee similar to a delivery type fee but they may have access to boxes that the retail locations don't have.

If you're getting hd it wouldn't hurt to have them check your outlet signal levels anyway. I recently had hd installed (both a hddvr and hd non dvr box and the picture in one room wasn't really up to par. They replaced the splitter and coax to that room and it was much better.

Can't say what it is in your area but in this one the fee is about 24.95 or so i think.

Considering I just paid my car mechanic 89.00 bucks an hour yesterday.that seems like a real bargain.

Anyways..might be worth a shot. I'd have to think their techs have their own supply of these.

How about this: if the tvs have QAM tuners, hook up the cable directly and scan. You will get at least the OTA channels that your system carries in HD plus perhaps some other ones (anything carried in the clear). Once the boxes become available, you can then get one. I am also assuming that based on where you are, your system is SA, not Motorola. Not that it makes a difference as I am sure both companies are having a hard time keeping up with orders from the cable companies.

he probably doesn't understand anything you said.

Not wanting to wait until the pre-Christmas rush, I went to my local office (NE Philly one) last Sat to pickup an HD & HD-DVR boxes. Got there around 9am (open at 8am), walked right up to a waiting attendant. No problems getting the 2 boxes (both the new DCH boxes). Unlike ~3 weeks ago when my father got his HD box, no question of, "Do you want hdmi or component cables?", she just gave me 2 hdmi cables (which is what I wanted anyway).

I'll be going back after Christmas to return the old boxes, I'll have to remember to ask what the box inventory levels are then.

Jeff

So are you just rubbing salt in rawboard's wounds or what?

No. Just wanted to let others know that not every market has the shortage.

Isn't all of Comcast 'COMCAST'? If so, if an office in Jersey runs low on equipment, can't they get it from another office?

Jeff

I actually called today to find out if my office has the DCH cable boxes, they said on the phone no, and call back tomorrow. Does that mean they get shipments on Tuesdays?

Hd onlly boxes are indeed in short supply locally , however many Comcast markets DO offer direct ship HD boxes. Please inquire in your local area and see if this is an option for you.

I called Comcast up again, the CSR called up the Union and Avenel offices for me, no HD boxes in stock. He did say that they were going out fast, and that I should check in periodically to see if any new stock came in.

On another note, the guy did look to see if any new HD channels were on the map, no luck. He saw Comcast NW NJ with all the goodies, and he speculated that we would see new HD being added in the next 6 months

this happens every year around x-mas and it is hard to judge how many every office will need based on the growing popularity of HD.

Well good news. On Tuesday I found out that I can indeed goto other local offices. I don't know why the lady at the woodbury office said I couldn't. So ofcoarse I decided to check out other comcast offices. Luck was on myside, because apparently Tuesday is the day of the week the comcast offices around here get there stuff.

So I went to a pitman office. Really nice lady there. She tells me, her delivery just got there 10 minutes ago, and altough she ordered 10 HD boxes, they only got one. So I got the one and only box fopr the week potman NJ was getting. Still I needed another. Went to the franklinville office. This lady was not so nice. I think they also got some HD boxes, but she after she found out I wasn't from that serving area, she told me no. I then went to the turnersville office. They did have some HD boxes, but were on a waiting list, so i couldn't get them. However I ended up getting the DVR box there.

BTW, according to the lady in the pitman office, the DVR boxes are in short supply too. She didn't have any delivered (which is why I didn't get one there)

Alright so I guess I'm taking a road trip on Tuesday and I'm going to visit my Avenel office and the Union office to get one. I called em up today and both were out of stock, they both said Tuesday come and see.

I just picked up a HD box from the Union, NJ office. They just got 4 crates of them in today.

I called them up again, they said I have to have a service call to get that box installed?!?!?? I'll drop by the Union office tomorrow morning and see.

Alright, my dad couldn't wait so I called them back again. The lady on the phone said they could ship the box directly to me, so I ordered it. $9.99 for shipping, getting the DCH3200. 3-5 business day shipping. Woot!

Thanks for the heads up Sansri, I called Comcast on the Dec 27th and will be receiving the DCH3200 box for my son's new Westinghouse on Jan 3rd via UPS.

Rob

Just an update Comcast came this morning and swapped out the DCH 3200 with a DCH 3416. I was having an issue with Cartoon network and a couple other channels not coming in like SCi-Fi. Well everything worked out the bix is great and all channles come in.

Are you getting free DVR service for 3 months? For the inconvenience, Comcast gave me DVR free for 3 months.

6 months, I have 3 other tv's hooked up to comcast and also a Triple Play subscriber , so they hooked me up.

So what can I get with just a QAM tuner on COMCAST in Jacksonville, Fl??? Can I get all the Locals in HD?