| Ugh. I really thought Comcast might not go this way. They have already moved a few channels every year to digital, but now it seems they want to move most of them there. I hate the idea because it's impossible to watch a channel and record another one at the same time. It's also a hassle to set up a VCR to record with a digital box which is why I returned my set top box long ago.
I wonder if they are also going to start charging people rent for the digital settop boxes they are going to force the customer to receive the expanded basic channels. I know they charge for any extra settop boxes so anyone with two or more TVs would end up paying money to watch those expanded channels on their second TV. So this move would actually end up making Comcast more money from the expanded services they can offer from the reclaimed frequencies and the rental fees. What a great deal... For them. |
| At my parent's house they had cable outlets in all 5 bedrooms plus living room, family room and kitchen. They paid $30 a month (low fee due to being early customers when cable first came to the area many years ago.)
Every cheap tv and vcr in the house could receive all 80 channels and you could record a channel and watch another.
Now at my house we pay a lot more as basic cable is around $60 a month, but then I added digital channels. Now you need a stupid vcr sized box. The result is only 2 tvs get all the channels and 3 others do not. It is only $5 a month for a box ($10 for HD capable) but it is not only the money but the inconvenience factor. They (Charter) do provide nice remotes with the box (and charge $29 install fee) which can mostly replace your original remote.
The prices seem somewhat reasonable, but when you add the additional fees for the digital channels, the extra fee per box (and have to find a place for the box) it starts being a hefty charge.
My single HD tv will tune in these digital channels, but is blocked by encryption (except for one weird sport channel.)
Of course, you then need a digital video recorder to work with this. They are nice but add another $15 a month to the bill.
I fear we are going to become a 2 tier nation, those that can afford full tv and high speed internet, and those that can't. |
