| reply to rcnman
Re: [CATV] Boston: I get 50% fewer HD channels but pay for all! I don't think you read the posts. The problem is NOT that we want more channels. The problem is that the entire rest of the Boston area has recently (over a month ago now)gotten about 15 new HD channels, EXCEPT for the Arlington/Somerville area. The rumor is that this is due to some older equipment in this area that needs to be replaced. However, NO ONE from RCN seems to be able to give us a clear statement of what the problem is or when it will be fixed. Earlier in the month the rumor was that it would be in April. No sign of that happening now.
The concern is that when the REST of the Boston area starts getting even more channels we in these "deprived" areas will still be waiting with no explanation as to what is going on.
said by rcnman:Boston is the next market to launch the same initiative with regards to analog as Chicago did. As you can expect just like Chicago with the reclamation of the analog space we will be able to launch a lot of channels. I don't have an official schedule but I'm told this would start early July. |
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 rcnmanJason NealisPremium,VIP
join:2003-05-02
Herndon, VA
kudos:10 | We must launch this initiative in order to deliver those HD channels to those areas that currently don't get them.
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Jason Nealis,
Sr. Director, Video Product and Network Operations |
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boble88
join:2001-12-20
Somerville, MA | Rcnman, when you say "reclaim analog space" how is this done? The reason I ask is this, if you eliminate the channels from 900 to 970 (does anyone know why these channels are needed) how many HD channels could take that space?
I am not going to sit here and say I want more HD channels or I'm going to another cable company. In a previous life I had Time Warner when they 1st came to Somerville (Comcast now has the rights) so if someone can proove to me that Comcast or Verizon are any better then RCN I might switch. But and I mean but, the price had better be lower. I have read the "Comcast" and "Verizon" forums here on DSL reports and not everything is perfect over there.
Back to the topic. I think the point some of us are trying to make is why are we paying 16 dollars a month for 15 channels (if the numbers are wrong sorry) and someone else is getting 30 channels for the same money. Is Market Basket in Somerville going to sell me a loaf of bread for 2 dollars and then sell two loaves to someone from Boston for the same price? Sorry Lil Hurricane if my analogy is not appreciated but I kept it clean. |
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| reply to rcnman
Again, I think you and I are talking about 2 different things. All I want to know is WHAT is different about the Arlington/Somerville area that allowed RCN to add 15 (or so) HD channels in March to Boston and all of the other towns around Arlington/Somerville that is stopping them from adding them in Arlington/Somerville (which ARE in the Boston area).
It seems that something SEPARATE from reclaiming space has to occur. That is what I am asking about. Otherwise I fear that come July, when RCN starts to add even more HD to the Boston area those of us ion Arlington/Somerville will still be "behind".
How about a SIMPLE answer as to what is different or at least a name of someone who knows!
Thanks.
-Mike
said by rcnman:We must launch this initiative in order to deliver those HD channels to those areas that currently don't get them. |
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ajburgh
join:2007-08-10
Greenville, SC | Most current cable companies are still sending out analog channels 1-99, plus a digital copy of it that your cable box is showing instead (the cable box just pretends they are on channels 1-99). These analog channels are what's shown when you hook up your TV directly to the cable.
They take up a lot of space, about 6 SD digital channels or 1-2 HD channels per analog channel. If they stop airing the digital copy like they did in Chicago recently there will be a lot more capacity to add additional channels. However, it also means you can no longer just hook up a regular TV directly to the cable and watch TV like that.
Big cable systems, like the one in Boston, are mostly made up of smaller cable systems that have been taken over in the past. Some of these parts may have a slightly smaller capacity than others. My guess is that Arlington/Somerville has a cable network with a slightly smaller capacity that does not allow them to add the additional HD channels right now. When they clear out all the analog channels there should be plenty of room to add those.
Of course, the only official answer would have to be given by Jason. This is just my understanding of it. |
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| Yes. I suppose the same thing. The only reason I am pushing this is that earlier we were told that they WERE going to update equipment in Arlington/Somerville to add these interim channels and now the implication is that this will be part of the analog phaseout at some even later date.
Again, I agree, it would be much easier if RCN would just post what is going to happen and when rather than some vague "in the future" message.
said by ajburgh:Most current cable companies are still sending out analog channels 1-99, plus a digital copy of it that your cable box is showing instead (the cable box just pretends they are on channels 1-99). These analog channels are what's shown when you hook up your TV directly to the cable. They take up a lot of space, about 6 SD digital channels or 1-2 HD channels per analog channel. If they stop airing the digital copy like they did in Chicago recently there will be a lot more capacity to add additional channels. However, it also means you can no longer just hook up a regular TV directly to the cable and watch TV like that. Big cable systems, like the one in Boston, are mostly made up of smaller cable systems that have been taken over in the past. Some of these parts may have a slightly smaller capacity than others. My guess is that Arlington/Somerville has a cable network with a slightly smaller capacity that does not allow them to add the additional HD channels right now. When they clear out all the analog channels there should be plenty of room to add those. Of course, the only official answer would have to be given by Jason. This is just my understanding of it. |
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boble88
join:2001-12-20
Somerville, MA | reply to ajburgh
Thanks for that info. Warner cable came into Somerville in the 70's Comcast now owns those lines. When Rcn arrived they ran all new lines in the city and I am assuming had to come in with new equipment to receive and distribute these channels. If 1 HD channel is the equivalent of 6 analog then why do we need channels 2 to 70 (or slightly higher) repeated again from 900 to 970+? Would that open up more space? |
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kshakir
join:2006-05-01
Somerville, MA | said by boble88:why do we need channels 2 to 70 (or slightly higher) repeated again from 900 to 970+? I'm pretty sure those are aliased or mapped channels, which only exist in the box software / program guide. When I plug the coax directly into my QAM tuner, the only duplicate channels are the when there's an analog, an SD, and possibly an HD signal.
I'm itching for more HD--even more than the 12 channels Somerville is missing! Here's to getting the new boxes out to Boston/Somerville soon so we can reuse the analog signals! |
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ajburgh
join:2007-08-10
Greenville, SC
1 edit | reply to boble88
said by boble88:If 1 HD channel is the equivalent of 6 analog then why do we need channels 2 to 70 (or slightly higher) repeated again from 900 to 970+? Would that open up more space? I also don't think those are actually repeated. They are just remapped there by the cable boxes that can receive both analog and digital. The version you see from channels 2 to 70 on a cable box is actually the digital copy of the analog channel.
And 1 analog channel is the equivalent of 6 SD channels. Or 1 analog is the equivalent of 1-2 HD channels. |
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rcnmanJason NealisPremium,VIP
join:2003-05-02
Herndon, VA
kudos:10 | reply to boble88
said by boble88: Rcnman, when you say "reclaim analog space" how is this done? The reason I ask is this, if you eliminate the channels from 900 to 970 (does anyone know why these channels are needed) how many HD channels could take that space? I am not going to sit here and say I want more HD channels or I'm going to another cable company. In a previous life I had Time Warner when they 1st came to Somerville (Comcast now has the rights) so if someone can proove to me that Comcast or Verizon are any better then RCN I might switch. But and I mean but, the price had better be lower. I have read the "Comcast" and "Verizon" forums here on DSL reports and not everything is perfect over there. Back to the topic. I think the point some of us are trying to make is why are we paying 16 dollars a month for 15 channels (if the numbers are wrong sorry) and someone else is getting 30 channels for the same money. Is Market Basket in Somerville going to sell me a loaf of bread for 2 dollars and then sell two loaves to someone from Boston for the same price? Sorry Lil Hurricane if my analogy is not appreciated but I kept it clean. When we recover the spectrum taken up by 1 analog channel, it allows us to deploy 2-3 HD channels, or upwards of 10 Digital channels.
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Jason Nealis,
Sr. Director, Video Product and Network Operations |
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rcnmanJason NealisPremium,VIP
join:2003-05-02
Herndon, VA
kudos:10 | reply to ajburgh
said by ajburgh:Most current cable companies are still sending out analog channels 1-99, plus a digital copy of it that your cable box is showing instead (the cable box just pretends they are on channels 1-99). These analog channels are what's shown when you hook up your TV directly to the cable. They take up a lot of space, about 6 SD digital channels or 1-2 HD channels per analog channel. If they stop airing the digital copy like they did in Chicago recently there will be a lot more capacity to add additional channels. However, it also means you can no longer just hook up a regular TV directly to the cable and watch TV like that. Big cable systems, like the one in Boston, are mostly made up of smaller cable systems that have been taken over in the past. Some of these parts may have a slightly smaller capacity than others. My guess is that Arlington/Somerville has a cable network with a slightly smaller capacity that does not allow them to add the additional HD channels right now. When they clear out all the analog channels there should be plenty of room to add those. Of course, the only official answer would have to be given by Jason. This is just my understanding of it. I would agree with everything you said..
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Jason Nealis,
Sr. Director, Video Product and Network Operations |
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| Thanks. I guess that's about as close to official as we are going to get.
-Mike "waiting for July"
said by rcnman:said by ajburgh:Most current cable companies are still sending out analog channels 1-99, plus a digital copy of it that your cable box is showing instead (the cable box just pretends they are on channels 1-99). These analog channels are what's shown when you hook up your TV directly to the cable. They take up a lot of space, about 6 SD digital channels or 1-2 HD channels per analog channel. If they stop airing the digital copy like they did in Chicago recently there will be a lot more capacity to add additional channels. However, it also means you can no longer just hook up a regular TV directly to the cable and watch TV like that. Big cable systems, like the one in Boston, are mostly made up of smaller cable systems that have been taken over in the past. Some of these parts may have a slightly smaller capacity than others. My guess is that Arlington/Somerville has a cable network with a slightly smaller capacity that does not allow them to add the additional HD channels right now. When they clear out all the analog channels there should be plenty of room to add those. Of course, the only official answer would have to be given by Jason. This is just my understanding of it. I would agree with everything you said.. |
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