said by maxpower :

Cox won't activate it. Also generally, cable boxes sold on eBay are stolen equipment, because Motorola doesn't sell to the public directly in the US.

said by CCNnorthcali :

Every TV will need a box unless it has Cablecard technology.

Here is information on Cablecard: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD

said by robertfl :

no, they scramble most channels if not all.
you can only RENT the box not buy it
the cable boxes cost about $500 or so to buy.
i agree the rental price is a rip off.

forget the term "cable ready tv" ALL tv's sold today MUST have a QAM tuner. most cable systems will be going digital possibly around 2010 or so. (comcast chicago is already digital)

call them up and talk to them about going digital and find out what they offer.

your confusing digital with analog.

-rob

said by maxpower :

Sue K,

In CT
Digital boxes are $5.15
HD boxes are $5.15
HD DVR boxes are $5.15 + $11.99 DVR Service.

What were you quoted for $10??

quote:

---

They all look out for themselves like ANY company.

---

They are in the business to make money.

said by Sue K :

Well I went down to Cox and the girl last week said $10.00. Today another girl said $5.00. I was with my daughter and thank God she was with me last week, I know it wasen't just me that heard $10.00. Now today the girl says yes you can install them yourself and it will an extra $6.00 something a month for the digital. I said "Even when the starts?" I had no idea we we're going to be changed extra anyway. I told her I just wanted the basic cable. No extras. I swear I keep getting different answers every time I go in. Matter a fact the second time I went in a guy or sales guy said"Get the Goverment coupon for the converter and you'll get ALL your channels". I said"All my cable channels?" He said "Ya". I said to' myself, don't think so".

said by maxpower :

Sue K,

In CT
Digital boxes are $5.15
HD boxes are $5.15
HD DVR boxes are $5.15 + $11.99 DVR Service.

What were you quoted for $10??

quote:

---

They all look out for themselves like ANY company.

---

They are in the business to make money.

said by BillRoland :

I keep seeing these statements that Cox and other cable companies are rolling in the dough from box rental fees. Indulge me, please, on how you came to that conclusion? If we assume Cox buys an HD box for $300 (and no, whatever price you saw on eBay is irrelevant because as others have said, the box is almost certainly stolen or defective), and charges $5.95 a month for me to rent it, it would take me over 4 years to spend the $300 it would have taken to buy the box. Is that really being ripped off? Not to mention that if the box develops any kind of defect, I simply have to take it back to Cox and they'll exchange it for whatever the newest thing they've got is. Is that also a rip off? I'm sorry but I can't see from a logical perspective how we're getting ripped off. Not only that, why aren't you all screaming and hollering about DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon FiOS, and AT&T U-Verse? They all require boxes as well. In fact looking at Verizon's FiOS box rental rates, they're higher than Cox's in my area.

I think some of you need a dose of perspective.

said by Barsoap :

I agree that the rental charges are insane, but more insane than even that is the 'gateway access' fees. Doesn't Cox prefer that we use digital service? If Cox ever does away with all of the analog transmissions, will we still have to pay for digital 'gateway access'? Note that satellite providers don't charge an atomic fee for access to their digital transmissions.

I probably could handle getting bent over $35+/mo for DVR fees, but bending over twice for 'gateway access' is just ridiculous. And I'd bet if I tried to pursue cablecard access, Cox would resist it all the way and try to talk me out of it somehow.