BlackHole
join:2009-03-10
| TV Guide Network chnl being removed Mediacom has made the decision to no longer carry the TV Guide Network (scrolling guide channel) effective in April 2009. Starting on April 6th, Mediacom will begin removing the TV Guide Network from its line-ups with all systems removing TV Guide Network by April 16th. In most systems a message will appear where the TV Guide Network was located informing customers that this channel is no longer available.
The TV Guide network will be removed from the digital maps on April 16th, but the message will remain on the channel until April 22nd for analog customers. There are no immediate plans to replace the TV Guide Network, although we will be reviewing the future use of this bandwidth for new services including new HD channels.
The primary notification method will be with The Weather Channel Crawls, a crawl on the Mediacom Connections channel and local channel messages. The digital interactive TV Guide in not affected by this change.
This does not include the Western North Carolina area(s). | |
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IowaStudent
Premium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA | Much easier to also go to TV Guide.com and punch in a zip. | |
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drWaLLs
join:2004-03-19
Valdosta, GA | More room for HD  | |
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BlackHole
join:2009-03-10 | You can also use www.mediacomtoday.com/tv | |
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Bierboy
join:2008-08-07
East Moline, IL
 ·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by BlackHole  :You can also use www.mediacomtoday.com/tv That's not up-to-date. I wouldn't rely on it. | |
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implode
@mchsi.com | Mediacom is so greed this goes along with jacking all the public programming, ion, several other channels...wouldn;t it me nice to gain a channel for free now and then? instead of paying for less, more and more. | |
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lotusracer
Premium
join:1999-11-26
Moline, IL
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by implode :
Mediacom is so greed this goes along with jacking all the public programming, ion, several other channels...wouldn;t it me nice to gain a channel for free now and then? instead of paying for less, more and more.
Obviously, they deserve to make a profit... however, as they drop channels and/or raise prices, the service becomes less affordable and people decide to drop it. Their profit drops again and the circle begins again. Prices need to go up more, causing more to drop the service.
When they start dropping the analog channels I like to watch, forcing me to switch to digital, soon afterward, they will loose me as both a cable and internet customer. I've carried the cable tv service since 1994 and the internet since 1998. | |
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| wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| said by implode :
Mediacom is so greed this goes along with jacking all the public programming, ion, several other channels...wouldn;t it me nice to gain a channel for free now and then? instead of paying for less, more and more.
So you want Mediacom to stop being a company and be more like IPTV? You'd get 1 channel! | |
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implode
@mchsi.com | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed NO, I want mediacom to give me a good value for my money...jacking all the channels and rewarding digital only subs isn't doing that.  | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by implode :NO, I want mediacom to give me a good value for my money...jacking all the channels and rewarding digital only subs isn't doing that. Digital channels are slowly taking over. Analog ones are slowly going away. You can't make everyone happy but the fact is more people are accepting the fact that analog won't be around for too long.
Also digital channels are a much more efficient way to utilize available bandwidth so people can get more channels. So MSOs can provide more channels (both SD and HD) with the existing hardware. | |
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OldCableGuy1
@planetcr.net
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed So then put the channels in the clear on QAM and let people with TVs with digital tuners continue to get the channels without having to rent a box.
But no, that might hurt the little cable guys minds since they can't figure out the complimicated QAM or CableCards... | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by OldCableGuy1 :
So then put the channels in the clear on QAM and let people with TVs with digital tuners continue to get the channels without having to rent a box.
But no, that might hurt the little cable guys minds since they can't figure out the complimicated QAM or CableCards...
"complimicated "?
I see...
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OldCableGuy1
@planetcr.net | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed Apparently humor is over their heads too.
"Complimicated" is "Complicated" but with a few extra letters because we all know that cable techs are great spellers. | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed Seriously why would cable cos decide to go clear QAM and lose revenue?
Why?
If satellite companies can do it and people don't mind why would cable cos decide not to get additional revenue? | |
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lotusracer
Premium
join:1999-11-26
Moline, IL
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by Anonymous :Seriously why would cable cos decide to go clear QAM and lose revenue? If no set top boxes are required, they have to invest less money in equipment. Sure, it cuts down on potential equipment rental income.... but there are a lot of people who don't want a set top box!
Why not make life simpler and happier for your customers? | |
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| | | | | | | | poolShark
join:2002-11-21
Marshall, IL
| said by Anonymous :Seriously why would cable cos decide to go clear QAM and lose revenue? Why? Why not go Clear QAM? I remember a time when TVs weren't cable ready, because they had a dial that only went from channel 2 to 13 and you needed a little box to get all the cable channels. When the person bought a new "cable ready" TV, then they didn't need that box any longer. With cable all digital and using clear QAM, you have the same situation. A person could do away with the cable box when they upgrade their TV to a new QAM capable - "digital cable ready" - TV. Cable companies could still use filters just like they do now to control what channels the customer receives. | |
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| | | | | | | | | alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by poolShark :said by Anonymous :Seriously why would cable cos decide to go clear QAM and lose revenue? Why? Why not go Clear QAM? I remember a time when TVs weren't cable ready, because they had a dial that only went from channel 2 to 13 and you needed a little box to get all the cable channels. When the person bought a new "cable ready" TV, then they didn't need that box any longer. With cable all digital and using clear QAM, you have the same situation. A person could do away with the cable box when they upgrade their TV to a new QAM capable - "digital cable ready" - TV. Cable companies could still use filters just like they do now to control what channels the customer receives. Exactly. One of my tvs has a qam tuner. I'd love to drop that cable box and knock $10 off my bill. Only reason its not is pure profit by mediacom. Were there competition, that might be ok, but mediacom (just like other cable companies) maintains a monopoly wherever they are.
Its also pretty ridiculous that they get rid of the tv guide channel, so the only way to get it is to get it through their 'digital gateway'.
The digital gateway thing bugs me to no end, its the ultimate in hidden fees. Either charge more for the box (since there's nobody that has a box without a DG) or just drop the digital gateway entirely. | |
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danawhitaker
Space...The Final Frontier
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Urbandale, IA
 ·MSN
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed "Its also pretty ridiculous that they get rid of the tv guide channel, so the only way to get it is to get it through their 'digital gateway'."
Newsflash guys. TV GUIDE CHANNEL is getting rid of itself and Mediacom is doing us the favor of getting rid of what's about to become a garbage channel. The channel will no longer exist in its current format. That wasn't clear at the beginning of this thread when it was first announced, but now it's been known for a while that the channel is being revamped.
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You're watching Sports Night on CSC so stick around... | |
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OldCableGuy1
@planetcr.net
| Interesting, seems I'm not alone here. I wrote a letter to my local Cable board to suggest exactly this, they ignored it and didn't even bother with a reply. I'd suggest you do the same. They can write up that specific packages should be in Clear QAM for next contract negation. | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed I am not for clear QAM and Mediacom losing revenue is not the reason why. | |
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| | | | | | | | | alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by Anonymous :I am not for clear QAM and Mediacom losing revenue is not the reason why. do tell why not then? It seems the most logical thing to do. | |
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| | | | | | | | | wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA | Mediacom never scrambled analog, so why scramble digital family cable? Other than DVR's, I'll bet mediacom would just as soon get away from HD boxes. | |
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| | | | | | | | | WhatHappened
join:2004-08-06
Waseca, MN
·Mediacom
| said by Anonymous :I am not for clear QAM and Mediacom losing revenue is not the reason why. Let me guess, you work for Mediacom and don't want to field customer questions about clear QAM reception.
If Mediacom does it correctly and and sends friendly channel assignment with the Clear QAM channels the customer confusion should be next to nothing. The clear QAM is so difficult now because you have to tune by cable frequency and sub-channel and when Mediacom shuffles things around you have to rescan to find the channels again. | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed Something like that. I prefer dealing with it the way we currently do it. | |
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lotusracer
Premium
join:1999-11-26
Moline, IL
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by Anonymous :Something like that. I prefer dealing with it the way we currently do it. Gee, a lot of us customers prefer things the way we currently do it... ie, analog with no converter.... and you tell us:
said by Anonymous :Digital channels are slowly taking over. Analog ones are slowly going away. You can't make everyone happy but the fact is more people are accepting the fact that analog won't be around for too long. Hmmmmm....  | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA
2 edits | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed Digital channels with a DCT. Not clear QAM.
Also we don't provide support for clear QAM. | |
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| | | | | | | | | alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed god forbid mediacom do whats in the best interest of the customer. | |
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lotusracer
Premium
join:1999-11-26
Moline, IL
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by alarson83 :god forbid mediacom do whats in the best interest of the customer. C'mon, they lighten your wallet every month don't they?  | |
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BlackHole
join:2009-03-10
| cant completely call it greed when you're negotiating with someone who wants more than you can afford or your able to pay. Companies don't agree on the cost, sorry, you gotta go.
I agree its not fair to the consumer, and we'd all love them to lower our bill b/c something is now missing or not available anymore, but its not gonna happen.
Add some more HD channels and i'll be happier! | |
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Brother Cool
@ablebodycorp.com | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed If TV Guide going away gives me more than my current 2 HD...then by all means, take it away. | |
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Urchin
@mchsi.com
| I haven't used that channel in years anyway. The problem I had with it is that they started adding all kinds of premium channels and other junk to the list and it got to the point where it would take a really long time to get back to the start of the list if all you had was basic cable.
I may be mistaken but doesn't everyone who has channels higher than basic cable already have a cable box with a much better integrated show listing that they can look at anytime they want? | |
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BlackHole
join:2009-03-10 | Not everyone has a cable box - most people have family cable (basic and exp'd basic) and have the service plugged right into their television so no guide except the tv guide channel! | |
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dot jm
@qwest.net | The TV network is really convenient. The TV guide is not as complete as the TV network! I subscribe to the TV guide and find it to be lacking in listings...such as day time and weekend viewing; and evenings after 10:00 pm. BOO HOO!!!! | |
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mattmag
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-04-09
NW Illinois
clubs: |
I don't believe this area has ever had the TV Guide channel. | |
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annoyed
@mchsi.com | I agree with Dana, it's too inconvenient (with sleeping baby in arms) to get on the pc to check what's on. I found it really useful. | |
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Ray J
@aol.com | I've had cable for over 20 years and every provider (until now) has provided a listing channel. This is a rediculous and mean spirited way to make customers switch to digital. It's all about money NOT service. | |
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| garn91
join:2005-01-15
Ankeny, IA
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by Ray J :
I've had cable for over 20 years and every provider (until now) has provided a listing channel. This is a rediculous and mean spirited way to make customers switch to digital. It's all about money NOT service.
Yep, the sole purpose why TV Guide was sold and the new owners decide to re-launch the TV Guide channel as a general entertainment channel was to make Ray J mad. | |
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danawhitaker
Space...The Final Frontier
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Urbandale, IA
·MSN
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed The channel is becoming an obsolescence whether we like it or not and regardless of whether people have digital cable. Even though I'm sorry it will be removed, the majority of users probably don't utilize the channel, and do so infrequently enough to make any advertising and programming they do virtually useless. I was upset at hearing it was being dropped until I read the article about the channel itself undergoing a revamp. Good riddance in that case.
I mainly liked it because of circumstances under which I need to use it. Given the average person's viewing habits, there are much better methods using interactive programming guides with digital cable or online substitutes. Hell, even the newspaper is faster if you want to check a *specific* channel's contents.
If the channel wasn't revamping, I'd suspect it was a ploy to push people to digital. But that's not the case.
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You're watching Sports Night on CSC so stick around... | |
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| | | wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by danawhitaker :If the channel wasn't revamping, I'd suspect it was a ploy to push people to digital. But that's not the case. Probably not, it's just one of those TOTALLY USELESS channels that they don't have a need to carry when they need to open up bandwith. | |
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iarep
@mchsi.com | You know the really funny part? There are area's of mediacom that are already all digital(ky,ms,ca,az). As in every customer has a digital tv/cable card/set top box. Sooner or later I'm sure Ia will be all digital. | |
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talligewi62
Dazed And Confused
join:2004-07-20
Upton, KY | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed Not all of KY is digital, I’m not and I live in Upton, KY (42784).
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I am here, although I may not know where “HERE” is… | |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA | Mediacom only charges $3/month for a box in Iowa City, plus the gateway charge. | |
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| alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA | Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed for an HD box as well? HD boxes in des moines are $6 | |
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| | wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by alarson83 :for an HD box as well? HD boxes in des moines are $6 $3/month charge for my DVR box or any box in Iowa City. Don't forget, you have to pay the DVR service of $9.95/month on top of the $3. It's billed out as "DVR Reciever - Primary" | |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA | As for clear qam, I'd look for Mediacom to go that route next year for all the family cable channels, as it would be a good way for cable to compete with satellite, as long as you got a HDTV w/qam tuner. | |
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| alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA
·Mediacom
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by wth :As for clear qam, I'd look for Mediacom to go that route next year for all the family cable channels, as it would be a good way for cable to compete with satellite, as long as you got a HDTV w/qam tuner. we can all hope. | |
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d323
@mchsi.com
| I am very disappointed that the tv guide channel is gone. I used it alot to see what was on in the middle of a show. I also liked some of the shows that aired on it as well. The tv guide magazine is very incomplete in its listings, the local newspaper is somewhat complete but then I have to pay extra to get tv listings, running to the computer to see what is on is not convenient especially those people who do not have internet (think of the senior citizens). Why can't they leave the tv guide channel on or some form of it for those that do not have the digital cable and just scroll channels 2-78...  | |
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| garn91
join:2005-01-15
Ankeny, IA
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed said by d323 :I am very disappointed that the tv guide channel is gone. I used it alot to see what was on in the middle of a show. I also liked some of the shows that aired on it as well. The tv guide magazine is very incomplete in its listings, the local newspaper is somewhat complete but then I have to pay extra to get tv listings, running to the computer to see what is on is not convenient especially those people who do not have internet (think of the senior citizens). Why can't they leave the tv guide channel on or some form of it for those that do not have the digital cable and just scroll channels 2-78... It's not a Mediacom decision. TV Guide was bought out and the new owners decided to take the channel in a different direction.
As I read in a Springfield, MO newspaper article, the scrolling guide was termed "antiquated" by one Mediacom offical and if over half of Mediacom's subscribers in SW Missouri have digital, i'm guessing the number in Mediacom's largest market (Iowa) is much higher.
There are other alternatives out there for TV listings, it's not Mediacom's problem that you chose not to use one of the alternatives. | |
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drslash
Goya Asma
Premium
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA
| Re: TV Guide Network chnl being removed I am the first to agree that technology changes and viewing habits change. I just find it a bit ridiculous that a technology company can't or won't provide a channel guide on the TV service itself no matter what tier you are subscribed to. A technology based company that lacks innovation and skills to execute something like this is lame.
Sorry about the rant. When there are bi annual rate increases at a much higher rate than inflation, I feel the rant is justified.
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Save water...drink beer!
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Democrats don't mind raising taxes because democrats don't pay taxes. | |
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| | alarson83
join:2007-01-06
West Des Moines, IA
·Mediacom
| said by garn91 :It's not a Mediacom decision. TV Guide was bought out and the new owners decided to take the channel in a different direction. As I read in a Springfield, MO newspaper article, the scrolling guide was termed "antiquated" by one Mediacom offical and if over half of Mediacom's subscribers in SW Missouri have digital, i'm guessing the number in Mediacom's largest market (Iowa) is much higher. There are other alternatives out there for TV listings, it's not Mediacom's problem that you chose not to use one of the alternatives. I can completely understand that. It still irritates me that mediacom charges for it through the 'digital gateway'.. something that should be included in the cost of cable. | |
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drslash
Goya Asma
Premium
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA
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