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rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to yhp

Premium Member

to yhp

Re: [HD] HD costs extra?

My reasoning is if a product cost more for the provider to supply That extra cost should be passed on to only the subs that use it. Dtas cost about 30 bucks , Regular boxes in the neighborhood of 100.00. Hd boxes are much more expensive and until that changes i think the service providers are entitled to charge extra. Im pretty sure there is also a extra cost from the content providers when hd channels are supplied. The old saying you dont get a cadillac for the price of a volkswagon seems in play.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Sorry, it's way past time for Comcast and every other provider to stop charging extra for HD. But that's a cash cow now, and a way to hide the true cost of cable.

We shouldn't be surprised, it's no different than other industries (see: airlines). Hopefully the new HD DTAs will be a good alternative at a much lower cost.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako to rody_44

Premium Member

to rody_44
How about people who don't pay for HD but have an HD box anyways?
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA

yhp to rody_44

Member

to rody_44
said by rody_44:

My reasoning is if a product cost more for the provider to supply That extra cost should be passed on to only the subs that use it.

It seems that Comcast is quite capable of dinging customers for the number of screens in a household, which is certainly one way to roughly estimate "extra cost" (if you buy into the idea in the first place that the extra cost here is based on the number of bits delivered, rather than the principle of "because we can").

It's also one way to roughly estimate income, which is in fact probably the guiding principle here (setting aside contracts which give programming providers more $$ per outlet). The thing is, "HD" and "flat screen" are no longer luxury-priced items. They're no longer a rarity. They're definitely not "Cadillac"-level living.

At some point, trying to paint this basic service as a luxury will seem dumb and embarrassing even to the geniuses at 17th and JFK, but maybe not: if they're not embarrassed by their Motorola guide software, I'm guessing they're pretty much immune to the concept.

Floppy
join:2002-07-03

Floppy

Member

said by yhp:

said by rody_44:

My reasoning is if a product cost more for the provider to supply That extra cost should be passed on to only the subs that use it.

The thing is, "HD" and "flat screen" are no longer luxury-priced items.

Regardless of a HD or SD television; it is entertainment. It is luxury. You don't need it to survive.
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA

yhp

Member

said by Floppy:

Regardless of a HD or SD television; it is entertainment. It is luxury. You don't need it to survive.

Obviously. Now the only question is whether Comcast's high prices and pedestrian products represent sirloin steak or rice and beans. LOL.
Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL

Zoder to yhp

Member

to yhp
said by yhp:

At some point, trying to paint this basic service as a luxury will seem dumb and embarrassing even to the geniuses at 17th and JFK, but maybe not: if they're not embarrassed by their Motorola guide software, I'm guessing they're pretty much immune to the concept.

Never underestimate corporate greed. Bell Canada still charges all customers a $2.80 touch tone fee. The fee is waived if you still have a rotary phone
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

But on the there IPTV and satellite tv. YOU CAN BUY THE BOX or rent to own WITH no outlet fees. And they have theme packs as well.

Floppy
join:2002-07-03

Floppy to yhp

Member

to yhp
said by yhp:

Obviously. Now the only question is whether Comcast's high prices and pedestrian products represent sirloin steak or rice and beans. LOL.

Only you as their customer can make that determination. You choose to disconnect or keep the service. Regardless the service is consider a luxury and isn't needed for survive. Also I wouldn't consider sirloin steak a luxury that title belongs to filet mignon.
tranle
join:2001-06-10
Mountain View, CA

tranle to Joe12345678

Member

to Joe12345678
said by Joe12345678:

But on the there IPTV and satellite tv. YOU CAN BUY THE BOX or rent to own WITH no outlet fees. And they have theme packs as well.

They way I see this is. If you buy a box at $200 compared to monthly fee of $8, this is roughly equivalent at 25 month lease (2 year). A bit short but it is equivalent of a usage pattern for cell phone or a laptop.
Night0wl
join:2011-06-23
00000

Night0wl to GTFan

Member

to GTFan
Not all providers charge extra for HD service, for instance, TWC NYC/NJ . The digital cable package is the same price regardless if subscriber has a regular tv or HD tv.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to tranle

Member

to tranle
But $200 is better then $8 /m for ever.
tranle
join:2001-06-10
Mountain View, CA

tranle

Member

said by Joe12345678:

But $200 is better then $8 /m for ever.

Your $200 purchase does not last for ever either. If you want a new version you need to re-purchase another box. Just look at your current tv, dvd/blu-ray player and cell phone, if you have consistently kept them for more than 2 year then buying a $200 tivo is the correct pattern for you otherwise just go with the comcast box which you can return/exchange for a new one any time you like.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

look at the cable industry the systems are full of 5-6+ year old boxes and they still hand out boxes that are 2-3+ years old.
obckilroy
join:2011-11-16

obckilroy

Member

The boxes get replaced when they fail, or when a tech comes across an ancient box and has an extra on their truck.

But yeah, everyone should have the latest equipment every year no matter what. I think I'm going to complain to the credit union that has my car note and DEMAND a NEW CAR every year until my note is paid off.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

you have the choice to buy the car with out being forced to rent them.

Now what if you where forced to rent and they just gave you any car they had some being 3-5 years old and the rent price is the same for a 3-5+ year old one as a new one.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako to obckilroy

Premium Member

to obckilroy
When you buy a car you actually get to pick what you are buying.

Paying $100-200 a month for cable service, about 25% of which is equipment fees... you bet I would demand the latest equipment. Why should I pay for an infeior DVR when someone else pays the same for the newest model?

And yes when I had Comcast had had to swap out about 3 different Phase III DVR in a short period of time because they had excessively noisy fans or hard drives.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan to obckilroy

Member

to obckilroy
said by obckilroy:

But yeah, everyone should have the latest equipment every year no matter what. I think I'm going to complain to the credit union that has my car note and DEMAND a NEW CAR every year until my note is paid off.

This is in the running for dumb analogy of the year, but it's early.
QLR
join:2009-06-23
Tallahassee, FL

QLR to joako

Member

to joako
I'm one of those with a box and no fee. I am able to watch certain channels in HD. I am able to see the locals, most of the Discovery channels, E, USA, History, CNN, Fox News, AMC, and Disney. Most HD channels are blocked.
obckilroy
join:2011-11-16

obckilroy to GTFan

Member

to GTFan
said by GTFan:

This is in the running for dumb analogy of the year, but it's early.

Thanks, I was being facetious.
How "dumb" is it to expect a cable provider to replace every box in their system every time a new model is available?

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

said by obckilroy:

said by GTFan:

This is in the running for dumb analogy of the year, but it's early.

Thanks, I was being facetious.
How "dumb" is it to expect a cable provider to replace every box in their system every time a new model is available?

People wants the new equipment but raises hell when there is a rate increase to buy 100 of thousand cable boxes the same year that the came out.

Floppy
join:2002-07-03

Floppy

Member

Who says the rate increase is to purchase new boxes? Sure that maybe a small part of it. However; just to name a couple: take into account, programming (especially sports) fees go up every year. Also electricity rates go up every year especially for the headends which have 100s of servers running 24/7.

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

1 recommendation

Caddyroger

Premium Member

said by Floppy:

Who says the rate increase is to purchase new boxes? Sure that maybe a small part of it. However; just to name a couple: take into account, programming (especially sports) fees go up every year. Also electricity rates go up every year especially for the headends which have 100s of servers running 24/7.

A small part for new boxes because they don't buy 1/2 to 3/4 million boxes every 2 to 3 years
I was just every wants Comcast to spend millions of dollars every two years or so they can throw away good working boxes. They are raising rates no how do you think they will raise when buying all at once new stb
Do you go buy a new refrigerator, stove dish washer, washing machine, drier, tv, Their are new models every year

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

Do most programmers supply separate SD and HD (if available) feeds to Comcast, or do they just supply an HD feed that Comcast just downconverts to an SD version themselves?

If separate SD and HD feeds are provided, do programmers charge an extra fee for the HD version?
SPOOZ
join:2011-06-20
Lafayette, CO

SPOOZ

Member

said by telcodad:

Do most programmers supply separate SD and HD (if available) feeds to Comcast, or do they just supply an HD feed that Comcast just downconverts to an SD version themselves?

Most programming providers have both a SD feed and a HD feed.
said by telcodad:

If separate SD and HD feeds are provided, do programmers charge an extra fee for the HD version?

It depends on the contract the cable or satellite provider has with the programming provider.
Most programming providers make you get the SD feed before you can get the HD feed, however if you buy the SD feed, the HD feed is free.
Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL

Zoder to Joe12345678

Member

to Joe12345678
said by Joe12345678:

But $200 is better then $8 /m for ever.

Just got my new bill. Now it's 9.95 a month from 8.50
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA

1 recommendation

yhp to tranle

Member

to tranle
said by tranle:

said by Joe12345678:

But $200 is better then $8 /m for ever.

Your $200 purchase does not last for ever either. If you want a new version you need to re-purchase another box.

Well, that's the difference between ownership and renting, which most people realize without the help of car or appliance analogies. I'd FULLY EXPECT replacement on anything I was renting (obvious misuse and human damage notwithstanding). The person from whom I'm renting isn't doing me any favors replacing it when it dies. That's what renting is all about.

But in the meantime, a purchaser of one's own (theoretical, at this point) DVR would have had (for 2 years, maybe three tops, sure) a REAL DVR with REAL functions of his or her choosing: editing, high-speed dubbing, chaptering, bookmarking, splitting, joining, dumping to DVD, channel lineup editing, title changes, add-on storage capacity, the ability to schlep it someone else's house if necessary, etc: whatever things one's heart desired and the free market offered.

Comcast "DVR" service, OTOH, is nothing but rudimentary time-shifting service. When Comcast's saints "gift" you with "new" hardware, it's simply because no one in their right mind will rent something which doesn't work.

And that "new" hardware is still nothing but an appliance which permits rudimentary time shifting. The DVRs available in 2003 and 2004 put Comcast DVR features to shame. So for some people - yes, they'd absolutely rather blow $400 and have great fun for two years, even if it culminates in a fried hunk of metal, than spend $192 renting a rudimentary time-shifting appliance for the same amount of time.

Apples and oranges.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to SPOOZ

Premium Member

to SPOOZ
That isnt correct. Its in the contract but when a hd feed gets added the rates always went up to match a hd counterpart. Hd was never free to the providers.
wdsnls
join:2003-06-19
Palm City, FL

wdsnls to Zoder

Member

to Zoder
said by Zoder:

said by Joe12345678:

But $200 is better then $8 /m for ever.

Just got my new bill. Now it's 9.95 a month from 8.50

Just to clarify this to other posters, this is an increase to $9.95 per/STB.
Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL

Zoder

Member

said by wdsnls:

Just to clarify this to other posters, this is an increase to $9.95 per/STB.

Yes. That's per STB.