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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to tranle

Member

to tranle

Re: [HD] HD costs extra?

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.
obckilroy
join:2011-11-16

obckilroy

Member

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.

bohratom
My Jersey Giants finally winning again..
join:2011-07-07
Red Bank NJ

bohratom

Member

said by Zoder:

said by wdsnls:

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

Yes. That's per STB.

STB's in Jersey increased to $9.25 (SD or HD). Glad I switched to FIOS last year as they only charge $5.99 and when you need 5 it adds up.

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

telcodad

MVM

Well, it looks like the ability to actually purchase a cable box (albeit an old refurbished one) in the U.S. is becoming a bit more of a possibility:

ACE Plan Would Let MSOs Sell Old Set-Tops
Light Reading Cable - January 27, 2012
»www.lightreading.com/doc ··· r_cable&

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4

Member

I wonder how many people would pay $300 for a dct box? If they sold newer boxes like the ones we rent today for a price comparable to the newer tivos more people would buy them.
scanpa
Premium Member
join:2006-09-06
Lebanon, PA

scanpa to telcodad

Premium Member

to telcodad
Now that's funny. They want to sell those old clunkers to users of Baja Broadband. And then others. LOL Comcast is working on removing these POS from there Stock, but there are so many of them still in use, it's not even funny.

$49.99 for DCT-2000 (sorry not worth $5.00)
$89.99 for DCT-2500
$299.99 for DCT-6412p3 or DCT-6416

all retail sales will include a 1 year warranty.

ROFLMAO my cell phone does more then these clunkers (Doorstops) can do.

Baja Broadband must be a very low level cable system.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan to telcodad

Member

to telcodad
said by telcodad:

Well, it looks like the ability to actually purchase a cable box (albeit an old refurbished one) in the U.S. is becoming a bit more of a possibility:

And then Comcast will charge you an outlet fee for the privilege, which is exactly what they're doing today in many areas for Cablecard users.
A clear violation of the new FCC rules, I might add, which state that Cablecard rates must be uniformly applied at one published rate.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to scanpa

Member

to scanpa
Shaw has good prices for NEW boxes and RENT TO own.

»www.shaw.ca/Television/E ··· uipment/

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

why do we care what a canadian cable co does?
scanpa
Premium Member
join:2006-09-06
Lebanon, PA

scanpa to Joe12345678

Premium Member

to Joe12345678
said by Joe12345678:

Shaw has good prices for NEW boxes and RENT TO own.

»www.shaw.ca/Television/E ··· uipment/

Has nothing to do with the subject

Those STB / DVR boxes are not FCC Certified for USA use.

not to mention, there OOB frequency set is different then the set we use here.

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

telcodad

MVM

said by telcodad:

Well, it looks like the ability to actually purchase a cable box (albeit an old refurbished one) in the U.S. is becoming a bit more of a possibility:

ACE Plan Would Let MSOs Sell Old Set-Tops
Light Reading Cable - January 27, 2012
»www.lightreading.com/doc ··· r_cable&

As expected, from this blog article by Jeff Baumgartner on the Light Reading Cable site, the CEA has filed their objection to ACE's waiver request:

A New Battle Brews About Old Set-Tops
By Jeff Baumgartner, Light Reading Cable - February 1, 2012
»www.lightreading.com/blo ··· lr_cable

jkj860
The Final Frontier
join:2002-01-10
Valparaiso, IN

jkj860 to Zoder

Member

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Click for full size
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

Mine went from 7.95 to 8.95 this month for non dvr hd box, however the website still shows 7.95/month.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

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Member

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Selling DCT2000s to customers for $50 a pop is better then the carp DTA's that you have to rent and can't get the full payed for channel line up.
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q

Member

said by Joe12345678:

Selling DCT2000s to customers for $50 a pop is better then the carp DTA's that you have to rent and can't get the full payed for channel line up.

I thought comcast gave out free dtas? Mine doesn't cost me anything extra (yet). DCT 2000s are not worth $50.