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Glenn
I'D Rather Be Skiing
Premium Member
join:2000-10-05
Wallingford, CT

Glenn

Premium Member

Digital adapters will work differently after 5/21/2012?

I received a letter from Comcast indicating I was receiving channels on an extra outlet (or more) that I didn't have service on. Puzzled, because we have one cable box and two adapters, I called Comcast. After two calls, I believe I have an answer. They indicated that the digital adapters I have, will no longer receive any channels beyond limited basic. This was a bit puzzling since we have one up from limited (I believe at least); we get about 60 channels in total; and receive everything just fine as of now. Their solution was to suggest I spend another $10 a month and get an additional cable box. I politely declined and stated I'm trying to lower my monthly bills.

Has anyone else encountered this? I understand that they encrypt their signal now, but this seems like a sneaky way to squeeze more money out of us monthly.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

They have been doing that to me for a couple a years now. I have one digital box and one adapter. I only pay for limited basic and the lowest digital tier. I get the standard channels for free since the fcc limits what they can do with the digital adapters. Im guessing you have digital economy which is similiar to my scenario. Basically i just tell them when the channels go dark i will make a decision. Until that time i enjoy the channels i dont pay for. I guess i take it a little further than you since i block the frequency at the house they use to make changes to the digital boxes and adapters. In any case when the channels go dark is when i would worry about it. Until than enjoy the free channels and wait. for what its worth ive had a digital box that gives me most every channel give or take a few i like. Bottom line is i get every channel and only pay for the minimum and its been like that for 4 or 5 years.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

said by rody_44:

I get the standard channels for free since the fcc limits what they can do with the digital adapters.

Hate to break this to you...but CC can VERY much limit those DTA's down to limited basic ONLY channels; it just has NOT caught up to your system yet. It has NOTHING whatsoever to do if/when they have (or have NOT) encrypted the limited basic tier.

They very much ARE doing it here w/our DTA's; I know because up until recently had ONLY limited basic service, with 1 full digital box & 2 DTA's. Both DTA's & full digital box had the very same, limited basic prog lineup - & I assure you that none of our limited basic channels are encrypted. It has everything to do with the (limited) channel maps they can send down to your DTA's (& any digital boxes you may have); since my DTA's were ONLY given a limited basic channel map - the DTA cannot even see all those channels above limited basic; they simply do NOT exist in the DTA's memory download. (same goes for my full digital box)

BUT...when I upgraded to Digital Preferred, (they had to pull a "limited basic flag" off my account, which took FIVE phone calls to get corrected ) these same DTA's were sent a full (starter) basic channel map, so the DTA now could tune those as well.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

They can and do limit the dtas to limited basic and the full standard channel range here. Its the digital economy that screws them over. My limited basic for 10 dollars a month and digital plus isnt even a option anymore. It hasnt been a package for years. But i do continue to enjoy all the channels for what is a 27 dollars a month non promo price. Basically the dta can tune the limited basic tier or the standard tier. Its the digital economy that it has problems with.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

said by rody_44:

Basically the dta can tune the limited basic tier or the standard tier. Its the digital economy that it has problems with.

OK, understand your situation now. But you ARE saying that your full digital box IS getting the proper prog package, (ie: digital economy) correctly? (In spite of what your DTA's are incorrectly getting... )

Glenn
I'D Rather Be Skiing
Premium Member
join:2000-10-05
Wallingford, CT

Glenn

Premium Member

Thanks for the info everyone.

Has anyone else received a similar letter?
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

2 edits

rody_44 to dishrich

Premium Member

to dishrich
My situation is a little different but my system is more advanced than the OP. Basically im assuming the Op has the digital economy tier which is above limited basic but below the standard tier. The dtas can be set to view the full standard tier or the limited basic. But not the digital economy which is basically the standard tier minus the sports channels. My system is all digital. but no its my digital box that gets all the channels. But like i said i block the frequency comcast uses to make any changes to my box. After about two years comcast stopped calling.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

how does that work? Shouldn't the box shut down if it does not get the data after some time?
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

Been 4 years and hasnt shut off yet so i would say no it doesnt shut off. I just cant get VOD or a channel guide.
Anon
Anon

Anon

Anon

said by rody_44:

... i block the frequency at the house they use to make changes to the digital boxes and adapters. ...

Been 4 years and hasnt shut off yet so i would say no it doesnt shut off. I just cant get VOD or a channel guide.

Does your channel map still update then? Or did you find that the displayed channel labels started to become mismatched after a while when various digital channels were later re-assigned to different QAM carriers?
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to rody_44

Member

to rody_44
does all channels also come with event PPV and out of market sports?
chewch99
join:2008-04-20
united state

chewch99 to Glenn

Member

to Glenn
I think thats a miscommunication. I work for Comcast and the info I recieved is that on 5/21 new customers who want Digital adapter will need to pay 1.99 for each adapter. Customers who already have 2 free will be grandfathered in to keeping them free. My guess is you probably got a rep not knowing what they are talking about.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

Isn't this the topic you (were really) responding to???

»Changes Announced on May Bill
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

1 edit

rody_44 to

Premium Member

to
The channel map doesnt change. My box is just sort of in limbo. It doesnt get firmware updates and things like that. But it operates just fine minus the guide and VOD. I dont get a few channels like the encore channels or Tv land but i figure they are within the range of my trap. I started it as just a test and the testing continued.

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

telcodad

MVM

said by rody_44:

I dont get a few channels like the encore channels or Tv land but i figure they are within the range of my trap.

Some of those "few channels" that you don't get may be because they were moved outside of your old channel map.

For example, I think the TV Land channel is available on all tier levels except Limited Basic. You may not be getting it, not because its QAM carrier is being blocked by your trap, but because it isn't in the old channel map anymore. Do you know if you use to receive it?

Glenn
I'D Rather Be Skiing
Premium Member
join:2000-10-05
Wallingford, CT

Glenn to chewch99

Premium Member

to chewch99
Thanks for replying. I called twice and recieved a similar answer each time. I mean no disrespect to the reps I spoke with; I don't think they understood the letter I was sent.
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q

Member

said by Glenn:

Thanks for replying. I called twice and recieved a similar answer each time. I mean no disrespect to the reps I spoke with; I don't think they understood the letter I was sent.

Can you scan and post the letter?
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to Glenn

Premium Member

to Glenn
Its pretty easy to figure out if what im thinking is what it is. Do you receive espn? and what is your actual tier you subscribe to.
rody_44

1 edit

rody_44 to telcodad

Premium Member

to telcodad
opps dp

Glenn
I'D Rather Be Skiing
Premium Member
join:2000-10-05
Wallingford, CT

Glenn

Premium Member

I will scan and post the letter. I'll also let you know what teir I'm on and if I receive ESPN.
Glenn

Glenn

Premium Member

Click for full size
Here's a copy of the actual letter.
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

1 recommendation

The Q

Member

Sounds like the digital adapter for you and perhaps a group of folks in CT will work differently after 5-21.

My sources tell me that this was a small group of basic customers in CT that were getting additional channels that they were not entitled to or paying for based on their current level of service.

Those customers will get a new channel map (lineup) on their DTA that will deliver the channels that are part of the package that they subscribe to.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

Yep, I think Rody's freebie is going bye-buy...

»Re: Digital adapters will work differently after 5/21/2012?
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

1 edit

rody_44

Premium Member

No it wont. Wont change my situation. They need to rotate the frequency that they use to send firmware updates and hits to stop my box. Until that time no changes to my box. I would be perfectly happy if they figured out how to stop it.

Glenn
I'D Rather Be Skiing
Premium Member
join:2000-10-05
Wallingford, CT

Glenn to The Q

Premium Member

to The Q
said by The Q:

My sources tell me that this was a small group of basic customers in CT that were getting additional channels that they were not entitled to or paying for based on their current level of service.

Those customers will get a new channel map (lineup) on their DTA that will deliver the channels that are part of the package that they subscribe to.

Thanks, that's a bit more clear than the letter. I had just wished the rep could have told me what channels were going away. Despite asking two reps, I couldn't get an answer.
Glenn

1 recommendation

Glenn to The Q

Premium Member

to The Q
The Q....thanks again for your help. (He sent me a list of channels. )

Basically, we have a few channels that are going away. It sounds like it'll be business as usual minus those channels. I don't beleive I need another cable box like the reps had indicated. I beleive the adapters will work just fine.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA

cypherstream to rody_44

MVM

to rody_44
what if they change something in the channel map rody? Then your box wouldn't get the updated map and you would have to let the frequency in to "update" your dta.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

I dont even use the dta. Its the digital box that is locked. But i would expect the same results with the dta.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to Glenn

Member

to Glenn
Tomrrow's the big day (maybe) good luck and hopefully good things are gonna happen.

jimmyt
@comcast.net

jimmyt to rody_44

Anon

to rody_44
I discussed my missing channels with Comcast 8 or 10 days ago. After some discussion, they suggested I check the connections....I asked which ones affected which channels... after a pause, I was instructed to turn off the involved TV and wait 45 minutes, for a reset, before turning it back on. At that time all channels existing before activating DTA would again be available to me. Wrong. Nothing happened ! Can you believe it ?