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cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream to SeattleMatt

MVM

to SeattleMatt

Re: Awful Reviews on the Comcast Forums

said by SeattleMatt:

Eeeep.

Just read some of the customer reviews of the X1 box on the Comcast forums...

Definitely not what I wanted to see.

This post?
»forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· e#M54467

You hope the developers take that feedback and improve it. Supposedly updates are much easier to do on this platform.

FifthE1ement
Tech Nut
join:2005-03-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL

FifthE1ement to SeattleMatt

Member

to SeattleMatt
said by SeattleMatt:

Eeeep.

Just read some of the customer reviews of the X1 box on the Comcast forums...

Definitely not what I wanted to see.

Holy crap I just read through 1 page of the customer reviews and I was taken back! Many of the complaints are items I use all the time to enjoy watching TV like watching 2 shows with one in the buffer and then switching tuners and rewinding and watching. I do this during live TV a lot so I don't have to watch as many commercials. I can't believe this type of platform could have that many issues. After reading those I think I'll stick with the iGuide for a few more years plus until they get some of the kinks out.
aguiar0016
join:2006-01-23
New Bedford, MA

aguiar0016

Member

Not being able to swap turners does is something I miss but I just record the 2 shows now and work it throught the recordings.

I guess I'm lucky because i don't have all the issues the others are seeing. Some bugs exist like the recording light, data light not appearing.

The ability to change days on the remote is what I miss the most.

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

telcodad to gate1975mlm

MVM

to gate1975mlm

Meet the "XI3" - Comcast's IP-Only STB

According to this article on the Light Reading Cable site today, Comcast has picked Pace as one of the suppliers for a new IP-only HD video client box called the "XI3" which may be designed to work with the X1 platform:

Meet Comcast's IP-Only Set-Top
By Jeff Baumgartner, Light Reading Cable - October 3, 2012
»www.lightreading.com/doc ··· lr_cable
telcodad

telcodad

MVM

Re: Meet the "XI3" - Comcast's IP-Only STB

Click for full size
XI3 Front View
Click for full size
XI3 Rear View
Here are (somewhat blurry) photos of the front and rear of the Pace/Xfinity XI3 IP-only STB from that Light Reading Cable article.

From what I can make out, it looks like it has RF, HDMI and RJ-45 Ethernet connectors.
aguiar0016
join:2006-01-23
New Bedford, MA

aguiar0016

Member

I think this is the one they are using in the atlanta area, it has a bigger hard drive too.

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

telcodad

MVM

If you're talking about the IP-only XI3 box, it does not have a hard drive, as stated in the Light Reading Cable article on it (»www.lightreading.com/doc ··· lr_cable ):
And what's with that SD Card slot? The XI3 doesn't have an internal hard drive, so the slot could be used for memory expansion. But it's also plausible that Comcast could use an SD Card as a local, mini-DVR that could buffer a small amount of live TV programming for trick-play functions (pause, fast-forward, rewind, etc.).
aguiar0016
join:2006-01-23
New Bedford, MA

aguiar0016 to gate1975mlm

Member

to gate1975mlm

Re: [X1] Xfinity TV on X1 Platform and X1 Remote Control App!

Starting today customers in Plymouth Mass, that are in the Scientific Atlanta market are able to get the X1 DVR.

Also starting today the Greater Boston Region will start using the RNG 150 (# maybe wrong ) boxes in Motorola areas. They will start using these boxes with the X1 to provide the whole room DVR service with X1.

No information on Pricing or truck roll charges etc..

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to gate1975mlm

Member

to gate1975mlm
Any information on western Pennsylvania area with the x1?

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

telcodad to aguiar0016

MVM

to aguiar0016
said by aguiar0016:

Also starting today the Greater Boston Region will start using the RNG 150 (# maybe wrong ) boxes in Motorola areas. They will start using these boxes with the X1 to provide the whole room DVR service with X1.

That model number is correct - it is an IP-capable Pace RNG150N X1 companion box.

See this previous post in this thread: »Re: [X1] Xfinity TV on X1 Platform and X1 Remote Control App!

SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

SeattleMatt to mikedz4

Premium Member

to mikedz4
said by mikedz4:

Any information on western Pennsylvania area with the x1?

Seeing it was to be released here in DE/PA in September, i'd say they are behind schedule...and seeing that the P'burgh area wasn't even previously mentioned, I'd say you're probably well into 2013 for your area Mike.

But, also nice to hear they are integrating Anyroom DVR w/ the X1 platform now. At least the delays are for a good reason.

And the RNG 150 boxes are the Moto boxes I have now as part of the Anyroom setup, so it'd be logical sense.
aguiar0016
join:2006-01-23
New Bedford, MA

aguiar0016

Member

For us they had the anyroom with the moto 34XX M boxes. ( i think that is the number) not the RNG ones. So different boxes for us here.
aguiar0016

aguiar0016

Member

Correction Any room DVR is not being offered. Comcast is calling it Whole House , which is basically allowing customers to have the X1 guide on all tv's in the house with the new boxes.

Sorry for the confusion
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

2 edits

turnerbrewer to FifthE1ement

Member

to FifthE1ement
So let me get this straight - I am a Comcast Double Play customer in the Atlanta area. I have Blast Internet and Preferred TV using a DCX 3501(RNG200N).
If I want the new X1 guide then I have to upgrade to a Triple-Play package and receive a new box?
Why is Comcast incapable of pushing the X1 guide to my DCX3501? There should be no reason for Comcast to do a truck roll. Why should I have upgrade to a package that consists of a phone service that I have no use for. I do not need a landline telephone, or VOIP... I should not have to incur additional cost each month for a service that I do not need because Comcast can not push a guide to a capable box. My patience is wearing very thin. I am so close to pulling the plug and go back to DirecTv.

The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q

Member

below from the comcast voices blog, september 24 entry, I imagine it is similar with X1....

»blog.comcast.com/2010/05 ··· xes.html

The new On-Screen Guide 2.0 is delivered to our newest cable boxes (both the Cisco RNG 200N and Cisco RNG 150N) via a different and newer protocol and technology (called OCAP or tru2way). The Cisco RNG boxes that you have in your home today are not assigned to the tru2way mode and can't be easily flipped or changed into that mode and preserve the current DVR recordings, favorites and other user configurable settings which would be an unfavorable customer experience.
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

1 edit

turnerbrewer

Member

Let me see if I understand the comment above-
Comcast will not push the X1 guide to my cable box because they do not want for me to loose all of my recordings and settings. But, they will swap my box w/ the old guide + my recordings for a new box with the X1 guide that has neither my recordings or settings....

"
The new On-Screen Guide 2.0 is delivered to our newest cable boxes (both the Cisco RNG 200N and Cisco RNG 150N) via a different and newer protocol and technology (called OCAP or tru2way). The Cisco RNG boxes that you have in your home today are not assigned to the tru2way mode and can't be easily flipped or changed into that mode and preserve the current DVR recordings, favorites and other user configurable settings which would be an unfavorable customer experience. "
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q

Member

I think the X1 cable box receives the data and maybe even the video differently than the DCX 3501 does today. That is my guess as to why the new X1 guide can't be easily pushed to a box that is already in the home. They are using all new boxes for X1, I think from Pace.
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

turnerbrewer

Member

I just got off the phone with a very nice lady in the Comcast call center. I called inquiring about upgrading to an X1 box. She put me on hold for several minutes to research the offers that were available to my area. After a several minutes she returned and informed me that the X1 box is available to me but only if I upgrade to the $199 Triple Play package. The $199 was good for 12 months and the rate would be $219 or something. My train of thought was derailed when she quoted me $199. I told her no thank you. She told me that the X1 boxes were not available to Double Play customers in my area, but only to people upgrading to Triple Play since Comcast phone service is in low demand in my area. I guess they are forcing people to subscribe to phone service in order to upgrade to the X1. I think that I am going to setup a DirecTv install for this weekend....I am tired of the 1990 style IGUide.
kb1
join:2008-11-15
South Bend, IN

kb1

Member

said by turnerbrewer:

I just got off the phone with a very nice lady in the Comcast call center. I called inquiring about upgrading to an X1 box. She put me on hold for several minutes to research the offers that were available to my area. After a several minutes she returned and informed me that the X1 box is available to me but only if I upgrade to the $199 Triple Play package. The $199 was good for 12 months and the rate would be $219 or something. My train of thought was derailed when she quoted me $199. I told her no thank you. She told me that the X1 boxes were not available to Double Play customers in my area, but only to people upgrading to Triple Play since Comcast phone service is in low demand in my area. I guess they are forcing people to subscribe to phone service in order to upgrade to the X1. I think that I am going to setup a DirecTv install for this weekend....I am tired of the 1990 style IGUide.

You mentioned you had Directv before. Did you notice any difference in HD picture quality between Comcast and Directv?
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

turnerbrewer

Member

The HD quality on DirecTV was excellent.
The HD on Comcast has been hit or miss.
Comcast broadcasts its HD at 1080i.
Comcast SD is better than DirecTv SD...
Sometimes the HD signal on Comcast looks good, other times it is ok...
The HD quality of Comcast HD OnDemand is terrible...
My Comcast signal strength is excellent.
lorennerol
Premium Member
join:2003-10-29
Seattle, WA

1 edit

lorennerol to gate1975mlm

Premium Member

to gate1975mlm
I'm getting weary of long-time customers getting second-rate treatment by Comcast. I just got done taking another look at DirecTV.

- The price, after the discounts run out, is about the same.
- The signal is MPEG4, 1080p for the HD channels. My projector upscales to 4k, but only from a 1080p signal, so that little 'p' is important to me.
- They have a five-tuner whole house DVR. And guess what? Any customer can get it, you just have to pay for it. And you can get it online- no waiting in two-hour lines at a Comcast store 30 miles away only to find out they are out of the current boxes and can only give out 10 year old STBs today. "But you can come back tomorrow and check again!"

I've had Comcast cable for 20+ years (since back in the ATT/ATTBI days), but I'm now losing patience and running out of reasons to stick with them. Too much foot-dragging and relying on their municipal monopolies.
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

1 edit

turnerbrewer

Member

lorennerol, I'll 2nd that.

FifthE1ement
Tech Nut
join:2005-03-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL

FifthE1ement

Member

said by turnerbrewer:

lorennerol, I'll 2nd that.

I'll 3rd that too!
lorennerol
Premium Member
join:2003-10-29
Seattle, WA

lorennerol

Premium Member

Forgot to include that DirecTV doesn't require that I sign up for their phone and Internet service to get the latest STB hardware.

Can you imagine going into the local appliance store to buy a washing machine and being told you can only buy one if you also buy a new refrigerator and oven as well?

Yes, I know Comcast doesn't require up-front payment for CPE, but I've paid for these clunky old boxes many times over already, and if that's really the sticking point, then just add an option to purchase them, in addition to the traditional rental model. This seems to work okay with cable modems on the residential Internet service side.
turnerbrewer
join:2011-11-22

turnerbrewer

Member

I forgot to mention that Comcast wanted $65 dollars to install the X1 Triple Play Package.

SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

Well since i live local to Philly, talked with a buddy the other night that works in the CC tower - sounds like ALOT of issues with the X1 software.

Figuring I beta'd the FIOS TV software for 1 year before the general public got it - I think we should all stick to looking forward to the A30 I-Guide update. Rolling out STB software appears to be quite the triumph these days..
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to lorennerol

Member

to lorennerol
and in Canada you have the option to purchase the cable boxes.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to SeattleMatt

Member

to SeattleMatt
just go read the thread about the x1 on the comcast user forums nothing but complaints.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream

MVM

said by mikedz4:

just go read the thread about the x1 on the comcast user forums nothing but complaints.

This thread, right?
»forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· e#M54467
lorennerol
Premium Member
join:2003-10-29
Seattle, WA

lorennerol to gate1975mlm

Premium Member

to gate1975mlm
So I currently have three HD DVRs and one HD receiver in the house. It looks like we're paying Comcast about $30 more per month that I'd be paying DirecTV for their five-tuner DVR, three receivers, better HD quality, and a whole lot more channels, AFTER the two years of discounts ran out.

Aside from the hassle of switching and losing some saved recordings, I'm plum out of reasons to keep chugging long with Comcast.

Anyone see anything I'm missing here??