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Re: [STB] Cisco thinking of getting out of the set-top box businsaid by telcodad:Continuing from a previous thread about the possibility of being able to purchase cable boxes (older, refurbished ones) in the U.S. »Re: [HD] HD costs extra? , is this news item today on the B&C site:
FCC Grants Adams Waiver For Refurbished Boxes Is confined to 50,000 Boxes in inventory By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - July 26, 2013 »www.broadcastingcable.co ··· oxes.php quote: The FCC late Friday granted a waiver to Adams Cable Equipment (ACE) to sell refurbished integrated set-top boxes both to consumers and to cable operators, which the FCC banned several years ago in an effort to create a retail market for set-tops. :
An update on this on the MCN site today: ACE Waiver Yields Retail Sale Of 202 Set-Tops Supplier Also Has Sold 850 Refurbished STBs At WholesaleBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - July 8, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· s/375754 |
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No surprise they're pretty darn old, nothing I'd want to touch this day and age. quote: ...currently lists the standard-definition only Motorola DCT-2000 model (pictured above) for $29; the DCT-6200 HD box for $39; the digital-only/SD DCT-700 model for $89; and two HD/DVRs (the DCT-6412 and DCT-6416) with integrated security for $89 and $199, respectively.
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Re: Comcast's RDK speeds development of new devicesSaw this interesting article on the MCN site today. As it's RDK compliant, I wonder if it can be used on the X1 platform (and if Comcast is one of the "several MSOs" that's trialing it): Cisco Nears Launch Of IP Video Client Model Sports MoCA 2.0, 802.11ac, RDKBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - July 22, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· t/382661 |
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said by telcodad:Saw this interesting article on the MCN site today. As it's RDK compliant, I wonder if it can be used on the X1 platform (and if Comcast is one of the "several MSOs" that's trialing it):
Cisco Nears Launch Of IP Video Client Model Sports MoCA 2.0, 802.11ac, RDK By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - July 22, 2014 »www.multichannel.com/new ··· t/382661 From what little is there in that article I'd guess it's an Xi3 compliant device. |
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said by SpHeRe31459:From what little is there in that article I'd guess it's an Xi3 compliant device. Yeah, like an Xi3 with Wi-Fi added. The label says it's an "HD/SD Set-top Box" and "a Cisco spokeswoman said the model is an set-top/IP client that supports MoCA 2.0 for high-speed IP video and data distribution over the home coax network and 802.11ac WiFi connectivity." |
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telcodad |
said by telcodad:ARRIS is also set to have their latest RDK compliant products on display at the CES next month:
ARRIS to Showcase Entertainment Solutions for the Next Wave of Industry Growth at CES 2014 Transforming the delivery, personalization, and monetization of tomorrow's global entertainment--from content creation to consumption ARRIS Press Release, PR Newswire - December 19, 2013 »www.prnewswire.com/news- ··· 741.html quote: Video Gateways Part of the industry-leading ARRIS portfolio, this showcase of whole-home and advanced gateways represents the evolution of the traditional set-topserving as the new hub for distributing content to the growing connected device ecosystem in the home.
DCX3600 advanced video gateway XG-1 next-generation gateway behind the Comcast X1 experience MG2402 RDK-based whole-home network and entertainment gateway MG5000 whole-home entertainment center
ARRIS has two MSOs signed up now for their Sling-enhanced "Whole Home Solution": Two Operators Join The Arris Sling Team Service Electric, Comporium To Offer MS4000 Media StreamerBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - July 23, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· m/382701quote: Showing that it's making some hay off an exclusive distribution and technology licensing deal with Sling Media announced fall, Arris said two operators have signed on to roll out its whole home HD-DVR paired with the MS4000 Media Streamer, a place-shifting device that enables users to stream live and recorded video in or out of the home to mobile devices.
Under those deployments of Arriss Whole Home Solution, a platform whose roots are tied to the vendors 2009 acquisition of Paul Allens Digeo and its Moxi product line, Service Electric Cable TV and Comporium will offer a media gateway outfitted with six tuners, a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, integrated WiFi, and a fancy user interface in tandem with the MS4000.
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telcodad |
Major remote control supplier Universal Electronics (UEI) is embracing RDK now: Universal Electronics, Redefining Control at IBC 2014UEI Press Release, Business Wire - August 11, 2014 » www.businesswire.com/new ··· IBC-2014quote: This latest release of QuickSet now includes full compatibility with the RDK initiative. The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is a pre-integrated software bundle that provides a common framework for powering customer-premises equipment (CPE) from TV service providers, including set-top boxes, gateways, and converged devices. It was created to accelerate the deployment of next-gen video products and services. The RDK is supported by more than 160 licensees, and is administered by the RDK Management LLC, a joint venture between Comcast Cable, Time Warner Cable, and Liberty Global.
QuickSet, combined with the professionally maintained UEI device code database and associated cloud services, virtually assures successful control of all compatible devices.
UEI QuickSet includes features such as:
Automated Setup using HDMI-based connections to automatically identify the device brand and model number of connected displays without requiring user input
Automated Device Detection, and IR control, of IP connected devices
Cloud-based services to ensure access to a real-time device code database that is continuously updated with the latest control codes for the newest devices on the market, making the universal control interface easy to set up and future proof
Compatible with RDK and the latest Zigbee RF4CE release
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telcodad 1 edit |
Don't know if any of these new 4K Ultra-HD capable ARRIS set-tops will be RDK-compliant, and if so, may possibly then be deployed by Comcast at some point: ARRIS Redefines the Set-Top with HEVC Support in Slim, New DesignsThe latest HEVC, UHD and wireless technology arrive in four small, minimalist enclosuresARRIS Press Release, PR Newswire - September 10, 2014 » www.prnewswire.com/news- ··· 201.htmlEDIT: The MCN site now has a blog item about this: Arris Spruces Up Its Set-Top Lineup Sleeker Lineup Features HEVC, 802.11ac WiFiBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - September 11, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/blo ··· p/383735quote: The trend may be toward the so-called virtualization of the set-top box as more of those functions get packed into the cloud, but that doesnt mean traditional boxes will be going the way of the dodo anytime soon.
On that point, Arris is using the IBC show in Amsterdam to unveil a new, sleeker design for IPTV set-tops and video clients that are equipped with HEVC decoding and 802.11ac WiFi, with some models capable of supporting 4K/Ultra HD video. : So, the set-top box appears to be alive and well -- or at least is putting on a fresh face -- despite constant predictions of its demise.
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Seeing that those are VIP models, AT&T U-Verse and CenturyLink Prism would get those.
Hopefully the IPTV design group spills over some of that talent to the Cable Broadband group. |
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said by telcodad:Don't know if any of these new 4K Ultra-HD capable ARRIS set-tops will be RDK-compliant, and if so, may possibly then be deployed by Comcast at some point. : said by cypherstream:Seeing that those are VIP models, AT&T U-Verse and CenturyLink Prism would get those. Oh OK, yes, IPTV. But then, Comcast is moving toward IPTV with their X1 platform, "Xfinity on Campus," etc. products/services. said by telcodad:Hopefully the IPTV design group spills over some of that talent to the Cable Broadband group. Yes, maybe there will be a follow-up press release on upcoming ARRIS HEVC 4K cable boxes soon, then. |
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These boxes may be powered by the new Marvell chip just announced. » www.cnet.com/news/marvel ··· hd-chip/quote: The new Armada 1500 Pro 4K is the chipmaker's first in the line to enable ultra HD, also known as 4K, which offers a substantially higher-resolution picture than full HD.
The Pro 4K also improves the security functions of the Armada line, something cable providers will want as they try to protect their 4K content from piracy. And the chip will be able to decode video using HEVC, or high efficiency video coding, which should make better use of bandwidth when piping a video signal.
Production of the Pro 4K already started and Shah said Marvell is working with service providers -- he declined to say who -- that are launching new set-top boxes this year.
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said by SpHeRe31459:These boxes may be powered by the new Marvell chip just announced.
»www.cnet.com/news/marvel ··· hd-chip/ quote: ... Production of the Pro 4K already started and Shah said Marvell is working with service providers -- he declined to say who -- that are launching new set-top boxes this year.
ARRIS has used Broadcom chipsets in their STBs, so they could also be using Broadcom's BCM7445 UltraHD/HEVC video decoder chip: » www.broadcom.com/press/r ··· =s732069 and » www.broadcom.com/product ··· /BCM7445In fact, that chipset may have been in a (prototype?) ARRIS STB used by Comcast for demonstrating 4K: From: ARRIS Makes the Case for 4K with New STBs - Predicts First Shipments Early Next YearThe Online Reporter - March 28, 2014 » www.onlinereporter.com/2 ··· ew-stbs/quote: At The Cable Show last year [2013], Comcast had a 4K demo that used an ARRIS box. We assume the new 4K-capable ARRIS box will support HDMI 2.0 and HEVC. ARRIS has already said it is working on a range of devices with HEVC built in. Cheevers didnt say who the chipmaker is, but its probably Broadcoms 4Kp60 BCM7445 chip, which was also part of the Comcast 4K demo.
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Yeah Broadcom is the defacto standard in cable set-tops. Marvell is trying to crack their way in. They're widely used in streaming boxes though. |
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Broadcom also just announced that they will be supplying HEVC/4K chipsets to TiVo for their upcoming line of 4K Ultra-HD set-top boxes: TiVo Inches Toward Ultra HD Broadcom Chips In For TiVos Coming 4K-Capable DevicesBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - September 11, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· d/383741EDIT: The Broadcom press release: » www.broadcom.com/press/r ··· =s870350 |
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ActiveVideo has announced that it's an RDK licensee now and will provide a cloud-based browser for HTML5-based interactive TV content and applications on RDK-compliant devices: ActiveVideo Joins RDK Community: Brings Browser in the Cloud to RDK DevicesProvides cloud-based interactive TV user experiences, content and applicationsActiveVideo Press Release, PR Newswire - September 11, 2014 » www.businesswire.com/new ··· er-CloudEDIT: An article on the MCN site about this now: RDK To Cling To The Cloud ActiveVideo Linkage Could Bridge Gap For MSO-Backed STB PlatformBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - September 12, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· d/383783 |
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telcodad |
In response to TiVos request for a waiver or a clarification of rules to develop a non-CableCARD security platform » Comcast, TiVo Working On Non-CableCARD Approach, Verizon is urging the FCC to now waive all technology mandates for MSO/MVPD set-tops: Verizon To FCC: Abolish Set-Top Rules Telco Makes Pitch In Response To TiVo PetitionBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - October 10, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· s/384634quote: Verizon Communications is taking advantage of a petition by TiVo to urge the Federal Communications Commission to seize this opportunity to waive all technology mandates tied to set-tops and other navigation devices that are distributed by multichannel programming distributors (MVPDs).
Verizons comments are in response to TiVos request for a waiver or a clarification on rules that it use a standardized home networking interface on products supplied wholesale to pay-TV providers. ...
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GTFan join:2004-12-03 Austell, GA |
GTFan
Member
2014-Oct-13 1:33 pm
Yeah, that'll go real far - 'use our boxes, that's all anyone needs'.
Want some of what they're smoking. |
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to SpHeRe31459
Re: [STB] Cisco thinking of getting out of the set-top box businsaid by telcodad:said by telcodad:Continuing from a previous thread about the possibility of being able to purchase cable boxes (older, refurbished ones) in the U.S. »Re: [HD] HD costs extra? , is this news item today on the B&C site:
FCC Grants Adams Waiver For Refurbished Boxes Is confined to 50,000 Boxes in inventory By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - July 26, 2013 »www.broadcastingcable.co ··· oxes.php quote: The FCC late Friday granted a waiver to Adams Cable Equipment (ACE) to sell refurbished integrated set-top boxes both to consumers and to cable operators, which the FCC banned several years ago in an effort to create a retail market for set-tops. :
An update on this on the MCN site today: ACE Waiver Yields Retail Sale Of 202 Set-Tops Supplier Also Has Sold 850 Refurbished STBs At WholesaleBy Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - July 8, 2014 » www.multichannel.com/new ··· s/375754 said by SpHeRe31459:No surprise they're pretty darn old, nothing I'd want to touch this day and age. quote: ...currently lists the standard-definition only Motorola DCT-2000 model (pictured above) for $29; the DCT-6200 HD box for $39; the digital-only/SD DCT-700 model for $89; and two HD/DVRs (the DCT-6412 and DCT-6416) with integrated security for $89 and $199, respectively.
The author of that Forbes article/analysis that was the subject of this DSLR news item » Modem Rental Fees Alone Net Comcast $300 Million Per Quarter has this follow-up one, in which he says that cable subscribers can purchase their own cable box: How To Cut $1000 Out Of Your Comcast and AT&T BillsBy Ken Kam, Forbes - October 17, 2014 » www.forbes.com/sites/ken ··· t-bills/quote: ... The rest of the $1000 in savings comes from buying your own cable TV set top boxes. Comcast charges $120 per year for each and every set top box in your home. I did not think it was possible for people to buy their own set top box so I left this out of my previous article. But another Forbes reader showed me a website where you can buy a Comcast HD capable set top box for $145 (»www.hddvrtv.com/).
It turns out that many of my aunts and uncles rent 3 set top boxes one in the living room, one in the bedroom, and one in a guest room costing them $360 a year. This is where the rest of the $1000 in savings comes from. The main tradeoff seems to be that these set-top boxes cannot order movies on demand like the ones Comcast supplies.
Comcast has 22.5 million video customers so if the average customer rents 3 set-top boxes this would generate $2.0 billion of revenue per quarter! Figure they have to pay for the set-top boxes and perhaps as much as $1.0 billion falls to the bottom line. Add this to the $275 million to $300 million per quarter we estimated in a previous article (»www.forbes.com/sites/ken ··· lympics/) the cable modem rental business was contributing to their bottom line and we get can estimate that about $1.3 billion of Comcast's net income each quarter comes from renting equipment.
I know that you can rent CableCARDs for TiVos, a Samsung GX-SM530CF box, and other such 3rd party devices, but besides Adams Cable Equipment, can another company legitimately sell actual cable company STBs/DVRs in the U.S, and then have Comcast authorize them? See: » To buy a HDTV STB, or Lease it from Comcast?» DCX3400 box for sale on craigslistSo my question is, is this company/site actually legit? » www.hddvrtv.com/#!home/mainPage(The same company is also operating this site: » www.hddvrs.com/ ) EDIT: OK, the FCC waiver granted to Adams Cable Equipment is for selling refurbished set-top boxes with integrated security (i.e., they do not use a separate CableCARD). So the ones that hddvrtv.com are selling have CableCARD slots and that's OK? |
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GTFan join:2004-12-03 Austell, GA |
GTFan
Member
2014-Oct-20 7:57 am
Anything that uses cards would be ok because all you're doing is pairing the card with Comcast just like you would with a Tivo or PC tuner.
The interesting question is whether you could provision non-Cablecard tuners bought from this site. And that site is very poorly done and looks amateurish. |
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said by GTFan:Anything that uses cards would be ok because all you're doing is pairing the card with Comcast just like you would with a Tivo or PC tuner. OK, thanks, so I guess as long as the MAC/SN doesn't show up as unreturned/stolen in Comcast's database, they should (grudgingly) authorize them then. said by GTFan:The interesting question is whether you could provision non-Cablecard tuners bought from this site. And that site is very poorly done and looks amateurish. Yeah, wasn't sure it was legit. As far as selling any (non-DTA) integrated security boxes, they would need a waiver from the FCC, like ACE. |
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telcodad |
Re: [STB] Buying Your Own Comcast Set-Top Box  A follow-up article today with actual user experiences with purchasing their own cable boxes from hddvrtv.com: Yes, You Can Buy Your Own Comcast Set-Top BoxBy Ken Kam, Forbes - February 24, 2015 » www.forbes.com/sites/ken ··· top-box/quote: Two words of caution about the equipment:
1) It is old (I got the Motorola DCH6416), and I am not sure how long the hard drive will last (I assume it has been in use for years already). BTW dont even try to activate the CableCARD that comes with the box. Just get new ones from Comcast.
2) These cable boxes do not support on-demand (for that you need two-way communication, and as far as know only Tivo supports that). So I ended keeping one of the HD-DVR boxes I got from Comcast, just so I can access the on-demand shows.
  Users reported problems with getting both defective boxes from hddvrtv.com and defective CableCARDs from Comcast (along with problems getting even the good ones enabled and activated), which made troubleshooting any problems frustrating many times. |
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Obviously this Ken guy didn't do all his homework BEFORE he started out on this journey... 1) It is old (I got the Motorola DCH6416) Uh, then why DID he get the oldest one they had...instead of a (much) newer DCX3400, which is clearly offered right on the home page...my guess would be because he wanted to go as cheap as possible; well, sometimes you get what you pay for... 2) These cable boxes do not support on-demand (for that you need two-way communication, and as far as know only Tivo supports that) Since these are exactly the same as cable co boxes, why would they NOT get it??? NOW, all this being said...I'm don't see how this IS actually a good deal (to buy these things upfront) particularly the DVR's. Aside that I'm SURE CC would make it as EXTREMELY difficult as possible to successfully activate (particularly with the CC this co provides with the boxes themselves) CC is still most likely going to charge you the full BS outlet fee...which means you'll only get a measly $2.50 "your own equip" credit. And although Comcast is charging $1.5 per card, they give a credit for $2.5 per piece of user-supplied equipment. Not bad. I've NEVER heard or seen anyone get a CableCard from CC for THAT cheap a monthly rate; something doesn't sound right here. On top of that, since CC CAN & does shut off the DVR functions, I'd be willing to bet that even if you do get the DVR box activated, the DVR function itself will NOT activate, unless you (also) pony-up the BS $10 "DVR service fee" as well...since Comcast considers it a "service"...like HD service. (although this guy's article claims his DVR's is working w/out added charges...so I guess it's YMMV...) So if ALL you're going to save is the $2.50/month, I don't see it being a good deal to buy these things...however, if anyone CAN actually get it fully activated for the prices he claims, then it'd be worth a shot. |
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your moderator at work
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rcilink Premium Member join:2003-12-15 Manchester, NH |
to dishrich
Re: [STB] Buying Your Own Comcast Set-Top BoxYes, you can buy the Motorola cable boxes (if you can find a legit authorized refurbisher for Motorola cable equipment). I have done this.
A couple of things to keep in mind.
1. If you buy any Cable box that takes a CableCARD and intend on getting just the CableCARD and pairing it to the box, you will get slightly different results compared to getting the box properly setup. Comcast will give you a CableCARD that is configured to be "one-way" and not all codes are in the system to let you take advantage of some features of the box using this card. They also charge you the card rental fee.
2. Earlier in this thread, someone mentioned the integrated security (older) boxes. These are an interesting area. Comcast can't buy these to deploy, but there is no rule that says you can't buy and use. If you succeed in using one of these, you may luck out. There is no 'rental' charge as there is no CableCARD. You most likely will get two-way services (OnDemand, etc.) that the box offers. They may decide to add the 'outlet fee' but they should give you a lifetime service credit to discount or remove the outlet fee. This is because the box rental cost is bundled into the outlet fee.
So, is it worth buying cable settop boxes? I think it is. You need to understand another secret to success... If you decide to purchase a HD box but do not have HD services currently, the box will not pick up the HD services (they will be there but be blocked, saying you do not subscribe to them). This is because the billing codes for the HD service are not already on your account. I have found that since the recent Comcast internal changes with who has access to make certain changes, it is nearly impossible to get the billing codes changed unless you agree to bring in a rented HD box.
The most time-consuming part of being a settop owner is getting it added to the Comcast inventory. They have a group that can do the job, but they are not visible from outside the company. I have had an average of 1-2 months to get a box into inventory.
Once in inventory, they can add it to your account for you and setup the proper credits to cover the rental credit.
One last warning.. don't just buy a box on eBay and expect it to work. They will check the serial number and deny it if it comes up as one of their own or another cable company box. That is why it is important to only buy from companies that are really "authorized Motorola refurbishers" for cable settop boxes. (you should ask that and make sure that is the case before buying...)
Good luck! |
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Have you actually bought a DVR box & successfully got the DVR service to work on it, WITHOUT paying the $10 DVR service fee??? |
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to rcilink
said by rcilink:Yes, you can buy the Motorola cable boxes (if you can find a legit authorized refurbisher for Motorola cable equipment). I have done this. : One last warning.. don't just buy a box on eBay and expect it to work. They will check the serial number and deny it if it comes up as one of their own or another cable company box. That is why it is important to only buy from companies that are really "authorized Motorola refurbishers" for cable settop boxes. (you should ask that and make sure that is the case before buying...) Thanks for that info/tips. So do you know if the hddvrtv.com/hddvrs.com company/site is one of those legit "authorized Motorola refurbishers?" |
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rcilink Premium Member join:2003-12-15 Manchester, NH |
to dishrich
Is the $10 DVR service fee per box or per account? If per account (like the HD Tech Fee), you may luck out and find it works. If per box, don't expect it to work.
No, I do not have a Motorola DVR box with Comcast (rented or purchased). |
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GTFan join:2004-12-03 Austell, GA |
GTFan
Member
2015-Feb-26 11:41 am
It boggles the mind why anyone would pay the money they want to get these old craptacular Moto DVRs when you can buy a far superior used Tivo Premiere w/lifetime sub for $250-300 AND get Xfinity VOD. » www.ebay.com/sch/i.html? ··· &_sop=13 |
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rcilink Premium Member join:2003-12-15 Manchester, NH |
to telcodad
I have not had experience with the hddvrtv.com company. It may be a good question to ask them if they are a "motorola authorized refurbisher".
I think their pricing is a little high. If i recall, they claim to have quick activation help to get your box up and running. I sent them an email a while ago to ask about the CableCARD and the billing codes they are having Comcast put on the cards. If we knew that, anyone can get the same thing done by obtaining a modern CableCARD box and just picking-up the card from Comcast. Then have them put the correct codes on the card so the two-way features work.
I don't mean to make this sound easy. Recent changes within Comcast have made things nearly impossible. The employees are limited on what access they now have to these codes and what can be changed. Maybe that is why they are changing customer names... cuz they can't change anything else?
My suggestion, keep looking. There are refurbished boxes from authorized Motorola refurbishers that are much cheaper than the site you mentioned. (let's say less than $50 per box). |
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to rcilink
said by rcilink:Is the $10 DVR service fee per box or per account? It's per box...so I would tend to agree w/you on this. Hence my point about these boxes NOT being a "good deal" at all, particularly the DVR's. said by GTFan:It boggles the mind why anyone would pay the money they want to get these old craptacular Moto DVRs when you can buy a far superior used Tivo Premiere w/lifetime sub for $250-300 AND get Xfinity VOD. totally agree! |
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