| reply to telcodad
Re: [DTA] What DTAs is Comcast acquiring that are brand new Comcast told me that the HD Technology Fee was mandatory if a customer rented a DVR since they said there aren't any non HD DVR's anymore, that if a customer wants to get rid of that fee they have to give up the DVR itself. |
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Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| reply to IowaCowboy
I have to wonder how these devices will display the EAS alerts. Will they show a banner across the top of the screen along with sometimes force tuning to the designated EAS channel (QVC) like the set top boxes do, or will they just force tune to the designated EAS channel (QVC) like the current DTA's do?  |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | reply to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf:Comcast told me that the HD Technology Fee was mandatory if a customer rented a DVR since they said there aren't any non HD DVR's anymore, that if a customer wants to get rid of that fee they have to give up the DVR itself. This shouldn't be necessary, if it's even true. They can enable/disable the HD channels on the map sent to the box. It's most likely a CR trying to force a higher profit margin on people. |
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 telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2 | reply to gate1975mlm
said by gate1975mlm:When is this new HD DTA going to be available in the Philadelphia Area?
Well, according to that recent CED Magazine article (»www.cedmagazine.com/news/2012/08···loyments ):
"... with plans to have them more broadly deployed in customers’ homes later this year." but “We haven’t actually announced the date when paying subscribers will start getting HD DTAs."
From a post back in April by Comcast insider "J Jefferson3" (»Re: [DTA] Motorola's High Definition Digital Transport Adapter) it sounded like Comcast is waiting for the FCC to lift the prohibition on encrypting the Limited Basic tier of digital channels (which appears to be imminent: »www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···_Ban.php) before releasing the HD-DTAs. In that post he also said "This decision only affects [the] Freedom Region because they were to be the first markets for the HD-DTAs" so it seems our area may be the first to see them.
said by gate1975mlm:And will I be able to trade in my 2 old free DTA's for the HD ones? And will they still be free?
What Comcast's policy will be on this is not clear yet, but I think if you try to trade in older SD-DTAs for the new HD ones, they will probably lose their grandfathered "first 2 DTAs are free" status.
As for the cost, I think the HD-DTAs may still be priced at $1.99/mo., as I think they are supposed to be the only DTAs that will then be provided and also as a concession to the FCC for lifting the basic tier encryption ban. |
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| reply to andyross
"Even if it's true" ? What are you implying? Just saying what I was told. However I can't imagine anyone in their right mind wanting to get rid of HD channels. |
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| reply to andyross
said by andyross:said by Mike Wolf:Comcast told me that the HD Technology Fee was mandatory if a customer rented a DVR since they said there aren't any non HD DVR's anymore, that if a customer wants to get rid of that fee they have to give up the DVR itself. This shouldn't be necessary, if it's even true. They can enable/disable the HD channels on the map sent to the box. It's most likely a CR trying to force a higher profit margin on people. This is not the first time they pulled crap like that.
At least they don't make you rent full box to get only analog stuff and sports overflows of channels on the DTA. |
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| reply to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf: However I can't imagine anyone in their right mind wanting to get rid of HD channels. If you specifically have to pay EXTRA (monthly) for them - hell YES I CAN imagine this! Sorry to tell you this, but there ARE still many subs that cannot tell (&/or don't care, for the extra $$$) the difference between SD & HD. I know that is hard for people like us to believe, but this IS the reality...  |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | But, there are also some HD-only channels Comcast carries. Velocity, MGM, Palladia, Universal, and probably more I forget. |
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| reply to dishrich
Thought they faded out with the dial up modem Only a matter of time I guess. |
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telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2 | reply to telcodad
An excellent article on DTAs on the CED Magazine site today:
CPE: Digital transport adapters expand their horizons
DTAs’ role in the cable operator environment becomes more prominent
By Mike Robuck, CED Magazine - September 28, 2012
»www.cedmagazine.com/articles/201···horizons |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | reply to IowaCowboy
I noticed my DCM101 got a firmware update a few days ago.
The only obvious normal user change is that an HD channel that is programmed into it for some reason no longer works. It used to work fine, but displayed a chopped 4:3 picture. Now, it has about 1/2sec of audio, then nothing. No video.
In the diagnostics, there is a second page to the Tuner Status that just lists a history of the frequencies tuned. Weird. |
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 owlynPremium,MVM
join:2004-06-05
Newtown, PA | reply to rody_44
That was probably a mistake. They are grandfathered in. |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | reply to andyross
Did notice another change from that firmware update. It appears to now support 4-digit channels. Typing 3 digits would then instantly tune it in. Now it pauses unless you hit ENTER, or you put 0's in front.
Useless here as there are no 4-digit channels. Even in areas with them, are any of them SD, or are they only HD? |
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telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2 | reply to telcodad
From an article today on the Light Reading Cable site about Humax targeting some new products for Comcast (»www.lightreading.com/document.as···lr_cable ):
But rather than targeting Comcast's business for video gateways, Humax appears to be focused on the lower end of the market, placing early efforts on IP-only HD client boxes and a new line of QAM-based HD Digital Terminal Adapter (DTA) devices. (See Comcast HD-DTAs Reach the FCC: »www.lightreading.com/document.as···lr_cable) |
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| reply to andyross
compatibility???
The Full SD boxes can see the HD channels but can't tune them. |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | Back before Comcast started setting HD as a separate code, my parents ancient SD boxes could receive the HD channels. It did tune them in and had audio, but no video. These were ancient DCT-2xxx's. I think newer ones may be able to tune them in and downconvert, if they are in the allowed channel mapping. |
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telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2 | The reason why Thomson/Technicolor SD DTAs can tune to and downconvert an HD channel and output it at SD is because they use a Broadcom BCM3545 chipset. In this article on it »www.lightreading.com/document.as···d=161812 it says:
Broadcom's new [BCM3545] DTA chipset is based on the BCM3543 chip that's being used in some terrestrial, over-the-air [DTV] converter boxes.
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We took that [BCM3543 chip] at the core and basically cable-ized it... From a product brief I found on the BCM3543 chip, it states:
On-chip support to convert all inputs (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i) to standard definition analog output 480i format. |
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| reply to andyross
I remember on of the SD boxes being able to view info channel HD when it was in the 480i looping help video mode. But what happens to the bandwidth it needs for HD. when it's is in 480i mode? |
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andyrossPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL | That bandwidth may be more or less fixed. It's a local channel, not national, so it could be anything. It may somewhat depend on what else is using that same frequency. |
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telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2 | reply to telcodad
From:
Cable-Tec Expo: Evolution Digital Screws In Wall-Plate DTA
Digital-to-Analog Device Aimed a Multidwelling Units
By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News - October 19, 2012
»www.multichannel.com/cable-opera···a/139894
Evolution Digital said operators including Comcast are planning to deploy its HD wall-plate digital terminal adapter ...
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Comcast will deploy the Liberty devices in 2013, according to Smith. Comcast spokeswoman Jenni Moyer declined to confirm its rollout of the wall-plate DTAs. |
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