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Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X
TP-Link Archer C7

1 edit

Suit Up to motorola870

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to motorola870

Re: [TWC] Free Standard Definition box offer, questions

LMN? Is that Lifetime Movie Network? If so, that's not in analog in my area (it's not even a basic channel, but the Variety tier). I'm in a former Adelphia/former TCI area.
said by motorola870:

I wonder if they are going to use the bandwith to add more DOCSIS downstreams or if they are going to add more SDV QAMs to be able to add a ton of HD channels?

The letter I got says, "Time Warner Cable is moving towards a higher quality, digital only experience to provide better picture and sound, more HD channels, and more robust internet speeds." So my guess is they're doing both.

Edit: I just thought of this, I'm wondering if they'll use a couple of the reclaimed channels to put TWC Sportsnet on when it launches in October. I wouldn't expect them to want to give Fox Sports an advantage by being on analog when TWC Sportsnet isn't.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

LMN? Is that Lifetime Movie Network? If so, that's not in analog in my area (it's not even a basic channel, but the Variety tier). I'm in a former Adelphia/former TCI area.

said by motorola870:

I wonder if they are going to use the bandwith to add more DOCSIS downstreams or if they are going to add more SDV QAMs to be able to add a ton of HD channels?

The letter I got says, "Time Warner Cable is moving towards a higher quality, digital only experience to provide better picture and sound, more HD channels, and more robust internet speeds." So my guess is they're doing both.

Edit: I just thought of this, I'm wondering if they'll use a couple of the reclaimed channels to put TWC Sportsnet on when it launches in October. I wouldn't expect them to want to give Fox Sports an advantage by being on analog when TWC Sportsnet isn't.

I want to say no they wont put those on analog if they are removing analogs it would not make sense to add more especially if they are going to be giving out free SD boxes to expanded and basic customers. Doing that would also put adding more HD channels and DOCSIS QAMs in limbo because they are going to need 4 right off the bat for DOCSIS 3.0. Also my division has a lot of channels still open that they reclaimed a long time ago these analog channels were reclaimed and the bandwidth is waiting to be used:

6 CSPAN 3
38 TXCN (Texas Cable News)
47 TruTV
50 Style moved to 150
61 ABC Family
63 CMT
73 Oxygen
95 Local Access
96 Local Access
97 Local Access

Hey suit up can you do me a favor and see what frequency channel 390 KWHY HD is on in Socal? By pressing the power button on the remote and hitting ok and going to d06 in the motorola diagnostics menu?

I am wonder where they stuffed MundoFOX HD in your area as they are low on bandwidth socal

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

Suit Up

Member

KWHY HD took over the LiveWell HD slot, it's at 627 MHz. Although be aware that all the QAMs moved around on the 14th. So LiveWell HD was only at 627 MHz for a day.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

KWHY HD took over the LiveWell HD slot, it's at 627 MHz. Although be aware that all the QAMs moved around on the 14th. So LiveWell HD was only at 627 MHz for a day.

what all did they move around?

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

Suit Up

Member

I'm not sure about all the copy-protected channels, but all the ClearQAMs moved (I have a couple ClearQAM tuners set up, which is how I know). If you look at the Silicon Dust channel lineup, nothing matches anymore.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

I'm not sure about all the copy-protected channels, but all the ClearQAMs moved (I have a couple ClearQAM tuners set up, which is how I know). If you look at the Silicon Dust channel lineup, nothing matches anymore.

hey could you IM me a list of the clear QAM channels so I can compare it to the silicondust lineup?

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

Suit Up

Member

Yeah, I can do that.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

Yeah, I can do that.

thanks!

By the way LA is due for a major HD launch heck those of us in Dallas are beating LA in HD count wise right now Dallas has the most HD channels out of any TWC system in the west region with 136 HD channels soon to be 137 HD channels not too long from now that KAZD got their HD channel going over the air and all TWC has to do is pick it up. They already have announced a channel number.

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

Suit Up

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Wow! Looks like we're about 30+ channels behind then.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

Wow! Looks like we're about 30+ channels behind then.

Suit Up here are the HD channels I have in North Texas that Socal is missing:

HBO2 HD
HBO Family HD
HBO Zone HD
HBO Latino HD
HBO Comedy HD
HBO Signature HD
MoreMAX HD
ThrillerMAX HD
ActionMAX HD
Showtime 2 HD
Showtime Next HD
Showtime Beyond HD
Showtime Extreme HD
Showtime Women HD
Showtime Showcase HD
Starz Edge HD
Starz Kids and Family HD
Hub HD
Fox Deportes HD
Sportsman Channel HD
Halogen HD
Oxygen HD
Ovation HD
Reelz Channel HD
DIY HD
Cooking Channel HD
Halogen HD
Bloomberg HD
OWN HD
National Geographic Wild HD
Big Ten Network HD
Tennis Channel HD
MavTV HD

I hope you guys get some of these soon!

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X
TP-Link Archer C7

Suit Up

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I hope they do. Especially Fox Deportes HD.

Back to the original topic, if you're one of those people that still have an old SD digital cable box (never upgraded to HD), would you be able to get one of these "free" ones and then return the old SD one that's been costing ~$12/month and still get all the channels, or will these only give you the equivalent of the analog channels?

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by Suit Up:

I hope they do. Especially Fox Deportes HD.

Back to the original topic, if you're one of those people that still have an old SD digital cable box (never upgraded to HD), would you be able to get one of these "free" ones and then return the old SD one that's been costing ~$12/month and still get all the channels, or will these only give you the equivalent of the analog channels?

probably just basic tier and expanded tier.

btB
@rr.com

btB to Suit Up

Anon

to Suit Up
said by Suit Up:

Back to the original topic, if you're one of those people that still have an old SD digital cable box (never upgraded to HD), would you be able to get one of these "free" ones and then return the old SD one that's been costing ~$12/month and still get all the channels, or will these only give you the equivalent of the analog channels?

As I said, the box being given out will get everything non-HD that is in your subscription package. Plus, you get a guide and on-demand which you do not get with a cablecard.

Not sure how they would handle returns as this promotion is probably meant for additional sets. Maybe wait awhile before you return the rental so it would be less noticeable to TW.

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

Premium Member

My belief is that this deal is for customers that do not already subscribe to digital cable. If you already have a box in the house and subscribe to a digital package you will continue to receive the channels moving out of the analog package on your set with a box.

I may be wrong...but I dont think I am.

Hob

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

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If it's only for people that don't subscribe to digital cable, why did the letter they sent me not specify that?

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

Premium Member

No Idea. I never sent you the letter!

Hob
mike_f
join:2007-01-10
Hawthorne, CA

mike_f to Suit Up

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to Suit Up
said by Suit Up:

If it's only for people that don't subscribe to digital cable, why did the letter they sent me not specify that?

When it comes to direct mail advertising, TWC has more money than sense. I get unbelieveable amounts of mail from them - wish they would cut back and take it off my bill.

At any rate, I think this is TWC's opportunity to 'recycle' both SD boxes and analog channel bandwidth. Several years ago HD and SD STB rental prices were consolidated (and continually raised, of course) which leads me to believe that TWC is buying mostly HD STBs (surprisingly smart for them).

It wouldn't surprise me if TWC started buying simpler Digital Terminal Adapter (DTA) type devices for hooking up older devices like VCRs. They usually have composite and RF (NTSC) outputs. See Pace DC50X for example:
»www.pace.com/universal/s ··· e-dc50x/
For $1 / month rental I don't see an alternative - TWC isn't into loss leaders.

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

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"leads me to believe that TWC is buying mostly HD STBs (surprisingly smart for them)."

I am not sure you can even buy SD boxes anymore.

Hob
mike_f
join:2007-01-10
Hawthorne, CA

1 edit

mike_f

Member

said by hobgoblin:

I am not sure you can even buy SD boxes anymore.
Hob

Well, Comcast still is and they are renting these Motorola POS for basic digital service:
»www.motorola.com/Video-S ··· esources
One minor point in TWC's favor.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

4 edits

dishrich to mike_f

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to mike_f
said by mike_f:

Well, Comcast still is and they are renting these Motorola POS for basic digital service:
»www.motorola.com/Video-S ··· esources

While CC is very much continuing to rent those they have existing in inventory, they are NOT actively buying new inventory of these as of now - which is exactly (probably) what TWC is doing. By virtue of this, they will continue to recycle these same (SD) boxes thru their sub base; they are NOT going to throw all those boxes away. For SD only subs, there is no reason why they can't continue to use those; there will ALWAYS be lots of subs that will NEVER get/need HD boxes. (this applies to ANY cable provider)

IOW, any new (non-DVR) full boxes they purchase now, are all HD capable. They DO, in fact, hand new HD boxes out to non-HD subs, but all the HD channels are disabled for non-HD subs. It all comes down as to what/how much stock they have at the time a sub walks in &/or a tech has on his truck. (unless you ARE an HD sub & specifically ask for an HD box)

(BTW, not sure why you think that DCH70 is a "POS" box - I had one here myself, before I upgraded service. While it does not have an S-video output &/or digital audio outs, it at least DOES have composite A/V outputs. And it SURE as hell beats relics like the DCT2xxx series boxes, that are dog SLOW - & that CC here CONTINUES to give out here sometimes, if you are (un)lucky enough! )

It wouldn't surprise me if TWC started buying simpler Digital Terminal Adapter (DTA) type devices for hooking up older devices like VCRs.

Well yea, they already announced this a year ago:

»stopthecap.com/2011/07/2 ··· systems/

They usually have composite and RF (NTSC) outputs. See Pace DC50X for example:
»www.pace.com/universal/s ··· e-dc50x/

Sorry to tell you, but most DTA's - including your example - do NOT have any composite outputs; it's RF out only.
The ONLY DTA I've seen so far that does, is one made by Evolution Digital; Massillon & Clear Picture Cable use these:

»www.massilloncabletv.com ··· ions.pdf

I don't even think Evolution makes that model any longer, as it doesn't seem to be on their website now:

»www.evolutionbb.com/cabl ··· 402.html

The HD-DTA's that are just now starting to come out, do have both HDMI & RF outputs, but (still) NO composite outputs, either.

btB
@rr.com

btB

Anon

The Motorola DCT2524 works & is free of monthly fees until Nov 2013. So even though it may not be the latest and greatest, I can't complain too much. Only minor gripes are that there is no aspect ratio setting & no way to easily backtrack one step when navigating through the menu system.

I checked my statement today and sure enough the monthly charge for the SD box is $0.00. Thought it might be possible that there would be some unmentioned charge like for the remote, but there was none.
PowerMac
join:2011-03-02
Anaheim, CA

PowerMac

Member

Is Motorola DCT2524 is similar to Motorola Tuning adapter? Both are the same design.

btB
@rr.com

btB

Anon


Motorola Tuning Adapter
 

Motorola DCT2524
 
Although these are not my actual devices, the pictures of the 2 do not look anything alike. As far as I know, there are no Motorola tuning adapters that look like the DCT2524.