1 edit | [CATV] All-digital conversion coming to the Carolinas Charter's systems in Hickory, NC and elsewhere in the western Carolinas apparently will be converting to 100% digital operation in the near future, as evidenced by the above slide that has shown up on one of the unused clear QAM channels (virtual channel 46-4 in Hickory). |
|
| Wonder when this will occur in Michigan.... |
|
 meskinctMad Scientist at WorkPremium
join:2002-01-07
Southbury, CT
 ·Charter
·Comcast
| reply to blackcap95
»www.multichannel.com/index.php?q···a/145240
--
Rich. My Website |
|
|
|
| reply to redwings1914
It is happening in Saginaw MI on September 17th. |
|
DA
join:2002-04-13
Greenville, SC | reply to blackcap95
I don't see that in SC, while I understand their need to do all digital it is quite a pain for me since I have no interest in a box for my office... |
|
| reply to blackcap95
I got that notice last year. I live in Asheville. According to the one I received, (mail), I had to get digital boxes by October 16, 2012. Went to the local Charter office, brought the boxes and plugged them in.
--
|
|
bozzy
join:2009-08-25
Simpsonville, SC | said by robewhitener:I got that notice last year. I live in Asheville. According to the one I received, (mail), I had to get digital boxes by October 16, 2012. Went to the local Charter office, brought the boxes and plugged them in.
Asheville was not all digital last year. They will be next month however. |
|
fubdap
join:2010-11-05
Lakeville, MN | Anyone know the maximum boxes per family and do you have to pay? |
|
mworks
join:2006-06-13
Faison, NC | reply to blackcap95
Notice they say no additional cost to get one and install it , left out how much rental cost will be. |
|
mworks
join:2006-06-13
Faison, NC | reply to DA
Most people would happily use their tv internal tuner .
Providers see all digital as a way to make sure everyone pays for service. Don't let them fool you with 'digital frees space for more channels ' , it isn't about what you get, but what they want. |
|
baja7475
join:2009-06-16
Atascadero, CA
kudos:1 | reply to blackcap95
Most areas, you can get a free standard digital box for a year. 5$ a month after that. I have no problem paying 5 dollars extra for 70 more HD channels and numerous extra SD digital channels in most areas. |
|
 BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | reply to mworks
said by mworks:Most people would happily use their tv internal tuner .
Providers see all digital as a way to make sure everyone pays for service. Don't let them fool you with 'digital frees space for more channels ' , it isn't about what you get, but what they want.
It does free space. An analog channel takes up 6 MHz. You can fit at least 2 HD channels and up to 10 SD digital channels in that same space. Most cable systems don't even have 800 MHz available. If you had say 70 analog channels that 420 MHz. how do you have dozens of HD channels and PPV and OnDemand and high speed internet with 400 MHz left? Some systems have less than that.
Also its' easier for maintenance. Should reduce service calls. Also will help diagnose issues faster so they can be fixed faster. Also reduces theft. If you neighbors steal cable I hope you know you're paying for that.
Also everyone already has a box. If one is the type of person that doesn't have a box because they can't afford the $5 maybe Tv shouldn't be a priority. Also many people that just want basic tv could use a antenna anyway. Not all I know, so don't bring that up. The fact is the number of people actually "affected" by this is minimal. |
|
DA
join:2002-04-13
Greenville, SC | said by BF69:It does free space. An analog channel takes up 6 MHz. You can fit at least 2 HD channels and up to 10 SD digital channels in that same space. Most cable systems don't even have 800 MHz available. If you had say 70 analog channels that 420 MHz. how do you have dozens of HD channels and PPV and OnDemand and high speed internet with 400 MHz left? Some systems have less than that.
Also its' easier for maintenance. Should reduce service calls. Also will help diagnose issues faster so they can be fixed faster. Also reduces theft. If you neighbors steal cable I hope you know you're paying for that.
Also everyone already has a box. If one is the type of person that doesn't have a box because they can't afford the $5 maybe Tv shouldn't be a priority. Also many people that just want basic tv could use a antenna anyway. Not all I know, so don't bring that up. The fact is the number of people actually "affected" by this is minimal.
In my experience there are a lot of people who use cable TV without a box. I have two TV's in my home without cable boxes. My mother has two of her TV's in her home without a box, my neighbor only has one TV out of 3 with a box etc...
I do not dispute that all digital saves spectrum for Charter and it benefits them but it will be painful for many people who are happy with Analog cable on secondary TV's.
For me I now need to determine if it is cheaper to buy a new TiVo so I can do multi-room with that versus paying for a box.. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | said by DA:In my experience there are a lot of people who use cable TV without a box. I'm not using antidotal evidence I'm using Charter's actual numbers. Less than 5% do not use some kind of digital box. |
|
baja7475
join:2009-06-16
Atascadero, CA
kudos:1 | reply to DA
DA Said "For me I now need to determine if it is cheaper to buy a new TiVo so I can do multi-room with that versus paying for a box.."
You can get a free box for at least a year depending where you live. |
|
DA
join:2002-04-13
Greenville, SC | reply to BF69
said by BF69:said by DA:In my experience there are a lot of people who use cable TV without a box. I'm not using antidotal evidence I'm using Charter's actual numbers. Less than 5% do not use some kind of digital box. The numbers I saw quoted were the number of people who subscribe solely to analog service which is understandably low. I am not sure if Charter has any way of counting people who like me have 2 TV's with digital connections and the rest using just analog. In every example I gave those individuals subscribe to digital service but also use analog service so to Charter would not know that they are analog customers. |
|
bozzy
join:2009-08-25
Simpsonville, SC | said by DA:said by BF69:said by DA:In my experience there are a lot of people who use cable TV without a box. I'm not using antidotal evidence I'm using Charter's actual numbers. Less than 5% do not use some kind of digital box. The numbers I saw quoted were the number of people who subscribe solely to analog service which is understandably low. I am not sure if Charter has any way of counting people who like me have 2 TV's with digital connections and the rest using just analog. In every example I gave those individuals subscribe to digital service but also use analog service so to Charter would not know that they are analog customers. This is not the first market Charter has went all-digital with (I know Fort Worth did earlier). So clearly they know how it will work out. At the end of the day, all of the cable companies are going all-digital in the next year or two. |
|
DA
join:2002-04-13
Greenville, SC | said by bozzy:This is not the first market Charter has went all-digital with (I know Fort Worth did earlier). So clearly they know how it will work out. At the end of the day, all of the cable companies are going all-digital in the next year or two.
Correct and in the end I am not bothered by it, I just hate that it will cost me a bit more to either buy a TiVo or rent a box from them. It would be less of a hassle if Cable Cards had taken off but that is a different subject. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness
1 recommendation | reply to bozzy
said by bozzy:This is not the first market Charter has went all-digital with (I know Fort Worth did earlier). So clearly they know how it will work out. At the end of the day, all of the cable companies are going all-digital in the next year or two.
What's ironic is that satellite has required a box for every TV for years. U-Verse and FiOS require one. Cable does it and people think they are the devil. |
|
DA
join:2002-04-13
Greenville, SC |
said by BF69:What's ironic is that satellite has required a box for every TV for years. U-Verse and FiOS require one. Cable does it and people think they are the devil. I just read through this thread again and the entire thing seemed civil with nobody accusing Charter of being anything close to the Devil (Not even a minor imp!).
We can all disagree about something with reasonable terms and not demonize one side. |
|
| I live in Crescent City, CA and have just one digital TV. I also have a Mac with the Elgato EyeTV setup. With this I can record unscrambled TV ovv the cable. I can also just use my Mac to stream video from the net.
Why do I want something which makes watching and recording TV more difficult and cumbersome. There's not much I even watch on PBS.
When I get to it, I'll try an antennae -- night work and easily pay for itself. Especially if I also must pay a box rental. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | reply to DA
said by DA:said by BF69:What's ironic is that satellite has required a box for every TV for years. U-Verse and FiOS require one. Cable does it and people think they are the devil. I just read through this thread again and the entire thing seemed civil with nobody accusing Charter of being anything close to the Devil (Not even a minor imp!). We can all disagree about something with reasonable terms and not demonize one side. I wasn't referring to this thread in general but when Comcast became the first major cable company to go all digital and when Charter announced it was going to do so too there were plenty of people that complained about how greedy they were and how "unfair" that was. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | reply to NorCal John
said by NorCal John:Why do I want something which makes watching and recording TV more difficult and cumbersome. There's not much I even watch on PBS.
Why should Charter not upgrade it's system just to satisfy people that don't want a box? |
|
mdavej
join:2004-06-09
Greenville, SC | reply to blackcap95
Someone brought up this question in another forum. Will these new all digital service areas still require a tuning adapter, or can it be removed? |
|
mworks
join:2006-06-13
Faison, NC | reply to BF69
said by BF69:It does free space. The decision was not made because of need for more channel space, it is all about revenue. What media companies like to do is impose false limits on technology to make changes in service seem justified. Cable does this by having 100PPV channels and claiming they need more when half of what they already have are not watched. The same way cell providers claim they need more spectrum when they refuse to implement better solutions because it will cost them more even if it would be better for consumers.
Charter and other telecom companies now make a large percentage of profits from user data. The ability to note what a customer is watching and when is a valuable product that is packaged and sold to media producers. The ability to guarantee legal users is also good to tell to board members.
I don't watch cable tv or satellite , 100 channels of nothing to watch. What I do care about is all the senior citizens whose homes will lose service requiring them to add a box to their tv and costing them more in the future. These people are already frustrated by lack of tv caused by the DTV switch so they had to get cable and now have to get a box to watch that. Most live places you cannot use outdoor antennas and DTV is all or nothing so they don't even get snowy reception which was watchable before.
Don't comment on the number of people "affected" unless you are the one asked to help seniors several times a week when one shows at your door asking if you can help them get tv channels, they don't understand why they suddenly can't , or spend time explaining to them that they have a new remote to learn. You might laugh at things like a new remote but when you can't see well a new remote can be a major frustration to many seniors. I can't say how many times I have gone to a home just to put the remote in TV mode so they can change channels. How will this change benefit them ? Cheaper service ? No Easier to use ? No
Change is great when you are the one that benefits. |
|
mworks
join:2006-06-13
Faison, NC | reply to BF69
said by BF69:Why should Charter not upgrade it's system just to satisfy people that don't want a box? They are not doing it to satisfy anyone but the company itself. Show me one person without a box now that is saying "I would really like a box added to my tv, even if it cost me more" .They have paying customers right now, why not squeeze them some more, it isn't like someone else can provide the same service , it is a monopoly in most places.
This is the industry that once charged PER ROOM and was the real reason they required a box in the past. They fought against cable tuners in tv for years because of fear of lost revenue from the rental fees . The only acceptable method that would be fair to all consumers is free box for life. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness
1 recommendation | said by mworks:They are not doing it to satisfy anyone but the company itself. and...............?
Show me one person without a box now that is saying "I would really like a box added to my tv, even if it cost me more"
This is the industry that once charged PER ROOM and was the real reason they required a box in the past. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | reply to mworks
said by mworks:The decision was not made because of need for more channel space, it is all about revenue. They need more HD and more OnDemand and more PPV to compete with satellite and telco or they will LOSE customers and thus LOSE revenue. So yes expanding these options does require more channel space.
Change is great when you are the one that benefits.
|
|
rd1144
join:2009-02-26
Denver, NC | reply to BF69
said by BF69:said by mworks:Most people would happily use their tv internal tuner .
Providers see all digital as a way to make sure everyone pays for service. Don't let them fool you with 'digital frees space for more channels ' , it isn't about what you get, but what they want.
It does free space. An analog channel takes up 6 MHz. You can fit at least 2 HD channels and up to 10 SD digital channels in that same space. Most cable systems don't even have 800 MHz available. If you had say 70 analog channels that 420 MHz. how do you have dozens of HD channels and PPV and OnDemand and high speed internet with 400 MHz left? Some systems have less than that. Also its' easier for maintenance. Should reduce service calls. Also will help diagnose issues faster so they can be fixed faster. Also reduces theft. If you neighbors steal cable I hope you know you're paying for that. Also everyone already has a box. If one is the type of person that doesn't have a box because they can't afford the $5 maybe Tv shouldn't be a priority. Also many people that just want basic tv could use a antenna anyway. Not all I know, so don't bring that up. The fact is the number of people actually "affected" by this is minimal. So why cant charter and other cable companies just convert all the channels to digital and broadcast the existing analog channels in clear qam (unencrypted) for standard definition? That way people who dont use a box now or those who dont want a box can continue to get the same channels they were getting just now everyone needs to have a digital tv.
While I still have an analog tv in my garage, as a customer I would rather have to buy a digital tv then rent a box for every tv, especially my kitchen tv where it would look ridiculous to have box on the counter with a hdmi cable going to my wall mounted 19" hdtv.
fyi my setup is cablecard with hdhomerun prime and xboxes as extenders for living room and bedroom tvs. My kitchen and garage tvs are directly connected to analog. |
|
BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness | said by rd1144:So why cant charter and other cable companies just convert all the channels to digital and broadcast the existing analog channels in clear qam (unencrypted) for standard definition? analog is NTSC and digital is QAM you can't broadcast analog on QAM. If you mean continue to make broadcast clear QAM then what's the point? If you want anything other than the broadcast networks you would still need a box. And if you only want broadcast most people can use an antenna. |
|
