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joejoejeo
join:2006-04-02
Bloomington, IN

joejoejeo to Spiderman865

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to Spiderman865

Re: [Content] So does Comcast ever add channels?

Why uverse has the same national channels everywere they offer uverse is because it was started in 2006 and contracts were for made nationally. With Comcast and other cable providers they have some contracts and such that date back to when cable was focused on local channels, but with updated contracts by the way, this hinders them in ways uverse does not have to deal with.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

also uverse systems are mostly the same. With cable each system has it's own bandwidth limits and other system to system stuff.
Os
join:2011-01-26
US

Os to joejoejeo

Member

to joejoejeo
While this is true with systems being different and having local deals (also deals with companies predating Comcast ownership), these issues can be fixed and lineups can be streamlined.

See what Charter is doing right now in areas that barely had anything, some areas hardly with digital. If Comcast wanted to make things more even throughout their footprint, they could.

wolf
@comcast.net

wolf

Anon

This month's bill (Eastern CT) included a note that starting in Jan both versions of G4 in HD & SD (Channels 1222 & 162) are being phased out, no mention of any HD (or even SD) adds. Not that I'm a big fan of G4 but we're going the wrong way here...
LoveHD
join:2011-07-31
Detroit, MI

LoveHD

Member

said by wolf :

This month's bill (Eastern CT) included a note that starting in Jan both versions of G4 in HD & SD (Channels 1222 & 162) are being phased out, no mention of any HD (or even SD) adds. Not that I'm a big fan of G4 but we're going the wrong way here...

I imagine that if I was running the department at Comcast, I would add beIN Sport HD, Fox Sports 2 HD, and TV Land HD to all systems. That these are three which are pretty urgent. I can be told that I'm wrong. But the thread topic indicates that different markets served by Comcast are not getting some pertinent programmers' high definition. So I went ahead and suggested those three.
LoveHD

LoveHD to joejoejeo

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to joejoejeo
said by joejoejeo:

Why uverse has the same national channels everywere they offer uverse is because it was started in 2006 and contracts were for made nationally. With Comcast and other cable providers they have some contracts and such that date back to when cable was focused on local channels, but with updated contracts by the way, this hinders them in ways uverse does not have to deal with.

Comcast has systems in about 40 states. That amounts to presence on average in four of every five states. I haven't kept track. But I'm guessing that all the Top 20 populous states have areas served by Comcast. So it probably would be good for Comcast to operate on a national scale for all national cable programmers carried. But that is up to Comcast to figure that out. I think it can do it if it chooses to.

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper to wolf

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to wolf
said by wolf :

This month's bill (Eastern CT) included a note that starting in Jan both versions of G4 in HD & SD (Channels 1222 & 162) are being phased out, no mention of any HD (or even SD) adds....

 
Same here in western CT
SpHeRe31459
Premium Member
join:2002-10-09
Sacramento, CA

SpHeRe31459

Premium Member

said by camper:

said by wolf :

This month's bill (Eastern CT) included a note that starting in Jan both versions of G4 in HD & SD (Channels 1222 & 162) are being phased out, no mention of any HD (or even SD) adds....

 
Same here in western CT

FYI: That's not new, G4 has been dead in the water for a year now, and has been planned to be taken offline entirely in the new year.
»[Content] G4 is NOT dead....

It's not just Comcast removing it from their lineup (which wouldn't make sense since they own it), they're killing the network entirely. It will be gone from all cable/sat providers in the new year.

nonamesleft
join:2011-11-07
Manitowoc, WI

nonamesleft to Acct101

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to Acct101
Ever since commiecast upgraded there systetm back in 2004/2005 I have been waiting for the boomerang channel, it is now almost the end of 2013, and its non existent on the commiecast system.
So the answer to your question is no! They just add channels no one wants!

Asom
@google.com

Asom

Anon

Which ones are they adding?

wolf
@valassis.com

wolf to SpHeRe31459

Anon

to SpHeRe31459
Right...The larger point is about CC removing HD's & not even replacing them with other/new ones, maybe HD versions of some of the remaining SD's. Never mind adding new/additional HD's to increase the total count to something closer to what other providers are offering.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich to nonamesleft

Member

to nonamesleft
said by nonamesleft:

They just add SD channels no one wants!

Fixed it for you...

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper to SpHeRe31459

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to SpHeRe31459
said by SpHeRe31459:

t's not just Comcast removing it from their lineup (which wouldn't make sense since they own it), they're killing the network entirely. It will be gone from all cable/sat providers in the new year.

 

So why doesn't Comcast replace the opened HD slot with a new channel? That's the point of this thread.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to nonamesleft

Member

to nonamesleft
they're not going to offer boomerang. If you want it you have to switch to satellite. I have DirecTV and love it. I get nfl sunday ticket, nhl center ice has two feeds for each game in HD, mlb extra innings has extras and two feeds for each game in hd. Plus with the sports pack I get all of the rsn channels that I wouldn't get with cable.

Mount laurel
@comcast.net

Mount laurel

Anon

Yes they do more Music Channels were added without any notice at all on Garden State, NJ system. Just what we need more music channels. Channels added: 447 thru 450. Sounds of the Season (Christmas music) now on channel 441
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

said by Mount laurel :

Yes they do more Music Channels were added without any notice at all on Garden State, NJ system. Just what we need more music channels.

Well of course they did this JUST to give people something ELSE to bitch about; how DARE they actually ADD something.

But for the record, ALL MC affiliates - including CC - were REQUIRED to add those channels, as part of their affiliate agreements. And aside from the fact they take up a tiny amount of additional bandwidth, that said bandwidth was already allocated as part of their agreement - so in actuality, NO additional bandwidth was taken away from the provider:

»corporate.musicchoice.co ··· ge-2013/
quote:
In order to make our music channel product the highest standard of quality, Music Choice will increase the bandwidth of its digital audio feed from 11.5 Mbps to 12.308 Mbps to accommodate four additional music channels.

As a reminder the contractual minimum amount of bandwidth allocated by an Affiliate System for the audio channels should not be less than 13.5 Mbps in total. The bandwidth utilized by the altered Music Choice audio does not approach the minimum bandwidth a system is required to set aside.

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross to Mount laurel

MVM

to Mount laurel
The Music channel adds were mentioned in a box message a few weeks ago, and I think the latest bill mentions it. Comcast just passes on the bulk feed from them.
»corporate.musicchoice.co ··· el-line/

By me, and I assume most everywhere, it has a channel (RF frequency) of it's own. Up until about a year ago, it was still 64QAM. At 256QAM, it probably has more than enough bandwidth.

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

telcodad to mount laurel

MVM

to mount laurel
said by mount laurel :

On my parents (Philly) Dec bill:

IMPORTANT INFO: Effective January 29, 2014, iNDEMAND 3
- PPV ch 503 will no longer be available and VIVID will launch
on ch 545.

Other changes but no channel additions

Just got my December bill and it shows that also, but, while not an addition, also has this notice about the Oxygen channel:
quote:
Effective January 28, 2014, Oxygen ch 123 and Oxygen HD ch 1334 will move from Digital Preferred to Expanded Basic ch 123 and Digital Starter HD ch 1334 respectively.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870 to andyross

Member

to andyross
hmm TWC likes to stuff video channels with Music Choice in North Texas there is 5 digital SD channels muxed with Music Choice using QAM256.

they mux:
TV Aisa
Zee TV
Youtoo TV
National Geographic
FSN +

here with the Music choice QAM.

heck you could probably fit 7 SD channels with the Music Choice mux using QAM256 with no problems at one point TWC did just that here.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

I'm sure most cable systems...including CC, ALSO mux video channels w/the MC QAM (bulk) feed (ours does & did even when it was Insight) - andy was simply explaining that all affiliates have to take & pass the ENTIRE bulk feed to it subscribers. I don't believe he meant to imply the MC feed took up an entire QAM by itself. (nor did I)

checkmyfly
@opera-mini.net

checkmyfly

Anon

All encrypted systems should be forced phase out qam together after cell phone inference.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· direct=1

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

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

Yes - the whole point of this thread is/was to point out that to most of us on here - that understand from an intelligence standpoint - have absolutely no idea what Comcast is doing.

Every other MSO in the country is adding HD channels, from big, to small, to podunk in the middle of nowhere systems. Yet Comcast, the largest in the country - is doing nothing.

In my area, it's now been almost 19 months since an HD add. And my system is in their regional backyard. HD channels over that same time have been removed left and right - with nothing replacing them.

When comparing to Brighthouse / Time Warner, Comcast is now 80+ HD channels behind. Yes, that's an eight.

They will not comment at all regarding it - asking about HD channels is taboo. I only wish there was some reporter, etc out there that would pose this question during trade shows and the like. It's next to impossible that it hasn't been brought up.

I'm still holding on to my straw of hope that they're farming all of this open QAM space, and with the new X1 boxes - will launch IPTV as the new protocol for HD. If Netflix can stream it at such a great quality, and these mid-tier phone companies (Centurylink, etc) can roll out 200+ channels with the blink of an eye -so can the big C.

I have nothing to prove this - but it's all I can hope for. I work all day on a computer. I want HD on my television, not my iPad or on a website.

Will 2014 uncover all of this? Who knows..

nonamesleft
join:2011-11-07
Manitowoc, WI

nonamesleft to mikedz4

Member

to mikedz4
said by mikedz4:

they're not going to offer boomerang. If you want it you have to switch to satellite. I have DirecTV and love it. I get nfl sunday ticket, nhl center ice has two feeds for each game in HD, mlb extra innings has extras and two feeds for each game in hd. Plus with the sports pack I get all of the rsn channels that I wouldn't get with cable.

It doesn't really matter to me anymore, I dumped pay tv earlier this year in January, due to constant rate hikes, and just a few channels that I wanted were on a higher tier ( no not premium channels) like diy network and such. Ended up going with a tv antenna, since most of the stuff we watched was on local networks anyways.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870 to checkmyfly

Member

to checkmyfly
not going to happen plus it only affects certain frequencies. To add to it that system is using frequencies above the 750MHz plant design cut off so that a major part of the problem as the SNR is likely marginal in a lot of home setups and add cell noise and it cuts out.

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

telcodad to SeattleMatt

MVM

to SeattleMatt
said by SeattleMatt:

Every other MSO in the country is adding HD channels, from big, to small, to podunk in the middle of nowhere systems. Yet Comcast, the largest in the country - is doing nothing.

In my area, it's now been almost 19 months since an HD add. And my system is in their regional backyard. HD channels over that same time have been removed left and right - with nothing replacing them.
:
They will not comment at all regarding it - asking about HD channels is taboo. I only wish there was some reporter, etc out there that would pose this question during trade shows and the like. It's next to impossible that it hasn't been brought up.
:
Will 2014 uncover all of this? Who knows..

It's been my theory that Comcast may be clearing and saving-up spectrum space for the upcoming DOCSIS 3.1 devices.

DOCSIS 3.1 and 3.0 devices will both need to be supported over some transition period, just as DOCSIS 1.1 (until the end of this year) and 2.0 are today. Additional spectrum space is needed to add the new OFDM channels/blocks that 3.1 needs.

From:

First DOCSIS 3.1 Modems Will Have 4-5 Gbps Potential
Fully-Loaded Hybrid 3.0/3.1 Gear Will Pack Some Punch

By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - October 24, 2013
»www.multichannel.com/dis ··· l/146255
quote:
The first DOCSIS 3.1 modems will be hybrids that support both DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 3.0 spectrum, and will be able to handle both simultaneously. The DOCSIS 3.0 side will carry a minimum requirement of bonding 24 downstream QAM channels and 8 upstream QAM channels, alongside a DOCSIS 3.1 minimum that calls for the ability to tie in two channels/blocks orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) at 192MHz-wide each, and two 96MHz-wide channels for the upstream.

Operators will later decide how and when to turn up that capacity, but when fully-loaded, that 3.0/3.1 mix will be able to handle max downstream speeds of 4 Gbps to 5 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps in the upstream right out of the chute ...


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

cypherstream to SeattleMatt

MVM

to SeattleMatt
Matt, you hear Service Electric added new channels? I couldn't believe it, little small town Podunk cable co having broader HD choices than Comcast or Fios.

149 Military History
285 Fox Deportes
289 Fox Life
296 National Geographic Mundo
543 TVLAND HD
612 Military HD
617 Nick JR HD
618 Nicktoons HD
624 MTV 2 HD

DirecTV doesn't even carry the last 4 on that list.

Pretty amazing that the biggest cable company in the US is really behind.

Oh also when I lived in a CC system, they dispersed their music choice randomly across a handful of qam's. You'd have 4 here, 4 there, 7 there, 3 there, etc. It was widely dispersed and mixed with other video services. The PID's started at -21 and counted up, while video was -1 and up. Not sure if they still do that or not. I would imagine that is much harder to maintain when MC makes changes.

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

1 edit

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

Cypher-
Thanks for the salt in the wound! LOL.

No - I hadn't heard! I'll have to check w/ my parents. Figuring they just reclaimed 20 or so QAM's with their Limited Basic analog tier going digital, not surprised 1 bit. They know how to please their customers.

»www.secv.com/cdocs/chann ··· _sun.pdf

This is little ol' Central PA. Check out the HD's.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to cypherstream

Member

to cypherstream
said by cypherstream:

DirecTV doesn't even carry the last 4 on that list.

Directv will get alot more when there new SAT goes up. Right now they are kind of maxed out.
Acct101
Premium Member
join:2011-09-20
Bensalem, PA

Acct101

Premium Member

Seriously, I'm annoyed at the sports packages not even having any HD channels here in the Philadelphia area market.

JeepMatt are you really surprised? This is the same company that owns the Flyers and we all know how well that is going. They haven't won a Cup since I was in grade school.
LoveHD
join:2011-07-31
Detroit, MI

LoveHD to Acct101

Member

to Acct101
Based partly on what JeepMatt, and partly on what others, described it sounds like rather than Comcast buying out other cable companies some other cable company should be buying out Comcast.

Perhaps this is another symptom of a multi-billions corporation pretending it's [almost] in The Poor House.