CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
| Goodbye analog. ALMOST! ( chicago)
Here she comes!
Letters will be mailed out probably this week announcing the removal of expanded basic in the City of Chicago. ( the actual CITY not the 1000 surrounding suburbs )
A DCT will be included in the price of standard cable. Basic will be the only option for cable ready tvs. ( chnls 2-22 usually )
All additional boxes needed will be charged as they are now.
No dates as of yet, it will be zip code by zip code. And no, we will not see 80 new channels added by the end of the week.
Everything takes time, this is step one. And I think its a step a lot of markets will be seeing this year.
If Comcast can follow suit with the rest of the region we will be waving goodbye to analog for the most part, and waving in a crap load of content, channels and speed.
Please, argue amongst yourselves! 
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CableFAQ.org/Technicians Unplugged
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CRP
Comcast of Ocean County
join:2005-12-26
Brick, NJ | I think this is a good thing. Analog is like a bad cold that won't go away. |
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celeritypc
For Lucky Best Wash, Use Mr. Sparkle
Premium
join:2004-05-15
Caldwell, NJ
| reply to CableTool
If anybody has a newer tv with a QAM tuner, it is irrelevant unless the digital channels are encrypted. On my system, expanded basic digital channels are clear. I'm sure that for those who want to use their older tvs, a QAM tuner is available for sale somewhere (not stolen equipment or anything that requires authorization.) Sure, you may have a box on your tv but you don't have to pay for the additional one from the company. The only reason to get one from the company is to receive any encrypted channels.
In the long run, it is a good thing. |
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jmdomini
Premium
join:2000-05-04
Sycamore, IL
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| reply to CableTool
What is the charge presently for additional boxes? I used to have a second box in my bedroom just for the convenience of having a guide. But I was getting charge both for the box and a "digital extra outlet".
I'm not in Chicago though, just wondering. |
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siouxmoux
@comcast.net
| reply to celeritypc
Here in San Jose, Ca The Transition from Digital to Analog Cable is going in reverse. Thanks from renew Franchise Agreement from the City. Comcast was force to new PEG channel to CH 97. And more to come. There are currently five of these Peg channels on the Analog Cable side. If City of San Jose wants anymore additional these type Channels Comcast should put these on the Digital Basic Tier. And stop wasting Bandwidth for channels that only serve an small portion cable viewing audience. I don't see any big outcry for more SD Peg channels Vs. More HDTV Channels. |
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Travelfan1
RIP Analog Go Digital
join:2005-08-23
Iselin, NJ
 ·Comcast
2 edits | reply to CableTool
Congratulations Windy City! Hopefully these letters will start coming to my area very soon! No questions, a step in the right direction from Comcast!
Tool >> What's the percentage of users that are expanded-basic in the Windy City? I am just wondering if Chicago was chosen to start this project because, say, there's not a lot of expanded basic users... Also, how much would Comcast charge for the extra DCT boxes? |
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patspub
join:2005-02-10
Philadelphia, PA | reply to CableTool
So your saying their going move all these anolog channels to channels over 100??? |
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Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
·Comcast
3 edits | reply to CRP
said by CRP  :I think this is a good thing. Analog is like a bad cold that won't go away. it's like pneumonia here. Shows no sign of fading either.
We can at least get the ball rolling by getting ADS up and running. I don't think it'll happen soon, but "thoughts" aren't important. The reality is, I have no idea, but seeing the nature of this market, I'd "guestimate" something of Chicago's magnitude happening in at least a couple of years. Nothing to worry about around here. I doubt we even have to worry about more analogs moving to the digital tier in the near future.
Anyway, congrats Cabletool, but I have no idea what this means for the future of your market. Can you keep us updated? I'm curious to see if any other changes will come this year(for Chicago) as a result of this. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
| reply to patspub
said by patspub :So your saying their going move all these anolog channels to channels over 100??? Thats not even close to what Im saying.
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CableFAQ.org/Technicians Unplugged
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Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
·Comcast
| reply to patspub
said by patspub :So your saying their going move all these analog channels to channels over 100??? Probably means the expanded basic channels will be trapped out or encrypted or something, so that no one w/o a QAM Tuner(and cablecard) or box can access them. Remember, Chicago is ADS, thus these channels are available in a digital format. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12 | They will just be "removed" No longer transmitted. Only transmitted through ADS/Digital.
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CableFAQ.org/Technicians Unplugged
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Loker
Premium
join:2004-07-11
Fargo, ND
clubs:
| reply to CableTool
why does Brian Roberts hate us here in MI  all you lucky people in Chicago are finally scrapping analog and we still do not even have HD or VOD...let alone ADS
I will stop whining now and hope that I will see this sometime soon.....
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"While preceding your entrance with a grenade is a good tactic inQuake, it can lead to problems if attempted at work." -- C Hacking |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| reply to CableTool
Awesome. Our system is at 750 MHz, and almost packed to the gills. Removing the majority of analog is much more cost effective than rebuilding the system to 1GHz. Plus it will take forever to get the whole plant up to 1 GHz. This is what most area's need to do. I take it your digital box penetration is over a certain threshold where they aren't afraid to do this a little early.
There's other area's like Baltimore and Philly where Expanded basic is analog scrambled. Those folks are already used to using a box on their TV, so might as well move them to DCT-700's. After all Analog Scrambled channels are about as efficient as a Hummer on Gasoline! (Thanks MadMANN for that quote). |
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CRP
Comcast of Ocean County
join:2005-12-26
Brick, NJ | reply to Georgiaboy
Perhaps there are some issues that your market has to work out before rolling out ADS. There's really no reason not to go ADS, since it is one of the first steps in becoming all digital. |
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Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
·Comcast
1 edit | said by CRP :Perhaps there are some issues that your market has to work out before rolling out ADS. There's really no reason not to go ADS, since it is one of the first steps in becoming all digital. I wonder when these issues will be addressed or how long it takes to address them. Apparently, it takes a long time. Also, perhaps going all-digital is far from a priority here. If not, then ADS isn't that important to people running the system here. It would be an important change to my viewing experience though. I'll have to see what Comcast-Savannah does over my extra long summer break. |
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Loker
Premium
join:2004-07-11
Fargo, ND
clubs:
1 edit | reply to CRP
said by CRP :Perhaps there are some issues that your market has to work out before rolling out ADS. There's really no reason not to go ADS, since it is one of the first steps in becoming all digital. nope I think Brian Roberts just hates me LOL
Well when Comcast took over AT&T our system was a horrible mess...we had almost no channels, no HSI, signal leakage was absolutely horrible...
Comcast came in laid a bunch of fiber and new coax...got us tons of new channels and HSI but then just stopped...no HD or VOD which I still do not get why they did not do in 2004 when all these upgrades were happening?
Anyway I just keep asking my local office when all of its coming and it always gets pushed back its going on 3 years that they have been setting dates and breaking them....
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"While preceding your entrance with a grenade is a good tactic in
Quake, it can lead to problems if attempted at work." -- C Hacking |
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Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
·Comcast
| said by Loker :said by CRP :Perhaps there are some issues that your market has to work out before rolling out ADS. There's really no reason not to go ADS, since it is one of the first steps in becoming all digital. nope I think Brian Roberts just hates me LOL Well when Comcast took over AT&T our system was a horrible mess...we had almost no channels, no HSI, signal leakage was absolutely horrible... Comcast came in laid a bunch of fiber and new coax...got us tons of new channels and HSI but then just stopped...no HD or VOD which I still do not get why they did not do in 2004 when all these upgrades were happening? Anyway I just keep asking my local office when all of its coming and it always gets pushed back its going on 3 years that they have been setting dates and breaking them.... JTF was responding to me, but I think the same applies here, except for HD. We have a good bit of HD.(at least we will if they activate the currently unauthorized HDs) |
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mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV
 ·DIRECTV
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Comcast Digital Vo..
·Comcast
1 edit | are you saying that channel 2 will no longer exist cabletool? That in the city of chicago channel 2 will be on channel 1002 instead of channel 2 for instance (not a real number by the way just an example) and people who just plug in a cable ready tv and tune to channel 2 starting say Monday will get snow or a screen that says please visit 2200 south vista blvd and pickup a dct2426(also not a real cable box another example) to receive this channel on channel 1002 for no extra charge for a year." ? |
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elwaylite
join:2006-09-01
Goose Creek, SC | According to our local guy on AVSforum, all channels should be digital mby end of 2007. SDV coming late 07 early 08 also. Im all for it, free up the space and improve the pq. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| reply to mikedz4
said by mikedz4 :are you saying that channel 2 will no longer exist cabletool? That in the city of chicago channel 2 will be on channel 1002 instead of channel 2 for instance (not a real number by the way just an example) and people who just plug in a cable ready tv and tune to channel 2 starting say Monday will get snow or a screen that says please visit 2200 south vista blvd and pickup a dct2426(also not a real cable box another example) to receive this channel on channel 1002 for no extra charge for a year." ? No thats not what he's saying at all.
Ch 2 is basic. Basic is usually Ch 2 through 20 or 30 (depends on local system's lineup). He said they are moving expanded basic to digital. There will be no change for people with boxes already, as the entire lineup is already coming through in digital because of the ADS. The people who have expanded basic with no box will have to pick up a box to receive the channels over 20 or 30 (whatever his upper limit is). Removing all of those expanded basic channels from analog frees up a ton of room. Like I said they are already digital simulcast, so current digital customers will not notice a thing, unless they have an extra TV in the house without a box. The channel lineup doesn't have to change at all. |
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