pgoelz
join:2001-12-26
Rochester, MI
| reply to Agent 86
Re: Picking up on-demand digital channels on Expanded Basic
Here here! We currently have expanded basic analog and have been talking about going digital. But to tell you the truth, the cost of going digital for the four or five TVs in the house is making me choke compared to what it currently costs us with five cable ready analog TVs. Comcast is doing their level best to drive me to the competition as they transition to digital. For the four or five channels we actually watch, it isn't worth much more to me than what we are currently paying.
Paul
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Paul Goelz, Rochester Hills, MI
Model Helicopter, music and astronomy pages:
http://pgoelz.com |
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Agent 86
@comcast.net
| reply to dieselrv
The "expanded basic" digital channels are still unencrypted here. I assume they filter them out if you only subscribe to limited basic.
Since almost all new TVs can receive unencrypted digital cable channels, it would ease the phase out of analog channels if they don't encrypt. Just replace unencrypted analog with unencrypted digital. |
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stuckwithcomcast
@comcast.net | reply to dieselrv
16.34 for the DCT had the ability for VOD Edge encryption and 18.21 had the fixes but broke other stuff, 18.24 fixed it. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs: | reply to stuckwithcomcast
I'm not sure what version Motorola firmware enables VOD session encryption... I think it's 16.38 for DCT's and 18.24 for DCH's.
SA's always had this ability. |
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stuckwithcomcast
@comcast.net
| reply to dieselrv
It's called edge encryption. Some sites have it turned on, others don't. I occasionally can see what a neighbor has ordered off the streaming node, but it has definately been some time.
On-Demand is pushed from the servers at the headend out to the streaming nodes where they are stored. This is generally a hubsite for a specific region. When the asset is requested, and the ordering party has accepted the charge or otherwise accepted the order to be fulfilled, the asset is played and displayed on the users STB. |
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Jim Shaffer
join:2004-08-06
Montgomery, PA
| reply to dieselrv
Are VOD programs sent out on a node-by-node basis or does the entire system get them? I'm on the Williamsport, PA system but I'm in an outlying town that's served in its entirety by two nodes. When they started offering VOD I would almost always see at least one movie on my QAM tuner. (Almost entirely FearNet, occasionally porn.) Lately I never see anything at all. So I was wondering whether they've encrypted the movies, or whether the novelty has worn off and nobody is watching anymore. I could imagine nobody on my node watching at any given time, but over the entire three-county area served by this head-end that would be hard to believe. |
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pgoelz
join:2001-12-26
Rochester, MI
| reply to cypherstream
What I don't understand is why in the world they would encrypt the basic channels and NOT encrypt VOD. There is hard core porn available on VOD and I get it in the clear on any set with a QAM tuner whenever anyone is watching. If I was a parent I would be very concerned. NExt time I'll have to see if my TV shows a rating.... if so, it could be set to not show it.
I just Emailed Comcast re: encrypting the basic channels. Let's see what they say. So far it has been 24 hours and nothing aside from the confirmation that they got the Email. I didn't mention encrypting VOD 
Paul
--
Paul Goelz, Rochester Hills, MI
Model Helicopter, music and astronomy pages:
http://pgoelz.com |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| reply to Georgiaboy
Yes they are encrypted except for the basic package (Channels 2-27,95-99) are available in the 75-1 through 81-12 range).
A few things still come through like Movieplex, but even my Uncle with a basic subscription and a box for HBO gets that. I guess Movieplex is considered a basic channel (with a box or digital tuner). |
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Georgiaboy
join:2005-06-25
Savannah, GA
 ·Comcast
| reply to cypherstream
said by cypherstream  :Ok right now at 5:23 PM (Which I consider a slow time) 83-8 Some Movie 84-2 Computer animation with Mickey mouse and Donald Duck 84-5 A Rap music video 85-5 ripetv.com logo in the corner with some hot model 85-9 Comedy Central on Demand (South Park) Thats it! ak is correct. When digital simulcast started, there was a good 8 months or so where the entire lineup was digital in the clear. Of course you had to find the channels yourself. It's not like the put PSIP data on them to map the channels where they go. Here all the digitals are on channels 75-1 and up. Were your digital simulcast channels via the QAM tuner on your TV eventually encrypted? I'm still trying to figure out why are digital simulcast channels(non-local) have been encrypted, and yet digital simulcast has yet to be pushed to the STBs. We still have like a week or so. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
1 edit | reply to dieselrv
Ok right now at 5:23 PM (Which I consider a slow time)
83-8 Some Movie
84-2 Computer animation with Mickey mouse and Donald Duck
84-5 A Rap music video
85-5 ripetv.com logo in the corner with some hot model
85-9 Comedy Central on Demand (South Park)
Thats it!
ak is correct. When digital simulcast started, there was a good 8 months or so where the entire lineup was digital in the clear. Of course you had to find the channels yourself.
It's not like the put PSIP data on them to map the channels where they go. Here all the digitals are on channels 75-1 and up. |
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ak3883
join:2005-08-20
Bensalem, PA
| reply to dieselrv
You mean you just downgraded from regular cable(60 something channels)? If so they'll come out and put a trap on so that you only get 1-30 or so, but there will likely be a few days between when they change it on your bill and when they get out to your location to put the trap on. Not sure if they continue to charge you on those days inbetween or not, I'd hope not. Not my problem you can't get there right away to put a trap on.
Most areas by now have all the channels in expanded basic encrypted. A couple years ago when they first started putting out digital simucast, one could have basic cable and still get all the cable channels, in digital format. I actually still get a handful of them, that Comcast doesn't seem to want to encrypt. I know they can disapear any day, and don't really care since I pay for them... |
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dieselrv
@comcast.net
| reply to dieselrv
oh alright well thats sweet! ive watched more new movies in the last week then i have seen in the last 2 years. and another sweet thing i have too is i signed up for just the Basic cable channels 1-30 or whatever and i recieve all the expanded 1-74 for free not bad at all for 13.75/month.  |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| reply to dieselrv
Yeah in our system VOD sessions are between 83.1 and 86.12.
-I rarely see any HD content (but I haven't scanned in awhile).
-Adult entertainment is scrambled... we can see FF and REW, but once they hit play it turns into little multicolored blocks until they FF or REW it again.
-The most content at one time was maybe about 10 streams. If there's 12 per channel and 4 channels, then were only at 10/48 maximum capacity. So yeah at least in my node it's not as popular as you would think it should be. |
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Agent 86
@comcast.net | reply to dieselrv
I don't care for the VOD channels. There's never anything good on. |
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ak3883
join:2005-08-20
Bensalem, PA
| reply to dieselrv
All the time.
This is nothing new, with an HDTV equipped with a QAM tuner, you can pick up unencrypted digital cable channels. OnDemand is unencrypted so you can watch what others are watching. Comcast obviously doesn't care, or the fix to encrypt OnDemand is very costly and they have other priorities right now. This is probably most of the reason.
Check it out Fri/Sat nights, usually some "adult" entertainment. |
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dieselrv
@comcast.net
| hello, i bought a new panasonic HD tv a month ago,i also have just the expanded basic cable no box, and i found that in channels 77.1 - 77.10 i pick up someone watching on-demand?!i pick up everthing from South Park to HD Movies in 1080i that are Pay-per-view as they are new release movies. the channels come and go through out the day and after the show/movie it says channel lost then later on something eles will be on. and it even shows the movie/show sometimes fastfording/rewind/pause like someones watching it down the road.
anyone eles hear of this happening?? |
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