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Vertigo
@mpionbroadband.com

Vertigo

Anon

[TWC] Free Standard Definition box offer, questions

I received a notice that several analog channels will be moved to digital only and that if I contact Time Warner, they will offer ONE standard definition box free for one year, $0.99 per month after.

Does this only apply to people who have no boxes currently? If I have a DVR in one room and another TV that is currently hooked up directly without a box, would I be able to get this deal?

btB
@rr.com

btB

Anon

Yeah. I got one yesterday even though I have 2 cablecards. They gave me a Motorola DCT2524. I can get all the digital channels in my subscription except the channels that are broadcasting in HD. When I turn to ESPNHD for example, I get a message saying I have to upgrade my service.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

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said by Vertigo :

I received a notice that several analog channels will be moved to digital only and that if I contact Time Warner, they will offer ONE standard definition box free for one year, $0.99 per month after.

Does this only apply to people who have no boxes currently? If I have a DVR in one room and another TV that is currently hooked up directly without a box, would I be able to get this deal?

what channels are moving to digital in your area Vertigo and btB?

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

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In the Los Angeles area C-SPAN, KWHY*, KBEH, WGN America, The Golf Channel and CNBC are moving to digital only.

Currently there are 28 broadcast or basic cable channels that are digital only in my lineup; 15 of those are broadcast subchannels, and never existed as analog. So that'll bring the total to 34.

At the moment there are 6 basic cable channels that are not available via analog or ClearQAM and require a STB or CableCard: ABC Family, truTV, Pac-12 LA, SPEED, Palladia, and Velocity (the last two being HD only). With this change 2 more are added (Golf and CNBC) for a total of 8.

* I find the fact that they're removing KWHY really amusing, because they just added it to analog a month or two ago. It was digital only before that.

btB
@rr.com

btB

Anon

I find it even more amusing that WGN is mentioned because it is nowhere on the TW's website lists of channels in my area. It was never on analog either. Even today, I cannot get it via cablecard. Only way that I can get it is via QAM tuner.

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

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said by Suit Up:

In the Los Angeles area C-SPAN, KWHY*, KBEH, WGN America, The Golf Channel and CNBC are moving to digital only.

Currently there are 28 broadcast or basic cable channels that are digital only; 15 of those are broadcast subchannels, and never existed as analog. So that'll bring the total to 34.

At the moment there are 6 basic cable channels that are not available via analog or ClearQAM and require a STB or CableCard: ABC Family, truTV, Pac-12 LA, SPEED, Palladia, and Velocity (the last two being HD only). With this change 2 more are added (Golf and CNBC) for a total of 8.

* I find the fact that they're removing KWHY really amusing, because they just added it to analog a month or two ago. It was digital only before that.

well I know that according to the legal notice in the LA times the legacy TWC systems pre Adelphia merger are losing LMN from analog. That is why I am asking as they are removing more than just what you listed. I think on average it is 5-6 analogs being yanked in the former Adelphia and legacy TWC systems while the former Comcast systems are losing 2 analogs KWHY, and WGN America.

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? What about the former comcast areas are they going SDV soon?

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Los Angeles, CA
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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

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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

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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

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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

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

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

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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!

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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

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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

btB
@rr.com

btB to Vertigo

Anon

to Vertigo
To get the free box, you have to call them first. Then you have an option of TWC mailing it out or picking it up at your local office. I chose to pick it up. Thus it was twice (when calling & when picking it up) that TWC looked at my account and saw that I had 2 cablecards. Both times I asked them about the cost. Both times they said the box was free until November 2013. After November 2013, it would be 99 cents a month.
PowerMac
join:2011-03-02
Anaheim, CA

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I got the letter as well too.I thought we can get those channels via Clearqam as mentioned on the bottom paragraph of the letter?

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said by PowerMac:

I got the letter as well too.I thought we can get those channels via Clearqam as mentioned on the bottom paragraph of the letter?

Only the broadcast ones... although that's all of the ones being dropped except for 2 (Golf and CNBC).
PowerMac
join:2011-03-02
Anaheim, CA

PowerMac

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said by Suit Up:

Only the broadcast ones... although that's all of the ones being dropped except for 2 (Golf and CNBC).

Are you sure??? This letter said "In addition, CSpan, KWHY, KBEH, and WGN America will continue to be viewable on digital tvs (and other devices) that include a QAM tuner"

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said by PowerMac:

Are you sure??? This letter said "In addition, CSpan, KWHY, KBEH, and WGN America will continue to be viewable on digital tvs (and other devices) that include a QAM tuner"

Yes, those channels are part of the broadcast tier, so you will be able to watch them without a box. Golf and CNBC are not, so to watch them you will need a box.
mike_f
join:2007-01-10
Hawthorne, CA

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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

Premium Member

"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
PowerMac
join:2011-03-02
Anaheim, CA

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said by Suit Up See Profile
Yes, those channels are part of the broadcast tier, so you will be able to watch them without a box. Golf and CNBC are not, so to watch them you will need a box.
[/BQUOTE :

OH! that make sense now! I wonder why I didn't get them via OTA?
weak signal possibly?