gnubeest
Gnu
join:2001-10-28
Nashville, TN
| reply to stewlevine
Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex
said by stewlevine  :
What ports are active in the back? (both optical and digital coax for sound? DVI? S-video?)
I can't speak for the Dallas area, but it's been my understanding that DVI is disabled in ALL Comcast-serviced areas -- it certainly is here.
Optical and digital coax both work fine on my 5100. Indeed, the box is one of the few that also samples the analogue audio into PCM over the digital audio connection, making an additional stereo RCA connection unnecessary, unlike most HD cable boxes. The DD bitstream is passed through on the non-HD digital channels -- in fact, many of the premium channels are in 5.1, as well.
I haven't checked S-video, but I don't think it's even possible to disable it from the headend -- I'll have to look at the diagnostic pages later to check. |
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JSSAUCE
Imac - MacBook Air
Premium
join:2001-12-04
Oak Park, IL
clubs: | My friend, who actually works for comcast, has a 5100 box. It does have a DVI connection but it does not work. He lives in Oak Park Illinois.
Joel |
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Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest | reply to kcharg
The USB, DVI (if applicable), and the ethernet port on the back are all disabled. The smart card, and other ports on the front are disabled. There is a firmware upgrade happening in the upcoming weeks that will enable the DVI port. |
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dalbrit1
join:2003-10-16
Arlington, TX | reply to kcharg
Any update Kcharg?
I just called to see what the status was, and was told "mid-December" by the guy on the phone. Has the launch been pushed back again?
Kinda sucks for the rest of us if you (Kcharg) are already enjoying HDTV!! |
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kcoutant
join:2003-11-10
Dallas, TX | I agree. The $400 dtv offer is looking better and better, especially if I won't get cbs and will have to wait to get espn. How's the viewer guide on comcast digital? |
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stm555
join:2002-02-04
Plano, TX
| reply to kcharg
Ok, question #6, will they also be providing digital audio?
Coax or optical connections would be superb. I had digital audio in Lubbock (west Texas) and I'm completely baffled why they don't offer it in the metroplex. Band of Brother's was great in DTS. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
 ·WOW Internet and C..
| said by stm555 :
Band of Brother's was great in DTS.
Of course DTS on DVD will be better than anything cable can throw out, since cable can not do DTS audio. But it still should have been Dolby Digital on HBO. And yes all the HD Motorola boxes have both Toslink(Fiber) and Digital COAX. |
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stewlevine
join:2002-05-28
Dallas, TX
| reply to dalbrit1
said by dalbrit1 :
Any update Kcharg?
I just called to see what the status was, and was told "mid-December" by the guy on the phone. Has the launch been pushed back again?
Kinda sucks for the rest of us if you (Kcharg) are already enjoying HDTV!!
I called today, the CSR I spoke with said launch would be Saturday, she could not take an order for the boxes. The only downside, no self-installs as of yet. |
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kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| Re: It's finally coming to Dallas on Nov. 15th!!!
Ok.......After about 3 or 4 different people emailing me, I have finally found out a set in stone date. It is indeed this Saturday November 15th. They will be starting to take orders on November 15th. So I am thinking that you all could probably get installed somewhere starting that following Tuesday. One more important update is that I have been told they should have ESPNHD working before this Saturday. One more small rumor has it that we are working hard at getting CBS HD and Discovery HD lined up next, so take that one for what it's worth!!!
kcharg
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kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ |
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klsjdlkrj
@comcast.net | reply to kcharg
Re: [COMCAST] HDTV in Dallas MetroPlex
are the InHD channels available |
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Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest | INHD are available/ they are cable only channels. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | I think he meant are the being sent in that local Texas market. Some of the systems that just had HD turned on don't have all the channels yet. |
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stewlevine
join:2002-05-28
Dallas, TX
| reply to kcharg
As of Sunday - they were not listed in the cable guide, all of the HD/SD channels right now are located between channels 650 and 669; so presumably any additions would be found looking there, e.g., ESPNHD was not present when the other four originally were listed, but is now there. |
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dalbrit1
join:2003-10-16
Arlington, TX | Woohoo!
Thanks for the update Kcharg, and especially thanks for the great news, confirmed in the Dallas Morning News today. I for one will be calling on Saturday morning! And great news about CBS, if the rumors are true |
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BradHill
@swbell.ne |  This is great news... any updates on a HD PVR? I'd love to go for HD, but don't want to give up the fuctions I get from my TiVo. |
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Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest | Comcast DVR looks to be launching by the end of the year...2003. 80GB hard drive that will record HD. |
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stm555
join:2002-02-04
Plano, TX
| reply to stm555
Of course DTS on DVD will be better than anything cable can throw out, since cable can not do DTS audio. But it still should have been Dolby Digital on HBO. And yes all the HD Motorola boxes have both Toslink(Fiber) and Digital COAX. Are you sure cable can't do DTS? It was a while back (obviously when Band of Brothers was on HBO), but I coulda sworn my receiver lit up the blue light and said 'DTS' on it. That's great that it will provide the digital audio, especially the resampling over PCM. I hated having to switch audio sources all the time just because I changed channels/shows.
I just saw an announcement that came with a friend's bill. It said that they'll also be offering a PVR service. Anyone know if that includes the HD channels?
And speaking of PVR, do the 5100 boxes have the direct serial IR hookup for the Tivo? The IR blaster things are pretty annoying. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| said by stm555 :
Are you sure cable can't do DTS? It was a while back (obviously when Band of Brothers was on HBO), but I coulda sworn my receiver lit up the blue light and said 'DTS' on it.
Positive. DTS audio is uncompressed, and in its native format will far exceed the limitations of the cable stream all together. Your receiver probably did light up but displayed Dolby Digital 3/2.1(5.1 depending on the receiver). Also, none of the converters on the market even have the DTS decoder chips in them so that would be another technicality issue. The DD feed of BoB was pretty good, but the DTS track on the DVDs was much better. |
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kcharg
Kcharg
Premium,VIP
join:2000-10-28
Forney, TX
| ESPN is now working!!!
Just had some of my inside people look at my account further and they were able to get my ESPN HD working. Now that the launch is tomorrow for the Dallas MetroPlex everything should be coming through fine:
650-Showtime
651-HBO
653-NBC HD
655-FOX
668-ESPN HD
kcharg
--
kcharghttp://home.attbi.com/~kcharg/ |
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rossr5
join:2003-11-15
Garland, TX
| re: hdtv and vod
Kcharg,
Do you know when we will get vod here in Dallas? I thought we would be getting vod with hdtv. I had called to get info this weekend and they said they were just offering hdtv. They also said they had a short supply of them and I would have to make an appointment for install,$30 dollar charge.
So, I guess we will get vod with the pvr dct-6200 box or another. I've seen it on our website for vod nothing for pvr though. I hope with vod and pvr we don't have to pay for install and we can just swap them out. |
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