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88 Comments
- Submerge, on 02/24/2009, -1/+32It is ridiculous. Time Warner was hassling my grandpa about needing the cable box for his basic cable. The thing is, an 85 yr old man (who has poor vision and is blind in one eye) has enough problems trying to work a television, he shouldn't need to use a remote with 100+ buttons (with tiny print) and learn how to turn off the cable box and TV when he's done using it -- when it can all be done through the TV without a cable box. Oh, and then they expect him to drop the cable box off at the headquarters or they'll charge him a per day fee. Luckily he's a stubborn son-of-a-gun and told them he'd charge them a storage fee for making him keep it instead, hehe. They came the next day to pick it up. I love the guy. :)
- viol999, on 02/23/2009, -0/+30unfortunately, this seems to be an all too common story with these service related businesses.
- trogdor282, on 02/24/2009, -0/+18Neither the coupons, nor any other part of the federal DTV transition, has anything to do with cable.
- mpn401, on 02/24/2009, -6/+23Comcast pulled this ***** a few months back with my grandmother: a technician told her by February 17, nothing but the basic channels would be on analog TV (i.e. only the locals would be on analog, they would pull everything else.) So she got three boxes. I told her she was ripped off, but she didn't believe me.
The 17th came and went. The cable in the kitchen where there is no box still works, all the channels are there. Nothing happened. She's returning two of the boxes soon.
The cable companies were milking this DTV transition for all it's worth. I saw deliberately misleading commercials saying that you were "covered" for the transition if you were a "Comcast digital cable subscriber." - xero8472, on 02/24/2009, -0/+12You are exactly right. I'm a cable tech for Rogers Cable in Canada, and door-to-door sales guys tell old people that they need a cable box or their direct cable-to-TV will stop working once over-the-air broadcasts stop in the US this year. Then I get there, and am installing a cable box for old folks that don't want it, and will most definitely be confused as ***** by it's extra features. "Why won't Matlock come on.... Why can't I watch my stories??"
It's all a complete BS money-making scheme. - megamod, on 02/23/2009, -0/+12They were pushing this on me also. The cableman was even honest and told us that HQ would try to push it on us (saying that we would need it and "oh but it's free") just so that they can make money off of us from movie/show ordering and stuff.
- davecachia, on 02/23/2009, -3/+12Pwned
- TheNyquilKid, on 02/24/2009, -0/+8AT&T U-verse? That's IPTV not cable, so there may be a legit need for the box.
- MattS, on 02/24/2009, -0/+6It appears you need a *some type* of low-end box for anything with Verizon Fios. I had to get the damn things everywhere in my house even though all I wanted was basic local channels. Do you know how depressing it is to have TVs sleekly mounted to the wall with an ugly cable wart sittin' right next to it?!?
- markusfarkus, on 02/24/2009, -4/+9Don't you need a box if you don't have a digital tv? Cable-ready doesn't equal digital.
- brbeaird, on 02/24/2009, -0/+5No. Cable companies are still broadcasting analog signal via coax as well as digital.
- Farmer77, on 02/24/2009, -0/+5I am pissed off that all the Zoom Channels went off the air. No more Kung-Fu HD, Monster HD, Gameplay HD, etc.
And I'm still paying the same amount each month. - Rain12913, on 02/24/2009, -0/+5Haha I'm gonna have to try that one sometime.
- tgc1, on 02/24/2009, -0/+5You know what i'd do? Not have cable. Who needs it? What is it even good for? Satellite? Maybe. But I get nearly all of my entertainment on the Internet. Cable TV is of no use to me what-so-ever.
- reddikilowatt, on 02/24/2009, -0/+4While it may be the case that the Cablevision rep was just wrong, it is more likely that they are phasing out the analog service in order to free up bandwidth for HD and more high speed Internet. If that's the case, the reps may be prohibited from selling new customers analog basic service. In places where Comcast is rolling "all digital" service out, they are offering 2-3 free boxes (not a special) and add ons for a buck or two per month. At some point, Motorola and Scientific Atlanta will get moving on the next generation cable cards (tru-2-way) and maybe we'll start to see a few TVs that support them.
- Technopundit, on 02/24/2009, -0/+4Good to see there's no confusion regarding all of this. As soon as the ice storms let up, be sure to climb up on the roof to install your new antennas!
/s - inactive, on 02/24/2009, -0/+4Sorta. You need a digital tuner, which can be found in analog or digital TVs. They are known as QAM tuners.
If you want channels 2-30, yeah QAM works fine. If you wants channels 30-99, eventually you will need a box as ALL cable companies will eventually drop the analog lineup. - Farmer77, on 02/24/2009, -0/+4"you mad your free HD channels went off the air?"
What, you expect me to say no?
I wouldn't have mind having the option to pay a subscription to see those channels or see them air commercials on them. They had good quality niche content and the reason why I even upgraded from basic cable was because of those channels cablevision was promoting in their commercials.
As it stands right now, those channels are gone, I'm still paying the same price, and the bandwidth has been used for premium channels....plus Comedy Channel HD and MLB HD. Woopty Doo. - brbeaird, on 02/24/2009, -0/+4The main reason I use cable over satellite is that I don't need a box for every single TV in the house.
- tendonut, on 02/24/2009, -0/+3I would never expect Diggers to be confused over this still. COME ON PEOPLE!
The digital transition only effects over the air broadcasts. Cable and Satellite companies are completely unaffected by this. Of course, that doesn't stop them from running somewhat confusing ads. Time Warner and Comcast are both running commercials that say something along the lines of "If you are a digital cable subscriber, you're covered". Yes, this is true. But you are also covered if you have BASIC cable as well (at least for now).
Now I am too lazy to confirm this, but I believe cable providers have to provide at least basic (aka, local) channels via analog broadcasts over the cable lines until I think 2013. What I imagine is going to happen, is over time, the cable companies will start dropping channels from their analog system and start putting them behind the digital tier. What is ideal for them, is to have every channel in digital. (satellite already has this luxury since set top boxes are already required). One digital channel takes up 1/3rd the bandwidth that 1 analog station takes up. So the more channels they move to digital, the more bandwidth is freed up for more channels. Of course, we will only see prices going up though. Why? Because now that every channel would be in digital, converter boxes become mandatory no matter what TV you connect it to..unless they stop encrypting their signals and let the built in digital tuners of modern TVs take over.. - BLyday, on 02/24/2009, -0/+3 I work for Time Warner, and you don't need a box to receive the broadcast and basic channels. Anything past those channels they need a digital box to unscramble them. I predict Cablevision will get a nice little class action lawsuit,
- Klak, on 02/24/2009, -3/+6you know nothing. some areas are going to COMPLETLY digital signal which will not be able to be recieved without a digital tuner. this is being phased in slowly and eventually all signals will be digital.
- Rsulliv1, on 02/24/2009, -3/+6if you get comcast digital cable, they you are covered. The box you lease from them is all you require.
- worldstoaster, on 02/24/2009, -3/+6As Klak said you really do know nothing. The switch was delayed which is why your grandmother can still watch tv.
- Farmer77, on 02/24/2009, -0/+3They replaced those channels with HD versions of Starz, Showtime and other premium channels. That is fine and good if you already pay extra for premium channels, but many people including myself only have the family package and we get nothing.
- beersnob, on 02/24/2009, -0/+3This is stupid....The guy writing the article should have gotten his 95 year old uncle a DTV conversion box (yes a box, but hooked up to the antenna, not cable). They only cost about $40 at major big-box retailers, and you can receive over-the-air digital TV broadcasts for free. It is amazing how good the picture is compared to analog, and each station usually has one or two additional sub-channels with more programming. PBS stations especially have a wide variety of additional programming. I get stations from two cities now (as opposed to only one previously). Screw cable!
- AngelBunny, on 02/24/2009, -0/+3nope. it is against the law currently for cable companies to not provide a non cable box service. I believe the wording has to do with having a service were hardware aka cable boxes do not have to be rented. for a cable company to go all digital they would have to stop renting their cable boxes out to all of their consumers.
- inactive, on 02/24/2009, -1/+3"The rep then told me that I was "disrespecting" him and that he knows what he is talking about."
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT - ZeroSum1975, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2Voom networks had HD content made to be viewed on HD tv's. Not just HD feeds of network or common cable channels. They were one of the only true HD channels out there. I miss 3 Sheets...
- npdcrazypyro, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2I know for a fact Cox basic cable users will not need to upgrade beyond analog even after the transition. In fact, Cox has commercials saying "The big digital transition is coming... and what do you need to do to prepare for it? Nothing!"
- AngelBunny, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2no. over the air aka rabbit ear or antenna is digital only so you need a converter box to watch it on a analog tv. however, non over the air services like cable tv are not being converted to 100% digital so no cable box is needed or not yet at least.
- NihilisticPride, on 02/24/2009, -1/+3AT&T is doing the same thing near where I live. I wonder if we need to get "approved" in order to not receive a box as well, but I guess people believe everyone wants digital cable these days. It's a pity when people do anything for a quick buck. I bet he gets paid by commission.
- Rsulliv1, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2... digital isn't HD. Regardless of desire, all tv will soon be digital, opposed to analog. Don't be too quick to label everything a scam.
Can you still get analog service from your cable provider, even after the "digital transition"? I figured you couldn't. - RealmDown, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2I love it when they sponsor sports teams though.
"Cox Soccer" is still one of the funniest jerseys I have ever seen. - norml2000, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2Well its unfortunate that the cable companies even have to require a box at all. If the networks that they receive their programming from require them to encrypt their digital signal then you will need a box to decrypt the signal. So even if you have a digital tuner in your TV you wouldn't be able to view the digital channels without the cable box. As cable subscribers want more HD channels, the cable companies have to remove more and more analog channels to make room to carry the HD channels, as having to broadcast both analog (that most older TV's can receive) and digital channels requires a lot of bandwidth.
Seeing as over-the-air networks are now gonna be required to broadcast digital only, it is only fair that the cable systems should be able to do the same. However, cable boxes should be available at retail so that you can purchase your own rather than leasing a box from the cable provider. - jonahan52, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2"i cant complain about the fact that they provide FREE HD channels; what other large cable provider does that?"
Umm all of them? - Gir53457, on 02/24/2009, -0/+2IS Canada affected by the US switch?
- sdschramm, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1Zoom? I think you mean Voom. (not to be confused with Boom - thats what steve jobs says)
- reddikilowatt, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1About 80 million households have cable TV service (that may include satellite as well, but that's the number I always hear). Of those houses, at least 50% have at least 1 cable box, most have 2 or more.
The cable companies have a little bit of a bandwidth crunch and are transitioning to an all digital plant in order to free up bandwidth. The analog TV service takes up about 550 MHz of bandwidth. All the digital channels and HSI and phone/vod/whatever else only take up 300MHz (typical system). If the analog signals are converted to digital and eliminated, they will take up as little as 36MHz of bandwidth (6X6MHz). It is worth it to the cable companies to do this, because it eliminates an entire rebuild cycle in an age where capital is hard to come by. - tendonut, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1@ohreilly
True, but with limitations. I think it's 2013 that they can completely drop analog, but until then, at least the local channels have to be in analog. - reddikilowatt, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1What law? If you're referring to the dreaded cable card, the law only says that the digital cable security has to be "decoupled" from the cable company equipment. The cable card satisfies that requirement, but very few TVs actually support it.
- franl, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1Plus, the cable companies compress the digital video so much that you get annoying pixelation artifacts whenever something moves quickly (e.g., people running in sporting events, the camera panning quickly, etc.). Using an over-the-air (OTA) converter box, you are watching the original digital signal without any additional compression. Compare them sometime -- the difference is very noticeable.
- inactive, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1Just ignore Techno, he's a trolltard. And a pretty bad one too, at that.
- gstep, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1What was wrong with what he said? In referring to digital cable, he was correct that you still need a box, even if you have a digital tv because of the encryption. Typically the only unencrypted digital (Clear QAM) channels available on cable are the free local channels. Almost all other digital channels require a box from your provider. This is not the case with analog cable (which is typically included and required with a digital package) because it is not encrypted and is designed to work with cable ready tvs, meaning basically any tv made in the last 20 years.
- imanalias, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1I must have missed that part of the commercial when I got up to get my prune juice.
- inactive, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1If you're paying to watch 20 minutes of programming per half hour, you're wasting your money. Really, who the ***** pays for cable anymore? If they want me to come back they're going to have to remove the ads and give me on-demand for every show that's ever been made, and not charge me $100 a month for it.
- tyboulder, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1Phasing out OTA analog is one thing. Phasing out cable analog is *entirely* different. Millions, maybe hundreds of millions still get cable on some sort of analog "cable-ready" TV. What are people talking about here?
- gstep, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1OK so I thought that only really old people were still confused by this. Cable & satellite providers can broadcast however they want because they are not governed by the FCC in this regard. Therefore, most cable providers offer, and will continue to offer both analog and digital services. Even though 100% of all content coming into them will eventually be digital, they can convert and transmit it however they want. As a side note, in Des Moines where I live, most of the local networks decided to cease all analog transmissions last week anyway. This forced my cable provided, Mediacom, to convert the digital ATSC signals the stations transmitted to analog cable which made CBS and NBC come in much more clearly, despite the fact it was still an analog signal on my side.
- gstep, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1I'll pay for and love my digital cable (despite the fact the reps at my company, Mediacom, are 100% incompetent). I find it way more convenient than scouring the internet to find crappy, slow-downloading, unreliable torrents for my favorite shows. Not to mention the fact that I can watch things when they actually air. I do, however, wish that I could choose which stations I wanted to pay for. I'd probably only get the Discovery Network's channels and the ESPNs and call it good.
- magaman, on 02/24/2009, -0/+1I HATE CABLEVISION, I can't wait for FIOS to finally get in the area, their service is overpriced, unreliable and the CSR's just suck. Let me walk you through a typical CSR call. "Hello", "I'm having X problem" "OK unplug your box for 30 second" "ok still having problem" "Ok unplug your box for 30 seconds and remove the card" "Ok still having problem" "Ok we need to send someone out the first appointment is 2 weeks from saturday between the hours of 8am and 3pm" I HATE THEM, they once told us that we must not have the box plugged in cause they couldn't see it on the network, meanwhile we had no connection to them, ended up the hole they never filled in down the block, some dumbass kids were playing in and pulled out the connections from the underground box that was also left open in the hole. I HATE CABLEVISION.
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