I will never go back to Comcast, period. Years of lousy service with poor analogs, limited digital choices, and abysmal performance post hurricanes are among my peeves. That being said, make sure you understand the limitations inherent to their proposed switched video before you assume they will end up with unlimited bandwidth.

I can respect your decision of not using Comcast. My favorable judgement of the company is based on the following:

1 - I recognize that they've inherited the problems caused by the poor management judgments of the mega-collection of cable systems that were built by other companies and eventually wound up in their hands through a multitude of system trades, acquisitions, buy-outs, and mergers.

2 - That they have invested BILLIONS on upgrading these systems, burrying fiber optic cable at a scale far greater than that of phone companies.

3 - That the Roberts family whom founded the company played by the rules and built it up with honesty, in starch contrast to the dishonest and criminal ways of the Rigas family whom built Adelphia.

4 - When the Old Man who started the company died a few years ago, his son took over as the new CEO. His son has made Comcast the dominate cable operator of the nation with his super-aggressive style of management. If you recall, he even tried (unsuccessfully) to buy the Disney corporation in an aggressive and unfriendly take-over bid. But what impressives me most about him is his willingness to invest in new technologies and creativity. For example, Comcast has invested in new companies that will bring new creative interactive broadband content. One company is a video on demand dating service. Another is a video on demand service where anyone can upload video in addition to downloading anyone's video (like YouTube but designed for on demand television). And another venture will deliver on demand games.

Investment in new technologies and creativity is an area that I believe more companies should be involved with. Steve Jobs and Apple is a good example of this type of company - and I see Comcast as being of this calibur. This is in big contrast with, say that company that claims itself as the "New AT&T".

"The New AT&T" is actually what used to be South Western Bell. South Western Bell changed its name to SBS Communications and purchased Pac Tel (the Bell company of CA/NV) and the Bell company of CT (forgot the name). More recently, it purchased Bell South and the company that used to be the division of AT&T long distance (the last company to hold the name AT&T), thus SBS Communications had legally aquired the name AT&T. And in a grand move to mislead everyone, SBS changed its name to the New AT&T.

Now, I have nothing against mega mergers like this. Comcast and Verizon are both very guilty of being formed through mega-mergers of their own. But SBS Communications has used a strategy of killing competition and squashing innovation. In markets where there used to be, for example, competitive cell phone providers of Cingular and AT&T wireless (and others in some areas), those choices are now one choice. Privately and repeatedly, they've made offers to Verizon to buy them out. But thankfully Verizon has refused to even consider such an offer each and every time they've been approached.

Each of the Baby Bells prior to SBS's take-over had billion dollar plans of building a new state of the art fiber optic network with interactive video. Once SBS took them over, those plans were immediately cancelled. In its place, SBS teamed up with DirecTV as their answer to video. By the way, Verizon (the company that controls most of the rest of the former Baby-Bell areas not controlled by SBS-the New AT&T) has spent something like $100 billion in recent years installing fiber optics to the HOMES of each customer!

My point... My point is I will not support this "New AT&T" for its practices are pure evil (in my opinion) and that I will support Comcast because they are the complete opposite. I have nothing against DirectTV as a company, as that company really is very compeitive and innovative, but it's the evil intentions of their biggest partner (SBS/AT&T) that has me seeing red flags.

I read several years ago an interview with the CEO of SBS. In this interview, he said he wanted to put the old Bell System monopoly back together. That's exactly what that company has been plotting and moving to do. I'm shocked that the government thus far is allowing it.

If your intent is to avoid evil corporations, you will have to give up TV entirely. It is really much simpler for me: DirecTV worked, and cable did not, after the hurricane years of 04 and 05. With DirecTV, I am not at the mercy of miles and miles of cable plant, amplifiers, and illegal taps. My outtages since going to DirecTV have gone from weekly occurences to a real rarity.

I can respect your decision of not using Comcast. My favorable judgement of the company is based on the following:

1 - I recognize that they've inherited the problems caused by the poor management judgments of the mega-collection of cable systems that were built by other companies and eventually wound up in their hands through a multitude of system trades, acquisitions, buy-outs, and mergers.

2 - That they have invested BILLIONS on upgrading these systems, burrying fiber optic cable at a scale far greater than that of phone companies.

3 - That the Roberts family whom founded the company played by the rules and built it up with honesty, in starch contrast to the dishonest and criminal ways of the Rigas family whom built Adelphia.

4 - When the Old Man who started the company died a few years ago, his son took over as the new CEO. His son has made Comcast the dominate cable operator of the nation with his super-aggressive style of management. If you recall, he even tried (unsuccessfully) to buy the Disney corporation in an aggressive and unfriendly take-over bid. But what impressives me most about him is his willingness to invest in new technologies and creativity. For example, Comcast has invested in new companies that will bring new creative interactive broadband content. One company is a video on demand dating service. Another is a video on demand service where anyone can upload video in addition to downloading anyone's video (like YouTube but designed for on demand television). And another venture will deliver on demand games.

Investment in new technologies and creativity is an area that I believe more companies should be involved with. Steve Jobs and Apple is a good example of this type of company - and I see Comcast as being of this calibur. This is in big contrast with, say that company that claims itself as the "New AT&T".

"The New AT&T" is actually what used to be South Western Bell. South Western Bell changed its name to SBS Communications and purchased Pac Tel (the Bell company of CA/NV) and the Bell company of CT (forgot the name). More recently, it purchased Bell South and the company that used to be the division of AT&T long distance (the last company to hold the name AT&T), thus SBS Communications had legally aquired the name AT&T. And in a grand move to mislead everyone, SBS changed its name to the New AT&T.

Now, I have nothing against mega mergers like this. Comcast and Verizon are both very guilty of being formed through mega-mergers of their own. But SBS Communications has used a strategy of killing competition and squashing innovation. In markets where there used to be, for example, competitive cell phone providers of Cingular and AT&T wireless (and others in some areas), those choices are now one choice. Privately and repeatedly, they've made offers to Verizon to buy them out. But thankfully Verizon has refused to even consider such an offer each and every time they've been approached.

Each of the Baby Bells prior to SBS's take-over had billion dollar plans of building a new state of the art fiber optic network with interactive video. Once SBS took them over, those plans were immediately cancelled. In its place, SBS teamed up with DirecTV as their answer to video. By the way, Verizon (the company that controls most of the rest of the former Baby-Bell areas not controlled by SBS-the New AT&T) has spent something like $100 billion in recent years installing fiber optics to the HOMES of each customer!

My point... My point is I will not support this "New AT&T" for its practices are pure evil (in my opinion) and that I will support Comcast because they are the complete opposite. I have nothing against DirectTV as a company, as that company really is very compeitive and innovative, but it's the evil intentions of their biggest partner (SBS/AT&T) that has me seeing red flags.

I read several years ago an interview with the CEO of SBS. In this interview, he said he wanted to put the old Bell System monopoly back together. That's exactly what that company has been plotting and moving to do. I'm shocked that the government thus far is allowing it.

The bottom line for me is service and price. Comdephia never provided SERVICE but charged me a significant amount of money. DirecTV provides me substancially more service at a lower price than Comdephia did, so I moved away from Comcast. Their SA boxes are worthless compared to my D* HR20 and my TiVo HD box. The HD selection is abysmal compared to DirectTV and my OTA antenna.

I don't use "the New AT&T" since they don't offer me the SERVICE AND PRICE that I get from T-Mobile. So be as agressive as you want, but the bottom line is service and price and if a provider can do that for me, then I will go with them.

Your cable company (Comcast in your case) is a monopoly. You have no choice as to which cable company you can use. Therefore Comcast has no competition from other cable companies which means lousy service and slow upgrades. Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) on the other hand is competitive and therefore you get pretty good service and fast upgrades.

You mentioned the Scientific Atlanta & Motorola cable boxes - DirecTV has a program running called "Cutting Edge". It allows anyone to beta test the updates of all the receivers and DVR's that DirecTV uses. It costs nothing, is voluntary and they actually listen to feedback and make changes accordingly. It's a plus for them and for us. I could be wrong, I left Adelphia about 10 years ago, but I don't see cable companies being that interactive with it's end users.

Also because of limitations of your cable box you probably don't realize that a simple shelf-top antenna will get all of our local Network Affiliate OTA (Over The Air) broadcasters and more. That feature (yes, it's a feature) has been integrated in DirecTV & Dish Network receivers since the beginning of DBS.

I agree with the fact that a competitive free-market business is better than a monopoly or government provided service.

Now, I have nothing against mega mergers like this. Comcast and Verizon are both very guilty of being formed through mega-mergers of their own. But SBS Communications has used a strategy of killing competition and squashing innovation. In markets where there used to be, for example, competitive cell phone providers of Cingular and AT&T wireless (and others in some areas), those choices are now one choice. Privately and repeatedly, they've made offers to Verizon to buy them out. But thankfully Verizon has refused to even consider such an offer each and every time they've been approached.

Each of the Baby Bells prior to SBS's take-over had billion dollar plans of building a new state of the art fiber optic network with interactive video. Once SBS took them over, those plans were immediately cancelled. In its place, SBS teamed up with DirecTV as their answer to video. By the way, Verizon (the company that controls most of the rest of the former Baby-Bell areas not controlled by SBS-the New AT&T) has spent something like $100 billion in recent years installing fiber optics to the HOMES of each customer!


Some interesting points you made but I think I can clarify.
1. Yes Cingular and AT&T are one. But you still have Verizon, Sprint, Tmobile and Metro PCS. Isn't competition great?

2. Verizon could never consider buying out AT&T and Cingular. The networks have nothing in common. The technologies (CDMA vs. GSM) are not compatible. Plus with the FCC licensing requirements, they would then own all the 850 Mhz channels in most major metros, which is a no-no. So such an offer by AT&T/Cingular to Verizon makes little sense. The licenses would have to be given up thereby reducing the value by perhaps 50%. (On the contrary, talks of Verizon spinoffs have been popular since they are owned partially by Vodafone, who uses GSM).

3. SBC didn't team up with Directv for their answer to video. It is a co-marketing agreement to allow SBC to offer video while they built their own infrastructure. SBC/AT&T/Bellsouth are going down the UVERSE path for video. Is it better than FIOS, I doubt it. But it uses existing copper so its an interesting approach. And its almost here in PB County. The new DSLAM is standing in my neighborhood. UVERSE is coming Jan/Feb per the techs installing the new DSLAMS.

Although I have Directv, I may just give UVERSE a try. Assuming there's no contracts for trying it for a while.

If your intent is to avoid evil corporations, you will have to give up TV entirely. It is really much simpler for me: DirecTV worked, and cable did not, after the hurricane years of 04 and 05. With DirecTV, I am not at the mercy of miles and miles of cable plant, amplifiers, and illegal taps. My outtages since going to DirecTV have gone from weekly occurences to a real rarity.

There's another side to the story. While you might be handy to take down the dish before the storm, many people are not. I remember reading after the storms of dishes being torn off or damaged they had to call for work orders. They also had to wait a couple weeks or so to get service back.

I do agree with your other points though and have been pretty happy since joining Directv. They have the programming I want (minus the CW in HD, what's up with that?) and most importantly the Big 10 network (I need my Big 10 hoops :D). As with everything, there's plus and minuses of both. With Comphia, I find the minuses way out weighed the pluses.

One of my neighbors had his dish tweaked out of alignment, took 3 days for the service call. I told the lazy doofus to remove the reflector. He was plenty handy, just didn't want to bother. Another neighbor is lucky enough to have his dish mounted to the side of the house, braced in a corner. It didn't move at all. I wish my line of site would allow that. I have to use a pole out in the backyard to clear my palms.

We'll get CW via DirecTV soon enough, meanwhile, there are two of them available OTA to us.

There's another side to the story. While you might be handy to take down the dish before the storm, many people are not. I remember reading after the storms of dishes being torn off or damaged they had to call for work orders. They also had to wait a couple weeks or so to get service back.

I do agree with your other points though and have been pretty happy since joining Directv. They have the programming I want (minus the CW in HD, what's up with that?) and most importantly the Big 10 network (I need my Big 10 hoops :D). As with everything, there's plus and minuses of both. With Comphia, I find the minuses way out weighed the pluses.

The CW has programs in HD???:rolleyes:

:p I dunno, I don't watch it that much, but it's there.

The CW has programs in HD???:rolleyes:

SNIP 2. Verizon could never consider buying out AT&T and Cingular. The networks have nothing in common.

Been following this thread with great interest, thanks to all for the informed comments.

Regarding Verizon/CDMA vs the more common GSM cell phone standards, I read a statement a few weeks ago from Verizon that stated that they were adopting the same next generation communication protocols that the Europeans and ATT&T/GSM were adopting. As I recall it was called next generation GSM. To me this is very exiting, as common protocols combined with open standards could achieve a true cellular Internet.

Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

This is kind of funny. Early adopter? What, you don't have a high definition blimp yet?
DIRECTV Airlifts NFL Network To Game-Deprived Fans in Florida (http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1086631&highlight=)

Wouldn't that be just terrific, have one of those anchored low over your house for your superbowl party ?

One of my neighbors had his dish tweaked out of alignment, took 3 days for the service call. I told the lazy doofus to remove the reflector. He was plenty handy, just didn't want to bother. Another neighbor is lucky enough to have his dish mounted to the side of the house, braced in a corner. It didn't move at all. I wish my line of site would allow that. I have to use a pole out in the backyard to clear my palms.

We'll get CW via DirecTV soon enough, meanwhile, there are two of them available OTA to us.

I asked one of my friends who had Dish then and he said it took about 4 days too. Maybe it wasn't as bad as the paper made it out to be.

Right now I have a Silver Sensor hooked up to in my attic. Can't get ABC or CW with it. I bought a Winegard GS2200 without realizing I need to hook it up to a power source to get it working. Of course, I don't have one in my attic where I need it. So either I hire an electrician to put up a outlet up there or buy another non-powered antenna to hopefully get those channels. What do you guys suggest I do?

And Electric, one of my favorite shows to watch in HD is Smallville. Great special effects and sound. Granted, it's no where near as great it was in S2 or S3, but still fun to watch. That's it though, nothing else on the CW, but I really want it for Smallville in HD if they ever come back due to the writers strike. :mad:

Do you have an attic light? They sell adapters that allow you to put a screw in for a small powered outlet, or you could just tap off of that quick and painlessly

I asked one of my friends who had Dish then and he said it took about 4 days too. Maybe it wasn't as bad as the paper made it out to be.

Right now I have a Silver Sensor hooked up to in my attic. Can't get ABC or CW with it. I bought a Winegard GS2200 without realizing I need to hook it up to a power source to get it working. Of course, I don't have one in my attic where I need it. So either I hire an electrician to put up a outlet up there or buy another non-powered antenna to hopefully get those channels. What do you guys suggest I do?

And Electric, one of my favorite shows to watch in HD is Smallville. Great special effects and sound. Granted, it's no where near as great it was in S2 or S3, but still fun to watch. That's it though, nothing else on the CW, but I really want it for Smallville in HD if they ever come back due to the writers strike. :mad:

ABC 25 Digital (native 16.1) is very, very strong in Boynton. Channel 34 digital (native 50.1) is weak.

If you can get your antenna outside, face it north, you will get them. A small UHF outdoor antenna is all you need.
And in Boynton, you should still get the other locals (NBC, FOX, PBS) off the side of the antenna since they are so close.

Each person has different reasons for their decisions. I'm still on cable because Weston requires we pay Advanced for basic cable regardless of use, so my $40 goes in their pocket and their is nothing I can do. Add in the cost of going to another service in addition and it is more than I want to pay. Since our cable is underground we only lost service for a day during Wilma and I had OTA in between. More competition is the key and I am looking forward to telecoms getting in, hopefully getting fiber to the house etc. but for now cable gets me most of what I want for the cheapest price.

I think I gave the impression that I was making an argument against DirecTV and for cable. My position is that I am against any company that tries to monopolize a market to sit on old technology. The fuel industry in our country is caught up in this quagmire. I was among the first in Wellington, FL to have DirectTV service and fought with the Village over our rights to have a dish up. Winning this battle has cleared the way for the countless others who now have their dishes in Wellington. Ironically, I switched back to cable. Keep in mind that when we first got our dish, cable here had only 50 channels. I think that had there not have been satellite TV service - with better service than cable - cable today might be bragging about their new increased 60 channel line-up. Competition drove cable to lay down fiber to the curb in order to offer hundreds of digital cable channels - something they had to do in order to compete with satellite.

The reason I switched to cable was not only the new upgraded competitive service, but because cable has something new, technology-wise, that satellite can not provide - broadband internet service. Let me also mention that I was one of the first to subscribe to Bellsouth's DSL service. Prior to that, I also tried Bellsouth's ISDN. As a computer builder and programmer, I put all available broadband technologies to the test and determined that cable's hybrid coax-fiber broadband network is by far technologically superiour to DSL over copper. With video on demand service with cable (another thing satellite can not do now) and deep-discounts through service bundling, cable won me back. But that's just my preference. If broadband internet isn't important to you as quality of TV service, then satellite should be your choice.

I also am in the software industry and broadband is important to me. I chose DSL instead of cable because of cable's shared bandwidth to the DSLAM and its bandwidth throttling - upload speed and volume was of equal importance to me as download speeds. DirecTV VOD is in beta stage, and will be available very soon now, as well.

I, too had ISDN, man what a dog that was. And picky, too.

I had Adelphia's one-way "Surfboard" Internet service. If you remember, it was downlinked via the (Surfboard) cable modem and uplinked via dial-up modem. It worked about 60 percent of the time. I did cartwheels when DSL finally became available in my neighborhood and took great pleasure in calling Adelphia and canceling their atrocious offerings.

Video On Demand works well on my DirecTV HR20-700 with a wireless-G network adapter and my 2-wire DSL wireless router. I rarely have a DSL outages.

I also am in the software industry and broadband is important to me. I chose DSL instead of cable because of cable's shared bandwidth to the DSLAM and its bandwidth throttling - upload speed and volume was of equal importance to me as download speeds. DirecTV VOD is in beta stage, and will be available very soon now, as well.

I, too had ISDN, man what a dog that was. And picky, too.

Yeah... I kind of miss it, though. It's ability to dial digitally, like cell phones do. ADSL goes back to POTS (plain old telephone service) for its voice service. The dedication of private bandwidth with DSL is the one advantage of DSL over cable.

In terms of raw speed, I ran multiple tests to measure the speed between cable and DSL. Files that were multiples of megabytes large downloaded in mere seconds over cable. Those same files took time over DSL where I had to walk away from the computer and occupy myself with something else while those the downloading of those files continued downloading.

Now, that test was just my location. On a friend's system with DSL, I ran the same test and that same file downloaded as fast as cable, if not faster. The same model DSL modem was tested on both locations. So, why the speed difference? Because Bellsouth had installed fiber optics in his neighborhood that terminated almost to his front yard. From there, the signal is sent down copper wire to his living room over DSL signals. The shorter the distance the DSL has to travel, the faster the service becomes.

And not everyone is as lucky (in Florida) to live in a neighborhood where Bellsouth had installed fiber to a node that can be seen from a home's front-door. In fact, in my friend's case, the fiber build-out in his neghborhood was part of Bellsouth's new fiber build-out program that was to layout fiber to everyone's block of homes over a 5-year period. The build-out in his negborhood was among the first out of that program, but was also the last.

Almost immediately after construction in his neighborhood completed, SBS finalized their Bellouth take-over. SBS's first order of business under the newly merged company, besides rebranding themselves as the "New AT&T" was to stop the 5-year build-out plan. In its place, there is a new plan where only rich neighborhoods will get fiber technology. The rest will utilize existing DSL and satellite technologies to give an illusion of a new service.

Back to cable broadband, my service has undergone many upgrades over the years, utilizing more and more of coax's bandwidth. Today, not one 6 MHz channel bandwidth is used, but multiple 6 MHz channel bandwidth. The fiber nodes have also increasingly inched closer and closer to my home, where shared bandwidth is shared with lesser and lesser homes. Encryption has also improved. IP data is switched now at the fiber nodes, where in the past it was switched at the cable plant.

NEWS UPDATE: AT&T announced they will end DirecTV service by the end of the quarter, further showing the company's shady intentions. In another announcement, they said they were speeding up roll-out of its U-verse TV service, which uses DSL technology in order to offer video. Video over DSL technology is by far much inferiour to satellite TV technology or cable, as (for example) it's ability to only deliver 1 HD channel at a time per household. The upgraded version of this technology can deliver <sarcasm>a whopping</sarcasm> two HD channels per household!

You touched on one thing most people miss - 2 HD channels per household at a time. It's not unreasonable to want more. For example - every Thursday night in my house, we watch 2.5 Men in HD, my daughter is watching MTVHD, my son is on Nick HD, and we are recording a 4th HD channel, usually DiscoveryHD.

Yick - did I just expose my family as TV addicts :D

NEWS UPDATE: AT&T announced they will end DirecTV service by the end of the quarter, further showing the company's shady intentions. In another announcement, they said they were speeding up roll-out of its U-verse TV service, which uses DSL technology in order to offer video. Video over DSL technology is by far much inferiour to satellite TV technology or cable, as (for example) it's ability to only deliver 1 HD channel at a time per household. The upgraded version of this technology can deliver <sarcasm>a whopping</sarcasm> two HD channels per household!

NEWS UPDATE: AT&T announced they will end DirecTV service by the end of the quarter, further showing the company's shady intentions. In another announcement, they said they were speeding up roll-out of its U-verse TV service, which uses DSL technology in order to offer video. Video over DSL technology is by far much inferiour to satellite TV technology or cable, as (for example) it's ability to only deliver 1 HD channel at a time per household. The upgraded version of this technology can deliver <sarcasm>a whopping</sarcasm> two HD channels per household!

I get a different read on this one. D* is/will be a direct competitor to U-verse. To me, AT&T intentions are obvious. They want to compete, not promote D* tv service.

Hopefully increased competiton will yield a better and cheaper product for us poor abused consumers.

Had AT&T decided to build fiber to the home, like Verizon has done in its service area, real competition with Comcast would exist. Read this....

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6509891.html

Okay, here's the situation here in PBC. After the Rigas scandal at Adelphia (in which the founding family put hundreds of millions of dollars on the books as going to upgrades but instead spent the money illegally to build private leasure for themselves - like private golf courses) and after Rigas and his sons were all arrested, Adelphia's new court-appointed management team decided to do what the Rigas' promised to do in the first place -- upgrade the systems and they built a true interactive high-tech fiber-to-the-curb system. And despite Adelphia's poor credit (being bancrupt and all) some how the new management team convinced Scientific Atlanta to finance them SA's most advanced set-top box (which costs hundreds per customer). With the upgraded systems and a state-of-the-art settop box, new management reasoned that they would be able to sell off these systems at a premium price. The takers: Comcast and Time Warner, both agreeing to pay a high premium for these upgraded systems.

Now, here's the problem. Comcast recently upgraded their systems too, but chose different vendors with different equipment and different standards. For instance, the Comcast systems use Motorola boxes, which are not compatible with code written to work with the SA boxes. With the SA boxes financed by the former Adelphia systems, Comcast now is obligated to pay that debt. So, it would be a money-losing effort for Comcast to also buy new Motorola boxes for the former Adelphia customers, but that would be necessary if Comcast were to give former Adelphia customers a carbon copy of all the services of their other systems. It's an unfortunate situation, I think.

So due to the issues you mentioned, for us that are in Old Adelphia areas using S.A. boxes, what are your thoughts as to how long until we are fully compatible with the Comcast system ?

So due to the issues you mentioned, for us that are in Old Adelphia areas using S.A. boxes, what are your thoughts as to how long until we are fully compatible with the Comcast system ?

Well, I was told several months ago from several sources, including Comcast employees that Comcast realized they had no choice but to take a loss on the SA boxes and to purchase the new Motorola boxes for PBC customers - and that this would take about a year. But, in recent months, Comcast changed their mind, as the SA boxes - although not compatible with the national network - do use all the new generation set-top box technologies. So, the new plans are to port over as much as their national network services as possible so they may work on the SA boxes.

Eventually, there will be a next generation of set-top boxes. When that happens, everyone will have Motorola boxes. In fact, I was just reading that they have just signed with Motorola for new boxes for their new switched video technology that they are now testing in a few markets (but not here).

AT&T was recently in talks to purchase Dish (not direct) they've agreed to a one year cool down period. It may be the beginning of this. AT&T already offers dish home something or other outside of the bellsouth region.

They may never build the fiber out to the curb, I have a feeling we are all going to be waiting some time for fttp around here.

PeterAlt:

Why can't their HD lineup broadcast using the SA boxes? Why would the box have anything to do with it? They always use bandwidth as their excuse everytime I have sent an email to them (I know this is a waste of time but I have tried).

Is it really just a matter of the box and not the infrastructure itself?

Thanks.

AT&T was recently in talks to purchase Dish (not direct) they've agreed to a one year cool down period. It may be the beginning of this. AT&T already offers dish home something or other outside of the bellsouth region.

They may never build the fiber out to the curb, I have a feeling we are all going to be waiting some time for fttp around here.

A few years ago, the FCC auctioned off over-the-air wireless digital TV licenses. A Treasure Coast start-up company won our local licenses. Bellsouth later purchased that company to kill it. I do not trust this "New AT&T". If they plan to buy Dish Network, it may be doing so with the intention of killing that company later on.

The government should never have allowed SBS's take over of AT&T Long Distance and Bellsouth with absolutely no restrictions on those two mergers. The consolidation of that company is bad for competition and bad for customers. People may not see this as of yet, but let me explain what's going on... The New AT&T intends on bundling cell phone, television, internet, and land line services for an artificially-low price. The intention is to cause the price of these bundled services so that it would be a "no brainer" that people would switch to them. But their low prices would force the competition to lower their prices too - so that that the competition would have take a loss.

The idea is that such a loss would cause competitors to go out of business. And when that happens, guess what? AT&T would be in a position to raise their rates as much as they want and they can get away with it because they've successfully killed the competition.

The good news is that this New AT&T never predicted the consolidation of cable companies into two major players: Comcast and Time Warner. And Comcast now is big enough now to go head-to-head with AT&T, bundling their own phone, internet, and television services with better technology. If AT&T loses a substantial number of customers to Comcast, they will be forced to reconsider and upgrade to fiber optics. Also, if Verizon gains a substantial amount of new customers as a result of their fiber optic upgrades, this would also send a clear message to AT&T managers.

PeterAlt:

Why can't their HD lineup broadcast using the SA boxes? Why would the box have anything to do with it? They always use bandwidth as their excuse everytime I have sent an email to them (I know this is a waste of time but I have tried).

Is it really just a matter of the box and not the infrastructure itself?

Thanks.

The boxes have little to do with their HD line-up. However, because we are on a different system, what is done nationally is not automatically online here. Each new addition has to be added here seperately, when they get around to doing so. We're not that far off, I think there's something like 3 or so channels of HD that Dade/Broward has that we don't yet, so we're a few months behind. But the real difference are the interactive and on-demand services. Comcast just added Movies on Demand in HD here, while Dade-Broward, I believe, has all the demand channels in HD. Also, Dade-Broward has a much better Guide and User Interface for interactive services and on-demand programming, offering internet-like services that we don't have.

Don't they have quite a few more channels than us? Cinemax HD, HGTV HD, TBS HD and I think some others, but maybe it is only 3.

This might be another stupid question, but it seems lineups for Comcast vary throughout the country, will they ever be able to get to be 1 giant network with everyone having the same channels?

Didn't know about the Movies On Demand HD section, until you mentioned it. Would have been nice if Comcast let us know it was there. There isn't any HD on any of the other On Demand channels is there?

Don't they have quite a few more channels than us? Cinemax HD, HGTV HD, TBS HD and I think some others, but maybe it is only 3.

This might be another stupid question, but it seems lineups for Comcast vary throughout the country, will they ever be able to get to be 1 giant network with everyone having the same channels?

Didn't know about the Movies On Demand HD section, until you mentioned it. Would have been nice if Comcast let us know it was there. There isn't any HD on any of the other On Demand channels is there?

I am hoping for a PPV HD sooner than later....

Well, I was told several months ago from several sources, including Comcast employees that Comcast realized they had no choice but to take a loss on the SA boxes and to purchase the new Motorola boxes for PBC customers - and that this would take about a year. But, in recent months, Comcast changed their mind, as the SA boxes - although not compatible with the national network - do use all the new generation set-top box technologies. So, the new plans are to port over as much as their national network services as possible so they may work on the SA boxes.

Eventually, there will be a next generation of set-top boxes. When that happens, everyone will have Motorola boxes. In fact, I was just reading that they have just signed with Motorola for new boxes for their new switched video technology that they are now testing in a few markets (but not here).

Thanks for the Input....i am giving them until the end on Jan 08, if there is nothing new...Going to take a good look at D*(hope they bring down some of the upfront costs by then)

Stewpidity:

The HD PPV is there it is part of Channel 900 (Movies On Demand). Scroll through the different catergories and you will find HD movies. They have 300 in HD which I really want to see again.

Question can you DVR a PPV movie?

Stewpidity:

The HD PPV is there it is part of Channel 900 (Movies On Demand). Scroll through the different catergories and you will find HD movies. They have 300 in HD which I really want to see again.

Question can you DVR a PPV movie?

I am talking about Live PPV HD events like the recent UFC or Boxing events, All the "events" Ondemand "Ring Sports" are old...

I saw the movies thats a nice addition, I know you can DVR PPV events, but you can only start recording when the event starts, i have been unable to set it in advance of the event to record it, even if I have already paid for it...

Had AT&T decided to build fiber to the home, like Verizon has done in its service area, real competition with Comcast would exist. Read this....

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6509891.html

There is no doubt that Verizon is using superior technology, if they ever go head to head AT&T will have charge less. I expect many will be satisifed U-Verse. After all, many people are happy with fuzzy pictures and stretch-o-vision.

I happen to believe that in the long term, an all fiber last mile is in the cards for most.

Yesterday (12/18/07) was a bit of an HDTV milestone. The News Hour on PBS inaugurated HDTV telecasting of this important program. Unfortunately, WXEL chose to provide only 480i service. Yet another example of how poorly this station is run.

I have yet to see the guide information match what they are actually showing on that channel. Sad.

DIRECTV to Carry Public Television Stations in HD (http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1088872&highlight=)

Is it possible that they could do a better job than WXEL-42 OTA?
We can only hope!

It can only be as good as what WXEL delivers to DIRECTV.

That's interesting - however, DirecTV only rebroadcasts the local into local, so if the source is bad, it will still be bad on DirecTV.

Well, WXEL delivers again :rolleyes: The guide showed that the Moron Tabernacle Choir was going to be singing. While I may not agree with their philosophies, they sure can sing, so I wanted to see it. Instead, 42-1 is showing some grainy SD film of some sort. Luckily, I am able to get 2-1 from Miami, although with an occasional glitch. Gotta wonder what's the matter with WXEL in Boynton.

dragon and Jeff, isn't that how it normally works for everything?

EDIT: I meant how the signal is distributed to the various companies (not just D*).

Referring to rebroadcast ? Yes, although DirecTV can adjust the bitrate and compression, they are stuck with whatever the source hands them to work with.

Maybe they will at least get the guide information right. Or - maybe not:confused:

Another great Comcast CSR answer

I asked: "when are we getting a PPV HD channel" ?

Answer: You need to call In-Demand and ask them....

My Reply: are you sure?

her Answer: Sir i have been here for 8 yrs and 2 months I know how it works...

My reply: Ok thanks

Shoulda asked him - "is that your final answer?"

Yesterday (12/18/07) was a bit of an HDTV milestone. The News Hour on PBS inaugurated HDTV telecasting of this important program. Unfortunately, WXEL chose to provide only 480i service. Yet another example of how poorly this station is run.

It looks great on WPBT. The best-looking HD they've had on in a very long time...quite reminiscent of the HD loops of their first digital broadcasts.

hey im new to hd tvs if i was to buy a hdtv with a qam tuner and if i have the comcast digital cable with all the digital channels(no hbo or other channels like that)

so i would just plug the cable wire from the box into the tv and be able to stare at Laurel Sauer sexy face in HD

or would i have to pay for such a privilege!

do i have to pay for espn hd or what nfl hd i already pay an extra 5 a month for that

So if i get and hd tv with a qam tuner and if i have all of the digital cable package

Do I just hook my cable box up to the tv and I can stare at Laurel Sauer sexy face

or would i have to pay for the privilege


what about nfl hd i already pay bucks a month for that will i have to pay more for hd

what espn and tnt

would it be worth it to get a box do i have to buy a hdmi cable

Laurel Sauer ? Man, she seems like a nice lady, but I don't know that you really want to see her in HD. I have no idea about Comcast, I dropped them in 1996. However, depending on where you live, you can get the WPB stations easily via antenna, and if you live in my area, you can get both WPB and Miami OTA easily.

I've noticed sound problems on Comcast in Palm Beach Gardens on WPBF 431 the past week. I keep hearing a "static" noise. I don't hear it on WPBF 10 or any other channels. Is it just me or is anyone else hearing this?

Thanks,
rjd

I've noticed sound problems on Comcast in Palm Beach Gardens on WPBF 431 the past week. I keep hearing a "static" noise. I don't hear it on WPBF 10 or any other channels. Is it just me or is anyone else hearing this?

Thanks,
rjd

I am getting it as well..

Has anyone noticed any issues with Channel 5 lately... I have been getting sporatic HD reception on both Off-Air HD and D*TV HD channel (their rebroadcast of local HD) but the D*TV SD channel 5 seems to be fine...

Just trying to figure out if I have to go on the roof today or not or if its a Channel 5 issue. It was in and out during the game last night...

Thanks.

Has anyone noticed any issues with Channel 5 lately... I have been getting sporatic HD reception on both Off-Air HD and D*TV HD channel (their rebroadcast of local HD) but the D*TV SD channel 5 seems to be fine...

Just trying to figure out if I have to go on the roof today or not or if its a Channel 5 issue. It was in and out during the game last night...

Thanks.

I've noted the same problems and I live near their tower.

Just trying to figure out if I have to go on the roof today or not or if its a Channel 5 issue. It was in and out during the game last night...

Thanks.Always assume that channel 5 is the problem - do not adjust your antenna or equipment. We have learned since day one that Palm Beach County OTA broadcasters are notoriously buggy and they will never admit that there is a problem. It sometimes takes weeks for them to do anything about it. Besides posting it in this forum the only other thing that could work is to email the GM of the station. Then wait it out.

Did you guys hear the News 12 commercial of better things to come in 2008? News 12 going HD I suppose.....

I was in the comcast office in Vero the other day exchanging my cable box because it was freezing up on me. The rep informed me that there was a new HD/DVR box available but she didn't have any left in the office. Has anyone obtained one of these new cable boxes? What model is it and how does it work?

I am currently using a Motorola box 6416.

I was in the comcast office in Vero the other day exchanging my cable box because it was freezing up on me. The rep informed me that there was a new HD/DVR box available but she didn't have any left in the office. Has anyone obtained one of these new cable boxes? What model is it and how does it work?

I am currently using a Motorola box 6416.


I am in an old Adelphia area, still using the SA 8300... :(

I am in an old Adelphia area, still using the SA 8300... :(

Which is why I dropped Comdelphia digital and wired the house for DirecTV. That box sucks.

Does anyone have any of the new HD channels on comcast? USA-HD,SciFi-HD,Discovery HD,etc.

Does anyone have any of the new HD channels on comcast? USA-HD,SciFi-HD,Discovery HD,etc.

nothing new for a while now...

Which is why I dropped Comdelphia digital and wired the house for DirecTV. That box sucks.
The box is not that bad, plus I am not a fan of 500 bucks(2 HD-DVR's) up front and still have a lease fee, as well as a 2 year contract...

I was in the comcast office in Vero the other day exchanging my cable box because it was freezing up on me. The rep informed me that there was a new HD/DVR box available but she didn't have any left in the office. Has anyone obtained one of these new cable boxes? What model is it and how does it work?

I am currently using a Motorola box 6416.

I am in an old Adelphia area, still using the SA 8300... :(

Vero Beach is a legacy ATT/Comcast system and has always been a Motorola system.

Vero Beach is a legacy ATT/Comcast system and has always been a Motorola system.

yah, i figured that, I think Ft Pierce is too, seems like when ever i speak to Comcast they say "oh well Ft Pierce just got it(a new HD Channel)" so you should be getting it soon"

I just got home from Fiji at 11:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve and thought I would watch the celebrations on Channel 5. No HD there, but Channel 6 had it in HD.

It just shows that everyone in this market should put up an antenna so when the locals forget to push the button for HD, one can watch the Miami Channels.

The box is not that bad, plus I am not a fan of 500 bucks(2 HD-DVR's) up front and still have a lease fee, as well as a 2 year contract...

I wasn't, either, until they raised the monthly charges for the SA8300 HD to I think about $18, and didn't give me anywhere the number of channels that other Comcast markets (like those about 2 miles from my house in Boca) have. The provided me with a box that could not record first run only, had a terrible viewing guide system and had no way for me to add my outside antenna.

The disparity in how Comcast provides channels, both HD and On Demand from area to area just blows me away. Why am I paying more for less service, with fewer DVR features?

All in all, my D* bill, with the 3 receivers that I have (one new at $299) and two others that I previously owned winds up saving me about $40 per month over Comcast.

So, that works out to $500 per year or so and I have my OTA with both Miami and West Palm, tons more HD channels and DVRs that work they way that they should.

Just my opinion.

I wasn't, either, until they raised the monthly charges for the SA8300 HD to I think about $18, and didn't give me anywhere the number of channels that other Comcast markets (like those about 2 miles from my house in Boca) have. The provided me with a box that could not record first run only, had a terrible viewing guide system and had no way for me to add my outside antenna.

The disparity in how Comcast provides channels, both HD and On Demand from area to area just blows me away. Why am I paying more for less service, with fewer DVR features?

All in all, my D* bill, with the 3 receivers that I have (one new at $299) and two others that I previously owned winds up saving me about $40 per month over Comcast.

So, that works out to $500 per year or so and I have my OTA with both Miami and West Palm, tons more HD channels and DVRs that work they way that they should.

Just my opinion.

If i could figure out a way to save 40.00 a month i would switch in a heart beat...

If i could figure out a way to save 40.00 a month i would switch in a heart beat...


I'm with you on that! I would do it for less than $40 a month.

By way of comparison, to you guys talking about saving - I have DirecTV - for $111 a month, including tax, tag, and title, I have 4 active receivers, one is a DVR, all SD and HD channels, plus HBO. Monthly DVR cost is $5.99 period, no matter how many you have (that's included in my above figure).

The big problem for me is that I would have to pay more for my Cable Internet service, along with buying a second HDDVR. Since we don't have a DSL option in our neighborhood, Comcast is the only broadband option.

I just hooked my TERKa amplified indoor antenna. It works great, but I can't get WPEC-DT 12.1 and 12.2. I live just north of Becker Rd. in Port St. Lucie. The signal strength is very weak. All the other channels come in with decent enough signal strength for a solid HD picture. Any ideas why channel 12 is so weak?

By way of comparison, to you guys talking about saving - I have DirecTV - for $111 a month, including tax, tag, and title, I have 4 active receivers, one is a DVR, all SD and HD channels, plus HBO. Monthly DVR cost is $5.99 period, no matter how many you have (that's included in my above figure).

Hi Jeff.....what type of internet do you have ? I am including that is all my numbers....

Comcast monthly bill: all channels they offer SD & HD, cable Internet, 2 hd/dvr's, Taxes = 204.85 less 20.00(loyal customer dredit) = $184.85

Equal package with D* $500.00(2 hd/dvr's) up front...Premiere(truly all of there SD &HD), HD/DVR fee, 3 lease fee's, HD Extra, protection plan = $141.92 less 20.00(AAA & D* credits) = 121.92

Internet: $60 per month internet(cable internet is a must) = $60.00 + 121.92(D*) = 181.92 plus taxes...pretty sure taxes would be at least 15 bucks total 196.92

i will also add, that some of the awful D* installer stories i have heard, kind of scare me, if i were to make the switch i would ask if anyone knows a good installer and i would order through him....

I guess I shouldn't complain, I am only paying $124 per month for 2 DVRs and all pay channels. But it does make it really hard to justify switching to D.

By way of comparison, to you guys talking about saving - I have DirecTV - for $111 a month, including tax, tag, and title, I have 4 active receivers, one is a DVR, all SD and HD channels, plus HBO. Monthly DVR cost is $5.99 period, no matter how many you have (that's included in my above figure).

That's about where I am with D*. My Comcast bill was $150 + so that's where I get my $40 per month. The big thing was the $18 for each SA 5300 HD, $6.00 for each of my two digital boxes and the pricing differential.

I pay $116 per month all channels, 2 DVRs and internet, so DirecTV is also less of an option because of price. Maybe Verizon will show up eventually.

I just hooked my TERKa amplified indoor antenna. It works great, but I can't get WPEC-DT 12.1 and 12.2. I live just north of Becker Rd. in Port St. Lucie. The signal strength is very weak. All the other channels come in with decent enough signal strength for a solid HD picture. Any ideas why channel 12 is so weak?
This is VHF station currently transmitting on 13. You'll need a good antenna on your roof or in the attic for reliable reception. I use a 5 element channel 13 Yagi in my attic.

After the digital transition date next year, channel 5 is moving to this channel and WPEC digital is moving to VHF 12.

This is VHF station currently transmitting on 13. You'll need a good antenna on your roof or in the attic for reliable reception. I use a 5 element channel 13 Yagi in my attic.

After the digital transition date next year, channel 5 is moving to this channel and WPEC digital is moving to VHF 12.

My TV does get 12-1 and 12-2, but the screens are black and the signal stength shows zero bars. It hasn't picked up anything on 13. Channel 5 is moving to channel 13 next year?

My TV does get 12-1 and 12-2, but the screens are black and the signal stength shows zero bars. It hasn't picked up anything on 13. Channel 5 is moving to channel 13 next year? Your signal strength is insufficient for your TV is build a picture. I am not familiar with the Terk, but in general set top "HDTV" antennas are not good for VHF more than 10-20 miles from the station.

Many stations will be changing frequencies, I believe everything above 49 is being auctioned for use by cell phones. WPTV 5.1 is currently on UHF 55.

In all likelyhood, an antenna that is satisfactory for 13 will be good for 12.

I pay $116 per month all channels, 2 DVRs and internet, so DirecTV is also less of an option because of price. Maybe Verizon will show up eventually.

Hmmm... if I had that deal, I'd stay too... Wonder why you're paying so much less than I did... I assume that you were Adelphia as well?

MartyS:

Part of it is paid through the condo association.

I pay $116 per month all channels, 2 DVRs and internet, so DirecTV is also less of an option because of price. Maybe Verizon will show up eventually.

Part of it is paid through the condo association.

My HOA (Home Owners Association) negotiated a bulk contract with Adelphia for $23 a month. This deal gives everyone all of the available analog channels(1-99) and includes 3 analog channels of HBO.

Like you, I also pay extra to have every available channel, High Speed Internet and 2 HD DVR's. Just received my January bill and it went up to $119 from $115. With the latest price increase, my actual cost is now $142 a month.

Verizon will not be a player in South Fla for a very, very long time, if ever. Though what we will see as an option in the not to distant future is AT&T's U-verse which is similar to Verizon's FIOS.

HELP,

I live in W Lake Worth near Hypoluxo and Hagan Ranch and I tried to watch Titans vs Chargers on FOX 29 off air High Def this afternoon on my Dish HD 722 system. It had signal strength of 72-82 but about every 15 secs, it would give me an error screen that said it had lost the signal. This sucks and I can't have this tomorrow night for the OS-LSU game. Can someone tell me if this is a common occurance with Fox HD. IF NOT, where is their HD signal transmitted from? Maybe I don't have my OTA antenna pointed quite right.
ANY help appreciated.

Same thing happens to me every sunday during football. I just switch to the Miami station and have no problem. I'm curious to see what others say about this also

I have the 622 BTW

Sorry - I meant the Tampa Bay game on FOX, NOT Titans and Chargers.

I was watching the game via wflx ota and it was just fine

Same thing happens to me every sunday during football. I just switch to the Miami station and have no problem. I'm curious to see what others say about this also

I have the 622 BTW
I watch football on WFLX every Sunday. I've never had this problem. I watch OTA.

I have BellSouth DSL Extreme 6.0 (6000\512) for $39 a month in addition. Frankly, I think the monthly costs between satellite and cable are minimal, the difference being - do you want to pay for the DVR upfront with a single low lease fee with satellite, or pay for it across your term with cable with their higher monthly DVR fees. That's the big differ I see (not counting any subsidies like HOA deals, that changes everything).

Yes, there have been bad installers, but like anything you read on the internet, it has been exaggerated beyond proportion. Unless you hire a pro company and pay for your install, DirecTV will send who they send, you have no choice.

Hi Jeff.....what type of internet do you have ? I am including that is all my numbers....

Comcast monthly bill: all channels they offer SD & HD, cable Internet, 2 hd/dvr's, Taxes = 204.85 less 20.00(loyal customer dredit) = $184.85

Equal package with D* $500.00(2 hd/dvr's) up front...Premiere(truly all of there SD &HD), HD/DVR fee, 3 lease fee's, HD Extra, protection plan = $141.92 less 20.00(AAA & D* credits) = 121.92

Internet: $60 per month internet(cable internet is a must) = $60.00 + 121.92(D*) = 181.92 plus taxes...pretty sure taxes would be at least 15 bucks total 196.92

i will also add, that some of the awful D* installer stories i have heard, kind of scare me, if i were to make the switch i would ask if anyone knows a good installer and i would order through him....

Does anyone kow the location of the FOX HD transmission in the West Palm area? I feel I need to tweak my antenna.

Thanks

Does anyone kow the location of the FOX HD transmission in the West Palm area? I feel I need to tweak my antenna.

Thanks

Try This:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

New HD Channels Old Adelphia/Now Comcast

414 Food Network HD
420 USA HD
422 History HD
424 Discovery HD(showing same programming as discovery channel 53)
426 Animal Planet
427 SciFi HD HD

I think channel 412 will now be called HD Theater

Comcast just added 6 HD channels in WPB...

414 - Food
420 - USA
422 - History
424 - Discovery
426 - Animal Planet
427 - Sci Fi

GREAT NEWS FOR COMCAST CUSTOMERS!

I was just channel scanning and noticed something new in the 400 range - SIX channels newly added of HD programming! Here's what's new:

414 - The Food Network HD
420 - USA Network HD
422 - The History Channel HD
424 - Discovery Channel HD
426 - Animal Planet HD
427 - Sci-Fi Channel HD

I am very happy with this discovery. If you read my earlier posts concerning my requested HD channels, it's as if they read it and granted my wish almost to the letter! So, to those at Comcast, let me just say THANK YOU!

As of now, these channels are in the black. If anyone is receiving them yet, please let us know. If not, I guess it's just a matter of time before they're 'turned on'.

GREAT NEWS FOR COMCAST CUSTOMERS!

I was just channel scanning and noticed something new in the 400 range - SIX channels newly added of HD programming! Here's what's new:

414 - The Food Network HD
420 - USA Network HD
422 - The History Channel HD
424 - Discovery Channel HD
426 - Animal Planet HD
427 - Sci-Fi Channel HD

I am very happy with this discovery. If you read my earlier posts concerning my requested HD channels, it's as if they read it and granted my wish almost to the letter! So, to those at Comcast, let me just say THANK YOU!

As of now, these channels are in the black. If anyone is receiving them yet, please let us know. If not, I guess it's just a matter of time before they're 'turned on'.

I am receiving all of them...not black

They aren't on the Boynton Beach guide yet.

Nothing here in Boca yet either. What gives?

Can't wait. Since they aren't live yet, probably haven't deployed them to the rest of the cluster.

I was just browsing around and saw SFHD, and was like "What the heck is this?" I then noticed it was playing Star Trek: Enterprise, and was elated to realize they added SciFi HD :eek:

I then scrolled up and was quite happy to see they have added several of my other favorite channels in HD. :D

Edit: Looks like they still need to iron out the signal a bit. Most of the new HD channels are getting errors in the sound and video. I wonder how close they are to maximum capacity in their bandwidth.

Can anyone in wellington confirm the new HD channel additions?

Can anyone in wellington confirm the new HD channel additions?

I dont show any of these. I am in Palm Beach Gardens East of I-95 and north of PGA Blvd.

New channels not in Martin county either.

Its easy to see why cable is one of the most disliked industries in the US. Their service is really pretty good, but neither the customers nor the employees know what is going on. Comcast is a communications company. Why is it so difficult to pass along their plans for upgrading their service?

New channels not in Martin county either.

Its easy to see why cable is one of the most disliked industries in the US. Their service is really pretty good, but neither the customers nor the employees know what is going on. Comcast is a communications company. Why is it so difficult to pass along their plans for upgrading their service?

An excellent comment!

I first experienced S. Fl. cable in 1988. I see nothing has changed, even the fuzzy analogs are still there, as I noted when I helped a friend setup his new Comcast HD DVR last weekend. On the few HD channels he had, though, the picture quality was quite acceptible (just so you guys don't think I am a complete satellite weenie :D )

New channels not in Martin county either.

Its easy to see why cable is one of the most disliked industries in the US. Their service is really pretty good, but neither the customers nor the employees know what is going on. Comcast is a communications company. Why is it so difficult to pass along their plans for upgrading their service?

I think this explains the company’s internal communication skills:

Last time I spoke to Comcast the CSR told me that they usually find out about new HD channels 2-3 days after they are already available to the customer...it just amazes me how they do business...

I am receiving all of them...not black

As of this morning, they all disappeared from the guide!

Ugggggggggggggggggggggggg

UPDATE ON COMCAST PBC-TREASURE-COAST SYSTEM UPGRADES!

A few days ago, I had an in-depth conversation with a Comcast rep concerning the state of our local system, acquired from Adelphia. Here's the scoop:

1. Our local system had been in horrendous condition because of years of neglect and poor management while in Adelphia's hands. Since taking over former-Adelphia systems, Comcast has been rebuilding all that was once Adelphia, a huge expense and undertaking.

2. The scale of this rebuild project is so massive that it's still not yet completed, and that we haven't yet been switched over to Comcast's centralized system. Despite a re-branding of services, changes in the numbering of the digital channel line-up, improved internet service, and the introduction of Comcast Digital Voice local telephone service, we're still on Adelphia's head-end.

3. Over 2008, neighborhoods one by one will be switched over to Comcast's Broward local headend and their national digital headend. No timetable had been revealed to the rep I spoke with, but the roll-out will be spread out throughout 2008, with completion in every neighborhood by Winter '08.

4. The SA-series digital settop boxes, including the 8000-series DVR boxes work "just fine" on completed systems connected to Comcast's unified, centralized national system. The national system has been using new digital Motorola set-tops. This means we're stuck with the SA boxes and we will not be required to trade in our SA settops for Motorola ones. I'm not especially happy with this decision; I was looking forward to the day when I could trade in my old SA settop for a new Motorola....

5. They've been handing out Motorola boxes to new customers in the Ft. Peirce area!

Can anyone in wellington confirm the new HD channel additions?

I'm in Wellington. They were on the guide last night but blacked-out. As of this morning, they're not even on the guide any more!

Well, I came home from work turned on the TV, brought up the guide, and flipped through the HD channels -- nothing new.:mad:

I thought I saw somewhere that there was a set date of Jan 8 for the new channels (cnn, sci-fi, food, etc.). I guess it wasn't a set date after all.

Perhaps the next date to look for is the end of January when certain former Adelphia areas will finally have the OnDemand available. Wonder if that's just another "estimate." :rolleyes:

I'm in Wellington. They were on the guide last night but blacked-out. As of this morning, they're not even on the guide any more!

thanks for the info, I'd love to know if anything changes. I'd wish it would stay, I'm waiting to get Comcast just for these channels.

It looks like the new HD channels are now up in the ~1000 range (using 4 digit channel numbers). If you can't type in a four-digit number (e.g., with the SA8300), you can just flip to channel 001 and then loop around since they are currently the highest channel numbers.

1004 UHD
1005 FNHD
1006 NGCHD
1007 USAHD
1008 SFHD
1009 DCVHD
1010 DSCHD
1011 APHD
1012 HSTHD

UPDATE ON COMCAST PBC-TREASURE-COAST SYSTEM UPGRADES!
008, with completion in every neighborhood by Winter '08.

4. The SA-series digital settop boxes, including the 8000-series DVR boxes work "just fine" on completed systems connected to Comcast's unified, centralized national system. The national system has been using new digital Motorola set-tops. This means we're stuck with the SA boxes and we will not be required to trade in our SA settops for Motorola ones. I'm not especially happy with this decision; I was looking forward to the day when I could trade in my old SA settop for a new Motorola....

5. They've been handing out Motorola boxes to new customers in the Ft. Peirce area!

I rather have the SA boxes. At least compared to the earlier Motorola setups were awful (DCT-2000's). Comcast owned the systems that used to be in the city of Boca Raton and Palm Beach till 2001. Ironically Comcast didn't do much with the systems besides pay channel Digital channels.

Adelphia came in an converted the Motorola systems over to SA and we had to exchange our Motorola boxes for SA's in late 2004. We also finally received cable internet and lots of digital channels. At least from what you have heard, we won't have to go back again.

Funny how each time a system is taken over by a new company. It's always how it was mismanaged and the state of the system was not good.

And wasn't part of Ft. Pierce a legacy ATT/Comcast system already?

It looks like the new HD channels are now up in the ~1000 range (using 4 digit channel numbers). If you can't type in a four-digit number (e.g., with the SA8300), you can just flip to channel 001 and then loop around since they are currently the highest channel numbers.

1004 UHD
1005 FNHD
1006 NGCHD
1007 USAHD
1008 SFHD
1009 DCVHD
1010 DSCHD
1011 APHD
1012 HSTHD

Nothing in the 1000's in this part of Boynton. I will try to be patient. This will be a nice addition to the lineup.

I'm in Wellington. They were on the guide last night but blacked-out. As of this morning, they're not even on the guide any more!

As of this morning, they all disappeared from the guide!

Ugggggggggggggggggggggggg


yep not here anymore either....

It looks like the new HD channels are now up in the ~1000 range (using 4 digit channel numbers). If you can't type in a four-digit number (e.g., with the SA8300), you can just flip to channel 001 and then loop around since they are currently the highest channel numbers.

1004 UHD
1005 FNHD
1006 NGCHD
1007 USAHD
1008 SFHD
1009 DCVHD
1010 DSCHD
1011 APHD
1012 HSTHD

if i go to 001 and channel down it takes me too 923 CBS On Demand, but if I go to the guide, they are there, but it says: Not authorized to order please call.. :(


spoke to Comcast...they had no idea about the channels, why we had them, or why they are now in 1000's, but he was was going to look in to it...

I was watching NCIS tonight via D* on the HD version of WPEC and it was obviously over compressed. This is the first time I have experienced PQ this poor on the new MPEG4 channels with D*. I flipped back and forth between the D* feed and the OTA feed making easy to identify D* as the source of the issue. Please tell me I was not the only person who noticed this PQ issue.

Any new updates? I'm sadly refreshing this topic like mad throughout the day.

It looks like the new HD channels are now up in the ~1000 range (using 4 digit channel numbers). If you can't type in a four-digit number (e.g., with the SA8300), you can just flip to channel 001 and then loop around since they are currently the highest channel numbers.


Okay, I had to use the program guide to get to these channels only to get the message "Not Authorized". So I called Comcast begging them to authorize me to get "We do not carry channels in the 1000-range and we are not offering any new HD channels" as a response.

I told him that wasn't true. That I see them listed in the program guide and that I am actually seeing an actual "Not Authorized" message appearing when trying to tune in to any of those channels.

Response: "Sir, it is impossible for such a message to appear for channels that we do not have available. Futhermore, it is impossible for the EPG to list these channels you say you see listed because they'e not available."

At this point in the conversation I started to have sudden empathy for those who've reported seeing UFO's and Big Foots and were called crazy. I know what I was seeing was real, but its authorities were denying its existence. I quickly understood what was going on. This was the Area 51 of Comcast.

So, I paused upon further denial. "You mean officially," I said, "These channels are not yet available OFFICIALLY, you mean."

"That's right. Officially, these channels aren't available."

"And.... Officially they're not really appearing here on my programming guide in the 1000-range, even though non-officially I see them..."

"That's right."

"....and non-officially I do see an unauthorized non-official unauthorized message that does appear non-officially on my television screen when attempting to tune in to these offically non-available un-official channels?"

"Correct."

That was by far one of the strangest conversations I've ever had.

Okay, I had to use the program guide to get to these channels only to get the message "Not Authorized". So I called Comcast begging them to authorize me to get "We do not carry channels in the 1000-range and we are not offering any new HD channels" as a response.

I told him that wasn't true. That I see them listed in the program guide and that I am actually seeing an actual "Not Authorized" message appearing when trying to tune in to any of those channels.

Response: "Sir, it is impossible for such a message to appear for channels that we do not have available. Futhermore, it is impossible for the EPG to list these channels you say you see listed because they'e not available."

At this point in the conversation I started to have sudden empathy for those who've reported seeing UFO's and Big Foots and were called crazy. I know what I was seeing was real, but its authorities were denying its existence. I quickly understood what was going on. This was the Area 51 of Comcast.

So, I paused upon further denial. "You mean officially," I said, "These channels are not yet available OFFICIALLY, you mean."

"That's right. Officially, these channels aren't available."

"And.... Officially they're not really appearing here on my programming guide in the 1000-range, even though non-officially I see them..."

"That's right."

"....and non-officially I do see an unauthorized non-official unauthorized message that does appear non-officially on my television screen when attempting to tune in to these offically non-available un-official channels?"

"Correct."

That was by far one of the strangest conversations I've ever had.

I think you talked to the same guy I spoke to last night...of course the guy i talked too, Had never even heard of History HD..and told me they don't even offer the other channels i mentioned

Just got home. No new channels in the 400s, no channels in the 1000s

Has anyone checked to see if any HD additions/channel number assignment changes were simltanously (or recently) done over at the Comcast Dade-Broward system?

Just got home. No new channels in the 400s, no channels in the 1000s

Did you check via the "guide" ? that's the only way i can see them, by going to channel 001 and they start right above it

Has anyone checked to see if any HD additions/channel number assignment changes were simultaneously (or recently) done over at the Comcast Dade-Broward system?

I have not, I don't know anyone down there, usually hope someone posts in this thread, might go look in some other local threads...

My guide goes from the 900 channels to Channel 1, no 1000s in between. Are we all on different systems throughout Palm Beach County?

My guide goes from the 900 channels to Channel 1, no 1000s in between. Are we all on different systems throughout Palm Beach County?

it sure seems that way...:confused:

Anyone seen any official notice about these channels? In your bill or in the paper? I haven't.

A far as I know,Adelphia built three clusters of systems served by local hubs in Palm Beach county. Boca Raton - Boynton Beach, Lake Worth - West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens - Jupiter. Then they are all served by a master headend.

It seemes like services are always launched on the West Palm cluster first before the rest of the system. I remember when VOD was released, it was only tested in part of the system before other areas had it.

Anyone remember when there were supposibly digital simulcasts of the analog channels in the 800's on part of the system before the channel lineup was changed after Comcast took over? Never had them in Boca, but they were on a relatives guide in West Palm. Probably only employees had access to them.

And they other question is, is every area at the same bandwidth capacity? Some areas might be 860 while others are 750Mhz.

O.K. I had the new channels and watched them for a day in the 400s, and now they're gone. They're now on my guide in the 1000s as posted above, but I can't view them. Is anyone actually able to watch them?

O.K. I had the new channels and watched them for a day in the 400s, and now they're gone. They're now on my guide in the 1000s as posted above, but I can't view them. Is anyone actually able to watch them?

It's even more fun when you call comcast ask them about the "unauthorized" HD channel in 1000 's and they try to tell you that those channels don't exist, when you are looking at them on the program guide... http://www.btlsfan.com/forum/images/smilies/jackie-jokeman.gif

I seem to remember that the last time Comcast offered new channels they tested them prior to going live on the box. At the time, the channels were not blocked (as they are now) and could be accessed via QAM. Does anyone remember how long the testing period was, or am I grasping at straws thinking that there may be any method to Comcast's madness?

Also, in a completely unrelated and less desperate subject I have a local station question. At my house, my 2nd and 3rd TVs don't use cable boxes. They receive analog channels via the analog TV tuner, and digital (or HD) locals via the digital TV tuner. Both signal types come from a direct cable feed. My folks live in NPB and are unable to find any digital locals on their 2nd TV (a new Sony XBR). When the TV scans for digital channels it doesn't find any. I find this baffling, as I thought the locals were unblocked. Anybody got a clue why this would be?

Seeing the HD channels listed in the guide now. Hopfully soon :cool:

Good find Panth1. It is on our guide here in Boynton Beach now too. Thanks for the heads up.

I am in south boca, on military trail and 18th street. In my on-screen guide I see nothing new in the 400-range but the following in the 1000-range

1003 - hghd
1004 - uhd
1005 - fnhd
1006 - ngchd
1007 - usahd
1008 - sfhd
1009 - dcvhd
1010 - dschd
1011 - aphd
1012 - hsthd

when I try to tune or record any I get the following error

"to order XXX service on channel xxx, please call (800) 266-2278"

I do have a QAM tuner, not hooked up right now, I will try over the weekend to see if it gets anything buit I doubt it will...

Thanks for the updates guys I appreciate it. Hope its official soon :)

Also, in a completely unrelated and less desperate subject I have a local station question. At my house, my 2nd and 3rd TVs don't use cable boxes. They receive analog channels via the analog TV tuner, and digital (or HD) locals via the digital TV tuner. Both signal types come from a direct cable feed. My folks live in NPB and are unable to find any digital locals on their 2nd TV (a new Sony XBR). When the TV scans for digital channels it doesn't find any. I find this baffling, as I thought the locals were unblocked. Anybody got a clue why this would be?If your TV has a QAM tuner, you should receive digital locals without a cable box. If there is nothing wrong with the TV setup, I would call Comcast.

Is anyone else in this forum in the NPB/Gardens area able to confirm they are receiving the HD locals over their QAM tuner? I know I am in WPB, my my folks' are being served by a different hub, and want to confirm that others in the area don't experience the same problem.

In the last month or so had ALL of their channels unlocked on Comcast? I'm wondering if this is why some of us are seeing these "non-existent" channels, while others are not.

I have a couple friends who live in the Delray Beach area, and about a month ago every single channel on the boxes became unlocked. That is all the premium channels, all the pay per view channels, everything except the adult channels actually. Even the NHL/NBA package channels come in.

Is this happening to anyone else????

In the last month or so had ALL of their channels unlocked on Comcast? I'm wondering if this is why some of us are seeing these "non-existent" channels, while others are not.

I have a couple friends who live in the Delray Beach area, and about a month ago every single channel on the boxes became unlocked. That is all the premium channels, all the pay per view channels, everything except the adult channels actually. Even the NHL/NBA package channels come in.

Is this happening to anyone else????

not here....:(

i see an ESPN Full court Free preview Jan 5-12
NBA & NHL League passes say to order call

Yeah I can see the new channels in the 1000s now as well. As tempted as I am to call I know it will be a waste of time since "officially" we don't see anything do we since there aren't channels in the 1000s according to Comcast, right. ;)

I am in south boca, on military trail and 18th street. In my on-screen guide I see nothing new in the 400-range but the following in the 1000-range

1003 - hghd
1004 - uhd
1005 - fnhd
1006 - ngchd
1007 - usahd
1008 - sfhd
1009 - dcvhd
1010 - dschd
1011 - aphd
1012 - hsthd

when I try to tune or record any I get the following error

"to order XXX service on channel xxx, please call (800) 266-2278"

I do have a QAM tuner, not hooked up right now, I will try over the weekend to see if it gets anything buit I doubt it will...


These channels showed up in my channel list (on my Cable Card) here in PBG. They are not active, however.

not here....:(

i see an ESPN Full court Free preview Jan 5-12
NBA & NHL League passes say to order call

Wow, they actually got the college basketball package this year? Took them forever to get it. Didn't think they ever would. Seems south FL doesn't care much about college hoops. That was one of the reasons I switched to Directv, big reason was the Big 10 network. Of course if I were still with Comphia I can't watch my Nittany Lions (yes, I follow Penn State basketball :p, and football of course).

Someone mentioned earlier about preferring SA boxes over Motorolas... Not that I am trying to make our desperate state more desperate, but..... Concerning the new Motorola DVR, I came accross an article about a newly found un-documented feature with these boxes. Apparently, the RF Out signal will output in both NTSC and also in clearQAM! This would be the only device I know of with a digital RF modulator! And when you connect that coax to a PC running Media Center with a clear-QAM capable tuner, apparently Media Center acts is if the clearQAM RF signal is a tuner with Cable Card and with an IR Blaster, all your digital and HD channels that you pay for become available for recording through the Media Center!

BTW, I have tested in great length to see if my SA 8300HD also has this. And no, it doesn't, unless I am doing something wrong.

not here....:(

i see an ESPN Full court Free preview Jan 5-12
NBA & NHL League passes say to order call

Yea, that's the thing, they get both the NBA and NHL league pass channels, and they definitely don't pay for the packages. They also aren't stealing cable or whatever, they just have normal set top boxes. It was right around Thanksgiving that this started happening. Every channel on the box is unlocked, except the 5 or so adult channels. Even all the pay per view channels are unlocked.

And I have a friend in both Delray Beach, and one in Boynton Beach that this is happening with, so it's not in just one location. I believe the only similarity is that they both have the same set top box, the 3500 HD DVR one I believe it is? Something like that.

This was posted in the Miami thread, thanks to BDCat for it :)

On Tueday (15th) Comcast in South Florida will be adding the following six HD channels:

Food-HD 414
USA-HD 420
History-HD 422
Discovery-HD 424
Animal Planet-HD 426
Sci-Fi-HD 427

Personally, I wish they had included CNN-HD (for me, they could have replaced Sci-Fi with it).

Note: This from a message on the box this morning - a first for announcing new channels before they happen - I think! "

Thanks for sharing this info. It appears, based on what is showing in the 1,000 range, that we will be getting more channels.

Looks like we are also getting HGTV HD but then Broward already has that. Still can't figure out why we still don't have Cinemax HD yet. How can you not have all the premium channels in HD?

Still can't figure out why we still don't have Cinemax HD yet. How can you not have all the premium channels in HD?

Especially when you consider the fact that they have been broadcasting duplicate HD channels of HBO, SHO and Starz for a couple of months now.

I agree, I still can't figure out the purpose of the double HD channels.

I agree, I still can't figure out the purpose of the double HD channels.They just put them next to the SD channels to help people find them better and group them together.

The channels are just mapped to two different channel numbers and not actually being sent down two different frequencies.

How hard are they to find when all the HD channels are in the 400s? If it doesn't waste bandwidth it really doesn't matter but I still don't think there is a need for 2 channels. I guess they think we are dumber than the CSRs?

Especially when you consider the fact that they have been broadcasting duplicate HD channels of HBO, SHO and Starz for a couple of months now.

I don't think those channels are actually duplicated but that they have it set up so that what we see are actually "shortcut channel assignments" that use no real bandwidth but instead point to that channel's original bandwidth frequency. In other words, two channel assignment numbers but both numbers actualy point to a single channel on the bandwidth of a single channel frequency. Much like in Windows where shortcuts on you Start menu are not really the programs themselves but "fowards" you to them.

I'm not saying you're wrong as technically it's possible, but I don't really buy that explaination. Besides, if all they're doing is simply creating shortcuts, why wouldn't they also do it for the other channels that have SD/HD versions like PBS, ABC, CBS, FOX, CW, ESPN's 1 & 2, A&E, TNT and The NFL Network?

I'm not saying you're wrong as technically it's possible, but I don't really buy that explaination. Besides, if all they're doing is simply creating shortcuts, why wouldn't they also do it for the other channels that have SD/HD versions like PBS, ABC, CBS, FOX, CW, ESPN's 1 & 2, A&E, TNT and The NFL Network?

Yeah, that would make a lot of sense. But look at who we're dealing with here. The largest cable operator in the nation, created as the result of thousands of small cable operators who had virtual freedom of being monopolies for decades. And thus a culture of doing things that didn't make sense was ingrained into the cable company workplace and was pretty much the unwritten rule. Those whom didn't oblige suffered horrible consequences.

Even though we're pretty much out of those 'dark times', old habits are hard to break. Kind of like how the people of Russia, who today live in a non-oppressive society, find it hard to break Communist habits. So are the cable company employees: monopolistic habits are not easily boken. And they'e expected to do things which make no sense. If they didn't do these things that didn't make any sense then they wouldn't be cable companies. You would expect cable companies to do these things that don't make sense as you would expect vodka consumption in Russia.

just to confirm that i have the 1000's on my EPG in Jupiter

Picking up a signal on channel 115, 116, and 117. 7 digital channels corresponding with the 7 new HD channel.

Comcast has 3 HD channel squeezed onto one 38 Mb 256 QAM carrier on channels 115 and 116. We will have to see if these channels experience any artifiacting.

Picking up a signal on channel 115, 116, and 117. 7 digital channels corresponding with the 7 new HD channel.

Comcast has 3 HD channel squeezed onto one 38 Mb 256 QAM carrier on channels 115 and 116. We will have to see if these channels experience any artifiacting.

Picking up a signal here in wellington as well, but no video or anything.

Anyone going to deliver the verdict?

no new channels yet, in PBG. I guess that 15th date wasnt accurate.

Well it was accurate for some people in miami.

Well it was accurate for some people in miami.

That seems pretty much par for the course for Comcrap.

Picking up a signal on channel 115, 116, and 117. 7 digital channels corresponding with the 7 new HD channel.

Comcast has 3 HD channel squeezed onto one 38 Mb 256 QAM carrier on channels 115 and 116. We will have to see if these channels experience any artifiacting.

So I take it, you're receiving these channels via a QAM-capable receiver, but they have them scrambled (i.e. not in the 'clear').

Correct?

no new channels yet, in PBG. I guess that 15th date wasnt accurate.

Comcast subscribers in Broward are receiving these channels. They just started receiving these channels this morning.

Comcast subscribers in Broward are receiving these channels. They just started receiving these channels this morning.

Comcast in Broward is completely different from Comphia in Palm Beach. Much better operation IMO. I wouldn't even compare the 2 if I were you till they make the switch here.

I have the Explorer 8300HDC dvr and have been experiencing occasional issues with it. I record a few shows every day, and about every couple weeks it will go a day and not record anything that is scheduled. (full drive space is NOT an issue)... sometimes it will begin recording again on its own and sometimes I will have to unplug and let it reset before it begins recording again. anyone else experience this or do I just have probably a bad unit?

I have the Explorer 8300HDC dvr and have been experiencing occasional issues with it. I record a few shows every day, and about every couple weeks it will go a day and not record anything that is scheduled. (full drive space is NOT an issue)... sometimes it will begin recording again on its own and sometimes I will have to unplug and let it reset before it begins recording again. anyone else experience this or do I just have probably a bad unit?

I have had 2 of these for a while and the only issue i had was one of the unit's Hard Drive was noisy(spinning a lot), but it did not effect performance, it was just annoying, other than that I have never had any other issues with mine..sounds like you may want to swap it out....

Anyone have any dates when local news stations will be converting to HD ?

The only one I know of is WPTV ch 5 in West Palm....

Any others around the corner soon ?

Steve Ellis says that WPLG is moving into a new studio in Pembrook Pines this year and will be HD probably in 2009. For those of you getting Miami stations.

[QUOTE=Panth1;12815205]Picking up a signal on channel 115, 116, and 117. 7 digital channels corresponding with the 7 new HD channel.

Are you using QAM or the HD cable box from Comcast?

I just got hooked up today with Comcast, have the same stuff in the guide but says call to order.

Are you using QAM or the HD cable box from Comcast?The QAM tuner in my tv. It shows if there is a signal on the channel and how many digital channels there are on it.

Spoke to a Comcast CSR today, they are testing the new HD Channels and hoped to have them available this month, but I/we maybe see them become available one day then disappear the next, until testing is complete...No actual date that they would be finished testing but was hoping this month

1003 - hghd
1004 - uhd
1005 - fnhd
1006 - ngchd
1007 - usahd
1008 - sfhd
1009 - dcvhd
1010 - dschd
1011 - aphd
1012 - hsthd

These channels showed up in my channel list (on my Cable Card) here in PBG. They are not active, however.

Today I have:
1001 - stzhd
1002 - a&ehd
1003 - hghd
1005 - fnhd
1007 - usahd
1008 - sfhd
1009 - dcvhd
1011 - aphd
1012 - hsthd

none of these are active.

WPEC has a sneak peak video of their new set going up on their website.

http://www.news12now.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1137883291&bclid=1143359274&bctid=1380403782

That link doesn't play anything on my home or office computer. It goes to the video player, but nothing loads. Hopefully it will be working later today.

Works fine for me, make sure you have the latest flash player plugin installed on your browser.

I had downloaded the latest flash player, but the site doesn't like Firefox. Pulled up Explorer and it worked fine. Thanks for the link. I wonder why they don't give a start date on the HD news.

For the last few days WPTV HD has been having spells of pixelezation and audio dropouts. Is anyone else having this or is it just me?

For the last few days WPTV HD has been having spells of pixelezation and audio dropouts. Is anyone else having this or is it just me?

i have been having the same issue through Comcast(I am too lazy to check the OTA signal)....quite annoying...just glad the football is not on NBC today

I've been having the same problem too, but it is usually on a switch between national and local programing.

I wonder if they have a bad channel in a mixer somewhere, because that is what it seems like to me..

just to confirm that i have the 1000's on my EPG in Jupiter

I'm in Wellington and have seen the HD channels in the guide since early last week. I guess we have to wait and see when they will become active...hopefully this month. I took a screenshot of the channel guide if someone wants to see them in the 1000's. Anyone have any updates to this?

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/7473/img2013resizedy1.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2619/img2014resizeen2.jpg

:)

For the last few days WPTV HD has been having spells of pixelezation and audio dropouts. Is anyone else having this or is it just me?

Confirmed that it occured quite often on Thurs and Fri night OTA within a few miles of their tower. Late Saturday night, it was clear during Sat. Night Live but SNL was in SD.

Tried to watch SNL on 6-1 to see if HD was working there but was off the air.
This afternoons 5-1 programming as I'm typing this is also in SD so not sure what we will see tonight when HD is supposed to be back on.

Talking E* here.

I'm tired of crappy OTA West Palm Beach HD signals where I live.

Since Dish doesn't carry the West Palm Beach HD channels on the sat but does carry the Miami HD channels, has anyone in the West Palm Beach service area tried to use the "service address change" idea to get the Miami HD channels?

Any problems or hassles?

Also, if I am picking up the West Palm Beach HD channels OTA, am I also picking up the SD channels also?

Thanks

There are no separate HD and SD channels - the digital channel carries both SD and HD programming. So, for example, 5-1 (and 5-2 sub-channel) are the WPTV digital signal, carrying SD and HD programming as the source indicates. The only other signal is the channel 5 analog signal, which is going away next Feb (or sooner)

I don't know anything about Dish Network, but I do know that with DirecTV, falsifying your service address is a breach of contract.

Out here in wellington, I think we had A&EHD before but its still in the 1000s so I'm not sure but its active on 410 and STARZHD is now in the guide at 419 but unaccessible.

Out here in wellington, I think we had A&EHD before but its still in the 1000s so I'm not sure but its active on 410 and STARZHD is now in the guide at 419 but unaccessible.

Both of the above channels are still active:

A&E HD 410
Starz HD 419

for me in West Palm Beach

Both of the above channels are still active:

A&E HD 410
Starz HD 419

for me in West Palm Beach

Well as of earlier this morning I still was getting the call to activate on STARZ but A&E HD was getting a clear picture. StarzHD is in the guide now on the Comcast website also.

Well as of earlier this morning I still was getting the call to activate on STARZ but A&E HD was getting a clear picture. StarzHD is in the guide now on the Comcast website also.

I'm in Wellington also...they both are in the guide and are working fine. I thought I could catch WWE Raw on USA HD last night....didn't happen. Hopefully these channels will appear soon.

Starz HD has been on Comcast 419 for quite a while now.
It is a premium channel, A&E HD is not.
In this case I am sure Comcast will be happy to charge you
for the privilege of watching channel 419.

I think you can get it as part of several premium packages ?

Starz HD has been on Comcast 419 for quite a while now.
It is a premium channel, A&E HD is not.
In this case I am sure Comcast will be happy to charge you
for the privilege of watching channel 419.

I think you can get it as part of several premium packages ?

I have the digital preferred with regular starz, hbo and showtime. I should have access to it.

I have the digital preferred with regular starz, hbo and showtime. I should have access to it.

if you had Starz HD before and not now,I would call them, the only thing saying "call for access" should be the new channels in the 1000's

According to today's Stuart News, first telecast due Jan 31.

According to today's Stuart News, first telecast due Jan 31.

It's amazing that WPB will have two locals broadcasting their news in HD, and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale has two stations that still insist on using Stretch-o-vision for all their local broadcasts.

While true wide-screen is better, stretch-o-vision doesn't bother me. Bothers me more when the audio sync is off, as is the case with channel 12 quite a bit.

hopefully more than just their studio will be hd

if you've seen how other markets do their hd news, what wptv calls hd news is a joke

hopefully more than just their studio will be hd

if you've seen how other markets do their hd news, what wptv calls hd news is a jokeI agree that the overall quality of the news isn't up to big city standards, but what is wrong the HD?

Any one contact Comcast on an updated time frame we can expect the new HD channels to hit in the Wellington/Delray/Boca area?

Any one contact Comcast on an updated time frame we can expect the new HD channels to hit in the Wellington/Delray/Boca area?

Comcast CSR's are usually the last to know..

I had to call Comcast earlier today, and while the CSR and I were waiting for the computer to process, we chatted a bit. I noticed that he sounded well-informed, so I casually asked about the new HD channels up in the 1000s, and he sounded fairly confident that they would be activated on the 1st.

I had to call Comcast earlier today, and while the CSR and I were waiting for the computer to process, we chatted a bit. I noticed that he sounded well-informed, so I casually asked about the new HD channels up in the 1000s, and he sounded fairly confident that they would be activated on the 1st.


http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8399/thumbsup4kk.gif

I had to call Comcast earlier today, and while the CSR and I were waiting for the computer to process, we chatted a bit. I noticed that he sounded well-informed, so I casually asked about the new HD channels up in the 1000s, and he sounded fairly confident that they would be activated on the 1st.

I would be real careful with the COmcast CSRs... they can be almost anywhere in the country, and have limited information on the differences between services in each of the markets, and probably much less so on who is getting what channels when.

Just my observation from dealing with them before I dumped their digital service 2 months ago.

I had to call Comcast earlier today, and while the CSR and I were waiting for the computer to process, we chatted a bit.

You have to wait for Comcasts computers to "process"? Wow! :rolleyes:

regarding the ComCast DVR 8300HDC... Mine seems to constantly lose the correct time, usually it falls behind so I begin to miss the first 5 to 10minutes of a recording. This was happening every couple weeks, now it seems more often, and the only way I know to correct it is to unplug the unit for a few seconds then let it re-boot.

so, (a) is this a common problem or is my unit hosed and (b) is there any way other than unplugging and re-booting the unit to set the time?

regarding the ComCast DVR 8300HDC... Mine seems to constantly lose the correct time, usually it falls behind so I begin to miss the first 5 to 10minutes of a recording. This was happening every couple weeks, now it seems more often, and the only way I know to correct it is to unplug the unit for a few seconds then let it re-boot.

so, (a) is this a common problem or is my unit hosed and (b) is there any way other than unplugging and re-booting the unit to set the time?

why dont you just take it back to comcast and get another one.. it wont cost you anything

I picked up Channel 9 (ABC) and 6 (CBS) over the air yesterday morning from Orlando. Both stations are doing their local news in HDTV. I'm in Fort Pierce and my antenna is pointed south, but I still can't get channel 12 digital. Orlando stations have 1,700 foot towers while Channel 12 has a 1,000 foot tower. It makes a difference.

I thought I was watch 6-1 from Miami, but it was 6-1 in Orlando. Good thing Miami's is NBC and Orlando is CBS.

Hey guys...

Anyone experiencing 'Unauthorized' for certain HD channels? About a month ago, every few days this started happening. We called and unplugged and it worked. Now for the last 2 weeks, they seem very unhelpful on the phone and blame it on the box. We had a tech come out, wouldn't replace the box, reset (which I don't believe happend as our settings are still there). Nada, still no service on selected HD channels. :(

Comcast - SA8300HD. We pay for all the channels/movies/hd tier. Boynton Beach -

Out:
ESPHD 403
ES2HD - 404
VSGLF - 405
TNTHD - 407
MOJO - 408
UHD - 409
A&EHD - 410
MTVHD - 411
DSCHD - 412


We still get
NFLHD
the local and the movie HDs

Any advice is great... tech was very unhelpful when they came out last saturday. At least comcast will credit our hd tier service.

Hey guys...

Anyone experiencing 'Unauthorized' for certain HD channels? About a month ago, every few days this started happening. We called and unplugged and it worked. Now for the last 2 weeks, they seem very unhelpful on the phone and blame it on the box. We had a tech come out, wouldn't replace the box, reset (which I don't believe happend as our settings are still there). Nada, still no service on selected HD channels. :(

Comcast - SA8300HD. We pay for all the channels/movies/hd tier. Boynton Beach -

Out:
ESPHD 403
ES2HD - 404
VSGLF - 405
TNTHD - 407
MOJO - 408
UHD - 409
A&EHD - 410
MTVHD - 411
DSCHD - 412


We still get
NFLHD
the local and the movie HDs

Any advice is great... tech was very unhelpful when they came out last saturday. At least comcast will credit our hd tier service.


so I am assuming when the tech came out and reset it, that did NOT solve the problem even for a short period time(like until he drove away :))?

If a tech came to my house and could not fix the issue, i would be beside myself....

My suggestion would be to take the box to the local office and swap it out, but call first to make sure they have a replacement....

HOLY CRAP!

Does fox not want anyone to watch for more than 15 minutes?

Their new bug is going to burn the crap out of my screen!!!!!

haha, it's not that big.. on a 10 inch tv :P

The new set and graphics on channel 12 are bad ass. Saw a glimpse of fox's set on the 6pm news cast as well.

Hopefully they get the weather software upgraded soon. Wasn't in HD on the 6pm news cast.

Here are some images of the new 10:00 News HD Broadcast. They have some really cool graphics and animations going on.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3973/vlcsnap10652596ct5.th.png (http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vlcsnap10652596ct5.png)
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1570/vlcsnap10652636yo1.th.png (http://img517.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vlcsnap10652636yo1.png)
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7365/vlcsnap10652712bp7.th.png (http://img517.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vlcsnap10652712bp7.png)

Yeah, not to bad. The background is a little bland for my tastes. Would like to see some interesting details like on 5.

Too bad no Dual Pole Triple Doplar Super Duper Viper Tru-vue radar. Guess they have to go in steps.

Well tomorrow is the first. Lets see if we are graced with the new HD channels.

Don't hold your breath waiting for them.;)

I am THRILLED to report that (at least here in Wellington) the new HD channels have been activated -- all in the 400's - at least 7 new channels. All of them come in clear and are working well. Damn about time! But nonetheless gratefull I am.

Adding to previous news, just noticed they also added Discovery Network's new ID channel (SD) on digital channel 111.

I get all the digitals in 720p. Here's the trick. Go into your SA box's HD setup screen. If your TV handles 720p, DISABLE all formats EXCEPT 720p. If your TV handles 1080i but not 720p, disable all formats but 1080i. If your TV can do both 720p and 1080i, disable all formats but 720p (disable 1080i if your TV can do both formats). After you restart your system, all formats are upconverted to 720p. Since the digital graph matrix carries far more detail than the 480 diagnal lines drawn on TVs, upconverting to 720p produces no obvious real difference in detail between true 720p (even 1080i) compared to upconverted 480. The ony real difference is the aspect ratio of the upconverted SD video will not upconvert to 16:9.

I am THRILLED to report that (at least here in Wellington) the new HD channels have been activated -- all in the 400's - at least 7 new channels. All of them come in clear and are working well. Damn about time! But nonetheless gratefull I am.

they are on here in West Palm beach as well
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8399/thumbsup4kk.gif

More HD in Boynton too. Thank you Comcast.

Not a bad first start. thank you WPEC but:

1. Too bad the best local TV weather guy (John Mathews) doesn't have the hi-tech HD tools that the Weagle has on WPTV.

2. Not sure if it's excessive makeup or the camera, but last night on WFLX, the news team looked almost like avatars.

3. Channels 12's digital conversion of analog video is still atrocious.

New HD chans on for me also in Wellington.

We have the channels in Boca as well.

About the upconversion are you sure it takes the 480i channels and converts them to 720p? I never heard that regarding the SA8300HD box.

Also does anyone have any idea as to why Cinemax-HD hasn't been added yet? For the life of me I can't figure it.

south boca - 18th and military - and the new HD channels have all been added to the 400-range, however when I try to tune any of them I get "Not Authorized"...

actually I have since called ComCast and asked the CSR about the "missing" channels... I was informed that the channels are in "test" mode and will be activated next week... so I guess yet another "who knows what???" from ComCast

actually I have since called ComCast and asked the CSR about the "missing" channels... I was informed that the channels are in "test" mode and will be activated next week... so I guess yet another "who knows what???" from ComCastCall them back and have them send a signal to reset your box.

Yeah I live in West Boca, Yamato & Lyons and have all the channels working. Call them back because it seems all of Palm Beach has the channels.

I have the new channels in Palm Beach Gardens.

We have the channels in Boca as well.

About the upconversion are you sure it takes the 480i channels and converts them to 720p? I never heard that regarding the SA8300HD box.


Yes, trust me on this. I have perfected this. The trick is to force your box not to output at any other resolution than HD. If you were to keep all SD and HD resolutions enabled, the box will up-convert 480i to 480p and upconvert 1080i to 720p or 720p to 1080i (depending on if you set it to Upconvert 1 or 2). But by going to the setup program that these boxes have burnt n ROM, you can select which video formats to output. By enabling 720p and disabling the rest, it is forced to upconvert all formats to 720p.

I've had my box set this way for some time now and it is a huge "upgrade". Besides getting sharper video on non-HD channels, you can change channels faster because the resolution doesn't have to reset itself each time you tune to a channel of a different format than that of the previous channel. Even in HD channels, while flipping through the channels will often change between 720p and 1080i. The different resolution and refresh rates cause a momentary pause before a new channel comes on.

Also, 720p offers a sharper picture in my opinion than 1080i. The 30 fps of 1080i causes a flicker that strains the eye, while the 60fps of 720p offers a solid and vey detailed image quality.

This will vary from set to set. On mine 1080 is sharper. There are 921,600 pixels in a 720p image, and 2,073,600 pixels in a 1080 image, so 1080i contains a little more than twice the physical detail as a 720p source. Where 720p shines is in rapid motion, where the progressive scan can be better than an interlaced scan.



Also, 720p offers a sharper picture in my opinion than 1080i. The 30 fps of 1080i causes a flicker that strains the eye, while the 60fps of 720p offers a solid and vey detailed image quality.

I also prefer 1080i on my set vs. 720p, plus most of the HD channels are in 1080i. Will your method work if only 1080i is set? Also by doing this you have to switch from passthrough to either Upcovert 1 or 2?

Thanks.

No matter what signal your display receives it will have to be scaled up or down to fit it's own native resolution, whatever that may be. There are many different displays out there with varying native resolutions. 720P, 768P, 1080i and 1080P are but a few of the different possibilities. If you're not sure what the native resolution for your display is, you can find out by looking in the manual or going online to the manufacturers website.

When I intially got the 8300 I only enabled 480i, 720P and 1080i and set it to passthru. Setting it up this way, the 8300 sends the original signals native resolution through to my projector/hdtv's for them to do the scaling/upconverting/downcoverting to their native resolution. Any decent hdtv or projector will have a far better internal scaling chip for processing the signal to it's own native resolution than a cable box.

You don't want to have the cable box upconverting the signal when the display may end up downconverting it anyway. The less processing of the signal, the better your image will be.

So one says yes another no. I looked in my manual and the native display for my Sony Grand Wega is like 788, why such an odd number I don't know.

As Farmer Smith says - try setting pass-through and let your set scale. In reality, you will have to try various settings and see what looks best to you, there is no one single answer.

So one says yes another no.


Which sounds more likely to have the better scaler, a $2K display or a $200 cable box? ;)


I looked in my manual and the native display for my Sony Grand Wega is like 788, why such an odd number I don't know.

You sure it isn't 768?

My problem here in Jupiter is that I am getting the Comcast new channels, BUT some of them (USAHD, Sci Fi HD and another one) are blank ... they tune, but they are blank.

I have the 8300 box set to all the formats, pass through ... I trust my JVC's scaling and deinterlacing better than the 8300.

Does Anybody else have blank screens on some of the new channels? not a "Not authorized", but a blank screen ... ???

Same problem down here in Boynton Beach with the blank ones you have.

Yep. Also in Boynton, same problem. The third channel missing is Discovery. I was looking forward to watching some of today's MythBusters marathon in HD :mad:

Here in Jensen Beach, we have same issue... SFHD 427, DCVHD 424 and USADH 420 all are blank screens with no error messages. They were working early Saturday but by 3 PM or so they were down. Power Rebooting the SA 8300HDs did no good.

I tried online chat and called Comcast but they were clueless. Claimed there is no problem.

Here in Jensen Beach, we have same issue... SFHD 427, DCVHD 424 and USADH 420 all are blank screens with no error messages. They were working early Saturday but by 3 PM or so they were down. Power Rebooting the SA 8300HDs did no good.

I tried online chat and called Comcast but they were clueless. Claimed there is no problem.

Yep. Also in Boynton, same problem. The third channel missing is Discovery. I was looking forward to watching some of today's MythBusters marathon in HD :mad:

Same problem down here in Boynton Beach with the blank ones you have.

My problem here in Jupiter is that I am getting the Comcast new channels, BUT some of them (USAHD, Sci Fi HD and another one) are blank ... they tune, but they are blank.

I have the 8300 box set to all the formats, pass through ... I trust my JVC's scaling and deinterlacing better than the 8300.

Does Anybody else have blank screens on some of the new channels? not a "Not authorized", but a blank screen ... ???

Same here is West Palm East of 95.... :(

I have the blank screens also on 2 or 3 of the channels... just confirms what I was told on phone by CSR, "the channels are in testing and will be on next week" which of course means we have no idea when they will be working...

I did notice while watching one program on the history-HD channel ("UFO Files" I believe), it appears they are stretching the picture? was I imagining this or anyone else see it as well?

BTW I did a reboot of the box and had a CSR send a "reboot" signal as well. no help with eoither

I have the blank screens also on 2 or 3 of the channels... just confirms what I was told on phone by CSR, "the channels are in testing and will be on next week" which of course means we have no idea when they will be working...

I did notice while watching one program on the history-HD channel ("UFO Files" I believe), it appears they are stretching the picture? was I imagining this or anyone else see it as well?

BTW I did a reboot of the box and had a CSR send a "reboot" signal as well. no help with eoither

IF they are still testing they probably should not have put an ad in Sundays Paper saying they have added those 7 new HD channels....lol

All three of the HD channel not coming through are on the 741Mhz carrier. There is a QAM signal, just no actual video coming through.

2PM .. the three missing channels are back on in Jensen Beach

2PM .. the three missing channels are back on in Jensen Beach

West Palm Beach as well....

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8399/thumbsup4kk.gif

I guess the testing is over.:D All is well in Boynton Beach.

any folks with Dish seeing the super bowl in HD, because it's not for me?

Everything OK now in Jupiter ...

Now when do they add Tennis channel in HD ???

Has anyone added an amplifier to a Winguard non-amplified antenna to boost the off air HD signals a bit? If so, can I get one at Radio Shack or will it take something special?

WHAT A TIME FOR AN OUTAGE... 1HR before the superbowl!!!

Boca area

I have added the Winegard amplifier to a GS1100 (making it a GS2200) it worked wonderfully

I had not watched the local news on Channel 25, WPBF, for quite a while. I turned to the HD Channel, and the audio and video were way out of sink, and there was no high definition. What's up? Have they just given up?

And is the ABC evening news still not in HD, or have has WPBF just chosen to not play it in HD?

I'm trying to help my parents get setup with HDTV and Tivo in Delray Beach (not very easy from Massachusetts). They are currently grandfathered with some Adelphia package which they have to give up to add HDTV with Comcast. I'm already surprised at how expensive their service is (guess that's what you get without competition), but what floored me was what they supposedly want for cable cards. From the January 2008 price sheet that someone had posted earlier in the thread, it appears that 2 cable cards should cost $1.50 (1st free, 2nd $1.5, in same device). So my expectation was that HDTV service would be $6.95/month which includes the HD cable box and 2 cable cards for the S3 Tivo would be another $1.50/month. However, the original rep and her supervisor both quoted me somehting like $13.45/month for the first card and $15.45/month for the second. WHAT?!?!?!?! It appears they want an HDTV service fee of $6.95 and additional outlet fee of $6.50 for EACH CARD even though all this would be connected to the same TV. Is this others experience in Palm Beach County with Comcast or am I being misinformed? I'm planning on calling Comcast corporate customer service in the next day or 2 to see what they say. Any experience from others would be appreciated. Thanks!

Wow, if that is true, that is outrageous. You do have options though -DirecTV and Echostar both have heavy penetration down here.

@ MAFletch: I'm with Jeff on that one. It is outrageous. That's what made me switch from Comphia (they're formally Adelphia) down here. I was paying a frakkin' $18.95 for my HD-DVR, and $20.95 for a 2nd. I didn't even have a choice if I just wanted a standard DVR, I had to get the HD one and pay the full price for it. If you're grandfathered in under the old pricing you'll pay what you were before, but if you add a box or cable card, you're pushed to the new pricing. It's ridiculous.

That's why I switched to Directv, and for the most part am pretty happy. In 3 month's I've had it go out 2 times in pretty heavy storms (1 being last night, so I missed part of Jericho :(). If they can get satellite, I'd also suggest switching even if they have to pay a little more. I'm sick of Comphia in PBC.

I was grandfather into Comcast under the old Adelphi Permium Advantage Pack and I was thinking about adding another box to my home and the rep told me I would loose that package if I did....now this is ridiculous... my advantage pack is based on the channel line up not the Hardware (box, remote)...so why would they remove me from the old package???? sounds like a scam they have internally to try to remove you from that package; since they couldn't do it in the beginning because it would have caused some serious irrate customers just when they are trying to acquire all of Adelphia assests.......

the rep stated that soon all prices will be going up for 08 but couldn't give a time frame on when......this sucks!!!!!

I wish I could go with Direct TV but my community locked into a 20 year contract with Adelphia back in 1995 so my association fees includes cable...which sucks.....

Wow, if that is true, that is outrageous.

Well, I spoke to someone in the office of the president, SE region for Comcast, and according to him, the reps had it essentially correct.:mad: $13.95/month (1st CC) and $15.95/month (2nd CC). I still can't believe this! I don't know if this is Comcast's way of forcing customers to take their DVR, they don't want to support cable cards, or they just prefer to exploit their cable monopoly. I feel bad for my parents since they're used to the Tivo interface and features and I know what they'll be missing since I've been using the S3 for over a year now. I don't know all the details yet, but I've come across some threads that suggest the Comcast HD DVR has problems. :mad:

Well, I spoke to someone in the office of the president, SE region for Comcast, and according to him, the reps had it essentially correct.:mad: $13.95/month (1st CC) and $15.95/month (2nd CC). I still can't believe this! I don't know if this is Comcast's way of forcing customers to take their DVR, they don't want to support cable cards, or they just prefer to exploit their cable monopoly. I feel bad for my parents since they're used to the Tivo interface and features and I know what they'll be missing since I've been using the S3 for over a year now. I don't know all the details yet, but I've come across some threads that suggest the Comcast HD DVR has problems. :mad:I can see why Comcast doesn't want to support cable cards; less revenue - the bottom line for cable and satellite companies. They also have technical problems with cable cards.

I bought a new cable-card ready TV a couple of years ago. I had to pay about $50 for them to set it up. Comcast probably lost money on the deal as it took the tech over an hour to make it work. I ended up cancelling the cable card because it screwed up my TV's internal TV guide system. A problem that Comcast refuses to admit.

BTW, the Comcast DVR (SA 8300HD) is pretty good. The only problem I see is that the software interface is a bit clunky. If you only need one it seems like a fair price at $13.95.

Too bad that Comcast is more interested in getting into the telephone business than improving their core product, cable TV.

BTW, the Comcast DVR (SA 8300HD) is pretty good. The only problem I see is that the software interface is a bit clunky. If you only need one it seems like a fair price at $13.95.

My statement about the Comcast DVR having problems was based on thread I found yesterday that was discussing (I think) a newer model 8300HDC which seems like a cable card :confused: version of the 8300HD. It seemed like the "C" version is the one that was problematic. I don't know yet which model my parents would get. I think these are dual tuner DVRs which suggests that the "C" version would have to have 2 cable cards in it to work which would really steam me!