Has anyone heard a timeline for introduction of HDTV in the Atlanta area on AT&T Broadband? Per the new regulations, they are required to start offering channels in January 2003, but no one I have spoken to at AT&T appears to even knows what HDTV is, much less when/how it will be available.

With 7 OTA HDTV stations in Atlanta, I'm trying to decide whether I should buy a STB now or wait the next fews months (or years?) for HDTV over cable. Any suggestions?

Here's what I got from them:

----------------------------
> Luis: Thanks for your note. AT&T Broadband chose to roll out HDTV
> gradually across several markets, beginning in Seattle. Our current plans
> call for launching HBO, Showtime and WAGA-TV, FOX 5, in HDTV later this
> year. Early next year, we hope to have all of the local
> channels, plus some
> special HDTV content exclusive to our customers. Stay tuned. We
> should be
> announcing more details soon. You should be able to get the Dolby sound
> today using a new DCT converter box. You can stop by one of our Broadband
> Service Centers for more details. If you can give me your address, I can
> locate the store nearest you.
> Thanks.

----------------------------

jdp_at,
lcaamano,

Welcome fellow Atlantians ;-). So, this drives me to a question that may need to be in one of the Hardware forums, but, here goes.

I assume that when ATT Broadband rolls out some limited HD over cable, I'm going to need some kind of set top box that has component out to drive my HDTV. Anybody know which box ATT plans on using? Sure would be nice if the box drives a SIMULTANEOUS SD output (composite or s-video) so I can dual feed to my HDTV and my TIVO.

It will probably be the sidecar decoder to start with and later on
the Motorola DCT5100 with the integrated decoder. My speculation
based on what other AT&T users are getting in Seattle and
Chicago.

I don't know about the dual feed though, but I certainly hope
we can do that. The box would have to tune two different
channels or downconvert the HD input in order to dual feed
both the HD output and the Svideo or composite.

How am I going to tell the replay tv to record golf central (channel
127 in digital) coming from the cable stb while I watch some
HD on HBO at the same time? It's going to be interesting.

Luis,

When did you get your response from ATT Atlanta? I couldn't find anyone as recently as last week who would confirm, deny, or even acknowledge that HDTV existed! If they are starting to do limited HDTV this year they are running out of time. Do you know if there is a waiting/interested customer list that we can get our names on to be part of the initial roll-out?

Thanks again,

Jon

I e-mailed Reg Griffin, the regional pr person for Atlanta AT&T Broadband. Here is the pertinent part of his response:

Jon: Thanks for your note. Sounds like you are on top of your game and way ahead of most customers on the issue. All of your information here is
correct. We have provided little, if any, information on HDTV to our
frontline employees since contracts and agreements are still being
finalized, however, that is probably a mistake on our part. Our plans call for offering all local stations in HDTV format early next year. Much of this will coincide with our merger with Comcast. As you know, the number of customers with HDTV sets and the request for this service is still very limited, however, we are committed to being an industry leader, besting even satellite, in delivering this to you. Stay tuned. Thanks.

He confirmed Luis' information that HBO, Showtime, and Fox are the first channels that will be offered in HD (or in the case of Fox, "Fox Widescreen"), followed by all the other locals.

I have been contemplating going for an OTA HD STB, but I think this information will make me hold out through the holiday season and see what happens with cable.

Jon

Hehe, the info I posted came from Reg too. :-) I just didn't
want to post his name because I had not asked him if I could
post it.

One thing he says in the email he sent you is that "the number
of customers with HDTV sets and the request for this service
is still very limited ..." I'm so tired of this line. I guess we should
get as many people as we can to send him a note. :-)


BTW, I did call to ask for an stb with DD 5.1 outputs. It took the
CSR about 20 minutes to figure out what I was talking about but in
the end he came through. He said what I wanted was an
"L box", they didn't have any yet, but he was sending an
email to his supervisor who was supposed to call me on my
cell phone within 48 hours to arrange a time for somebody to
go to my house and replace the stb I had. He said that the
new STB would have to be "staged" for me, something he
didn't know what it meant. It's been 5 days now, and I
haven't heard anything yet.

I didn't believe there would be an issue with mentioning Reg, since his name and all his contact info are available on AT&T's website...

I think it would be a great idea to get as many people as possible to e-mail and ask about HDTV. It might show AT&T that there are a good number of people out their who would sign up for this service. But the fact is, although numbers are growing, it is still only a small percentage of the marketplace that actually has an HDTV-ready TV in their home. If cable companies would provide them some reason to invest in HDTV sets, those numbers would increase exponentially. Most people get TV service via cable providers, and many aren't going to make the effort to buy into satellite, so it's really up to cable to come through on HDTV.

I have also asked numerous times about getting a box with DD 5.1 out and s-video out (my DCT2000 box has a spot for s-video but there is a metal cover over it), but never had any luck. Which part of customer service helped you out, "Service and Repair" or "Change of Service"? If I'm going to have to get a new box when HD finally rolls out, I may just hold off and not deal with two days off work waiting for the cable installer to show up.

I called Service and Repair.

I decided to try to get the Svideo/DD5.1 box now since I would need that box anyway if we get the sidecar decoder. I don't know if I'm going to get it though but at least I can start poking the system with the hope that it would wake up sooner. For instance, I know now that at least two CSRs have had somebody asking for DD5.1/S video and HDTV.

My interest is not as much in actually getting the DD5.1 box but in raising their awareness of the demand. And who knows, maybe they'll get me in some kind of beta program if they decided to do something like that.

That's a really good point about needing the upgraded box if they go the sidecar route as opposed to the DCT5100. I was looking at Motorola's website and they've also got a DCT5200 in production that has HDTV and a PVR, but no mention of whether the PVR will also time-shift HD material.

In my e-mails and calls I've also asked that it be noted in my file that I would like to participate in any beta testing they may do. Somehow, I don't think it's likely that it will amount to much, but you never can tell...

Here's something interesting that was posted over on the Atlanta HDTV Yahoo group:



"Get this - in the DC metro area, digital cable (is it comcast?) is offering a
free *hd* digital cable receiver to use for anyone who has an hdtv and wants
their service. Plus, his apt. building gives out free local and movie channels
(i.e., hbo and showtime) so now he has an HDTV and he's getting a receiver and
free programming without an antenna or a dish.

he got his box yesterday and it is most definitely an HD receiver."

I wonder if we could hope for something like this after the AT&T - Comcast merger actually gets going. Comcast seems to be ahead of AT&T as far as having a workable structure, service provider agreements, and now price structure. It would really help digital cable and HDTV if one came hand in hand with the other.

I had called AT&T a few days ago because I was hoping to exchange my dig cable box for something that had S-video on it. Some of the Motorola boxes are being recalled and I was going to use this as an excuse. My call revealed a couple of things. One is that the people answering the phones have no idea what HDTV is, let alone when new STB's are coming out or what S-video and optical outputs are. Second, all the dig cable boxes are the same and there is nothing as of yet that can offer S-video or DD output.
I'm surprised to hear that AT&T is so optimistic about their feed but I'm pessimistic myself. I just bought the Samsung T-165 to get HD OTA. There's a $50 rebate if you get an antenna installed as well.
If you get an updated cable box, please post here or on the Yahoo group.

Ask for an "L box". That's that what they know as the new Moto box that has the DD 5.1 and S video outputs. If they still don't get it, send them the email from Reg. That will make them go to their sups.

Remember that AT&T's HITS (Headend In The Sky) is the main source of DD 5.1 for almost everybody, cable and DBS.

I just picked up the DD5.1/S-Video box up here in Lansing. When we got cable installed, the tech did not know that he was supposed to install it. He also didn't know what it was. When I talked to customer service, they said I could just go to the office and pick one up.

The service rep in the office had no clue what I was asking for, but she found it. She didn't know anything about HDTV.

Well, I called AT&T back today, approx 1 wk since my last call. This time, interestingly, the lady I spoke with knew exactly what the S-video box was and has scheduled someone to come out and install it in 2 days. Even more interesting is the fact they knew I called about this 1 week ago but couldn't figure out why the sales rep at that time was so clueless. She never heard of an "L-box".

This lady, who was quite helpful, told me they do plan on transitioning to HDTV asap but that is pending on the merger with Comcast. So my advice for anyone in the Atlanta area who wants to upgrade their dig cable box is keep calling service & repair until you get someone who knows WTF they're talking about.

The local NBC morning news had a quick story this morning announcing the merger of AT&T Broadband and Comcast. They suggested that channel lineups are going to change as a result, but no timetable was given for any changes.

Based on what srayan heard in his last call to customer service, and the fact that local news actually did a story on it, they must have ironed out most of the merger issues. Maybe we will see some HDTV over cable in Atlanta by the end of the year!

I called in to AT&T customer service again today and I guess it pays to be persistent. Now that the merger is public, AT&T customer service reps are saying that HDTV channels and boxes will be available in January 2003, with built-in PVR functions as an option. If they are still using Motorola boxes, then the basic HDTV box will be the DCT 5100 (http://broadband.motorola.com/catalog/productdetail.asp?ProductID=179), and the PVR box is the 5200 (http://broadband.motorola.com/catalog/productdetail.asp?ProductID=178).

No word on what channels they'll have in HD to start, or pricing. The CSR did say that they are already testing HD STBs in the Atlanta warehouse, so the cable lines may already be carrying HD signals. I asked if they are going to do a beta-test with customers but she didn't know. In any event, all good news...

Jon

Over at the Atlanta HDTV Yahoo group, they've got a good discussion going on, which started based on the thread here. Rather than repost all those messages, anyone who is interested call follow this link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ahdtv/messages

Please post any new information as you get it. It seems like the Customer Service Rep. responses vary day-to-day. :rolleyes:

Thanks again,

Jon

I called yesterday to find out about the DD 5.1 box. The CSR did not know what I was talking about but after dumping all the info I had, he went to the sup. The answer was that they are not giving those boxes anymore because they are now testing the 5100s. Could be good news if I believed it. :-)

At least it seems that something is going on. I'll call again Friday.

Both AT&T and Comcast now have links on their website regarding the merger. Nothing definite on timetable for new HDTV services (only a promise not to remove HDTV from any existing markets and a generic statement about continuing to expand HDTV service). In another question on the Transition FAQ, Comcast states that no changes will be seen until early 2003 that affect programming and price structure. Looks like there won't be HDTV for Christmas:confused: ...

Originally posted by jdp_atl
Looks like there won't be HDTV for Christmas:confused: ...

I would be extremely surprised if we get HDTV on cable in January. Experience says March.

It's official, the CSRs say Comcast when you call. But aside from the new name, they're still saying the same thing. Late December/early January for HDTV service.

lcaamano, I'm sorry to say that I agree with you...this will get pushed back, but I hope not as late as March!

:-) The record will be here, where we can search back on this thread. I hope we don't laugh at my optimism.

I had cable service/repair come out to my house to add another outlet in the guest bedroom and was asking them about HD service. Both technicians who were there had seen a demo this morning of HBO-HD, SHO-HD, and Fox (the first channels being offered). Plans are to add ABC in time for the Superbowl and then the rest of the local channels in the spring.

They said that the DCT 5100 is the box, but they're not in yet and most likely won't be until late December/January. They may begin taking orders in mid-December for service calls later that month. HD transmission will officially begin on December 9, but it will be impossible to get a box for that day. :mad:

jdp

It seems it's about time to start calling every other day to ask for the 5100. :)

Check out this thread on the forum if you'd like to learn a little more about the Motorola DTC-5100 (if that turns out to the be the box of choice for AT&T here in Atlanta.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=179095&highlight=motorola+dtc5100

Steve

When you call, make sure you tell them that what we want is the 5200 with firewire, DVI connectors, and a large hard drive for HD recording. Also, make sure they record that. The original DCT2200 could've had S-video and DD 5.1 from the beginning if only they had known people wanted those features. So, it would be a good idea if we start asking for 5200 w/firewire and DVI right away. :)

Yes, wishful thinking I know but the baby that doesn't cry doesn't get any food.

I called today. I said "Hello, I'd like to upgrade my STB to an HDTV capable STB." :) She said, "Hold on, I don't know if we have those yet." She came back pretty quickly and said "uhhm, yes, the installation is $50 but you have to call Moving & Change. The phone number is xxx, they will help you."

Well, of course I didn't believe that. I said thanks and then called the other number.

Me: "Hello, I'd like to change one of my ..."
She: "Uhmm, let me check"
She: "No, we don't have those yet."
Me: "Do you know when they'll be available. I just want to know when to call back."
She: "Oh, I can write it down in your account so we call you when they are available. What's your primary phone number?"

Of course I don't believe any of that. I'll call again Friday and then next Tuesday, and so on.

:)

PS, they now say "Comcast formerly AT&T Broadband" in their messages.

I called myself this morning... same story that Luis has heard. I talked to CSRs in account change (678-545-MOVE), repair (678-545-7372), and new service (678-545-2289).

Each CSR said that they heard it was coming, but did not have any dates or idea as to the process to sign-up for service.

The repair rep did say that when the system rolls out that the installer would "come out and connect the box to your TV, surround sound and setup your VCR and DVD player." I don't know if that scares anyone else, but I think I'll be there when they come...


This message was on the AtlantaDTV.org digest from Yahoo yesterday, so we are getting closer for sure...


Message: 4
Date: Wed, 04 Dec 2002 23:43:13 -0000
From: "harpshutler" <harpshutler@hotmail.com>
Subject: AT&T Broadband HDTV Testing

Apparently AT&T Broadband HAS indeed started testing HDTV. Now
listed in the program guide of my digital cable box are Showtime-HD
and HBO-HD on channels 880 and 890. The Showtime channel says "call
to subscribe" (obviously not true yet) and the HBO channel has a
solid black picture, but it DOES have audio.

I would really like to have these channels sometime this month or
next :) Here's hoping!

Thomas Harp


Steve

I am also getting HBO-HD and Showtime-HD on channels 880 and 890. I figured that I would give it one more shot and called the number that comes up prompting you to order Showtime-HD. The CSR didn't know anything about this (of course) so she checked with a supervisor.

The supervisor also didn't know, but they were guessing that Comcast was doing this as part of a test of the existing cable infrastructure, and also to determine market interest in HD by seeing how many people called up to order Showtime-HD! I indicated (nicely) that this was not the best way to figure out interest (who randomly checks the 800 numbered channels?), and it's unfair to the consumer to offer something and then say it's not available yet and they don't know when it will be (but they were guessing (again!) January).

I told the supervisor that there are HDTV interest groups in Atlanta (I mentioned the Yahoo group by name) and that they should contact them to get a better sense of numbers for early adopters of HDTV. I'm fairly certain that it won't amount to anything.:rolleyes:

On a related note, does anyone who is getting channel 880 and 890 have a Mits or Hitachi with a built-in HDTV tuner or promise module? If these test signals for HBO and Showtime are unencrypted QAM, they should be able to pick them up. Normally, I would think they would be encrypted, but we are getting audio on HBO-HD, so it's worth a shot...

Please post your findings here. Thanks,

jdp

Alan and Ken:

Would it be possible to rename this thread to reflect that AT&T Broadband no longer exists due to the merger with Comcast? I would suggest:

The "Official" Comcast Atlanta HDTV Thread

Thanks in advance!

jdp

Strange... in Seattle they've combined my AT T cable and broadband bill into one - we are mostlikely not going to get the name change? Or? Hmmm...

The new company is called Comcast Corporation. I think the fact that both AT&T Broadband and Comcast appear on your bill right now is to avoid customer confusion with billing issues and to make sure that they get paid (i.e. J6P: "Why is Comcast billing me for cable when I have AT&T Broadband? I'm not paying this...":D).

Or I may be wrong, believe me, I'm not an insider or an expert...

I read through this thread....VERY good information. I had just recently purchased a 34" wide HD tube and started looking into OTA and exactly what I would need in terms of the STB.

Now after reviewing this thread, I probably want to not go with OTA and wait for AT&T/Comcast.

Now to my newbie question. I see mention of hardware that I am not familiar with here. Would I have to buy a STB and AT&T/Comcast will provide me with a different HD STB so I can receive HD? Or will the box provided by AT&T be an all in one solution that I will not have to purchase an HD/STB? The big question is...what if anything would I have to buy to get HD/DTV from AT&T/Comcast?

Thanks in advance for the input. Also...if anyone has a number I will gladly call and bug them for HD over cable in Atlanta.

They will provide probably a Motorola 5100, which is an integrated HD cable STB. There's a link somewhere in this thread to other places where you can get more info on this STB, but in short, it has component video and S video outputs plus DD 5.1 coax and optical outputs for sound. However, what we really want is the 5200 w/ the firewire and DVI options, plus a very large PVR disk to record HD on it. We have to ask for it so they know we want it.

You won't have to buy anything unless you want to get the OTA stations that are not included in the initial line up. For example, if you wan to get CBS or ABC now, you'll have to use a separate OTA STB. However, this should be temporary as they claim they'll have all the networks in HD before next summer.

Well, Comcast screwed my parents over. They were told that the boxes would be available today and when they went to pick one up, the morons told them they had no idea what they were talking about. It is pathetic that I can get HD service throught my cable provider in Columbia, SC but people in Atlanta are STILL behind in the cable systems. I feel for all Atlantans. I am really happy I moved away.

Merry Christmas!!

THANKS lcaamano

I called again yesterday and took a different approach. Instead of asking about HD, I just said I wanted to order channels 880 and 890. Of course, it was not long before we were back to the "Oh, you want HDTV? We have no idea when that will happen" line. I did confirm that in order for them to do beta testing, the channels need to be visible in the guide, even if they cannot be ordered by customers.

One step in the right direction is that they are now taking information on interested customers and (supposedly) letting those who expressed interest know in advance of offering HD to the general public. In any event, I think I've pestered the CSRs enough. It's not their fault that they aren't being given the information they need to properly service the customers. Unless someone has a higher level contact, it seems to me that there is no new information forthcoming this month.

Of course, if someone DOES find something new out, let's post it here and let the rest of us know too. :D

jdp

Well done jdp. I called today also, and pretty much got the same deal. Took down my information and flagged my account as being interested in HD for the Atlanta area......now we wait.....:)

They were friendly enough....

When I called today, I used the "I'm subscribed to digital cable and HBO and I cannot see channel 880" line. It took about 20 seconds to get to the "Ah, you want HDTV" line. This time though, she was ahead of me. :) When I said "How do I know when it's available?" she said, "oh we recorded your request on the 4th and then again on the 6th. Don't worry, we will call you" :) "yeah, right" I thought.

This getting to be fun. Let's see what I get when I call on Thursday.

Squeeky wheel.

You would think they would by hyping it some....I had no idea it was going to be offered till I found this thread.

Hopefully soon.

Is funny....remindes me of years ago when I was bugging them...they were Media One at the time...for high speed data. DSL wasn't an option in my area at the time, MO was offering a cable connection....bugged and bugged and bugged and it finally came.... ;-)

The digital guide is now showing HBO-HD East at 880, HBO-HD West at 881, and Showtime HDTV at 890. I wonder how many other channels will come up before they actually offer HD to the public? The original reports were that it would initially be HBO, Showtime, and Fox digital, with ABC added in time for the Superbowl, and the rest of the locals by the end of 2003.

Have you noticed how the PQ has degraded since they added the HD channels? I saw it first as ghosting from channel 2 into fox while watching 24 comparing to the OTA digital signal. I've never seen ghosting on cable before. Then my kid was watching Arthur on PBA, which normally looked great, and now it had terrible ghosting. This morning I compared the analog signal from OTA with cable and cable had terrible ghosting.

I have digital cable btw. I wonder if they are doing some extra compression to the non-HD channels to accomodate the HD channels.
They only have 750mhz for everything, internet, music channels, ppv, network channels, cable only channels, and now a few HD. 750 mhz can only accomodate a maximum of 125 6-mhz channels, which shows why we won't have 125 HD channels any time soon.

Seems they are operating under the "quantity before quality" rule.

:(

I haven't notice that there has been any degradation in picture quality. Definitely not ghosting. But I haven't really been home to watch TV too much recently. I will check it out tonight.

As far as I'm concerned, I think they should drop those digital music channels to make room for more television programming.

OK, here's the info as of today's call:

No STBs are available until January 2003. The channels that are being offered (supposedly as of January 1, 2003) are:

ABC
NBC
Fox
PBS
HBO-HD East and West
SHO-HD East and West

No additional charges for digital cable subscribers (except for paying for HBO and Showtime).


Luis:

I am not seeing any degradation in PQ since they've added the HD channels. BTW, I also have digital cable. I specifically checked out Fox and PBS and wasn't seeing any of the ghosting that you mentioned. However, I do not have a way to compare the cable signal to OTA digital, so my point of reference isn't the same as yours. If you (and others) continue to see this problem, we should let Comcast know so that they can address it.

Jon

P.S. Ken H, thanks for updating the thread name!

Originally posted by jdp_atl
OK, here's the info as of today's call:

No STBs are available until January 2003. The channels that are being offered (supposedly as of January 1, 2003) are:

ABC
NBC
Fox
PBS
HBO-HD East and West
SHO-HD East and West


That's a lot better! It seems I won't need the 165 for OTA sooner than I expected.


No additional charges for digital cable subscribers (except for paying for HBO and Showtime).


Excellent!


Luis:

I am not seeing any degradation in PQ since they've added the HD channels. BTW, I also have digital cable. I specifically checked out Fox and PBS and wasn't seeing any of the ghosting that you mentioned. However, I do not have a way to compare the cable signal to OTA digital, so my point of reference isn't the same as yours. If you (and others) continue to see this problem, we should let Comcast know so that they can address it.


I called repair to tell them about the ghosting. I'm only seeing in ALL the time on PBS channel 16 (just look at PBS logo with a dark background). I saw ghosting from WSB to WAGA FOX last Tuesday but not since. (WSB is channel 3 and WAGA is channel 4 on their cable line up).

When I called to get an appointment for the ghosting, she said, of we have the HDTV box for you, let's make sure they bring the box too. I couldn't believe that :) so I asked if it was the Moto 5100. She said, "no, it's the 2000L you requested." Ahhhhhh, no, that's for dolby digital and S-video. She said, "yes, we got those available now." I asked how soon they'll get the 5100s and she said pretty soon. So I asked her to cancel the request for the L box but I'm still getting a tech guy to coming in to check my signal strength to see if we can get rid of the ghosting.

The appointment is for next Wednesday. I'll call Tuesday to see if he can bring a 5100 for testing :)

Oh when we're still thinking he was going to bring the HDTV box, that is, before I asked for the model number, she said "he'll connect the box for you." I said, "no way jose! He's giving me the box and I'm connecting it. He would not know where to plug in the DD 5.1 audio or the component cables. " "Oh no, he can!" "Trust me, I'm connecting it." :)

The no increase over digital prices sounds great. Hope they stick to it.
Guess I'll be calling this afternoon.
Jason

Do keep this thread updated if you can....The first person in Atlanta with AT&T/Comcast digital cable who gets HD up and running should get a prize ;-)

Will be great to know when folks start getting HD.

Well, I called today and put in my request to replace my digital cable box with one that will receive HDTV signals. I called the change service number and the CSR knew what I was talking about but he told me that since I only had one box and I was requesting that it be replaced I needed to call the service and repair number instead. I called that number and told the CSR what I wanted and she said she needed to check with her supervisor. When she came back on the line, she said she had made a note in my file with my request but I may still need to call back after January 1 to remind them.

-Skip

I just called to inquire about setting up an appointment and got a clueless csr. He kept telling me that the s-video supported HDTV. I finally just asked him to make a note in my file with my request for the 5100. Maybe we should call for new service rather than change of service. Might get better support there. I'll try that tonight.

Jason

"S-video supports HDTV" ARRRRRGH.

Here's the latest: As of Friday, the Atlanta shipment of "HDTV boxes" (CSR's term, I'm assuming they mean the DCT 5100) are in stock and the service techs had their training. HOWEVER, the STBs are not logged in to the computer yet so they can't schedule appointments.

The CSR suggested calling back on Monday, but I think I'm going to call again before that. Let's make sure that someone calls every day this week to try to schedule an installation. The CSR said to just ask for the "HDTV box" because that is what they were called in training.

Now that boxes are in, they are hoping to have them in homes with HDTV up and running before Christmas! :D

Also, FYI if anyone is interested, the S-video, Dolby Surround boxes are in (and in their computer system). They offered to schedule an appointment for me to get that box, but I said it wasn't worth it since I wanted to upgrade to the HDTV box as soon as it was available.

I just got off the phone with a CSR, who informed me that they had no information, and that they are referring inquiries to an outside firm that is handling the beta and roll-out program. They said I should get a call very soon "because we are keen to get this rolled out quickly".

We'll see...

Added as an edit: I called the change/move number.

Bart:

Although I have no reason to doubt your information, I have a feeling that the roll-out isn't being handled by an outside firm. It's possible that it is a recent decision that was made to expedite testing and the roll-out. However, no one else has heard (or at least posted) this information before.

It sounds like you spoke with a CSR who didn't know what was up, and was passing the buck. Normally, I would say that my recent information is just as improbable, but the CSR I spoke to actually inspired some confidence. She remembered helping me on a call last month and appeared to be very knowledgeable.

I wonder if it comes down to the fact that some CSRs take an active interest in their job, and others are willing to wait until someone higher up provides them with talking points before providing any information to a customer...

Then again, I could be wrong. Only time will tell.

jdp

Have you guys been calling the moves/changes number repair number, or new business number to get ahold of a knowledgeable rep?

Jason

Disreagrd above post, just got off the phone with a moves/changes. She wouldn't give me any info beyond it's almost ready so.... keep calling!!!

Jason

I call the repair number, (678) 545-7372.

Well, I'll be giving it another try today. Wish me luck!!!

Jason

Good Luck, keep us informed.

Since I already havd DirecTV, Dish and an antenna in my attic I had decided to wait for Comcast to add more channels before calling them, however if they have HBO-HD-W and Showtime-HD-W that will be enough more me to call them.

It would be nice to be able to get all the HD channels from just one source.

Called on Fri and was told again that it would be 'soon'. Here's to hoping it will be very soon :D.

Jason

Thread has been quiet...no new news?? :confused:

I called again today and they are still saying the boxes are in but no appointments are being made. Maybe this has to do with ongoing testing, but they said to call back after January 1. Another CSR said more like end of January and possibly February. Who knows what to believe...:rolleyes:

Which number are you calling....I will call today also.

I just called their move/change of service number. Nothing new.

No HD via Comcast for the Ohio/Miami game.... :(

Just called the repair number today and requested an upgrade to the 5100 box. The CSR knew exactly what I was looking for and asked, "Do you have an HDTV?"

Then she went away and came back to tell me they had pushed back the rollout until "late January" since they were still testing the service. She said call back around the 21st.

Just an update; I called Comcast service this morning to ask when I would receive channels 880,890, etc and was put on hold for an extended period. When they came back, they told me that there was a "glitch" in the Motorola boxes and they had been returned. In terms of scheduling setups, he told me to check back in a week and they are not making reservations for appointments.

Brol

AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH

Uhgh...late January....= late????

late January = mid March

I am afraid that you decoded it correctly.

Is Comcast still offering the $400 discount to sat subscribers? What number do I call to find out more? I tried the website, but it refers me to ATT's website.

Thanks.

Rino

First of all, pardon my rant...

It's clear from the responses people have been getting that either:

(1) There's been some sort of problem with the roll-out; or
(2) It was never nearly as close to being ready as they led us to believe.

I tend to believe that (1) is true, but regardless, there is no source of hard facts to rely on. It's clear that the CSRs are given conflicting or little to no information. Because of the Comcast-AT&T merger, the chain of command appears to be in flux. If you go go Comcast's website, they refer you to AT&T Broadband, and AT&T's information hasn't been updated since announcing the merger.

I really want to get my HDTV over cable, but I'm unwilling to wait patiently if that wait is indefinite. "Call back after the first of the year" was an appropriate answer, but to call at that time and be told "call again at the end of the month because we don't know when we're offering this service" is not. The channels are on the guide. Comcast is using DCT5100 boxes in other markets successfully (as evidenced by the DCT5100 thread on this very site). I understand that there may be problems, but tell your CSRs what those problems are (and timelines for fixing them) so that they can intelligently help customers.

I went into this believing that Comcast would be more customer-service oriented than AT&T, but so far I can't see it. Comcast is running ads telling everyone how bad satellite service is, and to go with Comcast. But all I know is that if I went with satellite I would be enjoying HDTV now. All Comcast is giving me is excuses...

Happy New Year,

jdp

The only thing that has kept me from dumping cable is the cost associated with getting a HD capable sat receiver. All I can say to cable companies though is this, It is only a matter of time before their refusal to invest in current technology and customer service leaves them with only low-income households as customers. Satellite hardware costs will continue to drop. Satellite quality will continue to improve. Cable costs will continue to rise. Customers will get tired of their crap. Customers will continue to switch over to satellite. And then the cable companies will have to merge just to stay in business.

Jason

Jason:

That's exactly why I dumped MediaOne three years ago. They couldn't even spell High Definition back then, and were gouging me for crappy (very crappy) channels.

I switched to Dish, taking advantage of an offer they had back then that meant I got the whole thing (2 dishes and a HD receiver) set up for about $200 after all rebates were in. The only reason I am considering changing back to cable is that I am receiving local HD with my own antenna right now, and I sometimes can't get good reception on some of them.

Overall, though, satellite has been good. More programming (channels) for much less, and most of all, they're on the cutting edge of tech (I have been enjoying HD for three years now).

So, Comcast, get your act together, and just maybe you'll be able to lure some dish subscribers back. So far though, after reading this thread, it doesn't look too good.

Rino

Just to illustrate my earlier point, I figured I would call to see if I was getting the same info as anyone else. I was told:

"The "5100 boxes" were not yet in the system but were at the warehouse.

At this point, I asked if there had been any problems with the new boxes and if they were returned and being exchange for new ones. Answer: No.

OK, I say, has the rollout been pushed back at all, say until late January? Answer: No.

OK, I say again, so the boxes are in but not in the system, so that's the only reason work orders can't be scheduled? Answer: Yes.

OK, thanks."

RIIIIIIGHT! The CSR I talked to, like every other CSR, has no idea what the actual information is, and really, no reason why he should have known if there is no communication of information from higher up.

Question 1: Does anyone have a contact at Comcast in Atlanta that could give us an answer backed up by some facts and timelines?

Question 2: Comcast claims it is beta-testing HDTV right now (hence channels 880,881, 890, 891). Does anyone know anyone who is part of the beta-test? At one point I heard it was limited to Comcast employees, but I would think someone here might know someone at Comcast. I offer every time I call to be a beta-tester, as I'm sure others have. I've never been contacted, anyone else?

Question 3: Does anyone have a set top box capable of decoding 256 QAM encryption (e.g. a BUD 4DTV box) that they could hook up to the cable wire and see if 880 etc. are actually being broadcast?

Thanks.

It is the exact same crap I went through when it was MediaOne and when I was waiting on high speed data. No one knew anything, you would get a different answer every time you called....I would see a M.O. van in the neighborhood and would ask the tech if he had any news...usually got a shoulder shrug.

MediaOne, then AT&T, now Comcast...same lack of information to the customers different company name.

You would think they would be pimping the HD, try to get people to think twice about going to dish.....but hey, what do I know....

I just got a brochure in the mail and they're pimping HDTV and VOD (Video On Demand). However, they only mention HBO and Showtime HD, not the locals. The brochure includes the new channel lineup, which includes an HDTV section :) with only HBO and SHOWTIME. :(

On VOD, they even say you can't get that on satellite.

Do they indicate if any of the VOD is HDTV?

No, they do not. That's a very good question though.

I would to think that they will have more than just HBO and ShowTime in the fullness of time. However, for those that want more now, DirecTV or Dish Network with OTA is still the more compelling choice IMHO.

Originally posted by jcthomas
I would to think that they will have more than just HBO and ShowTime in the fullness of time. However, for those that want more now, DirecTV or Dish Network with OTA is still the more compelling choice IMHO.

I agree. Or at the very least, it appears that OTA will be necessary in the short term, coupled with HBO and Showtime via cable. Back when Comcast was AT&T, the plan for HD channels was to have NBC and Fox as part of the initial offerings, with ABC in time for the Superbowl. Well, the chances of having ABC-HD on Comcast in a few weeks seems pretty slim...

Who knows when they will even offer HBO and Showtime? No one can get a straight answer, and now they are distributing flyers promoting HD without a timeline (in contrast to VOD and the new HBO and Cinemax channels that are expressly stated to be available in February). This leads me to think that realistically HD won't be available by February

jdp

Good point, re OTA. However, if someone is going to get a set top box to do OTA, it might make more sense to some to get a DirecTV or Dish set top box to do Sat and OTA now and just forget waiting for cable. YMMV.

Interesting claim. I called them last night & the night before and wanted to switch from Dish to them for there HD offerings. The rep told me they were about 1 to 2 YEARS away from offering that service. She insured me that if they were thinking or trying to offer it they would let the call center know. I told her with all due respect she might consider knowing a little more about her job or atleast listen and read. Anyone else have ANY answers to this freaking question?

Has anyone noticed that reception on the other channels, particularly analog locals, has become worse since they've been testing HD HBO and Showtime? I'm getting intermittent horizontal lines of color that flash at the top and bottom of the screen, approximately once every 20 seconds.

I just called about it, and they said to unplug my box from the wall and then re-plug it after a few minutes because the box isn't responding properly. I haven't been home to try it yet, but somehow I don't think that will fix the problem...

The rep told me they were about 1 to 2 YEARS away from offering that service

I called two days ago and tried to play it cool. I didn't ask for HDTV, but asked to get my current set top box switched out for the new Motorola 5200 box. There was of course a lot of listening to hold music followed by the 3rd degree (who told you about this box, who said you could get it, etc...)

The end result was that they told me that HDTV was in beta with Comcast employees testing it out. Anticipated roll out date was sometime between the end of January and the end of March. Call back periodically and keep asking or watch the website for an announcement. (Which is the same answer others have posted in this thread as well.)

Im looking for someone on the inside to post any info. Im considering switching but I want the Super Bowl on my Mit. 55" widescreen in HD. If I buy the Dish 6000 and then Comcast rolls it out, im going to be pissed.

Anyone???

twmooney,

You could consider renting an OTA set top box.

http://www.emsps.com/hdtv/sir-t165.htm

Problem is, this place charges $10 per day including the time the unit is in shipping. You'd probably end up paying $40 to $50 just for the time the thing is sitting on a UPS truck, in addition to however long you keep it. Still, certainly cheaper than shelling out $600 to $700 for a Dish 6000 receiver if you don't think you want to go Dish.

Actually, it's a lot cheaper than that to get a 6000 system:

Dish Offer (http://www.dishdepot.com/Cart/description.php?II=178&UID=2003010819303466.20.73.182)

Rino

I'd bet 100 to 1 that we will not have the SuperBowl on HD on cable. First, it's on ABC, second Comcast hasn't said anything about offering ABC in HD, and third, we can't get them to give us an HD box yet.

I'm counting on watching the HD SuperBowl using the OTA signal from ABC on my Samsung 165.

Everyone who wants HDTV from Comcast needs to get togeather and put there names on a petition to show that peopl want this service now. Every time i talk to them Reg will say soon, next month and the csr's will deny that the 890 is even real. If we all act in a group and say hey, we want this or we will all take are money elsewhere, we may be able to get a date or even boxes to use before the cows come home. Let me know if you are interested in this and we could try to make a petiton to send to them.

Good idea -- while we're at it, let's ask for the box with the PVR!

I'll sign (even though I'm a happy DISH subscriber right now). If they combine the HD box with the $400 offer, I might just switch.

Rino

I called today to downgraded my package to just HBO since they are jacking up the price to 119 from 103. And at the end i asked if i could upgraded my box to a new 5100 box and was told yes, no problem the DD box can be out to you Tuesday, there was a $15 upgrade charge, but that was it. As soon as i get it i'll post.

Beware. I've had calls like this before and every single time the box they were referring to was either the 2200 S or the L box (DD 5.1, s-video) not the HDTV box (5100). The last time this happened (~month ago) I had to ask several times for them to give me the STB model number (without providing it myself) and that's how I found out they were going to bring an L box.

I just called after reading your message and got the call-back-first-week-of-Frebruary story.

Here's the latest conversation I had with Repairs:

After verification of home number, name, and address:

She: How may I help you?

Me: I have digital cable and the HBO package but I cannot see channel 880, which the guide says is HBO-HD

She: Do you have an HDTV?

Me: Yes

She: What kind of box do you have? Is it silver?

Me: It's a 2200.

She: Ahh, that box doesn't have the tuner needed to see channel 880. It will be available shortly, in about two weeks. They will contact everybody to let them know that they can swap the box to get the ones that support HDTV, for free.

Me: So, in two weeks, right?

She: yes

Me: Can I get the appointment now? or do I have to wait for the announcement in two weeks?

She: You have to wait as we cannot make the appointments yet.

Me: Thank you.

Thanks for the transcript of the call and all of your posts on this subject Luis. I consider being two weeks out (plus installation scheduling) to be very good news. Free makes it even better.

Steve

You know, after re-reading my transcript it just occurred to me ... why did she ask me 1) if I had an HDTV and 2) why kind of box I had? This is the repairs number, so obviously some people out there do have 1) HDTV and 2) a 5100 box. :) We know that the people in the beta program (employees AFAIK) already have it. Perhaps they are supposed to call repairs to report HDTV problems?

Anyway, it's coming ... patience ...

What if I we call and say that 1) we have HDTV, 2) we have a 5100, 3) it was working, and 4) it stopped working ... maybe we'll get them to come swap the "5100" we have that stopped working :)

On second thought, maybe they're reading this thread ...

PS
Steve, thanks for the thanks :)

Just called ATT and was told some channels would be coming online Feb. 4th. When I asked what the channels would be HBO, Showtime. She then said ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS would be coming on as well. I have no idea if she meant that they were going to be on Feb 4th or that they'd turn those on later in the year.

Originally posted by lcaamano


On second thought, maybe they're reading this thread ...




From my experience, they can barely answer the phone...it's pretty unlikely they are on the forum. On the other hand, they could learn something from it!

so whats the STB model number of the l box, if its the non hd box i'll cancel the order. Phil

argh...you were right, i called up to double check and was told its just the surround sound box, no hdtv, "were in the testing phase for that."

so whats the STB model number of the l box

I assume they are using the Motorola 5100 for HD. The DD box they refer to is the 2200L (I think the L adds 5.1 audio support) and it is digital but not HD.

Since the latest thread seems so optimistic, I called service again and talked with a very nice (not sure about knowledgeable) CSR. She told me that boxes would be available "any day" and were currently out for field service testing. She also said that she would call me when they were ready for distribution (not sure if I believe that either). When I asked about being one of the testers, she said that she would also check into that and give me a call. No info on HD channel selection. She did confirm that a tech must install and would provide all necessary cables. The only thing needed from the customer is the HDTV manual.

We'll see.

Hopefully this is true. My parents have Comcast and after seeing my theater, they went out and splurged on all new equipment. My mother hates the stretch look on the screen. I pray for my father's sake that HD is around the corner for Comcast subscribers.

Originally posted by brol
She did confirm that a tech must install and would provide all necessary cables. The only thing needed from the customer is the HDTV manual.


yeah sure :) The HDTV manual ... what about the A/V receiver manual or the ReplayTV manual or the T165 manual or the DVD manual or the MX500 manual??? :) I'm gonna have to prepare myself not to burst out laughing if the tech asks me for a manual.

There's just no way the cable guy is touching anything in my setup. People still think we have TVs when what we have now are "display devices" connected to a home theater. Boy ... Where do they think the cable tech guy is going to connect the DD 5.1 coax (or optical) cable to? The TV??

Wife: Did we get the cable HDTV box?

Me: Almost.

Wife: What'cha mean?

Me: Well, the cable guy showed up with the box but then he asked for the TV manual. I started laughing so hard I couldn't stop and after 20 minutes he left.

:)

Man there is alot of people watching this thread. As soon as someone posts, BAM there is another page of replies. Forums are great aren't they!

I stopped calling b/c of their foolishness. After being told it would be 1-2 years out and then these fools not even knowing that they offer a box to do HD with. This lady told me a couple days ago that they dont offer any box other than GE. I said so your telling me "Comcast" Does not offer a Moto 5100 3100 and she said, "Whats that?"

I kindly said thank you for your time. When someone actually is successful in getting one of these installed PLEASE post who you knew that slept with whom ever so I can send a 20 spot or something to get on that list!

Well, got the Comcast flyer in the mail today so I decided to give it a try:

After exchanging some info on the introductory and full pricing:

Me: can I get High Def channels on Comcast
She: No sir, Comcast doesn't have High Def channels yet
Me: Really? I visited my in-laws in Detroit this Christmas and they have Comcast HD!
She: Are they with Comcast or ATT?
Me: Comcast
She: Ah, well that's why: you are on ATT Comcast!
Me: ........ :confused:
Me: well, ehr.... thanks for the 'info'.... click

I really like the idea of having local channels on my HD cable, but this experience reminds me a little too much of my dealings with Mediaone before I switched to Dish. I think I'll stick with satellite for now.

Rino

I went with Dish to begin with for the choices. I expand my entertainment needs to include my thirst for HD and guess what Dish doesn't have, choice! I refuse to stay with a provider that offers one receiver for HD that they manufacteur and sell to installers/retailers for the retail price, then advertise the selling price as retail forcing the retailers to look bad. Then to top it all off making the tuner for OTA HD extra in order to get the maximum out of there TV is enough to piss me off! I dont care about spending the money and I dont care about who I get my service from as long as choice is involved and service is at its highest. I was willing to pay for direcTV receiver just for OTA HD but why do that if I can have it all in one box and one cable without the need of antenna?

Comcast, get off your butt and help a brotha out!

-T

INDEED.

Here's an update, I called the repair number today and the csr tried to enter an order for me and then said the system wasn't accepting it, I needed to call the changes number. Got all excited, called changes and got a clueless rep who said the last update on HD was nov 27. I explained that it was currently in beta and repairs said it was available to no avail. I'd recommend a couple others call repair and try to get them to schedule a replacement for you. If you're successful be sure to post what the csr's name was here for others to refer to.

Jason

I just tried to call today, Monday 6:10pm, and I got the same thing. The Service and Repair CSR said that it is supposed to be available but that they don't have a computer system code for the new box and therefore she can't enter a work order. She also said that she would check with a manager and call me back. I called 2 weeks ago now, and was told they were in and that they should be available shortly. I am really hoping by the end of this week, or sometime next week. And, I have had more luck dealing with the service and repair department, every CSR I have talked to there at least knows about the new box, DCT-5100, and knows that it should be available soon. Half of the New Service CSR's have no idea what I'm talking about when I ask them. So, stick with the Service and Repair department.

Called again today and was told first week of Feb. Just shotdown the very slim chance I had of watching the Raiders in HD. Oh well.

Jason

Just got a call back from service who got latest information from central purchasing (I don't know how reliable any of this is). The current status is "about" 2 to 3 weeks before Motorola ships units. The CSR couldn't tell me what the problem is, but looking at other HDTV posts, there's apparently a problem with 5100's broadcast of channels 1-99. Since 2-3 weeks is what I heard back a couple of months ago, I'm throwing in the towel on Comcast.

I saw on another that some Comcast HDTV subscribers were using a Scientific Atlanta box (3100HD?). Anyone familiar with this box? I wonder what determines when they deploy the Scientific Atlanta box and when they deploy the Motorola 5100.

I use the Scientific Atlanta converter on Time Warner cable in Columbia, SC. I think it is a compatibility and software issue with the company. My parents live in Atlanta and have been calling Comcast once a week only to become sick and tired of their customer service. They don't see it any better than AT&T was. Comcast continues to fill them full of empty promises. I do not understand how a market as big as Atlanta cannot get HDTV service through their cable companies. I have had it in little ol' Columbia, SC for 3 years. I feel terrible for all of you people. My suggestion, go out and buy an OTA decoder box. I think my parents are going out and buying one this week. You can always put it up for sale on Ebay whenever Comcast decides to quit jerking all of y'all around.

So much for the line 'They're in the warehouse but we don't have authorization to deliver'.

Jason

Many thanks to all on this forum for the info - especially Luis.

I don't have cable or satellite - never have. Got out of the dark ages with new HDTV and just bought OTA decoder last week - Samsung T151. Watched the Raiders game in fabulous HD. I am somewhat "antenna challenged" due to my location, I can't get super-consistent OTA strength, too many trees for satellite, so I would prefer to get the consistency of cable. I figure I've got 30 days to return the Sammy to Best Buy if the unholy AT&T/Comcast alliance offers up HD over cable. Based on all your posts, I'm not holding my breath. In the meantime, I just hope the weather here is clear on Sunday afternoon for the Superbowl.

Atlanta, by most measures, is high-tech. We must have some of the highest per capita cellphone ownership, PC ownership, DSL usage, etc. We have seven stations broadcasting HD, with PBS coming, and yet we don't have HD over cable, and only minimal HD on satellite...

Anybody know of a place that rents OTA tuners? Maybe I can pick one up for Super Sunday.

Jason

Why don't you just go to Circuit City and purchase one. You can take it back and claim that you were unable to pick up a signal. Remember, they have a 30 day return policy..."No qustions asked"

Just an idea for you to watch the Super Bowl. There is a place that rents them, but it would cost over $100 after shipping and returning.

Originally posted by Bingman

Got out of the dark ages with new HDTV and just bought OTA decoder last week - Samsung T151. Watched the Raiders game in fabulous HD.

Bingman,

If you have the Sammy 151, you also better have the 1.8 firmware. If not, you will be getting about a 5 second dropout every 60-62 seconds. WSB (ABC local channel) had planned a Tandberg encoder software update a couple of weeks ago that would have fixed the problem but they did not get it loaded due to other issues.

This seems to really be a Samsung problem and does not show up with 1.8 firmware. There are instructions on the forum for downgrading if you want to try. I will probably just watch it in HD with a small PIP screen in the corner so that I don't miss the action when the dropouts occur.

Digital cable out to HD OTA receiver

Dumb question - I get sound but no picture on channel 880 (HBO HD). If I buy something like the Zenith OTA HD receiver and patch the signal out from digital STB through the Zenith, would it decode channel 880?

Originally posted by brol
Digital cable out to HD OTA receiver

Dumb question - I get sound but no picture on channel 880 (HBO HD). If I buy something like the Zenith OTA HD receiver and patch the signal out from digital STB through the Zenith, would it decode channel 880?

No. The OTA receiver has to be able to decode QAM 256 and
to unscramble the protected signal. That's what the 5100 does.

Some cable systems send the HD signals encoded in 8VSB
(comcast Atlanta doesn't). In those cases, you would be
able to decode any 8VSB channel, which are usually the
networks not HBO.

I finally broke down and got sick of waiting for Comcast to come through with their promise of HD channels and bought a Zenith HDV420 OTA receiver. I had made a deal with myself months ago that I was watching the Super Bowl in HD no matter what.

I'm not sure if it's my location in town, antenna choice (Silver Sensor indoor antenna), or the fact that my TV's in the basement, but I've been forced to come to the conclusion that OTA is a no-go for my situation. I was just barely able to get a "normal" signal strength on Fox, ABC, and CBS, barely got WB and UPN, and would not pull in NBC or TBS no matter what I tried. Watching the SB on ABC was a frustrating experience as we lost the signal once every 10-15 minutes. By the 4th quarter I was forced to give up and switch back to cable. Needless to say, the WAF for HD has gone down considerably.

Looks like I have no choice but to go with Comcast HD, whenever they get around to rolling it out. :(

jdp_atl: Perhaps you may not wish to give up too soon. It is not clear to me just which channels Comcast plans to carry near term from reading the feedback above. A basement location for an antenna is far from ideal in many cases for stable reception. I am feeding my systems from conventional antennas located in my attic (also not the best location) with totally stable results. My Son, about a mile away, using the Radio Shack Double Bow Tie in his basement with stable results. The Silver Sensor is reportedly a better antenna than the Rat Shack, but is said to be more directional and therefore more critical to location and setup. I would suggest you try different locations in your basement or try an antenna in the attic before you throw in the towel.

Regards:

I'll echo jcthomas' thoughts. I have a Terk TV-55 mounted outside, on the chimney, and get pretty solid signals from all Atlanta channels, about 50%-60% on clear days. The Super Bowl came in superbly. I've tested a Radio Shack Yagi-style antenna (a monster I mounted in the attic), and a Channel Master Stealthtenna on the roof - neither worked as well. From my den, my small Terk TV-top antenna will not pick up any digital signals.

Just an update

"We have no definite time frame on the release of the HDTV boxes and service, but it should be happening real soon."

Who knows, but it seems like they've instructed their CSR's to stop giving out dates. That can't be a good sign.

Comcast is so lucky that dish/directv HD receivers cost so much, or I would jump to them in a heartbeat.

Jason

Just for grins I called repair today. They said that there had been some delays. I volunteered to be a beta site and the person I talked to said that they were already in beta, but took my name and phone number to forward to the beta test group.

We'll see. I really do not expect a call but I could be pleasantly surprised. I have a free component video jack on my projector just waiting for the cable box.

Cheers,

Bernd

I am in an Adelphia "service" and have HDTV via Sat and OTA. So, even if Adelphia did offer HDTV on of these days, it would have to be very compelling to induce me to switch. And give the financial condition of Adelphia and their state of mind re HDTV, (see http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199357 ) I doubt that I will see a rollout any time soon.

I occurs to me that given a good track record of Comcast in other service areas that do now offer HDTV, that in the fullness of time they will offer HDTV here in Atlanta, and we will all be better off because of it.

To those that do not wish to wait, Sat and OTA is a "now" solution; and to those that have time and or patience, perhaps in the near future you will have 3 options.

Regards:

Latest dispatch from service and repair: Projected date is "sometime in March". Testing is only being done with employees. Postcards will go out when ready.

Well, as the crow flies, March is not that far away. (Is that a mixed metaphor?)

Originally posted by brol
Testing is only being done with employees.

Where do we send our resumes?? :)

I'm just hoping to get it in time for next football season now :)

Jason

I just called service and repair to find out what happened to the Golf Channel (it vanished from 127, then I found it a month or so ago on 94 by chance, and then it disappeared again in the last few days). It is now on 49.

I took the chance to ask the CSR about the HD roll-out. He said that they are having difficulty negotiating contracts with the stations; the roll-out is off indefinitely...

I have a good friend who knows a VP at Comcast; I'll get him to call and get the inside scoop, and I will report back.

Any good recomendations for a good OTA box? This thing looks like it is going to go on for a while.

OTA Box...

Look for an older, used OTA STB like the RCA DTC-100 on eBay and grab a double bow tie antenna from Radio Shack or a CM4228 antennna from Dow Electronics in Norcross and you can start enjoying a little HDTV now from the networks.

Steve

I was just told Monday March 17th is the release date for HD. Although, I was not able to schedule a delivery for the box. I was told I would have to wait until the 17th to set up the delivery.

flynbw01,

Not to be a nay-sayer, but we've heard hard dates from Comcast before. I remember when December 15th was the absolute deadline they were swearing by. Then it was HD including ABC in time for the Super Bowl. Then in February. Well, it's getting toward the end of February so I called again and one CSR told me definitely by the end of February. I called back 5 minutes later and was told that although they were still shooting for February, it looked more like March was the actual roll-out date. Hey, maybe you're right and it is March 17th, but I've been around that block and now I won't believe any date until I see an ad trying to get me to sign up for HD enclosed in my nice, fat Comcast bill...

jdp_atl

flynbw01, thanks for posting the info and do not take jdp's response as a flame to your post. In other words, he doesn't mean that he doesn't
believe you or that he doesn't appreciate your posting the info. He's
expressing his frustration with the cable company not you.

Having said that ... now I have to say that "I've been around that block too and now I won't believe any date until I see an ad trying to get me to sign up for HD enclosed in my nice, fat Comcast bill... " :-)

flynbw01,

Let me echo Luis' comments and apologize in advance if my post was taken as a flame. I know I speak for everyone here in saying that we appreciate the information and participation.

Here's hoping that March 17th works out...:D

Hey, no offense taken. I am in the same boat. I have probably called 15 times in the past 2 months. ALthough, I had never been given a specific date, it was always "by the beginning of the year", "sometime later this month", or "anytime now". So, this was the first time I had actually gotten a specific date. But, like you I will be happy only when I've got the box in my house and working. Let's hope for March 17th.

Will installation require a visit or would it be possible just to pickup a box?

Also, does anyone know if ESPN HD will be offered?

Thanks,

j_stewart

First, I am very new to the Cable HDTV discussion. I have getting my HD content from OTA and Directv. But, I am getting a little fed up with Directv as it pertains to HD content. They have shown a that HDcontent is not high on their plate. So I believe I have a couple of options. Go with Dish or wait for Comcast and compare the two for price and service (HD channels).

My questions are: (Forgive me if they seem basic )

1. Is Comcast serving all of Atlanta? I gone to their website and put in my Doraville address and they say service not available. How would I find out what cable company services my area?

2. For people who have witnessed HD from Comcast in differect locations, what was your take on Picture Quality and what HD channels were offered?

Thanks in Advance for the Help

Mike

Fingers crossed for March 17....good work on posting the info.

Originally posted by Mkwillia
My questions are: (Forgive me if they seem basic )

1. Is Comcast serving all of Atlanta? I gone to their website and put in my Doraville address and they say service not available. How would I find out what cable company services my area?
Mike


No, Comcast doesn't serve all of metro Atlanta. I live in Smyrna and can not sign up with them.
However, Charter does service my area and they plan to provide HDTV in the near future too. So you might check with Charter. http://www.charter.com/products/dtv/hdtv.asp

Dave

Was told in person today by a Comcast service tech that they were told this morning that HD is rolling out within a couple of weeks. The greatest challenge will be the short supply of set-top boxes.

Originally posted by starguy
Was told in person today by a Comcast service tech that they were told this morning that HD is rolling out within a couple of weeks. The greatest challenge will be the short supply of set-top boxes.

I guess it's time to re-start my twice-a-week Comcast call.

Just called. Only new info I got was that CBS (WXIA-DT) will (or is already) on channel 809 and it looks like the roll out will only have 5 HD channels: 2 HBO, 2 SHOW, and CBS.

I asked about getting a job at Comcast (any job) so I can get in the employee only beta test :) but she told me that there's already a list of employees waiting to get the 5100 too and I'd have better chance getting it as a customer once the roll starts within a few weeks.

Well at least it seems fairly certain now that this was the last time I'd watch the SuperBowl OTA.

Originally posted by lcaamano
I would be extremely surprised if we get HDTV on cable in January. Experience says March.

Hey Luis,

Looks like you were right.:)

Let's hope that the new timetable for a rollout holds up...

jdp

Hi,

I have also been following this topic with great interest. Did they say 809 was WXIA or CBS or both? Since WXIA is of course, as I'm sure someone will shortly point out (if it hasn't happened yet), that WXIA is NBC, and CBS is WGCL.

Thomas

I hope we have CBS in HD before March Madness!
I'm using a STB with an antenna now and I can get most of the locals, but CBS is really weak. If I rotate for CBS I lose others (like ABC), so adding CBS over cable would be great.

Steve

Understand, they will only be offering the signals that are provided to them. The local Atlanta stations will have to provide them the signals in order for Comcast to carry them.

That is according to the tech I originally spoke with...

I was checkin out the channel numbers last night, and now in addition to the 880 and up HBO/Show channels listed, there are 806 and 809. I tuned in to 809 which said "TBA" and sound comes and goes with it. This was during CSI on CBS, and I could match up the dialogue with that on CBS. Couldn't figure out what 806 is going to be, but sounds like 809 will be CBS.

Originally posted by harpshutler
Hi,

I have also been following this topic with great interest. Did they say 809 was WXIA or CBS or both? Since WXIA is of course, as I'm sure someone will shortly point out (if it hasn't happened yet), that WXIA is NBC, and CBS is WGCL.

Thomas

My mistake. She said 'CBS' and I added the WXIA but I was thinking WGCL but typed WXIA :) ... because I do know that WXIA is NBC :D (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Just pulled up channel 808 and 809. They say DWXIA and DWGCL. Looks like there will be both of them(now if they only would get the boxes to us).

I don't know about you guys but I'm starting to get antsy. I just called and and the woman told me it should be "very soon. Give it a week or so." I'm thinking she's right (hopefully). If not I have something to tide me over until then... Spring Break :D Here's to hoping...

I'm using Dish, so I'm used to buynig my equipment. How will it work with Comcast on equipment? Can you chose your set-top box? I'm not seeing any equipment options on their web site. For example, how much will the HD set top be? Extra rental fee? Can we chose the PVR HD version? Can you also get a standard def PVR set-top?

Thx

Folks, we just received a date... MARCH 13th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:D :D :D

Please tell us more! Inquiring minds want to know.

Although the young lady sounded very attractive...I got no new information. "a few weeks"

I know this might be stating the obvious, but there are probably a bunch of "lurkers" like myself waiting expectantly for COMCAST to start taking orders for this HDTV cable.

When they do, would someone please post the exact phone number for the order as well as any other pertinent information (package name, specials, etc)?

The birds in my backyard are impatient in waiting for their new birdbath (my old dish)...

Regards to all,
Bryan Bain

This message was posted in the Atlanta HDTV group on Yahoo. It is mostly a recap of the discussions here, except for a mention of ESPN-HD.

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 22:20:12 -0000
From: "beertvmike" <yahoo@beertv.tv>
Subject: Comcast to offer HDTV service 3/11


A Comcast cable TV sales rep told me that they will offer HDTV
service in metro Atlanta starting 3/11. They will be taking orders
this Tuesday.

I spoke with two different reps in different locations and they gave
me some conflicting information and neither new much of the
technical details. One told me that they would have all 5 networks
DTV signals plus HBO, Showtime, etc. ESPN-HD would come up soon
afterwards, although this information was "sketchy" at best.

I was able to ascertain that they are using the DTC-5100 cable box.
See manual, link here:
http://gicout60.gic.gi.com/customer_docs/user_guides/495012-001-a.pdf

The manual states that it will output in 1080i or 720p, or 480i or p
and this is user selectable. No DVI or RGB output, but it does have
component. Digital audio looks like its only output via coax pin
connector and not optical.

According to this manual, there are some additional and interesting
features to this box. But there is no telling if these are only
options that Comcast wont use or not. There is a firewire "Data"
port. Could this be used to connect to a D-VHS? Probably not, but
what is it for then? There is also USB. What's more it has a built
in cable modem with an eithernet port. Will Comcast allow their
Internet customers to use this box as their cable modem?

It will cost an additional $5 per month per box. I'm not sure about
the cost for the premium channels. One thing that concerns me is
that while one rep said that they would have all of the network
channels up using their DTV feeds, the other told me that
their "goal" is to have the HDTV broadcasts of both the final 4 and
the Masters on. They touted this as if this was an exclusive. The
rep was a little miffed after I said that I saw both last years in
HDTV and can this year over the air for free. I think this was
meant to be a selling point over Satellite's lack of network HDTV.

I'll let you know more details as I find them out. If anyone has
insight, please post.

Just called, twice, one to service change and another to repairs.

Change said that I should call in a couple days because they still
do not have the order code in the system. The CSR knew that the
box was the 5100.

Repairs said that the launch is on the 13th, this Thursday and that
they will send a mass update message to the current boxes we
have. That is, keep an eye on that little red light on your current
Moto box. Supossedly, there will be a message this Thursday telling
us that we can get HDTV!!

When I called change I just say that I want a new box so I could get
HDTV. When I call repairs, I say that I have HBO and an HDTV but
I can't see channel 880. This time, both CSRs knew right away
what I was talking about.

I'm calling again tomorrow :) It seems we'll be able to see the
Masters on HDTV cable! Do not celebrate yet though. BTW, did you
know that CBS will broadcast all four days of the Masters in their
HDTV signal but only the last two days in analog?? Yeah!

Here's the quote from the press release:



CBS Sports will broadcast the 2003 Masters on the CBS Television HD
Network on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11 (4:00-6:30 PM, ET,
each day) and Saturday, April 12 (3:30-6:30 PM, ET) and Sunday, April
13 (2:30-7:00 PM, ET) live from Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta,
Ga. The third and final rounds of the Masters will be broadcast
simultaneously in standard definition by CBS Sports on the analog CBS
Television Network.

I called the number for Comcast Sales this morning and was told that the date for orders was 3/13 - this Thursday. The CSR took my information and told me someone would contact me this week. The CSR reiterated that the company's goal was to make HDTV available before the NCAA Tourney and the Masters.

Steve

I got the same thing as Steve yesterday. I called a service and repair CSR and they said they were forwarding my information to the department and that I would be contacted. I don't know how much I trust this though, I will definitely call again on Thursday if I haven't heard anything.

The latest from the national toll-free number is that STBs will be ready "before the end of the month" and that Comcast will charge $9.80/month for each box along with a $29 "wiring fee". They obviously aren't charging enough already for their superior service.

Brol

No go for the 13th. The CSR was all set to take my information and set up an appointment but the computer wouldn't let her. She checked with her manager and told me that they are still working through some issues and to try back on the 17th.

I asked about pricing - if you currently have a cable package where the STB is included in the price, after you trade that STB in for the DCT-5100, the additional charge per month is $5.00 (the difference between the $9.80 for the DCT-5100 and the $4.80 they charge for standard additional STBs).

I called last night and was told that they still didn't have the order code, but it would be in the system on Monday, 3/17.

Just to be sure, I called again this morning. This time they told me I had to be "pre-qualified" before a service/change ticket could be opened. They took down my name, home and work phone numbers, and said someone would get back to me within 24 to 48 hours to handle the pre-qualification.

We'll see. If I haven't heard from them by Monday AM, I'm calling again.

Just called. The CSR had just received a memo(which she read to me) that it would not launch today. They are still in testing and is tentatively launching on Monday instead. Tentatively(especially twice in a memo she reads to you) is a word you never want to hear from a CSR...

When i called up on Tuesday and Thursday the CSR said "tomarrow" both times, its starting to tick me off. They never said anything about Prequailfy. Which makes me wonder exactly what it is. Do they really think that someone would know what HDTV is and then if they did they would ask for it when they know they can't use it. :confused: If they didn't at least have the 800's set up i would have already left, now i may have to wait for someone to tell me what i already know, that i do in fact own a HDTV, its getting old fast. Phil

Hey, just reading this thread and have been looking to get HDTV for a while now, glad to see comcast is finally going to provide it. I have tried phoning a couple times through 1800comcast, havent been able to get soemone with a clue as to what im talking about, just wondering if there is another # I would have better luck with?
P.S. - Thanks for the thread guys, its been really hard to find any info on HDTV in Atlanta :) Looking forward to watching the Masters in HDTV!:D

The Masters in HD.....not through Comcast...you better get off the air.

This thing with Comcast is like pulling teeth.

I am assuming that the masters will be on CBS, which I noticed is listed as one of the local HDTV channels on Comcast. If i am mistaken let me know.....:eek:

Holein1GA - I think cwick was saying based on Comcast's track record with getting this think rolled out, having HDTV on Cable by April 10-13 might be a little optimistic. We all hope he's wrong. We could know as early as Monday.

Steve

Well i called today 3/17 and was finally told that it was a go. The box will be delivered on Wednesday. I'll post again on WED.

Did you talk to moves/changes or service/repair? I just called and talked to moves/changes and the person I spoke to said they weren't taking orders for another month. Would you happen to know the rep you spoke to. I'd sure like to try and call back and get someone who knew more than the person I spoke to 10 mins ago.

Call 678-545-7372. I just got through and set up an appointment for Wednesday, too. Looks like the starting lineup of channels is also going to include Fox (not that it's HD, but still better than standard def ).:D

jdp

Arghhh...

I called the number jdp provided, selected menu items for > cable, > moves/add/changes. Talked to CSR (Cathy) who said to call back later as the system is not set up yet to accept orders.

jdp_atl and jadedmonkey28 -

What department and who are you guys talking to? Repair and move don't have a clue ("later this month was the response").

Steve

I've called that number twice this morning, selected service and repair, spoke to two different CSR's and both of them said they were not taking orders yet but they would take my name and number and call me back when they had more information.

Did you guys go through sales or service and repair?

-Skip

OK, here is the skinny. If you pick moves/changes your call is routed to a 3rd party customer service center. They don't have a clue.

Pick SALES from menu. They do have a clue, and I now have an appointment for tomorrow (Tuesday) between 11am and 2pm.

Gregg,

What local channels are supposed to be available in HD initially?

I went through repair; I believe it's option #3 when you call 678-545-7372. I didn't say anything about HDTV. I just asked to set up an appointment to trade out my standard STB for a DCT-5100. As soon as I said that, the CSR told me there was a $29 charge for the "HDTV box" that would be on my next bill.

There didn't seem to be any problems, so I didn't get the name of the CSR I was talking to. I do, however, have a confirmation number for my appointment. I'll be annoyed if they tell me HDTV's been pushed off again.

My suggestion would be to try back again and if they tell you that they're not taking orders yet, get a supervisor to assist you.

jdp

Thx Gregg.

I'm set up for Thursday morning (I could have done tomorrow or Wednesday, but I am out of town).

She told me that they now have HBO East/West, Showtime East/West and local CBS. Other locals and ESPN-HD to follow with no dates yet.

greggz - thanks for the tip to call sales. I'm set for Wednesday 11 AM - 2PM. Works out great since the NCAAs start on Thursday!

$29.50 installation charge for "the technician that is experienced installing high definition equipment do the installation for me." ;)

Steve

Looks like Comcast kinda getting their act together... Just place my order for Wednesday. Guess I'll be sticking next to my phone in case the "HD coordinator" calls(whatever that means).

CSR said that they have nbc, cbs, fox, showtime and hbo in hdtv(which confirms the guide). now off to hunt the net for the manual for the new box.

Here are some links to the info on the Motorola box Comcast is using..

Motorola DCT-5100 (Comcast, AT&T)
http://gicout60.gic.gi.com/customer_docs/user_guides/495012-001-a.pdf
http://broadband.motorola.com/catalog/product_documents/DCT5100.pdf

No luck here. I can't get any operator that knows about it. Tried all three, sales, repair, and change and two numbers, 678 545 7372 and
678 545 2455.
:(

Got it. Took me ten calls to get the CSR in Decatur. :)

Set up for Wednesday. She mentioned that the $29 charge is for "the kit with the wires" and there's an additional $15 charge for the technician.

I said that was not the info I had but whatever ... :)

I expect an "eventful" and entertaining installation.

If you're calling today, first ask for the location of the CSR. If it's not in the Atlanta area, e.g., Ontario, Niagara Falls, etc. just say thanks, hang up and call again until you get somebody in the Atlanta area. It doesn't matter if it's sales, repair, or change, it just has to be Atlanta.

Good luck.

It took 6 calls but finally got setup. I used jdp_atl's suggestion and asked to order a 5100 box.

Got mine setup for Thursday afternoon. First call did it, but she didn't seem to know, had to check to see if it was available, and kept having to put me on hold to find out more, but looks like it's a go.

She only mentioned the $29.95 install charge, nothing extra.

Went through the above number and chose sales by the way.

For those of you about to get a 5100:
If you have a cable modem, make sure it works before the install guy leaves. In Boston, there was a problem the first few days. See the Boston Comcast thread for more info.

5100 FAQ (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/miatasm/HT/5100FAQ.htm)

Finally!! It only took 6 phone calls but I have an appointment and confirmation number. The first 5 calls I asked to be upgraded to HDTV service and everytime they had to put me on hold only to come back and tell me it wasn't available yet. The 6th time I called service and repair and asked to swap out my digital cable box for a DCT-5100 and she immediately asked me if I had an HDTV and how many boxes I wanted. What the heck kind of sense does that make? <grin>

Anyway, I don't think it makes a difference which number you call, just ask for a DCT-5100, do not in no uncertain terms ask for HDTV. <grin>

-Skip

Thanks to all who made regular contributions on this forum. Got my HD box scheduled for this weekend on the 1st try. Took a while but hope it's worth it. I'm tired of having to rely on antenna reception.

Well Just called in this afternoon, went through Sales and got and appointment setup for Tuesday 11-2, im still a little nervous to see if they actually show, but i will be posting on here as soon I get my box (or not) to let you all know how im doing.
Thanks for the #'s and all the info guys!
Holein1GA :cool:

All of you guys that have appointments today between 11am and 2pm have to stop watching TV long enough to report back to the rest of us as to how the appointment went and what we can expect.

We want details! <grin>

-Skip

Called this morning. Got an extremely helpful and knowledgeable CSR at the 1-800 number. Used the change service selection on the phone list. Appointmet is set for next week due to my schedule. Didn't mention the set up fee. Thanks for posting the user manual link and the 5100 FAQ.

Well, I'm HD-enabled in Lawrenceville. Tech got here at noon and everything took only 15 mins or so. I could've done it myself, but I left it to the "professional". I don't have time to play w/ anything because I gotta go back to work. I'll fill you in later.

Sheeeeet!!! Finally!!! jdp, now we can I say I nailed the prediction!

Its not going well with my install.

The tech has been here for over 2 hours. I am getting the normal channels and the regular HBO's, but NONE of the HD channels are coming in. They all say "Please wait, should be available shortly." They've tried 2 boxes so far. Tech is out at the street right now fiddling with something. I swear this is just an order entry issue and not a "hardware" issue, but they keep treating as such. Grrrrrr.

Originally posted by lcaamano
Sheeeeet!!! Finally!!! jdp, now we can I say I nailed the prediction!

Almost to the day! Are you sure you didn't have some kind of inside information?;)

Originally posted by greggz
Its not going well with my install.

The tech has been here for over 2 hours. I am getting the normal channels and the regular HBO's, but NONE of the HD channels are coming in. They all say "Please wait, should be available shortly." They've tried 2 boxes so far. Tech is out at the street right now fiddling with something. I swear this is just an order entry issue and not a "hardware" issue, but they keep treating as such. Grrrrrr.

Sorry to hear that Greg. It's the luck of the draw I guess, which would
explain why I had to make 10 calls to get what several other people
got with one call. I hope I'm done with my bad luck though.

Please let us kwow how it gets solved ... and perhaps we'll learn from
it and be ready for it.

SpaceCowboy,

Please post as soon as you get home to verify it is working. My parents have ordered Comcast HDTV service and so have my sister and brother-in-law. Everytime they come visit me in South Carolina, they get even more impatient with the slow roll out there in ATL after being spoiled for several years with the HD content here on Time Warner Cable.

Thanks!

Alright, I am pretty pissed off because I phone yesterday and they say that I need to be home from 11-2 on Tuesday (Today, and I do remember the customer service rep saying "Tommorrow"). We I finally phoned them back after waiting home all day and they say "Oh, well I think they ment next tuesday". They cant even fess up to there ****** mistakes, what a crap ass service they have going on! Anyhow I will post when i get the F@ckin box from these stupid Comcast J@ack@ss's

4.5 hours later, two techs, a re-seated amplifier block at the street, a removed noise filter, a new run of RG-11 to my house, a new grounding block, and all new compression fittings on all the cables in the chain.... AND I'VE GOT HDTV!

There are 6 channels:

804 is Fox 5. The picture is sharper, but so far its been a 4:3 original aspect ratio (OAR) picture stretched to 16:9. Kind of annoying. Usually my TV lets me compensate for this, but on this signal it will not. Its almost like Fox is stretching the picture before its broadcast.

806 is WXIA 11 (NBC). Nice sharp picture! So far all off the stuff I've seen has been 4:3 aspect, but its got the black bars on the side so it looks right.

809 is WGCL (CBS). The picture looks soft and everything broadcast so far has been 4:3 aspect with the black bars on the side.

880 and 881 are HBO East and West. Nice sharp picture. Very happy with what I've seen on HBO so far. Some stuff has been 4:3 OAR with black bars, and some stuff has been 16:9 OAR.

890 and 891 are Showtime. I do not subscribe so I cant report on these channels.

Looking forward to tonight when I can watch some prime time TV shows on the networks. So far all I've really been able to see are crappy talk shows and game shows. Also, I hope they hurry up and add ABC, PBS, and ESPN to the linup.

Best of luck to the rest of you scheduled for tomorrow and going forward. If it doesn't work right away, your installer has got a LONG day ahead of him trying to isolate the weak link in the chain.

I should also mention, and this has been discussed on other 5100 threads, there is a huge volume difference between the HDTV channels and the analog channels. You have to really turn up the volume on the HDTV channels. Of course this means that you blast yourself back out of the chair when you start flicking around.

Greg-

Sounds like a piece of cake for the install. <grin> Thanx for the details. My install is scheduled for tomorrow between 2 and 5 so I'll let everyone know how mine goes. I also have been watching OTA HD through a Samsung SIR-T151 so I'll be able to compare Comcast HDTV with OTA HDTV. Fox actually broadcasts 2 digital signals OTA, one in 4:3, and the other 16:9 so at least you have a choice. I've already been experiencing the difference in volume when I switch between my cable box and the 151. You have to have your fingers on the volume control that's for sure.

Don't forget that as an added bonus with the 5100 if you are using the digital audio outputs is that Starz broadcasts a lot of their movies in DD 5.1. Lately there seems to be a better selection of movies on Starz than on th HBO channels.

Enjoy,

-Skip

Showtime is beautiful.

On your new cable box, Fox 5 will probably always be scretched except when they are broadcasting their primetime and/or Fox network programming. (Unless there is a setting you can change in the DCT-5100).

The Fox network stuff is either 16:9 480p or 4:3 with black bars filling out the picture. The difference between Fox and the other local stations (the ones I watch at least--ABC, NBC, CBS, WB, UPN, TBS) is that Fox 5 does not broadcast the black bars on their local stuff. They leave it up to your settop box to provide them. My box the Samsung sirt165 can provide the grey bars--it calls it "pillar box mode" but unless I change it back to "full mode"--all the other stations who broadcast the black bars are "squished". It's not much of an issue for me as I mostly just watch fox during primetime.

I think Pax does the same as Fox--but I can't really say as I hardly ever get a signal from them since they have a different transmitter location than the rest of the Atlanta stations currently broadcasting.

I don't know which is better, probably depends on your setup, but broadcasting the black bars seems to be the popular choice at least in Atlanta. My Hitachi TV actually has a 16:9 zoom mode to compensate for the black bars. Of course, it cuts off part of the picture at the top and bottom.

This is just from my own experience, so if I have said anything wrong, please feel free to correct me.

Thomas

For you that already have the 5100, I noticed in the PDF that it has a built-in cable modem. Does the Comcast version include an active cable modem, and if so, will it work with the Comcast service?

For those of you with the 5100, what is the quality of the non-HD channels with Comcast digital cable? I already have digital cable with Bellsouth and have a fiber optic feed in my neighborhood and many have said that my cable looks better than normal, so I don't want to take a step backwards there if I can help it. Also, I have the Samsung SIRT-150 box with the WSB dropout problem today so I really won't get any benefit yet from the Comcast setup until they get ABC or ESPN-HD online, except that I can get rid of the antenna issue altogether of course. Anyway, I would like to hear about cable quality in general.

Thanks,

David in Lawrenceville

With the "4:3 non-HD output" option set to "480p", I feel that I get a better picture on non-HD sources than I got with the General Instruments digital box I previously had.

The old box and now the new HDTV box are hooked up to a Sony 11HT front projector and throwing a 110" diagonal image. Any imperfections in the picture are greatly amplified at this size. The 480p output option produces a more satisfying picture than 480i, but still pales in comparison to a 1080i picture.

DDisney, I found the non-HD picture to be a little better than my previous set top box from Comcast - just a little. Your non-HD signal is probably still superior.

Is anyone else having a problem w/ WXIA 11 Alive? When I attempt to switch to that channel, the picture on the screen freezes. Also earlier today, I noticed a bit of a lip-sync on CBS-HD.

Originally posted by greggz
I should also mention, and this has been discussed on other 5100 threads, there is a huge volume difference between the HDTV channels and the analog channels. You have to really turn up the volume on the HDTV channels. Of course this means that you blast yourself back out of the chair when you start flicking around.

Check the FAQ. Suposedly, you can adjust with the dynamic range
settings.

Originally posted by greggz
4.5 hours later, two techs, a re-seated amplifier block at the street, a removed noise filter, a new run of RG-11 to my house, a new grounding block, and all new compression fittings on all the cables in the chain.... AND I'VE GOT HDTV!


About three months ago, I called repair and told them that I had some ghosting. A tech came in and replace filters, new runs, new grounding, new splitters everywhere. I did that to ensure I didn't have to do it when HDTV came in. After reading your story now I feel justified. :D

Let's hope I don't need to do all that again tomorrow.

--

Got my appointment set for Friday morning. Fingers crossed.

Spent some time last night watching HDTV. True "shot in" and "broadcast in" HDTV programs are beautiful. The Tonight Show looks fantastic. You can see every nick and scratch in Leno's desk. Looking forward to seeing all of the gory details on CSI in hi-def tonight. :D

I tried fiddling with the sound adjustments, but there is no real way around the analog channels being louder than the HD channels. Also, HD-CBS is a lot louder than the other HD channels.

I noticed thru-out the night a number of annoying audio dropouts. Hopefully that will improve over time. Also, sometimes there were lipsync issues.

Originally posted by greggz
I tried fiddling with the sound adjustments, but there is no real way around the analog channels being louder than the HD channels. Also, HD-CBS is a lot louder than the other HD channels.


This is true from OTA too. I have a Samsung T165 and the audio levels are all over the place. WXIA is usually low and WGCL is usually high, none of them match SDTV audio levels. So, it might not be an issue with cable at all.

On a separate but related topic, the cable guy just left to get a different 5100 box. :( He showed up around 11:45, box in hand. I had everything already moved and ready for him to drop the box in. I connected it while he was calling home to enable the new box. I used optical dd 5.1 audio to my A/V receiver. ALL the audio outputs have sound ALL the time, ditto for video. This is good because I don't have to switch audio inputs and I get sound from any channel on the optical output while the replay tv gets it sound and video from the RCA outputs. I unplugged the DVI cable from the T165 and plugged it into the 5100's DVI port, which was not covered. It did not work. :(

He then tried to use the remote and it didn't work. He went to the van and brought a brand new Navigator (One-for-All) remote and tried to program it with the appropriate set up code. It did not work. We tried 476, 276, 003, and 0810. None worked. We started to suspect a box problem because I'm sure both 476 and 276 should've worked.

So, we switched to the HD channels and it has the "available shortly" message. We then check signal strength, splitters, connectors, etc. He talked with his super at base and he concluded he needed a different box.

Hopefully, he'll back in an hour with a new box.

More to come ...

So, we switched to the HD channels and it has the "available shortly" message. We then check signal strength, splitters, connectors, etc

This exactly the problem we fought all day yesterday. All of the regular channels as well as the digital channels, including HBO would come in, but the HD channels just said "available shortly".

Both of the techs at my house said that they had not been told what frequencies the HD channels were on, so they had no way to meter and see the signal strength. Apparently these frequencies are very susceptible to any interference in the signal path (bad/loose connection, nick in the shielding, etc...). At one point, we had the HD channels coming in and the tech simply closed the door to the CATV access panel and the HD channels went out again.

When the tech comes back, if you still don't get the HD channels, tell him to take the 5100 box and using the TV in his van tap straight in at the street. If he gets the HD channels (he will see a pic on the 800's, just wont be HD), then he needs to start working the chain back to your house. Move from the street to the cable junction box at your house. At the ground splitter, have him take his test cable (they all have a orange spool with about 100 feet of cable on it) and run the test cable from the ground splitter directly to the back of your 5100. If you get a picture on the 800's, then the problem is with the wiring in your walls. If you don't, then the problem is the wire running from the street to your CATV access panel.

Hope this helps.

Originally posted by greggz
When the tech comes back, if you still don't get the HD channels, tell him to take the 5100 box and using the TV in his van tap straight in at the street.

He took a very long cable and connected the 5100 directly to the junction box on the street pole bypassing the house wires completely. No dice yet. :(

Well, I had my install this morning. It did not go well. I was already having an issue with the analog channels which they were supposed to fix at the same time they came to install the HD.

Unfortunately, he traced the problem to the wiring coming from the street to my apartment, which apparently means I have to wait for a contrator. So, right now, analog channels are unwatchable, and the HD isn't working at all.

*sigh*

I have an appointment Saturday for someone to come and rerun the wiring to the house.

The one thing I can say, is that the regular digital channels have improved PQ dramatically over the other box. I can't wait to get Showtime and HBO in HD. The local channels I already get in HD with a set of rabbit ears on the TV and a Zenth STB. I still can't get over how beautiful a true HD broadcast really is.

Anyway, I think I'm rambling...

Cheers!

Another tech showed up, this one has both the yellow and white lights in the van blinking. Must be a serious problem. :)

The second tech deals with street stuff. It seems the problem is out there in some amp on some pole. I live near Emory.

At this point in time I have both NBC and CBS out of the 5100. HBO and FOX (804) still have the 'wait' thing.

I can compare CBS between the OTA on the Samsung and cable. No obvious differences although this is only digital SDTV. I'll see tonite if I can tell any diff on Leno.

Later ...

Well i got MYHD 5100 installed this morning. It looks pretty sweet. MY convergence is still off and i'm trying despertly to get in touch with some one who can fix it. Other then that it looks great. I get everything but showtime which i unsubscribed from. The only thing is the sound, really varies from station to station. I can easialy see a difference in the digital vs HD. Its like night and day to me, this is what i bought the TV for. Now if i could just get that damn convergence fixed. Oh, btw the box took about 15-20 minutes to download the info, it was a very tense time wating to see ifthe box was working or not. Phil :p

Hello everyone,

I have been reading all of your posts and wanted to contribute my experiences with Comcast HD. I met the installers (who were VERY nice) and had a classroom experience..... They did not know the difference between rca, s-video and rgb as well as optical input! Please note that I am no expert but anyway....... I also showed them how to change the video from 480p to 1080i etc, thanks to all of your posts!
Now on to the video. The quality in HD is excellent in both video and sound. I have a 32inch Philips HD tv. While on 880 or 881 I have noticed that the edges of the picture are wavy and vary on scene, this could be the tv or the signal strength...anyone know or have suggestions?
To those of you who have seen a better PQ on regular channels, I am not seeing this. When I change to ABC (3 for me, atlanta) it looks terrible. Is there anything anyone (who has the 5100) recommends.
Tonight is my first night and I will post my experiences after a few days of watching.

I live in Duluth and called Comcast this morning and am scheduled for install tomorrow! I am a brand new cable subscriber with a house built 4 yrs ago and cable never run up from the street. Here's the details I got with writing a total check of $146.72 during installation tomorrow.

They gave me the $400 Dish customer rebate which is $25/month for 16 months. For the Gold Digital (HBO and Showtime) my bill then goes from $72.99 to $47.99 during that time. First month is paid up front.

The Mot5100 hdtv rental is $5/month. For now I'm just using basic cable on my other TVs, so no box is required.

There is a 1 time $29.50 setup charge for the hdtv.

There is a 1 time cable install fee for me of $64.23. This varies by customer, with mine being higher due to the run up from the street.

Originally posted by patrija
I live in Duluth and called Comcast this morning and am scheduled for install tomorrow! I am a brand new cable subscriber with a house built 4 yrs ago and cable never run up from the street. Here's the details I got with writing a total check of $146.72 during installation tomorrow.

They gave me the $400 Dish customer rebate which is $25/month for 16 months. For the Gold Digital (HBO and Showtime) my bill then goes from $72.99 to $47.99 during that time. First month is paid up front.

The Mot5100 hdtv rental is $5/month. For now I'm just using basic cable on my other TVs, so no box is required.

There is a 1 time $29.50 setup charge for the hdtv.


Comcast installed today my Mot 5100. I had my video room "ready" so my installation went w/o a hitch. All works as expected. The only surprise I had was that Comcast "requires" for all customers to subscribe to their GOLD Digital package in order to get HD. I was never told of that when I called earlier this week to subscribe. I was a Digital SILVER subscriber. GOLD is an extra $10.00/mo. The box is $5.00/mo.

Daniel

... Comcast "requires" for all customers to subscribe to their GOLD Digital package in order to get HD

I was a Digital Silver subscriber, and to the best of my knowledge, still am. The install ticket that they left with me shows my service as Digital Silver ($61.99) plus $29.50 for the HDTV install and $5 for the 5100 box.

What does Comcast want in return for the $400 rebate? A satellite box? A recent DISH/DirecTV bill?

Rino

My install yesterday was fairly uneventful compared to what some of you have gone through. Luckily, my signal strength is good and runs directly to my house from the street so I didn't run into those problems.

It took about 1.5 hours for the install because the tech kept on saying that the "dl" message on the box was an error code and wanted to keep unplugging and resetting it. Although I tried to tell him that it was downloading the firmware information, he did not accept my explanation until it was confirmed by another Comcast tech.

This was the first HD install for this tech; who was a very nice guy. He tried to explain that I needed to run component and composite to the tv in order to get HD...apparently, he seemed to believe that the component cables carried only color information and the composite carried the actual video signal; he said that is what they were told during the Comcast HD training session :rolleyes:. I printed an extra copy of the DCT-5100 FAQ and gave it to him, as well as the hookup chart from the motorola user's guide.

Well, the difference between HD and digital is night and day. The best picture and sound seem to be on Showtime and HD. Right now I'd give Showtime the nod, just because most of their movies are shown in the OAR.

Haven't seen CBS or NBC HD yet, but the digital upconvert of SD looks pretty great. Fox comes through with the 4:3 picture stretched to 16:9 (except during prime time, e.g. American Idol (4:3) and Bernie Mac (16:9) looked normal).

Can't wait to really spend some time with it. I'll post again with more in a couple of days. Can't wait for March Madness and the Masters!

jdp

Originally posted by Rino van Dam
What does Comcast want in return for the $400 rebate? A satellite box? A recent DISH/DirecTV bill?

Rino


The CSR said they would ask for something but was not sure what it was. However, she was able to look up my monthly bill during the ordering phone call and it showed a $25 discount. I'm waiting to find out, I prefer to ebay my 2 dishplayers than give them up for free.

Got a call last night regarding my appt for tomorrow. The tech was verifying that I had an HD tv, if I had a surround system etc...

"....yes......yes":)

Fox comes through with the 4:3 picture stretched to 16:9 (except during prime time, e.g. American Idol (4:3) and Bernie Mac (16:9) looked normal).

I had an odd problem with Fox last night. When I first switched to Idol it was 4:3 aspect stretched to 16:9. I then flicked around a bit to watch war coverage, and when I went back to Idol it was 4:3 with back sidebars. A little more channel surfing and then back to Idol, and it was back to 4:3 stretched to 16:9 with the black side bars gone.

Called on Monday and the DTC-5100 was installed yesterday. The process was interesting.

My appointment was scheduled for 11-2 PM. In typical cable company fashion they showed up right 'on time' at 3 PM. Comcast did at least call and say they were running late. The tech was a super nice guy. He said from the start that this was his first HDTV upgrade.

The 'cable kit' they supplied was complete for any install and included svideo, composite, component, digital coax and toslink cables. But, all the cable were pretty low grade stuff so I used my own cables. After seeing the back of my equipment rack, the tech wisely suggested that 'if I was comfortable doing it' that I should hookup the box to my projector and receiver.

We fired up the box and experienced almost exactly what happened with greggz's install, the analog and digital channels were there, but only Showtime HD popped up in the 800 range, all other channels gave the 'please wait' message. The tech called in and confirmed that the signal was heading out to the box to make sure it was not a programming thing. It wasn't so that left the signal.

He started replacing my cables from the box back to an amp, then from the amp to my low voltage box inside, then from the inside box to the side of the house, no dice.

After an hour of that, I printed out the troubleshooting notes that greggz posted from his install. He took the box to the curb and connected it to the truck TV and all the signals were there. Then he measured the signal at the side of the house and it was really low. So he ran a new cable from the curb to the side of the house. Bingo all channels!

I have been watching HD using an antenna with OTA signal for a while so I didn't freak out when I saw the HD picture, but the tech did which I thought was cool. I will agree with most that the picture and sound from Showtime and HBO is really great. The picture from the networks is really good too and I love not having to use the antenna now. The exception is the stretched image from FOX which drives me nuts. I would rather watch analog than that for 4:3 stuff.

My favorite parts about the new service are that the box is super fast changing channels, the box upconverts the analog and digital signals to 480p, and the signal has improved dramaticly on all of my other sets from getting a good strong signal now.

I'm pleased that Comcast got this done before the Masters. Now if they get ESPN-HD I'll never leave the basement!

Steve

I have 3 questions that I need help with........

1) Is there some type of menu system to set up the 5100 for 4:3 and 16:9 TVs - as well as other adjustments?

2) Also, how do I switch between 480p and 1080i on my Panny widescreen set (PT53WX42).

3) Finally, does the remote for the 5100 differ from the regular Comcast digital cable box?...I believe I am still using the remote from the digital box that they swapped out.

Thanks in advance.

I've been lurking in this thread for a while but I'm having a big problem with my install.

I thought it was the same problem as the others have been reporting (this channel should be available shortly) but when I told the tech to go out and check the tap, he said he couldn't get a signal in his truck either.

I'm now stuck with a box and no HD channels. No one knows what to do and while they are very cordial, they are pretty much clueless...

L. Medena

The second tech deals with street stuff. It seems the problem is out there in some amp on some pole.

Sorry to hear that l_medena. Take a look at the post from lcaamano.

Steve

My install was just finished, and it was pretty uneventful. Only issue was the cable pack was missing the component cables, so I used mine (would have done that anyway). Other than that, not a problem. All the channels are coming in fine and picture quality seems good.

And believe it or not, the tech was actually early! He called 30 minutes before my 2:00 PM appt and asked if he could come early, imagine my surprise.

My install was today and everything seems ok. I was worried because the installer had to take the box out to the truck for it to get its "hit" to activate the box. He couldn't even get the regular digital cable channels to come on in the house--but when he brought it back from the truck all seemed well. (He had to run an orange coax from the "tap" to his truck). He even gave me the shrink wrapped pack of cables although I had my own cables ready for him just to plug into the box.

My two questions are ---------

1) Does anyone's channel 804 have a label or guide info? I have Fox on this channel as others have said but no label or guide info which is perhaps understandable as this may be the channel they added most recently.

2) Does anyone have channel 891? All the channel lineups since Feb 4 say 891 is supposed to be the west coast feed of Showtime HD. I don't have this channel in my guide at all. I saw 891 briefly in the program guide a couple of months ago around the time 880, 881, & 890 first appeared in the guide. 891 did not have a label and was only there that once. The other 3 channels have been in the guide consistently with their labels and guide info since I first saw them months ago. The three locals (804, 806, 809) just appeared on my regular digital cable guide yesterday. Though as I said Fox had and still has no label or guide. So I'm just wondering if I am supposed to have 891 yet.

The installer said today was the first day this service was available in my area (which is North Cobb/Kennesaw) but who knows if that's right. If it is maybe 891 will show up yet. We are in that North Cobb area where TBS is on 15 instead of 7 if that rings any bells for anyone.

The channels I have so far look wonderful. And the locals look as good as on my Samsung STB.

Thomas

I've got 891 and it is the west coast feed of Showtime. I've got the same problem as you on Fox (804) no program or station information comes up.

***ahem***

I have 3 questions that I need help with........

1) Is there some type of menu system to set up the 5100 for 4:3 and 16:9 TVs - as well as other adjustments?

2) Also, how do I switch between 480p and 1080i on my Panny widescreen set (PT53WX42).

3) Finally, does the remote for the 5100 differ from the regular Comcast digital cable box?...I believe I am still using the remote from the digital box that they swapped out.

Thanks in advance.

Originally posted by spacecowboy
***ahem***

I have 3 questions that I need help with........

1) Is there some type of menu system to set up the 5100 for 4:3 and 16:9 TVs - as well as other adjustments?



Check the FAQ (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/miatasm/HT/5100FAQ.htm)

Turn it off, press menu, select what you want.




2) Also, how do I switch between 480p and 1080i on my Panny widescreen set (PT53WX42).


I don't understand this question.




3) Finally, does the remote for the 5100 differ from the regular Comcast digital cable box?...I believe I am still using the remote from the digital box that they swapped out.


The same remote works with both the 2200 and the 5100 boxes.

I have the silver pckg and I noticed i only get HBO 880,881 ,301 and 309-319 . i no longer get 304, 305, 307. They now say subscription service. Any1 else having this problem? I know i will be calling tomarrow and hopefully they will be able to fix it over the phone, but comcast you never know how many hours you will have to spend on the phone. Phil:mad:

Thanks Icaamano.

Originally posted by jadedmonkey28
I have the silver pckg and I noticed i only get HBO 880,881 ,301 and 309-319 . i no longer get 304, 305, 307. They now say subscription service. Any1 else having this problem?

Silver package here and I can see 303, 304, 305, 306, and 307.

I noticed that one way to tell if you're going to have an easy install is to tune 809 with your existing 2200 box. If you get sound, you'll get HDTV rigth away with the 5100. If you have HBO and you can see 301, tune to 880 and again, if you here sound, you'll be fine.

I still cannot see 880 or 881 or 804 even though I can see 806 and 809.

I had to call and open a new trouble ticket. :(

Later ...