Originally posted by avic

Comcast's policy is to provide their customers with the best possible PQ and they will not sacrifice it to cram in more channels/services.
In fact they're taking steps to improve PQ i.e. ADS and 64 to 256QAM conversion coming over the next several weeks.

Avic,

When Comcast does actually convert to 256QAM , will there be a marked improvement in picture quality. If I do have to go to the diagnostics menu
to verify the 256QAM conversion, it sort of defeats the purpose. I should be able to tell just by looking at the picture.

Originally posted by avic
turn off, then hit ok

You stated that this is how you get into the diagnostics menu, but it didn't do anything.

???

Turn off the reciver and press SELECT within 2 secs to get to the diagosnostics menu.

Originally posted by jdoe7890
When Comcast does actually convert to 256QAM , will there be a marked improvement in picture quality. If I do have to go to the diagnostics menu
to verify the 256QAM conversion, it sort of defeats the purpose. I should be able to tell just by looking at the picture.

Depends on how they use the extra bandwidth that's freed up. If they use higher per-stream bitrates, then the pictures will look better than they do today. If they use it for extra streams (which, given they're switching to ADS as part of all of this, they probably will) then existing digital channels may or may not improve, but the "analog" channels (which you'd then be receiving digitally) will probably look better (depending on how good your analog signal was before. Mine is actually pretty good.)

Originally posted by avic
True untouched HD (40-60mbps),

True untouched HD is 1.5 Gbps, not 40 Mbps. The major networks such as CBS use 45 Mbps satellite feeds to transmit HD from the network to their affiliates, but that is already substantially compressed.

Here's something to get the gray-cells going. Now that some of us have Comcast remotes with Play, Stop, Pause, FF/Rew buttons, When will we be able to use those buttons to navigate through On-Demand programming?

Originally posted by Dennis Wilkinson
then existing digital channels may or may not improve, but the "analog" channels (which you'd then be receiving digitally) will probably look better (depending on how good your analog signal was before. Mine is actually pretty good.)

256 QAM here in Boston (Back Bay). Unfortunately there is no discernible improvement in picture quality (HD, D or SD). At least this is what my eye is seeing.

Gabatta:

Were you getting 256QAM on a digital channel? Here in Medford, still getting 64QAM on the digital channels.

Once the switch occurs, will analog channels show up as 256QAM in the diagnostics menu or will it only show as 256QAM for the digital simulcast channel of the analog?

The current digital lineup is a mix of 256 QAM and 64 QAM channels, so you likely just picked a 256 QAM service. Pick something like Noggin on 223 (a well known channel if you have a toddler) and check that. Its 64 QAM under the current system.

The analog to digital changeover is actually a different rollout. Some might get the whole boat rolled over, some might get just the current digital channels in the new 256 QAM lineup. As far as what your 2-digit "analog" channels will be after the rollover, they will likely be 256 QAM and thus can no longer be called analog. :)

With the the old analog stations, such as WBZ, being in 256: Will there be any difference between the local evening news (not HD) on channel 004 and 804. I geuss the same would go for non-HD shows on 804 like Survivor, correct?

When they go digital simulcast, they will essentially be encoding the analog feed into digital. So what you see on Channel 4 today is what you will see when the encode to digital. Whatever differences exist between 4 and 804 now will be differences only because 804 is HD.

The biggest difference between SD content on 4 and on SD-uprezzed-to-HD on 804 will be that the content on 4 will be full-frame SD and 804 will be pillarboxed HD uprezzed from the SD. Differences in quality will depend on a number of things, including:

- quality of the analog feed being used as source for "digital 4" (since the HD upconvert is happening at the broadcaster for 804, it will likely have better source quality being fed into the scaler/encoder, since it's presumably coming in SDI direct from source.) If Comcast has an analog feed from the broadcaster (i.e. they're not just tuning in the NTSC broadcast, which wouldn't be a great source for encoding for a variety of reasons) then it may be reasonably high quality, but still not comparable to SDI.

- the quality and configuration (bit rate, GOP sequencing, etc) of the MPEG encoder being used to encode "digital 4."

- for fixed-resolution displays (say your set is LCD or Plasma) the quality of the scaler in your display.

They'll certainly look different (pillarboxing is pretty noticable ;) ), but because of the processes invoved, it'll be tough to say which will look better (it'll probably be subjective anyway.)

Originally posted by ScoopsHD
When they go digital simulcast, they will essentially be encoding the analog feed into digital. So what you see on Channel 4 today is what you will see when the encode to digital. Whatever differences exist between 4 and 804 now will be differences only because 804 is HD.

Is there a thread on this conversion ? How will analog tv without a STB work when comcast goes all digital ? Will people need a box in there house to convert the incoming feed to analog ?

Originally posted by dozens
Is there a thread on this conversion ? How will analog tv without a STB work when comcast goes all digital ? Will people need a box in there house to convert the incoming feed to analog ?

They're talking about simulcast which means that analog and digital flavors of both channels would be transmitted over the wire at the same time. People with digital boxes would see the digital version, anyone with analog equipment gets the analog version. The only time you'd need to add a STB where one wasn't present before is if not all of the current analog channels end up simulcast but go digital only. I don't have any insider knowledge myself, but maybe avic or ScoopsHD could shed some light on the expected lineup?

I guess I am turning into a "slow adopter" concerning the 6412, but am about to pull the trigger. Two questions that maybe someone can answer: (1) has anyone gotten two 6412 units from Comcast, or are they rationing them? (2) if you do get two, do they give you any break on the monthly cost? I guess I could just call Comcast and ask them, but I seem to get more accurate information on this board.

Mickey

Just a followup, didn't get charged (well, there was a charge and a credit on the bill) for my upgrade from the 6208 to the 6412. Nice to see they have things under control....

MickeyGee,
I have two 6412s. You do not get a break; in fact, it will cost you MORE than 2x. The second box includes an additional $2 digital box fee over and above the normal 6412 fee. I never got a clear answer why this was.

Originally posted by spearse
MickeyGee,
I have two 6412s. You do not get a break; in fact, it will cost you MORE than 2x. The second box includes an additional $2 digital box fee over and above the normal 6412 fee. I never got a clear answer why this was.

I just called about this very thing today. The extra $2 charge is to replicate your digital services on each additional box. If you only wanted analog channels on the 2nd dvr then you would not be charge the extra $2 :) Sounds kinda cheesy to me.

Has anyone else had horrible freezing tonight?
I had it minorly on that 70's show, but for West Wing and Law and Order it's been horrible, 5 second picture(but sound is normally OK) drop out at times..

Originally posted by dag16
Has anyone else had horrible freezing tonight?
I had it minorly on that 70's show, but for West Wing and Law and Order it's been horrible, 5 second picture(but sound is normally OK) drop out at times..
Yeah, same here with West Wing, got so bad at times on 807. I switched to 7 for awhile.

Yeah, just about unwatchable on 807. Ok on the other channels.

Originally posted by spearse
MickeyGee,
I have two 6412s. You do not get a break; in fact, it will cost you MORE than 2x. The second box includes an additional $2 digital box fee over and above the normal 6412 fee. I never got a clear answer why this was.
You've got to be kidding me. As stupid as I am, I thought that Comcast would want to encourage more digital and DVR usage by offering incentives.

Mickey

Comcast wants to encourage more revenue incentives. They've never been shy about finding new nickels and dimes to add to the bill.

Originally posted by dozens
I just called about this very thing today. The extra $2 charge is to replicate your digital services on each additional box. If you only wanted analog channels on the 2nd dvr then you would not be charge the extra $2 :) Sounds kinda cheesy to me.
I already have digital on 2 boxes. Now I want to swap those for two 6412's. So the way this works is that I can save the money only if I go backward from digital to analog on one of the boxes? They have some pretty big stones if this is their business plan.

Mickey

hey,
random question, but does anyone know when they show an HDTV test pattern?
I looked at the PBS schedule and saw nothing, but I really need to calibrate my TV..
thanks

256 QAM here in Templeton even on Noggin. Just got HDTV today and I am already hating SD and wishing more shows were in HD.

I just got a Sony TV with HD tuner built-in. During the auto-tune on the cable, the tuner detected many digital channels, some in HD. The channels on the Sony TV are numbered C82.1 for PBS HD for example. How do these numbers match the Comcast channel lineups and what is the Comcast lineup?
Thanks.

I gave up on getting my HD OTA to work without multi-path (channel 4.1 was cantankerous) so I called Comcast yesterday to order HD with the dual tuner HD DVR. They installed it today! As expected SD sux but HD looks fine. I now get HD local channels and have HD PVR for a lot less than $1000. I didn't want to do this as I had invested in D* and OTA but I did and it seems to be working.

A few 6412 questions: Is there any way to setup a 30sec skip like Tivo?
Is there a way to get to favorites only guide with one button?

elbig,this is the procedure for programming the 30 second skip. 1) Press the "Cable" button at the top of the remote to put it into Cable Box control mode.
2) Press and hold the "Setup" button until the "Cable" button blinks twice.
3) Type in the code 994. The "Cable" button will blink twice
4) Press (do not hold) the "Setup" button
5) Type in the code 00173 (for 30 second Skip).
6) Press whatever button you want to map the skip function to. (I mapped mine to the FAV button)

Got it. Thanks!
Anyway to get Favorite guide in one button?

Originally posted by elbig
Got it. Thanks!
Anyway to get Favorite guide in one button? please go to the 6412 THREAD (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=464986&perpage=20&pagenumber=55)

I'm disappointed. I was expecting more HD channels from Comcast by the end of the year. Since June when I started renting an HD box, Comcast has added one new HD channel - Discovery. Last time I looked HD On Demand had mediocre content.

When we will see more HD channels? When will TNT, UPN, and WB be added? How about WMUR (channel 9) for those of us in New Hampshire? I count nine HD channels plus four premium HD channels; still quite a bit short of the twenty I heard bandied about earlier in the year.

Originally posted by jadziedzic
I'm disappointed. I was expecting more HD channels from Comcast by the end of the year. Since June when I started renting an HD box, Comcast has added one new HD channel - Discovery. Last time I looked HD On Demand had mediocre content.

When we will see more HD channels? When will TNT, UPN, and WB be added? How about WMUR (channel 9) for those of us in New Hampshire? I count nine HD channels plus four premium HD channels; still quite a bit short of the twenty I heard bandied about earlier in the year.

Many of us are likewise disappointed about national channels. Part of the problem is that we don't pay extra for HD programming, just the $4.95 (HD-STB) or $9.95 (HD-DVR). Other cable companies add an HD Tier. So Comcast has more economic incentive not to add channels, except for competitive reasons.

Comcast has just finished (in most areas) deploying VOD (some have an HD VOD channel) and the 6412 Dual Tuner DVR and some system upgrades and channel re-alignments.

Occasional rumors surface that TNT-HD or Universal-HD are being negotiated, but the outlook for HDNET/Movies is not so good. Of course, those are the channels I would want the most. And we'll see about ESPN2HD. Many Comcast subs will be very upset if we don't get E2HD on January 6th.

Often a local channel is not on Comcast because the owners want money for their HD signals and no agreement is reached. Sinclair and Cox-owned stations HD signals aren't on any major cable company in the country (not just Comcast) so we suffer because of them.

Rich N.

God I hope ESPN2 is not the priority...ESPN 1 has barely any HD Content already.

-Ken

Once we get the channel, we'll have it when there is even more HD. It's the same argument I made about BravoHD+ when some people were saying what a waste it would be if Comcast got it. Well, it became UniversalHD and I'll bet most peple would like having it. Those that had BravoHD+ didn't have to wait.

For me, TNT-HD is the lowest priority since I don't watch much commercial TV (NBA good, NASCAR no interest). Does that mean I would decry if it were the next addition? No. It would show Comcast's willingness to add national channels and hopefully portend future additions.


Rich N.

Well, no Comcast doesn't charge extra for an HD tier, but they do have their yearly larger than inflation rate increases which darn well ought to pay for something that they didn't have last year.

Originally posted by kenvt
God I hope ESPN2 is not the priority...ESPN 1 has barely any HD Content already.

-Ken

That's been my biggest disappointment about HDTV is the lack of coverage (other than prime time) that ESPN has in HD. Any saturday afternoon football or hoops game is in SD. Only the primetime games and the professional games are in HD. I'd rather see them convert everything on ESPN to HD before going to ESPN2. Doesn't make sense.

Originally posted by raidbuck
Many Comcast subs will be very upset if we don't get E2HD on January 6th. Sorry, I have to ask. What's so special about January 6th?

Originally posted by scooterboy
Sorry, I have to ask. What's so special about January 6th?

I believe that is that date ESPN2-HD goes on the air.

Originally posted by toots
Well, no Comcast doesn't charge extra for an HD tier, but they do have their yearly larger than inflation rate increases which darn well ought to pay for something that they didn't have last year.

Yes, but they don't use HD channels as justification for rate hikes, because so few people have HD they couldn't get away with it. I think this year it is VOD, which has a whole lot of free shows (we watch the documentaries).

Rich N.

I believe that is that date ESPN2-HD goes on the air.

Ah, got it. Thanks.

Originally posted by Kaiser-Soze
Here's something to get the gray-cells going. Now that some of us have Comcast remotes with Play, Stop, Pause, FF/Rew buttons, When will we be able to use those buttons to navigate through On-Demand programming?

I have been doing that since On demand first came to my area.

Missing the box,but need the $ and know i will have one at my new place.

These last few posts remind me of the joke Woody Allen tells in Annie Hall, where 2 old ladies are having dinner.
One says "The food here is so terrible."
And the other replies, "Yes...and such small portions!"

I'm looking forward to ESPN2-HD. The HD content that ESPN-HD does broadcast all looks nothing short of spectacular. They have a big new digital studio in Bristol CT. I trust they'll be putting it to even more use on the new channel.

Regarding other HD channels, I'm glad that Comcast is taking a hard line with OTA stations like Sinclair. Those stations received public airwaves for this stuff for free, so we're already subsidizing them as taxpayers. Comcast shouldn't let them tax us again on our cable bill.

And I'm grateful to Comcast for not tiering their HD content, but instead bundling it with the corresponding SD channel. So while they do raise their prices beyond inflation each year, at least they're delivering more capabilities and content in the various packages. As HD viewers we benefit from a capability subsidized by the entire digital customer base.

But I do hate that extra $2 fee on the 2nd box :)

Fizz

I am pleased with Comcast HD but I miss channel 38 ( I like Star Trek and Verinica Mars). SD on Comcast really sux!

agreed, enterprise PQ is that of a VHS tape used too may times. however, we should expect a significant PQ improvement when ADS begins. not only with that program but any currently in analog format. still not HD but it beats what we have to endure now. and i'd look for UPNHD and WBHD to be added early in '05. along with some others.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the good info...I have been monitoring this thread for at least a year now. I had the 6208 since September I guess, don't remember exactly but I also had a 5100. But on Friday, I stopped in the local Comcast Center, and traded them both for the 6412s. My bill will be going up about $8 for the second DVR.

Two Dual Tuner DVRs make for a happy marriage...one for me to record my shows and one for the wife to use...

I still wish they would add the Providence Stations to my HD Lineup but with the Towers 12 miles away my OTA antenna and Tuner picks those up.

Thanks again for the great info.

is the 6412 available in Arlington?

Call and ask them. They may have to spend some time to look it up but they should be able to answer you.

AVIC : Can you tell us what level you are getting your "insider" information from ? I would like to know if the things you tell us are merely water cooler talk or if they have some teeth.

-Ken

Avic has been quite relieable. I do not question what he shares with us. I am gratefull.
FREAK!

Originally posted by kenvt
AVIC : Can you tell us what level you are getting your "insider" information from ? I would like to know if the things you tell us are merely water cooler talk or if they have some teeth.

-Ken no water cooler and no teeth. the truth is: i hear voices late at night and they tell me what to post. ;)

Does anyone know a whole lot about the frequencies used by Comcast?

I ask because I want to add a fully functioning HDTV DirecTiVo, in addition to my Comcast 6412 DVR, but it will likely require a diplexer.

My setup is located in a finished basement, and I only have three runs of RG6 going to where my equipment is located. The comcast DVR only needs one, but the HDTV DirecTiVo needs three (one for OTA antenna, and two for the satellite feeds) to allow dual-tuner functionality.

I can not diplex satellite with OTA antenna, because those cables come from different locations. I can only diplex one satellite RG6 feed with my Comcast RG6 feed. I was told on the TiVo forum that there is a good chance that this will work, but that some cable companies use certain high frequencies that would cause me to lose a few channels. I only care about Comcast's HDTV channels, mainly InHD and InHD2, which I get fine now, but don't want to lose.

Most of Comcast properties only got up to 750mhz, Boston on the other hand goes up to 860mhz. You are better off getting another line run if possible, seperate cable from the sat feed. If I remember correctly, the sat receivers backfeed voltage to power the LNB on the dish. If any of that voltage were to leak across to your cable box, it would at the least cause some tuning issues and picture problems and at the worst fry the tuner (which would net you a 300-400 dollar charge on your cable bill).

I think I started seeing digital channels for my locals this morning. Actually, I am pretty sure, since the cable box is emitting a signal that my Panny refuses to offer 'Just' mode for.

It was pretty darn noticible ... the picture quality improvement is what got me thinking that it changed.

I'm in Nashua, btw.

-Kevin

I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster (in this thread).

So I'm curious what people are using for their displays. I live in Somerville, and I'm thinking about finally making the HDTV plunge. I have an old (1996) Toshiba 35" SDTV (huge, heavy CRT). I don't get any premium channels (HBO and the like), and I don't watch that much network TV these days (ER has gotten lame; Frasier's gone; have no interest in the reality TV shows or much of the newer programming); don't watch sports of any kind of variety.

Basically I watch PBS (which at least will have HD if I switch), some random cable channels (Biography, A&E, TNT, Scifi), lots of movies (especially old movies, like on TCM, but also indie movies on Sundance, IFC, etc.). And I watch Enterprise, which has just about the worst picture quality imaginable (I'm glad it's not just me that's complained about that).

So I'm going to be watching a fair amount of SD for a while, I think (and DVDs). I don't anticipate there being THAT much HD material for me yet.

The reason I ask what people's equipment is is that I am very worried that if I upgrade to a big-screen HDTV (e.g. a 42" or 45"), then I'll end up being MORE unhappy with SD quality than I am now. Given that you guys are all viewing Comcast signals in the Boston area, I'm curious what sorts of sets people have and whether they consider the SD quality to be worse than they had in their pre-HD days.

Thanks,

Justin

Justin,

The SD quality will be a lot worse. But the HD is amazing... PBS-HD, DisccoveryHD, and the Imax movies on INHD will make you not want to watch SD again.

-Ken

Ken, what display are you using?

I have a Sammy 50" DLP. SD, especially SD analog, is pretty much viewable only with an abiding interest.

But then, I've stopped watching SD analog totally except for ESPN2 and hopefully next month that will end (at least it would be digital which will give a better picture, sometimes ESPNHD's SD is quite good.)

I think you will find a lot in HD if you like PBS. DiscoveryHD and the INHDs have similar shows with no or few breaks (usually promos) so it is a great viewing experience. And movies in HD are quite stunning. I'll bet you will watch less SD than you think. After an HD show, going to SD is almost visually painful.

Rich N.

JJMG - I updgraded to a 42" HD Plasma about 4 months ago. Since that upgrade, I have found my analog SD channels have deterioriated (or at least the poor quality is more noticable with the larger tv.)

But, like raidbuck, I am so enamored with HD - I pretty much exclusively watch that or the digital channels that have decent PQ. I also upgraded my DVD player with the purchase, so between the DVD player and the HD comcast box (dual-tuner) - I am in heaven

Regardless of what display you are using, a 35" bad picture will look worse on a 42" or 45" display, but that is not as big of a jump as some people made. I went from a 32" TV to a 2002-2003 version Mitsubishi 48" RPTV (WS-48311). A 16" jump was more noticeable than your 7" to 10" jump.

I rank programming picture quality from best to worst as:

1.) Comcast HDTV (tie) OTA HDTV
2.) DirecTV HDTV
3.) DirecTV non-HDTV
4.) Comcast non-HDTV
5.) OTA non-HDTV

I get both DirecTV and Comcast because:

Comcast:
Comcast dual-tuner DVR is only +$10 per month.
HDTV Programming, including: PBS, CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Discovery, InHD1&2 with HDTV home games of Red Sox, Celtics, (Bruins).
I never watch non-HDTV on Comcast.
(Optional HDTV: HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax).

DirecTV:
Dual-Tuner non-HDTV TiVo is very cheap, and best quality for non-HDTV programming (HDTV version would be great, but expensive).
NFL Sunday Ticket with many HDTV games (useless to you)
HDTV Programming, including: CBS-NY, FOX-NY, ESPN, Discovery, HDnet, HDnet Movies, Universal-HD.
Integrated OTA HDTV: PBS, CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, WB, UPN.
(Optional HDTV: HBO, Showtime).

Check out some of the older movies shown on HDnet Movies and Universal-HD, and some of the unique programming on HDnet.

Regardless of what display you are using, a 35" bad picture will look worse on a 42" or 45" display

Well, if I don't use stretch mode (have pillars on both sides), then the 4:3 SD "region" on my 42" or 45" display will be about the same as my current 35". I use http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi to compare sizes. That's why I'm *hoping* that I may not notice that much of a degradation: since it's not like I'm making the 4:3 viewing-area much bigger (in fact, if I go for a 42" widescreen, the 4:3 viewing area would be slightly smaller).

I know that SD will look at lot worse than HD, but I'm still afraid there won't be THAT much HD stuff that I want to watch just for the sake of watching something that's HD.

- Justin

Justin - There is PLENTY of HD stuff to watch. 2/3 of the prime time lineup is HD, with more shows coming into HD all the time. You will end up like the rest of us just watching HD anyway.

-Ken

btw - DVDs look pretty damn good on big sets even though they are not hd.

Originally posted by JJMG
I know that SD will look at lot worse than HD, but I'm still afraid there won't be THAT much HD stuff that I want to watch just for the sake of watching something that's HD.

- Justin

That's where the DVR is key. Time shifting is even more important with HD, and since it's digital, the copy is just as good as the original.

I have a front projector and 100" screen, so needless to say I don't want any SD on it at all. :)

If the 4:3 region of a 16:9 signal is about the same size, then depending on where you sit, and what is more important to you eyes, you may end up liking what you see more OR less. A 4:3 interlaced set will show less judder than the 4:3 region of a 16:9 line-doubled (progressive scan) set, but the progressive scan set wont have the black lines, so it will have a more colorful vivid picture. (I may not have said that 100% technically correct, but that's the best I can describe what my eyes see).

SO -- if any of you guys have a 42" or greater Plasma or LCD, and might be willing to let me come over for a visit, I'd love to see just how bad Comcast analog SD looks on your set. PM me if you live reasonably close to Somerville and aren't horrified by the thought of a complete stranger visiting your house just to look at your TV :-).

- Justin

This freezing is driving me nuts, it seemed real bad tonignt, happened at least 6 times tonight when just trying to change the channel. On Demand is almost not usable without waiting after each comand.

Originally posted by kenvt
btw - DVDs look pretty damn good on big sets even though they are not hd.

This is very, very true. I just watched Finding Nemo on my Sanyo Z2 720P HD projector, with a Denon DCDi-equipped progressive DVD player as the source. (on a 106" 16:9 screen)

Although the source is only 480p (480i actually, made 480p by the projector), it is true widescreen thanks to the anamorphic enhancement on most widescreen DVDs and looks INCREDIBLE.

Only when you flip to actual HDTV does one really notice the difference, the usual reaction being "wow, that wasn't High Def? The real HD looks amazing!!".

In fact, I have watched filmed content on the Comcast box and then watched the DVD of the same movie. The only difference with filmed content is you can see the grain better, and obviously a bit more detail.

Bottom line - DVDs look incredibly good on HD displays... significantly better than a SD display depending on your player. HD-DVD/Blu-Ray will obviously look much better but I don't think the jump is as big as VHS was to DVD.

Now HDTV Video based content is another animal - like sports events - that blows away video-based DVD content and looks absolutely real depending on the feed.

About to purchase my first HDTV and have two questions about Comcast cable:

1) I will likely upgrade to a DTV package and lease the DVR, but what signals would I get if I simply jacked my good old Comcast analog cable feed into the back of the TV? It has an internal NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner. I know I'd get all their analog stations, but...

- would I receive any unencrypted digital cable?
- would I receive any unencrypted HD digital cable?

2) Once I upgrade to a DTV package to support the new HDTV, I still get analog on the cable for all my older TVs that are plugged directly into the cable elsewhere throughout my house, right?

Thanks.

I have a Sony WF655 with a digital tuner. I can get all the unencrypted channels (NTSC, Digital, and HD digital). Just use the 'auto-tune' feature to find them all. The problem is the channel numbers do not match the numbers provided by comcast. For example WBZ comes as C85.2. Anybody knows how to map those number to stations?

A thought to offer about an HDTV purchase, if I may. I am taking a "stop gap" approach, due to both space constraints and reality of rapidly changing tech. I've decided to buy a SONY 30XS955 (a tube/big box) but OTA tuner, near-XBR great picture, and fairly low price after Sony and Comcast rebates, plus whatever dickering you can do.

I've just joined after lurking for a short while- great info, thanks to all who post with good info.

I am visiting my parents in Hawaii and they signed up for HD with TimeWarner Cable.

Not quite the selection we have in Boston: they still don't get HD for the local NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates; and they don't get PBS HD.

However, they do get HDNet and HDNet Movies, along with HD Sports and TNT HD. One horrible thing I noticed about TNT HD is that they stretch all 4:3 material and there is nothing I can do about it. I am of the school of thought that stretching 4:3 material to make it fit a widescreen TV amounts to sacrilege. Once Comcast gets TNT HD, we should petition TNT to stop stretching 4:3 material, as it is simply wrong.

Just thought I'd provide an update of what it's like here on the other side of the country.

Merry Christmas!

Tennberg - can't one just watch the NON-HD version of TNT to get the 4:3 material unstretched? Since it's 4:3 material, it's not HD anyway, right?

I'm with FAiello. The freezeup problem is making Comcast almost unusable. Why are we paying for a service that we can't use? Would a barrage of cancellations help to sharpen their focus? I was going to upgrade to the PVR, but am not paying for any additional unusable service.

Its a known issue with the firmware. Have some patience as Comcast is I'm sure applying all the pressure it can to Motorola and TV Guide to fix the issue.

They should roll back to what Msoft calls "last known good configuration" and improve the "improvement" until they have it right.

Scoops: I have no patience anymore, last night this freezing problem just plain sucked. I like to see whats on during the commercial break and I would get stuck in the program guide for minutes at a time. I agree with rmf as to rolling back or something...this is plain ridiculous.

-Ken

I called Comcast on Friday about the freezing problem the CSR reset my box and it fixed the problem for about 24 hrs. Now it is back to freezing again.

all those fancy new hdtv sets and CBS drops the ball on the HD feed. how embarassing for those new owners. welcome to our world!

Originally posted by avic
all those fancy new hdtv sets and CBS drops the ball on the HD feed. how embarassing for those new owners. welcome to our world!

I expect this by now. CBS has been late on the switchover for every late Patriots game this year...

Originally posted by avic
all those fancy new hdtv sets and CBS drops the ball on the HD feed. how embarassing for those new owners. welcome to our world!

I expect this by now. CBS has been late on the switchover for every late Patriots game this year...

Originally posted by JJMG
I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster (in this thread).

So I'm curious what people are using for their displays. I live in Somerville, and I'm thinking about finally making the HDTV plunge. I have an old (1996) Toshiba 35" SDTV (huge, heavy CRT). I don't get any premium channels (HBO and the like), and I don't watch that much network TV these days (ER has gotten lame; Frasier's gone; have no interest in the reality TV shows or much of the newer programming); don't watch sports of any kind of variety.

Basically I watch PBS (which at least will have HD if I switch), some random cable channels (Biography, A&E, TNT, Scifi), lots of movies (especially old movies, like on TCM, but also indie movies on Sundance, IFC, etc.). And I watch Enterprise, which has just about the worst picture quality imaginable (I'm glad it's not just me that's complained about that).

So I'm going to be watching a fair amount of SD for a while, I think (and DVDs). I don't anticipate there being THAT much HD material for me yet.

The reason I ask what people's equipment is is that I am very worried that if I upgrade to a big-screen HDTV (e.g. a 42" or 45"), then I'll end up being MORE unhappy with SD quality than I am now. Given that you guys are all viewing Comcast signals in the Boston area, I'm curious what sorts of sets people have and whether they consider the SD quality to be worse than they had in their pre-HD days.

Thanks,

Justin

Are you interested a Hitachi 51' HD RPTV (model 51uwx20b)? Its only a year and a half old, I paid $2,200 at the time and i'll sell for less than half! You could come look at it in action if you want?

I have Directv HD and Comcast Hd hooked up to it, so you can check it out!

I'm getting a plasma and I need to get rid of it! PM if your interested!

Originally posted by Gabatta
I expect this by now. CBS has been late on the switchover for every late Patriots game this year...
CBS switches the late game over to HD after the early HD games are finished. Has something to do with the amount of bandwidth the CBS network has to transmit. Fox uses a different system and can transmit more HD games at the same time.

Mickey

Originally posted by Apesbrain
About to purchase my first HDTV and have two questions about Comcast cable:

1) I will likely upgrade to a DTV package and lease the DVR, but what signals would I get if I simply jacked my good old Comcast analog cable feed into the back of the TV? It has an internal NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner. I know I'd get all their analog stations, but...

- would I receive any unencrypted digital cable?
- would I receive any unencrypted HD digital cable?

2) Once I upgrade to a DTV package to support the new HDTV, I still get analog on the cable for all my older TVs that are plugged directly into the cable elsewhere throughout my house, right?

Thanks.
If you have a QAM tuner, you can pick up the unencrypted Comcast HD channels.

The "Digital upgrade" will not affect any other part of your service. I have separate HD, Digital and analogs connected, for example. Everything is available on the pipe. The cable box or the TV's converter does the work.

Mickey

Originally posted by rmf
I'm with FAiello. The freezeup problem is making Comcast almost unusable. Why are we paying for a service that we can't use? Would a barrage of cancellations help to sharpen their focus? I was going to upgrade to the PVR, but am not paying for any additional unusable service.

Ditto.. Freezing almost every time I go to use it (5 out of 10 times). Funny that they announce higher prices for services that do not work. I know there are allot of Comcast cheerleaders and I am fairly happy with their service but a little more competition would make for better rates and better service. Its not like this is a new issue it has been happening for awhile now. Pointing your finger at the vendor never makes customers happy. I buy the service from Comcast the rest is their problem I frankly don't care if its not their fault, this is what they get paid for. Sounds like a soft roll back would be the answer but how would that effect the new guide? Is that the reason they have not rolled back?

Justin:

I can tell you that PBSHD, INHD1&2 and DiscoveryHD will change your viewing habits. Although I do watch sports, I also don't watch much network TV. DiscoveryHD has a lot of shows from their SD channels that were originally shot in HD, such as Chopper stuff and Trading Spaces. And practically no commercials. INHD has all the IMAX movies and they are beautiful. They all have typical nature/documentary shows. INHD does have sports, but they also have uncut, uninterrupted movies.

Get the DVR as well. Pretty neat pausing live TV to get the phone, visit the bathroom or get food.

Rich N.

does anyone know if the DVR from comcast can record HDTV?

Oh, the DVR is a no-brainer. And a two-tuner one, too!

In fact, I'm already a DVR-addict, I've been a Tivohead since 2000 and couldn't live without it. I'm still on my first Series One Tivo, in fact. I'm also very disappointed that Tivo seems utterly uninterested in ever producing a standalone HD Tivo.

This brings me back to the main concern I have raised in this (and other) forums -- i.e. that I might end up being disappointed with SD quality if and when I upgrade to a large-screen HD television set, especially to a 42" or larger plasma or LCD display. A number of people have warned me to expect to be very disappointed at how SD images will look, and some have cautioned me to go for an ED rather than an HD model.

But to be honest, the quality of most SD shows I watch is already pretty compromised, since I record everything on my Tivo in "Basic" quality in order to maximize the amount of HD space (60 hours at "Basic"). This already gives me quite a lot of pixelation and loss of detail, so I'm already used to a fairly mediocre picture most of the time.

I do suspect that Basic Quality on the Tivo will be unbearable to watch on a big-screen plasma/lcd, but with a new PVR from Comcast maybe I can manage to keep my Tivo on for SD-only recording, at a higher quality, since I'll have another hard drive in the new DVR. But at least my stingy recording habits on the Tivo have already gotten me used to a lousy SD picture :-).

- Justin

You probably will be disappointed by the SD pictures on a 50"+ TV. I've been so for 20 months. I have a 50" Sammy DLP. So as soon as there was enough HD I stopped watching SD.

I am willing to bet that you will watch significantly less SD when you get the HDTV. Of course, at first you'll just be watching it for its visual and audio effects. To watch a fuzzy program when there is an HD program just as good can have an impact on your choices. And with the DVR you can literally always be watching HD (YMMV you may watch more TV than I do or be in love with some cable shows).

Plus DVD's will look better (not like HD movies, though).

I think (but I could be wrong) that people who recommend getting an ED plasma instead of HD are the ones who did. I haven't heard of anyone who has an HD plasma and would rather take the $1000 or so and get the ED version. But maybe some people will let you know.

Hopefully this will be your TV for 10 years and HDTV will be available for many of the cable channels not yet discussed for HD. I wouldn't want to be so future-limited as that by compromising with an ED panel.

Rich N.

Originally posted by macd23
does anyone know if the DVR from comcast can record HDTV?

When I "record" a high-def show, it certainly plays back in what appears to be HD. Based on the quality, I think it is recording it in its native format (by native, I mean the format that Comast is distributing it in).

Unfortunately, I think I can only store ~15 hours of HD content, though.

What is the status of the Analog to Digital simulcast? When will all the digi channels go to 256 QAM?

Is anyone else having problems the past week or so with channel 807? Freezing and pixelating so often that it's almost unwatchable. I'm in the Franklin area.

Originally posted by solo101
Is anyone else having problems the past week or so with channel 807? Freezing and pixelating so often that it's almost unwatchable. I'm in the Franklin area.

Solo, check out the board lots of us are having the same issue. Apparently it is a firmware issue that Comcast is aware of. They are waiting on Motorola for a new firmware. Why they don't communicate the issue to their customers, especially those that are having the issue and have called, is not apparent.

Originally posted by khauser
I think I started seeing digital channels for my locals this morning. Actually, I am pretty sure, since the cable box is emitting a signal that my Panny refuses to offer 'Just' mode for.

It was pretty darn noticible ... the picture quality improvement is what got me thinking that it changed.

I'm in Nashua, btw.

-Kevin

Are you sure about this? I haven't noticed any changes in Nashua.

Yes, I am pretty sure. What would you expect to notice? The only visible differences are 1) improved picture (but it wasn't bad to start) and 2) can't utilize my set's 'JUST' mode any more.

What I am not sure about is how to verify it ... I thought there was some place I could look in the cable box, but I can't recall where it was. Maybe it is the power off menu. I'll try that tonight.

-Kevin

Originally posted by travis33
Are you sure about this? I haven't noticed any changes in Nashua.

Tsunamii, get your facts straight. The known issue with the HD boxes is the box itself freezing. Solo was talking about a problem with 807 WHDH HD. They seem to have been having problems, and in fact they took down their transmitter today to fix something. So please, don't disseminate faulty information. 807's problems have nothing to do with the HD box firmware problem.

Originally posted by rookiewill
When I "record" a high-def show, it certainly plays back in what appears to be HD. Based on the quality, I think it is recording it in its native format (by native, I mean the format that Comast is distributing it in).

Unfortunately, I think I can only store ~15 hours of HD content, though.

yes i went through the trouble to find it on comcast's website......according to the site the box records up to 30 hours of analog programming and 7 hours of hd programming.......thats pretty good considering its only $9.95/month. i went ahead and ordered a box, we'll see how it is.....i supposed TiVO is worthless with these coming out now.....?

Originally posted by ScoopsHD
Tsunamii, get your facts straight. The known issue with the HD boxes is the box itself freezing. Solo was talking about a problem with 807 WHDH HD. They seem to have been having problems, and in fact they took down their transmitter today to fix something. So please, don't disseminate faulty information. 807's problems have nothing to do with the HD box firmware problem.

Thanks ScoopsHD for the clarification. I suspected that Tsunamii may had mistakenly misinterpreted my problem - I'm sure he meant no harm.

Good to know that WHDH took their system down today to deal with some issues. Hopefully it will solve the one I've been having. I'll sit tight and see if things resolve. Thanks again for the information.

-solo101-

Originally posted by ScoopsHD
Tsunamii, get your facts straight. The known issue with the HD boxes is the box itself freezing. Solo was talking about a problem with 807 WHDH HD. They seem to have been having problems, and in fact they took down their transmitter today to fix something. So please, don't disseminate faulty information. 807's problems have nothing to do with the HD box firmware problem.

ScoopsHD, Sounds like someone had a bad holiday? It was an honest mistake and I should have read what Solo was saying a little closer so if you take a second to put down your pom poms and wipe the sweat from your brow you should be able to see that. Besides regardless of where you stand on your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with Comcast we all are customers of theirs. I for one am not happy with a totally out of synch voice to picture on the History channel for over a week and being told by a CSR they are working on it. I am not happy with the box freezing every other time (yes its getting worse) I try to use the remote. Along with a price increase it absolutely gets annoying regardless of who is at fault. You are obviously happy with your service and I am glad for you. We are allowed to have differences of opinions.

Knock on wood, i've had no freezing problems as others have stated in live tv or recorded programs!

Originally posted by xboxjunkie
Knock on wood, i've had no freezing problems as others have stated in live tv or recorded programs!

the problem is only on HD boxes not on the DVR

Originally posted by L Supreme
the problem is only on HD boxes not on the DVR

That is what I have the 6412

Originally posted by xboxjunkie
That is what I have the 6412


i know, the problem happens on hd boxes & since you have the dvr it doesn't have the same problem as an ordinary hd box. thats y you havent had those problems

Originally posted by khauser
Yes, I am pretty sure. What would you expect to notice? The only visible differences are 1) improved picture (but it wasn't bad to start) and 2) can't utilize my set's 'JUST' mode any more.

What I am not sure about is how to verify it ... I thought there was some place I could look in the cable box, but I can't recall where it was. Maybe it is the power off menu. I'll try that tonight.

-Kevin

If you press the "OK" button right after you shut the box off, you bring up the diagnostics menu. #4 will show you the QAM value, and all of mine are still 64, and the analogue stations (MTV) still show up as analogue.

Still have the crappy analog channels but the digital channel bandwith has been increased and the picture looks a lot better

Any idea if we'll be getting ESPN2HD when it goes live in a week?

Originally posted by JDLIVE
Any idea if we'll be getting ESPN2HD when it goes live in a week?

i'd like to know this as well....i haven't gotten any info from comcast on any specific channel additions for 2005.....i am hoping we get at least 2 or 3, if not more...i love what i have, but its time to start adding some....espn2hd would be great.

I could care less about ESPN2HD. Most of ESPNHD isn't hd..who needs more. I want HDNET.

-Ken

Originally posted by MickeyGee
If you have a QAM tuner, you can pick up the unencrypted Comcast HD channels.

The "Digital upgrade" will not affect any other part of your service. I have separate HD, Digital and analogs connected, for example. Everything is available on the pipe. The cable box or the TV's converter does the work.

Mickey

What exactly is unencrypted for Comcast HD? I assume the local networks - 4, 5, 7, 25, 38, 56 - but how about ESPNHD and Discovery HD and others?

I could care less about ESPN2HD. Most of ESPNHD isn't hd..who needs more. I want HDNET.

-Ken



i guess you don't like sports? :cool:


anyone know of anything comcast is planning on adding this year?

Originally posted by upNdown
What exactly is unencrypted for Comcast HD? I assume the local networks - 4, 5, 7, 25, 38, 56 - but how about ESPNHD and Discovery HD and others?

The only things that are enencrypted on HD are the locals 2,4,5,7,and 25.

macd23 : I enjoy sports but not the kind of stuff that will be on ESPNHD2 . Some crappy college football game, or heaven forbid poker in HD. Or endless reruns of that awful Pete Rose movie...I can go on and on. It's a waste of bandwidth if you ask me !!

-Ken

Any progress on the Analog to Digital simulcast or the 256QAM conversion of all digital channels. Where is avic?

There are 12 college basketball games scheduled for ESPN2HD in Jan, and 6 (so far) scheduled for Feb.

I'd like HDNET, too, but it seems like ESPN2 would be more realistic since I believe they already have the rights under contract.

Originally posted by JDLIVE
There are 12 college basketball games scheduled for ESPN2HD in Jan, and 6 (so far) scheduled for Feb.

I'd like HDNET, too, but it seems like ESPN2 would be more realistic since I believe they already have the rights under contract.
ESPN2-HD would be nice. But I doubt that Comcast will be adding this to the HD lineup right away.

Mickey

it is now 2005 and the only new HD has been Discovery -HD in July. Only big thing in the past 6 monthes has been the Moto 6412 DVR box. When is Comcast going to give us UPN-38 HD and WB-56 HD? Also, NBC- Universal HD would be nice too.

Originally posted by travis33
If you press the "OK" button right after you shut the box off, you bring up the diagnostics menu. #4 will show you the QAM value, and all of mine are still 64, and the analogue stations (MTV) still show up as analogue.
I stand corrected ... it is analog. Thanks for the tip on finding this.

Apparently what happened (I'm not sure how) is the 4:3 override setting in the cable box changed, and that's why the behavoir changed. If 4:3 override is anything besides 480i, the TV doesn't offer the 'JUST' setting. Don't know why, but that's obviously nothing to do with the cable service.

-Kevin

Just bought a Panasonic TH-42PD24U plasma with buildin ATSC/QAM tuner. Plugged in my bare bone basic cable and got the HD locals. Pats game looked awesome. Too bad the game didn't mean anything. :)

I'd like to use the CableCard for the additional channels so I can save the only HDMI input for my (future) DVD player. Does Comcast support CableCard in this area? How do I order it? Do I have to spend a ton of time explaining to the CSR what CableCard is? And will it be cheaper than the STB?

Anyone else noticing that the lockups/freezing on the non DVR cable boxes appears to be getting worse? Mine has been locking up more often and for longer periods of time. This past Sunday it was horrendous.

Originally posted by stephenju
Just bought a Panasonic TH-42PD24U plasma with buildin ATSC/QAM tuner. Plugged in my bare bone basic cable and got the HD locals. Pats game looked awesome. Too bad the game didn't mean anything. :)

I'd like to use the CableCard for the additional channels so I can save the only HDMI input for my (future) DVD player. Does Comcast support CableCard in this area? How do I order it? Do I have to spend a ton of time explaining to the CSR what CableCard is? And will it be cheaper than the STB?

Yes Comcast uses cablecards. install is $15.99 & monthly rate for 1st cable card is $0 & addtitional one is $2.

It depends on what CSR you get, since the cablecard is not talked about much at Comcast due to its limitations, i.e. no vod,guide or interactive ppv thru the remote.

Also expect a 4+ day wait to allow the techs to locate a cablecard becasue they aren't heavily stocked due to them becoming obsolette within the year when cablecard 2 comes out.

Hope that helped

Supreme

Thanks for the info. Will call them soon.

I've never heard of CableCard 2. Any pointer on what's the difference and can the existing TV sets use the new features?

Originally posted by nhparrot
Anyone else noticing that the lockups/freezing on the non DVR cable boxes appears to be getting worse? Mine has been locking up more often and for longer periods of time. This past Sunday it was horrendous.

The freezing does seem to be worse, on Sunday it seemed like 4-5 minutes before the box switched channels, very annoying. I called Comcast but other than offering to reset the box they do not seem to be even aware of the problem.

Originally posted by kev2home
The freezing does seem to be worse, on Sunday it seemed like 4-5 minutes before the box switched channels, very annoying. I called Comcast but other than offering to reset the box they do not seem to be even aware of the problem.

It's ABSOLUTELY getting worse!! Used to happen every other day or so, now it's every other time I pick up the remote to switch channels. Very annoying. I've called in on it, they reset the box and offered to have a second level tech call me back. ( never got the call back, tho. )

The problem started for me after the firmware upgrade with the new guide, and as I understand it, is supposed to be fixed in the next release of firmware.

Let's hope it's soon.

Don

Originally posted by stephenju
Supreme

Thanks for the info. Will call them soon.

I've never heard of CableCard 2. Any pointer on what's the difference and can the existing TV sets use the new features?

CableCard 2.0, I could be wrong on the name, is going to be the next generation cable card which will be two-way. This means that the guide, vod & interactive ppv could be done w/o the stb.

From what I've been reading, its not coming out until 4th quarter 2005. Also as of right now, it won't be backwards compatible. So if you buy a tv that supports a cable card it wont work with the new cablecard and if you wanted the new features, you'd have to buy another $1000+.

excerpt from PC World Article

If you're thinking of buying a CableCard-ready TV now in anticipation of the time when two-way cards become available, think again. CableLabs, which developed the CableCard spec, says today's CableCard sets will not be compatible with those cards. And no one is speculating on when two-way cards will happen.

Need anymore info, feel free to ask

My personal feeling is that cablecard in it's present configuration is worthless. I would rather have the stb and get all the free on demand stuff and vod.

-Ken

Originally posted by nhparrot
Anyone else noticing that the lockups/freezing on the non DVR cable boxes appears to be getting worse? Mine has been locking up more often and for longer periods of time. This past Sunday it was horrendous.

Yeah, it's to the point where I'm surprised when I can even change channels on the first time. Also, my freezing used be ~10 seconds, now it can top 3 or 4 minutes..

My suggestion to all you with the freezing problem, get a dvr box, it does hd aswell. Its about $7 more than a hd box. Tell the CSR that they should waive any install fees due to the problem your having with the current hd box. In the long run you'll be happier with the dvr. Just my opinion.

btw, I have a dual tuner & it hasn't done the freezing yet, had it since mid December.

Anyone out there notice the poor HD quality of the Orange Bowl broadcast? Why in the world would the PQ be different than the MNF broadcasts which have been great this year?

Originally posted by L Supreme
My suggestion to all you with the freezing problem, get a dvr box, it does hd aswell. Its about $7 more than a hd box. Tell the CSR that they should waive any install fees due to the problem your having with the current hd box. In the long run you'll be happier with the dvr. Just my opinion.

btw, I have a dual tuner & it hasn't done the freezing yet, had it since mid December.

An extra $7 dollars to be able change channels on demand, sounds unreasonable to me. If I upgrade to the DVR now, it will be out of frustration with the freezing problem, not because I want the DVR.

Originally posted by YesJim
Anyone out there notice the poor HD quality of the Orange Bowl broadcast? Why in the world would the PQ be different than the MNF broadcasts which have been great this year?

At least I'm not the only one who thought so. For me, some cameras were fine, others appeared WS but not HD, others not sharp. Not a good effort overall. At least I got to bed on time, what a wipeout.

Rich N.

Originally posted by L Supreme
My suggestion to all you with the freezing problem, get a dvr box, it does hd aswell. Its about $7 more than a hd box. Tell the CSR that they should waive any install fees due to the problem your having with the current hd box. In the long run you'll be happier with the dvr. Just my opinion.

btw, I have a dual tuner & it hasn't done the freezing yet, had it since mid December.

I spoke to a CSR also, she was aware of the issue and said that the DVR boxes are also effected by the issue. Though I took the opportunity to upgrade the box without a service fee anyway she seemed to think it would not make a difference with the issue.
Her only comment was that a "work around" would be to unplug the box when it is frozen and plug it back in. Not a practical solution for me anyway. It would be nice to see Comcast step-up to the plate and offer a rate discount for this month where the service is almost unwatchable. There answer is still "we are waiting for Motorola"...

Well, that explains why I had to yank/replug my 5100 the other night.

Wasn't sure what you guys were talking about until now.

The trouble with the "new world" we have is that instead of purchasing/leasing finished products, we're all in such a hurry for the latest and greatest that we all find ourselves in a perpetual state of beta test, whether we want to or not.

Originally posted by toots
..The trouble with the "new world" we have is that instead of purchasing/leasing finished products, we're all in such a hurry for the latest and greatest that we all find ourselves in a perpetual state of beta test, whether we want to or not.
I, for one, hate being one of Comcast's lab rats. I wonder what we would say to a car dealer if we had just bought a new car that only worked some of the time.

Mickey

I hope that everyone who is experiencing the freeze-up problem has called Comcast and logged a complaint. While you're on the phone, mention the lack of new HD channels (contrasted to the twenty HD channels they "hoped" to add by the end of the year), and ask why this freeze problem has persisted for nearly a month. Question why they're sticking us with a rate increase when they aren't delivering on fixes or new HD channels.

Tony

Originally posted by jadziedzic
I hope that everyone who is experiencing the freeze-up problem has called Comcast and logged a complaint. While you're on the phone, mention the lack of new HD channels (contrasted to the twenty HD channels they "hoped" to add by the end of the year), and ask why this freeze problem has persisted for nearly a month. Question why they're sticking us with a rate increase when they aren't delivering on fixes or new HD channels.

Tony
jadziedzic, Great advice. Lets get those phones ringing. Im going to stick with a letter, I always seem to get better results with paper and a stamp for some reason.

This is what Comcast has to say about the issue


We apologize for the inconvenience; the delay that you are experiencing
is a known issue. It occurs intermittently because it happens only when
the converter is actively connecting to our network to look for new data
to download (new schedules, available movies, features etc.), this
occurs about every 15 to 20 minutes lasting between 15 and 20 seconds at
a time. Unfortunately we have been told that while our engineering
department is actively working to resolve the delay issue, we cannot
provide a specific time for when the software fix will be available.
This is due to the need for a software patch to be developed and tested
prior to deployment. We again apologize for any inconvenience that this
may cause and appreciate your patience during this process. We are not
offering any compensation for converters experiencing this issue at this
time, as the scope and duration of the event has not yet been defined.

Originally posted by jdoe7890
This is what Comcast has to say about the issue


We apologize for the inconvenience; the delay that you are experiencing
is a known issue. It occurs intermittently because it happens only when
the converter is actively connecting to our network to look for new data
to download (new schedules, available movies, features etc.), this
occurs about every 15 to 20 minutes lasting between 15 and 20 seconds at
a time. Unfortunately we have been told that while our engineering
department is actively working to resolve the delay issue, we cannot
provide a specific time for when the software fix will be available.
This is due to the need for a software patch to be developed and tested
prior to deployment. We again apologize for any inconvenience that this
may cause and appreciate your patience during this process. We are not
offering any compensation for converters experiencing this issue at this
time, as the scope and duration of the event has not yet been defined.


I don't know about everyone else but I am experience longer then 15 or 20 second freezing periods (Try Min not seconds) and more often the every 15 or 20 min. How is this for "scope and duration".. when Verizon comes onto the scene with cable as they seem to be planning you will be losing a customer for higher rates and meek customer service. Say what you want but at the end of the day its the best bang for the buck and Comcast offers less and less bang for my buck.

Originally posted by kev2home
The freezing does seem to be worse, on Sunday it seemed like 4-5 minutes before the box switched channels, very annoying. I called Comcast but other than offering to reset the box they do not seem to be even aware of the problem.


Yep, I have been noticing it a lot more recently too. It is really annoying. For me it is roughly 30 seconds - 1 minute.

Originally posted by YesJim
Anyone out there notice the poor HD quality of the Orange Bowl broadcast? Why in the world would the PQ be different than the MNF broadcasts which have been great this year?

Agreed! I thought it was just me, but the picture looked quite bad for HD IMO.

Originally posted by Tsunamii
Say what you want but at the end of the day its the best bang for the buck and Comcast offers less and less bang for my buck.

Also agree here. Unfortunately I cannot get satellite where I live (too many trees,) so I am stuck w/ comcast TV. However I plan on ditching my internet connection and going for Fios when it's availabe here. :D

I will be calling up comcast ASAP to complain about this freezing and also about the 720p problem(not sure if this is all sets, but doesn't work with my Sony 36xbr400 CRT or Samsung hlp6163w). Hopefully enough complaints will make them do something about it.

Old problems for others cropping up new for me.

After having my 6412 work flawlessly for the past 6-8 weeks, I'm suddenly experiencing the MUTE and no picture phenomena after a recording. Has Comcast pushed out a software upgrade that has caused my box to suddenly have these problems?

Set your DVRs. INHD is running World Series '04 (http://www.inhd.com/products/viewProduct.jsp?prodId=26840) Jan 10th 9pm.

Originally posted by MickeyGee
I, for one, hate being one of Comcast's lab rats. I wonder what we would say to a car dealer if we had just bought a new car that only worked some of the time.

Mickey

you've found a car that actually works all of the time?

Originally posted by DaveFi
Set your DVRs. INHD is running World Series '04 (http://www.inhd.com/products/viewProduct.jsp?prodId=26840) Jan 10th 9pm.

oops, didn't mean to bump this! any chance inhd will play this again? i won't have my dvr quite yet.

Originally posted by macd23
oops, didn't mean to bump this! any chance inhd will play this again? i won't have my dvr quite yet. This is INHD we're talking about, so, yes, forever.

I already have a DVHS tape set aside for it. I'm sure I won't be the only one archiving this.

Originally posted by macd23
you've found a car that actually works all of the time?
Actually, yes. My current car is 10 years old with 130,000 miles and with 100% uptime. I am an odd mixture of an early adopter but someone who clings to things that work reliably.

The early adopters live in a world where the technological envelope is constantly being pushed. But, are the manufacturers concentrating on the next innovation or refining the previous innovation? With technology, it is usually the former. This is why it is so difficult to find that balance between adopting early but reliably.

Mickey

I recorded Lost and Alias. Lost was fine, but Alias at various points kept dropping in and out of HD (would suddenly get the side bars for a little bit, and then back to widescreen). At a couple of points, lost the picture completely, still had sound.

Originally posted by efeatherston
I recorded Lost and Alias. Lost was fine, but Alias at various points kept dropping in and out of HD (would suddenly get the side bars for a little bit, and then back to widescreen). At a couple of points, lost the picture completely, still had sound.

I had an identical experience. I was recording on DVR at the time. The recording had the same problem when reviewed later.

John

Originally posted by efeatherston
I recorded Lost and Alias. Lost was fine, but Alias at various points kept dropping in and out of HD (would suddenly get the side bars for a little bit, and then back to widescreen). At a couple of points, lost the picture completely, still had sound.
I had the same problem watching live with my 6208 STB, it must have been a general broadcast problem.

Had the look of an issue with the HD feed, since they switched in the SD feed a few times.

I called about the freeze issue last night and got the same response, I just wanted to make sure they are hearing from everyone with the problem.

When you think about it, HD is not ready for the masses. Joe six pack wll not understand that the beginning of his game is not in HD due to lack of satellite transponders, or that during the switch back and forth to commercials that everything looks kinda hodge podge. HD is really still pretty messy !

-Ken

Same HD dropout problem with Alias on my MyHD HTPC card/Antenna. When the picture dropped out, I got green static, but still had sound.

-Kyle

Is a 1 ghz splitter enough for the 6412? I split my cable off the wall, one going to the box and one going to the RF on the TV. I had a look at my fairly old splitter the other day and it read to be 1000mhz or 1ghz.

The PQ looks great, but if I could squeeze out even a marginal gain, then why not.

What do you think? If I need to replace, any recs? Monster? Radio Shack? Gold plated?

Thanks!

Comcast just added some more VOD stuff. About 30 free movies, good ones (unfortunately SD). Also, Tube Time with classic TV shows. Hoping more HD services aren't far off.

I read somewhere that Comcast is really going to push VOD hard, essentially trying to put Blockbuster, Netflix, etc out of business.

Originally posted by DaveFi

I read somewhere that Comcast is really going to push VOD hard, essentially trying to put Blockbuster, Netflix, etc out of business.

They will need a much larger inventory before that happens. I find the On Demand movie listings pretty weak. When they get to the point of the Netflix database, it may be a different story.

They are planning to add something like 30k (yes, that is 30,000) titles within the next few years.

Can someone help a person ignorant to CableCARD technology? I assume a CableCARD is a programmed card you can use instead of a STB that you slide into a CableCARD-ready TV. Now my question - why would the Motorola 6412 STB have a CableCARD slot? Isn't the CableCARD supposed to eliminate having the STB in the first place?

Originally posted by nuzzy
Can someone help a person ignorant to CableCARD technology? I assume a CableCARD is a programmed card you can use instead of a STB that you slide into a CableCARD-ready TV. Now my question - why would the Motorola 6412 STB have a CableCARD slot? Isn't the CableCARD supposed to eliminate having the STB in the first place?

its not a slot for a cable card.

Originally posted by nuzzy
Isn't the CableCARD supposed to eliminate having the STB in the first place? Yes and no. The CableCARD technology certainly eliminates the need for the STB by moving the authentication functionality into the CableCARD; channel tuning functionality moves from the STB to the TV.

However, it also allows companies to build STBs with CableCARD slots that could be sold to the end user instead of the cable operator. In theory you could buy a (mythical) STB with built-in DVR from Motorola, S/A, etc. and simply insert a CableCARD from your cable company. This is essentially what the TiVo folks have planned for some future version of their box once the two-way CableCARD spec has been finalized.

Whether any company that builds STBs would find sales to the end user profitable is another question.

Originally posted by DaveFi
They are planning to add something like 30k (yes, that is 30,000) titles within the next few years.

What a waste that would be if they are all not HDTV. The only thing I ever watched in On Demand was Texas Hold 'em advise in the gambling section. The picture quality was worse than my kid's birthday parties on an old VHS camcorder. I'm sure the movies must be better than that, but a poor quality 4:3 movie is a waste to me ... and soon that will be 30,000 wastes. I'd trade 30,000 movies for one HDnet Movies channel.

Originally posted by RScogland
What a waste that would be if they are all not HDTV. The only thing I ever watched in On Demand was Texas Hold 'em advise in the gambling section. The picture quality was worse than my kid's birthday parties on an old VHS camcorder. I'm sure the movies must be better than that, but a poor quality 4:3 movie is a waste to me ... and soon that will be 30,000 wastes. I'd trade 30,000 movies for one HDnet Movies channel.

While I agree you and I would probably do that, the bulk of people out there STILL prefer full screen movies to original aspect ratio movies. Things have changed considerably in the last couple of years, but the bulk of people that On Demand is really aimed at right now are ones that will go and use it for things like that, not people like you and me who know terms like aspect ratio.

I know this is out of context..But I couldnt find any place other than this to get a local opinion...

Does anyone know of reliable Video Calibration facilities around Boston??

Thanks!

I picked up a 6412 DVR from Comcast in Manchester, NH. Very quick, I dropped off my 5100 and left with the new box in less than 5 minutes. (The guy I spoke to said the freezing on the 5100 was being rolled in a couple of weeks). Now that I have my 6412 two things I noticed, compared to my 5100.

1. The clock does not appear when the unit is on, only the channel number, is this a setting I can change?

2. I need to use three digits to change channels, on the 5100 I could type 42 and go to CNN, now I have to type 042, can this be changed.

If anybody is planning on upgrading, you do not need to bring in the power cord. This was a big plus (for me) since I would of had to move the TV to reach the cord.

Thanks for the update Kev, I'm heading over there myself tomorrow!

What do you mean by "being rolled in a couple weeks" with regards to the
freezing?

Don

I picked up a 6412 DVR from Comcast in Manchester, NH. Very quick, I dropped off my 5100 and left with the new box in less than 5 minutes. (The guy I spoke to said the freezing on the 5100 was being rolled in a couple of weeks). Now that I have my 6412 two things I noticed, compared to my 5100.

Both problems can be fixed in the setup menu (press menu twice on your remote and scroll down to Setup). In Guide Setup choose Auto Tune and you will then be able to type in 42 without the 0.

Sorry, first post got cut off.

To show the clock on the box go to Cable Box Set Up and change the front display to Current Time.
Ellen
I picked up a 6412 DVR from Comcast in Manchester, NH. Very quick, I dropped off my 5100 and left with the new box in less than 5 minutes. (The guy I spoke to said the freezing on the 5100 was being rolled in a couple of weeks). Now that I have my 6412 two things I noticed, compared to my 5100.

I am trying to figure out the various COMCAST screen sizes I am receiving.

I have a new Sharp 37GD4U which is a 16 by 9 screen size and I have been disappointed at the fact that most many HD channels don't fill the screen.

Some pictures appear to be 16 x 9 but don't fill the screen.

For example,

802 (WGBH), 870 (HBO), 882 (FSN)
all appear to be 16 x9 but have a black border around it and do not fill the screen. the picture was HD quality but smaller than I expected.

I can play around with the viewing mode to enlarge the pictures, but it degrades the picture when I either stretch or zoom.

(this posting originally started a new thread, sorry about that)

Originally posted by da232
Thanks for the update Kev, I'm heading over there myself tomorrow!

What do you mean by "being rolled in a couple weeks" with regards to the
freezing?

Don

That should read "being rolled out in a couple of weeks" which means they are going to start updating the boxes with latest firmware which should fix the freezing that many have seen.

Originally posted by kurchian
I am trying to figure out the various COMCAST screen sizes I am receiving.

Some pictures appear to be 16 x 9 but don't fill the screen.

For example,

802 (WGBH), 870 (HBO), 882 (FSN)
all appear to be 16 x9 but have a black border around it and do not fill the screen. the picture was HD quality but smaller than I expected.

I can play around with the viewing mode to enlarge the pictures, but it degrades the picture when I either stretch or zoom.

(this posting originally started a new thread, sorry about that)

Some programming on the 8xx channels are shown in 4:3 mode, so you will get the black bars on the side, other programming has the black bars on the top. Tonight, I was watching Stargate and that had the black bars on the top and bottom. Do you get some programs on HD that fill the screen, if so, it is probably not a problem with your settings but just the format of the program.

Turn off your cable box, but leave your TV on. Press the menu button to activate the menu screen on the cable box. Make sure the TV type is set to 16:9, rather than 4:3. That's the only thing I can think of

Thought the Seattle, St. Louis game was suppose to be in HD today?

Thought the Seattle, St. Louis game was suppose to be in HD today?

I can't believe a playoff game is not in HD...this sucks.

EDIT: Game is now in HD, late switch.

The box freeze problem makes the newspapers !! Looks like a lot of dis-information from comcast, and a timetable that says feb-mid march for a fix ??

"One said a Comcast technician told her on Thursday that the problem is happening countrywide and may not be resolved until mid-February or early March. "


Check this out:

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=49332

The Seattle-Rams game is in HD. I don't know about your local station.

Rich N.

Originally posted by kenvt
The box freeze problem makes the newspapers !! Looks like a lot of dis-information from comcast, and a timetable that says feb-mid march for a fix ??

"One said a Comcast technician told her on Thursday that the problem is happening countrywide and may not be resolved until mid-February or early March. "


Check this out:

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=49332

Absolutely incredible. Thanks for the link Kenvt.
At least the rate increase should be frozen until they fix the new features they are charging me more for now, that don't work. I’m not trying to just bash Comcast, I am generally happy with the quality of the audio and video along with OnDemand, it can be a life saver with a little one.
I for one experience the same issues as mentioned in the article. When the box freezes it can be for minuets not seconds. It can be a major inconvenience and at times make the set unwatchable. I just hope the fix is in weeks not months.

this is probably true, but is getting HD thru Comcast the only way to get NESN & FSN HD programming (Sox,Celtics,possible Bruins)?

Did they do some kind of update? This morning I was flipping channels for about 1 1/2 hours and only had one like 2 second freeze up. Usually they'd happen every 5 minutes...

Chris

Originally posted by Schlotkins
Did they do some kind of update? This morning I was flipping channels for about 1 1/2 hours and only had one like 2 second freeze up. Usually they'd happen every 5 minutes...

Chris

Its possible they are doing a remote reboot of the boxes. I've found that unplugging my box and then plugging it back in usually minimizes the freeze problem for awhile.

The problem is with the TV Guide application. Every 15 minutes it does a kind of sweep to get rid of data that is past the expiration time (meaning at 4:30pm its getting rid of all data from any time frame before 4:30pm). Unfortunately, the way it is being handled in the recent release is what we all experience as "freezing." One thing to note, the more you use your guide (ie, look at the descriptions of the guide, browse the guide, etc) the longer this sweep takes to purge old records.... kinda like defragging the hard drive of your computer.

Comcast is pushing TV Guide as best as it can to release a new fix, but as is with most software, it has to go through testing in various labs before it will be approved for field release.

Originally posted by RScogland
What a waste that would be if they are all not HDTV. The only thing I ever watched in On Demand was Texas Hold 'em advise in the gambling section. The picture quality was worse than my kid's birthday parties on an old VHS camcorder. I'm sure the movies must be better than that, but a poor quality 4:3 movie is a waste to me ... and soon that will be 30,000 wastes. I'd trade 30,000 movies for one HDnet Movies channel.

Yes, but I bet there are many more subscribers who don't have HD. I think it would be good business to ignore the great majority of your customers.


Gary

Has anyone actually bought one of these movies? What was the quality?

For the Comcast folks listening, may I make a recommendation to have at least either:

1 - a free 5 minute something so we can see the quality
2 - HD previews of the movies that are on HD on demand (same reason)

Am I off base thinking this is a good idea?

John

Originally posted by jsheldon_us
Has anyone actually bought one of these movies? What was the quality?

For the Comcast folks listening, may I make a recommendation to have at least either:

1 - a free 5 minute something so we can see the quality
2 - HD previews of the movies that are on HD on demand (same reason)

Am I off base thinking this is a good idea?

John

I've tried HD Ondemand and it looks just like you're watching any other HD program (INHD specifically). I movie I tested on was one of the INHD Imax offerings which IMO are the best looking HD movies out there...

Originally posted by YesJim
I've tried HD Ondemand and it looks just like you're watching any other HD program (INHD specifically). I movie I tested on was one of the INHD Imax offerings which IMO are the best looking HD movies out there...

I am guessing that because of the lower bandwidth requirements that HD OnDemand is being broadcast at 1080i not 720p, right?

JS

Couple notes:

1. In my latest Comcast bill, it mentions that they are dropping G4TechTV on 244, but are keeping it on 219. I think this is the only channel that was duplicated in the digital range. Please correct me if I am wrong. I know HBO is duplicated, but one channel is in the analog range while the other is in the digital range (not counting HBO-HD).

2. Any word (specifically from avic :P) on when we should expect the analog-digital simulcat to take place? I'm thinking the digital simulcasts will be broadcast somewhere between the high 90s and low 190s. I checked last night and digital channels are still coming through as 64QAM.

Also, be thankful of the guide and HD offerings we have. When I was at home visiting my parents in Hawaii for Christmas, I set up my parents with HD and DVR. Their cable company is Time Warner. They use the Scientific Atlanta 8000HD with some weird guide and difficult-to-use remote. Even after using it for 2 weeks, I sill could not get used to it. Also, there did not seem to be any "OnDemand" channel with the loads of content Comcast offers. The only way to get movies on-demand was to tune to a channel, say 650, and hit a button and you got the on-demand movie for that channel (e.g. Taxi). There were only about 10-12 on-demand movie channels and each channel was offering only 1 movie. There was also no free on-demand content. Yet, my parents are paying nearly as much as we are through Comcast (and they don't even get CBS-HD, NBC-HD, PBS-HD, or FOX-HD! They do get HDNet and HDNet Movies, however).

tennberg:

More than likely the digital simulcast channels will be mapped to the analog number - so channel 2 will stay 2 etc.

Getting rid of TechTV on 244 probably doesn't save any bandwidth, one channel was probably mapped to two positions.

I liked it much better back when G4 and TechTV were actually separate channels.

They could probably delete both of them now, and it'd be months before anyone over the age of 13 would notice.

kenvt:

So, basically, if you had a digital or HD box, you would get the digital simulcast while those with analog boxes would get just the analog simulcast? Does that sound right?

toots:

I like G4TechTV, if only for certain shows. I like Unscrewed and Screen Savers, though it would be cool if they had shows like "What do all those settings in your Linksys router do?" or "How to tweak Windows XP for best performance?" It would be nice if the channel didn't just seem to focus on video games most of the time.

Originally posted by tennberg
2. Any word (specifically from avic :P) on when we should expect the analog-digital simulcat to take place? I'm thinking the digital simulcasts will be broadcast somewhere between the high 90s and low 190s. I checked last night and digital channels are still coming through as 64QAM.as answered by others the channel mapping for the analogs will not be affected after analog-digital-simulcasting begins. the QAM change is a separate process which will come before ADS. watch for that this week in mass and nh, then soon after ADS will begin. at which point, like satellite, you'll receive an all-digital service. exciting new changes and improved services to start of the new year from comcast. and look for more throughout 2005...:)

Just read that Comcast is offering VOIP in select markets, Springfield MA was one of them. I wonder when it will ready for New England. I just dropped Digital Phone for CallVantage, hopefully I can port my number back to Comcast once they have VOIP.

anyone watch the celtics vs orlando FSN via inhd2 tonight? i am getting heinson and Mike's (forget his last name) voices coming out of all 5 speakers, so its got this echo to it.....i haven't noticed this on their other broadcasts and my reciever is set to its usual dolby digital..........i cycled through all the various audio modes and none could isolate their voices to the center channel speaker as it should be...

Originally posted by cougarenegade
this is probably true, but is getting HD thru Comcast the only way to get NESN & FSN HD programming (Sox,Celtics,possible Bruins)?

The dishes do not have it. :>

Originally posted by avic
as answered by others the channel mapping for the analogs will not be affected after analog-digital-simulcasting begins. the QAM change is a separate process which will come before ADS. watch for that this week in mass and nh, then soon after ADS will begin. at which point, like satellite, you'll receive an all-digital service. exciting new changes and improved services to start of the new year from comcast. and look for more throughout 2005...:)

How does ADS affect TV sets with built-in QAM tuner? Will we see those digital version of the basic channels?

Originally posted by macd23
anyone watch the celtics vs orlando FSN via inhd2 tonight? i am getting heinson and Mike's (forget his last name) voices coming out of all 5 speakers, so its got this echo to it.....i haven't noticed this on their other broadcasts and my reciever is set to its usual dolby digital..........i cycled through all the various audio modes and none could isolate their voices to the center channel speaker as it should be...


Its an issue with FSN's Celtics broadcast...The audio is pushed through all 5 channels and broadcast as 5.1 DD....There is no way you can isolate the voice layer on it!

Its weird to hear tommy's voice from all directions. !!:mad:

The only other broadcast with a similar problem are a couple of fights on INHD..

Originally posted by macd23
anyone watch the celtics vs orlando FSN via inhd2 tonight? i am getting heinson and Mike's (forget his last name) voices coming out of all 5 speakers, so its got this echo to it.....i haven't noticed this on their other broadcasts and my reciever is set to its usual dolby digital..........i cycled through all the various audio modes and none could isolate their voices to the center channel speaker as it should be...

It's been that way foir every Celtics game I've watched. Which isn't too many as I don't really care for the NBA product these days. ;)

Concerning the freezing of the channels on the 5100 HD box. I complained a couple of times to Comcast and they agreed to give me a credit for the box rental each month until it is fixed. Apparently, you will only get the credit if you complain. Maybe giving enough credits will move things along and get the patch in place quicker. They told me it could take a few months.

Originally posted by murffee1
Concerning the freezing of the channels on the 5100 HD box. I complained a couple of times to Comcast and they agreed to give me a credit for the box rental each month until it is fixed. Apparently, you will only get the credit if you complain. Maybe giving enough credits will move things along and get the patch in place quicker. They told me it could take a few months.

its not Comcast thats going to fix this. Like Avic said it takes time & testing to get the new software approved. if Comcast/Motorola rush it, the new update can make things worse.

It is still the responibility of Comcast to notify their customers and offer appropriate compensation if the problem is going to continue for a long period of time. Anybody who is having this problem every 15 minutes when watching TV can attest that it is totally unacceptable. Comcast is just magnifying the problem by not communicating with their customers.

256 QAM has arrived in boston.

Originally posted by avic
256 QAM has arrived in boston.

Great news. Cannot wait to check it out. Also looking forward to the ADS implementation. I have also noticed that freezing frequency has gone down.

Grab that '04 World Series show while you can. It's great in HD, even though it macroblocks a little.

I know Comcast here is changing over their whole system to an all IP network. What advantages does 256QAM have over 64QAM and what channels will use it?

I think we're going to see Comcast moving into more interactive services. DirecTV has introduced an interactive package for their NFL Sunday Ticket and Comcast will have to counter in some way.

256 QAM has arrived in boston

Should I expect better picture quality on my HDTV set with 256QAM.

One of my three cable boxes is still a lowly DCT-2000.

Is it going to have any problem with the conversion to 256QAM?

I noticed a big drop in freezing frequency over the weekend. Sad to get so excited about a channel change actually working.

I also agree about the new VOD movies being useless if they're not HD. Comcast won't get a VOD fee from me as long as I can watch the movie in better quality by renting the DVD at Blockbuster. But I do realize that most of their customers don't have HDTV's and they have to cater to the masses.

Originally posted by scooterboy
I noticed a big drop in freezing frequency over the weekend. Sad to get so excited about a channel change actually working.

I also agree about the new VOD movies being useless if they're not HD. Comcast won't get a VOD fee from me as long as I can watch the movie in better quality by renting the DVD at Blockbuster. But I do realize that most of their customers don't have HDTV's and they have to cater to the masses. Scooterboy, it doesn't matter whether they have HD or not. HD will look better on SD output too.

When I called last week about the freezing, the CSR knew about it and was very nice and apologetic. I told her that I knew the DVRs weren't having the problem, and asked if I could have one for free. She actually agreed with me, and tried to figure out a way to get one free for 2 months, or to waive the fee, or credit my bill, etc. She even talked to her manager, but alas, no go. She did say that Comcast will properly compensate us once it's fixed, but wasn't sure how. I'd guess a $10 credit or something like that from her tone..

On a side note, I've asked here before, but gotten no response, anyone know of any HDTV test pattern currently being broadcast on Comcat in Boston? I know PBS should ahve one, but I can't find it in their listings..
thanks

I called Comcast today to complain about the freezing on my DCT6200 and was given a $10 credit.

Also I called because OnDemand has not been working for two days now, I get a message "unable to service request" then I would get a message "communications error" has anyone else been having problems with OnDemand. The CSR said that it should be fixed in two hour or if not in two hours give it 24 to 48 hours. Sounds fishy to me maybe just brushing me off for a couple of days.

Originally posted by avic
256 QAM has arrived in boston.

Still 64 QAM in the northern suburbs.

Originally posted by toots
One of my three cable boxes is still a lowly DCT-2000.

Is it going to have any problem with the conversion to 256QAM? why would it? a lot of your channels were already 256, they are just converting the rest of the ones that were 64.

Originally posted by DaveFi
What advantages does 256QAM have over 64QAM and what channels will use it? Improved PQ; all of the digital channels and once ADS starts all of the simulcasted "digital analogs" as well. It will be an all digital all 256 QAM system. Don't hold your breath for ADS, it's coming but not yet imminent.

Originally posted by avic
Improved PQ; all of the digital channels and once ADS starts all of the simulcasted "digital analogs" as well. It will be an all digital all 256 QAM system. Don't hold your breath for ADS, it's coming but not yet imminent.

avic:

Let me just see if I get this straight:

64QAM to 256QAM, this week, will bring improved picture quality to all the *digital* channels, as it will allow more bandwidth through. 256QAM or 64QAM does not mean something is "digital", just that more bandwidth is getting through.

Now, with ADS, all the analogs will be broadcast as digital, but Comcast could have just done that with 64QAM. It will be broadcasting the analogs as 0s and 1s AND with larger bandwidth, meaning the "analogs" will look better than ever for those of us with digital boxes.

Now, how does digital 256QAM (say, 223) compare to 1080i HD (say, 807)? Granted, there will be a difference, but is it a HUGE difference?

Thanks for all the tidbits of info. It keeps us all hooked.

Originally posted by tennberg
256QAM or 64QAM does not mean something is "digital", just that more bandwidth is getting through. i didn't say that. i said it will be an all-digital all-256 QAM system when ADS begins, in the meantime you'll be getting more through the pipe for the digital channels.
Now, how does digital 256QAM (say, 223) compare to 1080i HD (say, 807)? Granted, there will be a difference, but is it a HUGE difference? imo nothing compares to HD, but take any digital channel at 256 QAM and i say it looks pretty darn good on my ISF-calibrated 51". Not HD but to the untrained eye, it might as well be.

Originally posted by avic
i didn't say that. i said it will be an all-digital all-256 QAM system when ADS begins, in the meantime you'll be getting more through the pipe for the digital channels.
imo nothing compares to HD, but take any digital channel at 256 QAM and i say it looks pretty darn good on my ISF-calibrated 51". Not HD but to the untrained eye, it might as well be.

avic:

I didn't imply that you said that at all. I was simply stating how I understood it. All these posts kept describing ADS and QAM as two separate matters, so I just inferred that Comcast could have moved the analogs to 256QAM yet they still wouldn't be digital. Being digital and being 256QAM mean different things, that's all. Just me thinking out loud.

Originally posted by tennberg
I just inferred that Comcast could have moved the analogs to 256QAM yet they still wouldn't be digital. but then it wouldn't be an ADS. the goal is all-digital for digital customers.

the 256 QAM upgrade is a bonus and the great majority of customers (non-AVS'ers) will be oblivious to it. however, once ADS begins, i can see marketing touting "comcast is all-digital" to lure more customers, but who knows. anyhoo i'd say look for ADS completion end of 1st start of 2nd qtr, unless they have other issues crop up, which of course would never happen. ;)

Originally posted by jdoe7890
Still 64 QAM in the northern suburbs. how far north? make sure you are checking a channel like 223. not to confuse the matter but for contractual reasons Boston/Brookline digital customers have always had a kind of ADS for channels 2-99 in the expanded basic lineup (what you would see as a scrambled channel on an analog box.) those scrambled channels can't be seen by the digital box so Comcast digitally encodes them. they will remain at 64 QAM until ADS begins at which point they will go to 256 as well. so for fun cable trivia: the only true analog channels in boston have always been the non-expanded basic (just a handful) like the major networks. the rest from 2-99 are digital, albeit at 64 QAM, but digital nonetheless which of course yields a much better PQ on the DVR.

Originally posted by avic
how far north? make sure you are checking a channel like 223. not to confuse the matter but for contractual reasons Boston/Brookline digital customers have always had a kind of ADS for channels 2-99 in the expanded basic lineup (what you would see as a scrambled channel on an analog box.) .

The channel 223 is still 64 QAM in Woburn/Burlington.

Originally posted by jdoe7890
The channel 223 is still 64 QAM in Woburn/Burlington.

its gonna be rolled out in town by town incremenets. you should get everything in 256 QAM anywhere between now & March. Just check on the levels every so often.

256 QAM wont be that slow to roll out, look for the upgrade in the next few days for mass and nh. by march we should be seeing the beginning of ADS if all goes well.

and WB HD soon after that I hope!

Originally posted by Schlotkins
and WB HD soon after that I hope!

Gotta get UPN-HD soon also.

COMCAST to give away HDTV's as compensation for DVR freezing problem?
(news release from their web site :)
Comcast Celebrates Overwhelming DVR Response by Giving Away a New HDTV to Its 10,000th DVR Customer
January 11, 2005 11:43:00 AM ET


Comcast's New DVR Provides Unbeatable Value to Bay Area Residents

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Comcast announced a remarkable milestone: Less than a month after the introduction of the company's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) service in the Bay Area, Comcast has already reached the 10,000 local DVR customer mark. To celebrate the landmark occasion, Comcast is awarding a brand-new, flat screen high-definition (HD) television set to its 10,000th customer: Joann Larkin of Sunnyvale, CA.

"We've been thrilled by the remarkable demand for Comcast's DVR in its first month, as well as the overwhelmingly positive feedback we've received from customers who have been enjoying it during the past few weeks," said Rick Lang, Regional Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Comcast. "Without a doubt, Comcast is providing our customers with an unbeatable value. While our competitors are charging upwards of $600 upfront for a high-definition DVR box, we're offering ours at no cost. And we provide the service for about two dollars less per month than our satellite competitors."

The 10,000th DVR customer, Joann Larkin, was already a Comcast High-Speed Internet customer, but she also traded in her satellite dish recently and switched to Comcast Digital Cable.

"The funny thing is that I had just been talking to my friends, suggesting that they switch over to Comcast when I won the TV!" said Joann Larkin. "I was initially attracted to Comcast by the high speed of their Internet service compared to DSL. Then I found out their cable television prices were comparable to, if not better than, some other companies. So I called and the customer service representative told me about the new DVR and was very honest and helpful. I figured I would give it a shot, and I knew my husband would like it!"

With Comcast's DVR service, customers can now: pause and rewind live television broadcasts at the touch of a button; easily record up to 60 hours of their favorite shows so they can watch them whenever they want without tapes, timers or a VCR; and watch one show while recording another or record two shows simultaneously. The DVR can record about 15 hours of HDTV programming.

There are no upfront equipment charges for Comcast's DVR. For an additional $9.95 per month for service, Comcast will replace a Comcast Digital Cable customer's set-top box with a DVR-equipped unit.

In addition to DVR service, customers who subscribe to Comcast Digital Cable can receive more than 250 channels, including dozens of commercial-free premium movie channels, 45 channels of commercial-free music and more.

For more information about Comcast's products and services, please call 800-COMCAST or visit the company's Web site at www.comcast.com.

sounds like someone is jealous that they didn't win the tv. :p

Originally posted by avic
how far north? make sure you are checking a channel like 223. not to confuse the matter but for contractual reasons Boston/Brookline digital customers have always had a kind of ADS for channels 2-99 in the expanded basic lineup (what you would see as a scrambled channel on an analog box.) those scrambled channels can't be seen by the digital box so Comcast digitally encodes them. they will remain at 64 QAM until ADS begins at which point they will go to 256 as well. so for fun cable trivia: the only true analog channels in boston have always been the non-expanded basic (just a handful) like the major networks. the rest from 2-99 are digital, albeit at 64 QAM, but digital nonetheless which of course yields a much better PQ on the DVR.

233 is 256 QAM in Hudson, MA and somehow got my first reboot of the 6412 when i was doing this :( What should we see for channels 2-99?

Originally posted by Kaiser-Soze
233 is 256 QAM in Hudson, MA and somehow got my first reboot of the 6412 when i was doing this :( What should we see for channels 2-99?

2-99 will just say analog until ADS comes along.

thread for Metrocast in Central NH has more HD than Comcast except for CBS -HD When will we get more?

thread for Metrocast in Central NH has more HD than Comcast except for CBS -HD When will we get more?

Originally posted by mgpt6
thread for Metrocast in Central NH has more HD than Comcast except for CBS -HD When will we get more?

once ADS is complete, more HD chnls will probably follow shortly after, since there is extra bandwidth to use

Originally posted by dozens
Just read that Comcast is offering VOIP in select markets, Springfield MA was one of them. I wonder when it will ready for New England. I just dropped Digital Phone for CallVantage, hopefully I can port my number back to Comcast once they have VOIP.

They plan to charge $40 a month for their service.,and perhaps though i doubt this set it so one can NOT use another company's voip service over the comcast lines.

FoxHD has been down for a long time tonight...
this comcast or fox?

Originally posted by chitchatjf
They plan to charge $40 a month for their service.,and perhaps though i doubt this set it so one can NOT use another company's voip service over the comcast lines.

$40 a month for VOIP? Sounds very high for a service without local 911 and one that does down when your modem or router crashes. I pay about $40 for unlimited local and long distance now, Vonage has a $25 deal for unlimited local and long distance. There would be no incentive to go with VOIP with Comcast at those rates.
As far as them trying to limit end users from using a competitors VOIP it will never happen. What do you think would happen if Microsoft said you can only use Microsoft applications on there OS? It would be in court before the ink was dry. N matter how you cut it there needs to be more competition in the market and it looks like Verizon is going to give it to them. They have taken the lead on faster internet access and are poised to break into the Cable TV market. From what I read they will be doing it on a Fiber network they have been building over the last few years and have tested in RI. When that happens let the rate wars begin.

Originally posted by L Supreme
once ADS is complete, more HD chnls will probably follow shortly after, since there is extra bandwidth to use
Why would implementing ADS increase bandwidth availability?

Originally posted by chitchatjf
They plan to charge $40 a month for their service.,and perhaps though i doubt this set it so one can NOT use another company's voip service over the comcast lines.

I don't think it is possible to restrict people from using another VOIP service over their IP lines ... ie, if I order their internet service and Vonage (and I do have both), it would likely by against the law to keep me from using Vonage.

Originally posted by Tsunamii
$40 a month for VOIP? Sounds very high for a service without local 911 and one that does down when your modem or router crashes.

Actually that was one of their justifications ... that they have backup power for their system so that phones would continue to work when the power went out. Not necessarily the case with Vonage. But if I keep my cable router, etc, on an UPS, then I effectively have the same thing because their digital phone service is obviously going to need the same infrastructure (an Inet connection) as my Vonage account.

I guess their Digital Phone adapter must also have a built in battery backup, else what good would it be for the infrastructure to survive power outages.

As to 911, I don't know if they will support it. I do know that Vonage is testing E911 compatability and will be rolling it out in the near future, according to their news, at least.

Couple connection issues:

1. Last night, if I would switch to an HD channel, say, 804, the entire screen would be blank, even though the box was still on. Going through all other HD channels resulted in a blank screen. I did not check any of the digital channels or analog channels. If I powered off/on the box, the channels would show up again. Also, the guide has been freezing more than ever before and I'll get weird behavior when trying to play things through the DVR (things not starting when I press "Play", for example).

Could this at all be related to the switch from 64QAM to 256QAM?

2. On an unrelated topic, I cannot log into my Comcast online account successfully. At first, it would not connect all the way through and would just hang when trying to pay my bill.

Then, on another login, it would say that I had no registered account and that I had to add it again.

On another login, it said my username was invalid and only using my e-mail address as my username would work.

Anyone else getting this?

Originally posted by khauser
Actually that was one of their justifications ... that they have backup power for their system so that phones would continue to work when the power went out. Not necessarily the case with Vonage. But if I keep my cable router, etc, on an UPS, then I effectively have the same thing because their digital phone service is obviously going to need the same infrastructure (an Inet connection) as my Vonage account.

I guess their Digital Phone adapter must also have a built in battery backup, else what good would it be for the infrastructure to survive power outages.

As to 911, I don't know if they will support it. I do know that Vonage is testing E911 compatability and will be rolling it out in the near future, according to their news, at least.

From what I have understood one of the main issues with 911 was that if one were to dial it they would get the local state police and not their local police department. Though I'm sure most phones could be programmed to overcome this.
I also agree with you that it would be illegal to stop you from using another provider. Verizon owns most of the phone lines yet you can get any service you want over them, in my mind its the same scenario.

In case u hadn't heard, this is not far off:

"Comcast, will raise its current [broadbad Internet] speed of up to 3mbps downstream and 256kbps upstream to 4mbps and 384kbps, respectively, at no additional cost."

Comcast VOIP will have local 911 service

One channel I hope is offered this year for HD is Sci Fi HD. With the new Battlestar Galactica on, I'm dying to see the season in HD. NBC recently showed the miniseries in HD (from the original Sci Fi presentation).

Hopefully, if we get Universal HD, they will choose to show many of the Sci Fi offerings (BG, Stargate: SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, etc.).

Sci-Fi won't be HD for a long time.

I feel your pain on the Science Fiction stuff. The best we'll do is just to purchase the anamorphic DVDs when they hit. Eventually they'll be on HD DVD.

256QAM has not yet been implemented here in Medford as of Saturday night. What is Comcast's schedule for the 256QAM rollout for the digital channels?

it's under way. no specific by-area schedule, there never is. but you should get it soon. if they run into problems, we'll find out about it.

Not sure where else this should go, but does HBO-HD still resize their movies from 2.35 to 1.85? I recorded a 4:30 am showing of the Transporter this week and was disappointed to see it in 2.35 for the opening credits and then 1.85 for the rest of the movie until the end credits again.

Is the freezing problem fixed ? I was watching and flipping channels tonight and didn't encounter the problem once.

-Ken

Originally posted by Chris Beveridge
Not sure where else this should go, but does HBO-HD still resize their movies from 2.35 to 1.85? I recorded a 4:30 am showing of the Transporter this week and was disappointed to see it in 2.35 for the opening credits and then 1.85 for the rest of the movie until the end credits again.

Yes, 99% of their stuff is cropped. Showtime is the only premium channel (in the Comcast lineup) that respects OAR, unfortunately their selection of movies isn't all that great.

ah, ok. I thought I had read when this was first prevalent a couple of years back that they had changed their ways but apparently not. I doubt it'll do any good but at least it gives me someplace new to write some letters to.

Originally posted by kenvt
Is the freezing problem fixed ? I was watching and flipping channels tonight and didn't encounter the problem once.

-Ken
I noticed it as well, the firmware is now 8.13, maybe they've solved the problem?

Originally posted by kenvt
Is the freezing problem fixed ? I was watching and flipping channels tonight and didn't encounter the problem once.

-Ken

Spoke with customer service. They released a new version of firmware for non-DVR HD boxes in areas impacted by the freezing problem. Southern mass won't see any change to their guide as they were never upgraded to the one with freezing problems.

Originally posted by JDLIVE
Yes, 99% of their stuff is cropped. Showtime is the only premium channel (in the Comcast lineup) that respects OAR, unfortunately their selection of movies isn't all that great.

Just before disconnting my box i noticed Love Actually was LETTERBOXED on HBO but alas 1.77 on a 2.35 film is still pan/scan.

However it was still letterboxed on the MAIN SD channel. A baby step in the right direction.

Speaking of OARs, one bizarre thing I noticed was with Disney's "Brother Bear" on either HBO-HD or Starz-HD. It was shown as non-anamorphic widescreen . So, I got nice black bars on both sides and the top and bottom. on my 16:9 set. I didn't see it in the theater, but I am pretty sure it wasn't originally shown that way.

P.S. - I am not sure if Brother Bear was originally 1.85:1 or 2.35:1.

Originally posted by Chris Beveridge
Not sure where else this should go, but does HBO-HD still resize their movies from 2.35 to 1.85? chris: so we can stay OT here, the programming forum is more appropriate for your post & discussion. you should find plenty of OAR threads or u can start your own if u can't find your answer.

Originally posted by ScoopsHD
They released a new version of firmware for non-DVR HD boxes in areas impacted by the freezing problem. Excellent news!

does the firmware update automatically, or do we need to download something or call comcast?

its an auto update. the freezing has stopped here for a few days. a first! hope the freezing is a thing of the past. very annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!