My box is noticably slower with 9.19. 9.19 didn't address the iGuide data retrieval=command lag problem. fix that and i'm golden. the mute "bug" never bothered me since i have an always-on setup but i guess enough people complained.

9.19 didn't address the iGuide data retrieval=command lag problem. fix that and i'm golden. the mute "bug" never bothered me since i have an always-on setup but i guess enough people complained.

How bizarre. I've had the 9.19 update for about 24 hours and have used the box considerably in tha 24 hours. It is actually a bit faster and the remote command lag problem has not occurred once since the update. Go figure.

So, ADS in Medford before Phase 3 6412s, huh? Will I still be enjoying the warm summer when I get ADS or will I be dressing up for Fall weather? :-)

not likely. They only carry HOME games in HD.

Actually want I meant was that there is likely to be quite an overlap between Bruins/Celtics and Red Sox until the season ends.

-Ken

Actually want I meant was that there is likely to be quite an overlap between Bruins/Celtics and Red Sox until the season ends.

-Ken

Not an issue.

Last regular season game on Oct 2nd First Bruins game on Oct 5th Celtics do not play til November.

ADS now complete in Boston! ALL 256 QAM, ALL digital cable, finally. :D

Tennberg, you'll have full ADS before u get your hands on a new box. only potential benefit is external HDD which seems no one has tried. :confused:

not in Lawrence :(

yes, on their way. some sort of shortage though. watch for FULL ADS in Boston, soon, maybe even tonight! ;)

Welcome back Avic! Never thought I'd hear the phrase "shortage" again when referencing the 6412 :D

My channels look the same here in Wakefield.

sony, check your inband status on MTV or TWC. if they're 256 QAM, you're good. and keep it mind with regard to PQ improvement, it very much depends on your setup. like me, those most benefiting from ADS will have a DVR and large size HD display. analog on a 50+" with the DVR encoding on the fly is a terrifying sight. on the other hand, my neighbor has a DVR-less 6200 and a medium size 4:3 SD display, ADS wont do much for his PQ, then again analog channels looked just fine with his setup.

avic or others:

Is the Comcast system in Boston a 750MHz system? Here's what I'm thinking, though I may be wrong. Please correct me if I am. Analog takes up the majority of that bandwidth (60%?). Comcast relatively recently took out HBO from the analog lineup and will also be moving out the Sci-Fi Channel, so that frees up some room.

That still leaves roughly 68 or so channels that are analog. Even though the ADS conversion is simulcasting those analogs as digital, those analogs still exist and still take up bandwidth. This means barely any bandwidth for HD unless one of three things occurs: one, Comcast decides to move 30-40 analog channels into the digital tier, thus freeing up that much bandwidth; two, the deadline for broadcasting analog signals passes and Comcast can use the full 750MHz for either digital or HD channels; or three, Comcast decides to no longer broadcast analog and force all current analog customers to digital boxes (though this scenario seems like it may anger quite a number of people).

**Question: What percentage of Comcast customers, either in MA or nationwide, are strictly analog? Is it such a small number that forcing them to digital wouldn't hurt Comcast financially if they don't migrate?**

By removing an analog channel entirely, how many digital channels can you broadcast? How many HD?

It seems like for us HD customers, for now and the near future, we're going to see new HD channels only as fast as Comcast can move analog channels entirely into the digital tier since I've gotten the impression we're at a saturation point in bandwidth.

avic or others:

Is the Comcast system in Boston a 750MHz system? Here's what I'm thinking, though I may be wrong. Please correct me if I am. Analog takes up the majority of that bandwidth (60%?). Comcast relatively recently took out HBO from the analog lineup and will also be moving out the Sci-Fi Channel, so that frees up some room.

That still leaves roughly 68 or so channels that are analog. Even though the ADS conversion is simulcasting those analogs as digital, those analogs still exist and still take up bandwidth. This means barely any bandwidth for HD unless one of three things occurs: one, Comcast decides to move 30-40 analog channels into the digital tier, thus freeing up that much bandwidth; two, the deadline for broadcasting analog signals passes and Comcast can use the full 750MHz for either digital or HD channels; or three, Comcast decides to no longer broadcast analog and force all current analog customers to digital boxes (though this scenario seems like it may anger quite a number of people).

**Question: What percentage of Comcast customers, either in MA or nationwide, are strictly analog? Is it such a small number that forcing them to digital wouldn't hurt Comcast financially if they don't migrate?**

By removing an analog channel entirely, how many digital channels can you broadcast? How many HD?

It seems like for us HD customers, for now and the near future, we're going to see new HD channels only as fast as Comcast can move analog channels entirely into the digital tier since I've gotten the impression we're at a saturation point in bandwidth.

The thing about moving Sci Fi to digital was in another market. Being an extended basicless digital person,it would not bother me,though.
2 HD channels or 4-6 SD digital channels fill the bandwidth od one analog channel. They could squeese more SD but comcast IS CONCERNED with picture quality.

avic or others:

Is the Comcast system in Boston a 750MHz system? Here's what I'm thinking, though I may be wrong. Please correct me if I am. Analog takes up the majority of that bandwidth (60%?). Comcast relatively recently took out HBO from the analog lineup and will also be moving out the Sci-Fi Channel, so that frees up some room.

That still leaves roughly 68 or so channels that are analog. Even though the ADS conversion is simulcasting those analogs as digital, those analogs still exist and still take up bandwidth. This means barely any bandwidth for HD unless one of three things occurs: one, Comcast decides to move 30-40 analog channels into the digital tier, thus freeing up that much bandwidth; two, the deadline for broadcasting analog signals passes and Comcast can use the full 750MHz for either digital or HD channels; or three, Comcast decides to no longer broadcast analog and force all current analog customers to digital boxes (though this scenario seems like it may anger quite a number of people).

**Question: What percentage of Comcast customers, either in MA or nationwide, are strictly analog? Is it such a small number that forcing them to digital wouldn't hurt Comcast financially if they don't migrate?**

By removing an analog channel entirely, how many digital channels can you broadcast? How many HD?

It seems like for us HD customers, for now and the near future, we're going to see new HD channels only as fast as Comcast can move analog channels entirely into the digital tier since I've gotten the impression we're at a saturation point in bandwidth.

The tricky part for any full digital initiative will be what to do with the folks that have several TVs but only 1 or 2 running digital boxes. I have my HD set that I watch primarily but my old analog set is in my bedroom without a box as is another set in the basement. Going fully to digital would hike up my cable rate even more. I would deal but imagine how this would impact many others out there.

The tricky part for any full digital initiative will be what to do with the folks that have several TVs but only 1 or 2 running digital boxes. I have my HD set that I watch primarily but my old analog set is in my bedroom without a box as is another set in the basement. Going fully to digital would hike up my cable rate even more. I would deal but imagine how this would impact many others out there.

The solution is the DCT700. These seem to be cheap. In canada where one can BUY cable boxes these are going for around $40 RETAIL in Canadian money.
I would lease these out for $1.25 or so a month.

Hey Avic

Any news on Comcast adding ESPN2-HD? I was wondering since D* will go live with it on 9/8 will we see it earlier.

not likely. They only carry HOME games in HD.

I think they are going to do some Bruin road games too. (Like the Sox) from NESNs page

The Bruins are back! This fall NESN will bring you even more games in HD than ever before.

If they did't do some Road games.. it certainly would not be "more games in HD then ever before"

My locals 4,5,7 and my NESN and FSN still appear snowy. Maybe my area hasn't been affected yet, I don't know but I haven't seen any change to my system.

My locals 4,5,7 and my NESN and FSN still appear snowy. Maybe my area hasn't been affected yet, I don't know but I haven't seen any change to my system.

Sony:

Have you gone into the diagnostic screen to see if those channels are showing up as analog or 256QAM?

Any news on if ESPN2HD will be available in time for college football season? Any news on other HD channels?

No I haven't. How do you go about doing that?

Sony, Press the power button for the cable on the remote. When the box powers down press the select button, I think within 3 seconds. The service menu will come up, check under the inband status. Its 3 or 4 down, I think. If it says Analog then thats the answer...

Avic, Two quick questions for you?
1) Is there a time frame for Sci-fi on Digital for us?
2) Any word on ADS in Maynard?

Sony, Press the power button for the cable on the remote. When the box powers down press the select button, I think within 3 seconds. The service menu will come up, check under the inband status. Its 3 or 4 down, I think. If it says Analog then thats the answer...

I would do the above, but first put tuner 1 on Channel 4 and tuner 2 on, say, Channel 7.

Then do the above, and check both tuners' status. If both say "analog", then full ADS is not there yet. If both say 256QAM, then you have ruled one factor out.

I would do the above, but first put tuner 1 on Channel 4 and tuner 2 on, say, Channel 7.

Then do the above, and check both tuners' status. If both say "analog", then full ADS is not there yet. If both say 256QAM, then you have ruled one factor out.


Thanks Tennberg,... Good point.. Its not going to help much if you are not on the channel you want to get the info on.

I would do the above, but first put tuner 1 on Channel 4 and tuner 2 on, say, Channel 7.

Then do the above, and check both tuners' status. If both say "analog", then full ADS is not there yet. If both say 256QAM, then you have ruled one factor out.

How do you set tuner 1 to one channel and tuner 2 to another? I had no idea that you could do that.

How do you set tuner 1 to one channel and tuner 2 to another? I had no idea that you could do that.

YesJim:

Change the 6412 to channel, say, 5. Hit the "Swap" button. You are now on the other tuner. Change the channel to, say, 28.

Now, both tuners are in the "analog" range. Go into the diagnostics and go to the in-band status section. If both tuners say "Analog", both channels are still analog. If both say "256QAM", then both are ADS.

How do you set tuner 1 to one channel and tuner 2 to another? I had no idea that you could do that.

The SWAP button down at the bottom of the 6412 remote.

I think they are going to do some Bruin road games too. (Like the Sox) from NESNs page

The Bruins are back! This fall NESN will bring you even more games in HD than ever before.

If they did't do some Road games.. it certainly would not be "more games in HD then ever before"

They'll figure something out. NESN has a friendlier relationship with Fox Sports net NE then they did with the old Sportschannel.

Comcast may end up having NESN full time on 851 and FSN Celtic games on 882.

My locals 4,5,7 and my NESN and FSN still appear snowy. Maybe my area hasn't been affected yet, I don't know but I haven't seen any change to my system.

In Lawrence the only channels in basic (Limited basic) that are still analog are 2,11,NECN and the PEG channels.


There is still no D on 4,5,7,or 13/25 but the SD feeds are digital.

They'll figure something out. NESN has a friendlier relationship with Fox Sports net NE then they did with the old Sportschannel.

Comcast may end up having NESN full time on 851 and FSN Celtic games on 882.

That's what I hope happens. I wonder why the pregame and post game shows aren't HD yet for the Sox, maybe that will be the new thing next season. They could even do the moring sportsdesk in HD who wouldn't want to watch Hazel May in HD :p

Just got home from work and I did that. However I see that the In-Band Status for Tuner 1 says Analog and the In-Band Tuner 2 says 256 QAM. So I'm not sure if my system has changed over to ADS or not. Can someone help me out?

I would do the above, but first put tuner 1 on Channel 4 and tuner 2 on, say, Channel 7.

Then do the above, and check both tuners' status. If both say "analog", then full ADS is not there yet. If both say 256QAM, then you have ruled one factor out.Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is the point of a dual-tuner? As in, what is the significance? I always just kind of thought it had to do with the ability to record two progamss at once. I've never even pressed the swap button on my remote; am I missing out on anything? :D

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is the point of a dual-tuner? As in, what is the significance? I always just kind of thought it had to do with the ability to record two progamss at once. I've never even pressed the swap button on my remote; am I missing out on anything? :D

bocmir:

Without a dual-tuner, the 6412 would be unable to record two programs at once and unable to swtich channels once a recording started. Let's say you set up a recording for a show at 7PM (and you're on tuner 1). 7PM rolls around and you want to change the channel, but it says if you do so, it will stop the recording. So, without a dual-tuner, you're forced to watch that show while it's recording (or watch something on DVR).

With a dual-tuner, you hit the SWAP button, and you're on tuner 2 and free to roam the channels.

With a dual-tuner, you can record 2 shows at the same time AND watch something you recorded. The wonders of technology :-)

AVIC,

I am out of the Arlington head end, Any news on ADS roll out? I still only have phase 1.

bocmir:

Without a dual-tuner, the 6412 would be unable to record two programs at once and unable to swtich channels once a recording started. Let's say you set up a recording for a show at 7PM (and you're on tuner 1). 7PM rolls around and you want to change the channel, but it says if you do so, it will stop the recording. So, without a dual-tuner, you're forced to watch that show while it's recording (or watch something on DVR).

Last night was a great example. The Sox were on at the same time as the Pats first pre-season game. So by using the swap button instead of the last to switch back and forth, you could Rewind and Fast forward through each game during the commercial breaks of the other.

Just got home from work and I did that. However I see that the In-Band Status for Tuner 1 says Analog and the In-Band Tuner 2 says 256 QAM. So I'm not sure if my system has changed over to ADS or not. Can someone help me out?

The changeover is gradual. It looks like whatever channel you had on Tuner 1 has not started simulcasting yet, but the one on Tuner 2 has (assuming you had Tuner 2 on a previously analog channel). You can check all basic channels in this manner to see which ones show the 256 QAM which indicates they are simulcasting.

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is the point of a dual-tuner? As in, what is the significance? I always just kind of thought it had to do with the ability to record two progamss at once. I've never even pressed the swap button on my remote; am I missing out on anything? :D

The ability to record 2 shows at once is the main benefit. You can also use the swap button to flip between 2 channels, of course the "last" button also does that for you. The discussion above is just for checking if the analog/digital simulcast is in place.

Couple questions:

Here in Medford, there are two channels, 42 and 96, which show up in the guide as showing "LOCAL PROGRAMMING" but on the screen, it always says "This channel should be available shortly" or something like that. They never show anything, and they don't even show up as available channels according to Comcast. What are they for? It seems like Comcast could get rid of these two and free up more room.

Also, is the on-screen guide only available to digital and HD box subscribers? I was thinking one channel you could get rid of is the TVGuide channel since it too seems like a waste, though it might not be if analog box users don't get an on-screen guide.

Can't Comcast NE basically tell all their analog subscribers they need to move to digital, give them the DCT700 for free in exchange for their analog box (and maybe up to 3 extra digital boxes for each analog box for, say, $1.00), and then not even bother broadcasting an analog signal across New England? Comcast seems very regional in this aspect, in that other threads show Comcast in other states doing this.

One would think all of the hard working folks at Comcast are already thinking of ways to increase the bandwidth. Additionally we all have to remember HD viewers are in the minority. I know plenty of folks that have no boxes, no digital cable and are plenty happy with their cable ready TVs that get 1-99 only.

While I'm sure each of us could come up with ideas for Comcast, its not really our job or place, thats what the money we pay them to hire pros to work on this stuff goes to.

That being said, something you are forgetting, the box rental might be $1.50 or whatever but Comcast currently charges a digital replication fee or some such which I think was $3.50 last time I had two boxes. You would be hard pressed to get mom and pop cable subscriber who at the most has one digital box to shell out $5 a month per TV since that makes cable just like a dish.

Would I like more HD channels, sure, am I getting antsy..not really, HD has come a long way, and still has a long way to go. Its probably a little too much to expect Comcast to carry *every* HD source under the sun.

[QUOTE=tennberg]Couple questions:

Here in Medford, there are two channels, 42 and 96, which show up in the guide as showing "LOCAL PROGRAMMING" What are they for? It seems like Comcast could get rid of these two and free up more room.

Also, is the on-screen guide only available to digital and HD box subscribers? I was thinking one channel you could get rid of is the TVGuide channel since it too seems like a waste, though it might not be if analog box users don't get an on-screen guide.

Channels 42 and 96 may be set aside for niche programming that's requested or contractually obligated by towns fed from the same headend as Medford. A quick scan of the towns around you shows RTPi (Portuguese) in Somerville, CKSH-9 (French) in Salem on channel 96, Galavision (Spanish) in Chelsea and Lynn on channel 42. These channels will most likely remain blank on your TV until Medford has the need or requests a similar service. Unless you'd prefer watching the Billy Blanks workout infomercial 24 hours a day.

As a digital subscriber, I also thought the TV Guide channel was a waste until I hooked up my old cable ready TV in the bedroom.

I've got a Comcast CableCard in my new Samsung HL-R5668W TV, and I subscribe to Comcast Classic Digital cable service. The CableCard and TV work flawlessly, and I'm fully aware that I do not have access to Comcast's interactive program guide or Comcast's on-demand features because of the one-way nature of the CableCard interface.

My new Samsung TV came with an integrated "TV Guide On-Screen System" (complete with an ugly, red TV Guide logo on the remote control). I'm certain that this built-in TV Guide On-Screen System is separate and distinct from Comcast's interactive program guide, because it says so in the user documentation that came with the Samsung TV.

Here's my issue: After the initial TV Guide On-Screen System setup was completed, I get the following message every time I turn on the TV:

TV Guide On Screen found more than one CableCARD channel lineup in your area. To receive correct program listings, you must select one of the following lineups. Please consult your cable provider if you are unsure which lineup to choose. Please choose your CableCARD lineup from the list below:

- Comcast, Digital (2017)
- Comcast, Digital (2810)
- No Match

I've talked with at least six people at Comcast. Nobody seems to know which channel lineup I should select. The last Comcast tech I spoke with told me that because the TV Guide feature is provided by Comcast, I can't access it because I have a CableCard. She said I need to select the "No Match" option from the list above.

I don't think this is a valid answer. Shouldn't I be able to access and use the TV Guide On-Screen System feature on my Samsung TV -- even if I'm using a Comcast CableCard? Does anyone know how I can I find out which Comcast channel lineup I'm receiving? I'm in Westford, Massachusetts.

I've got a Comcast CableCard in my new Samsung HL-R5668W TV, and I subscribe to Comcast Classic Digital cable service. The CableCard and TV work flawlessly, and I'm fully aware that I do not have access to Comcast's interactive program guide or Comcast's on-demand features because of the one-way nature of the CableCard interface.

My new Samsung TV came with an integrated "TV Guide On-Screen System" (complete with an ugly, red TV Guide logo on the remote control). I'm certain that this built-in TV Guide On-Screen System is separate and distinct from Comcast's interactive program guide, because it says so in the user documentation that came with the Samsung TV.

Here's my issue: After the initial TV Guide On-Screen System setup was completed, I get the following message every time I turn on the TV:

TV Guide On Screen found more than one CableCARD channel lineup in your area. To receive correct program listings, you must select one of the following lineups. Please consult your cable provider if you are unsure which lineup to choose. Please choose your CableCARD lineup from the list below:

- Comcast, Digital (2017)
- Comcast, Digital (2810)
- No Match

I've talked with at least six people at Comcast. Nobody seems to know which channel lineup I should select. The last Comcast tech I spoke with told me that because the TV Guide feature is provided by Comcast, I can't access it because I have a CableCard. She said I need to select the "No Match" option from the list above.

I don't think this is a valid answer. Shouldn't I be able to access and use the TV Guide On-Screen System feature on my Samsung TV -- even if I'm using a Comcast CableCard? Does anyone know how I can I find out which Comcast channel lineup I'm receiving? I'm in Westford, Massachusetts.


Exit32: I don't know too much about CableCards but I'd check to see if it has the latest firmware applied to it. That may help out your situation.

In your manual, is there a way to completely disbale the TVGuide on the TV? It's very odd that it's there. I've never heard of such a thing built into a TV.

Exit32: I don't know too much about CableCards but I'd check to see if it has the latest firmware applied to it. That may help out your situation.

In your manual, is there a way to completely disbale the TVGuide on the TV? It's very odd that it's there. I've never heard of such a thing built into a TV.

Thanks for your reply, tennberg. I can disable and ignore the TV Guide feature if I select the "No Match" option from the setup menu (see above). But I think I'll just try each of the two legitimate choices offered on the menu and see which one delivers the correct channel lineup.

I think we'll be seeing more and more TVs and PVRs equipped with this TV Guide On Screen System. You can find out more about it here:

http://www.tvgos.com/overview/digitaltv/default.asp

Anyone else having problems with TNTHD? It's kind of a bad time for it to be showing just a black screen...

Anyone else having problems with TNTHD? It's kind of a bad time for it to be showing just a black screen...

Indeed. 838 is out as well (tho I doubt any one will complain) I just called Comcast (13-15 minute hold time) and she said it didnt look like there were any known issues, but that she'd email the tech department. I'd suggest others to call to help get the priority kicked up a notch or 2.

Both are back - but I've lost all my lineup info! oh well...

I've got the channels back and the guide info so I guess I'm ahead of the game...

Has anyone gotten "phantom recordings", a recording with no title and a date of 12/31 1989 ? I have 4 of them now, I had none before 9.19 firmware. If someone could save me the trouble searching AVS on how to delete them I would appreciated it. I call Comcast and the CSR never heard of the phantom recording nor how to delete them

Has anyone gotten "phantom recordings", a recording with no title and a date of 12/31 1989 ? I have 4 of them now, I had none before 9.19 firmware. If someone could save me the trouble searching AVS on how to delete them I would appreciated it. I call Comcast and the CSR never heard of the phantom recording nor how to delete them

I'm up to four myself now. It seems like a new one shows up every two months or so or just a bit more than that. They don't seem to be taking up actual space and since the listings place them at the bottom at all times they don't bother me much, but I would like to get rid of them.

If I remember correctly this was an issue that came up awhile ago (Phantom Recordings) you had to delete all the programs to get rid of them. That is if memory serves me correctly.

If I remember correctly this was an issue that came up awhile ago (Phantom Recordings) you had to delete all the programs to get rid of them. That is if memory serves me correctly.

Yes, the only way to delete them is to delete all real recordings, and then delete the phantom recordings. I still have 2 on my 6412 that have been on there for months. Previous attempts to delete them have caused me to lose actual recordings.

I checked my In-Band Status on Tuner 1 and it still says Anaglog. I thought ADS was supposed to be in full effect? My Tuner 2 says 256 QAM but still Analog on Tuner 1.

I checked my In-Band Status on Tuner 1 and it still says Anaglog. I thought ADS was supposed to be in full effect? My Tuner 2 says 256 QAM but still Analog on Tuner 1.


where in Boston are you? check it tomorrow morning

where in Boston are you? check it tomorrow morningI'm on the Westford branch of the Boston system, and many channels such as WGBH (2) and CNN are still in analog as of Tuesday morning.

I'm on the Westford branch of the Boston system, and many channels such as WGBH (2) and CNN are still in analog as of Tuesday morning.

its the boston/brookline area thats done completely.

L Supreme, any idea on when the Maynard area will be done? Or for that matter when SCiFi will go digital?

Thanks mate

L Supreme, any idea on when the Maynard area will be done? Or for that matter when SCiFi will go digital?

Thanks mate

Sci Fi is not going digital only in the Boston market. (yet)

OK here's a question. Reruns of Enterprise start next month. WCVB seems to have the rights for the Boston area.

My question is WHEN will they be run and will they be in HD?

any new channels in the works? Avic?

Does Comcast have DVR boxes with HDMI out yet? I have a Comcast DVR box with DVI out, which I am using. Just curious. I am in the Boston area. Thanks

dk, can't you buy a small adapter that converts the comcast box DVI out to HDMI out?

I am using the DVI out with an DVI to HDMI cable and running cables for the audio. I suppose since I do not have a surround sound system at this time it does not matter other than having extra cables.

Bluejean cable has a few DVI to HDMI.. a pretty good cable vendor..

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/dvi/dviprices.htm

I like River Cable to but im not sure if they make em

Why isn't the Sox/Detroit game on ESPN-HD right now? It's on regular ESPN...

Why isn't the Sox/Detroit game on ESPN-HD right now? It's on regular ESPN...


Did you see the whole game or just the last inning on regular ESPN? If you're in the Boston Market, you shouldn't have been able to see the sox game on regular or HD. ESPN controls the cable company satellite receivers and will retune the regular channels to another game or ESPN News when the sox are on ESPN 1 or 2. Since ESPN2 HD launched in January and took up the extra satellite space. They've lost the ability to provide alternate HD programming during local blackouts.

Did you see the whole game or just the last inning on regular ESPN? If you're in the Boston Market, you shouldn't have been able to see the sox game on regular or HD. ESPN controls the cable company satellite receivers and will retune the regular channels to another game or ESPN News when the sox are on ESPN 1 or 2. Since ESPN2 HD launched in January and took up the extra satellite space. They've lost the ability to provide alternate HD programming during local blackouts.

East Kingston NH may had been out of the regiular blackout area. Lawrence MA sure isn't.

I'm sure had ESPN ran it in HD,NESN would have been able to use the HD feed.

Anybody else notice that LOST wasn't broadcast in Dolby last night? What a disapointment. The sound is probably about half the reason I watch that show. (Evangeline Lily is the other half, BTW)

Are we ever going to get any new channels???

Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds like the canned answer is nothing (no new stations) untill ADS is rolled out. I saw Verizon is signing a deal with Belmont for video services. I would venture to guess we will see alot of movement once they start to offer services.
Id be happy to hear when ADS is slated to come to my neck of the woods.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds like the canned answer is nothing (no new stations) untill ADS is rolled out. I saw Verizon is signing a deal with Belmont for video services. I would venture to guess we will see alot of movement once they start to offer services.
Id be happy to hear when ADS is slated to come to my neck of the woods.

I know ADS will allow Comcast to say "We have an all digital line-up", but does simulcasting all analogs save any bandwidth? If anything, it seems like it would take up more room. From what I gather, the only way to free up bandwidth is either to add more (how, I don't know) or to move an analog channel completely into the digital tier. If someone had an analog box, they would have to sign up for digital service with a digital box to get that channel.

Personally, I'd love to see Comcast NE come out and say they were getting rid of the analogs by, say, mid-2006 or earlier, and that all current analog subscribers had until then to sign up for digital service either at the same rate or for a couple dollars more. Also, all users who simply plugged the coaxial cable into their TV would need to get a DCT700 to get further service.

I believe it's those channels, 2-99, that are holding back a lot of growth in services from Comcast.

I thought once ADS was up and running at 100% we were going to see a big improvement in the quality of those channels 2-99. They still look like crap on my system and I take it they are still analog. My In-Band Tuner 1 still says analog but my Tuner 2 says 256 QAM. I want to know when Comcast plans on giving me digital quality on those lower end channels?

I know ADS will allow Comcast to say "We have an all digital line-up", but does simulcasting all analogs save any bandwidth? If anything, it seems like it would take up more room. From what I gather, the only way to free up bandwidth is either to add more (how, I don't know) or to move an analog channel completely into the digital tier. If someone had an analog box, they would have to sign up for digital service with a digital box to get that channel.

Personally, I'd love to see Comcast NE come out and say they were getting rid of the analogs by, say, mid-2006 or earlier, and that all current analog subscribers had until then to sign up for digital service either at the same rate or for a couple dollars more. Also, all users who simply plugged the coaxial cable into their TV would need to get a DCT700 to get further service.

I believe it's those channels, 2-99, that are holding back a lot of growth in services from Comcast.

That was what I was saying
The DCT700s can be BOUGHT in Canada. The price? $40 in Canadian money. Lease them for $1.25 and you're golden.

I would probobly have soime kind of limitation onthem like only 2 hours on the EPG or limited access to on demand (we need SOME incentive to keep the $5 month boxes out.

I thought once ADS was up and running at 100% we were going to see a big improvement in the quality of those channels 2-99. They still look like crap on my system and I take it they are still analog. My In-Band Tuner 1 still says analog but my Tuner 2 says 256 QAM. I want to know when Comcast plans on giving me digital quality on those lower end channels?

SonyHD,

You keep telling us that your Tuner 1 says analog and your Tuner 2 says 256 QAM, but that info is meaningless unless you state which channels they were on. ADS has nothing to do with which tuner you're using. Have you checked other channels? Do you know which ones are simulcasting yet?

I thought once ADS was up and running at 100% we were going to see a big improvement in the quality of those channels 2-99. They still look like crap on my system and I take it they are still analog. My In-Band Tuner 1 still says analog but my Tuner 2 says 256 QAM. I want to know when Comcast plans on giving me digital quality on those lower end channels?

The City of Boston and its suburbs (West Rox, Rox, etc) are 100% digital simulcast. Sounds like you aren't in Boston like your sig says but perhaps outside of Boston? As Avic has said, ADS is coming... give it a couple more months. Think of it this way... the cable company(s) in New England have been engineering their analog services for 20 years... along with that all the nuances and minor differences that comes with each town's franchise agreements. Going to an all digital simulcast in less than a year I find to be quite amazing... give it a few more months and have some patience. Several of my friends work for Comcast and are working every day on getting it done.

ScoopsHD, well I'm from Wakefield and at least there is some good news that this will all be brought to fruition. On a total sidenote here, I am a big Real Madrid fan and they have a brand new 24/7 network called Real Madrid TV. Apparently its broadcasting for FREE over North America via PanAmSat 9 @ 58 Degrees West. I wonder if there is any chance Comcast might be interested in picking it up considering it is free of charge? The network is supposed to be similar to the YES Network and has quality, according to some who have seen it to the likes of CNN and MTV. IMO this would make an excellent addition to the Sports Tier on Comcast.

That was what I was saying
The DCT700s can be BOUGHT in Canada. The price? $40 in Canadian money. Lease them for $1.25 and you're golden.

I would probobly have soime kind of limitation onthem like only 2 hours on the EPG or limited access to on demand (we need SOME incentive to keep the $5 month boxes out.

Can the DCT700 even support OnDemand? Can the DCT700 even support the guide the 6412 gets? I'd give DCT700 users full access to all guide info, wherever possible.

(I wish the 6412 would cache at least 6 hours of guide data. It sucks when I need to power off my system with the recent thunderstorms or when the power trips even for a second.

I'd love to see Comcast push out the following initiatives:

1. Complete stop broadcasting analog. Give all analog users the ability to transfer to, say, 2 DCT700s for free. A third DCT700 would be $1.25. Two extra DCT700s (or 4 total) would be $2. There was a mention of someone saying they'd have to get 5-6 cable boxes like that for their home. Seriously, who has 6 TVs in their home?

2. Revamp the current cable packages:

- Continue to offer basic cable, but slightly drop the price to offset any added costs for these users who move from analog to digital boxes. Call it Comcast Basic.

- Continue to offer standard cable, but again, drop the price a bit to offest those moving to digital. Call it Comcast Standard.

- Drop the names of the various digital packages, and just offer one package called Comcast Digital. Get rid of the Sports Pack and Premier Pack, and bundle them into Comcast Digital. Then, let the user add which of the 5 premiums (Starz, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, TMC) that they want. For example, you'd get Comcast Digital with HBO and Showtime, or CD with Starz, TMC, and Cinemax.

- Create a new package called Comcast HD, which would include Comcast Digital plus the HDs. Like above, you'd add the premiums you wanted and get the corresponding HD for that premium.

- Only offer the DVR box for HD customers (eliminate the need for 2 separate HD boxes) and bundle the price into the package cost of Comcast HD (somewhere in the middle of the cost of HD and the cost of DVR HD).

So, you'd be left with:

Comcast Basic
Comcast Standard
Comcast Digital
Comcast HD

The customization you could do on Digital and above would be to add premiums and that would be it. I guess I'd leave the handful of international channels as a la carte since Comcast doesn't really tout them and I doubt many people sign up for them.

Maybe I'm just a bit resentful at how big my bill is every month and I still don't get some channels (those in the Premier Pack and Sports Pack).

Although I do like customization, I also love very simplified offerings - Company X offers packages A, B, and C. You can add D and E to any of those packages, and that's it. Simple, clean, no confusion.

(I wish the 6412 would cache at least 6 hours of guide data. It sucks when I need to power off my system with the recent thunderstorms or when the power trips even for a second.


You should get a UPS for the Box and the TV. Decent ones can be had for less than $100. Granted, you will still want to turn off the TV as quick as possible because the battery wont last long with a TV - but it should be able to provide power for a while for the 6412.

Can the DCT700 even support OnDemand? Can the DCT700 even support the guide the 6412 gets? I'd give DCT700 users full access to all guide info, wherever possible.


the dct700's can do everything that a normal box can do,has the new guide, but the guide can go a week out where as current boxes go out a few days.

Did you see the whole game or just the last inning on regular ESPN? I had a brain fart. It was on NESN, not ESPN. Me got confused. :rolleyes:

Sorry to barge in uninvited. Newbie here in Malden. I ordered a Samsung 5078 HD DLP. Right now I have Dish on my SD TV. How does Comcast with HD compare to Dish or Direct HD? I would like to know picture quality and channel selection compares. What is ADS and what is this about Verizon offering video? Any info or help would be great! Thanks.

I have not seen direct HD so I cant say
I beleive ADS stands for Analog Digital Simulcast.
(correct me if I am wrong) and have been , Thanks JDoe :), It will basicly mean that all the signals are digtal.
Verizon is in the process (Though not for this board) of rolling out FIOS (go to there web sight you will see about FIOS) to areas of Ma. At some time they will begin to offer video services over fiber as well as the data they are offering some now. Just more competition.
I can tell you that Comcast has had its bumps along the way, as any new service will, but I love the DVR, I wish there were more HD stations but it will come in time. They do offer good service and you still get it during storms. I used to have regular directv and I did not get service in heavy weather.

Oh ya as far as I know everyone is invited!!!

:eek: ADS - Analog Digital Simulcast.


I have not seen direct HD so I cant say
I beleive ADS stands for Asynchrous Data Switching (correct me if I am wrong), It will basicly mean that all the signals are digtal.
Verizon is in the process (Though not for this board) of rolling out FIOS (go to there web sight you will see about FIOS) to areas of Ma. At some time they will begin to offer video services over fiber as well as the data they are offering some now. Just more competition.
I can tell you that Comcast has had its bumps along the way, as any new service will, but I love the DVR, I wish there were more HD stations but it will come in time. They do offer good service and you still get it during storms. I used to have regular directv and I did not get service in heavy weather.

Ive been in the wiring closet too long :)

Tennberg:

Try explaining to all the non box analog customers that they need two boxes: one on their tv and another on their vcr. I can imagine the comcast call center if they dropped analog right now...they would need to double the staff for all the complaints. As it is I have one HD digital set, and I have THREE analog configurations...a set in the bedroom and two computer tv cards. Sorry but I don't want boxes for all these unless they are free, with no increase in my bill.

Most of my friends don't even have digital cable !! I bet there are still more people on analog cable than digital. Hell Comcast is still advertising analog at cheap startup rates for new customers !!

Last time I checked, channel 72 analog (old HBO channel) was still showing color test bars, so I don't think bandwidth is 100% of the issue right now. Maybe it's more to do with channel aquisition costs ?

-Ken

Tennberg:

Try explaining to all the non box analog customers that they need two boxes: one on their tv and another on their vcr. I can imagine the comcast call center if they dropped analog right now...they would need to double the staff for all the complaints. As it is I have one HD digital set, and I have THREE analog configurations...a set in the bedroom and two computer tv cards. Sorry but I don't want boxes for all these unless they are free, with no increase in my bill.

Most of my friends don't even have digital cable !! I bet there are still more people on analog cable than digital. Hell Comcast is still advertising analog at cheap startup rates for new customers !!

Last time I checked, channel 72 analog (old HBO channel) was still showing color test bars, so I don't think bandwidth is 100% of the issue right now. Maybe it's more to do with channel aquisition costs ?

-Ken

Hey Ken,

Why would a non-box analog users need 2 boxes? Wouldn't the signal come from the wall to their cable box pass out to the vcr and then pass out to the TV? There would only need to be one DCT700 in that chain.

As for channel 72, I'm on an HD cable box and channel 72 no longer registers. As far as I was aware, it was moved entirely into the digital line-up and was no longer broadcasting as analog.

As for the whole analog cable/digital cable scenario, I would make it analogous to the VHS versus DVD battle. Digital cable has been around for a while, as has DVD. It's only in the last few years that DVD has seen a boom. It's to the point where stores no longer carry VHS tapes (or have moved them into a tiny corner and carry only 30 titles or so). VCRs are being outsold by DVD players and you see very few, if any, being sold at places like Best Buy or at online stores like Crutchfield. Consumers and manufactureres alike know that VHS tapes and VCRs are already in the coffin, and that DVD, along with DVR and soon Blu Ray, are the future.

You can say, "Well, there's still millions of VHS players nationwide, so what about those people?" If manufacturers and movie studios still thought the VHS consumer was a huge factor, wouldn't you see more VHS tapes in stores and more VCRs on shelves? People are seeing that DVD is the superior technology and they're responding to that.

Such is the case with digital cable. Consumers are seeing it is the superior technology (along with things like HD and DVR). Sure, there still may be a lot of customers with analog boxes or no boxes at all. But, often times, in order for technology to advance, obsolete technology must be left behind. Those consumers still using that technology can be given a way to migrate to the new technology (e.g., the migration at Apple from OS 9 to OS X).

I think it is up to companies like Comcast to say, "Digital is the future. For us to continue to maintain and support the analog signals is cost-prohibitive. We cannot continue to offer better features if analog is still present. For those still using analog, we will make the transition as painless as possible, but it must be done."

The constant complaint I hear from friends, family and non technicos when talking about thier digital service is the poor quality of the analog channels when viewed with the box. The solution most are giving is to use an A/B switch, which plunges them into multi remote control hell. Hurry up with ADS Comcast. Grandma can only remember how to use one remote at a time.

Tennberg,

My wife's grandmother does a lot of time shifting with her vcr and tv. the cable goes through the vcr and then out to the tv. She likes to watch one show and tape another, which would require two cable boxes on a digital system (digital box would be required on analog vcr). We forget that we are still on the cutting edge, more people are on analog at this point.

Channel 72 is still broadcasting color bars, I just checked.

Analog is still very profitable for Comcast, if it wasn't why would they be offering first time cable subs at a reduced rate ??

The full digital transition is going to take years for sure.

-Ken

Tennberg,

My wife's grandmother does a lot of time shifting with her vcr and tv. the cable goes through the vcr and then out to the tv. She likes to watch one show and tape another, which would require two cable boxes on a digital system (digital box would be required on analog vcr). We forget that we are still on the cutting edge, more people are on analog at this point.

Channel 72 is still broadcasting color bars, I just checked.

Analog is still very profitable for Comcast, if it wasn't why would they be offering first time cable subs at a reduced rate ??

The full digital transition is going to take years for sure.

-Ken

She sounds just like the person who would benefit from the DVR.
No color bars for ch 72 in Lawrence. Just a small barker message for a few days saying HBO was on ch 301 (We all know it is really on ch 870) :) then snow.

I remember when HBO was on ch14 and when it moved to ch 28 and needed a box (There was a ch 14 trap installed for non HBO subscribers,so folks could get HBO without a box) folks complained at first,buut learned to live with it.

They did then. they will now.

Am I the only one getting horrible lip synch issues on FOX HD 825? The other channels seem ok.

Am I the only one getting horrible lip synch issues on FOX HD 825? The other channels seem ok.
Whew! I just got my Panny 32 inch LCD today and was noticing this!! There is no problem on Fox SD but on Fox HD, Seinfeld is unwatchable!!! Glad to know it is not me.

Am I the only one getting horrible lip synch issues on FOX HD 825? The other channels seem ok.


I have the same lip synch issues with FOX HD here in Watertown.

Has anyone else noticed that the IR delay, when the box becomes unresponsive for 10-30 seconds, has gotton worse since the new firmware ?

Has anyone else noticed that the IR delay, when the box becomes unresponsive for 10-30 seconds, has gotton worse since the new firmware ?

dozens:

I was upgraded to 9.19 (from 9.15) and for the first 24-48 hours, I got no delays at all. The unit was responsive and quick.

However, I then started getting occasional IR delays. I am still getting them, though nowhere near the frequency I was getting them with 9.15.

I recorded No Opportunity Wasted on 839 from 6 to 7 and when I went back to watch it, noticed during the last half some audio skips with some pixelation/macro boxes on the bottom half of the screen. Anyone else watch or notice issues on other channels?

Has anyone else noticed that the IR delay, when the box becomes unresponsive for 10-30 seconds, has gotton worse since the new firmware ?


I think so too. The 6412 is the best cable box I have used, it is also the worst.

The constant complaint I hear from friends, family and non technicos when talking about thier digital service is the poor quality of the analog channels when viewed with the box. The solution most are giving is to use an A/B switch, which plunges them into multi remote control hell. Hurry up with ADS Comcast. Grandma can only remember how to use one remote at a time.
they're going as fast as they can, considering what's involved. FULL ADS in NH TONIGHT ;)

they're going as fast as they can, considering what's involved. FULL ADS in NH TONIGHT ;)

NH gets ADS before me, and I live only 3 miles from Boston?! :-)

they're going as fast as they can, considering what's involved. FULL ADS in NH TONIGHT ;)
Woohoo! Thanks for the heads up, avic!

I can't be the only one having issues.....Two of my cable boxes are down and cable internet is down....cable going directly into 3rd tv works fine.,......I';ve called comcast 10x and it says due to a high volume of customer calls we cannot help you at this time please call back later, and hangs up........

they're going as fast as they can, considering what's involved. FULL ADS in NH TONIGHT ;)

not in Lawrence yet. Ch 2 is still analog.

For tier buy through folks (digital without extended basic) I know that means chs 24-69 will all read not authorized. Right now only chs 24.,44,and 45 read that way.

While I am waiting for Comcast to actually answer my support call, I am going to be buying a first place soon, is it possible to get the bare bones basic cable package (~$10) and HDTV (~$8.25) or do they force you to buy a more expensive package?

This may not mean anything at all, but it's interesting:

When I do my HD scheduling once a week, I like to go two weeks out, since that's how far the guide goes. Until very recently, all the channels have had full listings (with the occasional "To Be Announced" popping up as you get close to the two week mark) that far out.

However, the full schedule for 881 and 882 only goes to 7 AM on 9/1. After that, 881 displays "Off-Air" from 7A to 7A (one listing per day, up through 9/7). 882 is the same, except their message (one line per day through 9/7) is "To Be Announced".

Maybe it's just a problem getting the data, but I've never seen this before. All the other HD channels have a detailed schedule that goes through the evening of 9/7. It makes you wonder if some changes might be in the works.

However, the full schedule for 881 and 882 only goes to 7 AM on 9/1. After that, 881 displays "Off-Air" from 7A to 7A (one listing per day, up through 9/7). 882 is the same, except their message (one line per day through 9/7) is "To Be Announced".

Maybe it's just a problem getting the data, but I've never seen this before. All the other HD channels have a detailed schedule that goes through the evening of 9/7. It makes you wonder if some changes might be in the works.

Ditto - I'm guessing that INHD is a tad slow to rollout their Spetember linup. I dont think they have many "regularly scheduled" programs like other networks to build around, so takes additional work.

Only a guess.

While I am waiting for Comcast to actually answer my support call, I am going to be buying a first place soon, is it possible to get the bare bones basic cable package (~$10) and HDTV (~$8.25) or do they force you to buy a more expensive package?

YUP!

THE HD locals are considered PART of that basic package.
"HDTV broadcast feeds are included in limited basic service"

My advice would be to toss in digital classic $5.95 and get ESPN HD,TNT HD,discovery HD theatre INHD1 and INHD2 tossed in along with 20 or so other standard channels,the guide and access to on demand.

If you have a QAM tuner and am only interested in your locas,you don't even need the box,but don't expect the HD locals in the 800s.

so last minute change...

FULL ADS in NH tonight EXCEPT Seacoast and Nashua tomorrow night.

YUP!

THE HD locals are considered PART of that basic package.
"HDTV broadcast feeds are included in limited basic service"

My advice would be to toss in digital classic $5.95 and get ESPN HD,TNT HD,discovery HD theatre INHD1 and INHD2 tossed in along with 20 or so other standard channels,the guide and access to on demand.

If you have a QAM tuner and am only interested in your locas,you don't even need the box,but don't expect the HD locals in the 800s.


Only an extra $5.95? According to this Digital Classic costs $58/month

http://www.comcast.com/Buyflow/default.ashx?LocResult&Zip=02324


Also, does Easton, MA use Comcast Cable? I can't find that zip code in the listing

Only an extra $5.95? According to this Digital Classic costs $58/month

http://www.comcast.com/Buyflow/default.ashx?LocResult&Zip=02324


Also, does Easton, MA use Comcast Cable? I can't find that zip code in the listing

give then a telephone call. You can't order Tier buy through online.
At the local cable office you will see a flyer with current prices and services.
Difgital Classic will be listed there at $5.95. This means you can purchase is seperatly a-la-carte.

Well, I made the upgrade to the HDTV STB from Comcast, have it running at 1080i to my new Sammy 1080p DLP over HDMI. I've got a (potentially stupid) question maybe someone can help me out with.

So most of the HD channels look absolutely spectacular (INHD1 and 2, ESPN, etc) for me. But Discovery HD frequently looks, for lack of a better term, "janky." Angled lines shimmer like mad pretty frequently, almost like parts of the entire image is "shuddering" back and forth by one pixel, especially on slow pans of scenery. It's not constant, and sometimes it looks absolutely fantastic. But it's there enough to be pretty annoying.

Is this pretty much par for the course?

These things are like Gremlins! They keep multiplying!

I finally watched all the real shows on my 6412, and got the MyDVR section down to 2 phantom "1989" recordings. I tried to delete one, but selecting "Delete recording" didn't do anything. Ditto for the second recording.

I unplugged the box for 60 seconds, plugged it back in, and waited for a couple minutes. I then went back into MyDVR, and there were *3* "1989" recordings. When picking one and selecting "Delete recording", the box freezes. It then pops up a big window after about a minute that says "Unable to process request". About a minute later, it says "Unable to process request. Please contact customer service at. Code NH."

So, just how does one get rid of these recordings? Do I need to get an entirely new 6412 to fix this? Any help is appreciated.

tennberg, check out the 6412 thread for help...if i hear about the phase 3, will let you know.

so last minute change...

FULL ADS in NH tonight EXCEPT Seacoast and Nashua tomorrow night.


Argh! Confirmed no ADS in Nashua. Typically, Nashua's been good about rolling stuff out. I wonder what the delay was ?

Hi, any word of when UPN28 will be added in Bristol County? Any word on any other new HD channels adds coming soon?

Well, I made the upgrade to the HDTV STB from Comcast, have it running at 1080i to my new Sammy 1080p DLP over HDMI. I've got a (potentially stupid) question maybe someone can help me out with.

So most of the HD channels look absolutely spectacular (INHD1 and 2, ESPN, etc) for me. But Discovery HD frequently looks, for lack of a better term, "janky." Angled lines shimmer like mad pretty frequently, almost like parts of the entire image is "shuddering" back and forth by one pixel, especially on slow pans of scenery. It's not constant, and sometimes it looks absolutely fantastic. But it's there enough to be pretty annoying.

Is this pretty much par for the course?
I've never seen that. I don't watch it all the time, but at least a few times a week for the past year or so. Does it still have the problem? And only Discovery HD? Discovery HD has the best looking HD programming on Comcast. Just for gapes set the output of the STB to 720p and see what happens. Also, it may be (guessing here) that the 1080i that Discovery HD is "flagged" or encoded slightly different than the other 1080i broadcasts and your TVs deinterlacer has problems with it. You may want to check in the RPTV forum and see if other new Sammy owners have the same problem.

larry

Ditto - I'm guessing that INHD is a tad slow to rollout their Spetember linup. I dont think they have many "regularly scheduled" programs like other networks to build around, so takes additional work.

Only a guess.

Just checked inhd.com, and they have a detailed schedule for both INHD/INHD2 through 9/7. Still nothing for 881/882 after 7A 9/1 on our guide, and all the other HD channels are scheduled through 9/8.

Like I said, it might not mean anything, but interesting nonetheless.

I've never seen that. I don't watch it all the time, but at least a few times a week for the past year or so. Does it still have the problem? And only Discovery HD? Discovery HD has the best looking HD programming on Comcast. Just for gapes set the output of the STB to 720p and see what happens. Also, it may be (guessing here) that the 1080i that Discovery HD is "flagged" or encoded slightly different than the other 1080i broadcasts and your TVs deinterlacer has problems with it. You may want to check in the RPTV forum and see if other new Sammy owners have the same problem.


Setting the box to 720p doesn't make the problem go away, strangely enough (that was my first though too, some sort of deinterlacer issue). I'm wondering if it's a simple contrast issue... i.e. my contrast and sharpness setting are set *just below* where they'd cause problems on things like INHD1, 2, ESPN, HBOHD, etc, and thus they look fantastic. But if DiscoveryHD is the killer signal on Comcast everyone says it is, maybe it's innate sharpness of the images is "too much" for my current contrast and sharpness settings on the TV, thus creating the jaggies and shimmering along angled edges.

Time for more experiments.

Well I wanted to see Veronica Mars on my new tv. The audio on UPN HD is clipping like crazy, even in the commercials. It's back! Maybe it never really left and I was deluding myself. What is going on here? I could have sworn it was fine the past few days on other HD shows.

give then a telephone call. You can't order Tier buy through online.
At the local cable office you will see a flyer with current prices and services.
Difgital Classic will be listed there at $5.95. This means you can purchase is seperatly a-la-carte.



Hi, I'm sorry, can you clarify how this works? I don't understand how they can charge $58 for it online and $5.95 for it over the phone.

thanks

Macd

The $58 price includes expanded basic. They can NOT require you to pruchase expanded basic in order to get digital. The HD locals (802,804,805,807,825,838,and 856) are considerd PART of Limited Basic.

In most areas expanded basic is on channels24-69 and incluses channels like Disney,niceloden,MTV,Fx,TBS,USA,Lifetime,CNN,NESN,Fox sports NE,Spike TV,comedy Central and Sci Fi channel.

With tier buy through digital you will NOT GET those channels.

Digital classic includes Discovery HD home theatre,ESPN HD, TNT HD,INHD1 and INHD2 featuring BRiuns and Red sox games from NESN HD and Celtic home games from FSN HD

Limited Basic is required to receive any other video service.

ok, I appreciate your explanation, and I will attempt to use it to get such a deal.

So theoretically I can get Basic cable ($10)+HDTV ($8.25)+ Digital Classic ($5.95) and for ~ $24.20/month plus fees and taxes get most of the HD channels? All I care most about is HD and a few non hd channels. My primary reason for getting HD was red sox, so I want the INHDs....I rarely leave the HD segment, so I could care less about the other stations, for the most part.

ok, I appreciate your explanation, and I will attempt to use it to get such a deal.

So theoretically I can get Basic cable ($10)+HDTV ($8.25)+ Digital Classic ($5.95) and for ~ $24.20/month plus fees and taxes get most of the HD channels? All I care most about is HD and a few non hd channels. My primary reason for getting HD was red sox, so I want the INHDs....I rarely leave the HD segment, so I could care less about the other stations, for the most part.

That is about right.
The FREE on demand stuff is part of digital classic.so you get access to that too.

Setting the box to 720p doesn't make the problem go away, strangely enough (that was my first though too, some sort of deinterlacer issue). I'm wondering if it's a simple contrast issue... i.e. my contrast and sharpness setting are set *just below* where they'd cause problems on things like INHD1, 2, ESPN, HBOHD, etc, and thus they look fantastic. But if DiscoveryHD is the killer signal on Comcast everyone says it is, maybe it's innate sharpness of the images is "too much" for my current contrast and sharpness settings on the TV, thus creating the jaggies and shimmering along angled edges.

Time for more experiments.Ahhh, ok, you were withholding evidence. :) You didn't mention having to tweak settings for the other channels also. Interesting. I'd also look for any "automatic picture adjusting" or "noise reduction" features in the TV and turn them off. They go by a variety of names but are usually easy to spot in the manual description if nowhere else.

larry

Argh! Confirmed no ADS in Nashua. Typically, Nashua's been good about rolling stuff out. I wonder what the delay was ?

Full ADS appears to be a reality in Nashua now. Woot!

What is the ADS schedule look like for Metro West??????

Just a quick note, I stopped by my local comcast office yesterday and asked them how the inventory of HD equipment is looking and their response was both the HD DVR & HD STB are flying out the door and they are having trouble keeping anything in stock. They have not seen the demand for HD service as high as it is right now and only expect it to get higher in the coming weeks with MLB playoffs and the NFL season right around the corner. So equipment is only going to get harder to get as they try to keep up with demand and despite what some people in this forum have been saying, I think 2005 is the year HDTV has finally arrived, at least in it's fast growing popularity.

I'm just hoping to get a Phase 3 6412 at some point soon. I've heard they are a bit different internally than the current 6412s. I'm also hoping they have quieter HDs.

I'm not sure how Comcast NE would hand them out. Would people currently with 6412s get them first?

I'm just hoping to get a Phase 3 6412 at some point soon. I've heard they are a bit different internally than the current 6412s. I'm also hoping they have quieter HDs.

I'm not sure how Comcast NE would hand them out. Would people currently with 6412s get them first?
I'll find out Wednesday. I made an appointment 2 weeks ago for this Wednesday and they are supposed to bring me out an HD-DVR as well as a cable card.

According to this report, comcast is testing giving analog cable customers up to 3 dct-700s for free. If this goes wide scale after ADS conversion, it would be a great thing !!

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13987000~start=0

-Ken

According to this report, comcast is testing giving analog cable customers up to 3 dct-700s for free. If this goes wide scale after ADS conversion, it would be a great thing !!

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13987000~start=0

-Ken

Cool if its true but more of a post then a report. Can we get any confirm of this post? 3 boxes im suprised its not just 1.

"An all digital trial is being conducted in Calavaras, CA where everyone with Standard (or Expanded Basic) is provided with 3 digital boxes (DCT700) at no additional charge. Extra boxes are $1/mo for the first year and $5/mo thereafter. I imagine this will be the model for future all digital transitions."

Cool if its true but more of a post then a report. Can we get any confirm of this post? 3 boxes im suprised its not just 1.

"An all digital trial is being conducted in Calavaras, CA where everyone with Standard (or Expanded Basic) is provided with 3 digital boxes (DCT700) at no additional charge. Extra boxes are $1/mo for the first year and $5/mo thereafter. I imagine this will be the model for future all digital transitions."

I'm also a bit surprised it's 3. I was expecting 2 at most.

I'd love to see Comcast NE push these out to all analog subscribers, get them on to digital, and stop broadcasting analog signals in the NE. Even though the boxes don't allow for advanced audio options, I'm under the belief that most cable subscribers simply plug the left/right audio into their VCR or directly into their TV.

I'm also a bit surprised it's 3. I was expecting 2 at most.

I'd love to see Comcast NE push these out to all analog subscribers, get them on to digital, and stop broadcasting analog signals in the NE. Even though the boxes don't allow for advanced audio options, I'm under the belief that most cable subscribers simply plug the left/right audio into their VCR or directly into their TV.

One problem with trying to move everyone to digital is that people with VCRs will lose the ability to use the VCR's tuner. This means not being able to program it to record specific channels (they'd have to leave the box tuned to the channel they want to record), and it means needing two cable boxes to record one program while watching another. Of course, they could get the 6412, but Comcast is certainly not going to give that away.

VCR? What's that? Do people still use those?

VCR? What's that? Do people still use those?
I think it stands for "Very Crude Recorder".

Mickey

I hope you guys are joking, because vcrs are still the majority of the time shifting beasts out there. Dvrs are still the new kids on the block and not that many people have them. We are still on the cutting edge.
Getting all the analog people to digital is going to take a hurculean effort on Comcasts part with the right combination of free digital boxes, discounts etc. They need to explain to granny smith why she now needs a cable box on her vcr to time shift, why her cable bill is $10 higher etc.....

Ken

Blockbuster does not even carry VHS anymore. IMHO people are aware that it is going out the door, they dont have to be happy about it but are proably aware of it.
All I ever hear from people complaing about it say... "what do I do with all those Disney movies I bought"

I hope you guys are joking, because vcrs are still the majority of the time shifting beasts out there. Dvrs are still the new kids on the block and not that many people have them. We are still on the cutting edge.
Getting all the analog people to digital is going to take a hurculean effort on Comcasts part with the right combination of free digital boxes, discounts etc. They need to explain to granny smith why she now needs a cable box on her vcr to time shift, why her cable bill is $10 higher etc.....

Ken

Exactly. My parents still have a VCR (it's part of a DVD/VCR combo) and they still watch tapes on it, though they do have a DVR for recording shows.

Is Comcast and its CSRs willing to be patient enough with your grandmother to properly hook up the DCT700 and anything else she might need to her older non-cable ready TV and older VCR? That is where the herculean effort is going to be. Getting the boxes to people is going to be easy, justifying a small price increase (say $3-5 to ease the pain on analog customers) is going to be less easy but doable. The hard part comes in helping tens of thousands of customers who have never used a cable box to set one up in their older TV/VCR setups. Best of luck to Comcast on that.

VCRs may be the majority of time shifting beasts out there, but the sad truth is that the average VCR user never timeshifted. Most VCRs sold have been used mainly for prerecorded media, and DVDs are so much better for that that VCRs are quickly disappearing from the landscape.

VCRs may be the majority of time shifting beasts out there, but the sad truth is that the average VCR user never timeshifted. Most VCRs sold have been used mainly for prerecorded media, and DVDs are so much better for that that VCRs are quickly disappearing from the landscape.
That is correct. The art of VCR time-shifting was the domain of the more advanced users who have long since deposited their VCR's in their private technology museums (basements and attics). I am not in favor of holding back the tide of technology to better suit the laggards.

Mickey

It looks like the trials are true enough.. I found this link ( http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/2005/08/29/news/news01.txt )on SEAC's yahoo stock board confirming the story though I didnt see mention of how many boxes were given out.

From that newspaper article:

"Out of 7,100 Comcast customers in the county, 2,000 are affected. Basic cable customers are not affected."

So...if Calavares county is typical (no way to know for sure), this means that 5,100 customers (overwhelming MAJORITY) are on analog basic. They are NOT being provided with the DCT-700s. Like I said before, conversion to 100% digital is YEARS away.

-Ken

Cool if its true but more of a post then a report. Can we get any confirm of this post? 3 boxes im suprised its not just 1.

"An all digital trial is being conducted in Calavaras, CA where everyone with Standard (or Expanded Basic) is provided with 3 digital boxes (DCT700) at no additional charge. Extra boxes are $1/mo for the first year and $5/mo thereafter. I imagine this will be the model for future all digital transitions."

That county has NO HDTV.,NO DVR,and NO On Demand.(before ADS)

Anyone here using both a cable card and set-box? I just got a new DLP and am looking to possibly add a cable card to my set-up to allow for picture in picture.

:)

Is anyone else noticing jittery pictures on the HD channels? I'm getting nauseous just watching them. I first noticed this around 4:30PM today.

The analogs and digitals are fine; only the HDs seem to be affected.

Is anyone else noticing jittery pictures on the HD channels? I'm getting nauseous just watching them. I first noticed this around 4:30PM today.

The analogs and digitals are fine; only the HDs seem to be affected.

Never mind. The jittering disappeared at about 5:45PM and has since not returned. I will definitely keep an eye out to see if it returns.

So now WB HD has no sound during the HD portions, but there was sound during the news break. Also, UPN doesn't have audio problems on Girlfriends (yay).

Anyone here using both a cable card and set-box? I just got a new DLP and am looking to possibly add a cable card to my set-up to allow for picture in picture.

:)


perhaps I'm behind the times, but I just run a coax cable from my box to the antenna input on my DLP (and use that as PIP), my HDTV runs from the box through component cables.

For all those up late, be sure to catch Late Show with David Letterman. It airs tonight for the first time in HD. I can't wait to see it! I think the period from Fall 2005 to Fall 2006 is going to see a huge increase in the number of shows switching to HD format, as well as new channels cropping up (like, from what I hear, HGTV HD, MTV HD, Food Network HD, and Fox HD, though I'm not sure how that last one differs from what we get now in Boston).

It seems with all these new HD channels cropping up, Comcast will need to move to tiered HD offerings, such as basic HD (CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, PBS, WB, and UPN) with the price of the HD cable box, a second tier with Discovery, INHD, INHD2 and so forth with all the basics, and a third tier that includes all those mentioned plus everything else in HD.

I'm just hoping to get a Phase 3 6412 at some point soon. I've heard they are a bit different internally than the current 6412s. I'm also hoping they have quieter HDs.

I'm not sure how Comcast NE would hand them out. Would people currently with 6412s get them first?

I got my phase III when I shifted from SD cable to HD cable last thursday. So i don't think already having HD gets someone priority for a phase 3 box.

As for HD noise... i've never heard it. It's significantly quieter than the Tivo I was using back with the SD box. Man I miss that Tivo user interface. Dual tuners is cool, but some of the human-computer interaction choices in the Motorola DVR interface is absolutely baffling. Some of the bugs in the system are unintentionallly hilarious as well (for example, the DVR for no reason created a season pass to Ripley's Believe it or Not without me telling it to, and now I have no way to delete it since it doesn't show up on my show priority list, since I didn't actually enter the season pass in the first place)

For all those up late, be sure to catch Late Show with David Letterman. It airs tonight for the first time in HD. I can't wait to see it! I think the period from Fall 2005 to Fall 2006 is going to see a huge increase in the number of shows switching to HD format, as well as new channels cropping up (like, from what I hear, HGTV HD, MTV HD, Food Network HD, and Fox HD, though I'm not sure how that last one differs from what we get now in Boston).

It seems with all these new HD channels cropping up, Comcast will need to move to tiered HD offerings, such as basic HD (CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, PBS, WB, and UPN) with the price of the HD cable box, a second tier with Discovery, INHD, INHD2 and so forth with all the basics, and a third tier that includes all those mentioned plus everything else in HD.

Another big step should be not only be big events in HD but letterboxed on SD sets.
A good program to do this would be the NFL Championship game.

I know its only pre-season, but should Thrsdays game be in HD. Titan doesnt show it as.

I got my phase III when I shifted from SD cable to HD cable last thursday. So i don't think already having HD gets someone priority for a phase 3 box.



Are you sure you have phase 3 box ? Does it have DVI or HDMI connection on the back of it ? I would love to know what firmware you have on the box. Even better what object version is listed on diag screen d08 (code modules).

I know its only pre-season, but should Thrsdays game be in HD. Titan doesnt show it as.
All Pats preseason games are being broadcast in HD.

I got my phase III when I shifted from SD cable to HD cable last thursday. So i don't think already having HD gets someone priority for a phase 3 box.

As for HD noise... i've never heard it. It's significantly quieter than the Tivo I was using back with the SD box. Man I miss that Tivo user interface. Dual tuners is cool, but some of the human-computer interaction choices in the Motorola DVR interface is absolutely baffling. Some of the bugs in the system are unintentionallly hilarious as well (for example, the DVR for no reason created a season pass to Ripley's Believe it or Not without me telling it to, and now I have no way to delete it since it doesn't show up on my show priority list, since I didn't actually enter the season pass in the first place)


nvrlnd:

Are you sure it was a phase 3 box? I've been reading other threads on this forum and it seems the only places that have mentioned getting the phase 3 box was some place in Indiana and also a couple places in California.

Like dozens said, does it have a DVI or HDMI port on the back? I also read on another forum the phase 3 box has a cable out connection, so that's one way to tell I think.

nvrlnd, yes, please check to see if there is an HDMI and SATA connection on the back of your box. If there is I will put in a reserve for one. Hard to believe nobody has checked if the SATA port is functional yet.

Any free previews over the Labor Day weekend? I threw out my bill before checking...

It's definetly a Phase III box. I actually have it hooked to my TV through HDMI as we speak =). Needless to say, it looks pretty great over HDMI, although I do get that occasional "jankiness" with DiscoveryHD I don't see on the other HD channels.

It also has the SATA port, but I can't verify if it's activated or not (no spare hard drive sitting around to test it with).

One thing I wish it had was an auto-source detect so it'd pass 720p channels at 720p and 1080i channels at 1080i rather than forcing the user to pick one resolution or the other, but hope springs eternal.

I'll try to get that firmware listing and whatnot once I get home tonight. is that on the normal "setup" menu you do the "power off then press menu" sequence to get to?

Motorola decided for some reason that the users were too stupid to figure out the differences between resolutions so locked it for either. They should add a "native" output option. It's the only STB I've seen without one.

Yes, power off then SELECT/OK, etc. You'll figure it out.

What town are you in?

Is anyone else getting the Tennis Channel (266) showing a generic listing like "Tennis programming, 6pm - 6am"?

It isn't showing listings for individual shows. It's just showing a 12 hour range with a generic description.

Isn't the Tennis Channel moving to the "Sports Pack" after Labor Day? I'm a bit sad to see it go. Tennis is one of the few sports I can actually watch, and other channels like ESPN or CBS don't show it that much.

To answer a few Phase III questions that have popped up

I'm in scenic West Roxbury, aka the DubRox (represent!) The box has an "Alston" sticker on the back of it.

The box is on firmware version 12.18

Object Version is 49.34 (have no idea whatsoever this one means)

Motorola decided for some reason that the users were too stupid to figure out the differences between resolutions so locked it for either. They should add a "native" output option. It's the only STB I've seen without one.

Yes, power off then SELECT/OK, etc. You'll figure it out.

What town are you in?

That is a bit too simplistic of answer. Yes Motorola and/or the MSOs do not want calls from customers saying their tv or STB does not work because they can't see a picture. Another factor is detecting the format will increase the amount of time it takes to change channels, especially when the number of scan lines changes as a result. It would be nice to have the choice to do "native" and perhaps the MSO techs could set the box to a fixed format and let the knowledgable users change it. The only way we will get a native format is to let Comcast know we want it so give them a call and ask for it.

nvrlnd, yes, please check to see if there is an HDMI and SATA connection on the back of your box. If there is I will put in a reserve for one. Hard to believe nobody has checked if the SATA port is functional yet.

Any free previews over the Labor Day weekend? I threw out my bill before checking...

There is alot of new things that could come with the phase III boxes two of them being HD pip and expandable storage. Initially I would not expect these new features, the box has a new broadcom chip in it and getting the same functionality as the phase II boxes will be the first step

Whatever happed to PIP on the digital boxes with Comcast ? I thought this was part of the plan, I know my friend with Time Warner has this capability on his STB.

-Ken

I'm pretty sure we have ADS in Maynard/Concord part of Mass (just by looking at PQ of upper channels), but SciFi channel is still awful analog on my 6412. How can you tell FOR SURE one has ADS?

Is Comcast just rolling out partial ADS? It's unbelievable they don't include SciFi--

Spearse -

The ADS is a gradual roll out until all channels are complete. I still have some analog channels here in Chelmsford as well.
-Ken

I'm pretty sure we have ADS in Maynard/Concord part of Mass (just by looking at PQ of upper channels), but SciFi channel is still awful analog on my 6412. How can you tell FOR SURE one has ADS?

Is Comcast just rolling out partial ADS? It's unbelievable they don't include SciFi--

spearse, Turn your tuners to the analog stations you want to check, then power off the STB and press select on your remote within 3 seconds. A service menu will come up. I think it is three sections down to see if it is 256qam or it will say Analog. (In bad status, i think?)

I had the cable card installed today in my Mits 62725 DLP. I didn't notice this until after the installer left but 882 does not show up as an option and cannot be accessed by my tuner. I get every other 800 channel including 881. I called Comcast and got tired of a half-hour hold and hung up. Any ideas? I do have to schedule another visit as my Comcast guy bought me a dead HD-DVR and didn't have another one. I am starting to think I made a mistake switching from DIRECTV to Comcast just to get the Sox. Now I can't even get THEM.

Benji,

See if they will let you pick up the 6412 at your local comcast office, although I heard recently that due to a shortage of dvr boxes that an installer must deliver one which is crap.

-Ken

Benji,

See if they will let you pick up the 6412 at your local comcast office, although I heard recently that due to a shortage of dvr boxes that an installer must deliver one which is crap.

-Ken
At this point, I am somewhat dissappointed with Comcast customer service. I don't really have the time to run around to their offices. They should bring me what I ordered in the first place especially if they confirmed they would 2 weeks prior. I'm telling you DIRECTV is looking better and better. I really wanted to get NESNHD but if they keep blowing me off, I'll switch back and screw NESNHD.

Thanks folks-- yep, SciFi channel is still analog. Thank goodness all of the home shopping channels are in digital though, that's the important thing! (What are they thinking??)

I thought Sci-Fi was being moved into the digital realm (200+). I know it will eventually go through ADS in my area, but I thought I read somewhere Comcast was moving it into the digital tier.

I thought Sci-Fi was being moved into the digital realm (200+). I know it will eventually go through ADS in my area, but I thought I read somewhere Comcast was moving it into the digital tier.

That was in that one area that they were doing it... some just mistook it for Comcast doing it everywhere. Granted it may happen, but I don't believe any official announement has been made in this area. And by law Comcast would have to notify its customers at least 30 day in advance.

Spearse, as far as the home shopping channels being ADS and SciFi not... those channels that are still not ADS are such because they are channels that Comcast sells advertising on. Thus they have to engineer a solution to get those ads into the digital version of those channels.

Did some experimenting and am now receiving INHD2 on channel 705 in the Spanish language channel area. The sound sometimes cuts out but at least I have
the picture. Stay tuned.

Did some experimenting and am now receiving INHD2 on channel 705 in the Spanish language channel area. The sound sometimes cuts out but at least I have
the picture. Stay tuned.

MVS is 705. INHD2 is still 882.

Does anyone know where one can get information on the possible Comcast/Tivo guide sofware and what it may or may not include?

Does anyone know where one can get information on the possible Comcast/Tivo guide sofware and what it may or may not include?

probobly won't know ANYTHING until sometime next year.

Couple other questions:

1. Any chance Comcast NE will sign up for/distribute the Motorola Moxi units to customers over the 6412s? I've been reading a bit about them, and they seem great, especially the Moxi guide (which looks leaps and bounds better than the on-screen TV Guide iGuide).

2. Also, I read somewhere on another thread that Comcast was trying out the SA 8300HD or similar model. Any idea if this is true? Is the SA 8300HD better than the 6412 in any way?

Couple other questions:

2. Also, I read somewhere on another thread that Comcast was trying out the SA 8300HD or similar model. Any idea if this is true? Is the SA 8300HD better than the 6412 in any way?

Not all of Comcast's head ends are Motorola based, the ones that are not use SA hardware. I have read that the 8300HD doesn't working DVI, HDMI or 1394 outputs so I would consider it inferior to 6412.

probobly won't know ANYTHING until sometime next year. I'm counting the days....... :)

larry

Couple other questions:

1. Any chance Comcast NE will sign up for/distribute the Motorola Moxi units to customers over the 6412s? I've been reading a bit about them, and they seem great, especially the Moxi guide (which looks leaps and bounds better than the on-screen TV Guide iGuide).



Moxi would be cool,but I still like the Iguide

Moxi would be cool,but I still like the Iguide

What do you like about it? The interface is a bit clunky, it's not very responsive, it usually messes up series recordings, it sometimes stops recording shows before they end, etc.

I will be the first in line to pay the bit extra to get the Tivo guide software or any other guide software.

The hardware in the Phase III 6412 Motorola boxes appear to be more advanced then in their Moxi ones. Either way I'll probably get one just because the harddrive in my old 6412 has always been too noisy for me anyways.

As for digital SD, I really don't care anymore as I rarely watch anything that's not HD anymore anyways. Occasionally BBC-A, and really that's it. Be nice if Sci-Fi went HD, but that's a long way off. We'll be lucky enough to get Universal-HD just to see 1st run Battlestar Galactica in HD. I really can't bring myself to watch crop and zoom movies otherwise.

MVS is 705. INHD2 is still 882.
705 is supposed to be MVS but I have been and continue to be receiving INHD2 on it, sometimes with audio and sometimes without.

705 is supposed to be MVS but I have been and continue to be receiving INHD2 on it, sometimes with audio and sometimes without.

Benji:

Have you called Comcast and have them send a reset/initialization to the box? That may help to put INHD2 back at 882.

Is anyone still getting remote/IR delays after being upgraded to firmware 9.19?

I was upgraded to 9.19 and am still experiencing remote/IR delays. Basically, the 6412 doesn't respond to any commands from the remote for anywhere from 5-30 seconds. The light on the 6412 remains ON that shows a command was received.

Then, the box "unfreezes" and proceeds to carry out all commands that were pressed during the time it was "frozen". Very annoying. I don't have anything else in my living room that would cause rogue IR transmissions.

The only thing I can think of is that my audio/video stand has glass shelves, although no glass doors, so there is nothing in front of the 6412 that would obstruct it.

On to another topic:

Does anyone know when ADS will be completed for Metro Boston? Here in Medford, only 25% of the analog channels are now broadcasting through ADS. There hasn't been much change since the beginning of the summer. Already, Boston and all of NH have gotten full ADS :-(

On to another topic:

Does anyone know when ADS will be completed for Metro Boston? Here in Medford, only 25% of the analog channels are now broadcasting through ADS. There hasn't been much change since the beginning of the summer. Already, Boston and all of NH have gotten full ADS :-(

Lawrence update: nothing new.

In braodcast basic: all channels are digital except for ch2,ch 11,ch 46,ch 60,NECN and the PEG channels.

Extednned basic has ONLY Disney,Cspan1,and Cspan 2

Is anyone still getting remote/IR delays after being upgraded to firmware 9.19?

Absolutely. It might be me just getting more and more irked about the whole issue, but IMHO it appears to be worse on some occasions.

Question for those in the know with NESN . . .

I'm in CT and am haven't received the HD broadcast of the Red Sox games the last two nights (Wed. & Thurs). I'm being told by Comcast that NESN is the one blocking the feed to my town because of some agreement between NESN and my town. This sounds completely ridiculous to me and no matter how many times I told the CSR that he insisted that it was NESN and not Comcast's fault. If I can get the SD broadcast, I should be able to get the HD broadcast (of course except for Friday night games).

Thanks,
Scott

Never mind. The jittering disappeared at about 5:45PM and has since not returned. I will definitely keep an eye out to see if it returns.I'm getting it right now with Discovery HD. It's been doing it since late last night. None of the other channels have the problem.

When will the HBO preview start ? Tonight at Midnight ? What have these previews started in the past ?

-Ken

Here in Watertown, there's still plenty of analog channels.

This stinks, I was getting HBO HD for about a half an hour, Napolean Dynamite was on, and right in the middle it cut off :(

Anyone else having HDTV channels (Discovery, UPN for sox) coming in with black bars? All my HDTV seem to be messed up at the moment with jitters and non-full screen display.

Well, this isn't the first time they've forgotten to unlock the HD channels for the free preview. In my area I'm getting no free previews at all of any of the premiums.

Well, this isn't the first time they've forgotten to unlock the HD channels for the free preview. In my area I'm getting no free previews at all of any of the premiums.

that may be because it hasn't started yet.

I know during the showtime preview the showtime channels remained encrypted.

Tennis channel is still on andf not moved to the sports tier yet.

The preview is supposed to be Sept. 3-7 which is not until tomorrow.

-Ken

This is odd... ESPN HD was coming in fine, but all of my other HD channels are absolute garbage. Anytime there's lots of motion on screen it starts dropping frames and it gets all jittery. Resetting the box does sfa. Grr. Not that there's anything actually worth watching in HD tonight...

This is odd... ESPN HD was coming in fine, but all of my other HD channels are absolute garbage. Anytime there's lots of motion on screen it starts dropping frames and it gets all jittery. Resetting the box does sfa. Grr. Not that there's anything actually worth watching in HD tonight...

It could be your P3 box, it is kinda new. What type of connection are you using on it ?

HBO free preview is on now, including the HBO package and HBO-HD on channel 870.

Mickey

Any updates on when Cambridge will get ADS.... Battlestar Galactica in analog is just wrong.

Any updates on when Cambridge will get ADS.... Battlestar Galactica in analog is just wrong.

ADS or not, BG in SD is just wrong.

Some good movies on HBO today too, like Ray and True Lies.

It could be your P3 box, it is kinda new. What type of connection are you using on it ?

I have it on HDMI to the set. Tried changing the box settings around, and re-seating the cable into the box, all to no effect, so i'm guessing it was hiccups on Comcast's end. This morning, though, everything appears back to normal so the hiccup was temporary.

enterprise is on channel 5.

I already set the DVR to record.

I hope it is in HI DEF!

enterprise is on channel 5.

I already set the DVR to record.

I hope it is in HI DEF!

You might want to use channel 805 in that case... :D

You might want to use channel 805 in that case... :D

That is what I meant. :)

Didn't see anyone post this but NESN will be doing all Bruins' home games in HD, and will try to do all away games also :)

NESN hockey producer Doug Wheeler deferred all questions of on-air personnel to network management, but he was willing to talk about telecast plans.
''We'll do all the Bruins' home games in HD, and we'd like to do all the road games, too," said Wheeler. ''The limiting factor is the availability of HD production trucks. Sometimes we forget NESN was in the forefront of the HD movement and that other markets are still getting their toes wet."

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2005/08/28/nesn_revamps_its_hockey_team/?page=1

Comcast now has to give NESN their own slot so we can have INHD2 for Celtics games.

Didn't see anyone post this but NESN will be doing all Bruins' home games in HD, and will try to do all away games also :)



http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2005/08/28/nesn_revamps_its_hockey_team/?page=1

Comcast now has to give NESN their own slot so we can have INHD2 for Celtics games.

851 perhaps?

Didn't see anyone post this but NESN will be doing all Bruins' home games in HD, and will try to do all away games also :)



http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2005/08/28/nesn_revamps_its_hockey_team/?page=1

Comcast now has to give NESN their own slot so we can have INHD2 for Celtics games.


No, how can the Celtics have a home game at the same time as the Bruins? Only home games for either team wil be in HD

No, how can the Celtics have a home game at the same time as the Bruins? Only home games for either team wil be in HD

NESN will get their own HD channel 851 then the Celtics can have 882 for themselves :)

NESN will get their own HD channel 851 then the Celtics can have 882 for themselves :)

I think what he means is... what is the point? Celtics and Bruins play in the Fleet Center... obviously you can't have them both playing at the same time. So who cares if they are switched into 882? Its not like they can preempt eachother.

Besides, wouldn't you rather have a NEW HD channel rather than one you already have just taking up a full time slot for a couple of games in HD (since its only the games they run usually in HD).

Very little new in Bristol County ,no new channels, no changes to ADS in last few weeks expect for WJAR Ch 10 is digital. We got JAR -DT replacing HDH-DT for NBC in Bristol; County. Have not seen UPN28 ,HD on yet in Bristol County. Hope that come soon.( Bob Y. any word?)

No, how can the Celtics have a home game at the same time as the Bruins? Only home games for either team wil be in HD


They can't. But the possibility arises of a Bruins game on the road being available in HD at the same time as a Celtics home game. What happens then?

They can't. But the possibility arises of a Bruins game on the road being available in HD at the same time as a Celtics home game. What happens then?

That why NESN needs to have it's own HD channel.

PS...And the Celtics and Bruins can have home games in the same day I saw it 3 years ago on a Sunday Celtics at 1pm, Bruins at 730pm both for playoffs. I still don't know why they did that but I can imagine it was alot work. Celtics beat the 76ers, and Bruins beat the Canadians in a slugfest. I know the Twins and Vikings do that too.

They can't. But the possibility arises of a Bruins game on the road being available in HD at the same time as a Celtics home game. What happens then?They show the Bruins game, because no one cares about the Celtics. :p

Sadly, the truth is, no one really cares about either team. :(

Oh man, I am just having so many problems with my Phase II 6412, the latest firmware (9.19) and my JVC 30000K DVHS deck. ESPN2 refuses to show up at all, and INHD2 (882) has no sound over Firewire (sound is fine from box).

Anyone else with similar problems?

me too. seems like a daily occurrence.




Is anyone still getting remote/IR delays after being upgraded to firmware 9.19?

I was upgraded to 9.19 and am still experiencing remote/IR delays. Basically, the 6412 doesn't respond to any commands from the remote for anywhere from 5-30 seconds. The light on the 6412 remains ON that shows a command was received.

Then, the box "unfreezes" and proceeds to carry out all commands that were pressed during the time it was "frozen". Very annoying. I don't have anything else in my living room that would cause rogue IR transmissions.

The only thing I can think of is that my audio/video stand has glass shelves, although no glass doors, so there is nothing in front of the 6412 that would obstruct it.

I just had a new 6412 with 9.19 firmware installed on Saturday 09/03. I am having the same IR delay issues. Very annoying. This thing is almost unusable with this defect. Frequency of occurance is often.

Please tell me your opinion. Which will give me a better picture? A Comcast Cablecard or a Comcast DVR. I have a DVR on another TV in bedroom, so I am able to record whatever I need. I just want the best HD, SD picture possible. The TV is a Sony A1042. The cablecard would allow for me to use HDMI for DVD.

Hi, I am in Watertown and I've been having a strange problem with my 6412 the last few weeks. For some reason when I attempt to view HBO-HD on the default tuner I get all sorts of digital mess: blocky picture, sound cut outs, etc. It is unwatchable. Then when I manually switch to the second tuner via the Swap button it is fine. This is the only channel this happens on. A side effect is that I can't DVR anyting on HBO-HD since you never know which tuner will record it!

I thought the problem was specific to my box but I swapped it out and it is still occurring. Anyone else ever see this type of problem?

Hi, I am in Watertown and I've been having a strange problem with my 6412 the last few weeks. For some reason when I attempt to view HBO-HD on the default tuner I get all sorts of digital mess: blocky picture, sound cut outs, etc. It is unwatchable. Then when I manually switch to the second tuner via the Swap button it is fine. This is the only channel this happens on. A side effect is that I can't DVR anyting on HBO-HD since you never know which tuner will record it!

I thought the problem was specific to my box but I swapped it out and it is still occurring. Anyone else ever see this type of problem?
My wild guess is that you might want to try an amplifier (1GHz) to boost the signal.

Mickey

Please tell me , with the new Comcast 6200 series DVR, should I buy HDMI to DVI cable , or HDMI to HDMI cable?






please

Please tell me , with the new Comcast 6200 series DVR, should I buy HDMI to DVI cable , or HDMI to HDMI cable?






pleaseWell, if you have HDMI on your TV, you might as well just get an HDMI cable. Probably the best option, since some TVs can have issues with the HDCP passthrough using an adapter. They're both digital as well, so neither is going to give better picture quality. Only advantage HDMI has over DVI is that it carries sound as well.

Please tell me your opinion. Which will give me a better picture? A Comcast Cablecard or a Comcast DVR. I have a DVR on another TV in bedroom, so I am able to record whatever I need. I just want the best HD, SD picture possible. The TV is a Sony A1042. The cablecard would allow for me to use HDMI for DVD.

I've had a Comcast CableCard for about a month now, and the HD picture quality is outstanding. I'm aware that I've forfeited Comcast's OnDemand features and their Channel Guide, but with the CableCard, I know my HD signal is all digital -- from source to screen -- and I've eliminated an unnecessary box from the stack of my home-theater components. (BTW, with the CableCard, I can also use the picture-in-picture feature of my TV. I don't think a Comcast DVR would enable my TV's picture-in-picture capability to work.) Best of all, my Comast CableCard costs nothing!

I've never had a Comcast DVR, so I can't comment on how DVR picture quality compares with the CableCard.

Is ANYONE else getting that jitter/flicker on Discovery HD? It's been going on for nearly a week now for me. It's mostly noticable on close-up shots or stills (it's the worst on shows like Insectia). I figure I'll call Comcast at some point if it doesn't resolve itself, but I know they either won't know what I'm talking about, or they'll tell me to check my equipment (which I did, but I see no reason why ONLY Discovery would be having issues). It's a shame, it's my favorite channel. :(

Dale, enter the diagnostic mode and check the SNR, AGC and error counts while tuned to HBO with both tuners. If the SNR or AGC read poor or bad and / or you get error counts there is someting wrong with the signal quality. Call for service. Show the tech the screen, don't let him go until it is repaired.

Mallego

That why NESN needs to have it's own HD channel.

PS...And the Celtics and Bruins can have home games in the same day I saw it 3 years ago on a Sunday Celtics at 1pm, Bruins at 730pm both for playoffs. I still don't know why they did that but I can imagine it was alot work. Celtics beat the 76ers, and Bruins beat the Canadians in a slugfest. I know the Twins and Vikings do that too.

It was not uncommon for both teams to play on a Sunday, the Celts in the afternoon and the Bruins in the evening. I don't believe it happens as often now.

I know it's been discussed before in these pages but the use of that SD camera on the NESN telecast of Sox's games from fenway is starting to become very annoying. I believe it's the one located in the scoreboard and it seems they are going to it more often. In what is otherwise a stellar broadcast and to me the standard of HD for a sporting event, the use of this camera shot is dragging the quality and the enjoyment of watching the game down.Am I the only one feeling this way or is this getting under other people's skin as well?

I've had a Comcast CableCard for about a month now, and the HD picture quality is outstanding. I'm aware that I've forfeited Comcast's OnDemand features and their Channel Guide, but with the CableCard, I know my HD signal is all digital -- from source to screen -- and I've eliminated an unnecessary box from the stack of my home-theater components. (BTW, with the CableCard, I can also use the picture-in-picture feature of my TV. I don't think a Comcast DVR would enable my TV's picture-in-picture capability to work.) Best of all, my Comast CableCard costs nothing!

I've never had a Comcast DVR, so I can't comment on how DVR picture quality compares with the CableCard.

I am getting my cable card installed tomorrow and I plan on using both the card and a 6412 DVR box to allow for recording and picture in picture functionality. Once it is in I'll let you know how the quality compares between the two. Right now my 6412 has been great.

I am getting my cable card installed tomorrow and I plan on using both the card and a 6412 DVR box to allow for recording and picture in picture functionality. Once it is in I'll let you know how the quality compares between the two. Right now my 6412 has been great.



I notice that the 6412 has a cablecard slot. Can anyone explain what that would be used for?

The slot on the 6200/6214 is a credit card slot so that you can order dirty movies without them showing up on your bill and upsetting your wife/girlfriend :-)
It is not yet activated however :-(

Tennis channel has gone to the sports tier.
No word on what channel Logo is supposed to be on or any new HD channels.

I know it's been discussed before in these pages but the use of that SD camera on the NESN telecast of Sox's games from fenway is starting to become very annoying. I believe it's the one located in the scoreboard and it seems they are going to it more often. In what is otherwise a stellar broadcast and to me the standard of HD for a sporting event, the use of this camera shot is dragging the quality and the enjoyment of watching the game down.Am I the only one feeling this way or is this getting under other people's skin as well?

I'm with you - they go to it right before the pitcher delivers and I always feel like my TV has gone whacky. Then they switch cameras back and it looks great. If they'd just upgrade that cam then we'd be good to go.

Please tell me your opinion. Which will give me a better picture? A Comcast Cablecard or a Comcast DVR. I have a DVR on another TV in bedroom, so I am able to record whatever I need. I just want the best HD, SD picture possible. The TV is a Sony A1042. The cablecard would allow for me to use HDMI for DVD.

I haven't seen this addressed here, but I got the Comcast DVR a few months ago and the HD isn't the best. It's still light years ahead of analog and digital, but it is, at times, noticibly imperfect. I'm comparing this to Dish Network HD and to OTA HD - I've used all three. For me, its a fair trade-off - a bit of quality in exchange for DVR - I'll take it. And most of the time I don't notice it at all.

I haven't seen this addressed here, but I got the Comcast DVR a few months ago and the HD isn't the best. It's still light years ahead of analog and digital, but it is, at times, noticibly imperfect. I'm comparing this to Dish Network HD and to OTA HD - I've used all three. For me, its a fair trade-off - a bit of quality in exchange for DVR - I'll take it. And most of the time I don't notice it at all.

In the interest of Misery Loves Company, are their certain shows or channels that look off-par? That way we can compare notes.

Is ANYONE else getting that jitter/flicker on Discovery HD? It's been going on for nearly a week now for me. It's mostly noticable on close-up shots or stills (it's the worst on shows like Insectia). (

Yup, I've seen the same thing on DiscoveryHD (and only DiscoveryHD) since I got my HD box. It's super-noticable on Insectia, moreso than any other show (although American Chopper gets pretty jankified now and then). Although, strangely enough, there was a show about the new Lamborghini earlier today that had zero jitter to it. It's also annoying because it's not constant, and it's not even there the majority of the time, so when it does show up it's noticeable

I know it's been discussed before in these pages but the use of that SD camera on the NESN telecast of Sox's games from fenway is starting to become very annoying. I believe it's the one located in the scoreboard and it seems they are going to it more often. In what is otherwise a stellar broadcast and to me the standard of HD for a sporting event, the use of this camera shot is dragging the quality and the enjoyment of watching the game down.Am I the only one feeling this way or is this getting under other people's skin as well?


it REALLY bothers me too. On Monday's game they didn't use it,I thought they had stopped,but then last night it was back, every freakin batter. I think it's the super slo mo camera. Please stop using it.

Yup, I've seen the same thing on DiscoveryHD (and only DiscoveryHD) since I got my HD box. It's super-noticable on Insectia, moreso than any other show (although American Chopper gets pretty jankified now and then). Although, strangely enough, there was a show about the new Lamborghini earlier today that had zero jitter to it. It's also annoying because it's not constant, and it's not even there the majority of the time, so when it does show up it's noticeable

I did a reset on my box today, and once it was back up, I was noticing jitter on ALL HD channels.

I let the box sit for about 15 minutes turned off, came back, and the jitter on all HD channels was gone.

Maybe you just need to reset the box?

Over in the Philadelphia HDTV thread someone in PA. got a letter from Comcast stating that Premium channel west coast feeds were being eliminated to make room for more services including more HD. No mention if this is national or just PA at this point. 15 channels go bye bye, the thought is that in demand takes their place.

I think this is excellent news.

-Ken

there are no west coast feeds in new england, so it doesn't affect us

I guess you can tell I don't have any premium channels :-)

The wise and mighty comcast hooked up my STB without component or DVI/HDMI to my samsung 5067w (they just used the standard video out cable), so I have no HDTV right now. I guess I need to go and buy my own cables since I dont feel like dealing with them at moment. Anyone know if component or DVI/HDMI works better for the box?

:rolleyes: :cool:

aboom,

DVI looks better on my 6200 than component. I guess you weren't home when Comcast came to install, that is a big no no. The comcast guy that installed my hd box wanted to leave it set for 4:3 even though I have a widescreen tv. I had to show him in the setting how to change to 16:9, he didnt think the squished guys on tv looked bad !!

-Ken

Thanks for advice kenvt, I guess they didn't read the guide because I figured o ut something was missing once I read the quick set up guide. Also im going to have to get the DVI-HDMI because this set only has HDMI and component. (hopefully it creates no issues)

Anyone know if I need male or female? (tv is hdmi box is dvi)

The wise and mighty comcast hooked up my STB without component or DVI/HDMI to my samsung 5067w (they just used the standard video out cable), so I have no HDTV right now. I guess I need to go and buy my own cables since I dont feel like dealing with them at moment. Anyone know if component or DVI/HDMI works better for the box?

:rolleyes: :cool:

sounds quite clueless.

You did tell them you had an HD set did you not?

You should have gotten AT LEAST compenent with DVI/HDMI upon request.

Aboom, check out http://www.bluejeanscable.com/ for some cable options also http://www.impactacoustics.com is a good place...

Any news on new or upcoming features with Comcast?

I'm curious to hear if we're getting any new HD channels, new HD tier, or anything exciting.

I'm still waiting for full ADS here in Medford. I figure at the rate it's been going, it started in March and should be done by Christmas here :-)

What's the minimum package to get NFL network? Comcast.com lists it in Sports Pack but I can't find any pricing information about it.

I am currently with Basic + Digital Classic.

I dont think I have to tell them its an HDTV when they are techs but even excluding that, the same people had came before to install the cable card (which worked great for HD, but just started to go on the fritz).

What's the minimum package to get NFL network? Comcast.com lists it in Sports Pack but I can't find any pricing information about it.

I am currently with Basic + Digital Classic.

$4.95 a month extra. for sports Pack or you can upgrade to digital Plus for $5.00 more. It depends upon what other channels you wish to get.

I don't think a Comcast DVR would enable my TV's picture-in-picture capability to work.)



I have a DVR box. I run component to the TV for HDTV and a coax to the TV's antenna input for PIP. Works fine.

Bit OT, but couldn't find another appropriate forum at the moment:

I also have Comcast cable internet, and this evening, my cable modem will either not recognize the incoming cable signal or will reset itself after 20 minutes or so.

I thought it was because I got a new router and I needed to have Comcast reset the MAC address on their end. However, I got two not-so-helpful operators at Comcast who said a technician would need to come out.

I've had this same modem for about 3 years now. It's an RCA DCM245 (light beige). Is this the modem everyone else has, or is their a newer, better cable modem? If so, is there a specific model I should ask for?

I hope to check back for an answer when my connection is next stable.

Again, I apologize for this being OT but I couldn't quickly find a Comcast - Cable Internet forum.

Again, I apologize for this being OT but I couldn't quickly find a Comcast - Cable Internet forum.

BBR is the place to go on anything broadbabd:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/comcast

Boston area chat:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/boston

sometime this week, some cities in Mass, ADS will be fully done. What day & areas? Thats my little secret :D

Did anyone else notice that FOX HD on 825 doesn't look any better than 480p tonight? The football games look pretty blurry compared to those on ESPN HD, and the post-game show looks low-res widescreen as well.