I'm so PO'd at Comcast right now I could spit. I gave my mother my 30XS955 to replace her old SD set. She has expanded basic and a standard digital box that outputs to coax and composite. Not even close to optimal for her new set and she is confused by the QAM channel lineup so I talked her in to taking the old box to a Comcast office to trade up to the DVR. She called Comcast first before she made the trip and they assured her that was ok. After a half-hour of waiting in line she is told that she has to upgrade to digital for $20.00 extra per month along with the charge for the DVR. She doesn't want digital cable so she is sent on her merry way. She called me upon her exit from the office to read me the riot-act and I told her I would call Comcast and take care of it. I called yesterday and got nowhere. What kind of BS policy is this? DVR functionality has nothing to do with digital service. Some days I can't stand that POS company.

Fish

It's the same with Cox requiring digital to have DVR. Doesn't bother me truthfully.

this is the same for TWC and most other cable networks. How can the DVR function without the digital information provided by the IPG? The scheduling and programming is performed using the software based on information in the IPG.

It bothers me because it's an extra $360 per year.

Fish

It's the same with Cox requiring digital to have DVR. Doesn't bother me truthfully.

She has guide information and On Demand with her current box sans digital service. I don't understand how people are just fine with this sort of practice, no matter the provider. It basically amounts to a doubling of her bill just to get the DVR.

Fish


How can the DVR function without the digital information provided by the IPG? The scheduling and programming is performed using the software based on information in the IPG.

I have a Comcast DVR without having a digital tier. I pay for HD service however.

I have TWC and do not have the full digital tier to have the DVR:

02/25 - 03/24/07 Basic Service $9.20
02/25 - 03/24/07 Standard Service $42.75
02/25 - 03/24/07 Digital Access $2.00
02/25 - 03/24/07 DVR Service $5.95
02/25 - 03/24/07 DVR Converter $3.70
02/25 - 03/24/07 DVR Remote $0.30

I just pay the access fee of $2.00

She has guide information and On Demand with her current box sans digital service. I don't understand how people are just fine with this sort of practice, no matter the provider. It basically amounts to a doubling of her bill just to get the DVR.


what do you expect? You are asking new technology to work with systems that are being phased out. It's the same approach any software maker has. If you want the latest toys you have to spend money and at least upgrade to the supported platform. It's the way the tech world always worked.

$20 increase overall isn't so bad, if that was an exact quote and a permanent (non-temporary special) price. Comcast charges $12 for DVR service alone, so the difference in upgrading to digital cable from standard is only an additional $8.

Comcast's website requires an address in order to check prices, so I entered a friend's address near Detroit. You didn't indicate what your mom's current cable costs are. Comcast's price for standard cable is $51 and for the lowest tier of digital cable it is $63.

Their website does show a special offer of "Digital-Plus" cable with On-Demand for $40 for 6 months. The Digital-Plus tier is normally $67.

If your mom wants DVR service, but doesn't need that many channels, perhaps satellite service would be a cheaper option.

It's actually $20 plus the $10 for the DVR. You mightg be right about going with sat service. It's just getting her to go for it.

Fish

$20 increase overall isn't so bad, if that was an exact quote and a permanent (non-temporary special) price. .

What? The technology is the DVR STB which she is willing to pay the $10 for.

Jay


what do you expect? You are asking new technology to work with systems that are being phased out. It's the same approach any software maker has. If you want the latest toys you have to spend money and at least upgrade to the supported platform. It's the way the tech world always worked.

What? The technology is the DVR STB which she is willing to pay the $10 for.

You failed to see my point. If you want the latest toys you have to get onboard with required platform. Especially when the platform has been around for a long time.

It's the way technology always progresses. It's like complaining that you don't get the same extras on VHS as you do on DVD movies, or software and hardware not being made anymore for Mac OS9 and Windows 98.

Time moves on and technology rides with it. If you aren't keeping up you'll have to pay somewhere down the line.

Just get her a dual tuner Tivo. You can get them free after rebate. Pay Tivo the montly fee instead of Comcast. It's a better DVR anyway.

Catfish,

It might be possible to subscribe to Digital Cable temporarily just to get the DVR. Once you have the DVR up and running, call them to cancel Digital Cable, and hope that the DVR still works and that they don't require you to return it.

I agree with Catfish. A bit over a year ago, I was able to get a DVR without digital cable from Comcast. It works fine. Shows the guide. The only thing I don't get is the digital stations. I received everthing else so technically it can be done without a hiccup. When I bought my second HDTV, I went back to Comcast to pickup a second DVR. This time they would only give me an STB capable of pulling in all the non premium HD channels. They told me that to get a DVR, I had to upgrade to digital ($25 more per month here). When I told them I had a DVR without digital, they said they grandfathered that DVR in but now I had to get digital. I took the HD STB and left. I can live without the second DVR.

Catfish is right. The only reason Comcast is doing this is to make their customers upgrade to digital. If I were sticking with Comcast I would go the Tivo route and tell Comcast to take their DVR and stick it. Fortunately I will soon have the option to switch to FIOS where I will pay Comcast extended basic charges to get digital service including DVRs for both my HDTV's. Can't wait.

Can't she just live without the DVR, and can't you rent the digital cable box just for the locals, or won't they let you do that either?

Similar story. When I was talking to Comcast I asked them how long this policy had been in existence. When they told me it was their policy since they started offering the DVR. I called BS and told them that I originally got my DVR from them w/o digital service. They claimed that it was a mistake for me to have been able to get the DVR and if that happened today the CSR who allowed it would need to be coached afterwards. This was a "floor supervisor I was talking to too.

Fish

...When I told them I had a DVR without digital, they said they grandfathered that DVR in

Here's the deal with just getting her a digital box. (which she has now) She will never watch any HD content because the HD channels are all up in the 200's. My plan was to DVR all her shows from the HD channels and get her hooked on the whole time-shifting thing.

Jay

Can't she just live without the DVR, and can't you rent the digital cable box just for the locals, or won't they let you do that either?

If you have On Demand then you already had digital cable. You just weren't paying the extra $20 a month for the full selection of digital channels. I don't like it, but I can understand the requirement to bundle the $20 digital channels with the $10 DVR service. The HD DVR is an expensive piece of equipment, and at $10 a month, it takes a lot longer to recover the costs than charging $30 a month would. Typical sneaky marketing "HD DVR only $9.95 a month" when in reality we are paying a lot more than that.

I second the motion to get a TiVo series 3. Much better solution. If that is also too expensive for your tastes, stick with a HD non-DVR cable box for now, and wait till July 07 when the FCC mandate will kick in which should introduce some competition into the market and force the cable rental charges downwards. I can dream, can't I?

Kat.

Ive had similar problems with comcast over their DVR. Im dumping comcast for Dish finally next week. But I am waiting and suggest waiting until next month when tivo has to replace the Series 2 dual tuners with a digital tuner box other than the HD Series 3.

Get your mom a Digital SDTV tivo when they show up and dump comcast altogether.

No, she has "enhanced basic." I'd call it more than sneaky marketing, I'd call it bait and switch.

Jay

If you have On Demand then you already had digital cable...

First of all, the DVR is an upgraded Box, so Comcast can have any requirement they want in order to get it.

Second, whatever Comcast prints in the Local Prices/Services List is binding as per FCC regs., not what is on their site.
(Although, I have found their requirements listed online to be correct.
But their service choices incomplete, as they are presented in a tiered manner only.)

Our area got the single-tuner DVR in ~June '04, and the promoted dual-tuner DVR in Nov. '04.
They immediately posted on their site, that 'Digital Service' was required. I am sure an interim price list had this as well.

They initally offered me a DVR with Standard, and it probably would have been grandfathered, but I wanted Digital Plus, anyway.
I read of someone who got it with Basic, and when he woudn't upgrade, they took the DVR away.

The '05-'07 price lists, all state that 'Digital Classic or Plus' was/is required.
(I guess to differentiate from getting a Digital box for a la carte Premiums, Sports.)

Note, in some areas one can get Digital Classic with just Basic.
Here, Digital Classic is $11.95 and Plus is $14.95, they each include the Digital Box.

To upgrade the Digital Box (non-itemized $4.15) in Classic or Plus, to a DVR, it is now $11.95.

If they were to allow DVRs w/o Classic or Plus, they would have to charge $16.10 for a DVR to make the same $.
And the second DVR fee reflects this, as it is $16.95.

She has guide information and On Demand with her current box sans digital service. I don't understand how people are just fine with this sort of practice, no matter the provider. It basically amounts to a doubling of her bill just to get the DVR.

FishThe DVR is more than double the cost of the standard STB. They want the extra revenue to help pay for the DVR.

The DVR is more than double the cost of the standard STB. They want the extra revenue to help pay for the DVR.
Well, based on their prices:
Digital STB is $4.15
DVR is $11.95 to upgrade from Digital STB, so, $16.10 is effective price
That is 3.88x more.
Does it cost them that much more?
I am thinking it does.

You can try playing CSR roulette. It is possible to get a DVR without digital cable, it's just not very east. My dad managed to do just that recently, they even mailed it to his house.

Personally speaking I used to have one myself. Then I downgraded to basic cable and they did indeed make me give it back. :mad: No I have a Sony HD DVR, works nicely and no monthy fees.

In this area, this year, they just added another official way to get a DVR w/o Digital Classic/Plus; one must get Standard, Internet, and Phone. :eek:

Well, based on their prices:
Digital STB is $4.15
DVR is $11.95 to upgrade from Digital STB, so, $16.10 is effective price
That is 3.88x more.
Does it cost them that much more?
I am thinking it does.
I don't know what the non-HD DVR costs, I think the 6412 goes for $599 MSRP.

I don't know what the non-HD DVR costs, I think the 6412 goes for $599 MSRP.
That is what I heard also, but I think the price is less now, than when I heard that.
We don't have a non-HD DVR around here.
I was comparing an HD DVR to a Digital STB; and of course, one could throw an HD STB into the comparison.

Hey Catfish:

I have two unused Series-1 Tivo's (fully functional). I'll donate one of them free for your Mom, you'd only pay the shipping.

Hook that up to her digital box and she's good to go for whatever Tivo charges per month these days.

Thanks for the incredibly generous offer. Unfortunately the whole point of this excercise was to get her to start watching more HD by setting up season recordings and having her watch everything from the DVR. That way she wouldn't need to memorize the channel numbers between the HD and SD feeds. At this point, I think I'm going to try to convince her to go with digital basic and the HD-DVR. I'll get her a special for a few months to help soften the price increase.

Thanks again!

Fish


Hey Catfish:

I have two unused Series-1 Tivo's (fully functional). I'll donate one of them free for your Mom, you'd only pay the shipping.

Hook that up to her digital box and she's good to go for whatever Tivo charges per month these days.