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Charlotte, NC - TWC/Spectrum

855K views 9K replies 411 participants last post by  4:3 Toshiba 
#1 ·
Hi, I'm an HD customer of Time Warner Cable in Charlotte and thought I'd start a thread for our area. I talked to the HD guy at TWC again today and advised him of this website and he'll be checking in from time to time to maybe answer questions and get info from us.


ABC and Fox are still holdouts for HD here. TWC is ready for them but these stations are holding things up with the carriage agreements so email them constantly asking for them to be shown thru TWC HD. Also, the 3100hd boxes should be out before long and TWC is currently testing them for bugs, etc. I Control is coming soon as well and will work with the 3100hd boxes. This lets you rewind, play and pause movies you rent just like Tivo. I told him we really want widescreen choices in this format so they are aware of that.


Lastly, there's a new HD channel coming to TWC! On April 1st, we get another PBS station on channel 230. It shows from 7pm to midnight. There are a few other digital non hd channels coming the same day on channels 231-234 so keep an eye out!


Let's keep this thread going for the Charlotte area HD owners and for questions, info, etc.


Thanks,


Steve (aka "dvdguru")


Happy owner of a Toshiba 50H81
 
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#7,137 ·
Just got a 4640HDC box..emailed TWC first thing this am and the box was here before 10am. Anyone have experience with this one?
 
#7,138 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bdfox18doe /forum/post/21183951


Just got a 4640HDC box..emailed TWC first thing this am and the box was here before 10am. Anyone have experience with this one?

That's the non-DVR version of the 8640HDC I've had for some time now. The only issue I've had with the 8640 (ever since ODN 4.0 was launched, and continuing now with 4.1 - it never occurred with ODN 3.2) is that occasionally the Dolby Digital output stream quits when the input stream is interrupted - as in a channel change or DVR operation (not an issue with the 4640). It is easily fixed by changing channels again or hitting Pause/Play to re-sync the stream. This has not been a widespread issue but has been reported by others besides me.


The 4640 should definitely be better/faster than its predecessor, the 4250HDC. The main current-model alternative to the 4640 would be the Samsung 3260, which is faster in menu navigation and such but has a pretty flaky HDCP implementation.
 
#7,139 ·
Woke up to all four boxes updated from 4.1.0_7 to 5.0.0_6. No discernible differences on the face of things.


Only update issue was that the 8640 did not re-establish connection to the SDV server after the update (confirmed in diagnostics) and needed to be rebooted, after which the connection to the SDV server was restored almost instantly. Before I rebooted, most SDV channels (which is just about all of them here) were off-line except those in the carousel, despite having been running post-update for almost three hours. The two 3260s and the 4250 had updated and reconnected to SDV server with no issues.
 
#7,141 ·

Ha!..someone finally noticed it! Tho I have been complaining quite often and loudly about the rate and PQ for some time now. Especially since they have ~5 mb of null stuffing being wasted.


That also allows me to know whether they are on the fiber feed or the antenna...
 
#7,142 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21218687


Woke up to all four boxes updated .

I noticed a video input alarm on my QAM modulator this am is how I knew something had changed. Mine came back with no video only audio on Nooz14,

and had power it off/on to restore.
 
#7,143 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21218687


Woke up to all four boxes updated from 4.1.0_7 to 5.0.0_6. No discernible differences on the face of things.


Only update issue was that the 8640 did not re-establish connection to the SDV server after the update (confirmed in diagnostics) and needed to be rebooted, after which the connection to the SDV server was restored almost instantly. Before I rebooted, most SDV channels (which is just about all of them here) were off-line except those in the carousel, despite having been running post-update for almost three hours. The two 3260s and the 4250 had updated and reconnected to SDV server with no issues.

When I turned on the bedroom 8642 this morning it came up on channel 1, always a sign that something was updated.
 
#7,145 ·
Just switched from Dish Network back to TWC, hadn't planned on keeping cable for anything but Internet, but they offered me that WinBack promo to switch from Dish. I got Triple play plus HD DVR and HD Box for $79.99 a month for 2 years. I upgraded to Road Runner Extreme for $20 extra, so my total is $99.99/month. They even waived all installation fees, couldn't pass that up! Been a while since I've had TWC, but the compression is up and the boxes are still slow. But I love my 30Mbps internet
They had to come to my house twice, the first time they didn't have enough fittings, but they were 2hrs late both times so I got two $20 On Time Guarantee credits.
 
#7,146 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmccurrytech /forum/post/21222779


Just switched from Dish Network back to TWC, hadn't planned on keeping cable for anything but Internet, but they offered me that WinBack promo to switch from Dish. I got Triple play plus HD DVR and HD Box for $79.99 a month for 2 years. I upgraded to Road Runner Extreme for $20 extra, so my total is $99.99/month. They even waived all installation fees, couldn't pass that up! Been a while since I've had TWC, but the compression is up and the boxes are still slow. But I love my 30Mbps internet
They had to come to my house twice, the first time they didn't have enough fittings, but they were 2hrs late both times so I got two $20 On Time Guarantee credits.

How long were you on Dish? I am paying $225 and in this economy I can't justify it. Just wondering how long I would have to be on Dish before I could qualify for the WinBack?
 
#7,147 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rcase13 /forum/post/21226593


How long were you on Dish? I am paying $225 and in this economy I can't justify it. Just wondering how long I would have to be on Dish before I could qualify for the WinBack?

I'm doing 2 year flip flops between Dish, DirecTV and TWC. Also, my bill generated today, they actually got it right! I was so worried about them fudging it up. By the looks of the way they billed it you could have just one box on the deal for $67.71, but I don't know how that works, I'm happy with the deal I got.


MONTHLY CHARGES

11/30-12/29 Digital Cable, Road Runner and Digital Home Phone Unlimited

Nationwide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67.71

Includes unlimited local and long distance calling within

the United States, and U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

11/30-12/29 Digital Cable (1 additional TVs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.35

11/30-12/29 DVR Service (1 TVs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.93

11/30-12/29 Movie Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.95

11/30-12/29 Sports Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.95

11/30-12/29 RR Extreme 30x5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00

$109.89
 
#7,148 ·
I think my neighbor does this switch as well. It seems like I see a different vendor in his drive way everyday.


My wife would never let us go back to Sat so I am stuck with cable.


Right now we only have one problem. Our recordings end about 1 to 2 minutes early. If I tell it to record over by 5 minutes it causes a conflict if the next hour has both tuners tied up. What can we do to fix this? We end up watching the end of shows at the start of another show. If nothing is recording in the next hour we miss the last few minutes of a favorite show.
 
#7,151 ·
On or about December 7th, the following additions are planned for the Digital Tier: TV Guide Network ch 331, Ovation HD ch 1326, Style HD ch 1357, Fox Soccer Channel HD ch 1511 and Sundance HD ch 1628 (will also be available with Movie Pass).


Game Show Network HD and Gospel Music Channel HD have been omitted
 
#7,152 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmccurrytech /forum/post/21272213


On or about December 7th, the following additions are planned for the Digital Tier: TV Guide Network ch 331, Ovation HD ch 1326, Style HD ch 1357, Fox Soccer Channel HD ch 1511 and Sundance HD ch 1628 (will also be available with Movie Pass).


Game Show Network HD and Gospel Music Channel HD have been omitted

That is weird because my TWC division is adding GSN HD and announced it last monday as to be added.
 
#7,154 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gedd /forum/post/21273641


So Clear QAM would be gone and everyone would need a set-top box? If that's the case, it might just be the final straw that makes me cancel my cable service completely and invest in a good antenna.

There essentially is no ClearQAM now except for broadcast channels - that is unlikely to change. It's the analogs that would be gone.


I do, however, agree with your conclusion... forcing STBs for secondary outlets will negate one of the competitive advantages cable has historically held over other multichannel providers. With that edge gone, it's sure not the picture quality that will keep subs in the cable fold, at least not what it's degraded to here in Charlotte over the past 9 months or so.


Every day it seems to get easier and easier for me to realistically consider jumping to DirecTV after having Vision Cable/TWC service since 1977. The biggest obstacle is no longer TV-related... it's high-speed internet service... and I think TWC is aware of that "edge" and is counting on it.
 
#7,155 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21273809


There essentially is no ClearQAM now except for broadcast channels - that is unlikely to change. It's the analogs that would be gone.


I do, however, agree with your conclusion... forcing STBs for secondary outlets will negate one of the competitive advantages cable has historically held over other multichannel providers. With that edge gone, it's sure not the picture quality that will keep subs in the cable fold, at least not what it's degraded to here in Charlotte over the past 9 months or so.


Every day it seems to get easier and easier for me to realistically consider jumping to DirecTV after having Vision Cable/TWC service since 1977. The biggest obstacle is no longer TV-related... it's high-speed internet service... and I think TWC is aware of that "edge" and is counting on it.

Has the PQ really gotten that bad?


As far as TWC counting on HSD to save their hides, I think, by the numbers, they see people leaving video and keeping internet. I'd have to go pull the numbers, but the last report I saw on Broadbandreports.com was that it is pretty obvious what some people are doing now.


Until such time as the cable operators in general give up on analog, increase their plants to +1GHz, kill SDV, and embrace MPEG4 things won't get better. But they won't do those things. Because it costs too much money. Well, except for perhaps getting rid of analog. That'll save them money.
 
#7,156 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ke4pym /forum/post/21274552


Has the PQ really gotten that bad?


As far as TWC counting on HSD to save their hides, I think, by the numbers, they see people leaving video and keeping internet. I'd have to go pull the numbers, but the last report I saw on Broadbandreports.com was that it is pretty obvious what some people are doing now.


Until such time as the cable operators in general give up on analog, increase their plants to +1GHz, kill SDV, and embrace MPEG4 things won't get better. But they won't do those things. Because it costs too much money. Well, except for perhaps getting rid of analog. That'll save them money.

It is as far as I'm concerned... but I may be more sensitive/critical than the average customer is. I know this because I will make note of things I see and other folks I'm with will not have noticed them previously (but do see them once I point them out).


By far, WTVI is the worst (as bad or worse than WBTV was earlier this year before they fixed it), but WCCB, Showtime, WSOC, Discovery and a few others are particularly bad. I see artifacts on virtually every camera pan or scene cut - hell, even fades to black block up much of the time. On WTVI and WCCB (worse on WTVI), I can see relatively static shots start to block up until the next full frame is transmitted... ends up looking like the picture is pulsing. I see it on all of my TVs, with or without STBs, and I see it at friends houses throughout Charlotte. I have good signal level and S/N, and bit error counts as reported in the STB diagnostics are virtually always zero. It is bit-starvation introduced at the headend, pure and simple... and it was not happening to anywhere near this extent prior to the beginning of this year.


I still record my full complement of series as a backup, but I watch what I can "On-Demand" because the compression artifacts are better there than it is on the regular channel. Hell... Hulu+ 720P streaming has less compression artifacts than the above channels have.


Regarding your comment about killing SDV... SDV has no direct effect on PQ - bit rate allocations and clamping points can be set for those just as they can on a linear channel. All else being equal, SDV should, in fact, help PQ because even the low bit-rate allocations we have now would not be possible if all channels were running concurrently. For sure SDV can introduce command and control issues (which I, for one, virtually never see), but whether a channel is delivered on a linear or switched basis has no direct connection to PQ.
 
#7,157 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21275490


It is as far as I'm concerned... but WCCB, Showtime, WSOC, Discovery and a few others are particularly bad. .

I have complained quite often and loudly about the quality on WCCB on TWC..tho it has gotten better of late..it still is NOT where I think it should be.


Also.. be advised..performing software and firmware updates in our +60 encoders and +20 multiplexors for our 7 stations that are controlled out of here in the next few days..so you may see a disruption or two with WCCB..
 
#7,158 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21275490


It is as far as I'm concerned... but I may be more sensitive/critical than the average customer is. I know this because I will make note of things I see and other folks I'm with will not have noticed them previously (but do see them once I point them out).


By far, WTVI is the worst (as bad or worse than WBTV was earlier this year before they fixed it), but WCCB, Showtime, WSOC, Discovery and a few others are particularly bad. I see artifacts on virtually every camera pan or scene cut - hell, even fades to black block up much of the time. On WTVI and WCCB (worse on WTVI), I can see relatively static shots start to block up until the next full frame is transmitted... ends up looking like the picture is pulsing. I see it on all of my TVs, with or without STBs, and I see it at friends houses throughout Charlotte. I have good signal level and S/N, and bit error counts as reported in the STB diagnostics are virtually always zero. It is bit-starvation introduced at the headend, pure and simple... and it was not happening to anywhere near this extent prior to the beginning of this year.


I still record my full complement of series as a backup, but I watch what I can "On-Demand" because the compression artifacts are better there than it is on the regular channel. Hell... Hulu+ 720P streaming has less compression artifacts than the above channels have.


Regarding your comment about killing SDV... SDV has no direct effect on PQ - bit rate allocations and clamping points can be set for those just as they can on a linear channel. All else being equal, SDV should, in fact, help PQ because even the low bit-rate allocations we have now would not be possible if all channels were running concurrently. For sure SDV can introduce command and control issues (which I, for one, virtually never see), but whether a channel is delivered on a linear or switched basis has no direct connection to PQ.

In regard to SDV I will respond to yes and no in regard to picture quality. Let's talk some basic math here. 90+ HDTV channels and 200+ SDTV channels into 20 SDV channels= a tuner count per sub of X amount service groups.


A DVR counts as 2-tuners and if you go on the low side of how many tuners in a service group, it could be acceptable in terms of picture quality. Go on the Accounting side of how tuners in a service group you can push to, not so good picture quality.


Also keep in mind that Edge QAM's cost $$ and that is how SDV is distributed. Depending on the manufacture and cost it will determine how a SDV service group is built in a Head-End/Hub site.


Everything in theory on this forum sounds good, until the math is layed out on paper it all falls apart with some simple calculations.


Rob
 
#7,159 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ybsane /forum/post/21276482


In regard to SDV I will respond to yes and no in regard to picture quality. Let's talk some basic math here. 90+ HDTV channels and 200+ SDTV channels into 20 SDV channels= a tuner count per sub of X amount service groups.


A DVR counts as 2-tuners and if you go on the low side of how many tuners in a service group, it could be acceptable in terms of picture quality. Go on the Accounting side of how tuners in a service group you can push to, not so good picture quality.


Also keep in mind that Edge QAM's cost $$ and that is how SDV is distributed. Depending on the manufacture and cost it will determine how a SDV service group is built in a Head-End/Hub site.


Everything in theory on this forum sounds good, until the math is layed out on paper it all falls apart with some simple calculations.


Rob

Agree... but... bit rates assigned are still an operators choice to be made regardless of whether its SDV or not.
 
#7,160 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcalabria /forum/post/21276731


Agree... but... bit rates assigned are still an operators choice to be made regardless of whether its SDV or not.

Not if the number of channels you put out exceeds your bandwidth...
 
#7,161 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ybsane /forum/post/21276745


Not if the number of channels you put out exceeds your bandwidth...

Then maybe it's time to take out all those Ch-7 traps and reclaim that 6 mhz being wasted..
 
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