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Minneapolis, MN - Comcast

415K views 3K replies 272 participants last post by  JBaumgart 
#1 ·
All -


I figured I'd jump in and start a thread since I didn't see anything. It looks like Comcast is getting ready to roll out HDTV in the area. I called and all they could do is put me on a notification list... no channel list or pricing yet. Anyone have further info?


I'm curious as to how quick this will go down because I just purchased an OTA receiver. If I can get most of the programming with Comcast and don't need the antenna and extra STB I may take it back.


For those of you from other regions, how quick did Comcast roll out HDTV after the "coming soon" advertising appeared?


So let's hear it!

Cheers!

Brad
 
#2,127 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sketchr /forum/post/19474165


So, I attempted to register online for the MyDVR manager and I get the response that it's available in my area (st. louis park)but I do not have an eligible dvr for the service. I have 1 rng200 and 1 SA8300. These are currently the only 2 types of HD dvr boxes in this area to my knowledge.


Anyone else able to register ? Are only the motorola boxes eligible or is this upcoming with the new guide or anyroom dvr?

According to this post:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...1#post19331231


MyDVR won't be avaialbe for the Cisco/SA boxes until the upgraded guide is deployed in the first half of 2011.
 
#2,128 ·
I know this is a little off the current topic but...does anyone else ocassionally experience very short (a fraction of a second - just enough to catch your attention) audio dropouts in the current (before digital conversion) high-def channels? I haven't really paid a lot of attention as to which channel(s) I am experiencing this on, but the last time was on KSTP during the Country Music Association Awards show the other night (music seems to draw it more to my attention...it was just kind of in the background while I was working on the computer). I really don't feel like tearing stuff apart trying to figure out if the issue is in the signal, the Electroline drop amp (the last Comcast technician that was out gave his blessing to use of this), the RNG200, the Denon AV receiver (just a few months old), or some ghost in a connection somewhere. I don't even want to call Comcast and ask because they will want to come into the house and replace all of my cable ends. The problem seems to go away when I change to a different channel, so that makes me suspect the signal quality rather than the hardware. The dropouts happen maybe once every few minutes (or longer) and only one at a time (no rapid repeating of the dropout).


Thanks for your input / opinion.
 
#2,133 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolew01 /forum/post/19478111


this was the only way I could post the video as an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK1Uu-EbygU

Looks to me that you are getting bad (probably weak) signal. I would call Comcast and have them come check it out.


Are you using a signal amplier? If so, try removing it, you could also be getting too strong a signal.


Also, I was seeing PQ like that at one time a few years ago and it ended up being that one of the tuners in the DVR was slowly faling. The other one was fine. That made it take a while to figure out what was going on.
 
#2,135 ·
Currently watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC and getting audio dropouts again. Noticed none during 3 & 1/2 hour NASCAR race on ESPN nor on 1 hour of America's Funniest Videos (again on ABC). This is beginning to pee me off. The wife watches Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters, again both on ABC. Will see if audio drops occur on the other TV with a Scientific Atlanta 3250HD box. I will be watching IRT Deadliest Roads on the History channel using the RNG200.


Again, anyone else with this issue?
 
#2,136 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by pillboy49 /forum/post/19488098


Currently watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC and getting audio dropouts again. Noticed none during 3 & 1/2 hour NASCAR race on ESPN nor on 1 hour of America's Funniest Videos (again on ABC). This is beginning to pee me off. The wife watches Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters, again both on ABC. Will see if audio drops occur on the other TV with a Scientific Atlanta 3250HD box. I will be watching IRT Deadliest Roads on the History channel using the RNG200.


Again, anyone else with this issue?

I've been getting audio drop-outs on several channels, and even some minor macro-blocking ( blotching pixels ) from time to time, and I think some cable boxes are going to need to be flashed and or updated to the speed transfer, seems to me that after the digital switch, this has been happening more and more, bottom of the line, comcast states on their commercials that they are 100 percent ( LOL ) about customer service, so if your not satisfied, call them until you are, and hold them to it, I'm noticing it on locals too, which tells me it's their broadcast speed and or hand-shake issues, where the only way is the boxes will need to be updated, and or newer boxes with faster transfer rates..... Oh my HD box is a Motorola, and it was used when I got it, and I've had it 3 years this month.
 
#2,138 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheaterChad /forum/post/19488173


bottom of the line, comcast states on their commercials that they are 100 percent ( LOL ) about customer service, so if your not satisfied, call them until you are, and hold them to it,

If you're not getting satisfaction from calling in, I've had a lot of success escalating to We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com or via their ComcastCares Twitter account. Extremely competent customer service people are engaged when you contact via those methods.
 
#2,140 ·
In 2 plus hours of watching ABC on the SA box, the wife heard no audio drop outs. I heard exactly one (longer than usual) in two hours of History Channel and local Fox.


If one of the tuners in the RNG200 is going bad, is there anyway to figure out which one? If you have it set to record a program and then watch live another channel, will the DVR always default to a specific tuner?


If I could track down my audio problem and link it to one of the two tuners in the RNG200, and the SA doesn't exhibit the issue, I could then definitely say the RNG200 is bad.


I might be missing it, but I have yet to see any pixelating when the audio drop happens.
 
#2,141 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by pillboy49 /forum/post/19493538


If one of the tuners in the RNG200 is going bad, is there anyway to figure out which one? If you have it set to record a program and then watch live another channel, will the DVR always default to a specific tuner?


If I could track down my audio problem and link it to one of the two tuners in the RNG200, and the SA doesn't exhibit the issue, I could then definitely say the RNG200 is bad.

Sorry, I do not know how to with a Cisco box. My experience is with the Motorola boxes. There are excellent Wikibooks articles on the Motorola boxes. You could try searching there or here in the "HDTV Recorders" forum.
 
#2,142 ·
Finally got my DTA's activated in Minneapolis on the third try. Our main TVs have regular boxes, so I wasn't in a huge hurry. My wife was getting tired of the scroll on one of the auxiliary TV's.


For a process they did with thousands and thousands of customers, I found it to be quite cumbersome. It took 2 phone calls and an internet chat to activate them. The first call yielded nothing but boxes that wouldn't work. The second call yielded the same with a warning that they'd probably have to come out and look at my house and if it was wiring in my house, I'd be charged for a truck roll. Decided to try the online chat for activation and they activated immediately. Incompetence of the call center reps? Who knows.


Comcast has delivered consistently good product to me over the years but their service has been horribly inconsistent, and this process was no exception.


Looking forward to the new HD channels in a few weeks.
 
#2,144 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kclfoxtrot /forum/post/19553401


When are the additional HD channels supposed to be available? I was told right after Comcast shut down the bulk of the analog channels, but that was a few days ago.

I live in Bloomington and the analog channels were shut down about 20 days ago and there still aren't new HD channels. From what I've heard is that it takes around 3-4 weeks from the shutdown to get the new HD channels
 
#2,145 ·
Anyone else in the St. Louis Park or surrounding areas receiving periodic pixalation? Cable was out briefly in the area on Saturday (27th) and when it was "fixed" I still had pixalation on HD WCCO and KARE11. Called and they sent a signal out to box - The RNG200( The SA and the RNG150 box and TVs were both fine) This process fixed it but it was back yesterday on the same channels?


What really causes this? Is it basically the result of the switchover. If so, I'm wondering if it will improve when it's complete. The rep didn't seem to have any info of why or completion date. Seemed to be reading from their basic script.
 
#2,146 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mnnw /forum/post/19558063


I live in Bloomington and the analog channels were shut down about 20 days ago and there still aren't new HD channels. From what I've heard is that it takes around 3-4 weeks from the shutdown to get the new HD channels

My Guess...they are waiting to send us the annual price increase and justify it by saying they are adding new channels. This normally happens towards the end of the year. Any additional increase might push me over the edge.
 
#2,147 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kclfoxtrot /forum/post/19561941


My Guess...they are waiting to send us the annual price increase and justify it by saying they are adding new channels. This normally happens towards the end of the year. Any additional increase might push me over the edge.

My guess is that the technicians working on the World of More transition here were actually given some time off for Thanksgiving. Blasphemy!! -- I know.


Any delay has NOTHING to do with any upcoming price increase.
 
#2,149 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kclfoxtrot /forum/post/19562457


Well, guess we will just have to see if the channel additions and the price increase comes at the same time.

Even if they DO come at the same time,


correlation causation


So, you think that Comcast would do price increases for the subscribers in Minnesota that haven't received the WofM upgrade and not increase the prices for the subscribers that have?


For Bloomington and Eden Prairie, you folks should get the new channels this week or next. If you call Comcast -- a CSR should be able to give you a definitive date.
 
#2,150 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by blitzen102 /forum/post/19562672


Even if they DO come at the same time,


correlation causation


So, you think that Comcast would do price increases for the subscribers in Minnesota that haven't received the WofM upgrade and not increase the prices for the subscribers that have?


For Bloomington and Eden Prairie, you folks should get the new channels this week or next. If you call Comcast -- a CSR should be able to give you a definitive date.

I called and was told any information related to new channels will be communicated via the normal process of emails or flyer inserts. Amazingly unhelpful.
 
#2,151 ·
A watched pot never boils.


It'll happen soon enough. I seem to find too many other things to fritter away time on that I don't even miss the analog channels that are gone.
 
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