Providence, RI - Cox

Remember the same guidelines apply for all local topics: HDTV is the primary interest of the forum. Other Cox related subjects can be discussed, but keep them to a minimum.

Well I guess we have a new home for those that suscribe to Cox services, if I may make a suggestion, we may want to expand this to FIOS as well. This way those with that service in this area have a "home" as well. They are the only major competition (land line based) in RI.

Hopefully we can keep this discussion to HD channel, and related annoucements for the majority of the discussion. I do know that once of the next steps for the guide will be an HD version, I beleive this will get released with the new NDS system.

As far as new HD channels go, I think there are a few more on the table to be released before the end of the year (2 of which I have wanted for a very very long time). THey were supposed to go live this month, but I think before the end of the year is a better guideline as other markets have been "delayed" as well.

guess Ill move my post here. Is there a newer/better dvr available from the DCT6412? Getting sick of this thing

What is it doing?

the storage space with HD is terrible, it's incredibly slow, and needs to be rebooted quite often because it doesnt record sometimes

Why isn't this thread listed in that big index of US metro/city threads?
It needs to be listed there or no one else will find it...
Ken H probably knows how to do that.

We're changing how that topic works, and for now no additions will be made. This topic will be added at some point.

If you read the introduction to the list, it clearly says if you can't find your local topic in the list, to do a forum search.

I only have one question as it relates to COX and the state of Rhode Island: How is one company allowed to dominate 36 of the 39 municipalities in this state like that? Cox isn't nearly as dominant here in Connecticut (Newington, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Glastonbury, Southington, Meriden, Cheshire and I think Cromwell all have them).

There's a lot of politics in the small state of RI and I suspect that Cox may have "bought" the state with well placed campaign donations a few years back.
Here in MA also, we have quite more diversity from one town to the next.

Have you taken it to a service center? You definitely shouldn't need to reboot because it's not recording.

It isnt that they are allowed really, its that the compeition just never got off the ground. I remember when I worked for Cox there was a company that was going to start offering services, the thing is they never got enough money to even get as far as breaking ground

FIOS in finally reaching out to multiple counties and has a company backing it that can afford to rollout and compete with Cox. IMO I think two companies is a good amount for the small state that we live in. Remember when companies look at our state it has a very small poulation to choose from, even if they did come here, would it be finacially worth it to them. From my experience people tend to stick with what they know here. FIOS is making in roads though and after a little time I am sure will make healthy competition (if it hasnt already).

Thank you for the information! I'm pretty certain there are only three, maybe four, municipalities in Rhode Island who don't have COX Communications. Which towns are they?

I beleive its only those areas that are Full Channel areas, I beleive Full Channel Services Service Area 5 (Warren, Bristol, and Barrington), I could be wrong though. There may be a few more places as well with different a different provider as well.

Is ESPNHD available on QAM, I suspect not but figured I'd ask.

~gs2gf

The only channels offered via QAM are the local HD channels. There used to be a few that leaked, but Cox plugged the hole and all HD channels besides locals are now encrypted and require a HD box to decode them.

I assume that's a Monday Night Football question. It would be a better world for QAM sports fans if Disney/ABC/ESPN would air MNF on ABC. I couldn't understand that when the deal was struck a few years ago.

And not to mention everyone with an antenna. Also, a question about Cox. I noticed a few months ago that they took away all of the digital cable HD channels we had been getting since we got the HD package (ex. Science Channel, National Geographic, etc.). Just all of the sudden, we lost like 10 HD channels. Why did they decide to do that then, rather then sooner?

I am guessing you are talking about the channels that leaked through to the QAM tuners of many people. I am not aware of any providers that have not plugged the hole that allowed users to get the HD channels (besides the locals) without a box\\decoder. Those channels were on borrowed time, and Cox just finally plugged the hole. As far as I can remember the ability to get QAM other then locals went away sometime last year. There was a discussion about it in the other Providence HD thread around the time it happened.

If you lost the channels off of you HD box, then call Cox and ask them to send a "hit" to it. You can also unplug it for about 1 minute and plug it back in. Sometimes the boxes do loose connection and need a refresh via signal from Cox or "hard" power cycle. The two channels you listed have been available to me since they went live and I havent noticed any loss of channels that was not "supposed" to happen (ie MOJO).


On a side note, looks like Cox added a second PPVHD channel for this weekends sporintg PPV (Boxing\\UFC). The new channel is 794, I am not sure if this is going to be permanent or not, but I suspect if it is not it will come up again in November when I beleive the next conflict with Boxing\\UFC will happen.

Just wondering if anyone else orered the PPV Boxing match last night in HD. I was highly disapointed that there was a black screen until ~1030 last night for a fight I paid $60 dollars for. Also, I wasnt able to find out that Cox was allowing people to get the SD version until more than an hour into the event as they failed to put that info on the IVR AND I was was on hold waiting for someone to pick up until after 9PM. Hopefully I dont get charged for the HD version as 1.5 hours of HD of a 4 hour event does not merit the full charge.

In Novemeber is the next big fight, hopefully we dont have another incident like this when it comes around.

They just added WGN...channel 82. But not in HD (i wonder if they will?)

I've asked this a while back but I will ask it again...

When will we get the Weather Channel in HD? If there was ever a channel that would lend itself to looking good in HD, it's the weather channel.

Also I wish COX would put out some sort of message before they do those overnight box resets. It would be nice to know when , so you don't schedule a recording in the middle of it. An email notification or something would be nice.

The PPV channel was added for last weekend's event only. There was a problem on our end, which I'm told was corrected around 10ish. They do plan to credit customers who made the purchase, but I don't have the details yet.

Hope that helps. Sorry to hear that there were issues.

Weather Channel HD puts their SD picture in the right 3/4 of the screen and puts additional text info in the left 1/4 screen, with increased resolution all around, I'm sure.
It's a sad situation for folks whose only cable option is Cox, having to beg for additional morsels like this...

Pertaining to the Weather Channel, the answer I got is this: the Local on the 8s are not available in HD, and the feeling is that providing TWC HD without it would lead to confusion among certain segments of viewers. TWC has tentative plans to provide Local on the 8s in HD next year.

As far as the boxes, this is directly from one of our product managers:

"We try to do all receiver resets in the maintenance windows (2a-5a) which provides the least amount of impact to our customers. We pay close attention to keeping it to a minimal. We will consider your recommendation with future resets. Unfortunately we do not have the capability to utilize our receiver to send messages. It is a limitation with our guide company."