Charlotte, NC - TWC

I have the SA2000HD box from TWC @ this time. They have been promising the new SA3100 box to me for over three weeks now. They keep calling me back and changing the appt. At this time I do not even have an appt. anymore.

Can any on tell me the level they get on their box? I get -9 to -11 all the time. -9 is in yellow and -11 is in red. I ask because the digital channels (150-165?) and the HBO channels (300-317) all look really poor. I get a lot of pixalation and the jitters; it is very hard to watch. A neighbor had Direct TV and his digital channels look a lot better than TWC's digital channels. Of course my analog channels also look poor. The HD channels look good though. I think the SA3100 box is going to fix this, or at least that is what I have been told.

I live in the Huntersville area and use a Toshiba 34hx81. I hope we can keep this thread going. Any one knows whom to email at Fox and ABC? All my favorite shows are on those channels. As of late I watch a lot more CBS.

- Scott

Scott;

Do you have a splitter in your system between the cable box and the wall? If yes, is it a 1gHz model? If your signal is low that might be causing some of your problems. Our TWC here in SC checks the signal level and makes sure its adequate with or without a splitter and will install amplifiers if needed.

I would also ask if you are watching the non-HD channels upconverted through the component connects? Most users (including me) seem to have much better pictures using either S-Video, Coax, or composite connects for those. This might change with the 3100HD box (I have seen mixed reviews so far).



Steve,

I might suggest a phone call or two might be in order vice just emails. Also, I would contact both the individual stations and TWC since both are parties to the carriage agreements. Here we are much further behind you guys in DTV roll out ...we have only PBS but hopefully will have ABC (SD) and CBS (SD/HD) come May. But NO word yet on when they might get on cable (I fear it will not be this year).

Bruce
TWC of SC subscriber

There are two sides to every story.

Ok I'm waiting to hear your side.I'd like to know whats up with fox and abc so any info is helpful.

I am a TWC Charlotte customer, eagerly awaiting his first HD receiver.

I last spoke to one of the HD guys TWC last week (not Ron Wright - the other one) and was advised that they were doing final testing of the 3100 boxes which they had fitted with customized software. The new batch of boxes seemed to be working great and woukd be rolled out in the next 3 weeks.

I wanted to take this opportuhity to commend the two individuals at TWC Charlotte - Ron Wright with whom I have spoken several times, and the other gentleman whose name escapes me. Even though I have been one of many who have bothered them with phonecalls wanting to know when the new boxes would be available, when new services will launch, etc. they have been so helpful and friendly. They have been open and honest with information instead of giving the canned responses that one usually expects from cable companies and the like. Well done to you both. Your efforts really are appreciated.

As for getting my receiver, I'm waiting as patiently as I can to see my first ever HD television picture.

Bdenman,
Do you have a splitter in your system between the cable box and the wall? If yes, is it a 1gHz model?
------Yes it is 1gHz. The split is from the TWC House amp and the SA 2000HD Box.

If your signal is low that might be causing some of your problems. Our TWC here in SC checks the signal level and makes sure its adequate with or without a splitter and will install amplifiers if needed.
------I have the amp. They test and say everything looks good. Sometimes they say the single is too high and sometimes too low?

I would also ask if you are watching the non-HD channels unconverted through the component connects?
-----No I watch through s-video. IF I am going to watch an analog channel for a long time I switch inputs to the non-SA2000hd input. I just use the good old TV turner for that. Still not a great picture but better.

Most users (including me) seem to have much better pictures using either S-Video, Coax, or composite connects for those. This might change with the 3100HD box (I have seen mixed reviews so far).
-----I am waiting the new Box that is said to fix a lot of this.

Any other suggestions?

ALL,
I cannot wait to see what is on the new channel tonight. I would also like to see what are ABC and FOX's side of the story. TWC is putting the blame on them. If Fox and ABC are not to blame they should speak up. I was told that ABC and FOX wanted to have TWC carry extra channels. Like there own version of homeshopping network that user could buy stuff through the TV. TWC said no because it would use all the bandwidth, and not leave enough for the HD broadcast. I do not know how true this is. I am just passing along info.

Could people that do have the box (2000 or 3000) please let me know your single strength. This can be found by pressing the star and dot inside the circle button at the same time for 3 full seconds. Up comes the data and you can see what you strength is.

Thanks,
Scott

I know the new boxes are in but not quite ready for a full rollout to the customers, but are being tested in a very few homes. I to have chosen to be patient as I have seen the new boxes in action and love the product. As far as signal strength a service call fixed my problem with signal and should have nothing to do with HD.

The only side of that story that matters, though, is that 480p is not near HD, so nobody should really care if TWC-Charlotte carries it or not.

In regards to the launch of the WTVI High Definition digital channel, the engineering group at WTVI has indicated that they will "likely have to upgrade software in one or more of their digital decoders before the problem is fixed". They do not currently have a time frame for this to occur. Perhaps, some inquiries to them could encourage a sense of urgency on their part once they understand how many people are interested in this product.

I will send an email or call the new station, and FOX and ABC. Anyone know who, to call or email at those stations? I think just calling and asking about HDTV, will get me nowhere.

The single strength is in the diagnostic screen listed under RF and it should show what the strength is. I had my fixed today. It is now only @-3 and the picture looks much better. Not the best I have seen, b ut a lot better. The "Cable Guy" said that my convergence was off a bit. I didn't know it could be off on a direct TV, but that is what he said. I might call the shop where I bought it.

- Scott

His name is Phil.

P.s. I was told its not a good thing to mess with the diagnostic since the 200hd software is so "touchy".And shine5555 your convergence does make a difference in your picture quality.You should call th store where you bought it or check your manual.
As for ABC and FOX,we all know those stations are huge and wont be far behind in the HDTV run.Therefore I wait patiently since its all still pretty new anyway.

When I try channel 230 I get nothing. I get stuff on 231,232,233 but no HD on 230? Anyone get anything? Also Discover HD will start on June 14th. Any one know if TWC will pick this up? I sure hope so...

Finally, after watching standard definition on my HDTV for the past 3 months, I am going to be able to watch HD tonight. My 3000 box is being installed this afternoon and I can't wait to see the results. Though most digital channels are OK, the picture quality on the locals is poor. To finally have a clean picture on CBS and NBC will be a delight and to have HD programming with Discovery soon to come is excellent.

I now that TWC has stated before it's comittment to carrying HD channels as and when they become available so I assume taht Discovery HD Theater will appear on or very soon after it's launch date.

No doubt once I've seen just how good HD is, I'll be firing off emails to WCCB (Fox) and Channel 9 (ABC) telling them they need to act or lose viewers.

Thankyou TWC for your progressive stance toward HDTV !

Hi all Charlotte HDTV enthusiasts! Silly me, I'm an even earlier adopter than the rest of you guys; had my gear for a year now through DISH Network. Anyone else bagging DISH or DirecTV for TimeWarner's new box? I had heard that the cable box will carry both the east and west coast feeds for HBO and SHO. That correct? If so, and if they pick up HDNet, which I sorely need for it's must-see TV like Bikini Destinations, then I'd have to give up DISH...

On the other hand, DISH has the rumored HD PVR921, a HD Tivo-type receiver, coming out sometime before the year is out (or so rumor has it), which would provide a clean, simple time-shifting option. That would keep me a DISH customer indefinitely.

Decisions, decisions...

I've finally got my 3100HDand and have no problems with picture quality (although I'm not particularly overwhelmed with anything I've seen other than the PBS feed).

I do have audio issues however. What happens is that when watching HD programming everything is OK until the commercials come on. As the final commercial ends and the HD program returns, the sound totally cuts out. The only way to get it back is to switch cable channels and the go back to the HD channel. This also happens if, following a commercial, there is a plug for the news, ie. "Coming up tonight at 11...". I've noticed this particularly on WBTV as that's the station I've watched most of. I don't think it's happend on PBS but it did also happen on HBO HD at the start of a movie.

Is this a common problem ? I'm using L/R audio leads as I don't have an amp that can use the digital audio signal (yet).

Yeah, I have had the same sound problem. It seems quite intermittent. So far, I have only seen it on HBO and SHO. Never on the local channels. This is generally accompanied with data drop outs in the video. When it gets bad enough, the sound goes away and does not return unless I change the channel and return to the one I had been watching. So far, I have not called TWC about the problem.
I did play with the iControl today. It's fun! It also works on the SA2100 non HD box. I have one of those on my old 19"TV. I did not actually realize that it was available until I got around to reading the mailing from TWC today. It does not appear on my program guide. You need to enter channel 1 and then you get it.

I am finding that the component output is quite a bit cleaner. Certainly the HD content is. Most notable to me is the reduction in MPEG artifacts. These can be quite visible on the normal digital channels but are totally absent on the HD content. The result is better then my HTPC which I was previously thrilled with. The resolution is also up a notch but this is probably limited by my monitor.
My viewing situation may be different then many of yours since I am using an XGA 4:3 LCD front projector. The component output, which is always 1080i, is presented as letter-boxed. The NEC VT540 projector detects 1080i and generates blacker then black top and bottom bars. I am viewing this on a 100' 4:3 screen. Any 4:3 content using the component input is then displayed in the center of the 16:9 area of the screen unless I use the zoom feature and blow it up to full screen.
Generally, the NTSC outputs seem to produce a better image of the full screen 4:3 video. If I zoom the 1080i 4:3 to full screen it does not look as good. I am seeing the best results using the SVIDEO output. This does not seem to have changed between the 3100 and 2100.
Those of you seeing excess noise and artifacts on SVIDEO might try reducing the sharpness control on your monitor. The higher bandwidth of the SVIDEO output may have more high frequency content and thus more noise. This also would mean that it may not need as much sharpness boost.

Sorry to resurrect an older thread...

Does anyone have an off-the-top-of-head list of HD channels that TW carries in Charlotte? I finally got my beta HD box replaced (which had been dead for a couple of months) with the new Scientific box a couple of weeks ago, and noticed that many of the HD channel locations had changed during my enforced-HD-hiatus.

For those folks who haven't received the new HD box, it still puts out quite a bit of heat - might want to watch the enclosed space you park it in.

Maybe we should put together a Charlotte AVS meet to check out some of the HD setups in the area sometime? Maybe a tour of those Fox HD broadcast facilities ?

220 = CBS
225 = NBC
201 = PBS Demo
318 = HBO
230 = PBS sometimes, not very often will there be something on.

I cannot remember what Showtime is on? I cancelled Show and HBO. We are still waiting for FOX and ABC. Very soon there will be HDNET and Discovery HD No word on if these will be carried by TWC.

- Scott

Spoke with TWC head of technology. He advised that TWC will begin carriage of WSOC-HD this month after having finally reached a carriage deal with them.

He also laid out time frame for other tech advances... 3rd quarter - pvr , 4th quarter, Interactive TV.

That is great News
Anyone know any of the details? What channel or when? Any news about FOX? Or Discovery Channel HD? Or HDNet?

- Scott