Seattle, WA - Comcast - Page 510

FWIW, Comcast's headquarters are in Philly.

I have no idea.

I thought I read somewhere that Comcast planned to remove all analog everywhere within a couple of years, which makes sense as they could use the bandwidth, there are now more people who have digital TVs that can handle an unencrypted QAM signal (i.e. limited basic), and DTAs are cheap to hand out to users of older sets. There's no point in securing rights to 150 HD channels if you can only deliver 100 of them to your customers!

It looks like Philly is one of the first (if not the first) to go completely digital and Philly is definitely the first to get to 150 HD channels. My guess (and it is PURELY a guess - I am not an industry insider in any way, shape, or form) is that Comcast will remove the remaining analog in other markets over the next two years in a manner similar to how they rolled out the "World of More" across most of their footprint (they still haven't completed the job) over the span of a couple of years. Who knows when it will becomes Seattle's turn? Maybe there is a Comcast insider lurking somewhere that can share this info?

I'm pretty sure I remember comcast going all digital in Chicago and some suburbs in '08-09 and a few other places as well. There was an uproar about people being required to have DTAs to watch anything if they had analog sets. I'm pretty sure it's there plan to go all digital everywhere at some point and they probably already are in a number of cities.

Did they really get rid of even basic analog in Philly? I thought the "150 HD channel" upgrade was based on implementing SDV. I'm not sure I want more HD channels if it means having to screw with flaky tuning adapters on my cablecard tuners.

According to this post in the main Comcast thread, they did remove ALL analog, including locals:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0#post19678890

This post indicates that Comcast will be offering expanded HD line-ups in other cities before the end of 2011.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post19660578

Let's hope we're one of them!

Looks like they did both in Philly - removed *all* analogs AND implemented SDV (this summer, first Comcast market to do so). Both actions would free up quite a bit of space for more channels.

SDV isn't a problem if you're using a Comcast box. Any of their boxes, even old DCT models, will support it (except for the free DTAs of course). SDV works like OnDemand so any box that supports OnDemand should work.

And that is the problem with SDV, if you're using a non-Comcast cablecard tuner (Tivo, Media Center with Ceton, etc). You'll have to get a "tuning adapter" box from Comcast (likely free) that plugs into a USB port to make this work. These can be a pain, from what I've read.

But SDV is where things are going. It makes technical sense - why transmit all 500 chanels to your home, sucking up bandwidth, when you're only ever actually watching or recording 1-4 channels at a time? SDV is also the technology behind Comcast's new ad-insertion system - which supposedly will allow advertisers to target specific commercials to specific homes!

Wow this is quite the message board guys. Glad I found this a ton of great information here.
I am in the process of ditching direct tv because their customer service sucks, not to mention in 8 months of service they never once got my bill correct. So needless to say, Im on the hunt for some cheap ways of getting the features I want.

I like all the sports channels, meaning nfl network, espn's, etc. Not the mlb or anything like that. Just espn and nfl network. I've got two hd tvs, one in the bedroom, one in the living room and want dvr to work in both rooms. I want as many hd channels as possible, including natgeo, history, etc. I also need internet, just for my ps3, I use verizon mifi hotspot for my laptop (cause its free). So a decent fast internet, cable, dsl etc would be great. Plus HBO. Dont care about stars, cinemax whatever, premium channels HBO only tho I dont think thats really an option. For all this I called comcast and was quoted.....drumroll please.... 173$ per month.

173$ per month!

Before tax. Im sure theres going to be some added fees etc.

I thought that was outrageous considering I had direct tv with the same thing minus internet for 70$ a month once my bill was correct. I refuse to use direct tv anymore tho, and I would rather pay the 173 for comcast then have direct tv for 100 a month less. Seriously.
So my question is. Anybody got any suggestions for bringing this price down? I talked to a few buddies and they say the HD dvrs are the most expensive part of it. So I started looking into tivo and stuff and came across this site and was quite impressed. Can you guys help me figure something out or do you have any suggestions? As it is, Ill be getting comcast on Tuesday for the price but really man, 173$! a month...theres got to be some better ways. Keep in mind, I got some tech savvy but very basic. Dont expect me to know what a M5000 satcom cable card is. Thanks a ton for any help.

edit: btw im in west seattle

http://www.tivo.com/sdv has good details on SDV.

Luckily, I've never lived in an area w/SDV (I'm currently on Frontier FiOS) but am a Tivo enthusiast. From whenever I've glanced at SDV discussions on Tivocommunity, the tuning adapters and SDV aren't well liked. Apparently, some adapters are flaky.

Here's a quick update of the QAM List. It's not too substantial since things have been so static for the last few months. I just compiled all of the additions/deletions that have been mentioned here lately.

Quick question on Comcast's DVRs. I had an older Motorola box (don't recall the model) that appered to work ok for 3D but was not listed as 3D compatible. So I "upgraded" to the DCX-3400 which is supposed to tbe the 3D compatible box. I don't really see any difference and don't like the new box. It's got an odd size so it doesn't fit well in the space I had the old box because it's slightly taller and doesn't fit well under the DVD player that sat on top of it because it's narrower and shorter.

So what is the difference? Is it really necessary to have the newer box? Granted, I only did a few minutes demo but as far as I could tell was getting 3D just fine with the older box.

The older boxes can only decode MPEG2. Most 3D programming will be transmitted in MPEG4, which requires the newer boxes to decode. There may still be some demo 3D programming encoded in MPEG2, but I'm pretty sure ESPN 3D and others will require an MPEG4 box.

I'm using the RNG110 and it has worked fine for the 4-5 months or so I have had it now (I think it has been that long). My situation was a little different in that I needed and HD box to fit behind a wall mounted LCD because there really is no shelf space. The RNG110 fit the bill and the setup has worked well. The box is completely hidden yet still responds to all remote commands w/o issue.

Does anyone know whether the Motorola DCT3212 will output a signal over component and/or RF while connected to the TV via HDMI? I'm looking to hook up a second device, preferably component, but RF (coax) if necessary. Thanks.

All outputs are active at all times. (Not sure there is a DCT3212, though.)

Thanks. And yes, it's a DCT3412. Sorry.

Just an FYI: I created a Facebook group for Seattle area home theater enthusiasts: Seattle Home Theater Geeks

I've been having a problem with my Comcast DVR (DCH3416) where, at since their last software update, when I stop playing a recorded program, then delete it, the DVR resets the audio connection to my Onkyo receiver to all channel mono, from Dolby Digital. I have audio & video connected from the DVR via HDMI, with video going on my to TV via HDMI. Any suggestions? Or, anyone else see this???

having major issues tonight -- a bunch of my hd's are not coming in (707 for example) and my premiums like HBO are just blank.

Hello, I am having issues receiving HD channels over QAM. Some work perfectly, some come in SD, and others are missing entirely.
I have looked on tvguide, titantv, and sillicondust for listings to verify, with no luck. I've also tried searching previous threads, and if there is any relevant info, I must have missed it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Comcast in Queen Anne with HDTV connected directly to wall jack.

HD Missing channels entirely: 4.1 , 9.1
Receive in 480i instead of HD: 28.1 , 33.1 , 51.1
Work properly in HD: 5.1 , 7.1 , 11.1 , 13.1 , 16.1 , 22.1

Have you checked your signal strength? I'm able to get all those stations in my area with my QAM tuners. I have one tuner that struggles with 5.1, but it may be due to the location of the tuner in my house.

28.1, 33.1, and 51.1 are only 480i. KBTC is available in HD on Comcast only in the North Sound where it was recently added; KUNS is not transmitted in HD at all. KWPX is available in HD, but the 33.1 PSIP points at the SD stream on 79-2; the HD stream must be tuned manually at 74-3.

4.1 and 9.1 share a transport channel (82). Try tuning 82-1 (which PSIP maps to 9.1) & 82-4 (4.1) manually. If that doesn't get you anywhere, there's likely ingress on the line that you'll have to deal with. KONG throws off several hundred thousand watts on OTA 31, which just happens to occupy the same spectrum as cable 82. It's pretty likely the culprit since you're on QA and so is their transmitter. Check your splitters/fittings/etc. to make sure that you're getting a clean signal and that nothing's leaking in.

This post from pastiche may help.

KUNS and KBTC are not currently available in HD on Seattle Comcast. KWPX is available in both HD and SD but may not have the PSIP data you are looking for. See pastiche's chart.

KOMO and KCTS in HD are multiplexed on the same RF channel. You may have a trap in your feed or maybe poor signal quality.

Question about DVR's (I feel stupid asking this): last night I was recording two things and I went to go to On Demand and my DVR said I was already recording something. This is the first I have seen this -- does On Demand take up a slot on the M-Card? Can you really not record two things *and* watch on demand at the same time?

This is a brand new AnyRoom DVR, so maybe it's different?

Yep - although you're really just running out of TUNERS, nothing to do with cablecard specifically. If you're watching OnDemand, you're watching a cable channel, which requires a tuner - and both of your DVRs tuners were already in use. Only difference with OnDemand vs. regular cable channels is that it's dynamically-assigned, not a fixed channel.

Does anyone know if Versus 3D events (upcoming UFC) are shown on the regular Versus HD channel? Or are they shown on the xfinity 3D channel?

Just curious if anyone in the Greater Seattle Area owns the Ceton 2 or 4 tuner Cablecard solution for Windows and if they are using it with a Multistream capable card on Comcast??? Does Comcast even offer a Multistream cablecard in the Seattle Area? Would love to hear from someone local who has used this and what the bill rate rate is for a Multistream Cablecard etc.

Thanks!

I have the 4 tuner Cablecard with the Ceton tuner and it works pretty well. It's easy to go pick it up and do a self install. The first cablecard is actually free. I have a second set top box so that I have access to on demand. The only issues I have is that occasionally either HBO or Comcast messes up the CCI bit on HBO and it's marked copy never.

Arbeck77,

Thanks fo the reply. So just so I am clear with your setup you are entitled to 1 FREE Cablecard per account. So does that mean with your Ceton 4-tuner card and your one cablecard you are able to tune to 4 different channels with all your extenders in the house? That means that the cablecard you have is multistream capable...??? That is great, I must have been mistaken but did not know that the cablecards now offered can tune into 4 different/seperate channels...I thought they were single tuner only...I am currently paying $15.00 Monthly DVR Fee, and $16.00 monthly fee ($8.00 a piece) for the HD Capable MOCA Tuners in the house in order to use the ANYRoom DVR Service...Currently re-thinking my setup...as far as monthly pricing goes...I would have to eat the investment up front, but then it may be a better setup in the long run....

Is there a extra $6 fee you are paying in the "so called" extra 3-Tuners you are using on the Ceton Tuner?

Thanks!

Nope, there's no extra charge. The multi-stream card can actually do 6 streams at once if I'm not mistaken; but there is no device that can handle more than four. I only have one extender, but I have many times had all four tuners going at once. I don't believe Comcast gives out the single stream cable cards anymore at all unless you have a device so old it can't handle the multi stream card. The key to making things go smoothly though is to tell them you have a Tivo Premier. They at least know what that is.

Did Comcast do something with this channel? I've always had it, but yesterday it started saying I needed a subscription. I'm using a CableCard and all my other channels seem to be working.