Minneapolis, MN - Comcast - Page 86

Did you ever test the speed yourself on one of those speed check sites? Sounds kinda like a scam to me
Personally I like to use this site to check speeds but I suppose their are many others

I feel like I'm dealing with the three bears (this modem is too slow, this modem is to fast, this modem is just right), but at any rate I got a used Cisco DCP3000 from the service center in exchange for the Toshiba and Arris. I'm getting 10.5Mb right now, which seems reasonable; 8:00 PM on a Saturday is probably about peak internet use time on a residential neighborhood system.

Looking at Wikipedia I'm confused now. It says even DOCSIS-1 modems could support 42Mb. So why ask me to return the Toshiba, and make me return the Arris if the speeds are the same. I share your opinion that something else than what they stated is going on. Maybe they want the new modems going into the system to go preferrably to the higher speed customers for some reason, and are trying to purge the oldest units from their system before they start failing or to simplify tech support.

From my understanding Comcast has moved to DOCSIS 2.0 (and 3.0 for that matter) as its more efficient for their system overall compared to 1.0. Again that's just from my understanding.

Well, there's usually a pretty big difference between theoretical spec maximums and actual in-practice maximums in such hardware. Look at theoretical max USB 2.0, 802.11g wifi, and 802.11n wifi speeds vs actuals.

I'm pretty sure my Comcast modem is DOCSIS 3.0 (and has been for a couple years now), and the difference is the number of channels it can band together. I'm not on the fastest plan, but it is an upgrade plan 30mb/s or somesuch?

I'm not sure what equipment Comcast has supporting DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 at the head-end, but I know a lot of equipment isn't DOCSIS 3.0 yet, and the DOCSIS 3.0 modems communicate with different hardware at the head-end.

A while back, I was the only customer in a wide area subscribed to the 50Mb service that requires a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, so I was the only customer using the new switches at the head-end. When they updated some settings or software on the new switches, they copied some settings from the equipment in St. Paul to the hardware where I was connected in Minneapolis, and it disconnected my Internet connection. It took weeks to resolve with escalation thru layers of techs, but I was given a DOCSIS 2.0 modem that worked at lower speeds in the meantime.

Long story short, the modem you use, and its software, can change the rest of the equipment that runs your Internet connection. DOCSIS 2.0 modems are used for plans up to 16mb. The 20mb and up plans need the DOCSIS 3.0 modems for the increased QAM channels. I don't know what plans are supported with DOCSIS 1.0/1.1 modems.

Taken from this months Comcast bill:
Effective 1/10/12, Comcast will be adding MeTV (Ch. 246 - St Paul, Ch. 209 Minneapolis) to the Digital Basic tier.

It seems that WCCO's QAM channel changed in St Paul today. It was on 76.1, but now it's on 75.1. Anyone else notice this? I guess my Windows Media Center could have always messed up, but I did have to reset it today.

Thanks worachj for the info on MeTV.

Anyone else get something in the mail this week stating that they're moving Turner Classic Movies from Digital Starter to Digital Preferred as of 1/5/12?

Another reason why I wish there was ala carte pricing right now. Anyone know why they're moving it from Starter to Preferred?

I posted the question ^^^ over in the national TCM HD thread
This could be the end of TCM for me

I tried out Pass-Through on my RNG150, supposedly re-enabled with the latest update. And it still doesn't work correctly. In the old days it worked correctly, then Comcast disabled it with their new guide, and now with the update it's supposedly back. Now what happens is it locks onto whatever format the channel is broadcasting on when the HDMI cable is first plugged in. Then it stays on that format through channel changes whether or not the new channel is in the same format. I can pull the cable and have it reinitialize but 1)I do about half my viewing in 720p and half in 1080i so the number of cable pulls would get ridicoulous, and 2)relating to that I'm afraid of eventually breaking the connector on my projector.

I also noticed that in the office where I can't use HDMI the component cables always output 1080i regardless of whether it's set to pass-through or not. I assume this is just the way it is.

Between not having a properly working pass-through for my projector in the living room and not even being able to use HDMI in the office (because my box thinks my three year old TV isn't HDCP complient) and now my cable modem crashes at least once a day I'm getting rather sick of Comcast equipment. But are the alternatives just as bad probably?

Why is being able to watch TV in the proper format such a big problem...?

I posted this in the wrong spot originally..so re-posting it here:

For those of you using Windows Media Center, are you having any issues receiving channel 23.1 - WUCW?

I'm using Comcast cable basic for the lineup, and Win TV7 found the HD version of WUCW showing up as WUCW-DT. I've rescanned a few times with Windows Media center, and i'm only seeing channel 8-WUCW which is the non HD version.

Any ideas on what I should try next?

Thanks!

I will be needing a cable modem recommendation again. Comcast's loyalty department made me an offer I couldn't refuse when I called to voice my "concern" about losing the "leaked" channels we were not supposed to be receiving, and I now have my phone service bundled with them.

They had to install a different modem (one that is telephone capable) and I am back to renting a modem, although they are giving me a $10/month credit for 6 months to offset this since I was originally told I could continue to use the cable modem I own.

So...my Motorola Surfboard SB6120 will most likely end up on Craigslist and in a few months I will be looking to purchase a Comcast compatible digital voice modem. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I'd be interested in hearing feedback on compatible digital voice modems as well. I looked at this briefly maybe a year ago and couldn't get comfortable with any of the models that MIGHT have worked...

^^^ I was told point blank(talking to Comcast rep) that one could not purchase a modem and that the only option was to rent one from Comcast for $10/month. I mentioned that it sounds like others purchased a "Comcast approved" modem to save the rental fee, but again was told this is not an option I wonder if the option is related to particular cities or towns? I was also told by Comcast that they NOT rent routers and it would be my responsibility to get a router, wired or wireless.

The rep gave you some bad info, unless Comcast has changed their policy on allowing customers the option of buying and using their own modem. They used to have a list of compatible modems on their website for just this reason - do a search and you should be able to find it.

I have never heard of them renting routers but that's not to say they don't in certain areas of the country. I doubt it though because the level of needed tech support for non-technical customers would be very high.

I asked the install tech today and found the answer. Apparently for residential service one can indeed purchase their own modems but the install I was having done was a business account and business accounts must rent the modem I also asked him about the routers and he said Comcast doesn't get involved in routers and have no modem/router combo units.

Our area is different , I have a netgear router that Comcast sent me free of charge ,only cost was shipping . (10 $).The router is a Netgear supposedly for higher speed internet service (Blast 25 mbs down 5mbs up ) no monthly charge for the router.This is in downstate Illinois.

Looks like we need to look at this list:

http://mydeviceinfo.comcast.net/

Thanks, has anybody actually purchased and installed one of the "Telephony" units? Also wondering what the difference is between the IMS and NCS versions of the same units.

I'm a recent transplant to the TC's and because of a few factors, I had to cancel DirecTV and go with Comcast.

Although DTV's DVR's have room for improvement, they are far better than Comcast's. I feel like a Windows 7 user who has been forced back to Windows 3.1.

Anyway.. This morning I had a Eureka! moment and remembered that I can get Cable Cards. I switched from Cable to DTV back in 2007, so I'm pretty far out of the loop regarding the options I have..

From what I can tell, one option is a Tivo box. The S3 just came out when I went with DTV, and I remember that it was ahead of the pack with things like multi-room viewing, Tivo-to-go, as well as playing music & home movies over your home LAN..

I also remember that there are Cable Card tuners that you can put into a PC for use with Windows Media Center (or other software). I've built my own computers for years, and I've always kind of wanted to set up an HTPC so that's definitely a feasible option for me. But I seem to remember that Cable Cards were only approved to be used on certain HTPC's sold by Dell or HP, and those were ridiculously over priced. Has Cable Card opened up to homebrew PC's yet?

The only special requirement for me is that I use my laptop to watch NFL game rewind and NHL gamecenter live on my TV via HDMI. I'm pretty sure these would be no problem with the HTPC setup, but what about with Tivo?

Any other thoughts about the Tivo or Cable Card HTPC options? Are there other options that I'm not thinking of?

We have used Tivos for a long time. S1 and S2 with Directv, and currently S3 and S4 with Comcast. Tivo has struggled in recent years. In my opinion their software has suffered, but it was good enough that it's still better than most cable company DVRs. The current models are series 4. "Premiere" has two cablecard tuners and two off-the-air tuners, and "Elite" has four cablecard tuners.

There are plenty of cablecard stories, and it seems like it's a roll of the dice with Comcast. The two Comcast techs we've dealt with here in Bloomington understood the technology and we didn't have any problems. There are forums on tivocommunity.com that go into gory detail, for example the Comcast thread in the Premiere discussion group.

Can't help with watching live on a PC, I don't know if that's possible with Tivo. We occasionally stream shows from one Tivo to the other, and there are plenty of programs that let you transfer recorded programs to and from a computer. Can't recommend any Windows programs but itivo and pytivo work well on Macs, both are free.

I misread this in my earlier comment. I'm not sure what you want the Tivo to do. It won't record game rewind or gamecenter. The Tivo has HDMI and component outputs, not inputs. The input is a coaxial cable for cable TV (and another for a TV antenna, on the Premiere).

If you're watching game rewind and gamecenter live, won't you plug the laptop into another HDMI input on your TV? The Tivo won't be involved at all.

The Cablecard in HTPC problem has basically been solved. We have 3 main options. The Ceton internal card, with its 4 tuners, the SiliconDust HDhomerun network box with its 3 tuners (that can be located anywhere on your network) and the Hauppauge USB box, with its 2 tuners.

All of these devices allow you to get your 1-way service from Comcast, ie there is no on-demand. But who needs on-demand when you have a PC and Netflix?

All of the cablecard options require Windows 7, and to use the same tuners throughout the house, you will need Windows Media Center Extenders at the other TV's. The only one currently made is the Xbox 360, though you can find some of the older ones made by Linksys and the like.

PM me if you have any other questions, I would be glad to help with another HTPC user.

Just a note that recently Comcast in the SW burbs switched the QAM number of TPTLife from 17-1 over to 2-3 matching what is on OTA

My neighbor forgets how to scan QAM and she lost it a couple days ago. A rescan found it

couple notes on the QAM front (from the SW burbs)

The TPT X-Mas channel 2-99 on OTA does show in QAM lifeline under 2-99 also
Jewelry & Shop NBC (80 & 81) are no longer in analog. They do show up under QAM

Have a question in regards to QAM (I have Directv so dont really know)

Do they move the lifeline channels around? Another neighbor asked me to bring in a new HDTV they got (older couple) and I hooked it up and scanned QAM for them (they have just lifeline) but I'm worried that if they move the QAM channels around they'll get mad that they have to rescan.

It may vary by region but in Burnsville they haven't moved the locals around for a very long time.

Any ideas what might cause one and only one HD channel to break up? TLC HD is a mess on both my boxes. It could have always been that way; I justed happened to not have tried to watch it until last week.

I didn't see this in the thread yet...
On my December bill (Eden Prairie) Comcast indicated that FSC is moving from the Digital Preferred Tier to the Sports Tier.
GOD DAMMIT
For people who don't like soccer this is a non-event, but for those of us that do it's horrifying news. I refuse to add on another tier just to get one channel I would actually watch. I pay these jerks enough already.

I understand it's probably some contractual thing with Fox, but once again the end user has to pay the price. I desperately want to cancel my Digital Preferred tier now but my wife likes a couple channels in there (BBC) and doesn't want to see it go. I wish there were a way to express my extreme displeasure with them, but it will fall on deaf ears. I know I can vote with my wallet, but it's such a hassle to switch over to the other limited choices.

I'm bound to get even angrier when the inevitable price increases hit in January. When will they do something that will actually make me happier as a paying customer?