Washington, DC - Comcast

i'm going to check with adelphia here in Charlottesville to see if it's available.

I'm with Adelphia in Northern Maryland, but not sure whether it's offered here yet or not. I can see the HD channels on the digital channel guide though, and we certainly get deluged with HD commercials from Adelphia.

Given what they have so far, I guess I'm not real interested yet either. As you say, I've been getting HD OTA for over 2 years now, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS. Other than ShowTime, which I don't subscribe to anyway, they don't really offer anything I don't already get, or care to get.

Now if Adelphia can manage to add ESPN-HD, Discovery-HD, and other non-HBO/Showtime channels that I can't already get OTA, then I'll take a look. Until they do, it's not worth the extra 5 or 6 bucks a month just so that I don't have to fiddle with my antenna rotor occasionally.

Brcobb, just a quick question for you. I too live in the Fredericksburg area and my question is this. Could you please tell me exactly what type of OTA antenna you are using. Thx.

Actually your are getting more off the air than you would with the Adelphia feed.

I am direct tv customer in Fburg and get most of the ota signals. I get NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC all the time and sometimes get the PBS feed and UPN 50 feed.

I live in Celarview heights and run the 8 bay bowtie antenna and channel master amp.

I alos subscribe to Cox for cable modem service. I dont know of anyone getting HD from Adelphia but heard they are offering it now. Any word on Cox offering HD in the burg?

Stephen

Stepmback,

I too am in Fredericksburg. Do you aim at the Richmond stations or DC?

I have had HD from Direct for about two years. When I went OTA, Richmond didnt have but one digital station. Every once in a while I pick up a richmond station now doing a scan on my DST 3000, but my atenna is directional. If I turned it I might be suprised what else I pick up. Richmond has many digital stations now.

Do you direct your antenna to DC or Richmond. If Richmond or DC what are you able to receive?

I have been with Adelphia a number of years and I've had to install an antenna (CM-4228 w/ CM-7775) 18 months ago in order to receive HD programming from DC. I recently installed a 2nd antenna and I am now receiving Richmond DTVs as well. I maintain broadcast basic service, but I now receive most of my programming via VOOM.

I have a Mitsubishi TV with an integrated 8VSB/QAM tuner so I decided to scan Adelphia for digital locals last night. I haven't done this in quite some time so I was pleasantly surprised to find the following unencrypted QAM digital locals.

77.1 - WTTG (Fox DC)
77.2 - WBDC (WB DC)
77.3 - WETA (PBS DC)
78.1 - WJLA (ABC DC)
78.2 - WRC (NBC DC)
78.3 - WUSA (CBS DC)

For those having a Mits w/integrated tuner in the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania area, I hope this saves you time - having to manually scan and delete the 100s of encrypted channels takes about an hour. I am not sure how these channel numbers will map to other STBs/tuners.

I was briefly able to compare the PQ of two stations during this time - NBC and PBS...the PQ was surprisingly good with Adelphia HD. I saw no difference in PQ between OTA and Adelphia in the short while I compared them.

Anyway, I am glad to see that Adelphia is finally providing unencrypted digital locals, but in my case it's too little, too late. It looks like I may terminate service in the very near future.

Adelphia finally became available in Carroll County, MD and I went ahead and subscribed. Despite what I posted above, the extra $4.40 a month seems a little more palatable now, so I don't have to fiddle with my rotor & OTA antenna. This can be a real pain at times. Plus I got tired of seeing the same ol' stuff over & over on Starz so I switched to Showtime. For now I get ShowtimeHD, ABC (WMAR-DT), CBS (WJZ-DT) and NBC (WBAL-DT). Picture quality is very good. I can't tell the difference between Adelphia's picture and OTA (Samsung SIR-T150).

Hampster,

Interesting information, I just can't see how it pertains to the folks in the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania VA area. My wife hails from Eldersburg and Westminster. I would mention this to her parents, but they are happy with Dish Network and their SD offering; they just don't share our HD excitement- go figure!

Isn't your statement about receiving WMAR-DT, WJZ-DT, WBAL-DT and ShowtimeHD for an extra $4.40 a little misleading since you also have to pay for Showtime - a premium channel? Perhaps it is best to state the $4.40 price covers ABC, CBS, and NBC and mention that Showtime-HD is offered free-of-charge to those who subscribe to this premium channel.

In reality, $4.40 covers the rental of the STB. Last year, the NCTA announced plans to provide unencrypted QAM/8VSC locals via their broadcast/lifeline packages. Also, since the FCC has mandated that all new Digital TV sets (phased-in starting next year) have a built-in digital cable ready tuner, then the need for an STB would only be needed to access premium (encrypted) channels. Personally, I don't know why anyone in the past two years would have purchase an HDTV or STB without native 8VSB and QAM decoding capabilityjust my opinion.

For those of you who are currently receiving INHD, HDNET, Discovery HD, etc., via unencrypted QAM, you can expect these stations to be moved to an encrypted HD tier as soon as the cable companies can close the loop. That's just my opinion.

Besides receiving DC and Richmond locals, I am also receiving Baltimore locals under optimal conditions (usually during summer-time evenings/late night/early morning). Anyway, WMAR blows WJLA out-of-the-water!

While I do like the fact the local Adelphia office is passing 6 DC stations to the community in unencrypted QAM, the fact of the matter is I also pick up Richmond locals via my 2nd antenna (ABC, CBS, NBC - I'll pick up FOX when they complete their broadcast tower and start transmitting at full-power). Does anyone know if Adelphia has plans to pass the Richmond digital locals in addition to the DC locals? Why, because of our location they currently offer both DC and Richmond analog localswith the exception of Fox in Richmond.

Why is it so important? Sports of course - I have more choicesand sometimes this new technology confounds the broadcasters (failed codec, power problems, someone forgetting to throw the HD switch, etc.)! I have noticed the Richmond stations will often (or often enough) broadcast a different regional game:

ABC - College Football, NHL Hockey
CBS - College Football, NFL Football, College Basketball
FOX - NFL Football
NBC - do they do sports?

I have a Radio Shack Remote Control A/B Switch, model 15-1968, to control my antenna inputs with a flick of the finger. I programmed macros for my Home Theater Master MX-700 and SL-9000 remote controls and I change channels effortlessly - no moving any rotors - no delays - no problems. I highly recommend folks in the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania area do the same between DC/Richmond (DC/Baltimore in your case).

Anyway, I currently have 36 channels of HD with VOOM (not including my locals) and that number is going to perhaps 60 by this time next year. So while Adelphia is FINALLY starting to do a good job with HD, they are way behind VOOM and have ticket me off to no end regarding HDTV in the past. Heck, 6 months ago their CSRs were still telling me, Why would you want HDTV when we have Digital Cable and Oh, you must mean HGTV don't you? UGH - UGH - UGH!!!

Anyway, the point of my post is to tell all the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Adelphia folks there are 6 unencrypted DC digital locals. Assuming you have a digital tuner with QAM then you should have no problem enjoying the Adelphia Broadcast HD package without having to pay anything further.

Watching the Byron Nelson Championship (HD) on WUSA-DT...well, at least CBS is using some HD cameras. Anyway, I am seeing the exact same picture from Adelphia as I am with OTA. They are also passing DD5.1, which sounds great on my Yammy - I'm impressed.

What upsets me is that fact the local Adelphia office has been capable of bringing us broadcast HD for well over a year!

Relative to posting about Adelphia in Northern MD, I was mostly responding to an earlier post I'd made to this thread back in January. Even though I'm in a different county, I think picture quality and channel offerings are still somewhat relative, since it's all Adelphia in our 4-state area. Adelphia seems to lump VA, MD, WVA and PA together quite a bit. When service goes out, it seems to affect all 4 states quite frequently, so I think we have a lot in common - including picture quality it seems.

Everything you mention about cost is correct. I already had digital cable, one premium package, and have had cable internet access for about 4 years now (before Adelphia it was Prestige). This is Adelphia's Silver Advantage pack. Given that I already had all this, the extra $4.40 is the extra monthly rental charge for the SA 3250HD STB. My equipment is all about 2.5 years old now (end of '01 & beginning of '02 before the Winter olympics), back when HD on cable was pretty much still a pipe dream. OTA & Satellite was about it, so since satellite has never been an option (way too many trees on southern horizon) I only have an OTA 8VSB decoder.

Hampster,

Thanks for posting! Sometimes I see the word Adelphia and speak before thinking. Yikes! I spent over a year of my time trying to convince Adelphia and the Spotsylvania County Cable TV & Telecommunications Commisssion of the need to bring HD to the area. Bottom line: Adelphia was broke - Adelphia didn't know HD - neither party had a plan - Adelphia continued to push it's digital cable product as being "just as good" as HD. It was sad because the local office had the capability, and their engineers had the desire, to pass digital locals back in November 2002. We should have had HD last summer (IMHO).

Anyway, I get my HD fix via VOOM and OTA these days. I am very happy with both decisions

Good luck with your Adelphia HD,
Riff...

I finally got fed up last week with Cox and Direct TV and went with VOOM.

So far I am really impressed. My only gripe is that you have to get your locals via OTA ONLY and sometimes I get a drop on my NBC feed, so that means no NBC sometimes, but I dont watch NBC that often.

I pay about 100 bucks a month and get 36 HD stations. 2 HBO, 2 SHOW, 2 ENCORE, 2 STRAZ, 1 Movie Channel, TNTHD, BRAVOHD, ESPNHD, DISCHD, DIVINEHD, 4 LOCAL HD (PART-TIME), 10 VOOM HD Stations, and 10 VOOM MOVIE STATIONS.

If cox or adelphia would offer all bu the VOOM HD stations I would switch.

Just some info about Fburg HD.

Stepmback,

I am glad to see that others in the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania are subscribing to VOOM. I have been with them for two months and have really enjoyed my HD experience. Welcome aboard!

I reviewed your previous posts and noticed you already had the CM-4228/CM-7775 combo prior to ordering VOOM. FYI, I have using the same antenna/preamp since late 2002 in order to receive DC locals:

WJLA-DT (ABC), WUSA-DT (CBS), WRC-DT (NBC) and WNVT-DT 2/47 never an outage.

WTTG-DT (FOX) comes in flawlessly most of the time, but their antenna is 200ft. lower than the above stations, side-mounted, and on the other side of the tower. This will be corrected in 2005.

WETA-DT (PBS), WBDC-DT (WB) and WPAX-DT (PAX) comes and goes due to their broadcasting at low-power.

Did you request an upgraded antenna and have them point it toward Richmond?

Anyway, that's what I did...actually, still in the process of doing. Joe Harkins (Installs, Inc.) will install a PR-8800, and point in toward Richmond, after the next software update to allow manual OTA scanning. He was also willing to install a rotator (free of charge), but I would rather control my DC/Richmond inputs via a remote controlled A/B switch. Currently, I have a spare CM-4228 that I am using to receive the Richmond stations: WRIC-DT (ABC), WTVR-DT (CBS) and WWBT-DT (NBC).

I have noticed that not all CM-4228s are created equal. Some work better than others and the difference is critical at 55+ miles!!!

Also, are you familiar with the Satellite Guys VOOM Forum? It's the best VOOM Forum on the web!

Riff...

77.2 (WBDC) seems to have disappeared a few days ago. I noticed that HDNet popped up on 77.2 yesterday...but it comes and goes.

???

As stated I went with Voom and so far am happy. I have some crosstalk due to an amp issue I need to deal with but that is for another thread.

I live in Clearview Heights in Stafford/Fburg. Dont let the name throw you, no clearview from my yard, too many trees.

Interesting that Adelphia in our area is carrying all these HD stations, I could subscribe to them. Let me ask a question. Previously when I first had my TV I was a subscriber to Adelphia, the picture was terrible on the digital stations (HBO, SHO, etc) the analog lower stations were ok. Have they fixed this?

Secondly, you said you can scan for locals on the voom box, with the upgrade. I dont have this upgrade, what is the upgrade number and what box are you using. Would love to get this to pick up 7-2 Doppler ABC station and to see what other stations are out there i am not getting.

I get abc, fox, NBC, and CBS great now. Apparently just by turing my 4228 antenna about 40 degrees away from transmitters, I was able to pick all up with no drop-out, who the heck know why, but it works great.

Great to see other in Fburg getting had as well.

For spec purposes, I have a 65HX81, Yamaha, amp, Toshiba SD4700 DVD, JBL speakers and Yamaha speakers as well as a DST 3000 gathering dust.

I'm very happy with the VOOM service as well. Sure, it has problems...but they offer a heck of a lot more HD than anyone else.


We still maintain a lifeline analog subscription and have had nothing but good results with the broadband service the past 2 years. However, the analog and digital cable PQ was horrible and I cancelled digital cable shortly after getting it a couple years ago.


Everyone should be running firmware/software version 6.10. All Voomers need to be a member of the VOOM Forum at Satelliteguys.com - the definitive source for all VOOM information.

Hey great information about VOOM...I got tired of waiting for Cox to deliver HD and signed up for VOOM's free install last month. I didn't expect much OTA (I live in Stafford off Rte. 3, Argyle Heights), and when the install was done I was getting CBS and the mHz channel out of Goldvein, VA. Subequently, I got on the phone with VOOM tech support and now I can also get (intermittently) NBC and Fox in addition to CBS. No MNF, alas!

If I lived across the Rappahannock or even two exits up 95, I'm sure I would get even more stations.

Any one got any hints short of climbing up on the roof to aim the antenna?

BTW, the VOOM service is fabulous and looks great on my JVC AV-34WP84!

For those that are using Adelphia's STB the SA3250HD how do you have it connected to your tv? I was told at the local office that the DVI port is not operational. Was wondering if the firewire ports are active? I have read elsewhere on this forum that if you connect via the firewire some of the guides don't work etc. so that will not be an option for me. I'm going to try and get Adelphia out this week to hook up the new box. Kind of pissed me off that they must install but oh well.

Thanks for any info you might have...

I have a SA8000HD w/DVR box being installed this afternoon. Since my VOOM is connected to my 2 year old Mits via component, I have requested both firewires ports are enabled, by law...however, I do not get a very good feeling about the fireports being enabled. I called the 800 customer service number and stopped by the local office late yesterday afternoon and nobody could tell me if the box needed a 4 or 6 pin cable.

I fully expect the firewire, PG and all other features to be working. We shall see...

I'd be interested in hearing what you think about the HD... My Sammy is being delivered on Sunday. May try and go by and get an earlier HD install date. Right now its set for Thursday. Don't think I'll be able to wait that long...

Well, the Adelphia Installer arrived on time and brought along the SA-8000HD w/DVR. However, he never heard of firewire nor could he tell me if the firewire ports were enabled. Ugh! The installer called his supervisor and collectively they both never heard of firewire. While he read the users guide, I noted that, "Customer Requests Firewire Ports Be Enabled" was written in the work order.

9/7/2004 - I Called the Adelphia 800 number to get their Gold Pack Special with HD DVR: $29.95 for 6 months - free Starz/Showtime for 12 months, DVR fee PG fee waived for 6 months - $10 off on Powerlink - free installation. By the time I scale back VOOM service, cable will wind up costing me an additional $10 or so dollars per month. Anyway, I requested firewire enabled ports when I placed the service order.

9/8/2004 - Followed up my order with the local Adelphia office. I spoke to an engineer about firewire and he stated, "Just a long as you request firewire support on your order then we'll enabling the ports."

9/14/2004 - Called Adelphia's 800 number to ask if the firewire ports used 4 or 6 pins since I needed to purchase a cable. The CSR didn't know the answer so she referred the matter to engineer...said I would receive a call shortly - never did.

9/15/2004 - Stopped by the local office to get an answer to my firewire cable question. The CSR didn't know the answer and no engineers were available - I was told not to worry since the installer will bring all necessary cables.

While the installer was on-site, I called the Scientific-Atlanta Customer Service number and spoke to one of their Cable Operator technicians. I was told Adelphia has not ordered the firewire option on any of their SA-8000HD boxes and, in fact, they have not ordered the option to enable DVI/HDMI; the only enabled HD out ports are Component. What? According to the FCC rules that were adopted for digital "plug and play" cable compatibility, consumers can plug their cable directly into their digital TV set without the need of a set-top box. Just a couple of the important points:

High-definition set-top boxes - Starting April 1, 2004, cable operators must supply, upon request, high-definition set-top boxes with functional 1394 "firewire" connectors. By July 1, 2005, all high-definition set-top boxes would also require a digital visual interface ("DVI") or a high definition multimedia interface ("HDMI").

Adelphia is wasting my time and possibly violating Federal Law. Last night, I filed a complaint with the FCC and reported them to the Spotsylvania County Cable Commission. I also complained to Adelphia and was given a $20 credit for the installer wasting my time. I am not happy with Adelphia Cable and I am quickly remembering why I left them 2 years ago. I didn't accept delivery and will have to reschedule and installation appoitment after the firewire ports are enabled.

So you bagged the whole thing? Component has got to be better than nothing at all...

I called the (800) number asking if DVI was going to be active. They did say that no it will not be activated. I didn't ask about firewire as the HLP6163 doesn't have any. I was looking at the Mits WD62525 that does have the firewire. I'm going to try and get them to come out on Monday instead of Friday... Are you ready for some football!!!

I didn't bag the 8000HD...just didn't accept delivery that day. I plan to take all necessary steps to ensure Adelphia provides me with a "firewire" and "DVI" enabled HD PVR as directed by the FCC.

I'm awaiting delivery of a 2nd HD set, but I have a Mits with one (1) 1080i component and three (3) firewire connections. Since my VOOM STB is already connected via component cables, that leaves with no other HD inputs for the HD DVR.

My Saga for HD-DVR continues...

The installer was supposed to contact me the following day (Friday) after he researched the firewire issue with the local office - never happened.

I called the 1-800 Adelphia number Saturday morning to check the status of my installation. The CSR didn't know, but she said the matter was being escalated; she promised a supervisor would call me later that day - never happened...however, I was given a $20 credit for the debacle.

I called the 1-800 Adelphia number Sunday morning once again to check the status of my installation. The CSR could not tell me why a supervisor did not contact me regarding this matter and told me the matter was being escalated to multiple supervisors. I was also given the direct number to the supervisor handling my district. When I called to leave voice mail, the mailbox "filled-up" after 15 seconds and I was disconnected and unable to leave additional voice mail. Anyway, during the conversation with the CSR, I was informed that I had an open service call on Monday, from 8am - 5pm. I quickly cancelled this appointment because I did not make it nor could I miss a full day of work.

Monday Evening after 7pm, I came home from work and discovered a voice mail left by an Adelphia technician. Apparently, a tech showed up in response to a "customer action form" scheduled for that day to look at my HD-DVR. I then noticed someone had "pulled the plug" on my Powerlink Internet service....I almost hit the roof! I had three hours of work to complete via my company intranet (I'm on a client site) that evening and had no Powerlink. Anyway, service is supposed to be reconnected this morning and I received another $40 credit, but I am not a happy camper.

Tuesday morning, I called the local office and spoke to the Customer Service Liaison who was getting ready to call me about my firewire issue and address my complaint letter filed with the County Cable Commission. I told her it was very odd how my service disconnection coincided with my complaint letter. Anyway, they are working the issue....we shall see.