New Hampshire - Comcast - Page 6

Lazlo, I believe you are asking if NESN-HD is available over the air? I don't believe the SD version of NESN is available OTA so I wouldn't imagine that the HD version would be. A complete listing of OTA HD channels in the Boston area can be found at: HDTVpub.com.

Kevin

Bresna,
Actually I am asking if you can get NESN HD without the HD Box from Adelphia. Right now I have their High Speen internet but no Cable TV service. Using a QAM tuner I am able to get there network HD channels But not there pay offerings (HBO, Cinemax, etc) I was wondering if the NESN signal is in the clear like the networks or scrambled like the pay services. This can be tested by running the cable feed into the digital antenna in on your QAM tuner enable Digital tv, skip the Adelphia box completely, and running a channel scan. For me I find about 75 channels but only four are viewable, the 4 network HD channels.

Thanks

Lazlo, I am paying for "Extended Basic" with an additional fee for HDTV ($7.95 per month). I get NESN-HD as part of Extended Basic. Unless you are paying for Extended Basic, I think it is blocked.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin,
Right now I only pay for the high speed Internet, When I call Adelphia, they say the only way to get the HD channels is to get the Digital basic and add the HD box. That with the Internet acces comes to $104. Thats $50 mor than what I pay now. Seems kind of steep to add just the NESN HD since I am already getting the networks. I guess I'll have to wait until I get home and do a channel scan.
Thanks for your help.

Lazlo

Thanks, Kevin.
I guess the deciding factor for me is whether or not I could pull in the Boston HD stations. Trying to call some local installers, maybe they could shed some light on what is received in my area and equipment requirements. My southern exposure is one thin tree line of pines and a 3 acre pond in my backyard. Not sure how much pine needles effect signals . On a mission to find out..lol. We are getting very unhappy with our powerlink service lately. Quite a few emails are not delivered and at times becomes agonizingly slow or not working. DSL offers a dedicated line so bandwith is not shared by who knows how many others. Adelphia might turn out to be cost effective to stay with them. Maybe keep the cable and dump the powerlink.
DJ

I have Verizon DSL and Adelphia cable and my total cost is around $85 (around $50 for extended basic with HD and $35 for DSL). I believe this is slightly cheaper than Adelphia's "whole hog" package and you are right, with DSL, there are no bottlenecks. I get pretty much 720 kB/s 24/7. I recommend Verizon DSL. However, if you do get it from them, don't install the MSN software they send. It insinuates itself into your Windows opearting system and messes you all up... but this discussion belongs elsewhere.

Later,
Kevin

2 years ago I got fed up with Adelphia and ordered a promotional pkg from Dishnetwork . 4 rooms including a DVR all the channels, free installation for around $99.00 a mos. At first it was great and when they finally offered HD being a loyal 2 yr customer and owning a HD TV I called so I could get a receiver. After making 3 appointments and each time being told that day that the receiver was not available I felt my continued patronage of Dish was being taken for granted. My assumptions we're correct after checking different forums and finding out that new customers we're receiving these receivers. So I checked Adelphias web site and because there was no Hd yet I bought Dishnetworks 911 HD DVR. I had to go through EBAY and pay $1200.00 they normally retail for $999.00 but I wanted to watch the Superbowl and if you had the receiver you could get CBS out of New York in HD the only local channel they offer in HD plus I could record it in HD. I got 7 channels for an additional $9.95 a mos and they we're Discovery, HD NET, HD NET MOVIES, ESPN HD, HBO, SHOWTIME and CBS HD. I also had to put another dish on my house to get CBS HD they did that for free. Well after a while I began to get bored with these Channels and the Standard definition channels including locals although they were all digital were really pretty horrendous to watch. The picture was overly compressed and had a great deal of pixelation. To top it all off I was now paying with their recent price increase $113.00. I had kept my cable modem and I know in the beginning there were some problems but frankly I would have to say that it has performed quite well. Now maybe I wasn't using the computer when all these problems we're occurring but I've been quite happy with it. I was now up to $172.00 including cable modem and I wasn't enjoying the picture on Dishnetwork when I checked again and found out that Adelphia was offering HD. I called and got hooked up and all though there have been some sync problems with WMUR I feel the company has come a long way in 2 years. The channels even the analogs look better than dish and the programming especially HD is better and growing all the time. The dishnetwork and direct tv pkgs kind of mirror one another and my freind who has direct is getting the same kind of picture quality problems that I have too many stations on each transponder and spotbeam. I've come full circle and have returned to cable because the product is better, they're offering me what I want to watch and I'm paying less about $30.00 including the cable modem. The unfortunate fact is whether it be DBS or cable these companies only learn their lesson and respond to the consumer when they lose customers. Right now I think Adelphia has learned that lesson and Sattelite has not. Stay tuned
Gary

Kevin: When you go to ch.773, is there a "not authorized" message? That's what I got, and had to call CS to have them send an update to the box. It's now working here.

Lazio: NESN's signals (both SD & HD) are encrypted, so you wouldn't be able to get them OTA or by bypassing the A* box.

I called Adelphia and they say my box should be all set tonight. I have my fingers crossed.

BTW, is it official that NESN is filming the Bruins tonight with a high-def camera? I'd hate to have all the build up for HD hockey only to find out it's like Fox on 725 (EDTV?).

Kevin

Oh man! NESN-HD is showing the Red Sox right now and it looks like they stretched a standard def broadcast! Everyone looks short & fat. Is this the way NESN broadcasts HD all the time? I hope the Bruins aren't like this tonight.

Kevin

EDIT: Woo hoo! The Bruins are beautiful in HD!!!

You know, it's strange. When the Sox game first came on, I thought the same thing ala ESPN stretch mode. But either I got used to it, or they switched over at some point, but I thought the game itself looked good. (OK...I'm 46 and my eyes probably aren't as good as yours...or our awesome Sammy 43" DLP just always looks great even in SD.) Maybe NESN's HD resources were spread a little thin today...Sox from 2:30pm at Fenway and Bruskies from the Vault at 7, but man...the Bruins game was awesome! (and not just the outcome) The picture was incredible! I did notice, however, that the between periods studio stuff seemed to be stretched SD. But hey...I'll take the B's in hi-def for as many home playoff games as I can get.

Actually (and I'll try to inquire on Monday as to why), we got a bonus...the Sox game wasn't supposed to be shown in our area in HD. UPN38 had the game, and since we're in the Boston DMA, it was supposed to be blacked out on NESN. Maybe they made a mistake, or maybe it was a special exemption for Opening Day...but I hope they keep it up...28 home games (I think) are designated UPN/CBS, and they may only do a very few in HD on BZ-DT.

You think this was a Good Friday? No, it was a GREAT Friday. My wife and I took the PM off and watched the Sox...Masters...Bruins...all in hi-def, and now we're spoiled as sh*t!
Cameron

ok, i'm covinced to switch back to Adelphia from dish network. I was going to buy their new HD dvr, but that's been on hold due to problems for a couple of months now. Having an HD dvr would be great, but having the SOX in HD is better. Besides, I think the cable companies will be rolling out hddvr's soon enough anyway.

Last night's Sox game on NESN was the first time I'd seen baseball in HD. I have to say that it looked pretty damn good! When they cut to commercials and to other non game cameras they went to an upconvert SD. I actually thought the commercials were chopped instead of stretched. Maybe they did a bit of both? IMO, it was smooth transition between the two unlike some of the CBS HD NFL games last year. Very cool all around. I may have to sit and watch a whole baseball game sometime
-Trouble

Fridays Sox game was on UPN38 and NESN HD (not NESN SD). The game was definitely shown in stretch on the HD channel. From what I can gather, only home games for the Bruins/Sox broadcast by NESN will be in HD. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out that it wasn't my TV, that it was NESN HD using the 38 feed and stretching it.
Does anyone know if when the Sox/Bruins are away, if the local team broadcasts in HD, will NESN use that feed to give us HD? Or will we be stuck with SD/Stretch HD?
I gotta say, I was skeptical about baseball in HD, but I am a true believer now. I was sure hockey would be better, and I was correct.
Cannot wait for the Pats-Colts opener.

This was an eye-opening weekend for me. First was the Bruins in HD. Next was the Red Sox. Then the coup de gras was The Masters yesterday. Wow! Was that a picture or what?

Was anyone else a little unhappy with the camera view for the Bruins games? They obviously use a cropped HD picture for their SD broadcast so what we get on HD is pulled back pretty far. There were times when it seemed to be pulled back too far. Of course, if I had a 60 inch 16:9 HDTV, I probably wouldn't have minded at all!

I tell you, about the only real let down this weekend was that ABC (WMUR) still hasn't worked out the bugs with the audio. Friday night, I caught a little of "Life With Bonnie" and it was pretty good. I thought maybe they had a handle on it. But then last night I watched "Alias" and it was about a half second delayed! The thing that's weird about it is that when they popped on a commercial for the 11 O'clock news, there was no problem. It is clearly only when they are sending the ABC-HD feed.

Later,
Kevin

Ahhh I see the issue. I was talking about Saturday's game not Friday. Either Saturday's game WAS in HD or the upconversion was VERY VERY good I caught a bit of the Bruins on Saturday but indeed since it was away, it was SD but didn't look to, too bad.
-Trouble

What an unbelieveable weekend for HD in Boston! Friday night's Bruins game was superb (although you're right, Kevin, the center ice camera should be tighter). Friday's Masters with Arnie's goodbye was like he was in my living room. The Masters was fabulous in HD. Saturday's Sox game was the first time I'd seen a baseball game in HD (since we agree Friday's opener was stretched SD) and I was not disappointed! Fenway looked great...the colors were so vibrant. Then Sunday afternoon, switching between the Sox in extra innings and Mickelson trying to win his first major...Ortiz jacks one...then Mickelson Jack's one! Unbelievable...and all in glorious HD. It really hit home when I had to watch the Bruins in Montreal in plain old SD...boy, you sure get spoiled!!

Here's the official news on INHD & INHD2:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...52#post3678352

Keep 'em comin', Adelphia!

Still waiting for them to activate ESPN, HDNet & HDNet Movies. Should be soon.
GO SOX! GO BRUINS!

I wish NESN HD would broadcast in normal ratio. Whats with the stretched material most of the time. Although the fish look longer on their fishing shows, all caught by short fat people . If they broadcast in the correct aspect ratio we could stretch or zoom it ourselves.

It does seem like they are building up the HD end of things, now for that HD DVR!

dj: I agree on all counts! Let's all make an effort to email, phone and/or write (does anyone actually write anymore?!) NESN and tell them how ridiculous stretched SD looks (I think the technical term is "ESPN-itis"). Watching the Bruins game last night (sore subject) I noticed during at least one break that they didn't push the SDStretch button...and it looked great. I don't know if they know that most people - even with a widescreen TV, but especially HD viewers - hate a stretched, out-of-proportion picture and prefer 4:3 native with sidebars. Let's tell them!

Although I'm not in NH, I figure this is the place to post since I'm only about a mile across the conn river into VT. I got Adelphia installed today. What a deal. All channels free for a month, free showtime and starz for a year. I got the HD box and a dvr box. THe analog tier is a little disappointing. Compared to dish network PQ is definetly worse, a little sihowy. THe digital tier looks good and the hd stuff is as good. Too bad the game tonight is on Fox. Can't wait til tomorrow for sox in HD. Any idea what the capacity of this dvr is? It doesn't say in any of the literature I got. Can't wait for the hd dvr. THen I can get down to one box.

Perrycom,
Just sent my email to sports@nesn.com. You are right, we should all email them, it sucks and is just plain weird. No one else does this. How can they justify sending out a purposely distorted broadcast to those that pay a premium to receive it. Adelphia should also get involved, how about your manager contact? He may have more weight to throw around to correct this, since he represents a major cable customer of NESN.

It will be interesting to hear their response.
DJ

Hey, kind of funny...lol. I think I see their problem. Check out this link.

http://www.boston.com/sports/nesn/aboutus/employment/

Looks like the need help in the broadcasting end of things .
DJ

Sent mine too.

I'm in...come on boys, lets flood 'em!

Still no new channels since NESN here in Windham but I notice 2 'TEST' channels up in the 1000's. While I've seen them before, I thought they had dissapeared sometime around the original HDTV rollout. Could this be our new HDTV goods in the making?
-Trouble

hi
i was wondering if i could get nesn hd for the summer thru adelphia. Can you get a plan w/o committing to a year programming or whatever? Also how much would it be if i just wanted to get nesn hd only? thanks guys

I signed up for Adelphia's HD package and there was no time commitment. I can just bring back the box and stop paying the extra $8 per month if I want... not that I would!

The Red Sox on HD today was a thing of beauty.

Kevin

Yep, no commitments which I thought was pretty cool. And I think they do some wacky billing where you can get more channels for like 3$ a month more for 6 months but it goes up each month during that time. I dunno how the hell it works but they had something along those lines about a month back. So for like 2$ more than the HD box alone you get HBO or SHO or something including the HD version.
-Trouble

I am a former Adelphia customer who is making the switch back to Adelphia from Dish Network. HDTV channel availability was my main reason for the switch. Adelphia seems to be adding many worthwhile HDTV channels. I hope that they do not let me regret my switch back. Off subjrct: I contacted my local office here and they claimed that On-Demand service would be active in the next month. Hope they are right.