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post #1711 of 14496
8/18/04 at 9:30am
SonomaSearcher,
I live in the Saramilgatos area, I just checked the cable lineup and lo and behold a new channel is added. Kron 4 HD , NO, FSN-HD, NO, it's a 24 hour doppler radar channel, just like the 24 hour weather channel that we already get. So on the limited bandwidth that we are to suffer with, they can add these worthless channels but not the HD channels that we really want. This is no longer funny and it's getting a little old. Anyway, for those in the Saramilgatos area check out channel 187, maybe we can pick up the Giants games on Doppler radar

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post #1712 of 14496
8/18/04 at 9:54am
Is it common for Comcast to give the so called "Premium" channels for free during the first a few days of getting the HD?

I had the extended cabel (analog) and went to Livermore office to pick up a 6200 earlier. At the office, the person asked me if I want to keep my current subscription level or upgrade to digital. I said I just want the basic ($5 for the box rental only).

Went back home to hook it up and there were all the digital channels including HBO, Showtime packages etc, as well as INHD1/2, DisoveryHD. I was worried that they will hit me with a giant bill next month so I called Comcast again and asked "Can you confirm my current subscription level is extended cable?". The person said "yes".

So I am waiting for the day that Comcast turn off everything except the local network affiliate HD channels.

Anyone experienced similar situation?
post #1713 of 14496
8/18/04 at 10:15am
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5
SonomaSearcher,
I live in the Saramilgatos area, I just checked the cable lineup and lo and behold a new channel is added. Kron 4 HD , NO, FSN-HD, NO, it's a 24 hour doppler radar channel, just like the 24 hour weather channel that we already get. So on the limited bandwidth that we are to suffer with, they can add these worthless channels but not the HD channels that we really want. This is no longer funny and it's getting a little old. Anyway, for those in the Saramilgatos area check out channel 187, maybe we can pick up the Giants games on Doppler radar

Well, up here in Santa Rosa, a 2% club area, we finally have it, channel 187, a KGO Doppler radar weather map, of California, in the middle of summer. I think we have finally reached the pinnacle of HD viewing, I can't believe I've been able to go this long without this. It's perfect, now when that insidious Sony commercial comes on 185 I can just switch to 187 and stare at a map of California.

Thank You, Comcast, thank you, thank you.

WTF!!

Jim
Comcast 2% Club
post #1714 of 14496
8/18/04 at 12:47pm
Jim,

Are you also getting the 704 KPIX-HD channel? The KGO feed is just one of the digital channel feeds. Is it showing in HD? Now the KPIX feed is supposed to be HD, if your getting that channel and not DISC-HD that would be a real pisser.

- Yuri
post #1715 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:08pm
Quote:


Originally posted by YuriLuzr
Jim,

Are you also getting the 704 KPIX-HD channel? The KGO feed is just one of the digital channel feeds. Is it showing in HD? Now the KPIX feed is supposed to be HD, if your getting that channel and not DISC-HD that would be a real pisser.

- Yuri

No, we haven't switched to the 700's yet, Sept 1 is when it is supposed to happen. The weather map is in 480i SD. Why it is positioned where the rest of the HD currently is I have no idea. Why it is even available is an even larger mystery to me...

Jim
post #1716 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:20pm
Someone just posted in the HD recorders thread that comast western division is not expecting to release a DVR until 2005!!!!!!. I think our time would be better spent pushing comcast to release a DVR sooner. It's easier to provison new boxes than it is to climb lots of poles and upgrade amps etc to give people 750Mhz systems. I'm sure we could all benefit from timeshifting HD.
post #1717 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:25pm
Quote:


Originally posted by dys
Is it common for Comcast to give the so called "Premium" channels for free during the first a few days of getting the HD?

I

Typically, boxes are issued with a default lineup. It should downgrade soon. If you want, you can call and speed up the hit that shuts off the freebies.
post #1718 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:35pm
8/17, KGO DT Weather Channel will be available on channel 184 in all High Definition areas. KGO-DT Weather Channel features a 24-hour Doppler radar weather screen focusing on the Bay Area. This channel is not in high-definition and does not require an HD converter.

8/17 KRON HD. KRON will be picking up the HDNet feed, HDNet produces and televises more hours of original HDTV sports, entertainment and news programming each week than any other network
post #1719 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:44pm
Quote:


Originally posted by DCTDictator
8/17, KGO DT Weather Channel will be available on channel 184 in all High Definition areas. KGO-DT Weather Channel features a 24-hour Doppler radar weather screen focusing on the Bay Area. This channel is not in high-definition and does not require an HD converter.

8/17 KRON HD. KRON will be picking up the HDNet feed, HDNet produces and televises more hours of original HDTV sports, entertainment and news programming each week than any other network

Thanks DCT for the memo ...

I suspect 187 (KGO Weather) takes miniscule bandwidth...the OTA signal that KGO uses for that (a digital sub-channel) uses minimal bandwidth (at least compared to an HD or Analog Channel

The KRON info they are publishing is a little misleading...It should read "KRON-HD provides replays of previous years HDNET programming."...Good eye candy I guess...but like the others I'd much rather see InHD or DSCHD on our bandwidth limited systems...It's bad enough watching yesterday's olympics...seeing last years basketball games on KRON HD will drive me nuts (especially since we arent getting today's Giants Doubleheader in HD like the other areas are on FSNHD
post #1720 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:54pm
DCTDictator,

I know that your are just the messanger, so it is not my intent to shoot you, but what the heck is Comcast doing ?? We of the Comcast 2% are supposedly on limited bandwidth, yet they continue to load the system with useless channels. I don't need a 24 hour doppler map, I don't need a 24 hour weather channel, what I need is FSN-HD, Discovery HD, or even Kron4 HD. Who the heck do I talk to, to get them to listen to their customers ??? You have been a good source of information and really do seem to care about Comcast customers, which is more than I can say for the CSR's, but this lack of support for the customers in the Saramilgatos area is extremely distressing and any help that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
post #1721 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:56pm
Quote:


Originally posted by fitzwest
Someone just posted in the HD recorders thread that comast western division is not expecting to release a DVR until 2005!!!!!!. I think our time would be better spent pushing comcast to release a DVR sooner. It's easier to provison new boxes than it is to climb lots of poles and upgrade amps etc to give people 750Mhz systems. I'm sure we could all benefit from timeshifting HD.

i presume you're on a 750mhz system?
post #1722 of 14496
8/18/04 at 1:57pm
Quote:


Originally posted by fitzwest
Someone just posted in the HD recorders thread that comast western division is not expecting to release a DVR until 2005!!!!!!. I think our time would be better spent pushing comcast to release a DVR sooner. It's easier to provison new boxes than it is to climb lots of poles and upgrade amps etc to give people 750Mhz systems. I'm sure we could all benefit from timeshifting HD.

While 2005 is not completely out of the question, I would take that post with a grain of salt. Their source was from a Comcast CSR who knows as much about the DVR as my grandmother does. I think a lot of us who have been on this forum for the past year have quietly conceded that they will come when they come. Also, any Comcast DVR that's going out today will be the 6208 which seems to be a very buggy release (there are numerous threads about this). While it would be nice to have the DVR for a few shows/movies, I think I'd rather wait for the upgraded and better tested 6412 with dual tuners and larger hard drive.
post #1723 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:15pm
Quote:


Originally posted by DCTDictator
8/17, KGO DT Weather Channel will be available on channel 184 in all High Definition areas. KGO-DT Weather Channel features a 24-hour Doppler radar weather screen focusing on the Bay Area. This channel is not in high-definition and does not require an HD converter.

8/17 KRON HD. KRON will be picking up the HDNet feed, HDNet produces and televises more hours of original HDTV sports, entertainment and news programming each week than any other network

Why, why, why, day after day it gets worse and worse, I think I will just scratch my eyeballs out.

Yup, this is what I need, a radar picture of sunny California and "news" that's probably a year old. Unbelievable.

DVR? Get real, Comcast has more important things to give us, see above...

DCTDictator, I'm not yelling at you, you been a great source of info, but make no mistake I'm certainly YELLING AT COMCAST!!!


Jim
Disgusted Comcast 2% Club
post #1724 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:20pm
DCTDictator,

Here's an after thought I just had. How about getting someone from Comcast, someone that knows about deployments and system upgrades, to monitor this forum. This would have to be a person of supervisory level, this way he would get an idea of what is happening and what is not happening to the differnet areas in the Bay Area. Just a thought, but if Comcast gives a rat's behind about their coustomers, this is a no brainer. Your input on this idea would be appreciated.
post #1725 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:22pm
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5
DCTDictator,

Here's an after thought I just had. How about getting someone from Comcast, someone that knows about deployments and system upgrades, to monitor this forum. This would have to be a person of supervisory level, this way he would get an idea of what is happening and what is not happening to the differnet areas in the Bay Area. Just a thought, but if Comcast gives a rat's behind about their coustomers, this is a no brainer. Your input on this idea would be appreciated.

an excellent idea, i just think that the 2% club, of which i'm a member, will have to agree not to attack him and stop him coming here...
post #1726 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:31pm
mossym,
I promise no attacking, for now....
I just checked the channel lineup again and yes, Kron4-Hd is there, on channel 704. It is showing college football in HD, can't tell is it's old or new but maybe just maybe they could preempt it for local Hd LIKE THE GIANT's GAMES. One can only hope. So people of Saramilgatos check out channel 704, it is really there.
post #1727 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:58pm
Thread Starter 
Folks,

Please calm down about the radar channel from KGO. Here's why:

A) It takes up very little bandwidth relative to a 1080i HD channel.

B) Comcast's contract with ABC/KGO probably requires it to carry the radar channel in order to carry the ABC HD channel. So without the radar channel, we have no ABC HD.

Is it a waste? Yes, because we already have The Weather Channel on analog and Weatherscan channel (digital 178 here), plus all the local newscast weather reports. It's more important back east and in the midwest, where hurricanes and tornados appear, but the ABC-Comcast contract is a national contract applying to all ABC-owned stations.

Plus, what if every local channel required Comcast to carry a weather radar channel? Seven or eight duplicative radar channels? LOL!

However, if we want ABC HD, we have to take the KGO minimalist 480i weather radar also. That's life for now until ABC (KGO is owned by ABC) and Comcast agree differently.
post #1728 of 14496
8/18/04 at 2:58pm
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5
mossym,
I promise no attacking, for now....
.


We'll see


Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5

I just checked the channel lineup again and yes, Kron4-Hd is there, on channel 704. It is showing college football in HD, can't tell is it's old or new but maybe just maybe they could preempt it for local Hd LIKE THE GIANT's GAMES. One can only hope.


or the sharks games...wouldn't that be nice!!!! i think we've got little hope though!!
post #1729 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 
Re HD DVR's,

The best information I have now is sometime between mid-November and mid-January for deployment.

Back east, they are apparently beta testing some right now (the dual tuner 6412's).

The predominant software for the 6412 (TV Guide's iGuide) is not due for release until October, and I am sure that is optimistic.

Yes, we could get Microsoft Foundation, but who knows if that will be ready for October beta testing/November deployment (assuming it is going to be used in the Bay Area)? (shannonv probably knows but cannot say for obvious reasons).

So, yes, it could be 2005 if things don't go as planned. But I will start looking for 6412's in November for early, non-publicized release, being the optimistic realist that I am. If we get some in November, then my current expectations will be exceeded, however, I will not be surprised.

If we don't get any until December or January, that will also not be surprising but will fit with what we currently know, although it will add to the frustration that already exists from the 6208's not being released in December 2003 or January 2004 (as originally planned and communicated by Comcast to its customers).
post #1730 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:04pm
Quote:


Originally posted by mossym
an excellent idea, i just think that the 2% club, of which i'm a member, will have to agree not to attack him and stop him coming here...

No problem, being the who coined the phrase and decided to make myself president of the club I'll definitely go along with that.

BTW,I still haven't got any orders from you guys on those "Comcast 2% Club" leather jackets I mentioned many, many posts ago.

Jim
post #1731 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:11pm
[size=1]2% Club[Size]
I contacted Milpitas City Hall yesterday and spoke with the Telecommunications Commission Public Information Specialist. He said that I was the first person to contact him about high definition TV. He also said that the City and Comcast are currently negotiating a new franchise agreement. According to him, Milpitas has about 11,000 cable subscribers and he doesn't know how many of those are HD customers, probably not many yet. He said that in the future more digital channels will be added to the system, but didn't know how of those would be HD. Although the conversation was informative, and he was supportive, I didn't come away thinking that the city would/could do much to improve the current situation. There is a Telecommunications Commission meeting once a month and I'm going to try to attend next months meeting.
post #1732 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:25pm
I dunno about other comcasters on the forum - I'll bet there are already several lurkers about.

Upgrade info is system level, you'd need a rep from all 5 areas willing to put themselves on the line.

Maybe I'm crazy for passing info along in print. Anyone from The Company will recognize me in a second. There are sources of info that I'm privvy to but they are in no way to be passed on to the public. I draw the line at a message center that is a kind if FAQ for phone reps - if someone called and asked about the KRON HD, they would get purty much the blurb I wrote, as long as the phone rep reads the same page every day.

I see the forum as a great sampling of the customers, the happy ones the mad ones, the indifferent ones.


Found out that I am in the Comcast 8% club. 92% of customers can have HD.
post #1733 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:26pm
rshaw,
Did you contact the Franchise Authority for Milpitas or City Hall. I called the Franchise Authority at the phone number at the bottom of the Comcast bill and yes they seemed to be supportive but very clueless about the Comcast system in general. I was given the " We'll look into it " line. So let me know who you contacted and I'll be glad to call them and give them my 2 cents worth.
post #1734 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:41pm
SonomaSearcher,
I do understand that digital channels don't take up much bandwidth, but if they keep adding more and more little bandwidth stations it adds up in the long run. One here, one there and the little bandwidth we have is gone and all we have to show for it is nice weather channels and doppler maps. I understand the must carry rule that ABC seems to be enforcing now. So, it's seems to be the trend than all the stations will want their weather channel or doppler radar to be carried also. If Comcast was going to upgrade our area, this would be a mute point, but they aren't and won't for at the best in the next 2 to 3 years and that's a big maybe. So, yes, I get concerned when these useless channels get added, taking away bandwidth as minuscule as it may seem. All Comcast has to do is upgrade our area and I'll be happy not to get so overly concerned about these useless stations but I'm not going to hold my breath.
post #1735 of 14496
8/18/04 at 3:54pm
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5
SonomaSearcher,
I do understand that digital channels don't take up much bandwidth, but if they keep adding more and more little bandwidth stations it adds up in the long run. One here, one there and the little bandwidth we have is gone and all we have to show for it is nice weather channels and doppler maps. I understand the must carry rule that ABC seems to be enforcing now. So, it's seems to be the trend than all the stations will want their weather channel or doppler radar to be carried also. If Comcast was going to upgrade our area, this would be a mute point, but they aren't and won't for at the best in the next 2 to 3 years and that's a big maybe. So, yes, I get concerned when these useless channels get added, taking away bandwidth as minuscule as it may seem. All Comcast has to do is upgrade our area and I'll be happy not to get so overly concerned about these useless stations but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Amen.

Jim
post #1736 of 14496
8/18/04 at 4:10pm
keenan,
Are you the same keenan in the yahoo group for HDTV ??? Nice group with alot of good info. Seems the station manager for the local NBC affilliate is a memeber there. I feel sorry for the guy with all the flac he is taking for the Olympic programming. I like the HD coverage but I don't like the 24 hr delay, that's like watching the 49er's game the next day or for that matter any sporting event.
Well, back to the Giants game, hope they do better in the 2nd game.
Wonder what it's like to watch them in HD ???
post #1737 of 14496
8/18/04 at 4:18pm
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5
keenan,
Are you the same keenan in the yahoo group for HDTV ??? Nice group with alot of good info. Seems the station manager for the local NBC affilliate is a memeber there. I feel sorry for the guy with all the flac he is taking for the Olympic programming. I like the HD coverage but I don't like the 24 hr delay, that's like watching the 49er's game the next day or for that matter any sporting event.
Well, back to the Giants game, hope they do better in the 2nd game.
Wonder what it's like to watch them in HD ???

i'm on there as well, that guy is taking a lot of flak alright..

I'm waiting for the 2% Club official baseball cap, it's too warm for a leather jacket!!
post #1738 of 14496
8/18/04 at 4:18pm
Quote:


Originally posted by Mikef5

Well, back to the Giants game, hope they do better in the 2nd game.
Wonder what it's like to watch them in HD ???

Well if HDnet was carrying it, you'll get a chance to see it next year on KRON-HD

and yes, I also feel sorry for Richard (KNTV VP) over there...the flak on that is even worse then the stuff us 2%'s do....I hope he doesnt get discouraged and disappear from the group (like having DCT around here, it's great to a KNTV active in that group...a VP at that...maybe DCT needs a promotion

Sadly, NBC would get less flak if they didnt do any HD at all...Since I'm missing so much of the real Olympics broadcast I enjoy being able to catch up the next day...and the HD is a bonus, even with all the pixelation on the action.
post #1739 of 14496
8/18/04 at 4:19pm
So HDNET on Kron is the current HDNET broadcast, or just stuff that kron borrowed from HDnet?? I wouldn't mind if its current stuff, but its old stuff then I rather have DSCHD over KRON!!
post #1740 of 14496
8/18/04 at 4:25pm
Quote:


Originally posted by dailowai
So HDNET on Kron is the current HDNET broadcast, or just stuff that kron borrowed from HDnet?? I wouldn't mind if its current stuff, but its old stuff then I rather have DSCHD over KRON!!

They are showing College football now (Idaho St vs Utah State)...I'll let you figure out if that's live or not


hint... college football season doesnt start for a while
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