New York, NY - RCN - Page 14

I just got upgraded (Manhattan - East 30s). Just a few quick notes...

- Clear QAM EXISTS (very surprised). All the frequencies have changed, so you will have to rescan.
- All QAM is now on on the frequencies that cover channels 2-80ish. None of the old QAM channels above 86 seem to have anything (room to expand?)
- Channel density in each frequency is much lower. Pre-crush, some frequencies had 12 channels on them. The number seems lower now (will find out later when I get a full QAM map done). This means that many of the breakups we've been plagued with (because they were over compressing) for that last few months should subside.
- If you use any electronic guide other than the RCN's cable box (TiVo, MythTV, Freevo, TitanTV, et al) you will need to change your lineup to the RCN Rebuild.

I'll try to remap the QAM and get it posted later.

My new cable-only RCN subscription, mid-town East, also went to NYC-analog-crush Wednesday. Requested maximum HD channels but had to call and have the Premium HD suite 6 channels switched in (HDNet, etc.). They've already added Golf HD among the 'coming soons' in the NYC-crush-pdf listing (link above). Among those not added yet: SciFi, Bravo, Spike, USA, Palladia.

Got a number of 3-6-month discounts from NYC sales guy. But chatting with various billing reps attempting to learn later price changes is jaw dropping. First rep insisted my ~$76 initial payment (+ $30 installation) would jump to $170 (cable only)! She also said the discounted HD DVR rental will jump from $8.95 to $17.95. What's the current HD DVR rental price? A long talk with another newbie billing rep finally established my upcoming non-discounted bill wouldn't be $170. Looks like dealing with 'retention' in the future, to maintain discounts as the NYC sales rep suggested, will be like bargining for a Turkish rug. Hope we're fibered for Verizon's FIOS before then.

Haven't watched RCN SD channels long, but also got the impression, like ghostman, they're slightly crisper and less noisy under the NYC-crush distribution. (All-digital is a big improvement over the many analog channels--rarely watched--a few years back when I had RCN before TWC's matching HD menu kicked in.) HDs seem okay PQ-wise, too, although it's disappointing to see, as DirecTV customers have been complaining, how many of the newest so-called HD channels actually run (initial viewing) upconverted 720p or 1080i, only at 4x3 with side pillars, or zoomed, which I generally avoid. -- John

We've been tuning our Manhattan RCN basic cable feed directly using our Samsung TV's QAM tuner for over a year (no cable box, DVR or other external device). Our building went all-digital yesterday.

Last night we rescanned and, as ghostman noted, found essentially the same channels we had before all coming through in clear QAM, but also as already noted, everything has moved into the 10s-70s (vs the 80s-130s of the old lineup).

mrsthemicah went through all the channels last night and wrote down what they were. Once she gets them put into a spreadsheet, I'll post the list here.

One question, though. The "crush" brochures seem to have very little correlation with what we found via clear QAM both before and after the crush.

I believe the HD channels we get via clear QAM are the networks (CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, PBS, My9, CW) and a handful of cable channels (TBS, TNT, NatGeo, YES, SNY, LMN). We only recently found My9, TBS and LMN in HD, but they were all there even before the crush.

Meanwhile, the brochure indicates that SNY HD and YES HD are new and that NatGeo HD is a "premiere" channel, yet we've had all three for a year or more via clear QAM. And we've not been able to find any other other HD channels (whether indicated as new or old on the brochure) via clear QAM before or after the crush.

Does that mean that all the other HD channels are encrypted and we'll need a cable box if we want to get them?

^^^Seems like the right conclusion to me: (need a STB for more channels). Surprised they've kept that many channels unencrypted besides the usual locals. Guess anyone with a NTSC tuner should be able to scan and check whether any analogs remain after the NYC-crush. -- John

I wanted to share the very tedious work I did today! Crushed yesterday (Astor Place area); got nowhere with RCN reps, both stateside and Philippines! Still have to program my TiVo manually, but will avoid paying RCN for HD! Am waiting for my CableCards to use normal RCN stations. Stations w/o names I didn't know, or have patience to wait until some sort of logo appeared.

11-1 CUNY 480i
11-2 racing 480i
11-3 480i
11-4 NYCTV 480i
11-5 mayor 480i
11-10 MNN 480i
11-11 MNN 480i
11-12 MNN 480i
11-13 MNN 480i

19-3 RCN 480i

20-2 CBS2 480i
20-4 NBC4 480i
20-5 FOX5 480i
20-7 ABC7 480i
20-9 WWOR MY9 480i
20-11 CW11 480i
20-13 PBS13 480i

24-2 NBC4 1080i
24-3 FOX5 720p

25-1 ABC7 720p
25-2 PBS13 1080i

27-1 CBS2 1080i
27-4 AMC 480i

37-2 NGTV 720p
37-3 WE 480i

38-1 YES 1080i
38-3 TNT 1080i

50-2 VH1 480i
50-6 ESPN 480i
50-7 ESPN2 480i
50-9 NICKJR 480i
50-10 CNN 480i
50-11 CN 480i
50-12 A&E 480i
50-13 LIFE 480i

51-1 HIST 480i
51-5 TRVL 480i
51-6 480i
51-7 ANIM 480i
51-8 CNNHN 480i
51-12 DISNEY 480i

52-2 FOX SPORTS SP 480i
52-7 SOAP 480i
52-14 EWTN 480i
52-15 TBN 480i

53-1 MSG 480i
53-3 MTV 480i
53-5 BLOOM 480i
53-6 FOXN 480i
53-7 MSNBC 480i
53-9 WLNY 480i
53-10 COM 480i
53-13 FOOD 480i

54-11 VOD 480i

55-1 ABCF 480i
55-2 TWC 480i
55-4 HSN 480i
55-5 CNBC 480i

56-1 ESPN NEWS 480i
56-2 DSC 480i
56-3 USA 480i
56-5 E! 480i
56-6 480i
56-7 TBS 480i
56-8 480i
56-9 480i
56-10 BRAVO 480i
56-12 TVLAND 480i

57-1 ION 480i
57-2 WLIW21 480i
57-3 TELEMUNDO 480i
57-4 NJN 480i
57-5 UNIVISION 480i
57-6 480i
57-7 480i
57-8 480i
57-9 LIFE 480i
57-10 BET 480i
57-14 G 480i

58-1 SNY 1080i
58-4 C-SPAN 480i
58-5 C-SPAN2 480i

62-3 WWOR MY9 720p

64-1 MC 480p Sounds of the Seasons
64-8 MC 480p Today's Country
64-9 MC 480p Classic Country
64-10 MC 480p Bluegrass
64-12 MC 480p R&B Hip Hop
64-13 MC 480p Classic R&B
64-14 MC 480p R&B Soul
64-15 MC 480p R&B Hits
64-16 MC 480p Rap
64-17 MC 480p Metal
64-18 MC 480p Rock
64-19 MC 480p Arena Rock
64-20 MC 480p Classic Rock
64-21 MC 480p Adult Alternative
64-22 MC 480p Alternative
64-23 MC 480p Retroactive
64-24 MC 480p Electronica
64-25 MC 480p Dance
64-26 MC 480p Lite Hits
64-27 MC 480p Adult Top 40
64-28 MC 480p Hit List
64-29 MC 480p Kidz Only!
64-30 MC 480p Party Favorites
64-31 MC 480p Showcase
64-32 MC 480p 90s
64-33 MC 480p 80s
64-34 MC 480p 70s
64-35 MC 480p Solid Gold Oldies
...continues per current lineup order...
64-52 MC 480p Mexicana

65-2 LMN 1080i

69-2 CW11 1080i
69-3 LATV 480i

70-1 MSG 480i

74-1 TBS 1080i

Thanks for the list bro! This forum usually kept waiting for me to build them first. LOL

nycdesigner et al - Excellent work! The new line up is also more or less what I'm getting with basic digital cable.

If I sign up for HD programming does anyone know if the other "premium" HD channels (Discovery HD, Food HD, etc) will also be unencrypted as clear QAM? The answer to this question would help me decide if I should upgrade to HD subscription and record HD using my multi-tuner PC-based PVR.

Thanks again for all your help.

no you will need a box or cablecard.

small edit...last entry on list should be TBS

The list we compiled the other day matches up almost exactly (our QAM tuner found exactly the same channel numbers).

A few corrections/fill-ins to the list above:

11-4 seems to rotate between NYCTV and a variety of foreign programming
50-13 is LMN (Lifetime Movie Network) not regular Lifetime
51-6 is truTV
56-6 seems to always play infomercials.
56-8 is Fox Movie Channel
56-9 is TMC
57-6 is YTN
57-7 is Telefutura
57-8 is like 11-4--sometimes it's NYCTV, sometimes it's foreign programming
57-14 is Galavision

We miss HGTV, which we haven't been able to find in clear QAM for a few months.

11-1 CUNY 480i
11-2 racing 480i
11-3 480i
11-4 NYCTV 480i
11-5 mayor 480i
11-10 MNN 480i
11-11 MNN 480i
11-12 MNN 480i
11-13 MNN 480i

19-3 RCN 480i

20-2 CBS2 480i
20-4 NBC4 480i
20-5 FOX5 480i
20-7 ABC7 480i
20-9 WWOR MY9 480i
20-11 CW11 480i
20-13 PBS13 480i

24-2 NBC4 1080i
24-3 FOX5 720p

25-1 ABC7 720p
25-2 PBS13 1080i

27-1 CBS2 1080i
27-4 AMC 480i

37-2 NGTV 720p
37-3 WE 480i

38-1 YES 1080i
38-3 TNT 1080i

50-2 VH1 480i
50-6 ESPN 480i
50-7 ESPN2 480i
50-9 NICKJR 480i
50-10 CNN 480i
50-11 CN 480i
50-12 A&E 480i
50-13 LMN 480i

51-1 HIST 480i
51-5 TRVL 480i
51-6 truTV 480i
51-7 ANIM 480i
51-8 CNNHN 480i
51-12 DISNEY 480i

52-2 FOX SPORTS SP 480i
52-7 SOAP 480i
52-14 EWTN 480i
52-15 TBN 480i

53-1 MSG 480i
53-3 MTV 480i
53-5 BLOOM 480i
53-6 FOXN 480i
53-7 MSNBC 480i
53-9 WLNY 480i
53-10 COM 480i
53-13 FOOD 480i

54-11 VOD 480i

55-1 ABCF 480i
55-2 TWC 480i
55-4 HSN 480i
55-5 CNBC 480i

56-1 ESPN NEWS 480i
56-2 DSC 480i
56-3 USA 480i
56-5 E! 480i
56-6 480i
56-7 TBS 480i
56-8 FMC 480i
56-9 TMC 480i
56-10 BRAVO 480i
56-12 TVLAND 480i

57-1 ION 480i
57-2 WLIW21 480i
57-3 TELEMUNDO 480i
57-4 NJN 480i
57-5 UNIVISION 480i
57-6 YTN 480i
57-7 TELEFUTURA 480i
57-8 480i
57-9 LIFE 480i
57-10 BET 480i
57-14 GALAVISION 480i

58-1 SNY 1080i
58-4 C-SPAN 480i
58-5 C-SPAN2 480i

62-3 WWOR MY9 720p

64-1 MC 480p Sounds of the Seasons
64-8 MC 480p Today's Country
64-9 MC 480p Classic Country
64-10 MC 480p Bluegrass
64-12 MC 480p R&B Hip Hop
64-13 MC 480p Classic R&B
64-14 MC 480p R&B Soul
64-15 MC 480p R&B Hits
64-16 MC 480p Rap
64-17 MC 480p Metal
64-18 MC 480p Rock
64-19 MC 480p Arena Rock
64-20 MC 480p Classic Rock
64-21 MC 480p Adult Alternative
64-22 MC 480p Alternative
64-23 MC 480p Retroactive
64-24 MC 480p Electronica
64-25 MC 480p Dance
64-26 MC 480p Lite Hits
64-27 MC 480p Adult Top 40
64-28 MC 480p Hit List
64-29 MC 480p Kidz Only!
64-30 MC 480p Party Favorites
64-31 MC 480p Showcase
64-32 MC 480p 90s
64-33 MC 480p 80s
64-34 MC 480p 70s
64-35 MC 480p Solid Gold Oldies
...continues per normal ordered lineup
64-52 MC 480p Mexicana

65-2 LMN 1080i

69-2 CW11 1080i
69-3 LATV 480i

70-1 MSG 480i

74-1 TBS 1080i

Puzzled by the MGMHD channel, part of the 6-channel HD premium tier. Can't recall ever seeing a movie on it; it always reads "out-of-service, check back later." Also, the Golf Channel HD, with only "data" and no info on the guide, doesn't appear independent from the Versus HD channel since it carries the same programming. The NYC-crush pdf, a while back at least, marked GolfHD as 'coming soon'.

DVRed HDNet's test pattern last Saturday after getting the analog-crush lineup early in the week. Resolution-wise it's about the same as my pre-crush reading, about 1246 lines maximum horizontal resolution with my DCT6416/2300 DVR to a 9"-gun CRT RPTV that displayed a crisp 1335 lines a few years back from RCN with a different STB. Maybe other RCN STBs deliver better resolution. My TWC 8300HD has about the same HDNet resolution now, too. Nationwide, some cable subscribers have reported measuring ~1920X1080 from the pattern. -- John

Installation of a Motorola M2 CableCard will remove any QAM channels from the lineup, so you will NOT be able to program QAM channels with the TiVo.

Without the card, the TiVo will allow a channel scan, and you can receive/record any QAM, but no guide info, of course.

In my case, all of the QAM channels show up in my CableCard lineup based on the service package I have, but this may not be the case for everyone.

TiVo does not seem to know why RCN's lineup does not include the hyphenated channels, but obviously, in my case, they are provided under different channel numbers.

I will be talking to a head tech at RCN the installer guy gave me to ferret out more info.

P.S. Of course, tuning your TV to the non-TiVo input using a splitter from the wall's cable will still receive any QAM as before.

Important note to all TiVo HD and TiVo Series 3 users with CableCards: You need to repeat the Guided Setup of your TiVo to change your listings to RCN Manhattan Digital REBUILD. The REBUILD lineup has all the channels correctly and your TiVo will be very happy.

That's actually been fixed, and I don't think it's an option now...but I know it was for my Series 2 about four days ago.

Got a head tech emailing another head tech at RCN to deal with the QAM BS.

It will matter more when RCN switches to SDV, and highly compresses, or even makes unavailable, certain channels where they would come in better through free and clear QAM. This is really why the TiVo has to tune to them, guide or no guide for them, due to quality reduction we'll likely see later on.

I live in Flushing, and I'm seeing ALL channels encrypted except MSG.

Anyone else experiencing this in Flushing?

Now that I see others are getting clear QAM channels, I'm going to rescan. As I reported earlier, my HDTV found no clear QAM digital channels. Anybody else at Waterside Plaza scan for QAM channels?

As for the MGM HD channel, I get "check back later" on the RCN-supplied Motorola HD DVR, but I get picture and no sound on a TiVo HD with CableCard. I'll have the RCN tech check it out when he stops by tomorrow to swap out the Motorola HD DVR for another CableCard.

In Clear QAM in Manhattan there appear to be two MSG SD channels. Maybe one of them will eventually be upgraded to MSG HD?

Started getting MGMHD yesterday, after getting a 'check back later' message for a while. Believe it's part of the HD premium tier.

Tried to read the http://www.rcn.com/pdf/ny_crush_lineups.pdf listed a page back, which prompted me to subscribe to RCN (for all the HD), but this pdf brochure URL isn't working anymore. Wanted to see what's listed as "coming soon." Skipping around the rcn.com site you can get a channel lineup for NYC, which I printed out earlier as a guide, but it doesn't list the 'coming-soon' program sources. -- John

Has anybody else noticed that the HD version of PBS-13 often has a subtle synch problem between audio and video (audio is delayed a split second after the video)?

We first noticed this during the presidential debates, when we tried to watch them on PBS but found the delay too distracting. The other night mrsmicah had on some Bernstein special and it had the delay, too, though.

Is this a PBS problem, a Channel 13 problem or an RCN problem?

We tune PBS in clear QAM if it makes any difference (as we tune all our channels, and I've never noticed a lag on any other channel).

I got the actual pamphlet sent to me in the mail (same as the pdf file) when they announced that my area would be upgraded...the HD channels listed as 'Coming Soon' are, Bravo HD, USA HD, Spike TV HD, WGN HD (I'm actually currently receiving this channel), SCI-FI HD, Palladia HD, MSG HD, MSG Plus HD, Style HD and Golf HD (also currently receiving)...should also add CNBC HD to that list even though its not listed as 'Coming Soon' as the pamphlet lists it as currently being available


I noticed a few channels having this issue shortly after the crush took place...HBO2 HD and another one of the HBO HD channels had this problem...was very annoying

Audio/video sync problems with cable STBs (audio delays) can sometimes be cured by cold-rebooting the STB. For those using display/tuner QAM tuning rather than cable STBs, trying for an equivalent 'reboot' might help--perhaps unplugging the display and/or a rescan of channels. Some audio centers for Dolby 5.1, AIUI, also have user adjustments for audio delay, so it seems worthwhile bypassing them to see if that stops the problem (pending a better fix). -- John

anyone else having issues with ESPNEWS HD?...the channel hasn't been working for a few days now

^^^Not getting ESPNNHD (#683) this morning either (midtown east). Reads temporarily off air. Looks like they finally got CBS locked in, though. -- John

hmm... I am using QAM turner... I have scanned it many times after the cut off. But I only got a few stations around channel 80, all SD though. Any trick doing the scan? thanks.

Littlechou-
I am getting the same. Are you in Flushing? I live near Union Tpk and Main St and am getting NO QAM channels except for 2 MSG SD channels in the 80s.

I am a current TWC cable/internet sub and am about to jump to RCN basically because I am sick of waiting for TWC to convert more of their analog stations to HD. I live in Lower Manhattan and my building has RCN's all-digital lineup with the new HDs.

A couple of questions:

1) How is the HD DVR (what MOT model #)? I understand that you can't connect an external hard drive, has anyone tried? Has anyone complained to RCN? Other than that, any complaints, worries about the DVR (navigation speed between menus, channel changing, etc., picture in picture). I am thinking about going with the Tivo HD instead.

2) Sports programming; no NBA TV, no Fox College Sports, no Big Ten network, what gives?

Verizon is negotiating with my building to wire it, so I am hesitant to commit to a year with RCN, but the package they have offered me is pretty good (Internet @ 20Mbs, Cable with all the premium movies and a DVR for about $110/mo., which is around $50 cheaper than what I pay TWC now with Starz and the Movie Channel).

Any thoughts? Thanks.

1) The RCN-supplied Motorola DCH 3416 HD DVR works fine, but it only has a 160GB drive. That's good for maybe 20 hours of HD recording. For now, it's not expandable even though the unit has an eSATA connection (Yes, I complained as have many others). I found the lack of storage completely frustrating, so I purchsed two TiVo HD units (one for LR and one for BR), each with a 1TB drive. RCN swapped out the Motorola units for two multistream cablecards (one for each TiVo). I'm very happy with the change. The BIG improvements for me are:

- 2TB total storage vs 320GB (live TV now easily avoided)
- Multi-room viewing (use this frequently)
- Ability to control series (season pass) recording priority (vital)

The only thing I give up is VOD, but I never used that anyhow since I've got plenty of content with the full HD package you mention. Also PPV purchases would have to be done with a phone call, but again, I never use PPV, so no loss for me.

Also, you can go to 1TB TiVos for less than you might think. I got a great deal on the units by purchasing from an EBay dealer who upgrades brand new HD units with 1TB drives and transfers lifetime subscription from older units. I am quite capable of doing the upgrade myself, but it would have cost me more doing it myself.

2) I'm not an American sports fan, so nothing missing there for me. When the Tennis HD channel comes online I'm sure I'll watch that sometimes. Some HD international badminton coverage would be cool...

I have the package you mention. Works for me. Make sure they give you ALL the HD channels. I had to go through the local rep before I got HBO and premium HD channels enabled. The call takers at the 800 number kept trying to charge me extra for those channels.

I scanned again for clear QAM channels (at Waterside Plaza) and found the same ones reported by nycdesigner. I found none the first time I tried because the "cable" option in my TV's menu was set to Off. Once turned on, 134 digital channels were found, but that includes the music channels. As reported by nycdesigner, there are about 14 HD clear QAM channels.

I have a question.

I used to have RCN analog cable and cable internet. Now with the analog crush, I have lost my cable tv, and only have internet. I would like to have cable tv back.

If i order digital service, they are trying to convince me that I need a HD convertor box to get HD programming. I currently have 2 qAM plasma tvs that received service fine without boxes before.

Do i need the HD convertor box? That is an extra $18 month just for the 2 boxes.