Chicago, IL - WOW

Robert,

All I know is, unlike Comcast, they fiber the signals from the stations
instead of getting it over-the-air like Comcast, so theoretically it should be great. Comcast gets their analog stations fibered, but not their HD. Saves 'em a bundle of money (and OTA resolution is always the best if
you can't/won't do fiber).

I switched to WOW about 6 months ago. PQ is very good, haven't had a single problem with them. Their customer service seems much better than Comcast as well. The DVR is OK, a couple of quirks to get used to, no firewire or DVI yet on the SA8000HD, I've heard that they are starting to deploy the SA8300HD and I believe that has the HDMI port active.

Andy

I'm hoping maybe someone will see this rather quiet thread and be able to answer my question ...

I was reading elsewhere on this forum that if my HDTV has a QAM tuner and if I get the basic cable package (i.e. channels 1-99-ish via analog) then the TV should be able to tune the broadcast HD channels.
Is this true? I called WOW to ask them how I could go about getting the broadcast HD channels and they said it requires getting the digital cable package - this is an $19 hit (digital cable plus cablecard).

Of course, I'll go with an HDTV antenna and get the broadcasts OTA if necessary, but it would be nice if I can avoid doing this.


Mitch

I don't know if it is true with WOW but I recently got a new TV that has the QAM tuner and I ran a splitter that is not going through the digital box to my A antenna and I am picking all of the non premium HD channels that Comcast offers.

Eric-
which comcast package do you have? You can PM me, since this is actually a WOW thread...

If you did not have the digital box from Comcast (i.e. just "basic" analog service), would you connect your cable service to your "A" antenna input?
Or, is the "A" input normally used for OTA?
I'm just wondering if you're using some hidden feature from Comcast.

If the "A" input is the one used when connecting to cable without a box, then it seems like you are getting the type of service that I'm talking about.

Of course, I'll eventually try to see if I get the service from the cable operator "for free" as such, but I'm still interested to see what my odds of success will be.

Thanks,


Mitch

With Comcast, that setup with even just basic service should get you the locals in HD (CBS, NBC, etc), but not the other ones like inHD, CSN, ESPN, Discovery, TNT, etc.

I have the platinum package with Comcast but this should work with a basic digital package as well. I am not sure if it would work with just the basic analog, maybe someone else does.

Here is how I have things set up. I took the cable coming into the house and put a splitter on it. From that I have one running to my digital cable box and one running to the antenna A on the TV. The cable box is connected to the component input 1 on the TV.

I did an automatic search with the TV on antenna A and it tuned in all the unscrambled digital stations as well as the analog programs. This included most of the local HD channels as well as digital music stations.

Hope that helps!

Most cable systems have a lifeline tier that costs around $10 or so. HD LOCALS ARE CONSIDER PART OF THIS LIFELINE TIER!

I think there is some confusion being added to this discussion by all the talk of Comcast. Wideopenwest (WOW) is a competing cable company to Comcast. Unfortunately, in my dealings with WOW, I have learned that they do NOT make the Broadcast HD channels available to their subscribers as part of their basic package. They actually scramble those signals on their system so that you need one of their decoder boxes to pick them up. (I have an HDTV with ATSC/QAM tuner, and am unable to pick up these signals on the WOW system.)

I have been through several discussions with WOW, and they contend that they do not need to make these channels available as part of their basic package, because they already offer a Standard Definition version of these programs to basic subscribers.

I've been through many discussions with them, but that's the way it is. Even though Comcast offers this to Basic subscribers, WOW does not. So I use an antenna to get my HD programming. (This is a real pain in the Chicago area, with CBS broadcasting on channel 3 which is almost always blocked out by interference.)

I'm wondering if anyone has moved from basic (analog) cable to WOW's digital cable package using the CableCARD.
I understand (guessing it's true for WOW, at least) that the basic cable channels are still analog, but I'm still wondering if they noticed any picture quality improvement on those channels.
And, I'm wondering how the PQ for the digital channels are - including the HD channels if you have experience with them.

Thanks,


Mitch

I currently have non-HD WOW service in the western suburbs of Chicago. I called them asking exactly what model of HD cable boxes they offer. The non-DVR option is the SA 3250HD, which is no surprise.

However, when I asked about their DVR capabale option, the technical support guy (NOT the sales guy) checked it out, and after several minutes, told me the model number was the SA 8010HD. Now, I looked at Scientific Atlanta's website, and found no mention of this model. A google search reveals nothing as well. Can anyone shed some light on this?

I was dissapointed to hear that they have yet to offer the 8300HD. I'm wondering what model current HD level subscribers have right now.

SA8300HD

Had it for quite a while now.

I'm just starting to wind down this path with WOW in Naperville. Has anyone tried to record directly from the 1394/firewire ports ? I'm guessing that since it is coming from one of their boxes, that it is not encrypted. Can anyone confirm ?

Firewire isn't active yet, at least on the 8300. Might be active in the 3250, the non-dvr box. I think the next release of the firmware is supposed to enable it.

Have you asked tech support to enable it ? I'm supposed to get an answer on Wednesday from tech support.

Well, I seem to have gotten past step 1 - they will provide a cable box with an active 1394 port if you ask:


It will be interesting to see if the signal is encrypted for the channels that I subscribe to.

New to the group. Hello all. I have sony 4:3 HD ready TV and newly purchased Samsung SIR-T451.

Has anyone been able to get unencrypted or unscrambled QAM HDTV channels from WOW (wide open west) (W.O.W.)? I am able to tune into all the locals with
a radio shack VHF/UHF antenna but not with my basic cable feed. The tuner adds 10 or 11 channels during it's STD Cable scan but there is no video or audio signal after I tune to the channel. I would greatly appreciate others listing their experiences with WOW and QAM capable STB.

I should say that I have basic cable service and I live in Rochester Hills.

Thanks for the replies...

Justin

WOW! scrambles all of their HDTV signals, including the broadcast channels.

I'm making the move from D* to WOW out in Naperville. I've used WOW for high speed internet for over two years and have been pleased with them so far. I'm taking a leap of faith in that I'm switching to them for TV, Internet, and Phone. (All part of a cost reduction move) I know that WOW offers HD and a DVR. I'd like to hear from someone who is using these services as to what the cost is, and whether it's worth it? I'm currently weighing the options of subscribing to WOW HD services, or purchasing a HD OTA STB, or purchasing a HD OTA STB with DVR. (Never had DVR, so don't know what I'm missing.)

Any information on tips or tricks in dealing with WOW would also be appreciated.

Thank you

No one has any comments on WOW for either tv or phone???

Well, I don't know how much this will help since I use WOW for basic cable only (i.e. analog channels) plus internet service.
I'm very happy with both services. Customer service is excellent and I don't think the cable's been out more than once for the several years I've had them. Internet service has been out a few times, but never for more than a couple of hours.

I thought about getting the local HDTV channels from them, but it would end up costing me about $18/month more (with a CableCard, STB would be even more) since you need to get their digital cable package to get the HD locals and I really don't need more cable channels. and I'm not interested in the fancy HD channels (e.g. Discover HD).
(Worth noting is that Comcast appears to provide the local HD channels in the clear. But, I think Comcast is still more expensive.)

Anyway, I decided that I would first try getting my local HD channels OTA using the old antenna in the attic. I'm glad I did. It only cost me a few hours of work and $15 in coax (www.monoprice.com is your friend) to get OTA HD.

I'm using a Sony DHG-HDD250 as a DVR to record OTA HD and my SD analog cable stuff. It has its quirks but so far is meeting my expectations.


Mitch

So has anybody received a box that has the firewire port active? Have you been able to record it? What are the results like?

I have been a WOW customer for some time now. I had their internet service and was pleased with it but switched to SBC DSL for cost reasons. After purchasing a Sony HD TV, I upgraded my service to the SA 8300. The picture quality and the performance of the DVR in the SA8300 have been outstanding compared to our non-HD setup.

After receiving assurances that I would receive a SA8300 with the firewire ports (2) active, the box that they installed did not have active 1394 ports. The final answer that I got from them was that they do not support these ports and have no control over when SA may activate them. When I told one of the reps that this was an FCC requirement, he suggested that I file a complaint with the FCC. I tried to do that but the FCC customer service rep said that they do not enforce this rule and that I would have to file a complaint with a state (IL) or local (Naperville) authority. He was unable to provide me with the identities or telephone numbers of these agencies.

I have WOW in Naperville, and want to do an update check; Anyway to mod the SA8300 box so that I can get the firewire connection to work? Anybody with an SA8300 DVR using WOW with the firewire ports activated?

I contacted WOW and seem to be getting the run-around that they don't own the software to activate the firewire ports and won't do anything about it until they change ownership sometime in May; Even then they are not sure what will happen then....

Friendly Bump...

Hoping to get more answers regarding the SA8300 box and firewire connections.....

Any Wideopenwest users with a TVGOS-enabled piece of equipment?
If so, I'm hoping you can help.
WOW (at least in Naperville) puts Comcast Sportsnet on channel 38.
However, I can't find a "channel" in the TVGOS listing for this.
Any ideas?
I would like to see listings for stuff on that channel.

Thanks,


Mitch

I've been looking for TVGOS to provide that information for over 6 months. It's just not there. I don't know why, TV Guide is now providing the scrolling listing line-up on the TV Guide channel, and Comcast Sportsnet is there. Just not on their online listings.....