Boston, MA - Verizon - Page 6

I have recently read on another AVS forum a reply from the Maryland sports channel that is similar to NESN. In a response to a complaint that his cable company only had coverage in SD. They responded that its up to the provider to "make room in their lineup for the HD signal".

This negotiation excuse by Verizon is BS! They need to "make room" on the HD tier to carry the channel. Its all technical. NESN doesn't know what they are talking about, there are no negotiations. Than can carry it any time they choose!!

I'd love to talk to this Bill.

Can you post a link to that thread?

It was from http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&page=63&pp=30

You'll have to search for the specific post, but its on that forum (nearer the most recent). You'll also see a lot of complaints from other areas that Verizon promises to carry sports & other channels in HD but doesn't come through.

It just may be that the channel lineup changes slated for Feb. are a technical way for them to add these channels, that seems to be the general consensus from that forum. But, with no word from Verizon...no one knows!

I went to that forum & found the quote. Its from Sportsnet in NY/NJ:

Update concerning SNY in HD in NJ from Sportsnet.
Below is their response to my e-mail (I bolded the bottom line answer):

Thank you for your inquiry regarding SportsNet New York. It is up to each cable and satellite provider to allocate channel space for viewers to see SNY in HD. Currently, not all service providers have allocated this space, but we are encouraging them to do so because SNY has extensive HD programming including all Mets home games. In addition, SportsNite, a comprehensive re-cap of all New York sports is shot in HD from SNY's state-of-the-art street level studio in the heart of Manhattan every night at 6pm, 10pm and 1am.

This is written to a Verizon FiOS customer in NJ who does not get Sportsnet in HD just as we don't get NESN or FOXSports in HD.

Does anyone have any updates on NESN or FSNE HD channels coming soon? Or any others for that matter?

Through forums & threads the date seems to be March. But there is no official word from Verizon. As you can see from the previous threads, unofficially VZ says they are still in negotiations w/NESN & Fox sports. Its a ruse! There are no negotiations. Their problem is technical, i.e. placing these channels in the HD tier. Their revamping of the channel lineup in late February may be the solution to that. I don't fully understand all the specifics, but it appears that it is technically more difficult to transmit new HD programing than SD programing. I just don't understand why they are so secretive about the issue. They literally get hundreds of inquiries about NESN HD, but won't honestly answer them. You'll notice that its always someone that talked to someone, but there is nothing they will put out officially.

This is regarding NESN-HD programming availability. This is my personal take on why NESN-HD coverage is scarce. It all leads back to the days of Continental Cablevision. CC and Hearst started NECN- New England Cable News in 1992. Comcast owns former CC sold assets via transition of USWest-MediaOne-ATT-Comcast. Along with the transition of CC went the NECN stake ownership. How this all relates is this, it is apparent that boston.com hosts www.nesn.com. Boston.com also hosts www.necn.com. Boston.com is owned by The Boston Globe, who in turn is owned by The New York Times. New York Times is a minority stakeholder in The Boston Red Sox as of 2003. Who owns NESN - The Boston Red Sox and The Boston Bruins. Can you kinda see how Comcast fits in the picture here with respect to the interest part? It is not in your best interest to allow competitors to make money off of your interests and investments. All those up above in the companies are surely aware of how many people in New England enjoy NESN-HD. To allow competitive entities to offer your interest product reduces your partner profits. This is why I believe NESN-HD is not offered by Verizon - yet$

But they have advertisers, who want their products out to as many households as possible. Similarly, NY & Philadelphia sports channels are owned by the major cable suppliers in those areas, but VZ carries the HD signals.

I guess you must then ask this question, "who has more money and advertising power, The New York Times and Comcast or NESN?" And then, "who negotiates the carriage agreements." Clearly the answer to the second question is the program provider and the entity who wishes to carry the content. From there, who must the program provider consult during carriage negotiation, answer - the management from above.

Sudbury's Board of Selectmen approved Verizon cable license last night. Verizon FIOS video service will be available to most of the town starting this Friday(2/16).

I am so thrilled I noticed this thread!

I was just about to pull the trigger and get FIOS (because I am unhappy with my RCN service in Newton). However, knowing that FIOS TV does not offer NESN is a deal breaker for me. Yikes. That sucks.

Curious to know if anyone has all three (phone, internet, cable)? If so, how much is the package? I assume if you get all three you pay less? I can't find bundled pricing on-line.

It looks like internet (20mb down/2 mb up) is $45
Cable including HD and DVR is about $60
Phone?

Right now, I am paying $120 for RCN. I get phone, HD cable with DVR and the premium movie package (all but HBO), and internet (only 5mb down/500k Up).

RCN - the phone service is great, HD is fair, and internet is lousy.

I have all three w/VZ. With two phones (separate numbers), internet & FiOS-HD (more for the box) its $140. They have an all three package...you have to call them. If you do call them ask about NESN-HD, I'm curious to hear what they are saying to potential customers now!

Verizon does offer NESN, they just don't have NESN-HD...yet$ I have seen the picture quality of NESN SD and in 4x3 format I'd have to say it looks significantly better than the competitors carriage of NESN.

I've heard the Verizon will be getting NESN HD in a few weeks.

I just got FiOS internet and phone this month. Internet is $40/m and phone is $45/m TV is not yet available in my area. Internet screams. Phone is as always...just phone.

Yes, my mistake. I know they offer NESN, just not NESN-HD.

Thanks for the info. I will call them today and find out about NESH-HD. Interestingly enough, I just got a flyer from RCN in the mail yesterday. They are offering the following for $140/month for a year.

1. Phone - all of the typical phone stuff
2. Cable - HDTV DVR with ALL movie channels offered. Yup, every single one
3. Internet - 20mbps down (don't know up)

Thank you. I miss FIOS internet. I had it for a year then I moved. I have RCN at 5mbps down. It is awful.

This morning, I emailed the following message to NESN(sports@nesn.com)

As a subscriber to Verizon FiOS-TV, we receive NESN only in SD format. Many of us are contacting Verizon as to the reason. We are told that they are in negotiations with NESN to carry the HD signal. We would like to know if this is true, or is it a technical issue for them to allocate space on their HD tier.

I would suggest that others do the same(as many of you as possible), so we can once and for all get to the bottom of the dilemma and get a straight answer.

Again their email is: sports@nesn.com Let's see what we can find out!

Good idea to email NESN directly. I'll give it a try.

I emailed Verizon and here is the reponse:

Thank you for contacting the Verizon eCenter. I have received your
email dated February 14, 2007 regarding the FiOS TV bundle prices and the
NESN HD availability. I understand how important it is to manage your
Verizon account. My name is Johnnita, and I will be happy to assist
you.

I apologize for the delay in my response, and I regret any
inconvenience to you.

Unfortunately, NESN HD is not yet available in your area.

We hope to offer this service to you in the near future.

You can view our press release about new additions by visiting us at:

http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-...bow-media.html

I hope I have resolved your reason for contacting us. If you have
additional questions, or if we may be of assistance to you in the future,
please let us know. We look forward to serving you.

Thank you for using Verizon. We appreciate your business.

Sincerely,
Johnnita
Verizon eCenter

They're giving you old news (Nov/06). The news link she gives you says they will have FSN-HD, but they don't. All the other channels they list are up & running...in SD. That's why I think its all technical on VZ's part to make room on the HD tier for additional channels. I think they have a problem some where, or they would have them up & running by now. The next door neighbor just had FiOS-TV installed today. He's a big sports fan...he has no idea!!

I sent an email to the Verizon media contact for press releases to ask about NESN-HD programming. Below is the reply. Not much new to report. I will keep you updated as I get updated.

"We will carry NESN in HD, and I've seen it on our list of channel additions. But I can't give you a definitive date just yet. I'm going to keep your email, and when I can tell you more, I'll give you a shout.

Regards,"

I'm getting a second HD set this week that has a QAM tuner. If I'm reading your information correctly, then I should receive FiOS HD channels simply by connecting Verizon's coax to the set, w/out a need for a cable box. That was my plan in ordering this set w/a QAM tuner.

Wow...in my town FIOS internet is 20mbps/down and 5mbps up for $39.99/month for the first six months; $49.99 after the trial period.

Guess how much RCN internet is (my current provider)? $90/month with 20 down/2 up. Yikes. I will call and see if they price match.

FIOS TV will cost me $55.98/month for the programming I want (including the HDTV/DVR).

Dear Verizon, please hurry up and offer NESN-HD!

As an FYI (but it appears you already know this - sorry, just trying to share for the forum) you MUST be careful not to be misled when reading the specs on an ATSC television. As a base, ATSC televisions can tune and demodulate ATSC 8VSB signals (digital signals transmitted through the air from a broadcaster). Not all ATSC televisions tune and demodulate ATSC QAM (the signal type which your cable system provides as digital signals). Since you're getting an ATSC QAM television you're all set to pull in unencrypted QAM channels from the cable.

Thanks for your response to my question Motortree. Well I got the set, hooked up the cable to it, ran a scan for channels & got 93 of them. But the HD channels it found would not come in (saying "no signal"). So I don't know if I connected properly (there are two coax connections on the rear labeled HDTV & cable). The manual is not all that clear, but I think I have to split the cable & connect to both to get HD & SD. The question remains, what does Verizon encrypt? I've ordered another HD set top box from VZ, because at best I think I'd get only the local (4,5,7 etc.) HD channels. Seems the FCC is a bit fuzzy on what cable companies can encrypt. Some blogs I've read say you should get the service you pay for on a QAM tuner. But the FCC doesn't force the issue. So rather than re-invent the wheel, I ordered the second box.
Love that HDMI connection!! Five less cables.

What make and model of TV?

As for HD channels, any channel which is part of the basic broadcast tier in SD format, which is also carried in HD should be available. You should also see the PBS digitals like GBH-World, Create and Kids. Also there's a cool music channel offered by WB called TubeTV, that should be in the clear as well although it is SD just like the PBS channels. NBC Weather Plus should also be available as that is another SD digital off-air channel. Here's the list from their channel lineup which should be available in clear QAM:

Analog derived
2 PBS WGBH-TV
3 i:WSBK-TV
4 CBS WBZ-TV
5 ABC WCVB-TV
6 My WZMY-TV
7 NBC WHDH-TV
8 FOX WFXT-TV
9 ABC WMUR-TV
10 Telemundo WNEU-TV
11 ETV WENH-TV
12 CW WLVI-TV
13 Superstation WGN-TV 9
15 i:WBPX
21 Telefutura WUTF-TV
25 ETV WYDN-TV
27 Univision WUNI-TV
44 PBS WGBX-TV
49 Weatherscan Local

Digital derived
802 PBS WGBH HD
803 i:WSBK HD
804 CBS WBZ HD
805 ABC WCVB HD
806 CW WLVI HD
807 NBC WHDH HD
808 FOX WFXT HD
860 NBC Weather Plus
862 WLVI DT The Tube Music Network
870 PBS WGBH 2
871 PBS WGBX 44
872 PBS 'GBH Kids
873 PBS WGBH World
874 PBS WGBH Create

Additionally, I'm pretty certain that you'll find the Music Choice channels and Weatherscan in clear QAM.

Make & model is a Visco 32". I got all the channels you listed. But the HD's would not come in only the SD's. A friend bought the same set & received all the HD's on Comcast & he doesn't pay for the HD tier, only basic digital. I may have connected to the wrong coax terminal (there are two, one HDTV & second Cable). I think HDTV terminal is only air, but it found all the channels, just won't bring them up. I'm getting the second box anyhow so rest of family can use this 2nd set to get VOD etc.

I just downloaded the Visco manual from the website http://www.viscousa.com/LinkClick.as...bid=60&mid=416 and it is not clear if the ATSC tuner is actually QAM capable, additionally there is no indication of 8VSB. My thoughts are that the tv is an 8VSB receiver type and the cable input will only pull in analog CATV channels. I suspect you didn't find the Music channels when you scanned, correct? If you didn't then it is strictly 8VSB and doesn't pull in QAM from the cable. If you are happy with using a settop box then you're all set.