Boston, MA - Comcast - Page 9

Yes, 23 days ago. Not an exchange as I was using cablecard and took them up on the triple play.

WFXT-DT just came on. My Samsung identifies it as 25-1 "WFXT Fi" but definitely shows it as HD.

Hey guys,
I have another quick question. As you may have read before Im new to Comcast and its being installed next wed and i left D* for Digital Cable package. I have the option to use a Cablecard in my HDTV with Comcast and from what i gather you only lose the on demand features, is that the only thing you lose or is it limited HDTV/tv channels? And which is better quality? I want the best PQ possible and wanted to know pros and cons on both. I also want to know if you can get both for your TV from the company or not? and Would it be needed, or an option? I am already getting an HD DVR on wed and wanted to know if i can use the cablecard for pic in pic or as an option as well (or just use a split adapter and use coax in ). If i do use a splitter or CC then will it take away from the picture quality? Meaning the more its split with cable does the tv image decrease , like with satellite . I have little info about Comcast and the cablecard. Thank you you all have been very helpful and im really looking forward to getting my locals in HD and a HD DVR as well

My understanding is that the DCTx4xx boxes are in very short supply now, and that supply is not only decreasing but will not be replenished. (DCTs are no longer being manufactured.) Comcast should be getting the new DCHx4xx boxes by mid-year, and things should loosen up by then.

You shouldn't run into a problem requesting settop and cablecard. If you do, tell them they are on seperate sets. Picture quality is generally not affected with splitters except in those instances where the signal is decreased and becomes too weak for the settop or tv tuner to lock onto the RF QAM carrier. In those types of cases your picture will tile or freeze intermittently or lose lock entirely which would result in no picture at all. As for lost functionality, cablecard will allow you to receive the programs you subscribe to but does not allow TV Guide data to be displayed on the set such as what you have for guide data on a settop. PSIP (program specific information protocol) info from local broadcast stations should be displayed, so you should see " Wwww-HD UPNnn - Jerry Springer - Tramps running wild - 9:30am - 10:30am" or something of that nature instead of TV Guide. OnDemand will not work with Cablecard. PIP is limited to your televisions capabilities. Picture "Quality" differences with Cablecard vs. settop are dependant on the conversion process. A Cablecard TV performs the conversion process to HD entirely and the Cablecard itself only has the role of decrypting programs and mapping channels. So if you have a nice set that was manufactured well then you could see a better picture on the set with Cablecard vs. settop RGB/HDMI/DVI out. Generally you see differences in SD picture quality which are affected by upconversion. The tv may upconvert better than the settop box or vice-versa.

I just checked, and my tuner also found it. This will make channel flipping a little easier.

Number9
Did you have to do a rescan to find Fox-HD on 25-1? I believe Milford and Hopkinton are the same exact cable system with the exception the local govt channels. I still was getting Fox-HD on 87-1 as of last night. I should probably go ahead and do a rescan anyway.

I didn't have to rescan. Just input 25-1.

I did input 25.1 as well as 4.1, 5.1, 7.1 etc. nothing came up. all the HD locals are still on subchannels in the 86 - 87 range. Thats weird. How long have you had this setup? They probably have not gotten around to throwing the switch for my town yet. Another question, after this change, are you able to still see VOD on the 80, 81, 90, 91 subchannels? I am just waiting for that ship to sail any day now.

Any sign of 837? (The place I would put AnE HD?)

Will Verses be moving to channel 48?

I noticed it on 2/27. I still VOD on 80,81,90 and 91.

I have both STB (6412) and cablecard. The cablecard was installed in the same set as the STB by the installer using a splitter without any problem. I can see no degradation in PQ though I assume there is some signal reduction. I can see no difference between inputs in either SD or HD when I run the two inputs in side-by-side mode or switching between inputs. I'm looking at a 65" 1080p DLP so each image is +/- 30" when they're side-by-side.

I recently posted on this forum asking if it would be possible for me to get NESN HD while at school. I didn't think I would be able to get a digital box for my dorm but I realized that I can actually take a box I have at home that my parents are loaning from Comcast and bring it to school since I'm basically the only one who uses it when I'm home. My school also uses Comcast cable. Would I be able to get NESN HD and ESPN HD without paying extra service fee's (which would probably be impossible to pay seeing it's a dorm)? I kind of feel like this probably wouldn't work but I guess it's worth a shot... I want to get an HDTV but not being able to watch the Sox in HD would be a huge drawback.

Now that Cox has WPRI-DT and WNAC-DT on cable in Rhode Island, will Linn want those channels on Comcast in SE Mass. in the Providence DMA?

doubtful unless your school is in the same community.

This all depends on what system controls the area you live in. It's definately worth the time to see if it would work, pulling in channels. You may find that your settop works to tune channels but doesn't get VOD as VOD is a two-way service. Your settop being on the incorrect return system would stop the VOD from working. BTW, your parents account could get terminated and suspended as relocating a settop box is a significant violation of the service terms and agreement. If I were you and I was to venture into relocating the settop box I'd setup an account at my parents house under my own name and keep them out of it.

Wilmington office did not have any either, the CSR checked their entire stack on the shelf (3412's only), and she did not expect to see any more of them in the future. I guess we will have to wait for the new boxes this summer... any word on what size DVR's will be available with the DCH series?

EDIT: I see on Motorola's website that the DCH3416 is the only all-digital box listed... so 160GB for now.

I contacted CS at Comcast today to find out about cablecards, and what reciever I might be getting. I was told I can pick a card up at an office, or any retail store that carries it. My question is how much are they to buy and what stores sell them? Also He told me I would be getting the newest motorolla HD DVR. I had seen posts about new software upgrades for the hd cable boxes and was wondering how they are updated? Is it done by the installer or spftware from menu? And does the new motorolla have this featureor not. Thanks again

Can anyone see the Celtics game in HD ? It seems to be frozen. It's fine in SD.

Zero, CableCARDs are only available through Comcast installation. They told you wrong.

Software updates are done by Comcast when they are ready to push them out to the set tops.

Mallego

Why would he tell me just to pick one up? then? He also said at the office or best buy/ circuit city should i call to add one then or are they not worth getting? Please answer as they are installing this wed am. Can i use this with hd dvr (i want it for my pip) or just use coax in tv and hdr? which is best Pq and easier /best choice

You evidently have misunderstood several aspects of your conversation with Comcast. I would call back first thing on Monday and be sure you understand what you're told before you hang up.

Sounds like maybe he was talking about a cable modem, not a cable card.

NO I told him CABLECARD he replied as I said, Im not stupid and I know what I called about and what we were talking about. Thats what he said, you still didnt answer if it was worth getting or not . I really cant believe you would post that I misunderstood him, I didnt

No need to get defensive; we are here to help each other, anything is possible with first level tech.

Your right Im sorry, But I hate being talked down to. All he had to say was the guy was wromg if he is 100% sure, as no one else has said yes or no.. The CSR told me they were sold at the store or office has them for pick up (cablecard no modem,). And thats what a comcast rep said. That guy said I mis understood I didnt, also Im not sure that guy is correct, is he a comcast employee or tech?

Cable Card is installed by Comcast tech with an appointment. I have 2 of them on Panasonic TV's. Once installed, tech calls station and they sent signal with channels you are to receive and the CC will decrypt them.
From what I know you can't by them and you can't pick them up.

As it is, it seems some of us have misunderstood you here in the thread, so clearly communication problems do happen. As I suggested, you should call Comcast and ask all the questions again, calmly and without getting defensive or aggressive, being sure that both you and the person you're talking to understand each other. This will help prevent you from wasting time on Wednesday, and being left without service because there was some fundamental bit of information missing. I hope that helps.

Relax....jeez. I didn't "talk down to" you or imply you misunderstood. It's simply the "you can buy one at Best Buy or Circuit City" line, a cable modem is the only thing I can think of that would fit that part of your conversation. I've never heard of cable cards being sold retail. More likely the CSR was clueless, not you.

There are some locations that allow you to walk down to your local Comcast office and pick up the CableCARDs so that you can install them yourself. Other locations require a truck roll, where the installer must bring the CableCARDs with him when he's going to install them in your equipment. It varies from region to region. Around here, the truck roll is usually what happens.