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Boston, MA - Comcast - Page 11

post #301 of 8460
3/11/07 at 7:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveFi View Post

The OnDemand HD movies aren't usually OAR or 5.1 so for $6 a pop I'll have to pass on them. That being the case you'd be better off just subscribing to a premium movie channel.

For the freebie stuff there occasionally is a good one in there every once in a while (OnDemand HD). I just watched Navy Seals, and it was quite good. OAR, even though DD2.1, gave my sub quite a workout. Check it out if you get a chance.

As for the free movie channels, there is UHD, and while not the best, it's the only one we have right now, so it's hard to complain when we only have one. As you say, INHD shows virtually no movies anymore, so we have to rely on whatever comes on UHD- watch them very closely for "oneshots", I find they are now more and more frequently starting to show movies once and only once, "Jaws" was only on once in Jan (if you can believe it), and Mary Shelly's Frankenstein and Bordello of Blood as well...

Thats exactly my point, if you sign up for a premium movie channel it cost you more money, a OnDemand movie besides those few freebies, more money. Why would Comcast want HDnet when they can get more money out of the HD fans doing it this way. As for UHD's PQ, it is terrible and because of it I never watch the channel, TNT, I won't even go there. So what does that leave? not very much I'm sad to say. So If your into movies the only choice seems to be HD DVD or Bluray and not wait for Comcast to add something that is not going to benefit their bottom line.
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post #302 of 8460
3/11/07 at 10:28am
So is everybody enjoying the "announcer-less" Sox game on NESN?

Their audio mix is way off, so the ambient sound is up full and the announcers are way in the background.... it's like being at the game, except there are two guys sitting about five rows behind you who are talking constantly.

Update... they fixed it after the 1st inning. Bummer...
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post #303 of 8460
3/11/07 at 11:43am
is anyone else having freezes on 849? (ESPNHD)
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post #304 of 8460
3/11/07 at 6:49pm
will A&E HD be on Comcast when ESPNClassic is dropped from analog on 3/31/07? This seems to be the one HD channel being added to other Comcast systems around the Country and not yet here. From other psts on AVS we will see more HD channels coming in the 2ns Half of 2007, but how many will Comcast-NE carry?
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post #305 of 8460
3/12/07 at 9:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ps2baseball View Post

is anyone else having freezes on 849? (ESPNHD)

Was it during the ACC tournament final? That game was blacked out on ESPN and shown via ACC syndication on 838. Looked pretty good, some buzzing on the audio, though.
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post #306 of 8460
3/12/07 at 11:16am
My 6412 II has been working pretty well for a while, but is now having issues of freezing on newly recorded shows (old recordings still work fine). I'm thinking it's time to trade it in, but hear there are shortages of DVRs. Has anyone called their local office before going down and been able to find out if they have boxes available? If so, does anyone know the phone number for the Lowell office? Thanks!
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post #307 of 8460
3/12/07 at 11:22am
I can't speak to a shortage of DVRs, but Google says the phone# for 650 Suffolk Street in Lowell is (978) 455-5179.
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post #308 of 8460
3/12/07 at 11:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDLIVE View Post

Was it during the ACC tournament final? That game was blacked out on ESPN and shown via ACC syndication on 838. Looked pretty good, some buzzing on the audio, though.

Coming from Dish network I'm used to seeing a message when a game is blacked out. Does Comcast typically do this also? I figured 849 was all black because 838 had the games, but a message would be better than a black screen.
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post #309 of 8460
3/12/07 at 3:45pm
Milford has several 3416's. I returned my 3412 on Friday for a 3416. My wife returned that one on Monday do to a very loud fan. Lady behind the counter told her all 3416's were louder, but gave her a new one. This 3416 is silent!
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post #310 of 8460
3/13/07 at 3:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmichael View Post

Coming from Dish network I'm used to seeing a message when a game is blacked out. Does Comcast typically do this also? I figured 849 was all black because 838 had the games, but a message would be better than a black screen.

Blackout on HD is just that - black. Is too bandwidth intensive to service alternate HD programs in place of blackout restricted content. An SD overly might cause processing equipment to not function properly. An overlyay is a large expense for an operator to invest in just to show a black screen w/overlay
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post #311 of 8460
3/13/07 at 10:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hibricc View Post

I can't speak to a shortage of DVRs, but Google says the phone# for 650 Suffolk Street in Lowell is (978) 455-5179.

Thanks. Not sure what office that is, but the Lowell office for swapping boxes turned out to be on Washer Street and has no external phone number. I was able to get a 3416 without any problem.
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post #312 of 8460
3/13/07 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmichael View Post

Coming from Dish network I'm used to seeing a message when a game is blacked out. Does Comcast typically do this also? I figured 849 was all black because 838 had the games, but a message would be better than a black screen.

I've never seen any notice, either it's a black screen or the previous channel is "frozen" on the screen, which is what I assumed you were seeing.
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post #313 of 8460
3/15/07 at 9:33am
Much to my dismany, given all the advertising, not all NCAA tournament games will be broadcast in HD. Just got off the phone with someone over at WBZ who said something about having only so many transmitters. When pressed, she said she could only tell me what New York told her. She said as the tournament goes on, more and mroe games will be in HD.

I hope they're prepared to answer a ton of calls, especially with BC playing in the first game.
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post #314 of 8460
3/15/07 at 10:10am
Boston was listed as being a "Constant" area and should be showing the BC game in HD. All games are broadcast in HD from the sites.

larry

The game is listed on WBZ web site as being in HD. They didn't even show the national feed (Gumble and the guys) in HD. They are f'ing up some how.

I just called 617-787-7000 and got one guy who put me through to somebody else whose anwering machine picked up. I just left a message and told them they were flubbing it somehow and please look into it.
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post #315 of 8460
3/15/07 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PooperScooper View Post

Boston was listed as being a "Constant" area and should be showing the BC game in HD...

Unfortunately, the "constants" will all be shown in SD. The others (called "flex") will be HD, but will skip around to the better games.

BC and Holly Cross are the constants for this area.

Mickey
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post #316 of 8460
3/15/07 at 11:37am
Thanks. I got the "contants" and "flex" mixed up, at least wrt SD vs HD. It still doesn't make sense to me when all the games are sourced in HD.

larry
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post #317 of 8460
3/15/07 at 11:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PooperScooper View Post

Thanks. I got the "contants" and "flex" mixed up, at least wrt SD vs HD. It still doesn't make sense to me when all the games are sourced in HD.

larry

I think it has to do with network only able to transmit 3 or 4 HD feeds at a time. The "constants" are additional feeds since they are not flexing with the HD feeds, so those are limited to SD.

Mickey
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post #318 of 8460
3/15/07 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BSTNFAN View Post

My 6412 II has been working pretty well for a while, but is now having issues of freezing on newly recorded shows (old recordings still work fine). I'm thinking it's time to trade it in, but hear there are shortages of DVRs. Has anyone called their local office before going down and been able to find out if they have boxes available? If so, does anyone know the phone number for the Lowell office? Thanks!

I exchanged a busted 3412 this morning in Westford, MA, and they gave me a new 3416.
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post #319 of 8460
3/15/07 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MickeyGee View Post

I think it has to do with network only able to transmit 3 or 4 HD feeds at a time. The "constants" are additional feeds since they are not flexing with the HD feeds, so those are limited to SD.

Mickey

After I thought about it, it makes sense that a constant feed can't be HD. They'd need a separate HD feed for each constant feed. Too many. But, why couldn't the constant feed be put on WBZ SD and put the flex (national) on WBZ HD? If you have to see all of the game you're gonna see it in SD anyway.

larry
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post #320 of 8460
3/15/07 at 3:18pm
Are you getting multiple games on multiple channels in Boston on Comcast?

In RI Cox/Channel 12 CBS gives RI the primary game in HD and added two additional Digital SD channels (Yea, I wish they were also HD ) and one OTA SD channel.

The schedule is below:

http://ww2.wpri.com/global/Story.asp?s=6225120

So you get to watch Vanderbilt destroy George Washington (did this team really beat URI in the A10 Final?) during the news hour.

Is Comcast offering similar coverage?
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post #321 of 8460
3/16/07 at 6:21am
I'm using the Motorola non-DVR HD settop box from Comcast... I can never figure out what the model number is on these things, I think it's DCT-34xx or DCT-64xx. Anyway it's *just* the HD box, no DVR as I said. It has a DVI output (no HDMI ) and is running firmware version 16.20.

This firmware version has a ****** bug where the video output on the DVI port is corrupted, forcing me to go analog and use the component video port. Grr.

Apparently there's a new firmware rev out (16.35) which fixes this bug.

How do I get this? Do I have to sit and wait until Comcast decides to push it to my box? Can I request it?
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post #322 of 8460
3/16/07 at 7:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigblue82 View Post

I'm using the Motorola non-DVR HD settop box from Comcast... I can never figure out what the model number is on these things, I think it's DCT-34xx or DCT-64xx. Anyway it's *just* the HD box, no DVR as I said. It has a DVI output (no HDMI ) and is running firmware version 16.20.

This firmware version has a ****** bug where the video output on the DVI port is corrupted, forcing me to go analog and use the component video port. Grr.

Apparently there's a new firmware rev out (16.35) which fixes this bug.

How do I get this? Do I have to sit and wait until Comcast decides to push it to my box? Can I request it?

You probably have a 6200. It should be on the bottom of the box somewhere...You can't request new firmware. When your headend is ready for it, it will get pushed out to everyone. Different areas of the country get them at different speeds. Some people don't even have 16.20 yet.
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post #323 of 8460
3/16/07 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BSTNFAN View Post

You probably have a 6200. It should be on the bottom of the box somewhere...You can't request new firmware. When your headend is ready for it, it will get pushed out to everyone. Different areas of the country get them at different speeds. Some people don't even have 16.20 yet.

Ah ok. That's what I figured. Thanks, I appreciate the response!
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post #324 of 8460
3/16/07 at 8:49pm
804 has no weather cut ins this is great
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post #325 of 8460
3/16/07 at 8:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDLIVE View Post

Was it during the ACC tournament final? That game was blacked out on ESPN and shown via ACC syndication on 838. Looked pretty good, some buzzing on the audio, though.

that was it
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post #326 of 8460
3/17/07 at 3:29pm
Has anyone else noticed that NESN HD occasionally slips in a 720p commercial in the middle of their 1080i hockey broadcasts (both Bruins and Hockey East)?

I think the only way you can see this is through some CableCard enabled device. Pretty much every Comcast box/DVR lacks a "native" output option, right? I see it using my Tivo S3, configured for native output. It's mildly irritating, because my TV (Mitsubishi WD-65732) takes several seconds to switch resolutions, so when I'm fast forwarding through the commercials I overshoot the end because it takes too long for the TV to switch to 720p and then back to 1080i.

I didn't even know it was possible for a channel to switch like that. I thought you had to make the choice before you even buy the hardware to do HD Or maybe it's Comcast slipping a "local" commercial in? As I recall, most of them have been car/truck ads, but probably not all of them.
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post #327 of 8460
3/17/07 at 4:03pm
Got a message on the box today that Bloomberg is going digital-only. There are reports coming in from various regions that A&E HD is being added. I wonder if the first move is making way for the second.

Although from everything I've heard from people who've seen A&E HD, it's not that big a deal. Stretch-o-vision abounds (like with TNT), and there's even less worthwhile HD. Keep your expectations low on this one, at least for the time being.
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post #328 of 8460
3/17/07 at 4:35pm
Bloomberg has ALWAYS been digital pnly.

It is just going from sports and Entertainment to Digital Classic.

No sign of 837 (the likely home of AnE HD)
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post #329 of 8460
3/18/07 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobColby View Post

Got a message on the box today that Bloomberg is going digital-only. There are reports coming in from various regions that A&E HD is being added. I wonder if the first move is making way for the second.

Although from everything I've heard from people who've seen A&E HD, it's not that big a deal. Stretch-o-vision abounds (like with TNT), and there's even less worthwhile HD. Keep your expectations low on this one, at least for the time being.

Yeah I agree, this is a channel I could really care less about and probably will hardly watch. I rather have them save the bandwidth for the weather channel which goes HD in Sept but thats just me.
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post #330 of 8460
3/18/07 at 1:40pm
ESPN Classic is going digital only on 3/31. Like to see a couple of more analogs go to free up HD bandwidth for A&E, Weather and the other HD chanels coming on in 2007. Direct TV will be adding in 2nd half of 2007, and hope that cable will do the same. Like to see chs 2-60 and 95-99 for analog and rest freed up for digital . Thats about 65 channles kept analog which would include 20 broadcast and local orginations channels.
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