[pmturcotte]

Well I gave up. Rather than try to make HDTV work with my dish, since we already had Comcast for the cable modem and basic cable, I took the HDTV converter as well. Only going to be there another couple months so it made sense to rent it.


Though we are moving down to Alexandria soon, can any of you Cox Cable customers answer a couple of my questions.


1 - Coxs web site seems to indicate they will accept NO third part HD tuners on their system and they are fairly explicit that new customers MUST rent at $10/month. Their site indicates this is the result of intense customer feedback. First of all I find that hard to believe unless all the people surveyed were planning on being there a short period of time. Well if I am planning on settling down there, no way in hell I am paying $10 a month for say 10 years (120 months = $1200) when $500 will buy me the box I need. Whats up?


2 - According to their web site its only NBC and ABC in HD. No Fox? (I notice they are adding CBS on 1/23 in another post.)


Thanks.

 

[Foxbat121]

No cable co. will accept unauthorized box from other cable companies. And your Comcast box may not even be compatibile with it (Cox uses SA boxes). Understand this point, you will understand why most people don't want to buy a $500 box that can not be used anywhere else. In addition, the technology on these cable HD boxes change rapidly. I signed on with Cox HD last Sept. and I already exchanged my old SA3100HD to a newer SA3250HD box. And I still think I won't pay even $100 for this SA3250HD.


As for channel line ups, Cox here only carries NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN HD, inHD1 and inHD2 free of charges and Discovery HD for a monthly fee. HBO HD and ShowTime HD for free if you subscribe to those preminum channels already

 

[pmturcotte]

Sorry I didnt mean to imply I was stealing a box from another company and attempting to use it, or using one off the back of a truck. I meant if I go into Best Buy and get a normal HD tuner off the shelf, they wont work? If I am going to be with one company for a long period of time, renting makes absolutely no sense to me regardless of being able to upgrade. I will be paying over a thousand dollars just for the privelage of using their box? Oh well it is what it is I guess.


Dont understand why they wouldnt carry Fox in HD, that sucks - esp since Comcast does.


Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

[dt_dc]

When 'Digital Cable Ready' (CableCARD) products come out later this year you'll be able to use them.


As noted above, the note on their web site comes from when they tried selling the STBs this summer. It wasn't really a 'third party stb' ... it was just a rebadged version of the existing box they use. It wouldn't have worked on any other cable system. It was pretty expensive and lacked features. They also stopped offereing the option to rent the boxes (you had to buy them). Needless to say ... the response was underwhelming.


Anyway, rent from Cox (or go OTA only) untill a CableCARD stb comes out that you like. You'll be able to use it.


Also, as you noted ... no Fox on Cox (sounds like a line from Dr. Suess). No PBS either. CBS (WUSA) is up and running, although there is no guide data yet (I guess that comes 1/23).


A correction to the pricing. ABCHD, NBCHD, and CBSHD are free (even if you only get the basic limited service). However, ESPNHD, INHD1, and INHD2 only come with the 'Expanded' tier.

 

[dt_dc]

Quote:

Originally posted by pmturcotte I meant if I go into Best Buy and get a normal HD tuner off the shelf, they wont work?

This is true for any cable system in the US right now. OTA HD tuners use 8VSB modulation. There are only a few cable plants in the country using 8VSB. Most (including Cox Fairfax) use QAM for their digital channels (including HD). There are a few HD tuners available that include QAM capabilities ... These would be able to pick up any unscrambled digital channels on Cox Fairfax. However, none of the off-the-shelf tuners (8VSB or QAM) include any capability to pick up any channels your cable comapany may scramble. While some cable systems may be carrying a few unscrambled HD channels (locals) ... it's hard to know for sure and any of the 'opional channels' (ESPN-HD, etc) are going to be scrambled.


The cable companies, electronics manufacturers, and FCC have put together a digital cable plug and play agreement that will allow you to:

1. Buy a (or TV or DVR) stb with a CableCard slot

2. Get a CableCard from your cable company

3. Get all the channels you're subscribed to

4. If you move or switch cable companies, you return the old CableCard and get a new CableCard from the new company.

5. Unfortunately, the first generation 'one way' devices are not going to include VOD or PPV ordering capabilities (you can order PPV by phone, but not via the cable box). Later 'two way' devices are supposed to address this ... however, all the agreements for 'two way' devices are not in place yet.


Cable companies are supposed to be in compliance by July 1 of this year and we should see products coming out after that.


Some cable companies have partnered with electronics stores in their area to sell digital cable boxes. However, any digital cable box that does not have a CableCard slot will ONLY be usable on that one particular cable plant ... an idea that has not gained much traction with consumers.

Quote:

Originally posted by pmturcotte Dont understand why they wouldnt carry Fox in HD, that sucks - esp since Comcast does.

Well, Fox doesn't broadcast in HD (yet) so no one is carrying FoxHD. They broadcast in 480p. However, yes, it would be nice to carry Fox Digital as I sometimes have trouble getting their signal OTA. Retransmission consent has to be negotiated ... which takes time. Also, I believe WTTG is owned an operated by Fox ... so the retranmission deal is probably going to be between Corporate Fox and Corporate Cox ... and include the negotiations for FX, Speed TV, and all the other cable interests Fox has on all the Cox systems ... a very complex negotiation.

 

[minhi]

just to clarify the pricing for HD and cox, this is how I understand it. if someone else can correct me, please do.


if you have basic cable, ~$13


you can get HD cbs, abc, nbc if you rent the HD box $10


is there anything else if that's all you want? how much broadcast tv is in HD? Mostly just primetime shows?


I know if you pay for expanded basic then you get ESPN HD, INHD1, INHD2 as well.


and if you pay for HBO and Showtime regulary (non-hd) then you would also get the HD equivalent channels when appropriate.

 

[Foxbat121]

You also need pay $4.95 digital gateway service since HD channels are all digital.

 

[dt_dc]

You can get the HD (ABC, CBS, NBC) locals on Cox Fairfax for $12.70 (Limited Service) + $9.99 (box) per month.


The $4.95 'Digital Gateway' is NOT required to get the HD locals. Yes, the CSR will most likely try to sign you up for it, and will probably even imply that it's neccessary. But it's not.


Edit: Note, on March 1 the Basic Service charge is going up to $14.70