[RickRS]

When browsing thro Cox's website, I ran across this page on their HDTV plans: http://www.cox.com/Future/hdtv.asp . A call to my local Cox's office got the same "we looking into it, possibly next year" line.


The promise here is interesting. Carriage of local HDTV where available is suggested, which will go a long ways to delivery of DTV before 2006. Interesting also is the promise that the cable STB will be designed for use with "HDTV ready" monitors.


I am aware of ZERO HDTV rollouts on Cox cable at this time. Wonder when it will start? Can't be soon enough for me. I decided to go for OTA DTV and wait for cable rollouts or for Echostar merger to complete to switch to satellite to get non-network HDTV. Still waiting for some serious HDTV, as I can only get NBC HDTV, or PBS HDTV between 7-10 pm.


At least Cox is starting to change their tune. Two months ago the response to "any plans for HDTV" was no!

 

[bencooley]

If COX is serious about this, they really have an advantage against the Satellite carriers. The fact that they can pass through the locals in HD (without the need to be able to use that [email protected]#$ antenna), in addition to perhaps HBO, Showtime, HDNET, and whatever else is out there, means that they have something that Satellite just can't match right now.


Perhaps all of us $150 per month full subscription junkies that cancelled our cheesy digital cable and went to Sat for HDTV might just give cable another look.

 

[RickRS]

If they're serious. Satellite has the disadvantage of limited local and restricted network offerings, but the strong point of HDTV right now. Cable can burn some of the satellite business if they were to start to delivery HDTV. This is all lip service by Cox at this time, but maybe they're starting to see HDTV as where the premium customers are going.

 

[HiDefGuy]

Well I just phoned Cox in San Diego to check again, and "No, sometime next year". That was after the CSR first told me "yes, we have Cox digital" and I had to give him a brief lecture on the difference between digital cable and High Def.


Cox has been particularly slow in dealing with HD, and I suspect the only reason they have a web page there is because of the numbers of enquiries they're getting and the page makes it look like HD is one of their top priorities (it ain't).


Greg

 

[RickRS]

My feeling is that FCC Chairman Powell's request to the broadcasters and cable systems to start moving on the DTV issue is what start this. I was surprised that one of the first response was from Cox. Times-Warner had more going on than Cox, with reports here of HDTV on cable in limited number of Times-Warner markets. Yet Cox was reported promising that they would be working on the chairman's request like the next day.


Time will tell if Cox is blowing smoke

 

[tmdorsey]

If cable companies start offering locals in HD, what do you guys think the chances are of current STBs, like my DTV1080 for example being able to receive those local HD channels? The DTV1080 does have an RF input for cable.

 

[timmy1376]

tmdorsey,

I would say not likely. That input would accept 8vsb signals like OTA broadcasters use. Some cable systems have used 8vsb signals on the cable system, but most use QAM modulation, something which you DTV1080 cannot use. I may be mistaken, but the ones that did use 8vsb have mostly gone to QAM.

 

[tmdorsey]

timmy, that's what I figured.



I'm not worried though, because if the cable companies start offering local HD channels, then to stay competive, the satellite companies would have to follow suit.

 

[timmy1376]

tmdorsey,

I wouldn't count on that either. There is not enough space up there for the satellite companies to put up local HD, even if the merger goes through. They will just tell you to put up an antenna. If cable does start doing local HDTV, they have a hugh advantage.

 

[Free]

I just called Cox in the Phoenix area and was told that the plan was to have HDTV by the end of the year!


I am going to try to temper my excitement because I have been waiting for them to put in high speed internet in my area. I was initially told this february and now I am being told the end of the year for that also.


BTW in that link above Cox talks about equipment necessary and they seem to indicate that you need a more expensive TV to get HDTV over satelite than by cable, pretty silly

 

[bencooley]

Obviously they're talking about the Sci-Am 2100 HD or 3000 HD cable box or whatnot, that you simply swap out for the regular 2000 or 2100 that Cox uses now. The box has RGB and Y Pr Pb outs like the cable OTA boxes, and since you rent it like a normal box, as long as you have an HD ready TV, that's all you need.


What some cable companies are saying (or claiming) is that right now there is a serious backorder of HD capable set tops. They're claiming that they can't roll out HDTV because they can't get enough boxes to support the service. I don't know if this is true or not, but to me it still sounds sort of fishy.

 

[rlsmith]

bencooley,


Yes, the cable companies have been claiming that there are not enough STB's to support an HDTV rollout. They also claim that there are not enough customers, and not enough content, to justify a rollout.


Hmmm.

 

[captainburks]

So how will that work for those of us with intergrated HTDV units? Will we still have to use the STB? I have Dig. Cable now from Cox here in San Diego and they use the Sci-Am box for that.

 

[J.Mike Ferrara]

Cox Cable's customer churn rate to sat in Fairfax County, VA is legendary! Hell, Cox is unable to provide an acceptable analog signal, much less digital, and forget HD!


The day I turned in my Cox converter was a milestone in my life - a great leap forward!

 

[timmy1376]

I called my local head tech a couple of weeks ago and when pressed about it being by the end of the year, he kinda laughed and said he doubted it. With Topeka being DMA market #138, I doubt we get HDTV anytime soon. Wichita, on the other hand, might.

 

[jerryez]

I emailed my Cox here in Pensacola several weeks ago about when they would add HD. A week later I got an answer(if you can call it that). They said they were working with the hardware manufacturers and they could not project a date. When I replied pushing for a better projection. They said it would probably not be this year.

 

[timmy1376]

Jerry,

What market DMA are you there??

 

[Linda Britt]

Sounds like a lot of spin doctoring to me. I'm in the 9th DMA. Cox owns my ABC affiliate as well as the only major newspaper (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). They're the 10th largest media company and, while quite conservative at heart, they are ferociously competitive. I would suspect their press release is as much an attempt to stop customer churn as it represents any concrete plans.


Time Warner is our best weapon right now. They make a nice thorn in the side of the other MSOs. Cox has very deep pockets. Don't let them off the hook!


Here in Atlanta, it's OTA or nothing for us, due to FCC ownership rules. NO TW or Cox Cable, for that matter . Lots and lots of ATT Broadband subs. Ugh. Nearly two million television homes (per Nielsen) with no access to HDTV via cable. The FCC has just got to keep after this problem, if they are serious about making the digital transition a reality in this decade.

 

[lvthunder]

I saw an ad on my Cox System in Las Vegas that said HDTV coming soon. I have a question though. How much does HDTV cost on cable elsewhere.

 

[jerryez]

Quote:

Originally posted by timmy1376 Jerry, What market DMA are you there??

Mobile/Pensacola is 63. Why do you ask? Do you think Cox will start adding HD in their larger DMA's and move downward.