Comments on: Comcast’s March to Digital – The Case of the Missing Channels… Solved http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/ Promoting Better Broadband, Fighting Data Caps, Usage-Based Billing, & Other Internet Overcharging Schemes Thu, 24 May 2012 22:53:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Chris http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-12942 Chris Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:48:05 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-12942 Yeah, here in 46530 that change is present. The problem that most of us face is 2 fold: 1) the way that communistcast has bundled the TV+Internet package, not being able to divide the service separately. Always claiming that if you got just High Speed Internet that cable is also transmitted down the cable and folks would be getting both. 2) The cost for subscribing to the most basics of cable service require some kind of convaluted and complicated setup in the home (DTA, DVR boxes) that take up room in my hometheatre cabinet hjst for basic regular good ole' cable TV. The cost is prohibitive to switch to Satallite like Dish or Direct while still in this bundle for internet since an extra charge is placed on your internet account for not having cable tv. Most of this change is meant to generate revenue for communistcast while satisfying DRM demands made by cable content providers. Plain and simple. It is not meant to help or bring more choices to the customer. Just my 2 cent. Yeah, here in 46530 that change is present.
The problem that most of us face is 2 fold:
1) the way that communistcast has bundled the TV+Internet package, not being able to divide the service separately. Always claiming that if you got just High Speed Internet that cable is also transmitted down the cable and folks would be getting both.
2) The cost for subscribing to the most basics of cable service require some kind of convaluted and complicated setup in the home (DTA, DVR boxes) that take up room in my hometheatre cabinet hjst for basic regular good ole’ cable TV.

The cost is prohibitive to switch to Satallite like Dish or Direct while still in this bundle for internet since an extra charge is placed on your internet account for not having cable tv.

Most of this change is meant to generate revenue for communistcast while satisfying DRM demands made by cable content providers. Plain and simple. It is not meant to help or bring more choices to the customer.
Just my 2 cent.

]]> By: ChuckWow http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-11217 ChuckWow Sun, 18 Jul 2010 05:17:42 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-11217 My area is currently suffering through the Comcast digital overhaul. I have not received any information online or in my billing that indicates when the actual switch over will occur but I am constantly annoyed by a message scrolling across the top of my screen telling me to contact Comcast online or at their toll free number. The messages used to appear for a few minutes each hour but are now onscreen for half of each hour. The constant scrolling makes anything I want to watch unwatchable as it is always in my field of view and causes anxiety. Fine, I get that Comcast is making a grab for more of my money but why in the F*** would they make their services unusable during the "upgrade" process. Looks like it is time to explorer some alternatives. My area is currently suffering through the Comcast digital overhaul.

I have not received any information online or in my billing that indicates when the actual switch over will occur but I am constantly annoyed by a message scrolling across the top of my screen telling me to contact Comcast online or at their toll free number.

The messages used to appear for a few minutes each hour but are now onscreen for half of each hour.

The constant scrolling makes anything I want to watch unwatchable as it is always in my field of view and causes anxiety.

Fine, I get that Comcast is making a grab for more of my money but why in the F*** would they make their services unusable during the “upgrade” process.

Looks like it is time to explorer some alternatives.

]]> By: rick http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-10311 rick Mon, 17 May 2010 13:31:08 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-10311 I believe comcast has just performed the digital migration (not!) in my area, 03842. A couple of weeks ago, all channels (basic and expanded cable) were broadcast on digital channels. I rescanned my QAM tuner and "hid" all the analog channels (since that hadn't stopped broadcasting them. I also got the DTA's and Settop box (the "free" one with composite video output and channel guide support). Late last week, nearly all the digital broadcast channels disappeared (the exception being over the air digital channels and the religious and shopping channels of course) I had to rescan my QAM tuner and add in all the analog stations again. I also lost several channels all together that can only be received with the cable boxes. What happened to the "all" digital switchover ? Has comcast begun to encrypt expanded and basic channels that were being broadcast digitally ? (I realize the content was still SD just broadcast on digital channels.) I not looking for HD content "for free" I just want to use my QAM tuner for what I am purchasing. I have yet to call comcast since I don't have any faith that I will get a person that can really explain what they did. Thanks -rick I believe comcast has just performed the digital migration (not!) in my area, 03842. A couple of
weeks ago, all channels (basic and expanded cable) were broadcast on digital channels.
I rescanned my QAM tuner and “hid” all the analog channels (since that hadn’t stopped
broadcasting them. I also got the DTA’s and Settop box (the “free” one with
composite video output and channel guide support).

Late last week, nearly all the digital broadcast channels disappeared (the exception being
over the air digital channels and the religious and shopping channels of course)

I had to rescan my QAM tuner and add in all the analog stations again. I also lost several
channels all together that can only be received with the cable boxes.

What happened to the “all” digital switchover ?
Has comcast begun to encrypt expanded and basic channels that were being broadcast
digitally ? (I realize the content was still SD just broadcast on digital channels.)
I not looking for HD content “for free” I just want to use my QAM tuner for what I am
purchasing.

I have yet to call comcast since I don’t have any faith that I will get a person that can really
explain what they did.

Thanks

-rick

]]> By: Doug M http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-9902 Doug M Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:25:06 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-9902 I've bee through 2 of the DTA adapters now, with multiple resets and I am missing many channels, including local channels that I can receive without an adapter. Just get a temporary loss of service screen, which is permanent. Now, I've read on another site that Comcast admits the DTAs are incompatible with some modern digital TV tuners. I'm reluctant to bother trying to rewire after I read this. What a mess. Support is always nice and thanks me for choosing Comcast. If I had a choice for cable broadband, I would be trying someone else. I’ve bee through 2 of the DTA adapters now, with multiple resets and I am missing many channels, including local channels that I can receive without an adapter. Just get a temporary loss of service screen, which is permanent.

Now, I’ve read on another site that Comcast admits the DTAs are incompatible with some modern digital TV tuners.
I’m reluctant to bother trying to rewire after I read this.

What a mess. Support is always nice and thanks me for choosing Comcast. If I had a choice for cable broadband, I would be trying someone else.

]]> By: Stop the Cap! » Comcast’s “All-Digital Migration” Hits Denver – Analog Customers Will Need Digital Boxes Or Face Loss of Channels http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-9248 Stop the Cap! » Comcast’s “All-Digital Migration” Hits Denver – Analog Customers Will Need Digital Boxes Or Face Loss of Channels Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:35:21 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-9248 [...] with any level of service above Limited Basic with an existing digital set-top box may receive two digital adapters at no additional monthly cost; customers without an existing digital set-top box may receive one [...] [...] with any level of service above Limited Basic with an existing digital set-top box may receive two digital adapters at no additional monthly cost; customers without an existing digital set-top box may receive one [...]

]]> By: Tim http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-8607 Tim Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:06:26 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-8607 I have pretty good ears. My wife says I hear stuff she can't in music. My brother and I have done several tests comparing his records to their CD counterparts. All I can say, vinyl had more dynamic range than the CD counterparts. All in all, they sounded superior to CD to both of us. Even a conversion to digital, we heard degradation in the music when comparing it to the original. Although, it still sounded better than the CD version. I guess equipment plays a part in it. If you don't have a good needle and table, you probably won't get much out of it. I have pretty good ears. My wife says I hear stuff she can’t in music. My brother and I have done several tests comparing his records to their CD counterparts. All I can say, vinyl had more dynamic range than the CD counterparts. All in all, they sounded superior to CD to both of us. Even a conversion to digital, we heard degradation in the music when comparing it to the original. Although, it still sounded better than the CD version. I guess equipment plays a part in it. If you don’t have a good needle and table, you probably won’t get much out of it.

]]> By: Dave Hancock http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-8605 Dave Hancock Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:19:50 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-8605 Tim, I'm glad that you agree with me on the BULLSHIT angle: but I must take some exception to your statement: "I hear this argument all the time on the audio side. People think CD’s are better than vinyl which they are dead wrong. CD’s are just more durable and convenient than vinyls. CD’s being digital are limited in depth and sampling rate. Analog, there are no limits like that. The best example of analog superiority, would be you eyes and ears." If you had confined your statement to analog tape recordings, I might agree. But NOT vinyl. Vinyl discs suffer from tracing distortion. While you can use elliptical styli to minimize this somewhat, it is still present. Further, in the vinyl record system you are going through several transitions, each of which reduces fidelity: Some folks may prefer the "sound" of vinyl (and somehow not hear the noise associated with it - pops & ticks), what they really are hearing (and liking) is that tracing distortion. Yes, digital is not necessarily better - but that does not make analog (and Vinyl in particular) better either. In the end "it depends". Tim,

I’m glad that you agree with me on the BULLSHIT angle: but I must take some exception to your statement:

“I hear this argument all the time on the audio side. People think CD’s are better than vinyl which they are dead wrong. CD’s are just more durable and convenient than vinyls. CD’s being digital are limited in depth and sampling rate. Analog, there are no limits like that. The best example of analog superiority, would be you eyes and ears.”

If you had confined your statement to analog tape recordings, I might agree. But NOT vinyl. Vinyl discs suffer from tracing distortion. While you can use elliptical styli to minimize this somewhat, it is still present. Further, in the vinyl record system you are going through several transitions, each of which reduces fidelity: Some folks may prefer the “sound” of vinyl (and somehow not hear the noise associated with it – pops & ticks), what they really are hearing (and liking) is that tracing distortion.

Yes, digital is not necessarily better – but that does not make analog (and Vinyl in particular) better either. In the end “it depends”.

]]> By: PreventCAPS http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-8582 PreventCAPS Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:24:14 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-8582 I'm not saying that SDV is a bad thing... Propritary STBs and the outragious rental fees (the subject of phillips post) are. This paragraph from the article does a decent job as describing me as a consumer: "Customers who loathe boxes and don’t want to pay for them are upset by all of the changes... Owners of modern HD television sets aren’t impressed either — their sets, capable of receiving QAM digital cable channels without a box are no help" A few side notes: QAM can alleviate the congestion as it can carry multiple programs in the same space of a single analog program. Going all digital and removing all analog programs has been done with OTA broadcast; there is no (compelling) reason no to do it for cable. I will also state that cable companies that over compress digital programs are not cool. I’m not saying that SDV is a bad thing… Propritary STBs and the outragious rental fees (the subject of phillips post) are.

This paragraph from the article does a decent job as describing me as a consumer:

“Customers who loathe boxes and don’t want to pay for them are upset by all of the changes… Owners of modern HD television sets aren’t impressed either — their sets, capable of receiving QAM digital cable channels without a box are no help”

A few side notes: QAM can alleviate the congestion as it can carry multiple programs in the same space of a single analog program. Going all digital and removing all analog programs has been done with OTA broadcast; there is no (compelling) reason no to do it for cable. I will also state that cable companies that over compress digital programs are not cool.

]]> By: siouxmoux http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-8579 siouxmoux Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:53:58 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-8579 I wish Comcast would go all digital in all their markets like in Augusta, GA I wish Comcast would go all digital in all their markets like in Augusta, GA

]]> By: Dave Hancock http://stopthecap.com/2010/01/27/comcasts-march-to-digital-the-case-of-the-missing-channels-solved/#comment-8578 Dave Hancock Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:41:47 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=7355#comment-8578 WE the consumers does not include ALL of US!!!! I'll bet that given all the facts that the majority of US consumers do prefer SDV. What is YOUR alternative to SDV: Reduce the number of HD channels? Switch all of the analog channels to digital (the subject of Phillip's post)? User higher compression rates to jam more HD signals in a QAM? (perhaps 4 HD channels per QAM)? WE the consumers does not include ALL of US!!!! I’ll bet that given all the facts that the majority of US consumers do prefer SDV.

What is YOUR alternative to SDV:
Reduce the number of HD channels?
Switch all of the analog channels to digital (the subject of Phillip’s post)?
User higher compression rates to jam more HD signals in a QAM? (perhaps 4 HD channels per QAM)?

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