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The Robman
Site Owner
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Posts: 21244
Location: Chicago, IL
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 Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:40 am Post subject: |
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Verizon isn't allowed to market in my area because I'm in an SBC/Ameritech area, and according to the latter's web site, it looks like they don't offer DSL here either but I need to call and confirm.
If DSL is out, is cable is my only option for high speed internet? The satellite guys aren't able to do internet yet are they?
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help! |
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vickyg2003
Site Admin
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 7073
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:54 am Post subject: |
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| Rob, have the new beige service boxes been popping up in your area? That's At&T Uverse which will be a Comcast competitor. But again that doesn't help with a service-bundle if there is no DSL service in your area. |
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pH7_jp1
Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 480
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:42 am Post subject: |
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The Robman wrote: | Quote: | | I just called Comcast and the rumors are true, they will discontinue all analog broadcasts next year, so you'll have to go digital if you want to stay with them, and their cheapest digital package is $55+/month (without internet). |
This is interesting, since every 5 minutes or so there is a Comcast commercial that says something like: "When the digital transition occurs in Feb, 2009, nothing will change for Comcast customers. Don't worry, we have you covered." OK, I didn't listen and quote them exactly, but that really is pretty much what they say.
I my local area, Comcast had announced that the community access channels (library, city council, etc.) were going to be moved to the digital channels instead of analog. A hue and cry went up with people, rightly, pointing out that "community access channels" should not be limited to people with digital converter boxes, but everyone connected to the cable, paying for basic service. Comcast relented and the community access channels stayed analog.
Is there any chance that the one person you talked to just had it wrong? |
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classicsat
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 279
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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| The Robman wrote: | Do you know if Comcast will continue to provide analog transmissions? I've heard rumors that they intend to discontinue it, but I haven't tried confirming one way or the other yet.
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It depends on the market. If the are going to shut off analog, they will have to provide you a basic cable box.
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My biggest concern is all my ReplayTV units because if I do need to get a STB, the Replays will need to be able to control it. I have a Panasonic HDTV box that I never use because the Replays don't know how to control it and there's no channel guide info available that the Replays could use. |
You don't need one of those "convertor" boxes for cable, just for Antenna.
In the TiVo world, reports are some IR codes are working to enter in the digits for those boxes. Of course, full OTA with box support isn't there yet, if it is coming to TiVo's Series 2 line (TiVo is considering their options). |
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classicsat
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 279
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| The Robman wrote: | Verizon isn't allowed to market in my area because I'm in an SBC/Ameritech area, and according to the latter's web site, it looks like they don't offer DSL here either but I need to call and confirm.
If DSL is out, is cable is my only option for high speed internet? The satellite guys aren't able to do internet yet are they? |
There is satellite Internet, but it is not cost competitive with DSL or cable. |
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classicsat
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 279
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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| pH7_jp1 wrote: | The Robman wrote: | Quote: | | I just called Comcast and the rumors are true, they will discontinue all analog broadcasts next year, so you'll have to go digital if you want to stay with them, and their cheapest digital package is $55+/month (without internet). |
This is interesting, since every 5 minutes or so there is a Comcast commercial that says something like: "When the digital transition occurs in Feb, 2009, nothing will change for Comcast customers. Don't worry, we have you covered." OK, I didn't listen and quote them exactly, but that really is pretty much what they say.
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Comcasts analog turnoff schedule timing will be different than that for OTA. It might just seem hypocritical. |
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pH7_jp1
Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 480
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:05 am Post subject: |
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classicsat wrote: | Quote: | | It might just seem hypocritical. |
 Now that is funny. |
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The Robman
Site Owner
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Posts: 21244
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:56 am Post subject: |
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| ElizabethD wrote: | | The Robman wrote: | | I've been meaning to look into Verizon, which has a DSL package where the average monthly cost os $14.41, anyway. |
Does the package include TV? I doubt it. Also be careful, Rob, Verizon has two DSL speeds, I don't recall what they are, but the cheap one is slow. |
Of course, no TV. I have a big old fashioned antenna on my roof, so while it would involve running some coax cable around the house to get it all set up correctly, I do have the ability to switch over to antenna mode. I only have the basic-OTA service from Comcast anyway as I mostly just watch network TV shows anyway. Sure, it would be nice to have CNN and MSNBC when they're covering a debate or something, but I get by. And I have no need whatsoever for the Fox News Channel.
| vickyg2003 wrote: | | Rob, have the new beige service boxes been popping up in your area? That's At&T Uverse which will be a Comcast competitor. But again that doesn't help with a service-bundle if there is no DSL service in your area. |
Not that I've noticed.
| pH7_jp1 wrote: | | Is there any chance that the one person you talked to just had it wrong? |
This is Comcast we're talking about! 
| classicsat wrote: | | If the are going to shut off analog, they will have to provide you a basic cable box. |
Why would they "have to"? Is there a government regulation on this or something? Assuming that the person that I talked to knows what they are talking about (big assumption, I know) they said that all analog service will be terminated and the cheapest digital package was $55/month approx.
| classicsat wrote: | | You don't need one of those "convertor" boxes for cable, just for Antenna. |
Yeah, I know, see above.
| classicsat wrote: | | In the TiVo world, reports are some IR codes are working to enter in the digits for those boxes. Of course, full OTA with box support isn't there yet, if it is coming to TiVo's Series 2 line (TiVo is considering their options). |
Please keep us posted on this. If the existing Tivo boxes are able to control some of the new coupon boxes, it's likely that the ReplayTV boxes will too. Of course, if you need to enter decimal points to select channels, that would still be a problem.
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help! |
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vickyg2003
Site Admin
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 7073
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Quote: |
classicsat wrote:
If the are going to shut off analog, they will have to provide you a basic cable box. |
Why would they "have to"? Is there a government regulation on this or something? Assuming that the person that I talked to knows what they are talking about (big assumption, I know) they said that all analog service will be terminated and the cheapest digital package was $55/month approx. |
I read this
"The FCC has ruled (PDF) that cable subscribers with analog televisions must be able to view broadcast television through February of 2012. Under the ruling, cable companies can either convert the digital standard definition signal to analog format for analog cable subscribers, or serve broadcast television in a standard definition digital format provided all subscribers have equipment to view that digital content. Smaller cable systems with a channel capacity of 552 MHz or less may apply for an exemption. However, the FCC maintained its requirement that cable systems carry high-definition broadcast signals in HD format, and that picture quality of broadcast television signals must be at least as good as any other programming carried on the cable system."
"Of course, what the FCC is not mandating is that the cable companies make it painless for subscribers to stick with analog cable: within regulatory limits which vary between regions, cable companies may be able to make it increasingly uncomfortable for subscribers to stick with good old analog cable, including increasing prices, adding fees, changing subscriber agreements, and simply shutting off the signal in cases where the analog channels are present but not explicitly part of a service package. Given the way most cable operators conduct business, none of those scenarios would be surprising. "
Source
I take that to mean, they can provide you a HD box that dumbs down to analog and meet the FCC requirements. Don't you? |
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The Robman
Site Owner
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Posts: 21244
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info and link, I may call them back and quote this to see what they say. I don't mind postponing this to 2012 if it's an option!
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help! |
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zaphod7501
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 534
Location: Peoria Illinois
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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I think there is a backdoor exemption on the analog carry for systems that go all (100%) digital. Further there is no requirement for any analog channels other than the locals. Chicago may have quite a few local broadcasters but my market (Comcast-Peoria) could be left with only 5 analog stations.
My understanding is that Comcast-Chicago has supplied one free digital converter box for one year to customers that don't subscribe to digital cable.
The line "or serve broadcast television in a standard definition digital format provided all subscribers have equipment to view that digital content. " is the out for analog. If the system is 100% digital, then all customers have digital cable boxes or they don't have cable service.
While the 2009 transition date is for OTA only, many believe that cable systems will position that date as their own transition to digital. They're not willing to say that officially right now because of competition with satellite, IMHO.
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Just call me Zaphod (or Steve) --- I never should have started using numbers in a screen name but I just can't stop now. |
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The Robman
Site Owner
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Posts: 21244
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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Someone at AVS has determined that the rca dta800 box can be controled by using the same remote code as an rca brand directv satellite receiver.
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help! |
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ElizabethD
Advanced Member
Joined: 09 Feb 2004
Posts: 2348
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Stopped in at Radio Shack today. They explained that the boxes are needed only for the off-the-air TVs (I have one of those in the kitchen). They sell a Digital Stream box for $60-1cent. It's very tiny. Takes input from a coax cable, outputs over coax or RCA plugs for video and L,R audio. Apparently the stations hare do multicast, just like the digital radio, so you get more than the 3-4 local channels.
They filled out, on the computer, a request for two of those federal coupons which got approved immediately and it all took less than 2 minutes.
They said I don't need it for the other TV which is hooked to Comcast, because Comcast will tell us when we have to buy some box from them, which I have no intention of doing.
That's all I know, here's the link. I wonder if any good. radio shack
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Liz
Tweeking 8910, HTPro/9811, C7-7800, 6131o, 6131n, AtlasOCAP-1056B01, RCA-RCRP05B and enjoying the ride |
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mdavej
Expert
Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 4502
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info, Liz.
From what I've seen, many people seem to be waiting for the Echostar TR-40, which will be available in June. It's only $40 and seems to have some unique features, including a TV Guide type electronic program listing, as well as timers for use with other devices like VCR's and DVD-R's. I'm not sure where or how to get it yet. I'd personally prefer one with an S-video output. But a box like that doesn't seem to exist yet, unless you go with an expensive one. |
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zaphod7501
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 534
Location: Peoria Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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There are some with S-Video jacks but only the Echostar seems to have a timer. (where are the JP1 Universal remotes with timers?) S-Video may be a useless feature, depending on the method of producing it. It will also be sold under the "Sling" name. (the SlingBox company)
I picked up a Digital Stream model at Radio Shack because the RCA at WalMart seems to be the worst of the current boxes. There are only about a half dozen actually in the stores right now.
The DTX9900 seems to perform pretty well. The trick will be to select the right zoom mode to match individual shows. I found that recording in anamorphic mode (stretched vertically to fill the screen) is the best idea. You can reset the 16:9/4:3 when you edit the mpeg to create a good looking video.
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Just call me Zaphod (or Steve) --- I never should have started using numbers in a screen name but I just can't stop now. |
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