[ale] OT: Comcast and digital TV

[Scott Castaline]

Geoffrey wrote:
> Okay, so I'm just plain sick and tired of Comcasts monopolistic 
> attitude.  As we move to the digital TV cut over date I've been told a 
> couple of things that they don't tell you in their slick TV commercials.
> 
> 1. Fact: Although they say you don't need to do anything if you 
> currently have analog cable service, you will lose channels as some 
> stations decide unilaterally to stop sending an analog signal.  This has 
> already happened to me with the History channel and the TV guide channel.
> 
> 2. Fact or Fiction??? If you want to go digital, you MUST rent digital 
> converter boxes from Comcast.  The first one is free, $6 per box after 
> that.  You can not buy them anywhere.  I don't quite understand this.  I 
> do have one digital/analog TV in my house and I do currently pick up a 
> smattering of channels when I go to the digital tuner.
> 
When I was doing contract work for Scientific Atlanta installing the 
Digital HeadEnds, it was a well known intention that one would be able 
to go to a Circuit City, Best Buy, or Fry's and purchase the STB not 
rent. You just had to be certain that the cable provider supported that 
box, such as Panasonic, Hitachi, etc. As far as I know all support SA 
(now CISCO), Motorola, and a couple of others that I can't think of at 
this time, that were considered the "Standard " at the time. Of course 
this was back in 2000, so a lot could have changed sine then. All Dig. 
HE mfgs had to have the ability to download the software for each 
supported STB in the network.

> Anyone help me out on #2?  I've only got 3 people in my home, but for 
> convenience, I've got 7 tv receivers (two computers, 5 TVs).  I'm not 
> about to increase my already inflated monthly bill by 65% to simply 
> retain those lost channels.
> 
> I'm seriously considering digital antennas or satellite.
> 
> Suggestions, comments???
>