No more premium channels for analog customers?

No specific information, but Comcast is pushing broadband internet for their video mail, game portal, etc., and analog TV must make way since it consumes far to much valuable bandwidth with a high alternative value.

Fuck you, you self-important asshole.

This is NOT the correct News Group!

This News Group is for Broadband Internet access via Cable modems not Cable TV.

The following News Group is apropos to to your discussion: alt.cable-tv

Please learn the difference.

Dave

Since the cable box is necesary to see any premium channels and the box they rent is digital, I assume you are asking because you have your own box. Comcast is only keeping the few analog premiums because they know as soon as they all go away most bootleggers will probably switch to a dish. They have been chipping away at them a couple channels at a time for a few years.

I have a dish the price is better. The truth is, when you get a real heavy storm or a blizzard the dish goes out until it passes. So I go on the outside antenna for that period.

That's an exaggeration. If your dish is installed correctly (so you have sufficient signal strength PLUS some), then you should only lose signal once or twice a year for a few minutes at most. And to lose signal at all, the weather has to be so bad that you are probably in the bathtub with a mattress over your head and not even thinking about the TV. :) -Dave

First, I just want to say that I did post my question in alt.cable-tv but I received no helpful responses as I never do in that newsgroup. People in this newsgroup seem more knowledgeable about most cable issues so that's why I posted here.

The converter box I have is from Comcast and is about 3-5 years old. Interestingly, I went to Comcast's website and it does list Cinemax and TMC as being available to order for my area. I also still get two other premium channels.

Since I have analog cable, what would I or Comcast need to do for me to get digital cable? Do I just need special digital boxes or does Comcast need to do something at their office?

So you're saying, when the weather is bad enough that you're going to stay inside, you can't watch anything but the local broadcast stations? What a deal!

Let's not make a big pissing contest out of it, just mark it read and move on.

Maybe Mike can put an "OT:" on the subject next time.

Yes. It means you can watch all the soaps and game shows or even Oprah & Dr. Phil!!! ;-)

If the weather is that bad the cable will probably be out too, maybe for days. Mine went out last Friday and just got back yesterday. (Charley) My "Dish" neighbor lost his signal for about 45 minutes including the 10 to realign the dish when the storm passed.

And he did that with no electricity, right? Magic Dish TV.

That doesn't make it less Off Topic.

Dave

| > I have analog cable and Comcast has just recently taken away Cinemax | > and TMC and now we get two Bravo channels. I received no prior notice | > of these changes and I'm really ticked off. I had heard that they were | > going to be taking away the premium channels from the analog customers | > but at least they could've given notice. From what I heard, it's an | > attempt to get people to switch to digital cable. I also heard that | > analog customers simply need to get a new cable box or something and | > then they can get the premium channels. I figured I'd try to get some | > info on this before I call them so I have a better idea about what's | > going on. | >

Interesting. I've lived in six different places in the last twenty years. I've been on four different MSO's over this period. The last time I know of that the cable was out for more than 10 or 15 minutes was ten years ago when I lived somewhere that the trunk was above ground, and someone hit a utility pole.

Cable internet outages? Well, that's another story. But at least I was able to watch TV while I waited. ;)

On the other hand, I never lived in hurricane territory.

If you switched from analoge to digital, the Comcast office need to change/setup your service/account & switch the analoge box to a digital box; the digital box has no rental fee as it is part of the price for digital so the net cost is less than the $10 diff.

The digital box also has rca video/sound outputs to your home-theater receiver if you want to go that route; supposedly some digital boxes also have s-video & digital outs as well as the normal coax (think this depends on availability on your local area).

I've gone from analog to digital back to analog & then to digital because of Ovation & Trio (extra cost & disappointment).

Just take the analog box to Comcast when you want to change from analog to digital & they would give you the digital box; don't know if it is still true, but you did have to sit thru a "howto" digital use at the office prior to getting the digital box (maybe 10 min).

What if you don't have a box and have 8 different TV/VCR/PCs hooked up ? Do you need to get 8 boxes and are they still included in the price ?

Now you know why I'm sticking to analog as long as possible (like till my TVs all have digital tuners ;).

Hmmm, I guess you never heard of a thing called a generator. The utility power was back in hours. The cable was out for days.

Wow! Look at all the people who answered his query and totally ignored your lame net-copping. Bet you feel like an ass, huh? What does that do to you inside? C'mon, tell us!

eq