bye bye COMCAST Clear QAM channels

[GGD]

silvarios wrote:
[quote=GGD]
I pay them for Cable TV, and I was getting what I was paying for in a much more convenient way, but now I have to pay an additional $2/month for electricity to power their cable boxes, and find space in my TV area to put their box.

This is the first time I've ever had to use a cable box to get watch the cable TV that I pay for (I don't subscribe to any premium channels), and I've had Cable TV for a few decades.

If you have limited basic, you were not paying for the content. I think that's what evilrobot and other's are referring to specifically. If you had another tier, you were warned months ago (year+ perhaps) that analog was going away and that you needed to switch to a digital box. Stupid? Probably. I think Comcast should keep the old standard basic (or a decent subset) as clear QAM and only have the boxes for "premium" content.

I have limited basic and still enjoy many clear QAM channels. Well, enjoy is a strong word. We barely watch regular TV. I pay for limited basic solely to get a break on my Internet costs. Otherwise, I would pay the same amount per month for just the internet.


Nathan
I have what Comcast now calls "Xfinity TV" or "Digital Cable" or "Standard Cable", they changed the name several times in the past year, it used to be called "Extended Basic" for many years.

Over a year ago Comcast said that the boxes would be required (effective a date sometime in March 2009), and I got the boxes at that time, and everything that the boxes could get, I could get with Clear QAM, without converting to analog. I wasn't stealing any programming, I was just watching what I was paying for without using additional equipment.

I've been saving the boxes for the day that they would actually force me to use it, and for a while it looked like that would never happen, but last summer they got an FCC ruling that allowed them to encrypt some additional stuff that allowed them to do what they did to my service recently.

[silvarios]

I never stated that you were stealing programming. I mentioned that there were two tiers you could have been subscribed to and that one officially had access to the channels and one did not.

When I signed up for my limited basic they didn't offer me a box. When I connected the cable to my TV, I received all the clear QAM channels. That's not my or any other customer's problem. Comcast configured the service as is. Some techs put the traps on the line. Most don't bother.

If you feel strongly about this issue, either downgrade your service to the limited tier or cancel your service. That's what I would do.

[David S]

I bought an EyeTV a few months ago. Worked great. Now it has been hobbled by Comcast. Because I need to change channels with the DTA box, I can't use most of the cool functions of the EyeTV. Also, the DTA puts out a poor signal via the composite output. Grainy.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

I was considering making a post about this earlier today.

Exactly the same thing here: everything now encrypted as of about noon yesterday, re-scanned and got 3 or 4 duplicates of local broadcast in both 480p and 720p/1080i, all channels bounced around, C-SPAN moved, etc. I can now watch Martha Stewart on 5 different channels.

About two weeks ago they bounced some channels around (MTv, Spike, VH1, Nick, Toon) and switched a half dozen to encrypted. Now they are all encrypted. Previously mentioned, plus ESPN, CNN, FOXn, CNBC, MSNBC, Hist, TBS, TNT, BRVO, Disney, Brvo, AMC, USA, Syfy, A&E, Life, FX, ComCen, even Weather Channel.

Now I have to use the cable box to tune everything but the local channels, use another remote (can't seem to get the universal to work the cable box) and put up with the associated waiting 3-5 seconds for it to change the channel and lock on. A real PITA. I am more likely to watch online (those that I can) rather than re-learn their new channel card.

[GGD]

silvarios wrote:
If you feel strongly about this issue, either downgrade your service to the limited tier or cancel your service. That's what I would do.

Neither of those solutions would solve my problem of getting access to the programming that I am willing to pay for without needing to find space for, power, or use extra equipment.

For years I didn't even consider DirectTV/Dish because they required a box while my cable at that time didn't. Now they all do, so Comcast has just lost their one advantage over their competition in my mind.

[silvarios]

Right. Then get rid of Comcast. I'm with you. Switch to whichever service provides the most benefits for your needs.

Unfortunately, this ship has sailed. I just wish all this reactive teeth gnashing could have been put to use for a proactive solution, but the time for proactive solutions has passed. Lobbying Comcast, Congress, local government or whomever will probably prove ineffective now. You could try get Comcast to reverse their decision to encrypt most of their QAM, but analog is dead and not coming back. Clear QAM is essentially dead, but you never know.

Now all people can do is vote with their dollars and their feet. Good luck.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Cable providers reassign channels for their clear QAM feeds on occasion. I went through this with Cox on two different occasions within a two year period.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

I do not really care about analog any more except that my VCR was reliable and used very little power.

AT&T Uverse is looking better (now that it is _finally_ available in my area) but I am guessing it means I need to depend on their DVR to timeshift easily. :cursin:

[NewtonMP2100]

...it is true that they do reassign the channels....when it was still FREE I would have to rescan the channels every so often then....it was gone for good...*sniff*.....*sniff*....

[AlphaDog]

You could just all give up watching TV. Wouldn't that be cheaper and less stressful?