Cable's Digital Drive Irks Basic Customers

Associated Press via MyWay.com ^ | September 25, 2005 | Deborah Yao

[elmer fudd]

There are some good things about satellite TV. It's simpler than cable. On a satellite system you only have the dish, splitter, maybe 100' of cable and the receiver. With cable you have miles of cable, amplifiers, nodes and taps that can all develop problems and require maintenance. Satellite companies also use an all digital format and less compression on their digital programming resulting in a better picture.

The main downside I see to satellite TV is that it has no good way to send a return signal to the provider and that means it can't provide services like video on demand programming, internet or internet like features. Personally I'm convinced that video on demand type programming is the future of TV. I'm not sure that cable will be best technology to deliver that, but I really doubt that satellite can do it. Maybe WiMax.

[Paleo Conservative]

Keith Olbermann was also fired from ESPN and not invited to their celebration regarding the 30,000th episode of SportsCenter.

So why was he fired?

[MRMEAN]

Why can't I get my "Dragnet," "Lone Ranger," and "Shadow," on the radio dial anymore? Who wants to sit around and look at a little box? I tell you that this "television" thing is just going to be a fad. It will come to a bad end.

[Terpfen]

Not 100% sure on this, but apparently he was an egotistical a** and impossible to work with in any way. The Dan Rather of ESPN, if you will.

[Watery Tart]

And I understand Rupert Murdoch owns DirecTV and promises hugh and series things to come in the near future to put fear into the hearts of cable companies everywhere. That is, if they have hearts. I can't tell -- they keep on calling to try and sell us digital.

The list of "features" in post #25 about sums it up for me on Charter Cable. The quality is REALLY crappy, too. Sadly, we seem to have obstructions to the southern sky that would necessitate a really long booster-antenna-thing.

And this dialup isn't so much fun, either....

*sigh* </whinyvoice>

[jwpjr]

re: If it wasn't for the fact that I also have broadband internet through them, I'd seriously consider moving to satellite TV.

Is DSL not available through your phone company? I had cable broadband for many years then switched to DSL and have been satisfied. DSL is about half what cable runs in our area (Tampa, FL). I put off the move to DSL for a long time after hearing horror stories of its problems, but I think they have it pretty well stabilized in most markets now.

[jwpjr]

re: dropping Comcast cable TV altogether in favor of DirecTV

Keep us posted! I am really tired of the arrogance of the cable company in our area. Constantly changing channel assignments and slowly but surely moving all the decent content to their higher priced packages. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than replacing them.

[jwpjr]

Interesting info and details. Thanks for taking the time to share it! I worked in cable tv in the mid-60's, we offered FIVE (5) channels and that was it! None of them movie channels, just off the air signals from stations that were mostly out of range for even big antenna systems. The whole system was copper-clad coax and keeping it running was a big ol' hairy bear. The preamps on the tower at the headend were vacuum tube and someone had to climb the tower nearly every day to tweak them. This was central Florida (Ocala) and the frequent lightning storms during the summer months meant constant power failures along the trunk and you had to run out there, climb a pole and power the (again vacuum tube)amplifiers until the power company could restore service. Yup, those were the fun days. Again thanks for the info. I often wonder how it's all done these days.

[BIRDS]

Yeah, agreed. Here in Southern CA, on just FOX alone (all I watch other than HBO, Showtime, Discovery, A&E, Starz, PPView, a few others), anyway, on just FOX alone, the commercials for Cox take up about 70% of the ongoing commercial messages...and that's on a Cox service.

Conclusion is they're trying too hard, not to mention driving everyone nutty with the overt advertising...meanwhile the ONLY digital provider in the area is Cox, so it's easy to see that what they're doing is chasing down satellite/dish customers.

I've yet to try satellite/dish out of fear it'll cost even more than what I now pay to Cox, which is about $145. a month, including internet.

[BIRDS]

Interesting.

Question: why can't providers sell digital "packages" by each alone? As in, buy a three-channel package (HBO, Starz, Showtime, for example), Arts&Info package (Discovery, History, A&E), and not force customers to 'subscribe' (and pay royally for) 150 or so other channels not wanted, but forced to pay for?

In my case, my television viewing is limited to these digital sources: HBO (all channels over time), Discovery (all channels over time), sometimes Starz, Showtime, The Movie Channel, sometimes PPV, FOX News, A&E, the History Channel, sometimes Turner Classic Movies and that's it.

On the other hand, I have to pay for 150 or so sports, golf, cooking, decorating, videos and shopping channels just to get the group I do watch.

Costs me a huge amount of money, just to view what I want and is a big cheat, in my view.

If HBO was smarter, they'd sell their own wares to subscribers directly, somehow, figure it out how to because it is often the ONLY thing I ever have time to view other than FOX for quick news while I work.

The internet connection is also the ONLY thing that keeps me on digital service, that and HBO, History Channel, Discovery, Animal Planet. The rest I can live without and often do.

[SamAdams76]

It's the last gasp of the cable TV industry.

People are already downloading shows off the Internet and watching them on their own schedule.

Handwriting is on the wall. Television as we know it is going away forever.

[BIRDS]

I tried to write/share about what you just did, once on another forum and there was no end to harassment by cable-affiliated employees. Pretty sad statement.

In my experience, cable companies not only gouge customers (and all the tedious, trying other technological, service issue complaints which I share) but they also try to discredit nearly any customer who complains, points out real service/account problems.

Which is why many consumers really, really disrespect, if not outright cannot stand, most cable companies. In my experience, they cheat at every possible opportunity, by one means or another.

I've been considering DirecTV for a while now and think I'll at least have someone come look over my "southern exposure" capabilities for a receiver.

[BIRDS]

Also in my experience, there's little comparison between DSL and cable internet broadband connections...DSL for all it's attractiveness in some areas is still far less responsive than is cable access for the internet.

EXCEPT for DSL networks...after staying for a few weeks in a Residence Inn by Marriott, I was startled at the responsiveness of their internet access in my room and inquired...turns out it is/was a DSL business network and is/was comparable to T1, if not comparable, in responsiveness, and that's why.

For business networks on DSL, it's fantastic. But for residential users, you're stuck with residential DSL that is still far less responsive than cable internet access. I'd love to have another T1 meself.

[ChefKeith]

Well let me put it to you this way...

I asked for basic cable with a DVR and ESPN/SPEED/Cartoon and The Military channel when I ordered cable service. I told them I DID NOT want any movie channels and was told it would be $70 a month.

When the install got there it had the "package of the month" that included the things I specifically ask to NOT have.

After getting on the phone with the office I went round and round with them about what I ordered and what they wanted to install, finally telling them forget it 'll go with a dish setup.

They backpedaled and offered me what I wanted for $45 @ month and I said O.K.

I paid the install guy $70 and when the 1st bill came in they wanted $120 and that included a credit for the the $70 I paid at install.

It was a 3 page bill that had charges and credits for this and that.

It would have confused an accountant.

I called them a told them to come get the box and switched to Direct TV and don't bother sending me a bill for anything else because it would not be paid.

Now mind you I do care that as an Installer you are stuck in the middle but I will not put up with the BS from the office.

Signed,
A happy Direct TV customer.

P.S. and when the dog sneezes I don't lose my TV signal... and I pay $59 a month for 3 boxes of service and the cable was for 1 box.

[EVO X]

I called them a told them to come get the box and switched to Direct TV and don't bother sending me a bill for anything else because it would not be paid.

You might want to double check your credit report the next time you check it for free...

[ChefKeith]

In God we trust, all others pay cash.

I owe them nothing, in fact they owe ME money.

[EVO X]

I owe them nothing, in fact they owe ME money.

That might be case, but their computer might get stuck on stupid and flag one of your credit reports..:~)

[N. Theknow]

I think I will run for political office with cable and satellite service for everyone as my platform.

[ChefKeith]

I don't do credit

[N. Theknow]

And then there's the football ticket. And the baseball and hockey tickets. For hardcore sports fans, Direct TV is worth every penny.

Did you get the Super Fan Package?

NFL Shortcuts start at midnight on Mondays with capsules of each NFL game showing every play without commercials and time between plays. Each game takes up about 20 minutes.

Of course, I TIVO it also.