Re: ATSC modulators

[beaver <ed@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Bob, lots of great info in your post.  Looks like you confirm
what I suspected.  It is in the cable providers best interest to
terminate analog under the cover of the governments mandate of over-
the-air analog termination.  So eventually, COMCAST will go the way of
Verizon too it appears.

Looks like your situation is similar to mine (and perhaps others).  I
enjoy a seamless merging of the incoming TV and in-house channels.  I
hate to give that up.  Looks like I need to set up my own internal
analog system in-house after all  8-(.

Edward Cheung

On May 28, 12:28 pm, "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1...@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> "BruceR" <razrbr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>
> news:483ce35b$0$30155$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > Ed,  It appears that by doing that you're willing to forego the supposed=

> > benefits of the digital signal by converting it to analog but to do so
> > you'll have to rent a cable box for each channel - which could get
> > pricey on an annual basis.  Is VZW's FIOS system the only cable TV game
> > in town? Perhaps there is another company like Time Warner or Comcast
> > that would let you keep everything as is at no additional cost.
>
> I live near Ed and have Comcast.  They are planning to drop analog and hav=
e
> been quietly converting over their analog channels to digital, which means=
 I
> lose about three analog channels a year.  The latest went just last month,=

> TruTV aka CourtTV bit the dust.  Ed's quite right about their service.
> IIRC, a recent article said Comcast has a customer satisfaction rate below=

> that of the airlines and used car salesmen.  When I make the all digital
> switch, it won't be with Comcast.  I suspect they are prolonging analog on=
ly
> because they know when they switch, LOTS of people will leave.  I am sure
> they'll do it by or at the time of the big switchover so they can blame th=
e
> feds, but the truth is they get a lot more out of the switchover then the
> average consumer because they can institute "on demand" for more programs
> (and $) with the increase in bandwidth.
>
> http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/25-05202008-1536695.html
>
> "By DEBORAH YAO
> Associated Press
>
> PHILADELPHIA =97 Customer satisfaction ratings for Comcast Corp. fell this=

> year to an all-time low and rank at the bottom of cable and satellite TV
> providers, according to a survey released today [5/22/08]."
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--
> ----
>
> I would NEVER advise anyone to switch to Comcast for ANYTHING.  Not the
> absolutely worst company I have ever dealt with, but pretty darn close.
>
> The bigger question Dr. Cheung has raised for me is how to get things like=

> HomeVision, my CID video box (takes a video signal via RCA in and overlays=

> the CID info on the screen via RCA out) and my closed circuit TV cameras a=
re
> going to integrate with HDTV.  So far, the answer is very, very poorly.
>
> Hopefully, when most houses have more than one pipeline, true competition
> will set in.  Comcast couldn't get as rich and arrogant as they have gotte=
n
> without a pseudo-monopoly on their product.  Let's see if the Congress and=

> the FCC remembers they got special breaks to get started that they certain=
ly
> don't need now.  BTW, I believe it's not Verizon Wireless that runs their
> fiber *wire* into Ed's house, but the parent company, Verizon.  My
> experience is that VZW's has far worse customer support than Comcast, FWIW=
.
> That's why I am happy to finally see them on the ropes now for their
> OUTRAGEOUS early termination fees:  Those are the fees where they gouge
> customers for 5 to 10 times the actual cost of a handset if they want to
> leave their lousy service after they find out how profoundly lousy their
> service is:
>

> Bobby G.