Digital Cable sucks!!!

[Ultima]

My parents got it yesterday, and are gonna return it tomorrow. Turns out that we wouldn't be able to get any channels on our TV's except for the one in the living room, as they would cut off regular cable service. Not only that but you can't record anything unless you're also watching it at the same time! wtf... why do they make it so restrictive?

 

[fatbaby]

who is your provider?

<-- has charter and it works fine

 

[Thegonagle]

It's a technical limitation of digital cable. Each TV needs a digital box. Until TVs and VCRs are made "digital cable ready," that's how it's going to be.

It was like that when regular cable TV was first hitting the scene. You needed a box because TVs and VCRs weren't "cable ready."

 

[Jhill]

It's been my experience that they leave the regular cable on and just give you a box to descramble the "digital" channels. When we had it we had a box in the living room for the digital stations and then bedroom worked like normal without a box. We canceled it as soon as we could. It's just the cable stations pathetic way to try to keep up with the satellite companies. I was very dissatisfied with it also.

 

[rgwalt]

<< It's a technical limitation of digital cable. Each TV needs a digital box. Until TVs and VCRs are made "digital cable ready," that's how it's going to be.

It was like that when regular cable TV was first hitting the scene. You needed a box because TVs and VCRs weren't "cable ready." >>



What he said. I have to say that I love my digital cable. It has some great features. For instance, when I wake up after falling asleep on the couch, I can see what I'm watching.

Ryan

 

[IJump]

If you can't get cable other than through your digital box, your provider sucks.

With digital cable here(Insight), the TVs that don't have the box just get standard cable. Fewer channels and such, but it is sill most of them...

 

[Harvey]

I have Time Warner, here in the San Fernando Valley (L.A., Ca.). I can still receive the analog cable channels without their digital box, but I think they give you a digital feed of the same programs if you use it.

If you're in a good reception area, the sound and pic for regular broadcast channles have always been worse than off the antenna. I think the pict and sound are even worse off the digital feed. At first, it may look a little shaper, but on some channels, they do so much data compression that I see these strange artifacts where the words from the sound don't come close to matching the picture. You can see this on "regular" cable, and even off the air, if the program is compressed by the broadcaster, but the cable guys seem to be doing more than their share of added destruction. :disgust:

 

[Smacksmackums]

<< It's been my experience that they leave the regular cable on and just give you a box to descramble the "digital" channels. When we had it we had a box in the living room for the digital stations and then bedroom worked like normal without a box. >>

 

[ProviaFan]

Anything would be better than a dialup modem for internet + antenna for TV.

 

[Mong]

I'm on Charter also, the non digital channels (77 and below) can still be sent to the Tv or VCR direct before going to the set top box.

New guy here...

 

[areohbe]

i've got comcast digital cable here in sac and i don't think i have any of the problems you've had

 

[Digobick]

What pisses me off about my Digital Cable (Cox is the provider) is that my analog channels are still analog. I had hoped they would all be digital - or at least most of them - but apparently they just "boost the signal" so that it looks slightly better (it doesn't).

My parents have DirecTV and I like how all the channels are digital ... you especially notice the difference on a large TV with a good sound system.

 

[fatalbert]

I miss digital cable here at college, it was so nice to have all those channels and features

 

[Cougar]

Digital Cable sucks!!!


You know why it sucks? Because it's not really digital, only satelite is digital. At least that's what my all-knowing cousin tells me

 

[aphex]

I LOVE my digital cable down here, through COX

I get about 350 or so channels right now and i love it. Granted, i also have 4 boxes around the house so we get em on all our tv's...

 

[BillGates]

Changing channels is also extremely slow - very annoying.

 

[Ameesh]

<< Digital Cable sucks!!!


You know why it sucks? Because it's not really digital, only satelite is digital. At least that's what my all-knowing cousin tells me >>



your all knowing cousin isnt very all knowing.

 

[Cougar]

<<

<< Digital Cable sucks!!!


You know why it sucks? Because it's not really digital, only satelite is digital. At least that's what my all-knowing cousin tells me >>



your all knowing cousin isnt very all knowing. >>




Believe me Ameesh, I know. At times his wisdom is so great that it makes my head hurt. For example: did you know that the reason some CD players have trouble reading certain brands of cdr's has nothing to do with the laser? It all depends on how it is connected to the power supply and/or the amp. It all depends on how the wires are connected.

I highly advise you not to argue with his wisdom for it is vast and plentiful. His intelligence is unlike anything mankind has ever witnessed.

 

[Ultima]

well apparently we'd only keep the channels below 22 or something like that, and then there's the recording issue.