Does Comcast have standard cable?

[masshass81]

What happened to the days of just calling the cable company to set you up with cable tv, plug in the coax and voila!!??

The only choices I have in southern orange county is SBC Satellite and Comcast. I'd rather go with the latter, but all I can find is info for Digital cable and that requires a bunch of receivers (I have 5 TV's in the house..)

I've been waiting over 20min for a service rep.. so I'm asking here if anyone knows. Does Comcast offer standard cable that doesn't require any receivers that just drive up the monthly cost of cable??

 

[Shawn]

You can get basic cable. That's what I have in my apartment. The TV is hooked up directly to the wall.

 

[KK]

I got basic analog TV thru comcast.

 

[masshass81]

I have basic (2 through 13), but do you guys have standard cable (espn, A&E, History, mtv, etc) via analog??

 

[intogamer]

You might need a Box for B channels?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: masshass81
I have basic (2 through 13), but do you guys have standard cable (espn, A&E, History, mtv, etc) via analog??

Yes. If you are only getting up to channel 13 your TV isn't configured properly. It's set to pick up signals over the air, not cable.

 

[T9D]

I have basic cable from comcast. It only costs like $5 since I have cable internet.

 

[Chebago]

I had it in my last apartment, but getting through to Comcast that all you want is basic cable is hard. Everytime we mentioned that we don't want any receivers, they would try sell us again on digital cable. Honestly, I thought the Digital cable boxes that Comcast had about 2 years ago were the least user friendly things you could have (my sister had one). They finally gave us basic with like FX and some other channels, but no MTV, VH1, etc..

 

[ch33zw1z]

You do not need a cable box for the first 99 analog channels on comcast, but their cable boxes have some good features now.

 

[Stunt]

For some reason internet is fast and cheap in Canada...but cable (even basic) is expensive

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
You do not need a cable box for the first 99 analog channels on comcast, but their cable boxes have some good features now.

That's what I have. About 80 channels analog including HBO - no cable box.

 

[KoolAidKid]

Yep, I have limited basic analog cable (~$9/month). I also get 6 or 7 HD channels with it. No cable box, as my TV has a built-in QAM tuner. You would not believe the hassle it was to get Comcast to set this up. As soon as they hear you have an HDTV they start pushing Digital Cable really heavily.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: allisolm

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
You do not need a cable box for the first 99 analog channels on comcast, but their cable boxes have some good features now.

That's what I have. About 80 channels analog including HBO - no cable box.

Hmmm I have basic cable (2-23) and they still gave me a box....

 

[Zach]

Originally posted by: F22 Raptor

Hmmm I have basic cable (2-23) and they still gave me a box....

Is it like the old days where you can just bypass the box if you have a TV with an appropriate tuner?

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: Zach

Originally posted by: F22 Raptor

Hmmm I have basic cable (2-23) and they still gave me a box....

Is it like the old days where you can just bypass the box if you have a TV with an appropriate tuner?

Not sure, I have a fairly new TV and they still gave me a box, I really have no idea.

 

[Baked]

Basic and Extended cable don't require the box. Only digital cable and HD require the box. I switch between Basic and Extended depending on the sports season. The box is optional.

 

[Slew Foot]

Lets see here, last year I had standard, no box needed and got the regular cable channels like Discovery and ESPN. Over the summer I had basic, no box needed but all I got was local channels. Now I have extended, I need a box but I get On Demand (kinda useless), HD, and channels up to 999 or something.

 

[tontod]

Originally posted by: KoolAidKid
Yep, I have limited basic analog cable (~$9/month). I also get 6 or 7 HD channels with it. No cable box, as my TV has a built-in QAM tuner. You would not believe the hassle it was to get Comcast to set this up. As soon as they hear you have an HDTV they start pushing Digital Cable really heavily.

I have a built in HD tuner, but I couldnt get any HD channels without the comcast box. Not sure why.

 

[acemcmac]

Viewsonic HD12 (OTA-HD) FTW!!!!

 

[masshass81]

Just called up Comcast/Time Warner/Monopoly Inc..... They said since their signals are scrambled to prevent piracy/stealing cable so they require you to have a box even for extended network (channels below 99). That's great and all, but when they want to charge an additional $7/ mo. for EACH receiver???

I could probably get away with 2 receivers with the way the house is wired, but that'll end up costing $100 just forstandard internet and cable... Guess I'll be sticking to 2-13 for a while longer...

 

[thomsbrain]

yes, we have basic cable. about 70 channels, plugged into the wall.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: masshass81
What happened to the days of just calling the cable company to set you up with cable tv, plug in the coax and voila!!??

what happened is what happened right before THAT. you had to get an analog receiver and descrambler.

 

[drinkmorejava]

We have timewarner and it's not scrambled. The first 99 or w/e channels, we can just plug in and get them. Our hdtv and old big screen have boxes so we can get the digital channels though.

PSA: the timewarner digital music channels suck ass. I'd like to shoot whoever the heck makes the playlists for those.