does comcast really charge $120/year just for HD channels?

[BassBomb]

IMHO, cable is overrated. I feels that I haven't missed anything with out cable since 1991.

I don't have cable...

 

[nageov3t]

update: I was, in fact, wrong.

called comcast this morning to get myself setup (historically, I've just about always gotten better cable deals via the phone as opposed to the website, and indeed, they knocked $120 off the installation fee)... the $10/month is for the HD cablebox; if you're paying $15/month for the DVR, there is no additional charge just for HD channels. :thumbsup:

now if I could only afford a tivo... /weep

 

[QurazyQuisp]

I'm canceling cable... I got my first months bill and it's 109 with Digital + HD + Internet. Not worth it, sure I can afford it, but it's a waste.

 

[OFFascist]

on the bandwidth issue im pretty sure they could save money by not broadcasting the same channel 3 times which is what TWC seems to do

for example channel 125 is FSC, so is Chanel 557 and 680

none of them are HD all SD and its the exact same feed on all 3 channels

pretty sure 90% of the channels that i get below #200 are mirrored on another channel between 400 and 700 at least once if not twice

Seriously it would be piss me off if I were paying for cable. Why do they do that?

 

[lupi]

here the HD channels are free...assuming you don't mind the cost for getting the digital package or the monthly fee for renting the HD box....but damn at least they say it's free on the commercials.

 

[Phokus]

dish network's HD is free if you do automatic bill pay and paperless billing

 

[Modelworks]

on the bandwidth issue im pretty sure they could save money by not broadcasting the same channel 3 times which is what TWC seems to do

Don't worry they will continue to compress the channels till they can make them all fit. It is HD, but it isn't anything like the HD signal from the broadcasters. If you ever get to see the signals as they come off the sat from the uplink center you will be pissed at what you pay for because nothing from dish,direct, cable comes close.

Sat uplink 25Mbps
Cable 6-8Mbps
Dish/direct 8Mbps
FIOS 12Mbps
OTA 17Mbps

 

[Hacp]

Crapcastic!

 

[Hacp]

Don't worry they will continue to compress the channels till they can make them all fit. It is HD, but it isn't anything like the HD signal from the broadcasters. If you ever get to see the signals as they come off the sat from the uplink center you will be pissed at what you pay for because nothing from dish,direct, cable comes close.

Sat uplink 25Mbps
Cable 6-8Mbps
Dish/direct 8Mbps
FIOS 12Mbps
OTA 17Mbps

6mbps at 720p is decent quality tbh. No, it won't impress videophiles but you still see a huge difference between that and dvd.

 

[nageov3t]

Don't worry they will continue to compress the channels till they can make them all fit. It is HD, but it isn't anything like the HD signal from the broadcasters. If you ever get to see the signals as they come off the sat from the uplink center you will be pissed at what you pay for because nothing from dish,direct, cable comes close.

Sat uplink 25Mbps
Cable 6-8Mbps
Dish/direct 8Mbps
FIOS 12Mbps
OTA 17Mbps

I can't even tell the difference between dvd's and blueray.

 

[velillen]

I can't even tell the difference between dvd's and blueray.

I sure can! Definitely can tell difference in SD vs HD and bluray vs dvd. Dvd isnt as bad as SD though.

What really pisses me off is trying to get comcast to have the fox soccer channel in hd. Last time i called the CSR said they didnt have the bandwidth for it, so of course i asked why i need ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN news, and like 2 other espn channels to be broadcast twice and why they couldnt broadcast it once and have the bandwidth.....of course i got lied and bs'd too.

if you don't mind watching it on your computer and being 2 days behind the rest of the world.

Matter of opinion on the legality of it but meh another conversation. But i can get any tv or documentary shown on tv in the usually before it airs on cable where i live. East coast gets it and uploads it and i have it downloaded and have usually started watching it before it airs here. I actually prefer this as its then commercial free. Has opened up to watching other shows too. Watch quite a bit of the BBC which isnt avaliable here for me.