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[quote="Guest"]The signals of the over-the-air stations provided by Comcast are unencrypted and are included in my basic cable TV service (the cheapest kind). The key word here is unencrypted. That's why I don't need their cable card/box to receive them. If you want premium HD channels like Discovery-HD and ESPN-HD, then you do need their cable card/box to decrypt the signals. As I mentioned earlier, I connect the cable *directly* to my HDTV and the HDTV's QAM tuner picks up the HD channels. This is a well-known service maybe mandated by the FCC. If you have an HDTV with QAM tuner, here are the HD channels: 4-1 NBC-HD 7-1 ABC-HD 116-4 CBS-HD 116-1 PBS-HD 5-1 FOX-HD 9-1 My-9-HD 11-1 CW-HD As you can see, these channel numbers are different from the channel numbers shown on the Comcast cable box/card. There is a '-' in the channel numbers.[/quote]
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Guest
Posted: Fri, Oct 10 2008, 1:48 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Dealing with Comcast is just plain horrible. I have my internet service through them and try at all costs to not deal with them. Usually their service is dependable, so it is rare these days. But in the early days of cable modems it used to go out more frequently.
A few years ago I was able to get one of their teaser rates. It ended up being much more trouble than it was worth. After the teaser rate ended (3 months maybe?) they started charging me more than I was paying previously. And I think they messed up the service to my cable modem too. After many many hours on the phone with their horrible customer service, I got the issues fixed. Was it worth the maybe $40 I saved? No way! Comcast is known for having one of the worst customer service depts of any company. The less I have to deal with them the better.
I have thought about trying out FIOS when available. Though I'll wait to hear the reviews.
Guest
Posted: Fri, Oct 10 2008, 10:46 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Quote:
That said, Comast still won't acknowledge your rate to me. I use them for high speed but not TV right now. They still have no rate they will offer me, even without the decoder box, that is anywhere near $42/month after taxes and fees for Internet at any speed and the HD locals package. So you got a good deal but you seem to be special...
I have been using Comcast TV and Internet since 2002. I never miss a payment, so when I told them that I lost my job and needed to downgrade (or canceled the service if I could not), the service person was very helpful to reduce my monthly fees for a year.
As they say, your mileage may vary.
Guest
Posted: Fri, Oct 10 2008, 10:24 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Guest wrote:
The signals of the over-the-air stations provided by Comcast are unencrypted and are included in my basic cable TV service (the cheapest kind). The key word here is unencrypted. That's why I don't need their cable card/box to receive them. If you want premium HD channels like Discovery-HD and ESPN-HD, then you do need their cable card/box to decrypt the signals.
As I mentioned earlier, I connect the cable *directly* to my HDTV and the HDTV's QAM tuner picks up the HD channels. This is a well-known service maybe mandated by the FCC.
If you have an HDTV with QAM tuner, here are the HD channels:
4-1 NBC-HD
7-1 ABC-HD
116-4 CBS-HD
116-1 PBS-HD
5-1 FOX-HD
9-1 My-9-HD
11-1 CW-HD
As you can see, these channel numbers are different from the channel numbers shown on the Comcast cable box/card. There is a '-' in the channel numbers.
That must be a change of their practice in the last 2 years. When I last tried Comcast for TV they definitely were encrypting the HD local channels. They weren't for the SD locals, but they were for the HD locals. I tested it at the time to confirm. I called Comcast today and they claim they still are and that a Comcast decoder box or cable card is required for the HD locals. I guess they must have quietly changed this but either haven't trained their customer service people to know it or don't want to acknowledge it. I would bet this has something to do with the FCC rules for the digital switch-over next February and their requirement to provide the now primary locals via HD free-and-clear.
That said, Comast still won't acknowledge your rate to me. I use them for high speed but not TV right now. They still have no rate they will offer me, even without the decoder box, that is anywhere near $42/month after taxes and fees for Internet at any speed and the HD locals package. So you got a good deal but you seem to be special...
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 10:10 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
The signals of the over-the-air stations provided by Comcast are unencrypted and are included in my basic cable TV service (the cheapest kind). The key word here is unencrypted. That's why I don't need their cable card/box to receive them. If you want premium HD channels like Discovery-HD and ESPN-HD, then you do need their cable card/box to decrypt the signals.
As I mentioned earlier, I connect the cable *directly* to my HDTV and the HDTV's QAM tuner picks up the HD channels. This is a well-known service maybe mandated by the FCC.
If you have an HDTV with QAM tuner, here are the HD channels:
4-1 NBC-HD
7-1 ABC-HD
116-4 CBS-HD
116-1 PBS-HD
5-1 FOX-HD
9-1 My-9-HD
11-1 CW-HD
As you can see, these channel numbers are different from the channel numbers shown on the Comcast cable box/card. There is a '-' in the channel numbers.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 9:23 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Guest wrote:
Re: my $42 cable bill
My cable bill used to be about $60/month. I have the cheapest TV package, which includes HD signals that my HDTV's QAM tuner can decode. There is no need to buy the HD package if you just want those TV stations that you can get over the air (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.). Just connect the cable directly to your HDTV and scan for channels. I can post the HD channel numbers here if needed.
I don't rent their cable boxes or cable modem (I have my own cable modem).
The way I reduced my cable bill from $60 to $42 was:
Called the customer service and told them I want to downgrade my Internet service because I could not afford the current plan. The customer service person then told me about 3 levels of Internet access plans. I picked the mid-level which reduced my bill by $18/month.
Are you using a cable card? Comcast doesn't send the HD network channels over its cable in a compatible signal to the over-the-air HD signals, so HDTV-compatible cables won't play them without a Comcast HD receiver or a cable card. I only referenced the HD's because you said they were included in your $42 fee. Even without the receiver it still wouldn't total $42. It sounds like they gave you some special retention rate they aren't offering most people. That's an all-to-comon practice of all these companies these days.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 1:38 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Guest wrote:
Re: my $42 cable bill
My cable bill used to be about $60/month. I have the cheapest TV package, which includes HD signals that my HDTV's QAM tuner can decode. There is no need to buy the HD package if you just want those TV stations that you can get over the air (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.). Just connect the cable directly to your HDTV and scan for channels. I can post the HD channel numbers here if needed.
I don't rent their cable boxes or cable modem (I have my own cable modem).
The way I reduced my cable bill from $60 to $42 was:
Called the customer service and told them I want to downgrade my Internet service because I could not afford the current plan. The customer service person then told me about 3 levels of Internet access plans. I picked the mid-level which reduced my bill by $18/month.
BTW, this new rate is good only for 1-year. After that, I'll have to call again.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 1:23 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Re: my $42 cable bill
My cable bill used to be about $60/month. I have the cheapest TV package, which includes HD signals that my HDTV's QAM tuner can decode. There is no need to buy the HD package if you just want those TV stations that you can get over the air (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.). Just connect the cable directly to your HDTV and scan for channels. I can post the HD channel numbers here if needed.
I don't rent their cable boxes or cable modem (I have my own cable modem).
The way I reduced my cable bill from $60 to $42 was:
Called the customer service and told them I want to downgrade my Internet service because I could not afford the current plan. The customer service person then told me about 3 levels of Internet access plans. I picked the mid-level which reduced my bill by $18/month.
Cranbury Conservative
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 12:39 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
The big difference is Comcast compresses their HD channels far more then fios. Basically that means your getting less HD or you can even term it as a lower signal. On the other hand from what I am aware Comcast is way ahead of FIOS when it comes to on demand as in Comcast has far more content available.
Additionally if your really into the best HD picture at the lowest price (FREE that is) the way to do it is believe it or not via an antenna on your roof. Yes we are going back in time to the days of the antenna. The reason for this is local TV stations now broadcast their HD signals over the air un-compressed. It really is a big difference in the picture when using the antenna, of course that is if you can get a good signal.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 12:10 pm EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Comcast prices are crazy, I know people in other areas who are paying $100 for phone, internet, and cable from Verizon Fios. The same exact package we have from comcast and we are paying $161 a month. Last year Verizon was telling us we would have Fios by this time and nothing. I just wish we would get it here ASAP.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 11:58 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
Are you quoting a 6 month promotional rate?
I just went back to the Comcast site, then called their sales group for good measure, and they had no package that matched what you described in the ballpark of your pricing.
Their slowest Internet speed charge is $33/month for a promotional period, then resets to $42.95 after that, and neither of those fees count the various taxes and surcharges that they on top of that, at close to $10/month.
Their cheapest "Limited Basic" cable TV package is $16.50/month plus taxes and surcharges. Then to receive the HD channels you have to seaprately pay for their HD-compatible receiver at $9.95/month.
They have various bundles but none of them start for less than $66/mont plus tax and reset to $104/month plus tax after the promotional period.
So if you add their most basic cable package, HD receiver and slowest Internet service, you're at $59.45 + taxes and fees for a promotional period, they another $9.95 more after the promotion.
I don't doubt you must have gotten some special offer, but it doesn't appear to be a standard product anyone can call up and buy and according to Comcast it would have to be a short-term promotional rate.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 11:03 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
While you are waiting for Verizon Fios, here is my way of saving cable bill. I don't watch TV a lot, and my most watched TV station is PBS-13-HD.
My total cable bill is about $42 per month, including the most basic cable TV service and the mid-level Internet service (I recall Comcast offers 3 levels of Internet service).
I have a HDTV with a QAM tuner. That means I don't need a cable box to decode the TV signals. Comcast includes the HD signals for all the major TV networks (PBS-13, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc.) in the basic cable plan, so my HD TV can decode the signals fine. BTW, the picture quality of PBS-HD is very good.
I used to have a signal too low problem, which causes my Internet access to be unreliable and some low numbered TV channels to drop out. The technician can check to see if your incoming signal is too low; if so, he can order a new line (a better one) to replace the old one.
Once my new line was installed, my cable signal problems went away, and I am quite happy now.
James
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 10:50 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
When we moved to Cranbury last year I asked and was told the same thing 30-60 days. I called back 6 months later and was told that's a pretty standard statement as the reps don't know the installation schedule. They said the best statement is when you see the verizon crews out working and digging to place the new lines.
I am not sure what that means for Main st and other areas where the lines are overhead. I am told the lines are different so perhaps that means all new lines have to be strung.
Guest1447
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 10:39 am EDT
Post subject: Re: Verizon Fios?
I was told within 30 to 60 days when I called Verizon. If you go on their website you can sign up to be alerted via email when it becomes available in our area. I did, but to date haven't heard anything more.
Guest
Posted: Thu, Oct 9 2008, 10:19 am EDT
Post subject: Verizon Fios?
Does anyone know when Verizon Fios will be available in Cranbury? I know East Windsor and Hightstown have it and friends from around there are getting great deals. We are getting tired of the poor customer service and high prices from comcast....
Thanks...