05-23-2007, 11:09 PM
[quote mikebw][quote will2000]Does that mean that my $15/mp limited cable (analog) is doomed, or will it continue for while?
I don't think they can force you to switch as this point if the alternative costs more money, but eventually that is their goal.
Comcast called me once or twice a day for a good month. I never picked up the phone, but my wife did once. They wanted to "upgrade" us from Standard Analog to Digital, at no cost --- but of course that's only for 1 box. Not interested.
Yesterday they called while I was gone. My folks answered the phone while watching my kids. The phone message when I got home said Comcast wanted me to know that "interfaith-something" channel would be gone from analog soon ... I'd get a free box to get it back ... Not interested.
Looking at my mail, Comcast has (finally!) mailed me a notice that the religious channel mentioned earlier and two more I don't care about are transitioning to the digital side. Again, thanks for the notice but I'm not interested.
I'll say this much --- they're tenacious buggers. I just hope the cable channels I DO care about are a stronger presence on the Web by the time Comcast moves them over to digital, so I can finally drop them with my wife's blessing.
Oh --- and about bandwidth: If anyone thinks the demise of bandwidth-hogging analog channels will free up space for higher-quality HD transmission, that's a pipe dream.
Anyone who's at all observant about the cable and sat industry realizes their business model is about cramming as much programming in as possible in order to justify higher prices. It's been that way with SD digital, it's this way with HD digital.
Same thing with digital radio --- get rid of analog, which for all its problems at least has the capability, under good conditions, for excellent fidelity, so that a slew of HDRadio channels can pop up. All with "CD quality" (as long as your definition of "CD quality" = a 96kHz stream.)
We must all be sheep, for the lambs are being led to slaughter.
I don't think they can force you to switch as this point if the alternative costs more money, but eventually that is their goal.
Comcast called me once or twice a day for a good month. I never picked up the phone, but my wife did once. They wanted to "upgrade" us from Standard Analog to Digital, at no cost --- but of course that's only for 1 box. Not interested.
Yesterday they called while I was gone. My folks answered the phone while watching my kids. The phone message when I got home said Comcast wanted me to know that "interfaith-something" channel would be gone from analog soon ... I'd get a free box to get it back ... Not interested.
Looking at my mail, Comcast has (finally!) mailed me a notice that the religious channel mentioned earlier and two more I don't care about are transitioning to the digital side. Again, thanks for the notice but I'm not interested.
I'll say this much --- they're tenacious buggers. I just hope the cable channels I DO care about are a stronger presence on the Web by the time Comcast moves them over to digital, so I can finally drop them with my wife's blessing.
Oh --- and about bandwidth: If anyone thinks the demise of bandwidth-hogging analog channels will free up space for higher-quality HD transmission, that's a pipe dream.
Anyone who's at all observant about the cable and sat industry realizes their business model is about cramming as much programming in as possible in order to justify higher prices. It's been that way with SD digital, it's this way with HD digital.
Same thing with digital radio --- get rid of analog, which for all its problems at least has the capability, under good conditions, for excellent fidelity, so that a slew of HDRadio channels can pop up. All with "CD quality" (as long as your definition of "CD quality" = a 96kHz stream.)
We must all be sheep, for the lambs are being led to slaughter.