[mythtv-users] Comcast bricked my HDHR above 33 - Los Gatos - 95032

[Mark Knecht]

On Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 4:00 PM, Bob Sully <rcs at malibyte.net> wrote:
>
>> Message: 20
>> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:26:08 -0700
>> From: Mark Knecht <markknecht at gmail.com>
>>
>> Just reporting in.
>>
>> Looks like Comcast converted everything in Los Gatos (SF Bay Area)
>> above channel 33 last night to encrypted. So far as I can tell only my
>> low channels got recorded last night, everything above channel 33
>> didn't record. I've reset everything by hand today but none of it
>> works recording above 33. Myth Live TV only works up to channel 33.
>> Nothing else seems to play. Live TV says 96% signal strendth on
>> Channel 63 (Comedy Central here) and lists the program but nothing
>> starts playing. The channels af course work on the STB.
>>
>> Called them on the phone and got tech support who basically said "Yes
>> & tough luck. Use our DVR or don't plan on recording anything."
>>
>> Granted, I can still record the OTA stuff which is good, and Hulu gets
>> some of what we'll miss. I can look into another DTA or two and follow
>> along with the work others have done here recently making them work
>> which I'm thankful for.
>>
>> Looks like life just got more difficult, and likely a bit more expensive.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Mark
>
> B*st*rds.
>
> Solution (at least a partial one, as you can only record one show at a
> time): HD-PVR (since you need the STB anyway).
>
> Good luck.
> --
> ________________________________________
> Bob Sully - Simi Valley, California, USA
> http://www.malibyte.net
> http://www.malibyte.com

Thanks Bob, and hi to Simi. I grew up in Camarillo.

I think I could just drop back to using two DTAs with the serial
control and then record through my two old PVR-150s for SD recordings.
We don't care much about HD here. It's nice, but we don't ever seem to
record that way. I guess we're missing out but it's just TV.

But that still leaves me paying $140/month to a company that I've
truly come to hate. I'd rather find some high-end Internet TV service
and pay them money. 75% of what I watch on cable is OTA, 25% higher
channels. I think I can get The Daily Show and Colbert on the Comedy
Central site, some of the other shows on Hulu.

I end up asking myself why pay this company anything? We all dislike
them, or worse, and yet we continue to take it. I think this is the
time for me to look for alternatives. I'm sure it will hurt a bit, but
sometimes with pain comes gain....

- Mark