[mythtv-users] Comcast Digital transition Denver

Tim Ashman tim at ashmans.net
Fri Feb 12 18:34:27 UTC 2010


On Friday 12 February 2010 10:02:20 am Greg Woods wrote:
> On Fri, 2010-02-12 at 11:28 -0500, Dan Wilga wrote:
> > I just last night got off the phone with Comcast about this very topic.
> > In my region, the only signals sent in-the-clear now are SD versions of
> > local channels. If you want certain sub-channels you need a (free) DTA.
> > If you want any HD at all, you need to rent a Motorola box.
>
> If that's what they do here, it will pretty much turn my HDHomerun  into
> a brick. I suppose I can do OTA but I will then have only one tuner (the
> HD-PVR) for everything else. That sucks. Any advantage to having cable
> instead of satellite will be completely lost.
>
> However, what we've actually seen is that they seem to do things
> slightly differently in every region, so I won't really know what clear
> QAM channels will be available to me until the actual switch occurs and
> I do a scan. The only thing I can be sure of is that my Myth system will
> be significantly less useful after the switch than before. It is amazing
> that their marketing people have the balls to bill this as something
> good for the consumer.
>
> --Greg

Comcast is looking out for themselves.  This change happened in Portland, 
Oregon about 6 months ago.  I called up comcast and switched to the limited 
basic, I have two tv's hooked up to that service which is only $16, doesn't 
require any boxes.  (it is an additional $12 for internet service if you 
don't have cable so $4 for basic cable is ok with me)  

As far as my MythTV.  I have two capture cards hooked up to OTA it is in full 
HD most of the time however it is only the local channels.  If comcast ever 
makes it too expensive for the basic I will simply hook my two tv's upto my 
antenna.

In this configuration I retain the full mythtv exprience without the need for 
any IR repeaters, etc.

Basically everytime comcast does something that is good for it's customers I 
switch more and more over to using OTA and being happy with it.  I do miss 
some shows but it is only TV after all.  I've given up enjoying it or caring 
what the gods of comcast want, it just isn't worth it.

I have no proof but my feeling is that comcast will at some point go after the 
OTA and will suceed in killing OTA leaving me to stop watching TV altogether.

tim



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