Question for Dallas area Comcast customers

[Widescreen]

I'm thinking of taking advantage of Comcast's current $29.95/month dish buyback promotion (I've got Dish Network now). Before I call in, I wanted to see what you Comcast hillbillies know.

Is their HD PVR a 2-tuner unit and is their SD PVR a 2-tuner unit? I've gotten to the point where I can't give up background recording with a PVR.

Are all channels digital if you go with their digital package?

Any other pros/cons about Comcast digital cable I should know about?

Mercee BeauKoo in advance.

[SCOUT]

Widescreen,
I have had both Dish Network and Comcast Digital Cable. I currently have Comcast. Their standard HD PVR is only one channel but they do offer a 2-tuner unit. I had a repairman out to my house recently and he said the 2-tuner unit was no additional charge but I haven't upgraded to it yet.

The digital channels are not actually digital they are boosted analog. I may be using the wrong terminology but they are simulated.

One con that I have is that the picture quality of the basic channels is not as good as they were with the dish. It is not a huge difference but you can tell.

A pro that I find myself using more and more often is the On Demand feature. You can watch certain movies any time you want. If you subscribe to HBO, Cinemax, Starz etc. you can choose from a list of their movies and watch them anytime. Same thing goes for comedy specials, shows like Deadwood and so on this way too. They also provide On Demand TV shows, kids programming and all kinds of stuff. It is really handy.

Just my 2 cents.

[jeremy885]

I wish I could get cable. SBCHE sucks ***.

[colleyvillesooner]

Widescreen,
I have had both Dish Network and Comcast Digital Cable. I currently have Comcast. Their standard HD PVR is only one channel but they do offer a 2-tuner unit. I had a repairman out to my house recently and he said the 2-tuner unit was no additional charge but I haven't upgraded to it yet.

The digital channels are not actually digital they are boosted analog. I may be using the wrong terminology but they are simulated.

One con that I have is that the picture quality of the basic channels is not as good as they were with the dish. It is not a huge difference but you can tell.

A pro that I find myself using more and more often is the On Demand feature. You can watch certain movies any time you want. If you subscribe to HBO, Cinemax, Starz etc. you can choose from a list of their movies and watch them anytime. Same thing goes for comedy specials, shows like Deadwood and so on this way too. They also provide On Demand TV shows, kids programming and all kinds of stuff. It is really handy.

Just my 2 cents.

Good input.

They just released a phase 3 DVR Dual Tuner (Moto 6412 - Phase 3) in the Dallas area. Everything I have read is saying that this dramatically improved the analog signals.

Also, I would ask this question in this link:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/tvcomcast

under this thread:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15215634~start=60#end

It is a massive thread, going back years (the current one is volume three, you can get the link to the previous one's on the first page of that thread.)

They have a few comcast people on there (KCharg is a great help) that always provide great help, and usually give out notices early of new channels and such.

They actually launched digital versions of the local channels (4,5,8,11) but had to pull them until they switch to Time Warner (who bought them out. this should take place this spring).

[colleyvillesooner]

Also, if you live in Dallas proper, you need to find out if you are on a single line system or and A/b system. The A/B system can't get the dual tuner DVR. Once the Time Warner switch happens, they will ugrade all the lines to single service.

[Widescreen]

Thanks for the feedback, fellow Allenite.


Widescreen,
I have had both Dish Network and Comcast Digital Cable. I currently have Comcast. Their standard HD PVR is only one channel but they do offer a 2-tuner unit. I had a repairman out to my house recently and he said the 2-tuner unit was no additional charge but I haven't upgraded to it yet.
Sweet. Can you set up multiple favorites lists of channels like you can on the Dish boxes? I set one up for local channels, kids stuff, movies, hdtv, etc. Also, what connection type is it (component/HDMI/DVI)? If it has DVI, do you know if it is DVI-I or DVI-D?


The digital channels are not actually digital they are boosted analog. I may be using the wrong terminology but they are simulated.
But they all show up in the interactive program guide, right?


One con that I have is that the picture quality of the basic channels is not as good as they were with the dish. It is not a huge difference but you can tell.
That could be bad. What do you consider "basic channels"?


A pro that I find myself using more and more often is the On Demand feature. You can watch certain movies any time you want. If you subscribe to HBO, Cinemax, Starz etc. you can choose from a list of their movies and watch them anytime. Same thing goes for comedy specials, shows like Deadwood and so on this way too. They also provide On Demand TV shows, kids programming and all kinds of stuff. It is really handy.
Yeah, I had considered that. Sounds interesting.

I'm hoping that if I subscribe to Comcast, I can get $10/month off of my Comcast internet bill. They should do that unless they won't let me because of the promotional offer.

[Widescreen]

Also, if you live in Dallas proper, you need to find out if you are on a single line system or and A/b system. The A/B system can't get the dual tuner DVR. Once the Time Warner switch happens, they will ugrade all the lines to single service.
Interesting. I'm in Allen so I'll have to ask about that. Do you know if the standard SD PVR receiver is a 2-tuner box?

Edit: Whoops! Didn't see your post above. is the phase 3 box an HD or SD PVR?

[colleyvillesooner]

Widescreen, seriously hit up the comcast thread. You might get bitched slapped by the "why don't you search first" police. SO search first in that thread, or the two volumed before it, but ask anyways.

I've gotten alot of help for HD and general comcast questions for them.

[colleyvillesooner]

Interesting. I'm in Allen so I'll have to ask about that. Do you know if the standard SD PVR receiver is a 2-tuner box?

Don't know. I think they just give you a HD DVR anyways. You're paying 9.95 for the DVr, so the $5.00 they charge you for HD service is lumped into that. Basically, I think every DVR they have (singal or dual) is HD capable.

[SCOUT]

Thanks for the feedback, fellow Allenite.


Sweet. Can you set up multiple favorites lists of channels like you can on the Dish boxes? I set one up for local channels, kids stuff, movies, hdtv, etc. Also, what connection type is it (component/HDMI/DVI)? If it has DVI, do you know if it is DVI-I or DVI-D?
You can set up favorite lists like the Dish boxes. I am not sure about the connection type.


But they all show up in the interactive program guide, right?
Yes, they all show up on the interactive program guide.


That could be bad. What do you consider "basic channels"?
When I say basic channels I am referring to NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, Fox Sports, and the like. It is not a huge difference in quality. If Dish quality is 9 out of 10, then cable is 7 or 8 out of 10 depending on the channel. For some reason Fox Sports, TBS and TNT are the worst (Although TNT has an HD channel so that solves that problem for them)

Now that I mentioned the TNT HD channel I thought of something else that is pretty nice. ABC, CBS, NBC and fox also have HD channels. If they are broadcasting a program that is not in HD they are broadcast in simulated HD on the HD channels. The quality for those is pretty good. The only down side is that the picture has those black bars on either side of the picture due to the aspect ratio (hoping that is the correct term ;))

[colleyvillesooner]

It's a component connection. I think the phase 3 has a HDMI or DVi, not sure. Ask in that thread, not a comcast rep. Comcast customer service is worthless. I've saved myself hours by using that thread instead.

The reason I say to ask in that thread is because just because the Motorola site shows it has a DVI or HDMI or any other "plug" or "out" doesn't mean it's "turned on" on the comcast box.

[Widescreen]

It's a component connection. I think the phase 3 has a HDMI or DVi, not sure. Ask in that thread, not a comcast rep. Comcast customer service is worthless. I've saved myself hours by using that thread instead.

The reason I say to ask in that thread is because just because the Motorola site shows it has a DVI or HDMI or any other "plug" or "out" doesn't mean it's "turned on" on the comcast box.
OK, thanks for the feedback. I've already started looking through those threads. I've used dslreports.com for other stuff but didn't realize they had a Comcast-Dallas forum. The whole A/B thing and CablesCards are completely foreign to me. I've got some research to do. :)

[colleyvillesooner]

OK, thanks for the feedback. I've already started looking through those threads. I've used dslreports.com for other stuff but didn't realize they had a Comcast-Dallas forum. The whole A/B thing and CablesCards are completely foreign to me. I've got some research to do. :)

If you are in Allen, I think you are fine.

Good luck!

[Widescreen]

Dude, 4 more posts to 10,000!

[colleyvillesooner]

Dude, 4 more posts to 10,000!

Yep, gonna wait till Monday to do it right! :D

[soonerboomer93]

dish will have dallas locals in hd this year (abc, cbs, fox, nbc) you just need the right dish to get them

[Widescreen]

dish will have dallas locals in hd this year (abc, cbs, fox, nbc) you just need the right dish to get them
Yeah although that's not really a big deal to me as I get great reception OTA for HD locals.