Comcast/Mythtv (OT?)

[Jerry Feldman]

On 11/24/2008 03:20 PM, Bill Bogstad wrote:
> On my bill, it was footnote #3 in the section on new Cable prices for
> Cambridge.  The footnote reads:
>
> "3. Standard Cable includes Basic Service and Expanded Basic Service.
> Effective December 1, 2008, Standard Cable will no longer be offered
> for new subscription."
>
> Always remember when reading a contract written by someone else, the
> text giveth and the flyspeck footnotes taketh away.
>
> Standard Basic is the maximum analog TV service which is currently
> available in my area.  It consists of Basic Service (basically local
> broadcast signals)
> plus Expanded Basic ('premium' channels via analog signal).  I am
> subscribed to one of their digital packages with a Comcast supplied
> box so I can do On-Demand viewing. My KnoppMyth box currently records
> directly from analog via cable splitters rather then trying to manage
> the settop box.  If Standard Cable (full analog goes away) the only
> analog signal which will be sold to new customers will be the
> equivalent of using an antenna in the pre-digital TV age.  Customer
> attrition will likely reduce the number of people on Expanded Basic
> fairly quickly and they'll do something to 'encourage' people to
> switch.  Comcast recently forced me to switch from the older non-VOIP
> phone service to their current offering just a a couple of months ago
> which is why I'm concerned...
>
>  =20
I'm not 100% sure what the differences are, and how they are licensed by =

the community. As I mentioned, 2 analog channels, TruTV (40) and MSNBC=20
(53) are no longer available on analog. I'm not sure what they have to=20
replace the standard cable, or whether they will continue to accept new=20
analog-only subscribers, or whether they will offer free digital boxes.=20
They must, by regulation, provide analog services until 2011. I've heard =

that some cable companies are providing digital boxes free of charge to=20
their low-end customers so hey can drop analog altogether.

--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
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