MythTV/Comcast going all digital TV in Cambridge [OT]

[Tom Metro]

Bill Bogstad wrote:
> I just got a letter from Comcast informing me that on October 20th
> they will be switching all of their Expanded Basic channels to digital
> format.

I spoke to a Comcast rep today and inquired if or when my town was 
scheduled to discontinue analog, and was told that the conversion 
happens when the community reaches 95% digital subscribers. (The rep. 
had no data on my town, but said it wasn't scheduled to happen.)

During the same call I also switched my overpriced basic cable service 
to their "HD Starter" package (which I was informed contains no HD 
channels), as their promotions make it cost half as much, even though it 
essentially changes nothing in the service I receive. (I was also 
informed once I made the switch, I couldn't go back. When asked why 
someone would want to, the rep explained some use the basic service as a 
means to block access to pay-per-view in rental properties.)

Although I'll be ignoring the free set-top-box the service comes with 
and continuing to use the analog service, by making the service switch 
I'll have pushed my town one step closer to the 95% threshold. Oh well. 
Hopefully by the time the change happens, an alternative will have surfaced.

I tried explaining to the rep. that when analog service gets 
discontinued I'd probably end my Comcast service, as their encrypted 
digital service is incompatible with my DVR. She couldn't fathom how 
that'd be a problem. I made a few attempts to explain, but it was going 
no where.

This pretty much explains why cable companies have no pressure on them 
to supply clear QAM. If they're regularly succeeding in getting 95% of 
their subscribers to make the switch to digital service voluntarily (and 
presumably not bleeding subscribers at the same time), then the vast 
majority of customers have learned to accept the limitations and are 
putting up with them without complaints.

  -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/