I wonder how long before Comcast drops most analog channels?

[mwplefty]

In my area, Comcast offers channels 2-31 (minus a few in-between), 96, and 98 still in analog (70 literally just switched to digital; it still shows the commercial about the new digital cable box). However, the rest of the channels are snowy.

The digital cable box that we bought for our LCD TV was $60, no coupon or discount whatsoever. Pretty ridiculous if you asked me. I'd rather spend that much on a fancy dinner in all seriousness. My only advantage with the box is a couple digital channels beyond 125, such as Me-TV, a station that runs mostly classic television programs in Chicago. My suburb didn't receive this channel with analog cable alone (you had to live closer to the city).

The problem with the switch to digital cable is that anyone with their old Zenith Space Commands, for example, won't be able to use their once state-of-the-art remote control with the new digital box. The original remote and therefore and channel-changing device on the TV including the knobs, became essentially useless (except for adjusting volume and turning the set on/off). The set loses some of its originality in my opinion because of this.

I really think that the negatives of this switch outweigh the positives. Wasn't the digital/OTA transition enough? (At least the FCC is giving the cable companies a choice this time though)

[joemama99]

I have 3 of those digital adapters.Comcast here is completely digital-no analog whatsoever.They told me I could have 3 of the adapters for free-after that you pay a fee.All they get is the locals including the digital sub channels like rtn.

[mirayge]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

If I have the option to use these smaller boxes, that might be a cheaper alternative to the big box, since we only have basic service and we couldn't care less about HD, PPV, etc.

Don't forget stereo sound. Just like most other devices with an RF modulator these boxes are mono. MTS stereo modulators are too complicated and expensive.

[kv20xbr]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

Several years ago, Comcast started the digital transition by removing the hallmark channel and the gameshow network from the analog package and moved them to digital. For the people that pitched a fit about this, Comcast offered them the big Motorola boxes for receiving these channels. They claimed that the box would be free for the first year. And, not long ago, a Comcast technician showed up at a friend's house with a Motorola box in hand and he told my friend that they were getting everyone ready for digital. I'm sure their plan is to get digital boxes in as many homes as possible before they convert to all digital delivery. In fact, I didn't know there was any such thing as a "digital adapter" until today. I thought that one of the big Motorola boxes was the only thing available to receive digital cable. I guess these digital adapters are something that they recently introduced. I always said that when it got to the point where I had to have one of the big Moto boxes on each TV, at a monthly rental fee of several dollars per box, I'd cancel the cable. If I have the option to use these smaller boxes, that might be a cheaper alternative to the big box, since we only have basic service and we couldn't care less about HD, PPV, etc.

Comcast in the Balto. Md area has practically already switched to all digital since earlier this year. they still have a few channels left that you can watch without a box like all the local channels, espn, and tv guide channel. so anybody here would have to get a box. i think they did it so quick because there were a lot of people who were getting free cable. i know they were hurt when their years of free service was cut off

[andy]

---

[radiotvnut]

I was looking on ebay and there are many comcast digital transport adapters for sale, many of which are NIB. I've never known the cable company to sell their cable boxes; so, I suspect that the person that these adapters were rented to are selling them. They'll wish they would have kept them when the cable company charges them several hundred dollars for failure to return the equipment.

BTW, I heard through the grapevine that the digital delivery only switch is supposed to take place on 1/12/2011. They've already been running comcast cable commercials that are similar to the old DTV commercials; but, there is no analog cut-off date in the commercials. I also heard that the cable company would let each household have up to three digital adapters without additional charge. Any more adapters would carry a rental fee.

[Jeffhs]

Time Warner Cable in my area is all digital as well; however, like Comcast, there is still a tier of service that will give subscribers local channels only, without a digital cable box, for under $20 per month. I have this basic service (what I call "bare-bones basic" because it is broadcast stations only) on my TV; no box, but I have no choice since TV reception in this area, 35 miles from Cleveland and perhaps 40-45 (!) miles from the transmitters, which are located in a southwestern suburb of the city, was not that good in analog; most channels are probably nonexistent here nowadays OTA, since TV went digital in June 2009.

I had TW's expanded-basic package for some time, but when its monthly rate went to $55.67 per month (who knows how high it is now), I canceled it and downgraded to BB basic. I don't miss the other channels I was getting with x-basic since I have a small but growing DVD collection and a rather large collection of VHS videos, all of which are classic TV shows and movies from roughly the '60s through the early '90s. I never cared for any of the high-priced cable movie channels either; I had HBO for exactly one month in the mid-'80s, then dropped it (and did not look back) because they had a very limited selection of movies which were, more often than not, repeated over and over for a week at a time.

[radiotvnut]

I looked on the comcast website and it says that when they go to digital delivery, some markets will lose ALL analog delivered channels, requiring a digital box to view even the lowest form of basic cable. They go on to say that in other markets, everything EXCEPT the lowest form of basic cable will go to digital only delivery and that any TV connected directly to a cable jack will only receive the limited basic channels (which, consist of local broadcast channels, WGN America, two home shopping channels, and a local access community channel).

Somewhere, I read that the FCC required cable companies to carry local broadcast channels in analog until at least 2012. So, I guess we'll see what happens come 1/12, or whenever they decide to terminate analog delivery. It's looking like I'll only be able to use the rotary tuner in my TV's for a very short time period.

[mwplefty]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

I looked on the comcast website and it says that when they go to digital delivery, some markets will lose ALL analog delivered channels, requiring a digital box to view even the lowest form of basic cable. They go on to say that in other markets, everything EXCEPT the lowest form of basic cable will go to digital only delivery and that any TV connected directly to a cable jack will only receive the limited basic channels (which, consist of local broadcast channels, WGN America, two home shopping channels, and a local access community channel).

Somewhere, I read that the FCC required cable companies to carry local broadcast channels in analog until at least 2012. So, I guess we'll see what happens come 1/12, or whenever they decide to terminate analog delivery. It's looking like I'll only be able to use the rotary tuner in my TV's for a very short time period.

Not being able to use the rotary tuner will be what I'll miss the most.

[AUdubon5425]

My Cox Cable bill came in today. I have digital and with the box rental the TV portion comes in at over $80 per month now. There is still a bare-bones package - I'd be looking at $20 for the local channels, shopping channels, an infomercial channel and BET of all things. I've had enough and will be turning in the cable box the first weekday I have off in January. There are 21 (twenty-one) free over-the-air channels that broadcast in English.

Last summer I started to drop the digital and move down to expanded analog, but it would have saved me less than $20. With such a mild difference in price, I wouldn't be surprised if they discontinued analog cable in the near future.

[KentTeffeteller]

Here in Athens, TN we are all digital even for budget basic. And the basic Comcast DTA is made by Pace. Had some kinks getting it installed and running. They sent out an engineer and picture and sound look great.

[bandersen]

Comcast is about to pull the plug on analog in my neighborhood. Starting today they're showing an endless loop of instructions for ordering and hooking up a digital box on all the analog stations.

[grumpy]

I just got a letter from Wide open west saying they are not supporting my analog cable box starting around April of this year.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

My Cox Cable bill came in today. I have digital and with the box rental the TV portion comes in at over $80 per month now. There is still a bare-bones package - I'd be looking at $20 for the local channels, shopping channels, an infomercial channel and BET of all things. I've had enough and will be turning in the cable box the first weekday I have off in January. There are 21 (twenty-one) free over-the-air channels that broadcast in English.

I have Cox here - we get all the basic channels (up to 99) and all of the OTA digital channels (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, PBS, PBS World) without the box on one ATSC HDTV set. Do you have an HD set? Cox is still QAM - no box required for the basics. Without the boxes, we'd save about 70 each month, but with the wife's DVR habit....

Call Cox and tell them you want to switch to another provider (even if you don't) - they have a retention team that will discount things to make it sweeter for you. We did about three years ago and slashed our phone/internet/cable bill by about 90 bucks a month for 6 months, then the "free" stuff went away, and things were still about 55 dollars less per month. Dish Network, Verizon FiOs, DirectTV and others scare the !%@t out of Cox and they want to retain you - so force them to offer a better deal. The retention specialist used to visit you - now it's just a phone call. Down side is, you'll lock in for a prescribed set of time - a year or so. If they don't offer a one-year contract, ask for one. Then see if they'll sweeten things even more if you go two years.....

[radiotvnut]

OK, I found out that comcast is supposed to be canning most analog delivery sometime in March. The only channels that will continue to be sent in an analog format will be channels 2-12. Anything above channel 12 will require a digital box. Since 2-12 will still be analog, I'll still be able to use the VHF rotary tuner in my old TV's. Of course, I'm sure even those channels will eventually be converted to digital only.