>Now, since I've got Comcast Internet, I figure let me see what they >charge for HD service/receiver. > >Right now they have a promotion (actually, on ongoing promotion) where >they'll offer satellite customers the following: > >HD Receiver >TiVo >HBO/Showtime/Starz
I've been REALLY happy with Comcast here in Somerville, MA. Unless they've made a deal that I missed it won't be actual TIVO, but Comcast's own DVR software. They have just announced a deal with TIVO however so we may start seeing TIVO software on the Motorola Comcast boxes soon. But still - the Comcast software is pretty good - but definately not as good as the TIVO software. We gave up trying to get series recordings to do what we wanted and just set aside 20 minutes every Sunday to set up the next weeks shows. The DVR is good and I believe all areas have dual tuners by now (tho' I may be wrong). We can record two High-Definition shows and watch a third from the recorder (there are two tuners). The drive in ours is 120 Gig which offers about 10-12 hours of HD or about 50 or so of non-HD recording. The onscreen guide is nicely done (and you can see the large guide with the current TV channel presented in a small window). The program descriptions are clear and most series descriptions offer episode names (REALLY nice). There are basic search and "Favorites" features as well. In addition you get free access to "On Demand" (the video on demand service). Any premium chanlles you subscribed to (HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc) generally makes their shows available for free on On Demand (usually, in the case of series, the day after they air). In most cases it's not in HD, but we watched most of "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under" in this way (when a season ends the entire season is usually available). There's also TONS of free programming for kids (from PBS Kids, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and others) and speciality programming (there's an On-Demand only anime channel and several "self-help" channels offers lessons and home repair tutorials). Combining On Demand with the DVR we've never felt squeezed for space. The HD channels are great. We started out about a year ago with 8 channels (PBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, ShowTime and two Comcast produced movie/special channels called "In Demand"). They've been adding channels steadily. We now also have CBS, UPN, The WB, Cinemax, several sports channels (EPSN, NESN and some others... but I'm sure that'll be different for you), TNT and a few I can't remember. Essentially they're now offering all major networks, PBS and several Cable-only channels - much more than you could ever get over the air. Again, if you're subscribing to a Premium channel like HBO you get the HD version for free (if you have the overall HD package). We pay an extra $8 or so for the DVR and another $8 or so for the HD package. We've got the full set of premium movie channels (I'm not a sports fan) and Cable modem (but not phone). I think we' pay in the range of $130 a month (we should probably cut back...) For what it's worth Comcast has also recently upped the Cable Modem bandwidth (from 3Mbps to, I think 4Mbps). Overall I've just been very pleased with the company - they really seem to have a concerted program of adding value without adding cost. As an aside... the Motorola DVR boxes used in most Comcast areas are getting pleasantly hacked left and right - people have already determined how to transfer DVR programs to digital tape via firewire and rumor has it that Comcast will open up the use of the front inputs and USB port soonish. Neat stuff going on. My only real problem with the new boxes is that the new HD dual tuner boxes don't have a coax out any longer (the previous boxes did). I connect my TV to the box via component video, but I always sent that coax connection over to the computer's TV card. Now, with the new box, I have to use a composite-to-coax convertor to do the same thing. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:161289 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
