Digital cable options

[posol]

well, i'm shopping for power, water, and cable for the condo today... lol

it's almost certain that i will be getting a new tv shortly after i move in. i can't take this 20" goldstar pos with no white contrast much longer... i can't even play gt4 on it cuz the main HOME menu is all white and its just one big blob/blur


so, i e-mailed the cable company asking a few questions about the CableCard technolgy which most tv's are coming with now-a-days.

A CableCARD lets you receive digital cable channels without a cable box. CableCARD is smaller than a credit card, and it fits into a slot in the back of TV?s designed for digital cable. You can receive basic and digital cable channels, as well as premium and HDTV channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and more.

In order to received interactive services like ON DEMAND and the on-screen program guide you will need a digital cable box.

so, wtf is the point then? i still have to run a set-top box if i want to use my service to the fullest...

if you aren't familiar with on-demand... its basically a free movie service, where you can download any number a movies they are offering and start them at any time... kinda like having a dvr, but they are streamed in.

Cable

With Digital Cable you get more choices -- more than 200 channels, commercial free digital-quality music and an interactive on-screen guide. In areas that offer ON DEMAND, you can enjoy a library of more than 1,000 programs all ready to start when ever you want. If ON DEMAND is not yet available in your area, it is coming soon!

Digital Package(s) Premium Channels Other Features Monthly Price

Digital Platinum 5 ON DEMAND, Onscreen Guide $98.16

Digital Gold 2 ON DEMAND, Onscreen Guide $91.41

Digital Silver - Special Offer 1 ON DEMAND, Onscreen Guide $75.73

Digital Plus - Special Offer N/A ON DEMAND, Onscreen Guide $61.73

Digital Cable Dish Win-Back N/A ON DEMAND, Onscreen Guide $62.16



Basic Package(s) Premium Channels Other Features Monthly Price

Standard Cable N/A Popular Cable Channels $46.16

Basic Cable N/A Great Local Channels $10.15


High-Definition Television

Comcast makes high-definition TV simple. If you have a new high-definition TV set, all you need is a Comcast HDTV cable box to make it come alive. If it's not in your neighborhood yet, it may be coming soon.

HDTV Monthly Price

High Definition Television $8.25

so, not only will i get on-demand with EVERY digital package they offer, i will have to pay the 8.25 fee for the set top box... to use it...



and then i need internet too..

High-Speed Internet Monthly Price

High-Speed Internet for Customers with Comcast Cable $42.95
High-Speed Internet for Customers without Comcast Cable $57.95

so, its like 150 bucks a month any way you look at it.

wtf.



what are you guys doing for cable and internet????

but having on-demand will cut-back my dvd needs, as i can get movies all the time...

i dunno. i'm all confused...

The Digital Silver Package and above allows you to select anywhere from one-to-five of the following Premium Channels and their respective plexes.

HBO - You get HBO & HBO Plex
Cinemax - You get Cinemax & Cinemax Plex
ShowTime - You get Showtime & Showtime Plex
Starz! - You get Starz! & Starz! Plex
The Movie Channel - You get TMC & TMC Plex

Number of Premium Channels allowed per package:
Digital Platinum allows you to enjoy all 5 of the Premium Channels listed above.
Digital Gold allows you to choose 2 of the 5 Premium Channels listed above.
Digital Silver allows you to choose 1 of the 5 Premium Channels listed above.

so, i don't need to get 5... i think with 2 on the gold plan would be ok... but, whats a few bucks more for 3 more premium channels??

 

[allbottledup]

if you dont need the speed get dsl...i have digital cable with a dvr box and HBO well worth it. I pay $62 got some kind of promotion. For the dsl i pay 14.95 a month and with my computer i can say i have no difference between cable and dsl

 

[posol]

dsl is slow as shit compared to cable. i had it.

plus, i don't plan on getting a land-line phone (i have full cell service inside) and thus makes dsl like 75 bucks a month w/o a phone service....

 

[eg6sir]

i pay 75 bucks a month.. i dont have on-demand.. i have cable internet.. my cable runs about 30 bucks for digital( i switched from direcTV so i got a better price) and my cable internet is about 45 bucks... thats here in CA

 

[Prowler]

Get a hookup =)

I pay for 20 channels and get 70.

Then I pay for 3mbps cable. Everything altogether is $47 a month.

 

[brc80]

Hd Tivo > then all other set top boxes

As far as internet its cable with vonage for phone service.

 

[posol]

i don't have a need/use for a tivo.. i miss something, i'll download it if i really want to see it. i realyl don't watch too much tv.

i'm thinking i'm going to end up with the basic $10 plan and cable itnernet for about 55 bucks a month....

and again, i don't need phone service. i have a cell phone...

 

[wanderinman]

My two cents;

Cent One:
I dont know about your living situation, but if its more than just you in the condo you are golden on cable setups. A lot of time you can get introductory offers that only apply for the first 3-6 months. Well, once those run out you just simply move the service into your roomates name, and the introductory offer resets. Keep swapping back and forth on billing names and you'll save a ton.

Cent Two:
Cable companies compete against eachother (and against the satellites). Keep telling them its too much, and that you talked to a satellite guy saying he'd give you X-deal. The cable company will usually come back with Y-Deal, because they can change how much they charge you a month just by typing in a little box on their computer.

With these two things done in my last apartment I had EVERY cable channel (including 30+ hbos, 25 cinemax's, etc), plus the DVR, and we only paid 34.99 a month.

 

[posol]

im living alone, at least for now.... so option 1 doesn't apply.

option2, theres only 1 cable comapny in my area, comcast is all i have.

i CANT run satelite even if i wanted to (condos; no external mods) so i can't mount a dish anywhere.....

sat. sucks anyway...

 

[jamesA]

There's just a few choices around here.

Comcast; regular cable and internet is 99.69 a month. (what I had for a year after I got laid off in 04)
Digital and internet was 120 something a month, I think the box was 8 bucks to rent, and the modem is 5 bucks to rent per month. (what I had for 6 months before I got laid off in 04)

Verizon DSL; 40 a month, but you also have to pay 20 for the land line to use it. So total around 60.

Then we have "The Dish" satellite, Direct TV satellite and some other company that isn't that large.

Verizon is also installing and hooking up Fiber optics around Fort Wayne. Digital TV, phone lines and internet. Depending on which service you get, Fiber DSL is like 30 a month, lines are still 20 and TV is like 40.

Right now I'm getting cable for free since I'm renting from a family member.

 

[wanderinman]

Quoted post[/post]]
im living alone, at least for now.... so option 1 doesn't apply.

option2, theres only 1 cable comapny in my area, comcast is all i have.

i CANT run satelite even if i wanted to (condos; no external mods) so i can't mount a dish anywhere.....

sat. sucks anyway...

Damn, we have at least 4 cable companies to chose from here, if it'll help you can put my 2 cents towards your invariably high monthly payment

 

[YouKnowWhoIBee]

we have suscom and comcast... suscom is 76 dollars a month for digital and internet. But comcast bought suscom this weeks so i will se how long that will last for.

 

[endlesszeal]

Quoted post[/post]]
sat. sucks anyway...

yeah. i have sat and i hate it. my roommates wanted so i just gave it a try. so far in the past 2 months, its lockd up 3 times. couldnt find a signal or whatever the hell it does. and the second thing i hate about it is ALL the channels are 3 hrs ahead because WESTCOAST NI$$AZ, except the local channels and i never watch those.

anyway, we pay 55 and 30 for 3mps DSL.

Quoted post[/post]]
My two cents;

Cent One:
I dont know about your living situation, but if its more than just you in the condo you are golden on cable setups. A lot of time you can get introductory offers that only apply for the first 3-6 months. Well, once those run out you just simply move the service into your roomates name, and the introductory offer resets. Keep swapping back and forth on billing names and you'll save a ton.

Cent Two:
Cable companies compete against eachother (and against the satellites). Keep telling them its too much, and that you talked to a satellite guy saying he'd give you X-deal. The cable company will usually come back with Y-Deal, because they can change how much they charge you a month just by typing in a little box on their computer.

With these two things done in my last apartment I had EVERY cable channel (including 30+ hbos, 25 cinemax's, etc), plus the DVR, and we only paid 34.99 a month.

DAMN. You need to call and help me haggle those bastards for me.

 

[Havok]

I have Comcast High Speed, and Digital Cable + HDTV, my bill runs about 120/mo. My rates seem to be cheaper than yours.

 

[phunky.buddha]

I pay about $100 a month for "expanded" digital cable, the "sports and information tier" package that includes Speed network and G4, along with my 4Mb down 512kb up modem with Cox cable. I don't need all the extra crap.