Cable Questions

[Skint]

booo cable! Yay Ricky! http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/ju...e_Nuts/#174720

[ccaplinger]

Mediacom did this recently to us for lack of payment. They shut off your digital receiver not your cable. They can disable the digital box from their computer system evidently. In order to actually disconnect your cable they have to come out to your house and disconnect it from the pole. This is where you end up with the disconnect and reconnect fees.

[epiphany]

Thanks EVERYONE for the replies.

Hub, that was a very informative post, thank you.

I called to pay my bill last week and to downgrade the cable, letting them know that I didn't want the box. Well, now I will get exactly what I want for about 20 dollars cheaper but it irks me that I have called them at least three other times over the last couple years (every time the price has gone up) and was told that it wasn't possible.

Perhaps they didn't realize that I didn't want the box, I never said it before 'cause I had no clue that I didn't need it for my purposes. But I did tell them what I wanted and it was never even suggested to me I could go cheaper if I lost the box.

They were either running bull or were just complete morons, as most of the people that work for that company are. It's a tough call. I will spare you from my other HORROR stories.

What, OTA may be something to definitely take a look when they get more channels. I like 2-80 and that's what I have right now for a little cheaper but am definitely going to be looking at some satellite companies.

Pa, you hit the nail on the head I think: They don't like to tell you about it! It really sucks that Charter has no competition in my neighborhood. I tried to get Time Warner a while back and was told it was not available.

Anyway, I am no longer "stealing" cable! I wonder if they'll bill me for the days it was supposedly out. Yeah prolly they will.

ep

[bmrigs]

JR you're amazing. I wish I could do that. I wish I could give up TV. We currently we are with Dish. We have a package that runs us about $62 a month and I hate it. During the summer we barely watch TV. It's those cold winter nights that go on forever that kills us. We just don't have much to do without TV. Yes awful I know. I read alot, but DH doesn't. He can't do without TV. Maybe I couldn't either. Anyway good for you!

Im gonna eventually give up the tv, dont really watch it but my kids like it. I would rather read and chat with all you nice folks

[justplaintired]

Haven't owned a TV in 8 years. I do watch it sometimes at work during graveyard. For entertainment I just play a computer game, for news I browse news sites, etc.

JR you're amazing. I wish I could do that. I wish I could give up TV. We currently we are with Dish. We have a package that runs us about $62 a month and I hate it. During the summer we barely watch TV. It's those cold winter nights that go on forever that kills us. We just don't have much to do without TV. Yes awful I know. I read alot, but DH doesn't. He can't do without TV. Maybe I couldn't either. Anyway good for you!

[PaKettle]

Many cable co's have a "broadcast basic" package that they don't like to tell you about.
Call them up and ask them for their absolute cheapest way of just getting the broadcast channels. I think it might even be a law that they have to provide this.

I am paying only $18 or so per month for mine and it includes the broadcast stations in digital transmission, but also about 10-15 other stations, PBS, etc..

We went from a $50/month cable bill to $18 and then we put the other $35 or so into Netflix and Blockbuster online (we use both because Blockbuster has a plan that allows you to trade movies at the store, they get there quicker and you get "extra" free movies that way too. Also each is sometimes out of a movie, so when one is out, the other often has it.

We prefer this to having a bunch of cable or satellite channels.

[ssdsco]

TV has been free for me ever since I cancelled my cable back in 1993. Back then it was 100 channels and nothing on. Now it's 500 channels and still nothing on.

Over The Air (OTA) television is still free and with the DTV broadcasting (which is already here with most stations) is better than ever. No more snow, shadows, and weird color distortions with digital transmissions OTA, plus digital sound. And I'm not talking about OTA HD TV, which most of you in bankruptcy should not have anyway.

For the purists, OTA DTV (SD or HD) is still the best quality you can get. Cable and satellite companies compress and degrade the digital signals (and the analog ones too). This is one reason I switched to OTA years ago.

I paid $10 after the $40 government coupon to get a new Zenith DTT-901 converter box for my OTA TV set. I presently get 23 local channels all perfectly in digital TV, and more are on the way next year. Depending on your location you may need anything from a paper clip stuck in the back of the box for an antenna to an attic or outside antenna. I have an outside UHF/VHF antenna hidden under the roof of my porch - overkill for my location - but good enough to pick up DTV stations up to 40 miles away.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=186

We have an entire generation that never experienced free TV, even though for the first 30 years of television everyone used OTA with an antenna.

[WhatMoney]

TV has been free for me ever since I cancelled my cable back in 1993. Back then it was 100 channels and nothing on. Now it's 500 channels and still nothing on.

Over The Air (OTA) television is still free and with the DTV broadcasting (which is already here with most stations) is better than ever. No more snow, shadows, and weird color distortions with digital transmissions OTA, plus digital sound. And I'm not talking about OTA HD TV, which most of you in bankruptcy should not have anyway.

For the purists, OTA DTV (SD or HD) is still the best quality you can get. Cable and satellite companies compress and degrade the digital signals (and the analog ones too). This is one reason I switched to OTA years ago.

I paid $10 after the $40 government coupon to get a new Zenith DTT-901 converter box for my OTA TV set. I presently get 23 local channels all perfectly in digital TV, and more are on the way next year. Depending on your location you may need anything from a paper clip stuck in the back of the box for an antenna to an attic or outside antenna. I have an outside UHF/VHF antenna hidden under the roof of my porch - overkill for my location - but good enough to pick up DTV stations up to 40 miles away.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=186

We have an entire generation that never experienced free TV, even though for the first 30 years of television everyone used OTA with an antenna.

[AMISLANDER]

Personally, it makes more sense to keep the cable/satellite with a few movie stations as going out to the theatre is just way expensive (and you know that popcorn smell, even if it's bad, always tries to lure your $ away as well)...

Next year, all analog is going digital, which will be a mess for awhile & bunny ears, so they say, won't do it anymore.

Didn't tv used to be free?

[yoyoma51]

We have Dish Network. $51.00/month total with plenty of channels, and a two room DVR.

[JRScott]

I agree with krielly. That's probably what is happening.

And JRScott, you are my personal hero. No t.v.? Wow, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. LOL

Haven't owned a TV in 8 years. I do watch it sometimes at work during graveyard. For entertainment I just play a computer game, for news I browse news sites, etc.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Your box was for premium channels. I think they are running bull to you. Now here is how it works, in the old days with less channels they would put a ‘choke’ or filter in line from your “drop” to their larger cable connection. This choke would pass some channels but not others. When they “turn you off” they will put a dead ‘choke’ in line with your cable or simply unscrew the cable and leave it loose. It is easy to rehook it back up but it is theft and falls into Federal law. You would not want to do that. Your bill is very high though for only cable. Ask what their cheapest plan is and what stations you get. Do you have a new TV? Next February, all signals will be digital. Supposedly cable TV will be ok to use with the new digital. The box you have takes the place of the ‘choke’ since so many other channels are now available they can limit your choice digitally. ‘Hub

[southernbelle]

My guess would be that you have digital cable. They probably sent a signal to your box to shut it off, but for now, you are still getting the lower channels.
Unless you make payment shortly, I suspect they will totally shut it off, but for now, it's just the box. That's why you are still getting a cable signal through the line.

K

I agree with krielly. That's probably what is happening.

And JRScott, you are my personal hero. No t.v.? Wow, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. LOL

[Cali]

Some places they actually do need to come out to turn it off.

Do you have digital phone and cable? That might be why you can still get it.

Or maybe the channels are actually the basic cable.

[krielly]

My guess would be that you have digital cable. They probably sent a signal to your box to shut it off, but for now, you are still getting the lower channels.
Unless you make payment shortly, I suspect they will totally shut it off, but for now, it's just the box. That's why you are still getting a cable signal through the line.

K