HDTV With Only Basic Cable

[oz]

My question to TW on their website:

Customer 01/16/2003 04:29 PM
I'm wondering if it's possible to get access to the high definition (HDTV) local TV channels without subscribing to the digital package. I understand there would be a charge for the cable box and the remote, but should my package need to change? I would like to be able to receive those channels without adding 100 more channels I don't want.


Response (Kate M.) 01/17/2003 03:19 PM

Yes, you can have an HDTV digital box without ordering the standard cable or being in a digital package. The box would serve as an HDTV receiver. You would have to pay for the box and remote, of course, and we do ask that you subscribe to either HBO or Showtime, both of which have HD channels.

If you are not in a digital package, however, you would not be able to receive the "plexing" of the premium channels. That is, you would get only one HBO or Showtime channel. Plexing provides 14 HBO channels and 16 Showtimes to digital package subscribers.

The only local channels available right now in HD are WMVS, WTMJ and WISN. We are hoping to add the rest of the locals channels to the HD lineup soon.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Kate M.
Customer Service Correspondent


What do you think she means by "we do ask that you subscribe to either HBO or Showtime?" Does that mean I'm REQUIRED to subscribe to one of those channels? Otherwise, this seems like a pretty cheap way to get HD channels:

Basic Service: $11.20
Box: $6.60
Remote: $0.35

If my bill is only $18, I think I can get my wife to go for it. Even $28 with HBO wouldn't be bad.

[Joseph S]

Wow! That is what I've always wanted. HBOHD and ShowHD without all the fluff.

I'll have to give them a call tomorrow to change from the digital package to the basic package.

[sp44again]

Let me know if this works.

[GJC]

It's possible that this falls under the Federal law covered in another thread and also talked about on 58's news last week.  Federal law prohibits cable carriers from requiring subscribers to get a package above basic in order to receive premium pay channels.  So you could get basic cable and then add on HBO, Showtime, etc for just the cost of those premium channels.  So that could possibly also extend to HBO HD and Showtime HD.

--Gary

[borghe]

I don't know if it is possible here, but many other areas allow subscribing to just local HD channels, and I can only imagine that TWC has to allow that also. They basically have to allow for a local package that includes local and public access channels, etc.

Personally though, you would be paying $7/month for the box/remote and $11.90 for the package. At $20/month (after fees and taxes) you would have an OTA set-top box paid for in less than 2 years, and you would get the remaining channels (including 6 right now) without having to wait for carriage deals on TWC.

[sp44again]

I think that is the way to go for people that don't want an antenna. Enough about the TWC costs compared to the OTA box cost. I'm telling you that in 2 years a better technology will be out and the OTA box will be worth jack. It seems to me that SA and TWC is keeping up on the technology with the 4200HD box. The Hughes that you refer to doesn't have DVI or Firewire.

[borghe]

Hmm.. I won't get into another debate, but I will point out some flaws in your post:

What technology will be out in two years that will obsolete current boxes? DVI and Firewire? They are out right now and not only haven't obsoleted component inputs, but are both failing to make any sort of impact whatsoever. No, I am pretty certain that a box purchased today will be more than capable two years from now.

Yes, SA is keeping up with the technology while completely letting other companies create the technology. The SA4200HD is on the verge of being released, finally giving cable subs abilities that OTA users have had for almost a year now. Also, less than a year after the 4200HD is released OTA will have HD with DVR capabilities.

I was actually not talking about the Hughes box. I was talking about the Samsung boxes, one of which certainly does have a DVI output on it. And even at $600 for that box, your investment would still be paid back in 2 1/2 years.

I am honestly sorry if you take offense to my "showing the alternatives to cable". I have laid low on my overall feelings on cable for a little bit now, and my previous post in this thread was just to say that getting cable solely for local HD might not be the best answer. In the old days (a year ago) the "local package" made a little more sense. Just because you received a strong enough signal from the station didn't mean you would get a perfect picture. Now however, the story is different. If you get a stable picture, it will always be perfect. I am not saying "STAY AWAY FROM TWC!!!!" Instead I am merely saying in this scenario it might not be the end of the world (especially for people in Milwaukee County) to first run down to Best Buy and pick up one of the Samsung (or Hughes) boxes and an antenna and give it a shot. It is the exact same thing as telling someone with an integrated set to stick a pair of rabbit ears on the set first before calling out the cable/sat calvary.

My issues with TWC are my own, but this thread has nothing to do with those. I am just saying that paying $20/month for ONLY LOCAL AND PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELS may not be the best way to spend ones money... It has nothing to do with cable but instead with how you get local channels, if that is all you're interested in..

[sp44again]

All I'm interested in is an easy way to get HD locals and TWC is the easiest. Not everybody lives close to the stations to get good signals. Some people who rent like myself don't want to run a cable for an antenna either. Especially on the roof in some instances.  Every time you bring up a cost it is variable! $600 for a Samsung. Well what if someone wants a Sony which is $800! That would take almost 4 years at $20 a crack! Who knows what technology will be out then? DVI and Firewire are not common now. Like any technology they are not going to obsolete something else right away. I'm not saying that a box today will not work in 2 years either cause it will but you make it sound like nobody upgrades ever. Since you don't know, you can't comment that SA won't have a HD PVR either when OTA does. I don't know, you said you don't want to get into another debate but it seems from your last post that you do.

[borghe]

Nobody has to upgrade and unless you can provide a very common reason why someone would be forced to upgrade, we will lay the upgrade issue to rest here and now. That is my main point of contention. If you bought a DirecTV sat box back in 1994 it will still work today. If you bought a RCA DTC-100 4 years ago, it will still work today. Their is a difference between upgrading out of necessity (computers) and luxury. In home theater, if you do your research before making a purchase, you should never feel like you have to upgrade.

As for my numbers, they are on the money (no pun intended). If you want an OTA box, it costs $400 at Best Buy. I brought up the DVI OTA box because you made a comment about DVI. Although it should be noted that not only will you make your money back on the DVI box in 2 1/2 years, but that the 4200HD from TWC will most likely not have the Fierwire or DVI ports enabled/installed on it, and that I will put money on.

You are correct in that TWC is the easiest solution. I never meant to imply it wasn't. However most people here are still early adopters and many people still coming in are early adopters. Most of those people don't mind getting their hands dirty, especially to save significant money in the long run. The bottom line is that you will save money with little to no hassle if you go OTA (note I'm not saying satellite) for HD locals as opposed to paying TWC $20/month. This will be even more true on sets that come with OTA tuners. If you don't care about cable or have satellite and don't want to switch to cable, there is no reason to subscribe to TWC just for HD locals.

[AndrewP]

All I can tell right now about this debate:
1. Existing TWC HDTV box is awful. Especially it's inability to stretch 4x3 signals.
2. PQ of analog signals is extremely bad.
3. PQ of SD signals on HDTV outputs is also not good.
4. $20/month for actual free OTA signals.

Considering all of this:
IT IS WORTH CHECKING OTHER OPTIONS.

Maybe... next year TWC will get you something. But most of people who spent money on HDTV sets today wants something good TODAY!

Andrew

[oz]

What I like about TWC is that I can try it for 2 months and I'm only out $40 if I don't like it. From reading other posts, I gathered that seems to be tons of problems with HD video and audio on most channels. If I buy a $600 OTA box, I might not be able to take it back after 2 months.

[sp44again]

Originally posted by borghe
Nobody has to upgrade and unless you can provide a very common reason why someone would be forced to upgrade, we will lay the upgrade issue to rest here and now. That is my main point of contention. If you bought a DirecTV sat box back in 1994 it will still work today. If you bought a RCA DTC-100 4 years ago, it will still work today. Their is a difference between upgrading out of necessity (computers) and luxury. In home theater, if you do your research before making a purchase, you should never feel like you have to upgrade.

What do you think HDTV is right now. It's a luxury item. Not everybody wants to go out and spend the money. I'd like to know how many people use a box from 94'. If they do they don't belong on this forum. What's one of the main gripes about the DTC-100. That it's slow! So what do people do, upgrade to something with a faster interface! And again you back to the $400 Hughes box at Best Buy after I bring up a more expensive box. I'm done. :bang:

[AndrewP]

That is the point!

Try both TWC and OTA+Sat and you will see the difference.
That is what I did: tried TWC and switched to Dish after 5 days.
And it happened one year ago. TWC is still using the same outdated SA box.

Andrew

[sp44again]

Originally posted by AndrewP
That is the point!

Try both TWC and OTA+Sat and you will see the difference.
That is what I did: tried TWC and switched to Dish after 5 days.
And it happened one year ago. TWC is still using the same outdated SA box.

Andrew

We are talking HD here not some crappy analog to digital difference. Everybody knows that dish is better for regular TV.

[gparris]

You're right about  PQ's: Satellite Vs. TWC...When I watch the SCI-FI and Weather Channel on DIRECTV, the picture comes in clear-as do the locals!  
I cannot get this no matter how hard I try-with TWC.  Their new website's answer pages say they cannot duplicate the analog signals with the digital due to space. For what? "IN DEMAND"?
If everyone had to get a box for every room in their house like you do with Satellite, the spectrum wasted for analog channels would be better used for more digital (read HDTV)! I personally have no problem with the extra $4.99 for the other rooms. When everything goes digital-as our Forum likes to "count down"- even those so-called "cable-ready" TV sets TWC likes to cater to in its website-will require one! "Digital" cable on those analog channels is terrible on ANY set-analog or digital - I have both.
The analog channels look like the screen needs cleaning and my connection is bad-and that is even after TWC came out to reamplify it at MY cost when Roadrunner was installed.
Shame on you TWC!