Free HD Cable TV....

[Bent_MG]

If you're in an upgraded Charter Cable area (meaning if you can get cable modems, you can get this) you can get several HD channels free until the end of the year. Included channels are HDNet, HDMovies, HBO and Showtime, and local channels (the only one so far is WISC Channel 3 out of Madison). they'll be using a Motorola 5100 dct. I'm getting mine installed on Wednesday, so I'll let everyone know my experience when I can.

[stevenq99]

I noticed the channels on the guide tonight for the first time.  I sent an e-mail to charter to get more information.  Who did you call?  Good luck with the install!

[uplinkguy]

In Middleton I just got their service installed on Wednesday.  I haven't fully checked it out.  I took advantage of Charter's temporary free installation and 2 months free service offer that ended on the 15th.

I do have WISC HD.  Looks like it is picked up off-air and then turned around.  There is a about a two second delay on the station.  HBO and Showtime HD only come with their respective package.   The message for me on HDNet and HD Movies tells me I'm not authorized.  I had called once Friday when I was home for a short while, nothing happened since.  Charter tells me that upgrades through the system can take an hour or two.  Maybe the channels are just not running yet?

I quickly looked at HBO-HD on Directv and Charter.  The cable system actually looked a little better.  (or my inputs on the monitor where tweeked that way.)  The channel does break up every few minutes with part of the screen pixalating when there is a big change of video on the screen.

I had called the charter folks based in Fond du lac that was posted on my postcard from them.  It is 866-327-8777.

I quizzed them about ESPN-HD and Discovery-HD.  The people and installer didn't know much about when they would become available.  I had good luck with the installer.  He was a contractor.  Unfortunately, his paperwork didn't tell him to bring the HD box.  He came back in 1/2 hour with one.  He informed me that other than some regular charter techs, he was the only contractor to install an HD box, mine being the second one.  (He actually knew about the component cables and gave me some decent ones to use.)

Other than the channel guide on the box being extremely lousy, not too bad for having four drops put in my house for free.

andy

[Bent_MG]

stevenq99:

The number I called was 1-800-581-0081. There'll be an automated menu, select the options to schedule an installation of digital cable, and if you luck out you'll find a rep who knows what hdtv is all about.

[Bent_MG]

Ok, I got the HD Cable box installed this morning. Wiring and signal was okay, so the channels came in fine, but the tech had to spend about 45 minutes on the phone in order to get all the channels (at first, the 2 hdnet channels) authorized. They eventually authorized those channels on my box, and the tech left, but right after he left,  i discovered that charter had suddenly un-authorized the local channel in the package i was supposed to get (WISC - CBS Madison). So, I'm going to call back to charter shortly, get all my channels straightened out, and enjoy my new toy. Oh, by the way, they're going to be adding "a fox affiliate", ESPN HD, and a few other hd channels in the coming days......