TWC HD

[JoeK]

Rick,

What I mean is HD programing is HBO, Showtime, HDNet and the networks. I'm convinced the local affiliates are going to be offering HD in the not too distant future. If one needs to buy a set top box to receive Network HD then a satilite dish for HBO, Showtime and HDnet is the way to go. TWC has a big advantage with their HD cable box, but only if they offer the programing. That's my proposed "story".

Joe

 

[RickNeff]

Joe, I understand now.  TWC probably will never get HDNet since that's DirectTV's own product.  As the OTA networks come online, I would hope TWC would bring them on HD cable as well.  (But one never knows with TWC.)  Right now, TWC is on par with what other services are offering in this area.  Unfortunately, this area doesn't really offer all that much.

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Richard Neff
Proud Toshiba 56x81 owner!

[RickNeff]

MCNE Guy, no I can't confirm I've gotten anything.  However, I haven't been watching too much on HBO HD lately (really hasn't been much on) to really know.  I'll post if I do get something however.

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Richard Neff
Proud Toshiba 56x81 owner!

[RickNeff]

MCNEGuy, I am getting 5.1 from the digital output on the TWC box.  I just tested it with HBO HD today.  Some movie (I think it was Terminal Velocity or something) did work properly.  It displayed as such on my receiver and I checked that sound did indeed make its way to my center and surround speakers.

It appears that "regular" programs just end up as stereo using just the right/left front speakers.  But only in the HD programming range (700 series channels.) The other channels don't have any sound at all through the digital connection.

Don't know if that's what you're getting, but that's what I got.


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Richard Neff
Proud Toshiba 56x81 owner!

[SteveClemetson]

I'll add my 2 cents on the 2000HD box.

1st - HBO definitely is in 5.1 when the programming is broadcast in 5.1.  I can't say about the other channels being in 5.1, as I haven't paid that much attention.

2nd - The coaxial digital out is always "on", however channels below 100 only use the analog audio.  This means that if your A/V receiver is autoswitching, it will always take the digital input -- even when there's no sound coming through it (which would be all channels below 100).

3rd - Anything other than HD really looks pretty poor coming through the component outs on the 2000HD.  S-Video looks better.

Net result, if you want a nice smooth A/V experience, you'll need to program some macros into your universal remote to switch to S-Video for anything other than HD, analog audio for channels under 100, and digital for channels over 100.  While channels over 100 can be either analog or digital, digital sounds better (or at least louder).

This box really strikes me as a jerry-rigged solution until the 3000HDs are distributed.  Out on the Scientific Atlanta web site, they have the specs for 3000HD and it looks fairly slick.  I think it said that TWC had ordered 50,000 of them nationwide.

In any event, I'll be quite pleased if TWC picks up the local HD channels promptly as they go live.  It will save me a chunk of coin versus buying a set top box.

[mcneguy]

Rick,

I haven't tried it as all I have are Toslink cables but now that I know you're getting something I'll run out and buy a coaxial cable.  Thanks

[Kortjester]

Hey guys, first time post here. Seems like an excellent chance to ham it up with some locals boys!!

This is just an FYI. It has been brought to my attention that TWC and the cable industry as a whole will be suffering from the same problems found with satellite in broadcasting local HD channels. They will be stuck with having the ability to do just about all channels in HD minus the local broadcasts. These will still require the use of a good ol' antenna. This is to include any all the variations of the local digital realm.


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Half of the people in the world are below average.

[RickNeff]

I'm not sure what you mean by your FYI exactly...There are already cable companies that broadcast local channels in HDTV.  For example,

"Comcast, for example, recently announced that it will offer its 1.3 million customers in the New Jersey and Delaware region HDTV content from ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO and Showtime." (http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/highdeftv020107.html)

and

"Time Warner Cable now has CBS and NBC high definition signals on their cable system in Huntington Beach, Ca. All you have to do to receive the signals is to connect the Time Warner cable line to "antenna in" on the HDTV receiver. CBS is on channel 35, NBC on channel 36. ..." (http://ilovehdtv.com/hdtvforum/articles/2002/January/6dHDI2.html)

I don't live in those areas, so I don't know if these are incorrect, but I've seen a lot of others on various HDTV boards also mention local channels via cable.

So, I'm curious as to what sort of restriction there is in this area.

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Richard Neff
Proud Toshiba 56x81 owner!

[mcneguy]

Time Warner in Houston has an HDTV Package, for around $6 additional per month gets you all the local HD channels..NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX.

[sarusk]

I understand TW will be getting some of the 3100HD boxes in the 'near future' and that they will only offer them to employees at first to test, to see what/if any bugs there are. We may want to ask if a group of us could 'pilot' them when they are released.

[kjnorman]

Would the 3100HD do OTA as well as cable?  If it did I would happily test a 3100HD box for TW.  

I am currently on a losing run with my wife in my attempt to get a HD STB.  However I could swing the cable box but only if it did OTA as well - especially as TW will not dual carry.

Kerry

[SugarRay]

Based on a conservation that I had with TW (someone from the main office, not a CSR), it sounds like maybe by mid summer they will have something new out.  The gentleman did mention a new box was in the works.  I guess we can only hope (or get and OTA HD box)

[mcneguy]

Well, I got sick of my guide being out again and the constant crappy quality of the 2-70 channels that I called TWC today and politely asked when they are getting the new boxes in.  She put me on hold for about 10 minutes and she said that the warehouse just got some new ones in, I am scheduled for Wednesday morning for installation.  Hopefully it's the new version, I cannot imagine them getting more of the ones that suck but then again, I wouldn't put it past TWC.

[SugarRay]

mcneguy - keep us posted regarding the new boxes from TWC.  If they work out OK and can get OTA, I might consider......

[mcneguy]

OK, here is the update you all asked for.  TWC shows up at my door with a digital cable box, explaining that they don't have any of the HD boxes because they all suck and they're getting new ones.  I told the dumbass that their representative verified that they had the new ones, he said that he didn't know, called his supervisor and again told me that they didn't have any HD boxes.  I'm on the phone right now with a "supervisor" who tells me that there were probably some available on Monday when I called but they may have run out before today.  I have never heard anything so stupid in my life.  She has put me on hold to call the warehouse to see if they really have some or not.  She probably put me on hold to have a cigarette then she'll be back on to tell me that they don't have any.  She's back and they found one...I'm sure it's one of the crappy ones that still sucks otherwise the "technician" (or should I say simian like, monosyllabic, mouth breather) would have found one when he called his supervisor unless the supervisor in question was too busy making love to his Krispy Kreme to actually do anything.  I refused to let their people in my house and I am picking up the "new" box tomorrow at one of their locations....Tune in tomorrow for another riveting installment of this sad tale of woe.