Advice before I switch to Digital Cable

[Kozmos]

Help me please! I'm getting ready to switch to TWC HD Digital Cable and I'd like to know what I'm in for. I need to know about:

- Pixelization on basic cable stations
- Local channel HD broadcasts (quality)
- The HD DVR

Ultimately, I would just like a clear basic programming picture and DVr abilities. I have a Sony HD widescreen tv.

Thanks!

Kenn

[Tom Snyder]

Picture quality on analog stations (1-99) is not very good.. the bigger your screen, the worse it looks. I thought it had gotten better, but I cleaned my glasses and discovered I was wrong.  :eek:

I get a ton of pauses and pixelation on their local HD channels, but it's due to the HD DVR. Happens mostly when watching/recording two HD shows simultaneously. Apparently that's a software bug that will be fixed someday.

[Kozmos]

How is the picture quality on analog stations when they transmit programming in HD?

Thanks,
Kenn

[Chinatown]

.....it will still look awful.................Those channels are not digital................Remember, with cable, you  share.............With satelite, you don't.........conclusion..........better everything.............

[picopir8]

.....it will still look awful.................Those channels are not digital................Remember, with cable, you  share.............With satelite, you don't.........conclusion..........better everything.............

Not sure wht this means.  Cable does not have problems b/c its the same line that services your neighbor.  In fact, I find the digital channels on cable to look better than they did on satellite.  Why?  Simple, there were a limited number of satellites and when they add more channels they have to increase the compression if there is not enough bandwidth available.  Locals were so highly compressed I ended up dropping them and using the antenna b/c it offered better a better picture.

[picopir8]

How is the picture quality on analog stations when they transmit programming in HD?

Thanks,
Kenn

Analog stations dont broadcast HD, HD is broadcast on digital channels.  On cable there are two types of digital channels, SD and HD. The HD digital channels may broadcast SD programing though (ie the news is not in HD yet) but those shows still look good.

I would just give it a shot and see how you like it.  There is no contract so you can cancel if it does not meet your expectation.  Some people have had problems with the HD DVR but its worked fine for me.  If it does not meet your expectations, I would go with Voom.  I would stay away from D* at least until they get the new boxes (read the news posting about D* switching to MPEG4).

[Ralph Kramden]

Why are you guys with cable? Is it because you don't have a good line of sight for satellites, or am I missing something? I'm not trying to be rude here.

[MathWiz579]

I'm personally with cable because (1) TWC offered me a better deal to leave D* than D* offered me to stay, and (2) I now have the ability to use an HD DVR for $5.00 a month instead of buying one right now for close to a grand.

[mrmike]

I'm with cable because D* turned me off back in the days of "Lets overcompress everything so we can cram more channels in" and TWC provides me with better overall picture quality.  Yes, I said better picture quality.  Even on the analog 99 I get better quality on the stations I watch.  If I could shoot the birds from my new home I'd see if D* has gotten any better in 7 years, but I can't so there you are.

[borghe]

(2) I now have the ability to use an HD DVR for $5.00 a month instead of buying one right now for close to a grand.

how is it $5/month? I thought the DVR was $8/month for the hardware and $8-9/month for the service per box.

[Matt Heebner]

I thought the HD DVR box was 12.95/mo from TWC ?

Matt

[gparris]

The TWC HD DVR total monthly billing is $14.90 plus tax = $7.95  for rental HD box (or any cable box for that matter) and the HD DVR service fee of $6.95.

If you elect to have a SD DVR (for a non-HD set room) the fee for the SD DVR service (only) is $5.95 - this part from the DVR link in the TWC website, though it does not price out the HD DVR service pricing, an error on their part. :rolleyes:

Still, for me, with 3 HD setups (sorry Gregg, they're all for viewing and recording), I am way ahead of the HD recording game without spending three thousand dollars for the 3 DVRs, as I would with Directv, but this is my situation. :blush:

[sp44again]

Yeah, but Gregg can archive on one of his setups. That's nice to have. Really, do  you need 3 HD recording setups? Seems like overkill and the need to get a life other than watching TV.  Yeeesh.

[gparris]

True, Gregg can archive, but once I watch something, I erase it. If I want to keep it, I output the SD to the DVD recorder or wait for its DD5.1 DVD to purchase, which rarely occurs...talk about "getting a life"!

Which brings me to getting one, sp44again, you don't know my situation, so let me "inform" you:

My family members can watch anything recorded in the family room either in the bedroom or the basement rec/gym room without doing anything except grab a remote and press play and some of them (us) watch different programmes or keep it if there are 3 shows on all at the same time, we can record them all.

Addtionally, I can have up to 60+ hours for HD recorded material for a fraction of the headache (hacking a HD Tivo) or expense with this setup. :guitar:

[borghe]

Addtionally, I can have up to 60+ hours for HD recorded material for a fraction of the headache (hacking a HD Tivo) or expense with this setup. :guitar:

all I will say to this is don't kid yourself... it ain't anywhere near a Tivo. You get what you pay for.