TWC "HD only" pricing

[qawsed]

Would one of the TWC fans be so kind as to give me an approximate price for the following services?  I'd just call them myself but past experience with them tells me that I'll get a faster, more accurate answer here.

Here's what I want (if it's even possible):

HD locals
HD add on package (with INHD, ESPN, etc)
HD DVR

Is it possible to get just HD from TWC without buying one of the Digipic packages?

Thanks!

[GBK]

Not that I'm aware of.. they want you to spend your entire paycheck for cable so you must buy the "digital" package (not really digital)

[Tom Snyder]

Yeah.. I might be convinced to buy a digital package if it were actually all digital... but the vast majority of the mainstream cable channels (CNN, HGTV, Bravo, etc.) are icky, grainy analog.   :mad:

[Mark Strube]

And lots of the digital is icky, blocky digital.  

Although I'd always take that over analog. The SD versions of 4-5-6 look much better now that they're digital... however those have an unusually high bitrate.

[George99]

You need the DigiPic 1000 package as a base.  DVR is $5.95/mo. HD DVR is $6.95.   HD with all the local stations and Discovery, TNT and FSN are included in DigiPic. The HD package is $6.95 extra.  I don't work for TWC, just got a brochure in the mail.  

BTW, my analog SD and digital SD channels give me a very good picture on my HD set here in Mequon.  You have to experiment and find the right connections.  The TWC Pioneer 3510HD box that you need for HD does a poor job of upconverting SD to 480i or 720p or 1080i (picture too soft).  IMHO a much better SD picture is obtained from the s-video connector on the 3510HD cable box.  Thats what I use for SD on one of the inputs of my set.  Then for HD, I switch to either DVI or component which I have on another input to set.

[qawsed]

Thanks George for the info.

[Mark Strube]

DIGIPiC 1000: $49.95
HD Package: $6.95
Digital Box: $7.95
HD-DVR: $6.95
TOTAL: $71.80 + taxes

Note that even if you only have an HD-DVR box, you are charged for the price of a normal digital box, plus a seperate DVR charge, like I've shown above. Also, while Showtime and HBO are both available in HD, you need to subscribe to those seperately in order to get them, they are not included in the HD package. To get those, you'd need to upgrade to DIGIPiC 2000 which is $69.95, making your total $91.80 + taxes, and also includes the onDemand channels for the two premiums you've chosen. (If you add 2 premiums to DIGIPiC 1000, you'll be paying the same amount as the 2000 except you won't get onDemand... so if you want 2 or more premiums, it makes more sense to get the 2000.)

[sp44again]

What a rip. They should be charging less for DigiPic1000.

[Mark Strube]

Everyone should charge less for everything in my opinion.  

[MathWiz579]

If you are switching from D* or similar to TWC, you can get a much better deal on DigiPic packages.  I'm paying $30 per month for the DigiPic 1000.

[FordDTJ]

Here's my cable bill.  I live in a condominium complex that has standard service (1-74 (?)) paid for with part of our condo fees.

Code Select Expand


CABLE SERVICES          
  02/13-03/12 Standard Service    
                (This includes Basic Service at $13.00)  
  02/13-03/12 HD Package        6.95  
  02/13-03/12 Digital Value Package 8.25  
  02/13-03/12 Cable Card        1.75  
TOTAL CABLE SERVICES                  $16.95

I'm in a different situation than you, only having a cable card and no DVR.  I originally asked "I just want the HD package and the cable card." to which they replied that I would need some sort of digital access package.  I was really worried that I would have to spend 45 bucks a month for all of the garbage digital channels in DigiPic just to get the encrypted HD channels but thankfully they gave me the value package.  I haven't gone through every channel to see what I get but I do know that I get the digital channels in the 100s and all of the digital music channels waay up there.
 
You probably need a DigiPic package because you're getting a DVR.

I'm not sure why I got such a deal, or even if I did, but I thought I'd share my experience.

[jerbear]

Let me know how you got this package. TWC said I need the DigPic package to get channels above 1000 and HD.
Jerbear

[sp44again]

If you are switching from D* or similar to TWC, you can get a much better deal on DigiPic packages.  I'm paying $30 per month for the DigiPic 1000.

For how long?

[Mark Strube]

Watch out... Stewie there is out to get all us TWC users.  :p

[oz]

Let me know how you got this package. TWC said I need the DigPic package to get channels above 1000 and HD.
Jerbear

You don't need the DigiPic package unless you want HD DVR. You can get HD content for the price of the standard tier plus the HD digital box rental, which is around $20.