How much is basic cable from TWC?

[ButtonPuncher]

How much are you paying a month?  I'm talking about analog channels 2-99 with a cable straight out of your wall to your TV.  No boxes, no DVRs, no remotes.  

I'm trying to tighten my belt and get my budget under control.  Right now I'm paying Dish $65 a month for the Dish200 package with two boxes, one which is a dual tuner DVR.  I want to cut my TV expenses in half.

I made a quick call to TWC and the morons kept trying to sell me packages.  I DON'T WANT THAT!!!  I don't want a box, I don't want a cable modem, I don't want digital phone.

Thanks for your time and for any input.


Ben

[ddeerrff]

"Standard Package (This includes Basic Service at $21.68)"          $61.49

Plus taxes and fees.

[ArgMeMatey]

BASIC prices are sometimes regulated locally and they vary.  I pay $19 and change.  But BASIC is only 2-26 plus whatever they unofficially provide on 62-72 or whatever.  

My sense is you are not going to cut it in half with STANDARD.  

Have you asked about the Dish Welcome Pack?  It's practically secret so don't be surprised if the first rep doesn't know about it.  If it's still available.  

If you're cutting back from 200, you might want to check out treatment programs because you're going to have withdrawal if you cut your TV costs in half.  

[brewtownska]

I  currently have Dish, and with the recent price increases, I think a lot of people are thinking the way you are about changing.

Is part of that high price because of all the tuners you have between the 2 boxes?  I think the first box is included in your package price (whether it's 1 or 2 tuners...I have a 722 with 2 tuners, and I pay nothing extra other than the $6 DVR fee), but then they charge you for the 2nd box.

I don't know your setup, but do you have the 2 boxes because you need 3 tuners, or do you have both because you need TV in 2 locations?  My 722 box has a TV1 and TV2 output, so you can feed all the TVs in the house via Coaxial cable with that TV2 connection (you pick the channel to broadcast, then you tune the TV to that channel).  If they'd let you upgrade, there would definitely be an up-front cost, I just don't know if they also try to sucker you into another 2-year commitment.

Another option is if you only use 1 of the TVs at a time, you could get a splitter to duplicate the output signal (powered HDMI splitters on Monoprice.com have come WAY down in price), then run that to other TV(s).  I did that recently, and by getting a 4input/2output HDMI splitter, I can now use my Dish Network, PS3 (games or movies), HD-DVD, and a 4th input on BOTH TVs.  So I can route the same input signal to both TVs at the same time, or I can 1 input to one of the TVs and another of the other inputs to the other TV.  I just had to buy a 20' HDMI and run it through a faceplate in the wall, into the basement, then up to the bedroom TV.

Sorry if I went off on a tangent, but my point is you probably won't find much of a cheaper price by switching companies, so you are probably better to try to work out a better price with who you already have.  Whether that's by lowering your package (you could go HD-only with whatever their TurboHD packages are now called) and/or dropping the 2nd receiver (or upgrading to a single receiver with 2 TV outputs like the 722).

Mike

[ButtonPuncher]

I'll have to give TWC another call and be more patient.  I'm looking for all channels from 2-99, not just 2-26.

I could return my 2nd box, but that would only save $7 a month.  That would also make things pretty inconvenient.

I've actually noticed that some apartments are now offering free cable and internet.   It might be worth it if I could find a place that's cheaper and closer to work.

Or I could pay may parents to get a second DVR from TWC and just slingbox it over my internet connection from their house to my apt.  Hmmm...

[Tom Snyder]

A little feedback from the Twitter-sphere:

@MilwaukeeHDTV $68.29 for what you posted in your thread http://i50.tinypic.com/mkiv02.jpg

[duncantuna]

Always amazed at the lack of pricing information for TWC.  They make it impossible to get on their website.  Or, they give you a price, but don't tell you what's included.

At least 2x/month, I get an ad from TWC in the mail, usually for their $99 package (promotional) for Cable+RR+Phone.  

But they never explain .. what's included in the cable package?  Which channels/tiers?  

In the age of consumer information, TWC's scheme is to keep consumers in the dark prior to the "sell."  

Highly annoying.  I might buy that $99 package, but I'm not going to waste my time on the phone as they explain how crappy the $99 package is and how I need to spend another $50 to get all the channels and DVR, etc.

[ArgMeMatey]

Always amazed at the lack of pricing information for TWC.  They make it impossible to get on their website.  Or, they give you a price, but don't tell you what's included.

At least 2x/month, I get an ad from TWC in the mail, usually for their $99 package (promotional) for Cable+RR+Phone.  

But they never explain .. what's included in the cable package?  Which channels/tiers?  

In the age of consumer information, TWC's scheme is to keep consumers in the dark prior to the "sell."  

Highly annoying.  I might buy that $99 package, but I'm not going to waste my time on the phone as they explain how crappy the $99 package is and how I need to spend another $50 to get all the channels and DVR, etc.

Seconded.  They'll go on and on over the phone, and they usually aren't pressuring me too much, but it's very frustrating that they will not commit to anything until the first bill.  I don't know how anybody could be expected to make a rational, informed decision on services that have become as complicated as they are now.  Remember when there was just a coax cable, and nothing else unless you wanted the premium channels?  

I've guessed that either they have too many different packages to keep track of, or they want complete flexibility to change things at any time, so they won't commit.  

I got an "upsell" call a couple of weeks ago from Time Warner, and when I told the woman I had BASIC only, she said "OK, thanks for your time" and ended the call without further effort.  I would have let her pitch me, but maybe they have a note in my file that I'm not worth the trouble.  

It's enough to drive a person back to rabbit ears.  Which I picked up last week for $3.

[ButtonPuncher]

WOW.  TWC must be smoking crack.  I'm paying less plus I get a dual tuner DVR and another single tuner box.   My Dish bill is $64 and change.

I guess I'm sticking with Dish for now.

Thanks for the info.

Ben

[oz]

Always amazed at the lack of pricing information for TWC.  They make it impossible to get on their website.  Or, they give you a price, but don't tell you what's included.

I'm pretty sure TWC doesn't want to list their prices in print so people can't easily compare their service with other TV options. I also think there's some flexibility so they can do things like offer free Cinemax for 6 months or  something like that if you aren't happy.

[kevbeck122]

Some divisions do list their pricing:
http://www.timewarnercable.com/SanDiego/support/ratespricing.html

Ours lists some prices, but the basic and expanded make you chat with someone:
http://www.timewarnercable.com/Wisconsin/learn/bundles/cableservices.html

I remember getting something in the mail a few years ago that listed prices for everything.