Goodby TWC

[Gregg Lengling]

Well they have found the straw that broke the camel's back.  A year ago I threatened to leave and they gave me some concessions they said would be good for 2 years...however over the last year the bill has risen 40 dollars a month. So I said enough is enough, let's get rid of the 39.95 for phone and 3.95 for voice mail, thinking that my bill would drop at least 20 bucks when you consider they are going to screw me for not having tv/internet and phone bundled.  Boy I was wrong, my bill is going up $20.00 per month.  I said you've got to be kidding...anyhow  I'm weighing the diff between Dish and Directv right now and I've got DSL ordered....

Time Warner you guys are crazy, the economy tanks and you try to charge someone $140.00 a month for TV and another 49.95 for Internet...you're kidding me..

Run don't walk.:bang:

[Gregg Lengling]

TWC is history and decided on Dish and couldn't be happier....no more crummy compression artifacts on HD, the picture is loads better, I forgot how good HD can be I guess I just got used to what TWC was feeding me. Especially apparent on my 65" Sharp LCD....feels like my first HDTV all over again.....back to the days of the old RCA ....

[LoadStar]

Just curious, but why is this a "sticky" thread?

[Chinatown]

TWC is history and decided on Dish and couldn't be happier....no more crummy compression artifacts on HD, the picture is loads better, I forgot how good HD can be I guess I just got used to what TWC was feeding me. Especially apparent on my 65" Sharp LCD....feels like my first HDTV all over again.....back to the days of the old RCA ....

Have had both Direct & Dish. The real difference is the receivers. It was the reason I switched. Dual tuners, 4 tv's 2 HD Dvr units.

Be sure to add the sports pack when the NFL starts. Included in the $5.00 per month is the "Red Zone". Completely commercial free. Set the receiver on single tuner, use the Pip feature, and when the Packer game goes to commercial switch the view. However, be sure to use the facility before the games begin as it will be on till after 6:30.

Enjoy...................

[gparris]

I have TWC and it is a love and hate relationship; I had Directv 1997-2003.
-Love that TWC locally has added so many more HD channels than ever before and keep adding them - hate the SDV when it malfunctions.:mad:
-Love the new channel numbering they have now -  hate the DVRs, especially the 8300HDC I had to get when one of my DVRs died and needed replacing.:bang:

Right now I have a special pricing with TWC since I moved and it seems okay for now, but if the SDV keeps up with the pixelating on SyfyHD and others, it will be its very downfall, along with its crappy DVRs.

If Directv comes up with another DVR with Tivo in it, adds many more HD channels like BBCAHD (Dish has it) with its new satellite up (whenever those channels are to be actually added), I could be persuaded to go back to them, now that they use that single wire arrangement for 2 channel recordings.  

-Directv has 5 HD locals, which means for me that my bitch about them missing the 5 HD locals I watch is over vs. Dishnetwork, which still requires an antenna to get the other 2, which is not a good thing, at least for me. So for me, it would definitely be Directv in the future, but not now.
-Hope your decision to go with Dishnetwork is a happy one, Gregg!

[nwerner]

I have TWC and it is a love and hate relationship; I had Directv 1997-2003.
-Love that TWC locally has added so many more HD channels than ever before and keep adding them - hate the SDV when it malfunctions.:mad:
-Love the new channel numbering they have now -  hate the DVRs, especially the 8300HDC I had to get when one of my DVRs died and needed replacing.:bang:

Right now I have a special pricing with TWC since I moved and it seems okay for now, but if the SDV keeps up with the pixelating on SyfyHD and others, it will be its very downfall, along with its crappy DVRs.

Tell me more about SDV.  I was under the impression that it is supposed to help with a better picture but am now hearing about pixelation.  Is that a problem on other channels?  The reason I ask is because if I ever were to switch from D* I'd have to go back to TWC and if there are any problems with the new satellite preventing new HD channels that switch might come sooner rather than later for this guy.

[gparris]

SDV is switched digital video, making all bandwidth work for all HD channels in your local node, so all channels do not go to every sub, only when you switch a channel, so bandwidth is preserved and you get full capacity.

TWC may be trying to accomplish this up to a point, creating the ability to add the many HD channels it has, but it has not maintained the HD quality, especially during fast moving scenes on its HD channels from my experience.

I watched SyFyHD on Dish and Directv and saw no pixelation, only on TWC.

Keep your Directv if you can, maybe more HD channels and a better DVR will happen, thanks for asking.:wave:

[nwerner]

Thanks for your help.  I really don't want to leave Directv as I think that they have the best HD picture quality of all the major providers.  I am just sick of waiting for ESPNU, Travel, BBCA, and PBS HD.  Luckily, they have NFL network

[ArgMeMatey]

Tell me more about SDV.  I was under the impression that it is supposed to help with a better picture but am now hearing about pixelation.  Is that a problem on other channels?  The reason I ask is because if I ever were to switch from D* I'd have to go back to TWC and if there are any problems with the new satellite preventing new HD channels that switch might come sooner rather than later for this guy.

If I understand how this works, TW is probably stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They are still throwing away a lot of bandwidth on analog.  SDV, besides technical issues, probably has trouble at peak times.  They have to gauge the statistics that tell them the difference between average diversity, peak diversity, and saying "oops, we don't have enough bandwidth right now to give you that channel".  

I am sure they would love to get rid of analog, but I am also sure that even among their digital subscribers, many or most use analog for their "additional" TVs.  This still gives TW an edge over UVerse and satellite.

[basshive]

Thanks for your help.  I really don't want to leave Directv as I think that they have the best HD picture quality of all the major providers.  I am just sick of waiting for ESPNU, Travel, BBCA, and PBS HD.  Luckily, they have NFL network

I think it would be wise to wait 2 months as most of these channels should be lit up with the new sat, and hopefully more premiums!

[nwerner]

I think it would be wise to wait 2 months as most of these channels should be lit up with the new sat, and hopefully more premiums!

Oh yeah, I am not going anywhere unless some sort of press release came out saying that there were inoperable problems with the new D12 satellite.  In the meantime, I will wait patiently, continue to spend copious amounts of time on this site and dbstalk, and see what happens.

Thanks for the comments on the switched digital.  That might help explain why I see pixelation at the in-laws house.  Now I just need to explain it to them which is a whole other story

[Chinatown]

I have TWC and it is a love and hate relationship; I had Directv 1997-2003.
-Love that TWC locally has added so many more HD channels than ever before and keep adding them - hate the SDV when it malfunctions.:mad:
-Love the new channel numbering they have now -  hate the DVRs, especially the 8300HDC I had to get when one of my DVRs died and needed replacing.:bang:

Right now I have a special pricing with TWC since I moved and it seems okay for now, but if the SDV keeps up with the pixelating on SyfyHD and others, it will be its very downfall, along with its crappy DVRs.

If Directv comes up with another DVR with Tivo in it, adds many more HD channels like BBCAHD (Dish has it) with its new satellite up (whenever those channels are to be actually added), I could be persuaded to go back to them, now that they use that single wire arrangement for 2 channel recordings.  

-Directv has 5 HD locals, which means for me that my bitch about them missing the 5 HD locals I watch is over vs. Dishnetwork, which still requires an antenna to get the other 2, which is not a good thing, at least for me. So for me, it would definitely be Directv in the future, but not now.
-Hope your decision to go with Dishnetwork is a happy one, Gregg!

relative to the locals. All Dish receivers come with an OTA connection. I have a roof top antenna which pulls in all the locals. They are then integrated into the programming guide once they are scanned. Depending where you live, a rabbit ears may work, as my brother who lives in New Berlin was able to get his that way.

[gparris]

If I understand how this works, TW is probably stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They are still throwing away a lot of bandwidth on analog.  SDV, besides technical issues, probably has trouble at peak times.  They have to gauge the statistics that tell them the difference between average diversity, peak diversity, and saying "oops, we don't have enough bandwidth right now to give you that channel".  

I am sure they would love to get rid of analog, but I am also sure that even among their digital subscribers, many or most use analog for their "additional" TVs.  This still gives TW an edge over UVerse and satellite.

You're right, even I have a couple of old TV's in guest rooms that use no boxes, but I would get them if I had to if it meant TWC would go all-digital to improve HD service or at least cut the number of analog channels down a bit more.
TWC is stuck in a hard place with SDV as an option it cannot escape and it is trying to maximize its capacity, but at the expense of bandwidth, it would seem, at least to me.
-Off subject (a bit), all the discussion about "3D TV" is a bit weird to me if cable can't get its "act together" and get high quality HD -2D pictures on every  HD channel at the very least, while adding more to remain competitive is just wrong.
For me, at least, a high-quality, full bandwidth 2D HD picture on a HDTV screen is still breathtaking, almost 3D-like and without the need for wearing 3D glasses.

So Dish and Directv have it "made" there, their version of SDV is adding another satellite vs. cable, which has to pull some other tricks up its technological "sleeve" as it already has its infrastructure built out already, including that ball-and-chain called analog to drag along.

[Chinatown]

SDV is switched digital video, making all bandwidth work for all HD channels in your local node, so all channels do not go to every sub, only when you switch a channel, so bandwidth is preserved and you get full capacity.

TWC may be trying to accomplish this up to a point, creating the ability to add the many HD channels it has, but it has not maintained the HD quality, especially during fast moving scenes on its HD channels from my experience.

I watched SyFyHD on Dish and Directv and saw no pixelation, only on TWC.

Keep your Directv if you can, maybe more HD channels and a better DVR will happen, thanks for asking.:wave:

The new Directv Tivo is coming out sometime this year. However, the odds of anyone getting it as a new subscriber are a million to one. You will get whatever the installer has on his truck, which more then likely will be the current inept models.

Of course, you could demand to know who the specific installer is.  Then call them to find out if they have any HD Tivo receivers, and grease the wheels of progress. Just a thought.

[Jack 1000]

Our HD picture is usually awesome on TWC.  The only time where pixiation might occur for a day or two is when they are adding channels to the system or updating something.  Otherwise, it has been great!

I can't take Dish because of trees, and I would not take U-VERSE because our phone lines I don't think could handle it. (Our little crappy subdivision that has lines about thirty years old or more.  I don't think the lines could handle the bandwidth.)

Jack