Milwaukee HDTV User Group

I currently own my own cablemodem/router.   It is a Netgear C3700.  It was a larger initial investment at $120, but it does save me the $8 a month in rental fees, and gives me more control over things.

Quote from: sk1927;60005I recently had some AT&T reps in my neighborhood going door to door promoting AT&T TV and Internet services.  Once I mentioned I was a TWC customer, the first thing they mentioned was 'did you know you are on a loop in your neighborhood?'

Is this a good thing or bad thing to have when it comes to Internet and Cable?

The "loop" they are referring to is the node on TW's network.  All users in a given area are on a node, and share the speed available to that node.  While you may pay for a given speed, say 50/10, you are not guaranteed that speed.  It may be more, or may be less depending on other traffic on that node at that time.  

In my opinion, it's neither good nor a bad thing...It just is.  I believe Uverse actually uses a similar setup, since their service is fed out by area nodes as well.  If this is true, their claim is meaningless.

Now, if AT&T is doing Fiber to the Home, that is a game changer.  Google Fiber is coming to where I am in Nashville (as long as the city approves it, which looks like a done deal), AT&T has also talked about doing that.  Pretty hard to beat a 1gbps connection.

Looks like Comcast will be spinning off their Wisconsin subs to Charter:

http://www.jsonline.com/business/comcast-to-sell-milwaukee-area-time-warner-cable-system-to-charter-b99257618z1-257005711.html


Not surprising, with a deal this large, they would have to divest some areas

This new came out awhile ago...  The offer was made, but I don't believe it's been approved by the FCC and other regulators yet

Yeah, I grew up and spent most of my life in WI, moved down south in 2009.

The majority of the Milwaukee FM & TV stations transmit from Shorewood.   I'll let people smarter than I comment on the exact type of antenna, but given the distance you may need a outdoor antenna

Alot of that is going to depend on what you want to get?  Local stations or a fringe station?  How far away are you from the station(s) you want to get?

Pretty sure a webpage would be the cheaper way to go.  You'd need to apply to the FCC for a license to broadcast, do engineering studies etc.  All that is $$$.  Go with a website.

Are the two sides even talking at this point?

I suppose it could be the area..  My experiences have been limited, as power is usually stable here.  Also, since I'm in TN, and on Comcast...I can't really compare.  I don't recall my experiences when I lived in WI

Time Warner Cable has reached a deal in their carriage dispute with CBS networks.

See story here.  Maybe now with that over, they can finally end their dispute with JBC?

Keep in mind too, that we're talking entire neighborhoods going out.  If just your house looses power for whatever reason, the TWC equipment outside will still most likely be getting power, and the backups you have in your house should keep the modem and router powered.    What Arg is referring to is the TWC equipment outside losing power, when that happens your equipment running off your internal backup won't matter, as there is no cable signal coming into your home.

It's the same thing for me here, with Comcast.  Pretty much every time the power goes out in the neighborhood, we loose Internet.   I doubt there is any backups at all

The problem is...  neither side is willing to give an inch.    Now they are just bad mouthing each other in the press/social media and pointing fingers.  No matter who's right and who's wrong.  Get your asses back to the table and work out a deal

You raise some valid points...  I think you're a little overly harsh on affiliates because of those things you mentioned bother you so much.   I don't let those little things bother me personally.  But, those are just personal preferences.  Delving too much further into the whole network/affiliate model will dive us into off-topic posts, so I'll stop here.  As I'm out of state (born and raised in WI though) I have no stake in this, other than seeing what is happening in my home town

I dunno if WTMJ is the only one deserving of the blame.  I'd say TWC is equally, or nearly equally to blame.  These two companies make millions of dollars of profits, wanting to protect their profit margins....Thats all they really care about.    They are doing the same thing with CBS now, we went through this last year with WISN, [and we'll probably go through this again when their contract with {Insert Channel Name Here} ends.  It's really all about the $$$$