Milwaukee HDTV User Group

Guys,

We had a major storm two days ago and a loss of power for six hours yesterday.  Caller ID, search and VOD are down on the cable box.  Along with show cover art.  Anyone else having this problem?  Trying to avoid calling in, because they might roll out a clown, who will want to swap the box and I don't want to do that.  It's a six-tuner DVR and Spectrum does not give them out anymore.

Spectrum said that there was maintenance last night on voice mail.

Jack

Quote from: skier8734 on Wednesday Apr 05, 2017, 07:34:50 PM
For me the new guide is the slowest crappiest guide they've come out with yet.  Everything takes 10x longer than it did before and it is really hard to get the dvr fast forward to stop in the right place.

What's up Skier?

What's the make and model of your box?  I haven't had any slowdowns that I have noticed.  However, I have had issues with the Search system occasionally coming up with "Not available.  Try again later."  Than, a few moments later it works.

As for getting the DVR to stop in the right place.  Check DVR Compensation in settings.  This controls the amount of jump back when you are fast-forwarding-rewinding your shows and you want the DVR to stop at a certain place.  I have mine set for "Less."  I believe that options are "More", "Less", "Normal" and "Off."  If you turn off the DVR Compensation, the DVR should (knock on wood.) stop at the place where you want.

Jack

Guys,

Wisconsin got a Navigator Guide software update on the ADSG (advanced boxes) last night.  Versions are:

Arris Models
Cisco/Technicolor Models
Samsung Models

Some cool features

A Quick Access Menu that allows you access to most commonly used DVR settings- This turns on with the box.  (Some customers would like this to have a toggle button to be turned off in settings.)

The ability to reboot your box in Settings without having to unplug it.

Expanded Searching and Filtering Options for Shows.

A Kids channel Portal

For more information about the new guide, go here:

https://www.timewarnercable.com/en/tv/features/new-guide.html

Satch

Guys,

What model DVR boxes are being given out in our area on truck rolls?  I heard in some areas, Spectrum has been giving out older boxes.  I hope you are not getting SA model units.  Arris, Cisco, and Samsungs are the new boxes.

Jack

Quote from: LoadStar on Thursday Jan 26, 2017, 07:21:12 AM
To anyone that made the change from TWC to Charter TV plans: what plan are you on, and does it include Fox Sports Wisconsin? The channel listings on the website, and the retail price list, don't indicate that it is included with any of their plans.

Sup Loadstar?

Good question about Fox Sports Wisconsin.  I found the following on the national Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 channels on Spectrum. That PDF file above, to which I linked, shows that Fox Sports 1 is in Spectrum Select.  (Their first package choice) and Fox Sports 2 is in Spectrum Silver.  Spectrum Silver I read is their most popular plan.  Spectrum Gold gives you everything.  When you take a package, it automatically includes every package below the package that you take.  Good question though.  What channel is local Fox Sports Wisconsin on legacy TWC?  I always thought that this was a part of Fox Sports 1?  Maybe somebody with a converted Spectrum account can select the channel for Fox Sports Wisconsin and see if it is still there?

Jack

Hey Guys,

I am not a techy.  But have been following the TWC to Spectrum transition and it is now official.  I thought we could use this thread to share our experiances with the transition and provide information to help each other.  Perhaps this topic could be pinned if it gets enough useful information:

This is a General Consensus of What is Known at this time:

1.) You can continue to keep your legacy TWC account for as long as you believe you are getting a good deal on your services.

2.) If you choose to change your account in any way, you will have to take a Spectrum Plan.

3.) If you take a Spectrum Plan, you can't go back to a TWC Plan, because the company no longer exists, except for grandfather-claused services for legacy customers until they expire.

3.) Charter, (Which owns the Spectrum brand) is known for more straight-forward billing with smaller increases each year than TWC.

4.) However, Charter is less generous with discount rates and new promotions for existing customers.  This does not mean you will not get a break if you are polite and negotiate well, but the discount off will likely be smaller.

5.) Spectrum does not offer Whole House DVR (WHDVR)  You will lose that feature, if you have it and change to a Spectrum Package.  Nor six tuner boxes.  They do offer a deal on multiple DVR's  This is in the literature contained in the PDF file below. 

6.) Some divisions have been allowed to keep their six tuner boxes when switching to a Spectrum plan and some have not. Please let us know if the reps are allowing the six-tuner boxes to be kept in Wisconsin when moving to a Spectrum plan.

7.) DSL Reports has a PDF file of Spectrum Services and Ala-Carte Pricing here:

https://www.timewarnercable.com/content/dam/residential/pdfs/rate-cards/MW/MW_SPP_Milwaukee_WIS_1080578-CL.pdf

Jack

Quote from: LoadStar;60337Last I heard, they're ramping up the rebranding. The trucks are already mostly all rebranded, and the stores are likely to be re-branded very shortly. I actually expect that we'll be fully rebranded "Spectrum" by the end of the first quarter of the year.

They can change the name,

The other parts of the conversion, they can take their time.

Oh yea, on my guide, most of those HD channels if not all of them are in the Time Grid!

Jack

Guys,

Wanted to get this out there early enough.  Charter does not give out Whole House DVR's.  If your six-tuner box breaks and once TWC billing is gone, you will be forced to take a two-tuner box.  They are re-coding the six tuner boxes as two tuners.

Charter plans it's own World Box, which will reintroduce Whole House DVR, along with this box to be able to be used on multiple devices from TV's to computers, to tablets, to Smartphones.  The goal is to standardize the guide and lineup across all divisions so that "each device will be a TV."  Data will be stored in the cloud and Charter sees HD streaming technology and cloud-based storage, as the "New DVR."

This means, try to hold on to your six tuner boxes for as long as you can.  This is another reason why I hope the Spectrum billing transition is delayed.  Some divisions are allowing users to keep the six tuner boxes, when moving to a Spectrum Package, but a few are not at this time.

Satch

Quote from: LoadStar;60332For whatever it's worth, I'm going through and checking some of these again. On the channels I've tested, previously I was getting a generic "having trouble receiving a signal on this channel" message, but I'm now getting "This channel is not authorized."

Completely baseless speculation: this might be in prep for the launch of the Charter plans, and these additional channels might only be available to the higher tiers of Charter service.

The thing is,

There have been so many problems with the Spectrum Conversion, that the longer this is delayed, the happier I will feel.  When you change packages, you might get some channels that TWC doesn't have, BUT you will also lose some channels that TWC does have.  The big deal channels are on both systems, and there are like less than 10 stations that are affected by this.

We are still totally TWC right down to the logo here in Wisconsin, Ohio, and several other markets.  I heard it could be 2018 before the change-over, which is fine by me!  I have had great service from TWC.  Those channels should go HD eventually.  Both companies  will be looking to dump the SD version of those channels.  It will save bandwidth.

Satch

Awesome!

Post when this comes to the boxes everyone,

Jack

Greetings,

As long as my TWC stuff works reliably, and we have good service, which has been the case for us going back decades.  TWC can be TWC, Spectrum, Charter/Spectrum, whatever.

I would rather have them go slow and gradual for a smooth transition, rather than go fast and mess up many things.  There have been issues in California, Texas, and a few other recently converted Spectrum markets,  Being closer to last than first has its advantages, because it allows for bugs to get worked out of the system, and for personnel to be better trained to deal with transition issues.

Jack

Tom and Crew,

This is really a forum that has withstood the test of time with ourcommunity involvement over the years.  It will be sad to see it go, but as you said Tom, it sits on an outdated network AFAIK.

Or are there plans to keep it running?  I enjoy being here and will miss this community immensely if the forum shuts down.

Jack

Quote from: duncantuna;60281So, basically they confirmed nothing and there's zero new information.

UGH.

I know,

Things are still up in the air since the merger passed.  I really hope that TWC/Charter at the very least finishes the speed boosts that were in the query!  This waiting SUCKS!

Jack

Guys,

I just Tweeted TWC-Wisconsin and refereed them to the Stop The Cap link about Charter halting MAXX Updates  They said my update is still set to go on the 21st for the Digital Conversion.  They did not say anything about Internet Speed boosts one way, or the other.  But did say to keep a watch for any changes.  The Wisconsin letter, to state again, says that you have to have a box, or a digital converter to view all channels on and after the date set for the Digital Conversion.  In this case, for Brookfield, it happens to be June 21.

Jack

Quote from: etutor;60278No Way!

I wanted to get two of the "Free" adapters.

They said I can get them free now, but they'll start billing me $6.50 + tax  (or the prevailing rate) each month for the "Free" adapters beginning October 7, 2017.

I guess they are kinda free...

:bang:

Kind of sucks!

Probably all we will get in Brookfield on June 21st is the all Digital Conversion.  The MAXX speeds will come later.  I'll post if anything changes.

Jack