Let's count the NFL misses on TWC ESPNHD

[mhz40]

Originally posted by digdugm
The whole problem with cable (and even satallite to some extent) is the whole bandwidth issue. I don't know, but when record a program with my pci card, it's a transport steam (no encoding) and it records at about 8.5 to 9.0 GIGABITES PER hour, thats alota damn bandwidth (excuse my french). Are people going to live with fewer channels for 90% of viewers for the added HD channels, and who's watching them?
They either need to encode the transmision (degradation?) or make room some other way. And with the speed that cable co.s move, your better off going with off-air for locals and satallite for bandwidth (just starting on the third satallite for Directv).

Bandwidth (or more accurately, the programs data rate) is not necessarily proportional to picture quality---a lot has to do with the quality of MPEG encoder used and original analog picture quality. I've seen great SD pictures at <3.5 mb/s and poor ones at >5.6 mb/s. Un-encoded HD is impossible to transport all the way to the consumer. I believe uncompressed component HD runs over 18 Gb/s. It's then encoded down to around 19mb/s, but can still look good down to 14 mb or so.

Your 9 GB/hour equates to around 20 mb/s... enough to do HD by any of today's standards. All in all, very inefficient based on today's MPEG norms (if you are recording SD).

Many posters on the avsforum have complained about the SD quality on their larger projection sets. Although I never did any comparison, I feel my Sammy HLN617 looks great with the SD TW feed--even the analog delivered channels are decent.

From what I understand, satellite providers encode their own stuff (in most cases, re-encode). This allows them to encode channels at lower data rates than the original source. Like I mentioned earlier, depending on the encoder used, this isn't always a bad thing...but generally does affect picture quality to a degree.

With cable, the services are delivered virtually as you would receive them right off of the satellite. So in reality; the service provider sets the bandwidth.  Therefore you pretty much see the service how the provider wants you to see it. As with anything else, bandwidth co$ts money, but the new cable architectures implemented during the redesigns over the past 10 years are designed to make it a non-issue --- from the distribution standpoint.

[Tom Snyder]

Two years ago, my company pitched TWC on an upgraded searchable knowledge base for the CSR's over their intranet.  It would have allowed CSR's to enter new issues, concerns, customer generated input, answers and information, with a supervisor administered review and approval before individual info entries would go into the database.

That way when a caller asks about HDTV, DVR's, HDNet, Discovery HD, etc....  they enter in the keyword, search for the term, and instantly, the knowledge base makes them look like experts instead of idiots!

It was pretty slick, and they were initially  interested. But then they stopped returning our phone calls.  

I guess the CSR's didn't need it. :confused:

[gparris]

Everybody, including myself has had gripes about TWC service issues and quality of CSR's in the information they have in front of them and what is offered from cable today, especially in the last 8 days of posts. :rolleyes:

What the original thread was about is that if you have TWC and no other source when that GAME starts, Directv is the way to go as TWC has been slow in our opinions, as subscibers (customers) in adding more than just the local HD channel offerings outside the usual HBO and Showtime. :p

If you have purchased a HDTV set recently and noticed what is available in delivered HD product, you might try the Directv method first (or Dish Network when it equals Directv programmes' availablilty). If you are just out for the HD locals and maybe the HBO and Sho and do not want to outlay additional sums of cash after buying the HD set and all, get TWC.
IF you CANNOT wait for TWC to get more HD channels, then find an HD receiver (and its 3 LNB dish) for the ESPN HD and so forth Directv offers now.
It is a matter of personal economics and choice.

As for me, my RCA DTC-100 and corresponding Tivos are in storage awaiting a house to use them in conjuction with the Directv movers programme that will install me a new dish and all at little cost and worry, soon. It will probably be coupled with a OTA antenna as both sets have DTV tuners in them already, negating the need for TWC altogether unless I need a cable modem or my home association bans outside antennas.:bang:

As for TWC bashing, I get fed up with CSR's like the one I met today-though she was helpful as I exchanged my malfunctioning DVR for another one, she had no idea what Discovery HD Theater was (second CSR  this week):eek:

IF and only IF - TWC - can "do cable right" (CSR's not withstanding) - by doing the following-I would keep them (and  probably others buying HDTV's, too):

First - Offer what Directv has in HD channels along with their HD local offerings- and advertise - that - instead of "rain fade" scares.

Second- Replace the USA, SCI Fi, Bravo, We, Weather Channel,etc. in the DIGITAL channel side or duplicate from the analog channels  for better picture and sound :
They do it in San Antonio, TX-TWC - so they can do it here.
Don't tell me it can't and isn't done.:mad:

Third- Get that SA8000HD DVR availablity going before I move. I know as I scan channel programmes on my DVR for recording shows, the HD channels are already there-for-the-scheduling as these are listed with the rest of 'em.

IF you manage to get this by the end of the year, you will keep a customer that coughs up over $2K a year- to you-in revenue.

Now...it isn't really THAT hard to get that ESPN-HD game on now, is it, TWC??
(Me and those 3 thousand or more HD cable box renters)

Think about the loss of millions for dollars in revenue due to the alienation of good customers:

HD customers!:cool:

[wireblsam]

As much as I don't like it, a few facts...

Comcast reached agreement to carry ESPN HD on July 31st.  Within days, ESPN HD appeared on many of their cable systems throughout the country.  

Comcast offers HDTV service to 11.5 million customers.

The number of Time Warner Cable digital video (not even HDTV)customers reached 3.7 million at year-end (2002).

TWC has their heads in the sand at a national level on this issue, and there is nothing a CSR you get on the phone here can do to help that.

[gparris]

IF TWC thinks that  many of their current HD box renters are going to keep them due to their lack of HD-channel offerings, they should think again...but what is a few million dollars in lost revenue  a year to TWC?
TO say NOTHING of lost ADDITIONAL HD box rental revenue or even lost customer revenue to satellite for HD? :mad:

Those other cable systems can add HD channels because they can and WANT TO.  ESPN HD came on fast to some cable systems as did Discovery HD because the cable companies there knew what they had and that the HD set owners in their service area would jump at the chance for it....and they did.
Why buy a HD set for those precious HD locals that TWC gets so excited about?

TWC just doesn't get it. Certainly not in Milwaukeeland. Not one single HD channel has been added for MONTHS!:bang:

[mhz40]

Originally posted by wireblsam
As much as I don't like it, a few facts...

Comcast reached agreement to carry ESPN HD on July 31st.  Within days, ESPN HD appeared on many of their cable systems throughout the country.  

Comcast offers HDTV service to 11.5 million customers.

The number of Time Warner Cable digital video (not even HDTV)customers reached 3.7 million at year-end (2002).

TWC has their heads in the sand at a national level on this issue, and there is nothing a CSR you get on the phone here can do to help that.

Your are not comparing apples to apples.  In one case you report the number of customers OFFERED a service.  In the next line you post the total number of customers actually PAYING FOR the service.  Here are the real facts...

Fact:
Time Warner serves nearly 11 million customers. , 3.7 million are digital.

Fact:
Comcast serves nearly 21 million customers. and nearly 6.7 million are digital.

I see no official news about HD only on either website. Please post your links so we can all get our facts straight.

I don't mind watching the anti-TW bandwagon here get crowded, but I won't sit by and watch the wagon get loaded up with a bunch of c*** (see example quoted above).

Lastly, a recent print edition of Multichannel News reported that only 8 million HD ready units have been sold in the US.  Sorry I don't have the actual link... I don't have $150 for a subsription.  But if we go by your numbers, more HD sets are in Comcast households than total units sold through 2002.

[wireblsam]

Here is the link to the Comcast information, which came from the official press release.

http://www.tvbarn.com/ticker/archives/013773.html