Charter HD is on

[DeBelak]

I just picked Up my new HD box from charter.
Its a motorola DCT 6200. It has USB, Component video, standard video,
S video, Firewire, RJ45 jack, and DVI output. The DVI output is great!.
Plugged it in & it works. The channel surfing is really fast. I like the box.
The channels offered in HD is HBO, Showtime, Espn, HD net, HDMNV, & WISN.
They will be getting more channels when contracts are signed. Now they cover a large area. A good value. Love the new box.

[johnmark]

Do you know what the firmware level is?  This is important for Firewire use.

John

[Alric]

Its firmware 7.07, at least in Stoughton WI.  7.07 has problems recording over firewire to PCs running XP.  However it works great on the Mac for all channels.

Apparently with higher fw versions you get to record from XP but it also allow the broadcasters to support copy protection.

FYI.  When I picked up my Charter HD tuner the attendant told me he had an HD-DVR and that they might be released in June.

Cheers!

[davezen2]

DeBelak,

Did they have the box right at the office in West Bend?

I've been told by Charter multiple times in the past (after e-mailing them constantly) to please stop asking them when HD would be available through them in this area and that they would put my name on a list and let me know as soon as it happened.

I suppose it figures I'd hear about it here first rather than from them...  




:rolleyes:

[tazman]

Well Holly smokes,   Charter finaly got out of the stone age.:cool:   I might just stop recycling their flyers and give them a call.

[johnmark]

Charter installed the 6200 as promised today.  Firmware version 7.07.  The firewire ports are active.  As reported the unit will not control a Mits DVHS deck.

Picture quality is pretty good.  The unit is fast.  So far no real complaints.  Hopefully they will get all the MKE locals soon.  

Installer knew his stuff and was in and out in 20 minutes.

[davezen2]

I e-mailed Charter's customer service and once again got this reply:

"HDTV is not yet available at your address. We began offering HDTV in the Madison area in September 2003, and are starting to contact customers in your area that have requested the service. I have asked that you be contacted for more information including pricing and channel availability as soon as we are able to offer the services to your address."

Ugh... I'm starting to get aggravated!
:bang:

[johnmark]

I wonder if this is some kind of beta / soft launch thing.  They told me that they had very few boxes and that I was lucky to get one.  When I called the CSR put me on hold and talked to some mysterious "other person" to make sure I could get the box.

The installer told me that customer could install their own, so I assume that once they have the box, customers can just pick them up at the office.

[Bent_MG]

I had Charter's HD service installed in November of last year. I live in Elkhorn, and I get HDNet, HDNet's movie channel, ESPNHD, Hbo-HD and Showtime-HD. Apparently they "accidentally" left on WISC's hd signal  out of Madison for a couple days, but that, and all other local affiliates are missing from the service here now. Pretty disappointing as far as that is concerned. Other than that, it is what it is...a few HD channels over cable, but I have to admit, the speed of the newer digital boxes is a lot better than the change-a-channel-and-wait-a-couple-second routine I had to get used to with my old digital box.

[DeBelak]

davezen2

    I Have been on the phone for the last 2 years with charter.
Some of the people are very knowledgeable and some just
try to pacify you. There IS CHARTER HD IN YOUR AREA. I Called charter to
set up my brother with HD (lives near hustisford, West of Hartford)
They have HD service out there You must talk to a tech person or someone who dos'nt say no. You Must be real aggressive. It is not a trial system.
There is only a limited number of boxes. They are getting more. So keep calling.

[tazman]

It seem's that if your on their waiting list for HD then you stand a better chance... when your persistant that is.  I told a freind at work who lives in West Bend that HD was now avialable here.  He has been calling and calling making only general inquiries and got no where.  He was also on the waiting list for it.  After I had told him that other people were getting it, he was more persistant and told who ever he was talking to that others were getting it.  They asked if he was on the waiting list and he said he was,  they said they would call him back in 15 minutes and they did.  This time he spoke with a technician and he's now setup for installation in 1 to 2 weeks.  Thanks DeBelak.  It's my guess Charter was trying to keep a secrete until they had more box's or something.