Channels and Programming

[mekelly5]

I don't know how other parts of the country are, but here in Knoxville, TN the HD channel selection is rather slim.  I don't think one new HD channel has been added since the spring.

I want more HD channels, I'm tired of watching these crappy looking low def channels!

I mean Dish and DirectTV are both advertising over 100 HD channels now, and what do we have 20-25 tops.  This getting to ridiculous

[GangGreen1191]

We haven't seen "new" HD per-say in close to a year now. 26 HD channels, and we pay the same amount as all the other customers.

Total **bleep**, if you ask me.

[WarEagle57]

Per se.  It's Latin. 

[LinkNuc]

Grammar police!  LOL

[reebz]

I wholeheartedly agree.  I'm almost ready to jump ship just so I can get FX or UFC pay-per-views in HD.  Lots of good shows on FX.

[falsedawn3]

I want HD quality on the HD channels Comcast provides.

[mekelly5]

Ok, call it a freak occurrence, but I got a message this weekend on my cable that comcast is adding 12 more HD channels on 10/17 in my area.    So yay!!!, they are closing the gap a little :-)

[jbocchino5]

No new HD channels have been added to the northeast NJ area for nearly a year!

As far as I know there are no plans to add any either.

[GangGreen1191]

I know! Complete BS!

They should move us to all digital instead of Michigan! Who cares about them? They probably have more HD channels than us anyway!

[cb2367]

I would imagine that on most systems, capacity may be an issue and that's why there haven't been any new HD channels added in a while. Probably after the digital transition in February, there will be more room for HD channels. As one poster mentioned, it's better to have QUALITY HD channels.

On the other hand, as per the commercials, Comcast does have way more HD channels than satellite.

[baturro]

I have 38 HD channels in Carmel NY. And yes, I would love to get FX HD. And we just got Mets game in HD this season.

[andyross]

---

cb2367 wrote:

I would imagine that on most systems, capacity may be an issue and that's why there haven't been any new HD channels added in a while. Probably after the digital transition in February, there will be more room for HD channels. As one poster mentioned, it's better to have QUALITY HD channels.

---

The BROADCAST digital transition has NOTHING to do with CABLE. In fact, technically, nothing needs to change with cable. In reality, more and more areas will drop all but basic analogs (broadcast, public access) to make room for more HD and other digital services, including DOCSIS 3 cable modems. The city of Chicago already has done this and recently added Weather HD, QVC HD (talk about a waste of bandwidth!!!), and others. Some western suburbs will apparently follow in a month or two.

[cypherx]

Although the Broadcast digital transition has nothing to do with Cable, Comcast could use this date as a more than perfect opportune time to eliminate most analogs to free bandwidth.  Since Comcast seems to be sitting around when it comes to deploying SDV or bandwidth expantion, they will have to move analogs in order to compete with other providers.  So Comcast needs to sieze this perfect oppurtunity.  When people complain (and some will), they can pass the blame onto the FCC.  What an increadable scapegoat.  People will need a box no matter where they go, Dish, Fios, U-Verse, OTA, and now Comcast.  Heck even RCN is going all digital in many markets. 

Sieze the Day Comcast!  Sieze the Day!

[Batistuta]

I'm seriously considering the switch to DirectTV. I have about 25 HD channels in South Jersey, I know parts of the country received more channels in the spring but nothing here. Comcast's commercials are so lame in regards to having more HD "options". Who cares about on demand content when you have 40 less actual channels.

[zMadMonk]

I totally agree. 

I have 22 HD Channels +5 local channels in HD making that 27.  There are 4 more HD Channels (HBO, Cinemax, SHO, and Starz) available, but I don't get those.  I pretty much only watch HD programming (with the exception of SciFi and BBC, which aren't available in HD yet.)  I pay $82.00 for this setup, which is **bleep**.

Dish is offering a TurboHD package that has more HD channels, at over 1/2 the price - and they are adding channels left and right, and they aren't silent about their plans, either. 

I call Comcast every so often to inquire about BBC America and SciFi coming to HD, and I'm told, "we don't know...."  I contacted Dish, and they already have SciFi in HD, and BBC America is coming in December. 

Second point - the Comcast DVRs are ANCIENT.  They only hold 15 hours of HD programming, and they are not planning on upgrading them anytime soon (again, talked to a rep).  Dish has the 55 hour HD programming DVR - again, at 1/2 the price.  I pay $13 per month for my HD DVR, theirs is $5.99 per month.  I was told I could purchase a Tivo Series 3 and use it (to the tune of $500!)  This is **bleep**.

The rep at Dish told me that their goal is to have 150 HD channels available by the end of next year.  With Comcast's current pace, I don't see how they can even HOPE to compete in this market.  It saddens me, as I do want to be a loyal customer - they just refuse to give me any incentive to stick around.

1/2 the channels, double the price - not to mention the Dish DVR, which is 3x as powerful, and 1/2 the price monthly.

C'mon, Comcast!  Give me a reason to stick around!

[davelanger]

Why add more HD stations to comcast when the ones we have now dont look as good as the dish or fios? Comcast is already putting three HD stations on each slot when it should only be two which really down grades the quality of the HD picture, if they add more its only going to make each HD station look worse. Id gladly take less HD stations if the picture looked HD, but the comcast HD stations dont even look that great anymore.

[LinkNuc]

I agree Comcast has the least amount of HD channels available between dish, direTV and FiOs but the picture quality is definitely better than Dish , I know because I just switched due to a relocation, anyway I would still MUCH rather have Dish as the DVR is FAR SUPERIOR, there are more HD channels, and now even 1080p (if you can get it to work....there are issues but still they are trying)..nonetheless the piture wuality is definitely better with cable I cannot compare with FiOS but based on what I've heard from Dish and DireTV (E* and D*) it is really quite superior to anything else...well next to OTA

[tlicht]

I'm in Michigan and have heard rumors about digital in October 08, but have not received any official notice.

Does anybody know anything else about digital or HD channels? Who? What? Where? When?

Thx!

[TheCFINeil]

I'm tired of the lack of the HD channels that Comcast offers. They have, for my area (just outside of Boston), only 40 HD channels. Verizon FiOS has well over 90!

Their commericals are very misleading. I can't figure out in what world Comcast has more channels than Dish, DirecTV, or FiOS. Someone ought to start a class-action lawsuit on that.

If they don't beef up their offerings, I'm going to make the jump to FiOS. Verizon has better technology and this time next year will blow Comcast out of the water if the rumors about their plans are true regarding interactive TV.

[TomCat4680]

Who told you guys these rumors about Michigan, a little bird? The only changes they've made since adding BTN is firmware upgrades to the on screen guide.

 I don't know what you heard or where, I haven't heard a single thing, but here in Flint, Michigan I got 32 HD channels (well 5 more if you count the premium movie channels, I don't have them though)  on Comcast and we haven't gotten any new HD channels since they added Big Ten Network. And we got 3 other new HD channels back in May.  So the rate here is probably about 3-4 new HD channels a year I'm guessing but I've only had digital cable since February of this year. On other boards I heard some Comcast systems are supposed to have 60 HD channels by the end of the year. So at the rate its going here, Michigan should have that many in about 8-10 years.

Also the Comcast ads actually say they have "more HD than satellite". What they should say is "more HD On Demand Content than satellite". Satellite obviously has way more actual channels. Its the old bait and switch. Blatant false advertising in my opinion.

Message Edited by TomCat4680 on 09-26-2008 01:01 AM

Message Edited by TomCat4680 on 09-26-2008 02:40 AM

Message Edited by TomCat4680 on 09-26-2008 02:42 AM

Message Edited by TomCat4680 on 09-26-2008 02:43 AM

[tlicht]

My comment was a reply to GangGreen who said something about "moving us all to digital instead of Michigan". My point was to get more info about what that person had heard about Michigan because I heard some comments from friends and neighbors, but nothing official. Just word of mouth. I think that is legal and, I'm not sure, but I don't think it violated any policies of National Security. When you form the Internet Police to ensure that the truth is told and all statements made online are legal, let us know. You are going to be a busy man.

[TomCat4680]

you didnt have to post the same message on 2 threads. saying "i heard..." and not stating a reliable source misleads people and is therefore unethical.

[Beery]

I'm also adding my voice to this thread because the number of HD channels is just lame here in Wakefield, MA.  Come on Comcast - we're paying the big bucks here - make the service worth what you're charging!

[QStorm77]

Currently we have 29 HD channels in Nashville, at least in the basic HD tier. Just heard on the news earlier this evening that Comcast is increasing prices 3.5% for 2009. My days with this co. are numbered.

[davephillips41]

We've had 1 LOUSY CHANNEL added in the last 14 months here in Branford, CT, which is pathetic. One of the guys at work tells me every week or two that Direct TV has added more HD channels. In fact, it's a running joke about Comcast and HD at work.

Meanwhile, this company keeps raising rates in a tough economic climate without giving its customers more for their hard-earned money. Nice going, COMCAST.

[davephillips41]

Oh yeah, one more thing, when the guy at work called DIRECT TV recently to inquire why a couple of HD channels hadn't been added to DIRECT TV yet, he customer service rep apologized to him and gave him three free months of SHOWTIME because of the inconvenicne of having to call and ask for those channels. Would COMCAST ever do that??? NO WAY!!!!

[Jythie]

I guess comcast is slowly listening to these threads since now they are robbing petter to pay paul. You start getting more HD channels, and others start loosing their analog channels.

Just like their broadband, comcast seems to be trying to play a zero sum game.. only satisfying one group

 of customers by taking from another.

I say, if you are unhappy with their HD selection and another service has better, then expletive go to that other service! Free market competition only works if you actually take your money elsewhere. Which is what I just did.

[Beery]

Well, as of February there aren't going to be any analog channels anywhere, so Peter is going to be robbed either way.  I just wish they'd give to Paul a bit faster.

[WarEagle57]

---

Beery wrote:
Well, as of February there aren't going to be any analog channels anywhere...

---

Not true.

[Beery]

Based on what information?

[Beery]

According to the FCC:

"On February 17, 2009 all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital."

The FCC usually knows about this stuff.

[LinkNuc]

Beery, that's broadcast channels, (I.e ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, NBC) not cable channels, but I am still upset with what Comcast offers for the money, but I am stuck with them, I used to have Dish, and goodness do i miss it, but ALL analog will be gone is a common misunderstanding.

[Jythie]

@Beery

The FCC changes only apply to over the air broadcasts.  It has absolutly nothing to do with what goes over  cable.

Comcast and other cable providers will still have analog signals going over their lines where they want them too.

[WarEagle57]

I'll certainly be glad when February rolls around and it will be obvious to everyone that this only applies to broadcast, and perhaps the flow of misinformation will cease.