Discount for cable + internet?

[CubsWin]

I currently have Comcast high speed internet and seem to remember that the monthly fee is lower when also subscribing to a cable package. I'm looking into adding basic cable with HDTV. Does anyone know if the high speed internet discount still applies when people subscribe to multiple services and, if so, how much discount I will receive?

[CubsWin]

I just answered my own question. After speaking with 2 different representatives, I found out that I can add basic cable for $18/month and it will discount my high speed internet bill by $17/month. Adding local HD channels for $7/month, I end up with a net increase of $8/month and can now see Cubs games on WGN in HD... well worth it! Does anyone know when/if Comcast will be adding WCIU-HD and will it be part of the basic cable package?

[spiderman865]

WCIU-HD was added about a week ago on channel 183 if you have a HD/DVR or HD box. If your tv has a digital tuner, you should be able to recieve local broadcast channels in HD, that Comcast offers, without the use of a cable box and the additional $7.00 fee. If your TV is close to your internet connection, hook the cable direct to your TV and do a channel scan and see what digital and HD channels you get. I believe that Comcast doesn't trap out the local broadcast channels, if you just have internet, but I could be wrong. Give it a try.

[CubsWin]

If your tv has a digital tuner, you should be able to recieve local broadcast channels in HD, that Comcast offers, without the use of a cable box and the additional $7.00 fee.

My computer is in another room so it would be difficult for me to test this, but I don't think it works like that since the basic cable signal is an analog signal. When they setup my basic cable in the other room next week, I'll try it without the box and see what happens. Best case scenario, I can call them back and get rid of the HD box.

Edit: After doing some more research, you may be right. If the basic cable channels are not encrypted, I may be able to get them in HD by connecting the coax cable directly to the OTA input on my TV. I'll test this after the installer sets everything up.

[berck]

Hmm, I pay $15 and get my local HD channels included in that.

[CubsWin]

You were completely right! I was bored tonight and remembered I had a very long coax cable in my closet, so I pulled it out and ran it to my TV in the other room. It gives me all my locals in HD, plus some additional channels that I can't even identify. Now I feel like an idiot for watching the Cubs games in SD on my dish last year. I'm still going to have Comcast come install basic cable for me, since it won't end up costing me anything extra, but I won't need the HD box so that saves me $7/month and the clutter of an extra box. One last question... does anyone know how I can identify what these channels are? Most of them are fairly obvious, but there are some channels playing movies and I can't figure them out. Thanks!

[Bobby]

You were completely right! I was bored tonight and remembered I had a very long coax cable in my closet, so I pulled it out and ran it to my TV in the other room. It gives me all my locals in HD, plus some additional channels that I can't even identify. Now I feel like an idiot for watching the Cubs games in SD on my dish last year. I'm still going to have Comcast come install basic cable for me, since it won't end up costing me anything extra, but I won't need the HD box so that saves me $7/month and the clutter of an extra box. One last question... does anyone know how I can identify what these channels are? Most of them are fairly obvious, but there are some channels playing movies and I can't figure them out. Thanks!

The channels playing movies are those that your neighbors are watching 'on demand'. They will continuously change, so you can't really get a fix on them. You will get a chance to see some 'hot' stuff later in the evening. A fun game is to try to figure out which neighbor might be watching any particular program.

[spiderman865]

Glad it worked for you and now you can save a few bucks!