Social Feed

M
Last reply · posted in Cable Television and Fiber Providers
I'm way confused about this whole QAM and HD issue. I get basic SD Comcast Cable. The coax goes straight into the TV. Have not yet received their new digital adapter box w/remote. It's in the mail. They are switching to all digital, but I guess it hasn't happened yet because I still get analog normally.

Now, I'm hearing that when you channel scan on CABLE (I have a Vizio LCD with a QAM tuner in addition to NTSC and ATSC) you're supposed to (secretly, wink wink, nudge nudge) get IN ADDITION TO the Comcast-listed 20 or so channels a bunch of local HD channels as well, possibly in the 200+ range.

I don't see them, am I missing a step or something here? Does the QAM tuner scan automatically as part of the standard CABLE channel scan process?

I understand Comcast denies this is possible, and it's also possible Comcast here in New Bedford, MA SCRAMBLES all the local HD signals. Who knows. Can anybody straighten me out here?
18 Replies · 5182 views
M
Oh please, of course they're monopolies! No sane person in America would ever suggest otherwise. They don't even have to serve low-profit rural areas if they don't feel like it. Many Americans get no cable service at all, because the monopolies wouldn't make enough profit by serving the American public.

More than 99 percent of the cable markets in the United States are served by only one cable company. An FCC survey found that cable systems with monopolies charged an average of 65 cents a channel per month while those that faced actual competition charged only 48 cents per channel.

The question is not, are they monopolies, but why were they allowed to become monopolies? It's because local governments almost universally refuse to license second systems. The reason: Local politicians have cut deals, written and unwritten, with their chosen cable operator to keep out competition.

Cable operators have even given city councils absolute programming control over certain cable channels. The entanglement of cable companies and government is a scandal. It's why cable companies are universally despised: they've been allowed to offer brutally substandard service and content for one simple reason...

THEY HAVE NO COMPETITION! (seen any a la carte packages lately? I rest my case)
bicker
Oh please, of course they're monopolies!
You can plead all you want, it doesn't change the truth.

No sane person in America would ever suggest otherwise.
I'm sane, and I'm correct. You're wrong. You don't know the law. I do.

More than 99 percent of the cable markets in the United States are served by only one cable company.
And two satellite services. The US Court of Appeals spanked the FCC last year for making the same error as you're making here, ignoring the totality of the marketplace and blinding yourself to the competition that exists.

An FCC survey found that cable systems with monopolies charged an average of 65 cents a channel per month while those that faced actual competition charged only 48 cents per channel.
And that's bull -- not that there wasn't a survey, but rather the survey itself. Here let's disprove the survey right now. Post your bill. I'll recompute it based on our rates here, where we have five competitors. I bet it'll cost more here. Competition = higher prices... try to fit that into your misguided model of how things are.

The question is not, are they monopolies, but why were they allowed to become monopolies?
No, because they're not monopolies, which is why the government doesn't break them up or regulate their advanced services. As a matter of fact, the government passed a law in 1992, that has now stood for 18 years, that prohibits regulation of rates for expanded basic and higher -- precisely because of the fact that you're trying to deny, that there is competition, that there is no monopoly. This isn't an oversight. It isn't a mistake. It is a deliberate determination of our society -- one that perhaps conflicts with your own personal preference.

It's because local governments almost universally refuse to license second systems.
More ridiculous and erroneous info. That same 1992 law prohibited local governments from doing as you suggest. You're operating based on misinformation. The entire foundation of what you're arguing is without merit, and much of it directly contradicts reality.

THEY HAVE NO COMPETITION!
Wrong. And that's not me telling you that you're wrong. That's the US Court of Appeals telling you that you're wrong.
M
You're totally ignorant of the reality that Comcast, even while stating right in their literature that they include HD locals in Basic, has begun to eliminate all their HD locals in Basic to force everyone to the extra-cost HD box and tiers. That's fraud. Buy a clue.
bicker
I'm sorry that you're so frustrated that you're making stuff up. I know Comcast policy. I also know Comcast reality. Are mistakes made in individual neighborhoods? Sometimes, but you are completely and unequivocally wrong about Comcast eliminating HD locals in basic. They are not. They're there, in practically every Comcast system. It is your obligation to know how to access them. It is not their obligation to help you understand how. That's our responsibility, here on this website, as fellow-members-helping-members, or more generally, neighbors-helping-neighbors.

Let me say that more clearly: It is the subscriber's obligation to know how to access the HD locals for themselves. It is not the service providers' responsibility to assist with that.

They are not doing what you're accusing them of. I suggest, if you really have a problem, and you really want to resolve it, that you take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of the folks here to help you realize what you're doing wrong.
bicker
The US Court of Appeals spanked the FCC last year for making the same error as you're making here, ignoring the totality of the marketplace and blinding yourself to the competition that exists. ... they're not monopolies, which is why the government doesn't break them up or regulate their advanced services. As a matter of fact, the government passed a law in 1992, that has now stood for 18 years, that prohibits regulation of rates for expanded basic and higher -- precisely because of the fact that you're trying to deny, that there is competition, that there is no monopoly. This isn't an oversight. It isn't a mistake. It is a deliberate determination of our society -- one that perhaps conflicts with your own personal preference.
Just a follow-up underscoring this issue we discussed a few months back.

As I mentioned back then, as a matter of law, there is effective competition for advanced subscription television services throughout the United States, but with regard to basic service the criteria are more stringent, probably because the FCC, in its efforts to coddle satellite service providers, have waived the requirements to provide basic service, excusing DirecTV and Dish Network from serving this essential service to its customers who need it.

The competition for basic service, therefore, must be considered on a town-by-town basis. A number of towns in my local area have reached the more stringent threshold applicable to essential services, and therefore in those town even basic service rates are unregulated.

Typically the declaration of effective competition for basic service is done one town at a time (since the satellite service providers are not factored into the consideration, due to the waivers they have), but what was notable this week is that the FCC issued an order applicable to a large number of towns, all at once.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-848A1.pdf

So, again, the salient points here are that there is effective competition for advanced service (i.e., "expanded basic cable") nationwide, and that's been the case for almost twenty years, but now, in more and more towns, there is even effective competition for the essential "basic" service, and regulation of even that level of service is being lifted.
B
Geez Maruuk, you have some reasonable issues, but you are adding value judgements that water down your whole argument.
- If Comcast is de-rezzing an OTA ATSC signal to make it 'fit' an NTSC signal, there is nothing wrong with that. You could argue that they should pass the ATSC through as a QAM and abandon the NTSC-version. That is what needs to happen by 2012.
- If you drop the name-calling, the best part of your points is much clearer.
- Why doesn't Satellite TV qualify as 'competition' for CATV? I think that it does.
- While not-really 'monopolies', cable companies certainly have some right-of-way mechanism that lets them put their lines on the telco's poles. That qualifies as some kind of 'special permission' and incurs some local controls.
bicker
- If Comcast is de-rezzing an OTA ATSC signal to make it 'fit' an NTSC signal, there is nothing wrong with that. You could argue that they should pass the ATSC through as a QAM and abandon the NTSC-version. That is what needs to happen by 2012.
No; it already happened, last year, despite what the previous poster asserted. They are required to provide the OTA channels to consumers without any reduction in resolution. It's the law. And they are doing so.

If a customer refuses to fulfill the customer's obligation to receive that service (i.e., plugging the cable directly into the customer's own QAM tuner), then all fault rests on the consumer.

The 2012 date is when they are allowed to stop broadcasting the NTSC downconverts.

- Why doesn't Satellite TV qualify as 'competition' for CATV? I think that it does.
And your instincts are good, in that regard, because that's not just a valid opinion, it is the law.

- While not-really 'monopolies', cable companies certainly have some right-of-way mechanism that lets them put their lines on the telco's poles. That qualifies as some kind of 'special permission' and incurs some local controls.
Yes, indeed, and the free service and cash payments cable companies pay to localities parallel the free service and cash payments that telephone companies pay to localities.
dishstaller
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in Movie Talk
Might be worth a watch when it comes out. Looks like typical big corp against the little guy movie BUT....there is a reason this plot type is so oft repeated, it draws audiences.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-f9OGsKHd4
1 Replies · 0 views
dishstaller
BTW, I noticed right after I posted this that someone else had already mentioned it....sorry for the duplicate thread. Still looking forward to seeing the movie.
meStevo
Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in Movie Talk
If you're going try to read / listen to the book (can't recommend the audio book enough) before this comes out, I'd avoid trailers.

Trailer below, spoiling it to make sure you read the above bold message first. The book / audio book are fantastic. Go into this blind if you can IMO!




Kind of disappointed at how much they show. A lot still to see, but man, some good reveals in the book that are just served up here.
21 Replies · 704 views
  • Like
Reactions: dfergie
meStevo
I've seen it twice. Can't recommend the audio book enough, Ray Porter's performance is amazing and there's so much more in the book than the movie.
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat
Foxbat
"Project Hail Mary" should be on Prime Video starting Friday, July 3.
  • Like
Reactions: Howard Simmons
K
Forgot to comment. I did watch when it first came out on MGM. I enjoyed it a lot. I think reading the book made it easier to watch. Several friends commented it was a little hard to follow.
TRG
TRG
"astrophage". I read the book but didn't see the film yet.
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat
Howard Simmons
"Project Hail Mary" should be on Prime Video starting Friday, July 3.
That's what I will be watching this weekend.🤗
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat
K
Kindle book on sale for $2.99 today at Amazon.
dishstaller
.........there's so much more in the book than the movie.
I agree. That can go for pretty much any book vs movie. Back when I was single I would read any Stephen King or John Grisham book I could get my hands on. When you read a book you make up the scenes and characters in your mind.....the movie version always disappoints.
T
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
I thought I would come here and find lots of complaints about the update to the dish anywhere mobile app, but am not seeing any. It used to look just like the desktop webpage. Now you can no longer filter by sports channels or movie channels. Plus that they made it look like a big button telephone and you see fewer channels in the screen which requires more scrolling. Yes I realize you can look at sports then select which sport you want to look at, I just liked being able to see all sporting events in the guide with all other channels being filtered out. Am I alone in the wilderness on this?
2 Replies · 30 views
  • Like
Reactions: dishstaller
Juan
Not alot of dish customers any more
Foxbat
I'm not a big fan of the new layout, especially on my Apple TV. It used to look like the old Guide layout on the Hopper 3, but they changed parts of that, too.
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
meStevo
Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Sports Section
Schedule drops tomorrow. Mandatory mini camps in June. Hall of Fame game August 6th.
110 Replies · 1608 views
  • Like
Reactions: Jimbo and dfergie
Y
Selfish Drake Maye holds back on giving the ball to Bills unlike Jags game, gets the win on the road.
Y
Selfish Drake Maye holds back on giving the ball to Bills unlike Jags game, gets the win on the road.
A big win for the Patriots, and they are now 3-2.

Browns lose a close one with... The Jets. That is a classic Browns loss (granted, any loss is a classic one it seems). 49'ers, Vikings, and Chiefs remain undefeated. The AFC north have a three way tie at 3-2 for second place. :eek:
osu1991
  • Like
Reactions: Mike0616
M
Hopefully nowhere near a microphone.
Y
Hopefully nowhere near a microphone.
After having experienced Gus Ferguson trying to call soccer games, I'm uncertain why NFL football analysts get hate. Even the "worst" of them are pretty good.
meStevo
Jalen Hurts out indefinitely as they treat and monitor a superficial blood clot in his leg.


View: https://x.com/RapSheet/status/2111074303185989663?s=20
  • Sad
Reactions: Foxbat
dishstaller
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
· posted in TV Shows
I had quit watching this show years ago because I ended up more annoyed than entertained. Well......I'm STILL more annoyed than entertained. I DO find it interesting to see how things work behind the scenes at many businesses. What annoys me is how utterly out of touch CEOs are with the companies they run. At the end of almost every episode the head of the company is amazed at how hard the employees have to work and many times have to work around impossible guidelines set forth from headquarters.

I found this one interesting because the new CEO had big plans for this company, Muscle Maker Grill, and it looked like the stores were all pretty busy. Recent history hasn't been good to this company however. I bet the covid lockdowns were the real killer.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIhZm0qkz0o
0 Replies · 2 views
Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne


Get it?


An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68500 Replies · 2670788 views
  • Like
Reactions: c-spand
ClarkGable
White Wedding - Billy Idol
  • Like
Reactions: dishstaller
M
White Christmas - Elvis Presley
dishstaller
Dirty White Boy - Foreigner
Bobby
Tickle Me (Dirty, Dirty Feeling) - Elvis Presley
dishstaller
Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
osu1991
Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
1 Replies · 49 views
  • Like
Reactions: Howard Simmons
Howard Simmons

Another Tulsa King spin off.🙄
Anony55
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
For quite a while now, people with a VIP211k have been losing their recordings on their activated external HDDs... even when there's nothing physically wrong with HDD. I believe this is an intentional and underhanded tactic that Dish is pulling in an attempt to force users away from the VIP211k.

They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.

Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.

On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.

It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.

I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
165 Replies · 7366 views
Nebugeater
Got a 211k that works fine, and I no longer need it if someone wants to throw me a few bucks and pay shipping. Not tied to my account as of last week. Used with a tailgater and got a wally
Former member 208119
Class action.
a hopper 3 with 6 firesticks and or if you wanna spend even more money apple tv's
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
T
Got a 211k that works fine, and I no longer need it if someone wants to throw me a few bucks and pay shipping. Not tied to my account as of last week. Used with a tailgater and got a wally
Is the 211k still available? If so, I'm interested.
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
Nebugeater
Is the 211k still available? If so, I'm interested.


Actually, it is. A couple of people PMed me when I posted this, and when I asked for an address, they never responded. Then I just sort of let it go. Send me a PM to continue the discussion
Anony55
Well, after nine months of being on pause, I finally figured out that I was wasting $5 a month. So I cancelled. For the first time since 2010, I no longer have a Dish account.

I do have to say that I did appreciate the account pause option. That just gives a person some time to see what the fallout of cancelling will be... without having to go all the way over the cliff first.

Since I never once had an "oh shoot, I need Dish Network for..." moment, the decision was a lot easier.

Funny enough, when I called to cancel (for real, not playing the pricing game), all of a sudden, they were offering me deals that I was told before that I couldn't get without changing out my VIP211k. Now, I could have had those specials with them just sending me a new card for the receiver. LOL!

Of course, my mind was already made up because of having not missed the service while on pause. That, and the fact that I bet the 211k still kills recordings.

All in all, I'm glad that I had Dish for all those years. I just outgrew the need, and they pressed the issue by deleting recordings. I would have eventually went this route without the deleted recordings issue. But, for sure, that did hasten the outcome.

I'll still pop in at this site from time to time. Believe it or not, I still have a C/Ku BUD that I intend on playing with again if life ever slows down.
dishstaller
Actually, it is. A couple of people PMed me when I posted this, and when I asked for an address, they never responded. Then I just sort of let it go. Send me a PM to continue the discussion
Unless things have changed at Dish, which is entirely possible, they won't activate the 211, even as a replacement. I gave one to a customer a while back....which when I turned it off I made sure to tell the CSR I wanted it freed up so another customer could use it, I was assured it was.....and when they called to swap out there's they were told it couldn't be done. Now like I said, things MIGHT HAVE CHANGED.
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
Former member 209992
Last reply · posted in SatelliteGuys Support Center
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
529 Replies · 18016 views
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
Scott Greczkowski
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. :D
Foxbat
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. :D
WTF… …What the Foxbat!😱
S
zipping right along here
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
S
WTF… …What the Foxbat!😱
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you :biggrin
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
Foxbat
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you :biggrin
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:
IMG_1990.webp
IMG_1989.webp
S
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:
OMG to freaking funny :biggrin
  • Like
Reactions: charlesrshell
comfortably_numb
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:

Not likely since that place closed down.
TheRatPatrol
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
Anyone else watch this show? Any guesses as to what was in the box Gibbs gave to Abby that was on her desk? It look liked it was glowing.

I also heard that someone was leaving the show at the end of this season. Any guesses as to who thats going to be?
2131 Replies · 214671 views
Jimbo

Howard ...
You don't like Tony, or Tony as the Director (he's only been there for 30 seconds now) or you don't like NCIS ?
  • Like
Reactions: Howard Simmons
Howard Simmons
Howard ...
You don't like Tony, or Tony as the Director (he's only been there for 30 seconds now) or you don't like NCIS ?
Tony as the director.🙄
Jimbo
Tony as the director.🙄
Would you rather have LaRoche ???
  • Like
Reactions: Howard Simmons
dfergie
I liked this episode and a toned down Tony...
  • Like
Reactions: Jimbo
Howard Simmons
Would you rather have LaRoche ???
No. Bring in someone new.🤔 Tony is not serious enough for me. Parker is too close to the team and Tim is too young to take over IMO.