Social Feed

razorphreak900
Last reply · posted in Cable Television and Fiber Providers
thats right....ive noticed the free preview on a&ehd so i went and checked to see if there was anything else new,but after a lil while of searching the cable box shut off (I did wonder why it did that) and i noticed it was rebooting.so i left it alone to see what it does...once it was back on i was wondering what was up...untill it clicked to me that i noticed the analog channels (1 thru 99) looked mad clear....thats when i realized it was all in digital :):D.....and boy does it look good!, no pixelation or nothing,....just pure clearness so happy to finally have an all digital/hd cable,it was so obvious the diffence from analog to digital,thought u will also noticed that the channel with change a lil bit slower........so reset them boxes if you havent noticed the change,thought it should of done it for you....i live in saint petersburg fl, good luck and enjoy!
49 Replies · 8896 views
I
@khandurian: I think the FCC mandate is for over-the-air (i.e., broadcast) channels only. Cable can keep pumping out analog if it wants to. It hardly matters with the STB situation.

@stevenl: I wouldn't mind if BHN went ahead and killed the analog channels. But they have to give me some STBs for free, 'cause I ain't payin' $8/month/set. Somehow I think that's the problem.

I wonder when BHN is going to get hit with a false-advertising suit, given that they advertise their digital cable prices without any asterisks or fine print saying that you must have a STB at an additional $8/month in order to actually use it. (I'm not saying BHN is any different from D*. The cable and satellite industries have sort of created this problem for themselves. The CE industry would love to build tuners into their kit, but everybody wants their own thing.)
stevenl
@khandurian: I think the FCC mandate is for over-the-air (i.e., broadcast) channels only. Cable can keep pumping out analog if it wants to. It hardly matters with the STB situation.

@stevenl: I wouldn't mind if BHN went ahead and killed the analog channels. But they have to give me some STBs for free, 'cause I ain't payin' $8/month/set. Somehow I think that's the problem.

I wonder when BHN is going to get hit with a false-advertising suit, given that they advertise their digital cable prices without any asterisks or fine print saying that you must have a STB at an additional $8/month in order to actually use it. (I'm not saying BHN is any different from D*. The cable and satellite industries have sort of created this problem for themselves. The CE industry would love to build tuners into their kit, but everybody wants their own thing.)

Well its 6$ a month for the box rental and you dont have to rent it, you can pay 2$/month and get a cable card and use your own digital tuner ready tv to watch all the digital you want. and the first box is includeing in the price of the serivice so technicly they are advertiseing what you get. Pay for the digital get it on 1 tv, but basic/std on each tv. Now d* on the other hand fails to mention the charges per month per box they only throw up the big 19.99/month (does not include box rentals must activate each of the boxs they offer you or you pay some 300$ per box)

and khaund to answer your question that has been floating around for ages, first it was 2005 then 2010 then blah blah blah, until the goverment gets off their ass and mandates everyone changes (like they did with cable ready tvs) and use the same signals then its not going to happen. Plus their are millions of tv viewers who cant afford to buy diigtal ready tvs, nor afford a cable box. So unless it becomes profitable for the Cable companies to give free digital converters to customers, who want just the basic service (which is unlikely) then the cable companes will have to keep some analog bw open.

Also as far as cable cards go, you cant really get the simulcasting because the box is programmed to find the simulcast channels, whereas ch 3 is accutly not freq 55mhz like it is on analog its at 530mhz and mapped differntly. However depending on your TV and its digital tuner type it can be programmed to read the simulcast channels using the programming from the card. So check your manual some tvs have like a ch 1 and ch 1.1 which are the equiv of each other using the cable cards programming.
I
Well its 6$ a month for the box rental and you dont have to rent it, you can pay 2$/month and get a cable card and use your own digital tuner ready tv to watch all the digital you want. and the first box is includeing in the price of the serivice so technicly they are advertiseing what you get. Pay for the digital get it on 1 tv, but basic/std on each tv.

I don't want to be critical of BHN, since I enjoy my cable service, and I didn't intend to go off on a rant about STB pricing... but BHN is charging me for the first box at $8/month, and friends for the first cable card at $5/month.

STBs are just the cost of doing business these days.
D
I don't want to be critical of BHN, since I enjoy my cable service, and I didn't intend to go off on a rant about STB pricing... but BHN is charging me for the first box at $8/month, and friends for the first cable card at $5/month.

STBs are just the cost of doing business these days.

I was thinking about getting a cable card and guess what here in Michigan it is more expensive!! I thought the cost had to be their real cost?

Additional Digital Cable Box with Remote $9.00
Cable card and Digital Tier, Digital Music (as primary outlet) $9.50
(discounted as an additional outlet) $7.95
iceturkee
speaking of stealing cable, my landlord has done it for years. has an elborate scheme where he pays for one customer, then runs multi-lines throughout the apartment building. trouble is, all the cable is run inside. but there's one apartment that has the junction box with boosters on the ceiling in the closet.

i have complained to bhn for years now, including their security people. keeps falling on deaf ears. any suggestions? he got hincky a few weeks ago when a tech had to come to my apartment to bring me a new hddvr. thankfully, i'm on a seperate box so my pq is superior!!
stevenl
speaking of stealing cable, my landlord has done it for years. has an elborate scheme where he pays for one customer, then runs multi-lines throughout the apartment building. trouble is, all the cable is run inside. but there's one apartment that has the junction box with boosters on the ceiling in the closet.

i have complained to bhn for years now, including their security people. keeps falling on deaf ears. any suggestions? he got hincky a few weeks ago when a tech had to come to my apartment to bring me a new hddvr. thankfully, i'm on a seperate box so my pq is superior!!

pm me what area and the name of the complex...


and to you people being charged the fee for cable card.. I think they ahve the wording off a bit in orlando its 1.95 for teh card itself... Now if you want the digital programming that comes with it you need to pay extra for the extra channels.. (the price you posted said it includes those channels, so that 9.95 fee includes the card itself and the digital music/digital tier of channels) so that sounds right, you get an extra what 100+ channels? Thats why its 9.95
skottey
As a tech guy and a TV lover, I am surprised with myself for not catching the change right away here in St. Petersburg. I pretty much only watch Fox News Channel and Lightning games on Sun on the under 100 stations and in the past I have called about grainy analog stations like Fox many times. I just assumed subconsciously that things were going good in my neighborhood as far as the crisper than usual picture.
I fix computers locally and resell Roadrunner to a lot of residential customers and I am pretty aware of the areas that have both television and Internet problems through Bright House. Yesterday I was at a business customer of mine and talking to the Roadrunner tech installing a new modem. I ranted to him about how they'll be getting some real competition when Verizon FIOS comes to town with their high speed Fiber Internet and 100% digital TV (hopefully next year). He told me that channels 1-99 are all digital on Bright House now. I was skeptical and went home and checked. He was right. I compared my two HD DVR digital boxes to the analog coax in my son's room and there is a huge difference. The tech told me that they were going to cease analog all together in 2008. That will be great because it will certainly free up bandwidth for other things, like more HDTV channels. I'll just have to rent another cable box for the kid's room I guess. I think once they do away with analog all together we'll have less problems here in St. Pete.

Come to think of it, there is no way I couldn't have seen this sooner. I am watching Fox News, as usual, right now and it looks way better than it did as recent as last week. I'll bet they just switched my neighborhood (near 62nd Ave N and 1st St N) in the last week or two. God it looks good now.

Razorphreak900- I see you posted this original post in November, what part of town are you in because I swear they must have just switched me. There have been a lot of trucks in my area lately.
razorphreak900
As a tech guy and a TV lover, I am surprised with myself for not catching the change right away here in St. Petersburg. I pretty much only watch Fox News Channel and Lightning games on Sun on the under 100 stations and in the past I have called about grainy analog stations like Fox many times. I just assumed subconsciously that things were going good in my neighborhood as far as the crisper than usual picture.
I fix computers locally and resell Roadrunner to a lot of residential customers and I am pretty aware of the areas that have both television and Internet problems through Bright House. Yesterday I was at a business customer of mine and talking to the Roadrunner tech installing a new modem. I ranted to him about how they'll be getting some real competition when Verizon FIOS comes to town with their high speed Fiber Internet and 100% digital TV (hopefully next year). He told me that channels 1-99 are all digital on Bright House now. I was skeptical and went home and checked. He was right. I compared my two HD DVR digital boxes to the analog coax in my son's room and there is a huge difference. The tech told me that they were going to cease analog all together in 2008. That will be great because it will certainly free up bandwidth for other things, like more HDTV channels. I'll just have to rent another cable box for the kid's room I guess. I think once they do away with analog all together we'll have less problems here in St. Pete.

Come to think of it, there is no way I couldn't have seen this sooner. I am watching Fox News, as usual, right now and it looks way better than it did as recent as last week. I'll bet they just switched my neighborhood (near 62nd Ave N and 1st St N) in the last week or two. God it looks good now.

Razorphreak900- I see you posted this original post in November, what part of town are you in because I swear they must have just switched me. There have been a lot of trucks in my area lately.

hey wuz up, and glad that you finally noticed, maybe your boxes never reset?? till now, could b possible,but i noticed it about a day before i made the announcement of me noticing digital channels in november (from my understanding everybody that is considered tampabay area got the change), i live also in saint pete, right there on 54 ave. i live across the kenneth city bowling place (that closed down a year ago), so that should give u an idea where im at. and even up to now the picture has been looking great as usual and i haven't had one complaint with it what so ever, thought like u said, i do have one tv (new) but i aint renting the box yet so i have the coax straight to the tv and the picture quality, is so notisable, all grainy and like u see frequency or something across the screen etc etc lol...but of course viewable. also another best way (which is obvious,but jic u dint know lol :)) always look around these forums we always try to update ourselves lol, like that new mtvhd, mtv3 (tr3s).etc etc.
b4pjoe
Pub Member / Supporter Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in Computers and Gadgets
13 Replies · 311 views
Neutron
Another reason I'm glad we are swapping or Rokus out for Apple TVs. I was already planning on ditching the Rokus earlier this year and had been waiting on Apple to announce the new one last month. Our Rokus have had issues the last year or so with freezing video and reboots, and one with an HDCP issue randomly.
  • Like
Reactions: AZ. and navychop
TRG
TRG
Another reason I'm glad we are swapping or Rokus out for Apple TVs. I was already planning on ditching the Rokus earlier this year and had been waiting on Apple to announce the new one last month. Our Rokus have had issues the last year or so with freezing video and reboots, and one with an HDCP issue randomly.
Hmmm... I don't have any of those problems with my Roku devices. I have 3 of them.
  • Like
Reactions: reubenray
navychop
I suspect Fox will make me consider 2-3 more Apple TV STB purchases.
harshness
I suspect Fox will make me consider 2-3 more Apple TV STB purchases.
Until I can get a mortgage on an ATV, I doubt that's going to happen for me.

As much as the price has gone up, the complaints on the forums about this, that, and the other nits surrounding various limitations and Apple business decisions seem to be keeping pace.
Jimbo
Hmmm... I don't have any of those problems with my Roku devices. I have 3 of them.
I have the Roku's, 2 or 3, I just rarely use them ... I prefer the Google/Android Sony set up.

People tell me that the Apps on the TV will end thier usefulness as they age ... They are doing ok for me so far ... I also have the TV take the App Updates whenever possible ... then again, I don't know how often App updates come to it.

So, so far, I'm doing ok, but if they start to get sluggish, I'll eventually change to a Roku ... I don't want to, but eventually ... (Or buy another new TV :eeek:shh:clapping:biggrin
R
I suspect Fox will make me consider 2-3 more Apple TV STB purchases.
As long as my Roku Ultra works I will use it. I use it for all of my streaming apps except for Prime. I read that Prime works best with Android TV's.
navychop
Hmmm. Not watching much Prime, but it would be on our Apple TV STB.

You know of any drawbacks using Ultra and Prime?
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....
68770 Replies · 2687224 views
  • Like
Reactions: c-spand
long_time_Dish
Really Wanna Know You - Gary Wright
H
Don't WANNA KNOW-Maroon 5
harshness
I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner
Bobby
Oh What A Night For Dancing - Barry White
sdfntx
It's a Good Night for Singing - Jerry Jeff Walker
dfergie
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU!
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Stumbled across this ... http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_ZipSearch.asp
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy

Ethanol Free Stations

5569 Replies · 462434 views
Bobby
Regular$5.459​
Premium$5.899​
Diesel$7.999​
at Costco, Rohnert Park.​
  • Like
Reactions: harshness
dishstaller
Billboard along I-10 had reg at $3.81 and diesel at $5.54
Bobby
Regular$5.399​
Premium$5.899​
Diesel$7.999​
at Costco, Rohnert Park.​
osu1991
$3.55
R
$3.45 in Jane, MO.
K
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Pub Member / Supporter Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in DIRECTV Programming Forum
https://www.directv.com/insider/mysports-changes-the-game/
https://streamtv.directv.com/mysports/ (You might have to logout or open a private window to see the details)
As of now this is only available for streaming customers in select markets. Existing streaming customers can switch to it for $69.99, but they are not eligible for the $20 off for 3 months discount. More genre-specific packages will launch during the first half of the year.


At launch, MySports includes 40 sports and broadcast channels and is initially available in 24 metro areas, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and others. Click here for more information and the list of initial launch markets. The availability of MySports will expand into additional markets as DIRECTV adds more local stations to the package.

The streamlined MySports package includes national and local channels in select markets, as well as live news channels.

National sports channels immediately available through MySports include ACC Network, Big Ten Network, DIRECTV 4K Live, DIRECTV 4K Live 2, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV and USA Network. Local channels will initially include any stations owned and operated by ABC, FOX, and NBC, with additional stations coming online soon.

Additional networks, local stations and ESPN+, will be included in MySports at no extra cost in the near future.

Consumers who sign up online for the contract-free package before Feb. 28, 2025, can receive MySports for $49.99 monthly for the first three months, a $20 monthly savings. After the free trial, it auto-renews monthly, and consumers can cancel anytime.
75 Replies · 8257 views
K
They recently split the news channels off of MySports, so CNBC, CNN, FBN, FNC and MSNOW are no longer part of it.

MySports was decreased to $64.99, and a new "MySports+MyNews Duo" pack is $79.99, which will also give you Bloomberg, CNBC World, CNNI, the C-SPANs, i24 and Newsmax.

Tennis Channel also joined MySports at some point over the past year.
C
They recently split the news channels off of MySports, so CNBC, CNN, FBN, FNC and MSNOW are no longer part of it.

MySports was decreased to $64.99, and a new "MySports+MyNews Duo" pack is $79.99, which will also give you Bloomberg, CNBC World, CNNI, the C-SPANs, i24 and Newsmax.

Tennis Channel also joined MySports at some point over the past year.
AMC+ now included in MyEntertainment Pack. I guess we know why the $8 price increase.
K
Here's the Insider article. Shudder is now part of MyCinema and Fanatiz1 was added to the Spanish packages last Friday. PX Sports was also added a few weeks ago.

It's not just AMC+ driving the price increases on the genre packs, the rest of the AMC Networks (AMC, WE, IFC, Sundance, BBC America), along with Paramount/CBS, Hallmark, Weigel and others joined since they debuted last year.
K
MySports now has some CW affiliates, and MyNews now has some CW affiliates and the MyNetworkTV O&Os.

At quick check, it looks like the CBS and Sinclair owned CW affiliates are missing.
C
MySports now has some CW affiliates, and MyNews now has some CW affiliates and the MyNetworkTV O&Os.

At quick check, it looks like the CBS and Sinclair owned CW affiliates are missing.
No Hearst owned CW in Orlando
osu1991
Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club

The number-one US state for EV growth, according to the June 22 Yardi report?
Oklahoma.


:eek


It has no ZEV mandates and "minimal" incentives, Yardi says, but also has cheap electricity, high multi-car household rates (so, for example, a non-Lightning Ford F-150 pulls their trailers), and a consumer base willing to switch.
121 Replies · 1318 views
osu1991

The Cybertruck was supposed to make the F-150 obsolete. It wasn't supposed to be boring, like a Ford or a Chevy. It was supposed to be "more truck than truck." It turns out, people just wanted trucks that were trucks, and CEO Elon Musk announced on X earlier this morning is that the Cybertruck is dying.


Ending production in middle of next year at gigatexas for cybercab production.
  • Wow
Reactions: dishstaller
dishstaller
IF they had made the cyber truck more like a conventional truck, more would have bought it. There is a REASON trucks all have a very similar layout....it's what people want AND it serves the purposes those of us who have a truck needs.
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
harshness
There is a REASON trucks all have a very similar layout....it's what people want AND it serves the purposes those of us who have a truck needs.
As it is, most consumers buy trucks as comfortable transportation rather than commercial utility. The Cybertruck approach to that goal was way out in left field. It turned out to be more of an austere sedan with awful daily-driver attributes (visibility, parking). The expectations regarding truck durability were dashed early on.
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
Neutron
Supporting Founder
Last reply · posted in Computers and Gadgets
Does anyone here use Apple Home/HomeKit with HomePods or Apple TV to automate smart devices in their house? We have had Amazon's Alexa set up in our house for the last 10+ years and I have been waiting to switch them out to Apple for a few reasons; We are already in the Apple ecosystem with our phones, tablets, and computers. I have never liked Amazon's stance on privacy and I really like that Apple has pushed for privacy for a long time.

I bought 4 of the new HomePod Mini 2 speakers to go in various rooms in our house and we have one of the new Apple TVs on preorder that will be the start of me replacing our Rokus. I have the HomePod Mini 2s set up and have an RPi that is running HomeBridge for our legacy smart devices that worked natively with Alexa but don't work with Apple Home natively. I had trouble with the older smart bulbs not keeping the brightness or light color consistent with what our routines were with Alexa despite trying every setting in HomeBridge with the bulbs just not shining very bright. I ended up replacing them with updated versions that are Matter compatible so they work in Apple Home natively. That in and of itself has been interesting to set up because I have my home network segretated with the IoT devices on their own vlan and wifi and pretty locked down. Matter requires IPv6 and due to how my home network is designed I had to do some digging with AI to figure out how to make it all work correctly.

Apple Home definitely has some shortcomings that Alexa does much better with but I am hoping Apple will continue to improve their Home products and introduce features that will bring it closer to the functionality of Alexa.
5 Replies · 86 views
b4pjoe
I tried HomeKit to be able to see my Ring cameras on my Apple TV as they are not supported natively on Apple devices. The best I could get was to be able to view the cameras live but I could not view any recordings. After the last major update version of HomeKit I could not even view the live cameras anymore. I gave up on it after that. If I were going to do it again I would only buy devices that can work on Apple devices natively as HomeKit didn't work well at all for me.
  • Like
Reactions: Neutron
Neutron
I tried HomeKit to be able to see my Ring cameras on my Apple TV as they are not supported natively on Apple devices. The best I could get was to be able to view the cameras live but I could not view any recordings. After the last major update version of HomeKit I could not even view the live cameras anymore. I gave up on it after that. If I were going to do it again I would only buy devices that can work on Apple devices natively as HomeKit didn't work well at all for me.
That's what I started doing after seeing legacy devices work hit or miss using the HomeBridge. At least Apple is following a standard now with Matter which is unusual for Apple. Looks like HomeBridge does allow you to see the live views but I haven't seen how to view past recordings. I'd really like to ditch Ring altogether due to their stance on privacy and if I had my choice I'd go with UniFi since that's what I use for my network and I like the idea of my camera recordings being all local and not in the cloud. UniFi doorbells and cameras are quite pricey though.

I'll try to access the Ring doorbells in Apple Home for now but I'll see if it's useful any.
Foxbat
I found that the IoT devices need to see the Apple TV to be able to use it as the HomeKit Hub. Unfortunately, that means being in the same IPv4 subnet.

I was thinking of getting a HomePod Mini for my Mother-in-Law to play music and set up HomeKit scenes, as well as make FaceTime Audio calls. When Apple announced their price rises due to RAMageddon, I kicked myself as they went up 50% in cost. I'll be curious to see the HomeView in person as this might not be a bad way to get her started on automation.

She asked about it because her friends have Alexa and they use it to control lights. But like you, I feel better putting in a HomePod or HomeView that's listening for commands instead of Amazon or Google.
b4pjoe
That's what I started doing after seeing legacy devices work hit or miss using the HomeBridge.
Homebridge is what I meant when I said HomeKit. Forgot the name of it.
harshness
I find that I don't interact with my home automation system (Hubitat Elevation) as much as I thought I would.

Apple made everything more expensive and less flexible with its "our way or the highway" approach. To be sure, a Homebridge server addresses some of the major deficiencies, but it seems like it will always be a battle to keep pasting things together.
G
· posted in DISH Network Support Forum
After a strange reboot last night in the middle of viewing, this morning several more reboots and about a half an hour download.
0 Replies · 33 views
  • Like
Reactions: reubenray and LQQK