8 New HD channels coming in March / Channels moving to SDV

[The Insider]

Hallmark
Nickelodeon
Comedy Central
Spike TV
BET
MTV
CMT
VH1

Coming March 11th

The following channels will be moving to the SDV platform. So customers with a cable card, will lose them

Bright House Networks Travel Weather Now
1014
ESPNU HD
1331
Discovery HD Theater
1341
ESPN Deportes
115 & 611
FOX Business Network
124
News 13 en Espanol
130 &613
Discovery Kids
139
NASA TV
144
FOX Reality
155
Lifetime Real Women
157
Planet Green
162
MUN2
163 & 607
MTV tr3s
170 & 608
GAC
171
VH1 Classic
172
FUSE
174
Sundance
179
LOGO
181

Those customers are eligible for a FREE converter box for 12 months.

 

[jcarrera]

What is an "SDV platform" and why does having a government-required cable card mean those customers have to lose them? Couldn't you put them on channels CC customers CAN get?

Since CC is just encryption on a card instead of built into the box, why would that cause loss of service?

Do people who lose the service get to pay less?

 

[emtpud]

I already get 7 of those channels. Can't find Hallmark. Paul

 

[iceturkee]

What is an "SDV platform" and why does having a government-required cable card mean those customers have to lose them? Couldn't you put them on channels CC customers CAN get?

Since CC is just encryption on a card instead of built into the box, why would that cause loss of service?

Do people who lose the service get to pay less?

can't answer the question but i have 2 words tuning adapter, now available at your cable company to pick up sdv.

 

[The Insider]

What is an "SDV platform" and why does having a government-required cable card mean those customers have to lose them? Couldn't you put them on channels CC customers CAN get?

Since CC is just encryption on a card instead of built into the box, why would that cause loss of service?

Do people who lose the service get to pay less?

SDV is Switched Digital Video. It requires two way communication to work. It is used to increase the number of channels a single QAM can handle. Thus allowing BHN to offer over 100HD channels.

BHN is offering FREE for 12 months a digital converter box to the CC customers who wish to have one, because of the channels they now will be missing. So until tru2way devices are readily available a simple cable card is not enough for 2 way communication (SDV channels, VOD etc) Customers with a Tivo can also get a tuneing adapter from BHN free for 12 months, after which there will be a nominal charge.

And dont get me started on this government mandated cable card crap. What a bunch of BS that is. And a waste of money.

 

[iceturkee]

is this digital converter box any different than what you would need to convert analoug to digital signal?

 

[The Insider]

Yes. it has to have 2 way communication

 

[iceturkee]

Yes. it has to have 2 way communication

so, do i need it with the tivo hd box i'm about to hook up? i have the tuning adapter ordered beside the cable cards. sounds like the converter would give me video on demand?

 

[tigerfan33]

I had a cc when I had Charter. Has there been any progress made on the 2 way cc?

Most of the newer hdtv's don't even have a cc slot. I am thinking that cc technology was just a blip and not going anywhere.

 

[iceturkee]

think tivo is the only thing that has cc slots. and i like tivo much better than i like the current bhn hd dvr's and software.

 

[Saxamoophone]

Most of the newer hdtv's don't even have a cc slot. I am thinking that cc technology was just a blip and not going anywhere.

Cable Cards (as they are now) are dead. Cable admits it. Government admits it.

Encoding is fine, but be smart about it.

I want to be able to plug in my TIVO, or even a Windows PC running Media Center and have access to EVERY channel, including VOD. I don't want to have "Tuning Adaptors", "Cable Cards" or expensive $300 cable card readers.

All of this can be done through Software....and in the future, will be.

Tru2Way is a good start, but it sounds like it will still require a physical cable card. At the very least though it allows 2 way communication, VOD, and all that jazz.

The problem is this: Cable makes a killing on boxes. They probably cost them $300-400 tops a unit. Why would they want you to give up $20 a month? After 1-2 years they are making PURE PROFIT from "renting" you that box you already paid for.

 

[Saxamoophone]

Also, good HD pick ups. Is Daily Show in HD yet?

 

[The Insider]

Cable Cards (as they are now) are dead. Cable admits it. Government admits it.

Encoding is fine, but be smart about it.

I want to be able to plug in my TIVO, or even a Windows PC running Media Center and have access to EVERY channel, including VOD. I don't want to have "Tuning Adaptors", "Cable Cards" or expensive $300 cable card readers.

All of this can be done through Software....and in the future, will be.

Tru2Way is a good start, but it sounds like it will still require a physical cable card. At the very least though it allows 2 way communication, VOD, and all that jazz.

The problem is this: Cable makes a killing on boxes. They probably cost them $300-400 tops a unit. Why would they want you to give up $20 a month? After 1-2 years they are making PURE PROFIT from "renting" you that box you already paid for.

Not sure who charges 20$ for a box and yes they do spend about 300$ on a box. They charge about 7-10$ a month for them that INCLUDES the extra channels that come with it. Do the math and see how long it takes to recoup that hardware investment. Cable companies make there money from the extra things you will buy with your box, plus the base price of your package. Not so much in the hardware rental.

And the reason why you still will need a card is because of the encrpytion. You need a device to decrypt the channel. The cable companies are not going to give some retail company the decrption code then anyone could steal the signal.

 

[iceturkee]

Also, good HD pick ups. Is Daily Show in HD yet?

has been since the first monday in january. plus the new season of south parj, if you watch, will be in hd.

 

[iceturkee]

Cable Cards (as they are now) are dead. Cable admits it. Government admits it.

Encoding is fine, but be smart about it.

I want to be able to plug in my TIVO, or even a Windows PC running Media Center and have access to EVERY channel, including VOD. I don't want to have "Tuning Adaptors", "Cable Cards" or expensive $300 cable card readers.

All of this can be done through Software....and in the future, will be.

Tru2Way is a good start, but it sounds like it will still require a physical cable card. At the very least though it allows 2 way communication, VOD, and all that jazz.

The problem is this: Cable makes a killing on boxes. They probably cost them $300-400 tops a unit. Why would they want you to give up $20 a month? After 1-2 years they are making PURE PROFIT from "renting" you that box you already paid for.

actually, at one time bhn charged you the price of a digital setup box plus the hd dvr, meaning you paid $17 a month for one box. i don't remember their rationale but i thought it was rather silly.

 

[zolzoo]

Do I need a box?

If I am not using a box "cable direct to TV" will I need to buy a box.

 

[The Insider]

actually, at one time bhn charged you the price of a digital setup box plus the hd dvr, meaning you paid $17 a month for one box. i don't remember their rationale but i thought it was rather silly.

This only applies to the second+ boxes. And its the same fee other companies charge 1 fee for the box and another fee for the DVR services.

With BHN the first box is cheaper then the second box (as with most companies)

 

[iceturkee]

maybe, it isn't the case now but about 5 years ago it was and i had only one box. if i remember correctly, it didn't change when i got the 2nd hd dvr. i paid $9.95 x 2 plus $6.95 for the digital box i didn't physically have.

 

[The Insider]

I dont recall that ever being a policy.

On the first DVR you were charged X amount. On the second DVR you were charged X + Y.

This is the same with most all companies. The main reason being your first box cost is subsidized by the cost of programming you pay (ala the standard package etc) The second box is then being paid for via the extra fee they charge.

 

[iceturkee]

that's what i paid in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 before i went back to satellite.