Analog Cable in 2021

WinterWinds

SatelliteGuys Family
Oct 28, 2021
55
53
Atlanta, GA
I was surprised to learn that there are still a few smaller cable operators who offer partial (or full) analog cable service.

Does anybody here live in such a community. If so, do you or somebody you know still subscribe to an analog cable offering?


Interesting indeed.
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
i always felt the digital cable was still analog with all of the compression used to squeeze in channels. where i am it's all digital and you have to rent a box or cable card...
 
  • Like
Reactions: WinterWinds

NYDutch

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Dec 28, 2013
9,372
18,821
Where our wheels go
I haven't checked in awhile, but Spectrum cable serving our upstate NY area offered a minimal analog service along with the expanded digital offering. The analog service did not a require a STB.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WinterWinds

Jim S.

When someone asks you if you're a god, you say yes
Lifetime Supporter
Jan 2, 2006
5,829
1,590
FN11od
The Turbotville, PA Comcast (!) analog-only system just got replaced last month. (Much to the relief of everyone suffering with 1.5M-3M DSL.)
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
I haven't checked in awhile, but Spectrum cable serving our upstate NY area offered a minimal analog service along with the expanded digital offering. The analog service did not a require a STB.
That would be interesting to see if they do.. out here it's all digital and you need a box or cable card.. they have there essentials streaming package 60 channels for 19.99 a months plus what ever fees they tac on
 

WinterWinds

SatelliteGuys Family
Oct 28, 2021
55
53
Atlanta, GA
That would be interesting to see if they do.. out here it's all digital and you need a box or cable card.. they have there essentials streaming package 60 channels for 19.99 a months plus what ever fees they tac on
I once checked Spectrum's prices with a random address from Zillow. I was curious how much their packages cost. They wanted to charge a local channel fee of $17.99 and $8.99 to rent each cable box.
 

Jim S.

When someone asks you if you're a god, you say yes
Lifetime Supporter
Jan 2, 2006
5,829
1,590
FN11od
Interesting that Comcast was still offering an analog service. Perhaps it was due to being in such a rural area.
It was a locally-owned system that they bought. I suspect their reason for not initially upgrading it, beyond getting rid of the local head-end and giving it a fiber feed from their system next door, was that everyone had got thoroughly disgusted and switched to satellite. I'm as surprised as anyone that they finally did anything with it, especially with T-Mobile and an unending parade of AT&T resellers (authorized and otherwise) filling in for internet service.

I'm not sure if it's coincidental that earlier this year, one of the local telephone companies got a grant to upgrade to fiber. (But they still haven't even announced a schedule. I wish they'd have been faster. I switched to Comcast. I'd love to have fiber for the greater upload speed and all the other benefits, not to mention Comcast's prices are ridiculous, but I don't really want to have to switch again in a few years.)
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
I once checked Spectrum's prices with a random address from Zillow. I was curious how much their packages cost. They wanted to charge a local channel fee of $17.99 and $8.99 to rent each cable box.
That's why I dumped em. I was grandfathered into twc whole home dvr service. Change zip codes sorry were gonna bend you over without the grease and take away your whole home dvr service and give you a crappy 4 or 2 tuner box. I told em to suck it. You forgot to mention the multiple price increases during the year.. dtv comes out cheaper.. there select package would run about 100.00 a month for a dvr box and a standard HD box for a crappy 120 channels. And there new guide is utter sh*t with all of the bugs in it!!!
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
It was a locally-owned system that they bought. I suspect their reason for not initially upgrading it, beyond getting rid of the local head-end and giving it a fiber feed from their system next door, was that everyone had got thoroughly disgusted and switched to satellite. I'm as surprised as anyone that they finally did anything with it, especially with T-Mobile and an unending parade of AT&T resellers (authorized and otherwise) filling in for internet service.

I'm not sure if it's coincidental that earlier this year, one of the local telephone companies got a grant to upgrade to fiber. (But they still haven't even announced a schedule. I wish they'd have been faster. I switched to Comcast. I'd love to have fiber for the greater upload speed and all the other benefits, not to mention Comcast's prices are ridiculous, but I don't really want to have to switch again in a few years.)
Can't you call Comcast and get promos once yours runs out??? I heard of people doing that and getting another promo!!!
 

NYDutch

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Dec 28, 2013
9,372
18,821
Where our wheels go
That would be interesting to see if they do.. out here it's all digital and you need a box or cable card.. they have there essentials streaming package 60 channels for 19.99 a months plus what ever fees they tac on
I only have Spectrum for Internet at our Adirondack family cottage. I'll check with a Spectrum tech when I see one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John2021

Bruce

Bender and Chloe, the real Members of the Year
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
Nov 29, 2003
17,327
22,625
I once checked Spectrum's prices with a random address from Zillow. I was curious how much their packages cost. They wanted to charge a local channel fee of $17.99 and $8.99 to rent each cable box.
You do not have to rent a cable box, you can get everything via a app on a Roku, but the $17.99 is true ( I get Charter's 1 gig broadband), I get the ads about once a week, advertising $44.99, then the fine print $17.99 for Broadcast Channels, another $5 for sports, another charge for DVR.

Add it all up and it costs more than what I pay to YTTV ($65) for everything.
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
You do not have to rent a cable box, you can get everything via a app on a Roku, but the $17.99 is true ( I get Charter's 1 gig broadband), I get the ads about once a week, advertising $44.99, then the fine print $17.99 for Broadcast Channels, another $5 for sports, another charge for DVR.

Add it all up and it costs more than what I pay to YTTV ($65) for everything.
If there not a streamer they could pony up and get a tivo with a lifetime sub and just pay 2.00 for the cable card the tuning adapter is at no charge. Then they could put tivo minis in other rooms at no charge as well and they would have whole home dvr service
 

John2021

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 28, 2021
1,558
834
Los angeles
i don't know anyone that would want to use spectrum cable boxes. the new guide sucks donkey balls. as it keeps crashing down saying channels not available even though you pay for em!!! used my friends world box freaking hated that thing:mad:..
 

Jim S.

When someone asks you if you're a god, you say yes
Lifetime Supporter
Jan 2, 2006
5,829
1,590
FN11od
Can't you call Comcast and get promos once yours runs out??? I heard of people doing that and getting another promo!!!
That seems to be the prevailing opinion on Reddit. Hopefully it's still true when the time comes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John2021

NYDutch

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Dec 28, 2013
9,372
18,821
Where our wheels go
I only have there internet. Wich is pretty good. But there video service is utter crap with the new guide they put out.
Spectrum is just one of the three Internet providers I use. I did find out the limited analog service is no longer available. The local office said it's been replaced by a limited streaming service.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John2021

Jim S.

When someone asks you if you're a god, you say yes
Lifetime Supporter
Jan 2, 2006
5,829
1,590
FN11od
Spectrum is just one of the three Internet providers I use. I did find out the limited analog service is no longer available. The local office said it's been replaced by a limited streaming service.
Cable companies are dropping analog channels to make room for more digital channels or, more often, more internet bandwidth. I don't really have a problem with that. However, there's no reason they couldn't still offer the local channels in unencrypted digital so subscribers don't have to rent hardware from them. Encrypting them, as Comcast does, is just plain antisocial. (I thought it was also illegal, but evidently it isn't anymore.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: NYDutch

WinterWinds

SatelliteGuys Family
Oct 28, 2021
55
53
Atlanta, GA
Cable companies are dropping analog channels to make room for more digital channels or, more often, more internet bandwidth. I don't really have a problem with that. However, there's no reason they couldn't still offer the local channels in unencrypted digital so subscribers don't have to rent hardware from them. Encrypting them, as Comcast does, is just plain antisocial. (I thought it was also illegal, but evidently it isn't anymore.)
Yes. At least when we had Comcast, their hardware was dead-simple. When you're used to just flipping through analog cable channels and you're converting somebody over to having to use a "cable box" for the first time, it might be a tad bit daunting, especially for the older set.
 

Comcast offers 4K

Can You Own Your Own Cable Box On Comcast?

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 4)

Top