Bright House Goes All Digital
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Surprised that it happened? really? BHC was the last cable company (in the industry) to turn digital. Family and other people I know with cablevision, time warner and whatnot had digital cable over 2-3 years ago up in N.Y./N.J. and it looked a hell of alot better than BHC.
and that whole analogue "FCC rule" in Florida is crap, I don't have a digital TV and I am using a digital box and getting the digital channels. It was really because of their equipment charge. Y'know how we have to rent their specific equipment each month to use their product? I mean a seperate charge for both the "digital" box and the remote control, yea, that is right, look at your bill.
I think BHC was holding out because new tech means more money- they already charge us a load for what we get and they would have lost a ton of customers to the new charges. By saying it is the FCC's fault they can charge us and BHC don't look like the bad guy.
Plus, we all know they don't like to spend money for their customers.
Now they don't have a choice, with verizon coming... it is either upgrade, or get out of the business, cause everything is digital.
and that whole analogue "FCC rule" in Florida is crap, I don't have a digital TV and I am using a digital box and getting the digital channels. It was really because of their equipment charge. Y'know how we have to rent their specific equipment each month to use their product? I mean a seperate charge for both the "digital" box and the remote control, yea, that is right, look at your bill.
I think BHC was holding out because new tech means more money- they already charge us a load for what we get and they would have lost a ton of customers to the new charges. By saying it is the FCC's fault they can charge us and BHC don't look like the bad guy.
Plus, we all know they don't like to spend money for their customers.
Now they don't have a choice, with verizon coming... it is either upgrade, or get out of the business, cause everything is digital.
The last cable system in the industry to turn digital.
LOL
Where do some of the people come up with this stuff. It's really comical to anyone who knows anything about this Industry.
The truth of that matter (not that the truth appears to matter to you) is that BHN has been reluctant to remove analog channels (something they started doing under Time Warner about 4 years ago) because of the high number of older people in the market who had cable ready TVs and DID NOT WANT TO PAY MORE TO GET A DIGITAL STB. They wanted to be able to use their cable ready sets.
No digital STB - less money for Brighthouse. They did it because they did not want to loose subs. I had been harping on them for years to get rid of more analog channels (they were averaging dropping about 3-4 every 6 months several years back) but they would not do it because of ONCE AGAIN - PEOPLE DID NOT WANT A DIGITIAL STB WHEN THEY HAD A CABLE READY TV.
Geez.
If you are going to come up with FUD, at least get some facts straight.
LOL
Where do some of the people come up with this stuff. It's really comical to anyone who knows anything about this Industry.
The truth of that matter (not that the truth appears to matter to you) is that BHN has been reluctant to remove analog channels (something they started doing under Time Warner about 4 years ago) because of the high number of older people in the market who had cable ready TVs and DID NOT WANT TO PAY MORE TO GET A DIGITAL STB. They wanted to be able to use their cable ready sets.
No digital STB - less money for Brighthouse. They did it because they did not want to loose subs. I had been harping on them for years to get rid of more analog channels (they were averaging dropping about 3-4 every 6 months several years back) but they would not do it because of ONCE AGAIN - PEOPLE DID NOT WANT A DIGITIAL STB WHEN THEY HAD A CABLE READY TV.
Geez.
If you are going to come up with FUD, at least get some facts straight.
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Heeellllo, Did you even listen to what did you just said? You just confiirmed that I had my facts straight on my post. Thank you.
Yes, it was all the Old people's fault. *sarcastic* All the Old people magically stopped the progress of the cable industry from going digital. I must have missed the rally at BHC's headquarters. Cmon? Just like kids want the rating system so Tv will be safe for them. Puh-lease.
Cable claims that the digital signal is being sent from the station, through the cable line, into our TV's. So why do we need a "cable box" to receive it? hmmm?
There really isn't a need, that's an argument I'll agree with.
The fact remains that People in general do NOT WANT To pay extra to "rent" equipment from the cable company if they don't have too. That is true.
Cable was the first to invent the idea of renting propritary based equipment that can only be used with their system. Why should they give those "extra charges" up? The need for cable boxes in todays technolgically advanced society is completely laughable. My cellphone is more capable of performing better than the "cable box."
I've said it for years, if your TV is built with the necessary components to be "cable ready", why do we need to rent the cable company specific boxes (and the remotes to the boxes, for an extra additional charge) for us to have a signal? If you want to tell us that the boxes only descramble the pay channels, and you need one to get the pay channels, like HBO, I'll be understanding like that, because pirating is bad, but every other channel? No way. if they are sent in digital, sent from the station, through the same lines we have now, like the cable company is claiming they do, it should not be a problem. No box should be needed. That is a fact. All of the other stuff can be done though the "advanced cable system" we hear so much about.
At this point in time, cable has been out for over 20 years now and SHOULD be a perfected system, more controlled at the station, like the phone company. (Yes it is the same principal-stop with the miniscule details.) They turn our system on, change packages and so forth, we can even view our account on the tv, why can't they do it all? Streamline the system and knock out all of the unnecesssary crapola.
My personal opinion is that basic cable SHOULD be free...yea, because you cannot use the TV's today without an outside source. (TV's don't come with antennas anymore and stations send their signals digitally.)
I've received soooo mannny different excuses by people claiming they know the cable industry, but the sad part is (and no offense) that you only know what you are taught... and who teaches you that?... the cable company you work for.
My proof to that, was the 15 "profesionally trained cable techs" I had to my house who spent a majority of the time scratching their heads in question and didn't even know what Tivo was.
Yes, it was all the Old people's fault. *sarcastic* All the Old people magically stopped the progress of the cable industry from going digital. I must have missed the rally at BHC's headquarters. Cmon? Just like kids want the rating system so Tv will be safe for them. Puh-lease.
Cable claims that the digital signal is being sent from the station, through the cable line, into our TV's. So why do we need a "cable box" to receive it? hmmm?
There really isn't a need, that's an argument I'll agree with.
The fact remains that People in general do NOT WANT To pay extra to "rent" equipment from the cable company if they don't have too. That is true.
Cable was the first to invent the idea of renting propritary based equipment that can only be used with their system. Why should they give those "extra charges" up? The need for cable boxes in todays technolgically advanced society is completely laughable. My cellphone is more capable of performing better than the "cable box."
I've said it for years, if your TV is built with the necessary components to be "cable ready", why do we need to rent the cable company specific boxes (and the remotes to the boxes, for an extra additional charge) for us to have a signal? If you want to tell us that the boxes only descramble the pay channels, and you need one to get the pay channels, like HBO, I'll be understanding like that, because pirating is bad, but every other channel? No way. if they are sent in digital, sent from the station, through the same lines we have now, like the cable company is claiming they do, it should not be a problem. No box should be needed. That is a fact. All of the other stuff can be done though the "advanced cable system" we hear so much about.
At this point in time, cable has been out for over 20 years now and SHOULD be a perfected system, more controlled at the station, like the phone company. (Yes it is the same principal-stop with the miniscule details.) They turn our system on, change packages and so forth, we can even view our account on the tv, why can't they do it all? Streamline the system and knock out all of the unnecesssary crapola.
My personal opinion is that basic cable SHOULD be free...yea, because you cannot use the TV's today without an outside source. (TV's don't come with antennas anymore and stations send their signals digitally.)
I've received soooo mannny different excuses by people claiming they know the cable industry, but the sad part is (and no offense) that you only know what you are taught... and who teaches you that?... the cable company you work for.
My proof to that, was the 15 "profesionally trained cable techs" I had to my house who spent a majority of the time scratching their heads in question and didn't even know what Tivo was.
mirage426 said:
mirage426 said:
Brighthouse in the Tampabay area has the most miles of Fiber than any other System in America.
This includes FIOS.
Yes, FIOS is great - and I cannot wait for it - or for BHN to go the last 1/2 mile to everyone's house. Makes no difference to me which gets here first with the choices.
And I guess you haven't seen their new Studio in Downtown Orlando?
So much for not spending money.
Your other comments, including that I work for a cable company, show you are totally and completely clueless in your remarks.
Have fun watching your cellphone.
What fiber? Cable is sill using cat 59, that's what all the techs told me, dude.
What new studio? The kiosk at the mall that shows BHC's poor quality Hi Def ?
Meanwhile BHC is constantly crying about the costs of everything and they are building studios for advertising. Thanks for wasting my money I pay to the service.
If I am so clueles as you put it, how it it possibele that I recieve a digital signal on my TV WITHOUT a cable box hooked to it?
The answer is that BHC's digital signal has nothing to do with the "digital" cable box they claim that we have to rent from them. Proof is right there. Plain and simple.
Don't belive me, test it youself, disconnect the "digital cable box" from the tv and put the wire directly from the wall to the TV. You'll see, It is magic.
Contine to pay to rent outdated "cable boxes and remotes" and laugh at the newer, more advanced technology.
What new studio? The kiosk at the mall that shows BHC's poor quality Hi Def ?
Meanwhile BHC is constantly crying about the costs of everything and they are building studios for advertising. Thanks for wasting my money I pay to the service.
If I am so clueles as you put it, how it it possibele that I recieve a digital signal on my TV WITHOUT a cable box hooked to it?
The answer is that BHC's digital signal has nothing to do with the "digital" cable box they claim that we have to rent from them. Proof is right there. Plain and simple.
Don't belive me, test it youself, disconnect the "digital cable box" from the tv and put the wire directly from the wall to the TV. You'll see, It is magic.
Contine to pay to rent outdated "cable boxes and remotes" and laugh at the newer, more advanced technology.
mirage426 said:
You are more clueless than I could ever imagine.
And the saddest part is - even someone as clueless as you can see that the Brighthouse HDTV signal is on OTA signals is worse than with an antenna when even the head know it all from the tampa hdtv website couldn't see it and argued it for over a year now.
Enjoy your cellphone.
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OK, What???
Once again, read what you wrote, for you backed up my complaint that BHC's HD is severly lacking. That was been my #1 concern through out this whole thing, the overall picture and sound quality we receive.
All I know is that I know a true quality picture, when I see one (clean sharp picture, colors that do not bleed over and or are washed out and black is solid) and and BHC is NOT supplying it to to the best of their abilities.
...and I know proper compression and how things get over pixellated when it is not done correctly, another thing BHC does. So I am not as clueless as you speak.
As far as my cell phone, I was comparing the progress and progression to that of the "digital cable box" that has components that are there just for decoration, not functionality. The cable box has been out for over 20 years and there has been no real advancement made on them, they are still overglorified descrambler boxes, really, whereas the cellphone has been out for roughly 10 years and has more features and functionality to boot. (but you missed that, too)
And when people need to insult others, by calling them clueless, they really have no arguement and should take a good look at the product in question and compare them to others, offering similar services, to see the quality difference.( but since cable is a monopoly in areas, we rarely get to, unless we move to different areas, like I have.)
and no, I'm not referring to satellite, for they are 2 seperate entities and cannot be compared side by side
Once again, read what you wrote, for you backed up my complaint that BHC's HD is severly lacking. That was been my #1 concern through out this whole thing, the overall picture and sound quality we receive.
All I know is that I know a true quality picture, when I see one (clean sharp picture, colors that do not bleed over and or are washed out and black is solid) and and BHC is NOT supplying it to to the best of their abilities.
...and I know proper compression and how things get over pixellated when it is not done correctly, another thing BHC does. So I am not as clueless as you speak.
As far as my cell phone, I was comparing the progress and progression to that of the "digital cable box" that has components that are there just for decoration, not functionality. The cable box has been out for over 20 years and there has been no real advancement made on them, they are still overglorified descrambler boxes, really, whereas the cellphone has been out for roughly 10 years and has more features and functionality to boot. (but you missed that, too)
And when people need to insult others, by calling them clueless, they really have no arguement and should take a good look at the product in question and compare them to others, offering similar services, to see the quality difference.( but since cable is a monopoly in areas, we rarely get to, unless we move to different areas, like I have.)
and no, I'm not referring to satellite, for they are 2 seperate entities and cannot be compared side by side
mirage426 said:
Cable doesn't have a monopoly and never has, there has always been alternatives then and even more now. According the the FCC, cable nor a franchise can have an exclusive clause in the agreement, period under any circumstances. Cost most of the time keeps one from competing against another. Monopoly is a lame argument. Like saying Verizon needs franchises relax to compete, they just don't want to go through the same process as everyone else has. What makes them any different in providing video from someone else? nothing, if cable is providing access channels, etc. then Verizon should too. That's what it boils down too. End of story.
cablewithaview said:
I hate to go against you but do you have a clue how hard the cable companies lobby to make it hard for others to enter into TV services. Most don't enter not because of the cost of wiring the area but because of the cost of have to spend tons of money fighting with the various areas as a cable company tries to slow the process down. Also the franchise was put in place many many years ago when cable started out. Remember that satellite nor cable existed in the scale like today. The franchise agreement is what kept the first cable companies entering into an area to serve everyone within that area among other things. Times do and always will change and as such having a company needing to go to hundreds and hundreds of cities isn't needed anymore which is why a statewide franchise is a better choice. The times are different and the market is different and unless we catch upto current times we as people and our governments aren't doing their jobs. Back than it was to our the customers best interests to have city by city franchise agreements. Now its to the customers best interests to have a statewide franchise agreement.
Also we can complain about Verizon not having to follow the rules like cable did but lets not forget that cable for some crazy reason doesn't need to get a franchise agreement to offer their digital phone service because they call it a VOIP service. But the problem is its not a VOIP service for these reasons below.
For one they are sending the data over their closed cable network (closed cable network isn't the internet) which connects believe it or not to your local phone companies switching centers for the long distance service. This again isn't using the internet but the phone companies switching system. So cable companies are allowed to offer phone service without a franchise agreement that isn't VOIP as it never reaches the internet at anypoint in time.
So Verizon needed a franchise agreement to offer phone service but they now need a second franchise agreement to offer TV service.
But Bright House Networks on the other hand needed a franchise agreement to offer TV service but unlike Verizon they don't need a second franchise agreement to offer phone service. If guess if BHN TV franchise agreement is enough for them to offer phone service than why isn't Verizons phone franchise agreement not enough to offer TV service.
But I have many contacts at Verizon who all have told me that the cable companies have got the city to keep quiet about this among other things. Don't you ever think that cable companies don't have things over these people in the event another play comes into town. They won't be big things but smaller type things like this but this happens to be a service that BHN is making a killing from.
Now I agree with most of what you say in other areas and I don't take the other poster seriously at all but please don't sit here and say to everyone that this stuff isn't done because its done all the time. Heck the top 5 cable companies that owned InDemand have been unfairly pricing their service offerings which in turn have kept Verizon from offering those services. It wouldn't be fair for Verizon to sign a contract for InDemand Sports when they have to charge 299.99 for MLB Extra Innings while those same cable companies and the other satellite companies can offer it for 199.99. This is another tactic that is being done that I know for a fact is being done that hurts the new entrant that these cable companies do on purpose to keep customers away from switching which in turn "could" lead to that company going broke and allowing said cable company to be all alone again. All the sports packages except NFL Sunday Ticket are owned by InDemand and without all of these sports packages how can you expect Verizon to compete for those highend customers. Well they can't can they.
I can name many other smaller things that have a big impact and its not one specific thing that is done but if you put them together they give the dominent cable provider a very very big advantage. These cable companies can preach playing fair all day long but until they follow their own preaching I want them to shut their mouths.
Mirage, why should brighthouse offer basic cable free? Why should they be forced to provide you basic service free? Brighthouse would love to get rid of its analog tier because for one every 1 analog channel can house 10 or so digital channels.. With all that free bandwidth they can help keep people like you from bitching everytime anything happens. there is only so much Bandwidth from 55mhz to 750 mhz to use, what do you want them to do? If you knew anything about the rules youd know that cable companies cannot force people to rent boxs. So what does that mean to everyone else who does rent boxs? Your stuck with an ananlog + digital tier. Because since BHN cannot make people have boxs they must offer an analog tier for cable ready tvs' now if you could turn your lobbying from againest the cable company to with them youll tell the FCC that by X date everyone must have a digital TV or rent a box, or be SOL. Oh wait hte FCC has made this date but has pushed it back 8034023 times. So before you pin the cable company as the devil, learn your facts..
PS: What studio? The new multi million dallor CFN 13 studio located in downtown orlando, also the new MULTI milliondallor headend being built and finalized and activated on All American BLVD @ OBT, which with their new satellite will give them "Broadcast" quality signals so all channels they recive via sattelte will get to BHN as if they were plugged straight into the camera itself. Which will make your picture at home better then youve ever seen it..
and as the analog tiers fade away, more Bandwidth is opend, and the compression is lowerd increaseing again the quialty. if youve never worked in the industry then keep quite because their is no "magic wand" inside the cable office to just fix your problems or setup the network. There are THOUSANDS of componants they have to go into effect to make things work. Their isnt just some magic switch.... Boy life would be great if you could flip a magic switch and fix all your problems.. Ya the cable company has had 25years to build their system.. but its a system that changes monthly as new tech develops... as quick as the company can implant new items. newer better stuff is out their... The day BHN orders 25000 new digital boxs there outdated by the time they arrice. ITS IMPOSSIBLE to keep up instantly. phone companies have had even longer to build their networks... id say that cable industry has done in 25years what the phone company took many more decades to do... wireing america. And BTW in the CFL ARea BrightHouse networks is the second largest fiber provider.. (second only to Level3 who has a major Datacenter here) oh btw level3 is the a tier1 internet backbone provider...
PS: What studio? The new multi million dallor CFN 13 studio located in downtown orlando, also the new MULTI milliondallor headend being built and finalized and activated on All American BLVD @ OBT, which with their new satellite will give them "Broadcast" quality signals so all channels they recive via sattelte will get to BHN as if they were plugged straight into the camera itself. Which will make your picture at home better then youve ever seen it..
and as the analog tiers fade away, more Bandwidth is opend, and the compression is lowerd increaseing again the quialty. if youve never worked in the industry then keep quite because their is no "magic wand" inside the cable office to just fix your problems or setup the network. There are THOUSANDS of componants they have to go into effect to make things work. Their isnt just some magic switch.... Boy life would be great if you could flip a magic switch and fix all your problems.. Ya the cable company has had 25years to build their system.. but its a system that changes monthly as new tech develops... as quick as the company can implant new items. newer better stuff is out their... The day BHN orders 25000 new digital boxs there outdated by the time they arrice. ITS IMPOSSIBLE to keep up instantly. phone companies have had even longer to build their networks... id say that cable industry has done in 25years what the phone company took many more decades to do... wireing america. And BTW in the CFL ARea BrightHouse networks is the second largest fiber provider.. (second only to Level3 who has a major Datacenter here) oh btw level3 is the a tier1 internet backbone provider...
Why does brighthouse need to pay more for its phone? it pays "franchise" fees for rights to use the public land, not rights to offer video/phone or whatever. it pays to do business in the cities using their easments. So if verizion alrady has easment rights in a city then they shouldnt pay more, but if they dont they should pay the same fees as the cable company does.
stevenl said:
This has nothing todo with money and everything todo with playing by the rules which they don't seem to have to comply with. What does Verizon need two franchise agreements to offer phone and TV service while BHN doesn't need two franchise agreements to offer phone and TV service. It seems to me that cable companies are complaining about Verizon getting an advantage when the cable companies are getting one of the biggest advantages of all.
They are taking away phone customers from Verizon and gain phone service customers with a pretty massive profit margin and they don't even have to comply with a franchise agreement. If they had to follow Verizon's phone franchise agreement you would know that BHN would be forced to offer service to everyone of their customers before they can sign up one customer but because they don't have to play by the rules they are preaching about they can still today not offer phone service in many different areas within Pinellas County. They also don't have to be held to the same quality standards that Verizon does either. BHN is offering phone service and not VOIP service and as such if they want to be considered a phone service they must provide a similiar quality service that Verizon does. Right now Verizon offers about 99.9% uptime so if BHN had to comply buy that same franchise agreement if they failed to provide that same level of service (ie 99.9% uptime) their franchise agreement could be revoked.
Right now a franchise agreement could force BHN to make sure the service is reliable but they could let things go longer now. You just have no idea how unfair this really is to Verizon and I'm not a Verizon fanboy but these cable companies have such a nice double standard don't they. Also if you have BHN in the Tampa Bay area and order their phone service don't be suprised if you get a notice that in 90 days time BHN will no longer be able to offer you phone service until they reach a franchise agreement with the city. Your city might not be an issue but if your in Clearwater you better hope to god that BHN starts of lobby hard or just signs the damn franchise agreement. You have just been told more than you should have known but I figured I'll prove my point sooner rather than later.
The service agreements were for the telcos are based on goverment regulations. until the goverment see's VOIP (which is what is is in the franchise area its only tradional phone after it leaves brighthouses system which technicaly is out of its "franchise") as a regular phone service then brighthouse is playing by the rules the goverment has created.. If verizon already has phone lines in the ground and offers local phone service, they most aquire the same TV franchise and be held to the same responsibility as BHN (like providing local goverment channels, maybe cable in the classroom?) as BHN does.. but you dont see verizon jumping on that idea do ya..
In the area in which BHN pays for a franchise agree the phone service is VOiP untill it hits the local rate center which is out of the franchise area. so why should they pay for a phone franshise when they dont offer "traditional phone" in the franchise area... does DishNetwork or directv pay each city /county franchise fees? or vonage? broadline? yet it can still sell... so they have that advantage over cable.. and cable has this advantage over phone.. its how business works
In the area in which BHN pays for a franchise agree the phone service is VOiP untill it hits the local rate center which is out of the franchise area. so why should they pay for a phone franshise when they dont offer "traditional phone" in the franchise area... does DishNetwork or directv pay each city /county franchise fees? or vonage? broadline? yet it can still sell... so they have that advantage over cable.. and cable has this advantage over phone.. its how business works
stevenl..*Sigh*Yes, I am just bitching. I'm glad I know nothing other than the fact that my cable picture royally sucks, my neighbors picture quality sucks and so does my friend's in orlando. Even when it was analogue. The excuses never stop and we have to just wait forever and hope it gets better.
I am just greatly discouraged in the use of technology. it is not magic, but The FCC has nothing to do with BHC purchasing new equipment to help their signal along. Just like they just did with this new station downtown, this is a good thing. We'll see, right?
With today's higher quality tv's and such it has been a great disappointment to me because I've wanted to purchase a new TV, but will not because it will be a waste of time, for the tv is only as good as the signal provided. I have an overcompressed jpeg quality picture on all channels (now that the analogue went to digital) that I am paying 77 dollars a month for. You might be happy settling with that kind off lousy picture quality, but I am not. I am just considered a bad person for pointing it out. Damn 20/20 eyesight I have. I hve been waiting for 7 months now, how much longer am I supposed to wait? Any other service and you would have dropped them lke a ton of bricks. I don't even think you would wait at a restaurant for more than an hour for a table.
I don't get it. I say something about the cable performance, and I'm branded a bad person. I have personally seen and experienced overall better service, from the picture quality to the customer service and that bothers me as a customer.
I really don't need to know all of the "oh so complicated behind the scenes stuff." Just like when you take your car to the mechanic, you do not care that their computer isn't working or they don't have a part, you just want it fixed. But because this is cable it should be treated differently? Why? A service is a service. People complain that their calls get dropped, but yet cable should not be tweaked? C'mon.
Also, I worked for a company that edited commercials for broadcast on cable and you wouldn't believe the hoops one has to jump through to deal with "their standards". Equipment that a normal muti-million dollar company should have they do not. it is really surprising to me.
and sorry, I don't have a digital TV and I still recive a digital signal, without a box, so who really has the correct story? The FCC or the cable company? Somebody make up their mind.
I explained why basic cable should be free- all of the tv's sold today will not operate without an outside connection.
The cable company does not "force us", but in order to get these features we have to "rent devices" that conviently works to give it to us.
and we have to pay a fee to rent the box and a seperate fee to rent the remote control that powers the box, too.
I also stated the reason for the cable boxes as well, the digital signal does not come from the box, it comes from transmit source.
and thank you, stevenl, for some of the info i did not know, but i still think us customers deserve more than just excuses.
and yes, I just looked it up, Directv does pay a franchise fee here in Fl.
I am just greatly discouraged in the use of technology. it is not magic, but The FCC has nothing to do with BHC purchasing new equipment to help their signal along. Just like they just did with this new station downtown, this is a good thing. We'll see, right?
With today's higher quality tv's and such it has been a great disappointment to me because I've wanted to purchase a new TV, but will not because it will be a waste of time, for the tv is only as good as the signal provided. I have an overcompressed jpeg quality picture on all channels (now that the analogue went to digital) that I am paying 77 dollars a month for. You might be happy settling with that kind off lousy picture quality, but I am not. I am just considered a bad person for pointing it out. Damn 20/20 eyesight I have. I hve been waiting for 7 months now, how much longer am I supposed to wait? Any other service and you would have dropped them lke a ton of bricks. I don't even think you would wait at a restaurant for more than an hour for a table.
I don't get it. I say something about the cable performance, and I'm branded a bad person. I have personally seen and experienced overall better service, from the picture quality to the customer service and that bothers me as a customer.
I really don't need to know all of the "oh so complicated behind the scenes stuff." Just like when you take your car to the mechanic, you do not care that their computer isn't working or they don't have a part, you just want it fixed. But because this is cable it should be treated differently? Why? A service is a service. People complain that their calls get dropped, but yet cable should not be tweaked? C'mon.
Also, I worked for a company that edited commercials for broadcast on cable and you wouldn't believe the hoops one has to jump through to deal with "their standards". Equipment that a normal muti-million dollar company should have they do not. it is really surprising to me.
and sorry, I don't have a digital TV and I still recive a digital signal, without a box, so who really has the correct story? The FCC or the cable company? Somebody make up their mind.
I explained why basic cable should be free- all of the tv's sold today will not operate without an outside connection.
The cable company does not "force us", but in order to get these features we have to "rent devices" that conviently works to give it to us.
and we have to pay a fee to rent the box and a seperate fee to rent the remote control that powers the box, too.
I also stated the reason for the cable boxes as well, the digital signal does not come from the box, it comes from transmit source.
and thank you, stevenl, for some of the info i did not know, but i still think us customers deserve more than just excuses.
and yes, I just looked it up, Directv does pay a franchise fee here in Fl.
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ok this is far fetch but here I go. Why should cable have two franchises and one being for phone? Phone is phone and yes cable ties into phone switch (AT&T, Sprint, etc.). Phone company has that franchise for the service in that area. Well with that said, they are still providing a service but it's for cable to resell phone through coax instead of twist pair.
mirage please dont think im calling you a bad person everyone has their oppions some people just are in the minority. 
i for one live in the ocoee area and have a great reception wiht my new digital analog channels. Now although the digital is sent on the transmission unless you have a box your lower channels are still analog. they are only digital on a box, and your free cable is way off, you can goto walmart right now buy rabit ears that work wiht cable ready tvs and watch al llocal stations, you can even buy a HD recevier for 500$ or so and watch HD quality tv over the air... Why should brighthouse provide free basic? brighthouse has to pay per subscriber per channel unless the goverment is gonna compensate htem for this plus the time it takes to operate the cable plant, then its not brighthouses job to provide charity. and you dont have to pay for a box or remote.. you choose to.. nobody is forceing you to, if you want basic cable then you dont need a box, you get 77 analog chanels or even the 21 channel package.. its your choice to have the services you have noone "forces" you. and even if you want the digital channels you dont need a box you can get a "Digital tuner tv" and a cable card (1.99/month) and your all set, no box rental no remote rental and still digital service.
i for one live in the ocoee area and have a great reception wiht my new digital analog channels. Now although the digital is sent on the transmission unless you have a box your lower channels are still analog. they are only digital on a box, and your free cable is way off, you can goto walmart right now buy rabit ears that work wiht cable ready tvs and watch al llocal stations, you can even buy a HD recevier for 500$ or so and watch HD quality tv over the air... Why should brighthouse provide free basic? brighthouse has to pay per subscriber per channel unless the goverment is gonna compensate htem for this plus the time it takes to operate the cable plant, then its not brighthouses job to provide charity. and you dont have to pay for a box or remote.. you choose to.. nobody is forceing you to, if you want basic cable then you dont need a box, you get 77 analog chanels or even the 21 channel package.. its your choice to have the services you have noone "forces" you. and even if you want the digital channels you dont need a box you can get a "Digital tuner tv" and a cable card (1.99/month) and your all set, no box rental no remote rental and still digital service.stevenl said:
My Cablecard went up last month - between .50 and $1 - don't remember the exact number and don't feel like finding the bill at 1am - but it's now over $1.99 and between a 25% to 50% increase. Maybe I should have mirage call them and complain!
mirage426 said:
I have 2 cable services, 4 Satellite Providers and 4 Broadband connections from different suppliers at my place - complete access to 8 Television DMAs - 6 of them in HD and the other 2 to be within 60-90 days - and 5 different HD channels of the Olympics.
Oh well...so much for monopolies and not being able to compare side by side.
And for the HD Product being inferior - I only referred to the OTA stations being retransmitted by BHN, not all the HD Channels.
As for calling you clueless, in this case - it fits.
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stevenl: The lower stations are coming in digital for me here in Altamonte Springs, without a cable box or cable card needed and one of my tv's is a 15 year old sony trinitron. And as far as "your great reception" no offence to you, but everything I have seen so far is less that great, digital, analogue, or whatever. Being a video editor it is part of my job to make sure the pic is perfect, so it kinda overflows onto everything else, too. Damn 20/20 vision that can see. So far, neighbors that had told me their reception was "great" were people next door, so I went over and compared and his was "not so great." We got to talking and I brought him a dvd and vhs i had recorded from older broadcast to show picture quality and once he saw the difference, he got mad as hell. He pursused things alot further than me and wound up dropping BHC for lack of services, so it's not just me.
HDTVFanAtic: Funny guy, except that 1.) Whenever you are not happy with your services, whatever they are, you should voice your opinion, it is the only way companies take and use feedback to try to ensure quality.
and 2.) I have never heard of having 2 cable channels in the area, that is a rarity. be happy you have that, for me here, it is BHC and that's it. so it is them or nothing. That is a monopoly, but with today's "politically correct" and technical mumbo-jumbo terms it is just referred to differently. Look past the smoke they throw.
I compare the 2 companies that are equal, cable to cable and satellite to satellite. Comparing cable and satellite is like comparing house and cell phones. 2 different to be accurate. and thanks for he insults, again, btw.
HDTVFanAtic: Funny guy, except that 1.) Whenever you are not happy with your services, whatever they are, you should voice your opinion, it is the only way companies take and use feedback to try to ensure quality.
and 2.) I have never heard of having 2 cable channels in the area, that is a rarity. be happy you have that, for me here, it is BHC and that's it. so it is them or nothing. That is a monopoly, but with today's "politically correct" and technical mumbo-jumbo terms it is just referred to differently. Look past the smoke they throw.
I compare the 2 companies that are equal, cable to cable and satellite to satellite. Comparing cable and satellite is like comparing house and cell phones. 2 different to be accurate. and thanks for he insults, again, btw.
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