Comcast: Invasion of Privacy

Joe K

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Jul 16, 2007
17
0
When I subscribed to Comcast Digital, I did not know that they would be invading the privacy of my living room and bedroom with a red light on the box everytime they wanted to send me a message. The only way to make the light go out is to key through various menus, access the message, and then delete it. This can take 8 to 12 key pushes, or with two boxes, that would be 16 to 24 key pushes. The message is generally insignificant. I don't mind if they email me or send it along with the bill, but this red light business is too much. I have complained, and they say nothing can be done about it; but I am not satisfied with this non-response. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
 

Scott Greczkowski

Welcome HOME!
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sep 7, 2003
103,911
29,984
Newington, CT
Electrical tape is your friend. Cover the LED and problem is gone.

Although what they are doing is not an invasion of your privacy.

Invasion of your privacy would be them calling you because your watching too much adult video on demand shows and telling you "If you dont stop watching those you could go blind." :yikes

BTW Welcome to SatelliteGuys!
 

Joe K

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Jul 16, 2007
17
0
Electrical tape is your friend. Cover the LED and problem is gone.

Although what they are doing is not an invasion of your privacy.

Invasion of your privacy would be them calling you because your watching too much adult video on demand shows and telling you "If you dont stop watching those you could go blind." :yikes

BTW Welcome to SatelliteGuys!
Very good. I was thinking of doing the black tape thing. However, I still would like the red light to go away forever. Thanks!
 

lumpkin666

SatelliteGuys Pro
Feb 21, 2007
941
0
USA
pop the lid and cut/unsolder a leg of the LED (maybe replace it with something significantly less bright, or solder some resistors [or possibly a pot] inline to dim the LED)
 

stone phillips420

On Vacation
Oct 20, 2004
3,360
2
earth
When I subscribed to Comcast Digital, I did not know that they would be invading the privacy of my living room and bedroom with a red light on the box everytime they wanted to send me a message. The only way to make the light go out is to key through various menus, access the message, and then delete it. This can take 8 to 12 key pushes, or with two boxes, that would be 16 to 24 key pushes. The message is generally insignificant. I don't mind if they email me or send it along with the bill, but this red light business is too much. I have complained, and they say nothing can be done about it; but I am not satisfied with this non-response. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
i call bs, all you do is hit menu then arrow down to messages then delete

the red light to much, yet you dont complain about orange clock or channel display?

who cares, i guess you

how do you react to the red light at any stoplight?
 

stone phillips420

On Vacation
Oct 20, 2004
3,360
2
earth
A quick jab with a screwdriver perhaps?

While the unit is off I would hope.

Prolly still need some tape due to the 'scar' though :)
comcast owns the equipment not the customer so i dont reccomend this


if the problem is as bad as op makes it sound, your best bet is to get rid of cable and goto ota over the air antenna, no red lights or messages
 

Meathead

SatelliteGuys Pro
Feb 25, 2005
154
0
Cobb County, GA
When I subscribed to Comcast Digital, I did not know that they would be invading the privacy of my living room and bedroom with a red light on the box everytime they wanted to send me a message. The only way to make the light go out is to key through various menus, access the message, and then delete it. This can take 8 to 12 key pushes, or with two boxes, that would be 16 to 24 key pushes. The message is generally insignificant. I don't mind if they email me or send it along with the bill, but this red light business is too much. I have complained, and they say nothing can be done about it; but I am not satisfied with this non-response. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Man alive dude... your blood pressure must be really high.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Oh, and it's not an invasion of privacy... it's not like the light is spying on you (you do have your foil hat on right?).
 

Joe K

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Jul 16, 2007
17
0
i call bs, all you do is hit menu then arrow down to messages then delete

the red light to much, yet you dont complain about orange clock or channel display?

who cares, i guess you

how do you react to the red light at any stoplight?
Guess I have to just get over it. I like the large channel display. Don't mind traffic lights. It's just a thing with me, this company assuming it's okay to come into my house with their promo messages, and make me push all those buttons. Anyway, I taped it over. End of story.
 

stone phillips420

On Vacation
Oct 20, 2004
3,360
2
earth
Guess I have to just get over it. I like the large channel display. Don't mind traffic lights. It's just a thing with me, this company assuming it's okay to come into my house with their promo messages, and make me push all those buttons. Anyway, I taped it over. End of story.
try the suggestion below messages can be turned off no red light
Menu>Setup>Guide Setup>page down>Message notice Off.
At least that's how it works on the 3412 and 3416.
worked for me with my 64xx hd dvrs
 

stevenl

SatelliteGuys Master
Jan 2, 2006
10,839
2
Disney World
You dont have to read the msgs, black tape over the LED your good. make it a small pieace you want even notice it. or you could ignore it.

But be advised one day the msg may be important, customers usally through out inserts in their bill, they usally just find the pay stub, and the envolope and throw the rest out. but some times it contains important information that if you dont read you may be mad later and when they say "well we advised customers already through mailings and box msgs" and you still complain not their fault.
 

mastermesh

SatelliteGuys Pro
Apr 18, 2006
1,988
0
The LED on my USB World Box is super bright and is on all the time... I didn't go the electric tape way since that would just make the already hot light hotter. I finally went and put a thin layer of sculpey on the light so that way it's stil there and you can see it - since you can see it it is still dissapating heat out the hole but not as much as it was before... but it's not so dang bright. I also have a couple handfuls of sculpey down below it to give it some space between the box and computer table since that sucker heats up fast, and I really don't want it catching anything on fire. Sculpey is modelling clay that's meant to be heated in an oven after you model a mini statue or something with it. Since the heat coming out of this box ain't as hot as a fire, all it does is keep the sculpey sort of malleable, and fun to play with on occassion - much like a stress ball. Everyone should put at least some if it near computer... Just be sure to wash hands after touching it since it can get on clothes if you wipe your hands on them afterwards...
 

HDMI cable blocks RF output?

Hdmi?

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

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts

Top