Comcast to start encrypting basic cable 'over the coming months'

Ugh.. hope Cox doesn't pick up on this... I'm enjoying my free basic cable/HTPC DVR setup very much and would hate to give that up..
 
I think it's a great idea that basic cable is scrambled now. One of the reasons cable prices go up is theft of service. I had two neighbors arrested back in Pennsylvania for splitting one's cable service among themselves, which screwed up reception on the rest of the block, back when I had Time Warner.
 
Today I was forced to pick up a UDTA for my Samsung LED HDTV , no longer able to watch HD.

I still have a CRT analog TV and used a DTA for the last year.
So as of 1st or 2nd week in March we gained Music Choice channels and all the subscription channel slots , no longer able to channel surf to clear channels , no favorites memory , just all the hassle .....

Inconvenience that wasn't their before March , and now HDTV QAM tuners only show Xfinity promo channels and infomercial on the basic limited being encrypted , so before I had HD content now I just get CRISP (that's a Laugh) digital channels with new designated locations , forget the 7.1 7.2 format or the PBS channels all being bundled.

So I guess I'm going OTA and paying for the Internet and Limited local channel basic bundle , because that's cheaper than just doing Internet alone ...... Comcast Xfinity I so want to cancel you even if that means war in my household ... I realize their internet is good but the inconvenience being created can only be greedy execs wanting people to upgrade .

I'm ready to picket ..... My diplexer already combines FTA w/ Internet Cable so I'm gonna need to combine FTA/OTA antenna and get a dedicated Internet line.
 
I think it's a great idea that basic cable is scrambled now. One of the reasons cable prices go up is theft of service. I had two neighbors arrested back in Pennsylvania for splitting one's cable service among themselves, which screwed up reception on the rest of the block, back when I had Time Warner.

and how long ago was that?
Comcast here in Minneapolis has scrambled above lifeline for 2 years now. So if you "wanted to steal" as you put it all you get is the locals + public access + shopping/religious channels.
They made it easier for the techs because they dont come out and unhook the cable anymore. They just turn off the box that you have.

All Comcast is doing is shooting themselves in the foot. Folks who have a TV on lifeline (while the rest is on a box) probably wont add a box (since its $10 for a HD box).
 
Well comcast cable cards are a bargain at under 4 bucks a month for 2 decoders, a great bargain in comparison with dish.


plus they offer a nearly free decoder to put on secondary tvs,. I dont know much about them, they just produce a grid with scrolling channels. but for many thats probably fine
 
Well comcast cable cards are a bargain at under 4 bucks a month for 2 decoders, a great bargain in comparison with dish.
1st one is free if plugging in a Tivo

plus they offer a nearly free decoder to put on secondary tvs,. I dont know much about them, they just produce a grid with scrolling channels. but for many thats probably fine
but its SD only and there is no guide at all.....if you have just HD locals on those TV's dropping to SD is a crime
 
Yep, the first Cablecard multistream cablecard is free-of-charge, but additional ones are $4. Moreover, although Comcast will give you up to two (2) SD converters free-of-charge (I left mine sitting in a box because they are useless to me as Iceberg pointed-out) they will start charging something like $3.95 per month after 2-years. I took mine back as soon as I noticed they started the fee.
 
well my dad let me know they nuked it in the SW Burbs of MInneapolis

At the school he works at we hooked up cable to a TV (in the principals office of all places) so they could watch the news at night (he's a 2nd shift custodian there)
Well Tuesday night all he had was a blue screen. He did the rescan and came up with 0 channels found.
 
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