Good deal for CableCARD users?

[dlsnyder]

I just spoke with an Adelphia rep in Moreno Valley, CA, and asked how much they were currently charging for basic service. I am currently with Dish but am always on the lookout for a better deal, especially at price increase time. Anyway, the rep breaks down the charges like this:

- Basic cable (80 analog channels) $45.00/mo
- Digital basic + basic + rental on one box $65/mo
- Digital plus and all the above $67.55/mo
- each digital box is $6.90/mo, DVR is $12.90/mo
- PowerLink internet $43.95/mo

Now the interesting part. She said that CableCARD rental is $1.75/mo for the first card, then $4.15 for each additional card. I asked her how much I would pay for each additional tier of digital service and she said NO CHARGE - all digital services are automatically included (even premium movie channels) when you get the CableCARD.

This sounds too good to be true and I suspect that the rep I spoke with just didn't know what she was talking about. Can anyone confirm what they actually charge for digital services if you have the CableCARD? If this deal is for real it beats both Dish and DirecTV by a mile!

 

[abx]

Cablecard....

Yes it is true about the cablecard and programming. I recently purchased a Sony 51" WS with the cablecard slot, and it works great. I moved the DVR box upstairs to my bedroom and for only a $1.75 a month can enjoy all the channels without the extra cost of the box, and having to balance two different remotes. Now you don't get the VOD or won't be able to order movies, but I if you don't worry about those things the you should love the card.

 

[dlsnyder]

What I am wondering about this though is what if you don't have another box? If I get a TV that has the CableCARD slot (or two-card HD Tivo later this year ) and have no other digital box on my account do I get all of the digital channels thrown in for just the cost of basic cable and the $1.75 rental on the card? For $45.75 to get over 200 channels including premium movie channels, this sounds like an INSANELY good deal.

 

[abx]

No you still have to pay for whatever tier of service yo get. They can program the card for whichever channels you pay for. So what is this about the two slot tivo coming out later this year? Is it better than the current tivo?

 

[dlsnyder]

What I read was that they are going to release a new HD Tivo that is cable-friendly (not for DirecTV use). It will have two cableCARD slots (i.e. two cable tuners for simultaneous recording) and an ATSC over the air tuner. I'm sure it will be VERY expensive. They are doing a version in conjunction with Comcast, but supposedly will also have a regular consumer version that can be purchased at any retailer. If I go back to cable, THAT'S the box I want!

 

[Hoopnoop]

A question about Adelphia cable cards -- are you able to get INHD1&2 with them. In my area (northern VA) I was told that you can not get them.

 

[dlsnyder]

That is true, CableCARD is not compatible right now with Pay Per View services like InHD. Sometime later this year (supposedly) Rev 2.0 will come out and the new cards will support these services. I would expect the new cards would also need to be plugged into new compliant devices. Many people think this is the reason that the new digital cable HD-Tivo is being delayed.

 

[Hoopnoop]

That is true, CableCARD is not compatible right now with Pay Per View services like InHD. Sometime later this year (supposedly) Rev 2.0 will come out and the new cards will support these services. I would expect the new cards would also need to be plugged into new compliant devices. Many people think this is the reason that the new digital cable HD-Tivo is being delayed.

Sorry, I didn't mean the in demand channels. I mean the two high definition channels with the names INHD1 and INHD2. This is part of the confusion because an Adelphia CSR told me that they were not available but I think they may be confusing these particular channels with in demand services.

 

[dlsnyder]

If INHD1 and INHD2 are not PPV then they should be picked up by CableCARD as long as you are subscribed to the proper HD package.

 

[dlsnyder]

OK, did my homework. Now I know why I was confused - Adelphia doesn't offer INHD in my area yet. It is a regular HD channel, kind of like HDNet but only for cable customers. Yes, it should come through just fine with CableCARD as long as they offer it in your area.

 

[abx]

I am able to get INHD 1 and 2 with the cablecard. So I am guessing that if it is offered in your area you would be able to get it. I was also pleasantly surprised that I was able to pick up the In Demand service for Nascar this year. I did have to call Adelphia to order it, but it was no problem. The new two-way CC that is coming out will not help me because my TV is not going to be able compatible for it. So I guess I will have to wait for the new Microsoft Vista Media Center. I did read that it will still work with the one-way CC.

 

[Hoopnoop]

The cable guy in my area told me that they have been having terrible experiences with the cable cards in my area (motorola cards). He said they are cheap and break down very easy. Have others had problems with the Adelphia cable cards?

 

[abx]

I have the Scientific Atlanta CC and had very few problems with it. A couple of times I lost some channels like the HD channels once and the analog channels another time. I called the first time this happened and the tech told me to make out the CC and put it back in, and that fixed the problem.

 

[beager]

What a way to spend a Saturday. I have a Sony KDFE42A10 and Scientific Atlantic cable card. I get Adelphia HD Service alacarte. Meaning I pay the basic cable (approx $45) plus an additional ($8) for the cable card ($1.75) and the channels. I live in Western NY. The channel lineup is BROADCAST BASIC + EXPANDED BASIC (ch 2-95), the BROADCAST HD (NBC, ABC, PBS, CBS) plus a lineup called HD PLUS TIER (HD NET, HDN MOVIES, ESPN HD, INHD1, INHD2, ESPN2 HD, DISC HD and NFL HD)

I don't get any of the DIGITAL channels - those come with the METALLICA packs (Bronze, Silver, Gold). So I also don't get any of the Premium HD (HBO SHOW STARZ, CINE)

I was getting intermittent service on INHD1, INHD2, ESPN2 HD and NFLHD. My Sony was saying NO SIGNAL, as opposed to NOT AUTHORIZED. At first I thought it was because their was no HD broadcast but I checked the TVGUIDE and they are broadcasting 24x7. So I called Adelphia to report the trouble. This is where the fun starts.

First they missed their appointment and immediately awarded me $20 in line with their on-time service guarantee. Then about a half hour after the missed appointment the service manager called me and said that I am not supposed to get INHD1 and INHD2 because they are "on demand" channels and I need the converter box to get them. I told her I am not getting ESPN2HD either. She said that's because I needed to subscribe to a METALLICA pak to get ESPN2HD. Then I told her that I get these channels intermittently. She said hold-on and started radioing her techs on the Nextel walkie talkies. About half the techs said I should be getting it and half said I shouldn't. Some said only my town and the neighboring town should get it. I then told her that I wasn't getting NFLHD and all hell broke loose. ALL the techs radioed back that I should be getting NFLHD and she said that a repairman would be over in a few hours.

About 4:30 pm I start getting the channels again. About 4:45 pm the tech shows up. This is starting to remind me of that noise you hear in your car until you take it to the mechanic. The techs start doing signal readings and implicate a radioshack splitter in the basement. It was a 4 way into a 2 way split. They replaced this with a 3 way into a 3 way split. Then they say they are going to take a signal reading at the pole and if it is stronger they will replace the run to the house. They also tell me that when they go up there I am going to lose my analog HBO (which apparently I had been getting for free- they install a filter). So they wind up replacing the whole run from the pole to the house. They tell me the wire was sagging and that could have been the cause of my problem. This morning I still had all HD channels so far. We'll see if I get any more intermittent problems

Everyone at Adelphia was SUPER NICE and PLEASANT to work with, they are pretty frustrated with all the new technology (HD, cablecards, nextel walkie talkies, etc) coming at them and have some training issues. They don't really know what channels are supposed to come with what package and they don't have it listed on any of their websites. They have a channel lineup but really need to publish a rate card and what channels that entitles you to.

They call INHD1 and INHD2 "iNDemand HD" and get this confused with ON-DEMAND which is a two way technology (not supported by cablecards).

In the end I think maybe the SONY was right "NO SIGNAL" - we'll see.

Adelphia can make this all right by adding FOX HD and YES HD.

Go Yankees!

 

[abx]

Wow That sounds like what happened to me last summer. I won't bore you with the details, but it basically came down to the local people not being properly informed or trained on all the services that Adelphia was offering. They were very nice and we did get everything going in the right direction eventually. I do love the CC, but the fact that we were only the second household to get it into the county I live in made it a bit interesting to get it installed and up and running. Everything works great now and I am happy with the channel selection that they offer. Although TNT HD would be nice I guess I will have to wait until Comcast takes over. Of course from what I am reading about them I may end up with Direct Tv before it is all said and done.