New Metrocast Setup

LakerMike · 11-15-2011, 05:06 PM

Did anyone notice with the new i-Guide you can only go back 21 minutes instead of the 60 before??? The buffer only holds 21 and 24 minutes of each channel on the DVR. Tech support just discovered this... If they don't fix it I will switch to DirectTV for sure! From what everyone says DirectTV and Dish is so much better than cable! The PPV is way too expensive also, I can get a DVD from Redbox for $1.

patman · 11-15-2011, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakerMike

also, I can get a DVD from Redbox for $1.

Not anymore you can't!

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...ces/50970590/1

Internet + Roku + Netflix/Amazon = more video than I should really be watching

dragonfly03246 · 11-16-2011, 08:27 AM

It's my understanding from Metrocast that the memory used includes the programs you have set to record which I think is a pretty good idea because then you know how much more you can record before you start to lose memory.

As far as searching by keyword or program name, you can still do that. There are a ton of different options available for searching.

I also found that you can change the color of the guide which is pretty neat. I agree that the ads definitely need to go though! We pay a ton already to have cable and I don't feel that we need to see ads everytime we use the guide.

The other feature that we found that I don't like is that when you record you can't choose new and that specific time only, so when you choose "new and repeats" you get ALL! That kind sucks because some of the TLC, History, Discovery shows show the new later on at night which is great becuase we can record at that time and there's no conflict with the broadcast channels which only show their programs once.

Lakepilot · 11-16-2011, 10:31 AM

This was kind of the last straw for us. We currently have Internet, Phone and Cable from Metrocast and with all the boxes etc. pay about $230/month. It really aggravates me to have to view an ad every time I use their guide, when I'm paying that kind of money.

Here's the current plan and issues that have to be addressed.

1. TV. Long term is to go to DirecTV, which we have in our motorhome and it works great. But in the house I'd need a good installer near Wolfeboro that could set us up.
Short term, cancel the expensive Metrocast package and go with their basic package and then add a few ROKU boxes. Since we get HBO with our DirecTV account on the motorhome, we can use it in the house with HBO GO and the ROKU.

2. Internet. Looks like Metrocast is the same price as Fairpoint so I guess we'll stick with Metrocast. We do have MIFI cards that we use when traveling and are grandfathered into the unlimited plan, but the bandwidth is quite their for streaming and I hate to push the unlimited.

3. Phone. Our phone now costs in the vicinity of $46/month through Metrocast. We can add another cell phone line for $5/month. I've looked at cell phone gateways like Xtreme, Siemens, Panasonic etc. and they look interesting. Pay one fixed amount for the box (around $90) and then pay the $5/mo and that replaces the Metrocast $46/mo bill. The only problem appears to be our alarm system. At least one of the systems (Verizon home link) says they will not work with security systems.

Anyway, my questions are

1. Will any cell phone gateway work with our alarm system? If so which is the best gateway that would work?
2. Anybody know a good DirecTV reseller/installer?
3. A previous poster said that if we keep the Metrocast internet and cancel the cable and phone with them that we would still have the basic channels. Is this true?

brk-lnt · 11-16-2011, 07:16 PM

You might find it cheaper overall to replace your alarm panel with a cellular-capable unit if you have problems finding a compatible system there.

It shouldn't be THAT hard to find someone to handle the directv setup, it's mostly just a matter of running the coax from the dish down into the house, it's really not a 'specialist' kind of job. There are a couple of home theater shops in the area, have you tried contacting any of them?

Lakepilot · 11-17-2011, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

You might find it cheaper overall to replace your alarm panel with a cellular-capable unit if you have problems finding a compatible system there.

It shouldn't be THAT hard to find someone to handle the directv setup, it's mostly just a matter of running the coax from the dish down into the house, it's really not a 'specialist' kind of job. There are a couple of home theater shops in the area, have you tried contacting any of them?

Unfortunately our alarm system is also a home automation system hence is very expensive.

The issues I have with DirecTV relates to the number of independent boxes we can have versus lnb's etc.

patman · 11-17-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

The issues I have with DirecTV relates to the number of independent boxes we can have versus lnb's etc.

It's been a while, but I seem to remember that the LNB->box issue is solveable. I believe they switch the polarization filter on every other channel (horizontal on even channels, vertical on odd ones) and it's not so much that you have to have a separate LNB for each box, but that you can only share an LNB between boxes that is on the same polarization mode. (ie...box1 and box2 can share LNB1 and view different channels if they're both on an odd-numbered channel) If you have 2 LNBs, and a smart LNB multiplexer, it'll work with any number of boxes. The multiplexer just fixes one to horizontal and the other to vertical, then routes the request from the boxes to the LNB with the correct filter.

I think...like I said, it's been a while.

Lakepilot · 11-17-2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patman

It's been a while, but I seem to remember that the LNB->box issue is solveable. I believe they switch the polarization filter on every other channel (horizontal on even channels, vertical on odd ones) and it's not so much that you have to have a separate LNB for each box, but that you can only share an LNB between boxes that is on the same polarization mode. (ie...box1 and box2 can share LNB1 and view different channels if they're both on an odd-numbered channel) If you have 2 LNBs, and a smart LNB multiplexer, it'll work with any number of boxes. The multiplexer just fixes one to horizontal and the other to vertical, then routes the request from the boxes to the LNB with the correct filter.

I think...like I said, it's been a while.

Those are some of the issues I alluded to. We have 4 TV's we regularly watch and 3 others that are sometimes watched. We currently have HD and 3 DVR's. We may want to watch the 110 and the 119 sat. The house was wired for cable. There are 3 different designs for multiswitches and I don't know which is best for us. I wonder if the receivers would be better located in a central spot or at the TV. If in a central spot how do you communicate to them from the room you're watching TV in.

Those are the issues that a provider/installer might address.

Wood Chopper · 11-17-2011, 11:42 AM

You guys sound like you know the nuts and bolts of this better than me but let me offer a story. I was contacted by a home owner that had Direct TV installed and the installer ran sloppy cables and ruined a very expensive vinyl siding. I was contracted to repair the siding and have the wire re-routed. In investigating the need for all the extra cables I discovered this multi-switch and was simply able to use the existing in house cable lines. Each location has an independent DVR. The Owner was furious with DirectTV. The installer was adamant he had 2 run 2 cables to each installation. In my opinion they could have sold the multi-switch to the Owner during install but from what I understand the installer is an independent contractor working on a fixed per Diem. Running 2 wires gets him in and out quicker. Installing the multi-switch would have required a return trip, one that he may or may not have been paid for.

Just be cautious, it was a very sloppy (and expensive) install.

Here's the site for the switch that could have saved a lot of aggravation if installed initially: http://www.weaknees.com/swm-directv.php

The support at the site may help you with your question.

The Owner reports no issues with the switch and multiple HD TV's and DVRs.

SteveA · 11-17-2011, 02:12 PM

I spoke with a very nice and informative lady at Metrocast today. We have 2 DVR's and 2 TV's that are just straight to the cable outlet (No box).

She told me that they are about to get the MultiRoom DVR's. She guessed sometime in the next moth or so. Metrocast in Maryland and CT already have them.

She also walked me thru a few things to do on my DRV's that would recover the memory. She said that the amount of "recording" time has not changed on the current DVR's. I pushed all the buttons she told me to push and and got back to 0 percent full. I did have to wipe out all of my saved shows, which for me was no big deal. (I didn't need to watch the Patriots lose to the Giants in the superbowl anyway!)

Lastly, once the Multiroom DVR's are ready for this area, you will need to have a set top box on all TV's in the house, and you can have up to a total of 5 TV's that can access the MultiRoom DVR.

I was actually pleasantly impressed with he lady. She did tell me that they are all really sick of people calling and screaming that them..

Wood Chopper · 11-17-2011, 02:28 PM

Is there any way you could post that reset sequence?

I'm hearing from various sources that the Customer Service from Metrocast during this change has been very good.

I'm sure they are tired of hearing people scream at them. Too bad Metrocast put them in this position. I still think the old Guide and DVR software was far superior to the latest.

SteveA · 11-17-2011, 03:49 PM

I thought I saved the note pad I wrote it down on.... but I can't find it.

I don't want to guess, it was 5 or 6 steps, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for messing up peoples settings.

If you call Metrocast @ 524-4425 I'm sure they will walk you thru it also.

P-3 Guy · 11-17-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

Unfortunately our alarm system is also a home automation system hence is very expensive.

The issues I have with DirecTV relates to the number of independent boxes we can have versus lnb's etc.

DirecTV now uses better technology that will allow you to have up to 16 tuners working off of one dish. If you want a DVR at each TV that's up to eight DVRs as each DVR has two tuners. Also, they now have something called SWiM (Single Wire Multiswitch) that allows two-tuner DVRs to be served with just one RG-6 coaxial cable. Finally, my favorite recent DirecTV innovation is MRV, or multi-room viewing. I have three DVRs that are all networked together, so that I can watch anything recorded on one DVR on either of the other two.

Sorry to sound like a shill for DirecTV, but I'm very impressed with their service. Getting the same level of service (programming and equipment) from my local cable provider would probably cost me twice as much each month.

brk-lnt · 11-17-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

Unfortunately our alarm system is also a home automation system hence is very expensive.

Is it HAI by any chance?

Lakepilot · 11-17-2011, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Is it HAI by any chance?

Yes it is. Hopefully this isn't a dupe.

brk-lnt · 11-18-2011, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

Yes it is. Hopefully this isn't a dupe.

Ok, let me talk to a couple of my dealers for you. It's been many years since I dealt with HAI directly myself, but I'll see what people are doing for cellular monitoring. One of my guys just did a pretty nice 32,000 sqft house in Vegas that is using an HAI system (along with quite a bit of other cool stuff

)

I've replaced my OmniPro panels and hvac gear with a different system. I have a couple of spare omnistats if you need one. I think I have an extra outdoor temp sensor maybe too...

Lakepilot · 11-18-2011, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Ok, let me talk to a couple of my dealers for you. It's been many years since I dealt with HAI directly myself, but I'll see what people are doing for cellular monitoring. One of my guys just did a pretty nice 32,000 sqft house in Vegas that is using an HAI system (along with quite a bit of other cool stuff

)

I've replaced my OmniPro panels and hvac gear with a different system. I have a couple of spare omnistats if you need one. I think I have an extra outdoor temp sensor maybe too...

We have 5 omnistat's. Right now 3 are the older style and 2 are new ones. Lightning has gradually taken out the older ones. The outdoor temp sensor is still working.

I( appreciate the offer .

11-15-2011, 05:06 PM	#1
LakerMike Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 3 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	MetroCast i-Guide Did anyone notice with the new i-Guide you can only go back 21 minutes instead of the 60 before??? The buffer only holds 21 and 24 minutes of each channel on the DVR. Tech support just discovered this... If they don't fix it I will switch to DirectTV for sure! From what everyone says DirectTV and Dish is so much better than cable! The PPV is way too expensive also, I can get a DVD from Redbox for $1.

11-16-2011, 08:27 AM	#3
dragonfly03246 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 83 Thanks: 7 Thanked 29 Times in 15 Posts	memory It's my understanding from Metrocast that the memory used includes the programs you have set to record which I think is a pretty good idea because then you know how much more you can record before you start to lose memory. As far as searching by keyword or program name, you can still do that. There are a ton of different options available for searching. I also found that you can change the color of the guide which is pretty neat. I agree that the ads definitely need to go though! We pay a ton already to have cable and I don't feel that we need to see ads everytime we use the guide. The other feature that we found that I don't like is that when you record you can't choose new and that specific time only, so when you choose "new and repeats" you get ALL! That kind sucks because some of the TLC, History, Discovery shows show the new later on at night which is great becuase we can record at that time and there's no conflict with the broadcast channels which only show their programs once.

11-16-2011, 10:31 AM	#4
Lakepilot Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 446 Thanks: 70 Thanked 57 Times in 40 Posts	Pairing back Metrocast This was kind of the last straw for us. We currently have Internet, Phone and Cable from Metrocast and with all the boxes etc. pay about $230/month. It really aggravates me to have to view an ad every time I use their guide, when I'm paying that kind of money. Here's the current plan and issues that have to be addressed. 1. TV. Long term is to go to DirecTV, which we have in our motorhome and it works great. But in the house I'd need a good installer near Wolfeboro that could set us up. Short term, cancel the expensive Metrocast package and go with their basic package and then add a few ROKU boxes. Since we get HBO with our DirecTV account on the motorhome, we can use it in the house with HBO GO and the ROKU. 2. Internet. Looks like Metrocast is the same price as Fairpoint so I guess we'll stick with Metrocast. We do have MIFI cards that we use when traveling and are grandfathered into the unlimited plan, but the bandwidth is quite their for streaming and I hate to push the unlimited. 3. Phone. Our phone now costs in the vicinity of $46/month through Metrocast. We can add another cell phone line for $5/month. I've looked at cell phone gateways like Xtreme, Siemens, Panasonic etc. and they look interesting. Pay one fixed amount for the box (around $90) and then pay the $5/mo and that replaces the Metrocast $46/mo bill. The only problem appears to be our alarm system. At least one of the systems (Verizon home link) says they will not work with security systems. Anyway, my questions are 1. Will any cell phone gateway work with our alarm system? If so which is the best gateway that would work? 2. Anybody know a good DirecTV reseller/installer? 3. A previous poster said that if we keep the Metrocast internet and cancel the cable and phone with them that we would still have the basic channels. Is this true?

11-16-2011, 07:16 PM	#5
brk-lnt Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Down Shores Posts: 1,944 Thanks: 545 Thanked 570 Times in 335 Posts	You might find it cheaper overall to replace your alarm panel with a cellular-capable unit if you have problems finding a compatible system there. It shouldn't be THAT hard to find someone to handle the directv setup, it's mostly just a matter of running the coax from the dish down into the house, it's really not a 'specialist' kind of job. There are a couple of home theater shops in the area, have you tried contacting any of them? __________________ [insert witty phrase here]

11-17-2011, 11:42 AM	#9
Wood Chopper Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 15 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Multi Switch for Direct TV You guys sound like you know the nuts and bolts of this better than me but let me offer a story. I was contacted by a home owner that had Direct TV installed and the installer ran sloppy cables and ruined a very expensive vinyl siding. I was contracted to repair the siding and have the wire re-routed. In investigating the need for all the extra cables I discovered this multi-switch and was simply able to use the existing in house cable lines. Each location has an independent DVR. The Owner was furious with DirectTV. The installer was adamant he had 2 run 2 cables to each installation. In my opinion they could have sold the multi-switch to the Owner during install but from what I understand the installer is an independent contractor working on a fixed per Diem. Running 2 wires gets him in and out quicker. Installing the multi-switch would have required a return trip, one that he may or may not have been paid for. Just be cautious, it was a very sloppy (and expensive) install. Here's the site for the switch that could have saved a lot of aggravation if installed initially: http://www.weaknees.com/swm-directv.php The support at the site may help you with your question. The Owner reports no issues with the switch and multiple HD TV's and DVRs.

11-17-2011, 02:12 PM	#10
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	I spoke with a very nice and informative lady at Metrocast today. We have 2 DVR's and 2 TV's that are just straight to the cable outlet (No box). She told me that they are about to get the MultiRoom DVR's. She guessed sometime in the next moth or so. Metrocast in Maryland and CT already have them. She also walked me thru a few things to do on my DRV's that would recover the memory. She said that the amount of "recording" time has not changed on the current DVR's. I pushed all the buttons she told me to push and and got back to 0 percent full. I did have to wipe out all of my saved shows, which for me was no big deal. (I didn't need to watch the Patriots lose to the Giants in the superbowl anyway!) Lastly, once the Multiroom DVR's are ready for this area, you will need to have a set top box on all TV's in the house, and you can have up to a total of 5 TV's that can access the MultiRoom DVR. I was actually pleasantly impressed with he lady. She did tell me that they are all really sick of people calling and screaming that them.. __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

11-17-2011, 02:28 PM	#11
Wood Chopper Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 15 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Which buttons? Is there any way you could post that reset sequence? I'm hearing from various sources that the Customer Service from Metrocast during this change has been very good. I'm sure they are tired of hearing people scream at them. Too bad Metrocast put them in this position. I still think the old Guide and DVR software was far superior to the latest.

11-17-2011, 03:49 PM	#12
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	I thought I saved the note pad I wrote it down on.... but I can't find it. I don't want to guess, it was 5 or 6 steps, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for messing up peoples settings. If you call Metrocast @ 524-4425 I'm sure they will walk you thru it also. __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

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