TimeWarner Cable

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by patman

You can get just internet through TW if you want. About $50/mo for the 20Mbps down/1Mbps up package.

I am currently paying $29.99 for "budget internet" to Comcast in Londonderry, NH. $50/month seems a bit rich.

Originally Posted by KonaChick

Extremely aggravating!! Not getting channel 9 is chapping my A$$. Email campaign perhaps??

I agree with the first two sentences...perhaps as suggested above, it means a trip to a selectman's meeting.

[patman]

Originally Posted by WakeboardMom

I am currently paying $29.99 for "budget internet" to Comcast in Londonderry, NH. $50/month seems a bit rich.

Yes, it is steep. That's the going TW rate here in the boonies of monopolyville, and I'm pretty sure that's not the budget package. They probably have a cheaper (lower speed) option too, but since I telecommute, I need (well, ok...want) the faster package, and can justify it by not having to pay for gasoline to get to work.

AND...as a special bonus...they apparently can't/don't/haven't figured out how to block all the digital TV channels if you are an internet-only customer. Our digital tuner TV still gets 6-8 channels...in both SD and HD. Not that I've watched any of them for more than an hour or so since we cut our TV service and went internet-only in 2010. YMMV...

[braunbayboater]

We do not want TW and have Direct TV. We don't have or want a land phone line. Any suggestions for internet? I've tried Sprint and Verizon cell cards but so slow I couldn't get anything done. Any suggestions????

[Kamper]

FWIW - WMUR.com will let you watch the local news.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by Kamper

FWIW - WMUR.com will let you watch the local news.

We get channel 9 in Meredith and it's the worst channel of them all - constant static and voice problems - what's with that???

[Lucy Goose]

Originally Posted by patman

Yes, it is steep. That's the going TW rate here in the boonies of monopolyville, and I'm pretty sure that's not the budget package. They probably have a cheaper (lower speed) option too, but since I telecommute, I need (well, ok...want) the faster package, and can justify it by not having to pay for gasoline to get to work.

AND...as a special bonus...they apparently can't/don't/haven't figured out how to block all the digital TV channels if you are an internet-only customer. Our digital tuner TV still gets 6-8 channels...in both SD and HD. Not that I've watched any of them for more than an hour or so since we cut our TV service and went internet-only in 2010. YMMV...

Dont you have to give back the digital tuner to them? So how would you do that to get the few channels?
Just curious.

[patman]

Originally Posted by Lucy Goose

Dont you have to give back the digital tuner to them? So how would you do that to get the few channels?
Just curious.

Digital is not cable. Think of it like a record and CD. The record is analog, the CD is digital. Both hold music, but they need different machines to make them work. Analog TV signals were broadcast, then cable companies came along and sent the same signal over wires. Now everything is digital...both broadcast and cable signal.

The cable box is cable co property. It's a digital tuner *and* also does the premium channel decryption stuff and DVR, etc. It gives you the ability to convert the signal so you can connect to an old (analog) TV on channel 3, or using the red/white/yellow plugs, or using an HDMI cable to a newer TV, etc. The cable co likes those because they support all TV sets, but mostly because they bypass your TV's tuner so they have absolute control over what signals will get to your TV.

Newer TV sets (basically everything that is a flat LCD screen) have built-in digital tuners. You can connect them to an antenna and get a digital SD or HD signal...if you're in the broadcast area...no cable required.

Here's where the 'leak' comes in. With internet-only TW service, and a TV with a built-in digital tuner (and no cable box) I get the 6-8 channels by hooking the cable to the TV. (Ironically, I think the Hallmark movie channel is one of them) The digital TV signals are blocked for most channels, but some still leak through. If you actually pay for even basic cable, you'd get more channels.

An analog TV will not work directly with broadcast (antenna) signals or the digital feed on the cable since the national cutover to digital signals a couple of years ago. You can however get digital converter boxes that are (NOT from the cable co) that will convert the broadcast digital signals to analog channel 3, or the red/white/yellow plugs. That will probably work to take advantage of the leak too.

Probably more than you wanted to know...

[phoenix]

About ready to switch to time Warner from direct tv basically to get broadband Internet. Hopefully the tv portion will have something to watch and Internet will work well

[Irrigation Guy]

I have TW for just the internet at $40/mo. and use ooma for unlimited phone @ less the $5/mo.

Don got me to look into ooma and I replaced vonage with it. I have also have Directv.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by phoenix

About ready to switch to time Warner from direct tv basically to get broadband Internet. Hopefully the tv portion will have something to watch and Internet will work well

Direct TV doesn't have a broadband Internet component.

They have a bundling deal with local DSL providers, which can vary from crap to tolerable. Then there is satellite Internet which is about the most-expensive and least-satisfactory way to get on the Internet. It's slow, unreliable, frequently throttled, has horrible data caps, and just all-around sucks.

A verizon/sprint/at&t card, even with a 1-bar EVDO/EDGE signal, is still going to be more enjoyable than satellite Internet.

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by patman

An analog TV will not work directly with broadcast (antenna) signals or the digital feed on the cable since the national cutover to digital signals a couple of years ago. ...

Actually, not totally true in my case with Comcast anyway. Besides my hd box I have 2 of the small digital converter boxes that give me their70+/- channels. I also have 2 other analog(crt) tv's that I have connected to just the cable without any box. Its limited but I do get 2-23 which was Comcasts lowest level of basic. Btw channel 9 is one of them. fwiw

[patman]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

I also have 2 other analog(crt) tv's that I have connected to just the cable without any box. Its limited but I do get 2-23 which was Comcasts lowest level of basic. Btw channel 9 is one of them. fwiw

Ah, I stand corrected. IF you subscribe to at least basic cable, they still send the 2-23 analog signals on the cable. If you don't get basic cable (like me) there's no analog signal, just the 'leaked' few digital channels.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by patman

Ah, I stand corrected. IF you subscribe to at least basic cable, they still send the 2-23 analog signals on the cable. If you don't get basic cable (like me) there's no analog signal, just the 'leaked' few digital channels.

Not exactly...

The cable coming into your house (or more technically from the pole to your house) is carrying ALL of the signals for your node (the subsection of the overall cable system you are on).

On-demand movies and shows are really just channels that are created on-demand. If your neighbor is watching last week's episode of True Blood right now, that signal is also coming into your house.

Usually if you are an Internet-only customer, or a basic-but-not-premium cable customer they install one or more filters on your line. A low-pass filter is common for Internet-only subscribers, it only passes the signals BELOW a set frequency, but it's not a perfect system, so there can be some "leakage" of the upper-frequency signals.

The digital cable signals use a technology called QAM (Quadrature amplitude modulation). QAM signals can be encrypted, or they can be what is known as "clear QAM", digital signals with no encryption. Most modern TV's have digital tuners, which are clear-QAM tuners.

In your case it sounds like a tech didn't install a filter or installed the wrong filter, or the filter is slightly out of spec. In any case, your TV is picking up some signal level that it is able to tune to. The nice thing about QAM, unlike analog signals, is that you can sometimes lock onto a lower-level signal and still get a good/usable channel image (the probably of that channel not containing total garbage in terms of the quality of the program is another issue altogether ).

In the "olden days", like around the early 2000's, clear-QAM tuners were less common, and there was little or no encryption on the PPV/On-Demand channels. So, you could go hunting through the spectrum and stumble across on-demand shows that people were watching in your neighborhood, including watching them pause/rewind/fast-forward In many hotel TV systems this is still the case... If you travel you can get a clear-QAM USB tuner for your laptop and sometimes pickup some 'interesting' things being viewed by other hotel guests. If the hotel has the TV checkout system, you can sometimes also see people settle-up their bills on the morning they checkout.

[patman]

Yep, the filter is put on the pole before the wire goes to the house. I was simplifying a bit. If you're internet-only, they put on a filter that will block all the analog signals. (It still works reasonably well as an FM antenna with the right matching transformer though...go figure.)

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

In your case it sounds like a tech didn't install a filter or installed the wrong filter, or the filter is slightly out of spec. In any case, your TV is picking up some signal level that it is able to tune to. The nice thing about QAM, unlike analog signals, is that you can sometimes lock onto a lower-level signal and still get a good/usable channel image (the probably of that channel not containing total garbage in terms of the quality of the program is another issue altogether ).

Exactly what I suspect happened, and I have to believe it's not uncommon. The old analong bandpass filters had the same problem, and since they didn't want to adversely affect the legit channels, plus some tolerance variations, it wouldn't cut off exactly at the channel frequencies they were supposed to, so you'd get some leakage there also. If (as in my case) you're internet only, they don't care much about affecting adjacent analog frequencies so much, and the filter they put on is... effective.

[BroadHopper]

That explains why channel 97 on Metrocast sometimes shows a PPV movie. A neighbor ordered it and I can receive it. I'm supposed to have basic cable and with an analog tv that was what I got. Now with an HDTV I get the expanded basic but I had to figure out what the QAM equivalent of the analog channel, for instance SYFY channel 56 is 73.9 on the HDTV, WMUR-HD is 9.1

QAM channels is not always available, sometimes I get a 'No Signal' on my tv and sometimes I get a 'low signal'. I guess the HD converter box also boost the signal?

WMUR TV closed captioned comes in beautifully on DIRECTV. It is garbled on Metrocast. I get 'pixeling' of the pictures on Metrocast.

If you call Metrocast for help, they would give you the 'tech support' number. Hours of canned music recordings later, they would tell you to 'update the software on the tv'? A lame excuse if I ever heard one.

[NHKathy]

http://www.wmur.com/tv/about/Hearst-...m/-/index.html

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by NHKathy

http://www.wmur.com/tv/about/Hearst-...m/-/index.html

Thanks so much. Earlier we still had the Hallmark movie channel on the usual WMUR. Now ABC/WMUR is back. You made my night.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

QAM channels is not always available, sometimes I get a 'No Signal' on my tv and sometimes I get a 'low signal'. I guess the HD converter box also boost the signal?

Generally, no. No signal could come from the channel being temporarily remapped to a different frequency for some reason. You might want to look into a whole-house CATV amplifier, especially if you have a lot of splitters and/or crappy old RG-59 cable.

This one is very good, and not too expensive: http://www.amazon.com/8-Port-Bi-Dire...dp/B000WDR94U/

If you call Metrocast for help, they would give you the 'tech support' number. Hours of canned music recordings later, they would tell you to 'update the software on the tv'? A lame excuse if I ever heard one.

They are contractually obligated to deliver a clear picture with no visible signs of signal degradation. This includes sending a tech to your house, and potentially installing an amplifier like the one above, at no cost. This only applies of course to the channels you are paying for.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Generally, no. No signal could come from the channel being temporarily remapped to a different frequency for some reason. You might want to look into a whole-house CATV amplifier, especially if you have a lot of splitters and/or crappy old RG-59 cable.

This one is very good, and not too expensive: http://www.amazon.com/8-Port-Bi-Dire...dp/B000WDR94U/

They are contractually obligated to deliver a clear picture with no visible signs of signal degradation. This includes sending a tech to your house, and potentially installing an amplifier like the one above, at no cost. This only applies of course to the channels you are paying for.

A few years ago, I ask for internet service. The installer notice a very weak signal because of the old cable and series installation. I was allowed one installation only and the technician place a new cable from the box outside the house to the internet outlet. Other installed outlets in the house can be connect by an electrician who will rewire the whole house. After the install, the technician says the signal meets 'minimum requirements' and the transmission wires to the house may have to be replace. Since the utility wires on the street are buried he sees little chance that will happen. Since then I have been getting mediocre service and power off and on the router at least once a week to get back online. I'm going to request that they put an amplifier in, if I can get them on the phone.

[NHKathy]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Actually, not totally true in my case with Comcast anyway. Besides my hd box I have 2 of the small digital converter boxes that give me their70+/- channels. I also have 2 other analog(crt) tv's that I have connected to just the cable without any box. Its limited but I do get 2-23 which was Comcasts lowest level of basic. Btw channel 9 is one of them. fwiw

SIKSUKR - are you saying that you currently have Comcast and they are not exclusively digital and that you are getting channels 2-23 with a cable-ready TV? AND you are currently getting ch 9??

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by NHKathy

SIKSUKR - are you saying that you currently have Comcast and they are not exclusively digital and that you are getting channels 2-23 with a cable-ready TV? AND you are currently getting ch 9??

Comcast is available in Moultonborough?

[NHKathy]

Originally Posted by WakeboardMom

Comcast is available in Moultonborough?

LOL - that was going to be my 2nd question...
SO, i guess not? I don't know because my in-laws own, not me...

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by NHKathy

SIKSUKR - are you saying that you currently have Comcast and they are not exclusively digital and that you are getting channels 2-23 with a cable-ready TV? AND you are currently getting ch 9??

Exactly. It makes me wonder why I get those. I'm guessing 2-23 are maybe broadcast analog? I have 3 tv's that are not digital and they all get these channels. And yes, channel 9 is one of them.

[NHKathy]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Exactly. It makes me wonder why I get those. I'm guessing 2-23 are maybe broadcast analog? I have 3 tv's that are not digital and they all get these channels. And yes, channel 9 is one of them.

SIKSUKR - what area/town are you in? (if you don't mind sharing)
As someone else mentioned - I wasn't sure if Comcast was even an option - in Moultonborough anyway...

[tis]

Abc is back on. They made an agreement.

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by NHKathy

SIKSUKR - what area/town are you in? (if you don't mind sharing)
As someone else mentioned - I wasn't sure if Comcast was even an option - in Moultonborough anyway...

Sorry if I mislead you.I am in Bedford NH.I was just responding to a post by Patman that stated no analog tv will work on cable now without a converter box.I have at least 2 that work fine.

[NHKathy]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Sorry if I mislead you.I am in Bedford NH.I was just responding to a post by Patman that stated no analog tv will work on cable now without a converter box.I have at least 2 that work fine.

ahhhh... I see. No worries. Thanks for the info.
So, yeah, I'm assuming Comcast is no longer available in M'Boro then...

[wifi]

Originally Posted by NHKathy

ahhhh...... I'm assuming Comcast is no longer available in M'Boro then...

Time Warner is the only franchised cable provider in Moultonboro.