Why would comcast require cable customers to get a 'converter box'?

[salin]

This is what my mother, a comcast subscriber told me she was told. Could she have misunderstood the cable rep who told her that she *had* to have a converter by April, but if she acted before the 14th of Feb she could get it free.

My mother is in her early 80s and has all of her faculties, but is convinced and concerned that she is going to have to get a box that will require multiple remotes - and headaches in order to continue watching one of her tvs that is not digital. I have heard nothing about this requirement of cable users to have to get a converter box.

Then again, I use a converter box and don't get cable.

I suspect that it is some optional service they are trying to pressure sell (confuse the customer so that they think they will lose all service) which will include a higher bill. Makes my blood boil.

I told her not to get ANYTHING until she has more information.

[MineralMan]

1. They're converting all their signals to digital.

That means that you can just connect the cable to your older TV. A converter is required. It's free, and there's no monthly charge. She should order it now. It's not going to cost her anything.

[Donnachaidh]

2. does she have basic cable? We have comcast

And my understanding is that with the basic setup, a box is required because *some* of the stations have gone to hd. Not all, but some. We have three sets, and one is hooked up for just basic, and we did have to get a box for that one to access all the channels available. The other two are upgraded with the special stuff, so they have the bigger boxes.

If she just has basic, it's my understanding that there is no extra charges added to the bill - the box is needed for her to access all channels available.

Hope this helps -- pm me if you have any other questions.

[salin]

5. She gets basic cable

has one digital tv, and one hd capable - but not digital. She has heard nightmares from her friends who have a converter box - and hit the wrong button and think that s/he has lost service and needs someone to come out to reset it. She doesn't want the converter, but doesn't want to lose service, either.

[MindPilot]

6. HD capable but not digital? That doesn't sound right.

I thought all TVs had digital tuners before HD was introduced. I could be wrong...

[salin]

9. It was cutting edge when she got it circa 2003

a Phillips (small) flat screen - but pre digital. I have a similar model (a year later, and a bigger screen) - but not digital (I have a box and no cable.)

[amandabeech]

10. We have Comcast.

It went all digital last month.

Your mother will end up with two remotes. The digital remote will turn off the TV and change channels. It will also allow changes in volume.

She needs to keep her TV on channel 3 with the TV remote. If she has a sleep timer or something, she will probably use her TV remote for that.

It must sound really complicated to an older person, but my 88-year-old Mom manages her two remotes pretty well now. It just took her a little more time.

[salin]

13. Thanks - I bet this is what is happening.

I will let her know per your suggestion (that if she stops getting signal - to check that the regular tv remote is on channel 3). My converter box (non-cable) remote does not turn the tv on or handle volume. I'll have her check that out.

Sorta irritates me, though. Around here all of the psa's last year (paid for by cable) told customers to get a box OR get cable, ala that cable would do the converting for them. But then its been eons since I believed their was truth in marketing (even if the marketing is via public service announcements.)

[left coaster]

14. I had to smile when I read this thread...

My 81 year old mom is going through the same thing with Time Warner digital cable.. She's constantly hitting the wrong remote button.. and I'm constantly going over to her place to get her back on track.. good thing I only live two blocks away from her.. :)

[crispini]

19. LOL. Why not get her a universal remote and program it for her?

I have one that's actually a bit hard to use, but the new Logitech looks like it'll be really easy to use after it's set up.

[left coaster]

30. My mom is VERY resistant to ANY change..

But I may just try that.. thanks for the suggestion!

[SoCalDem]

34. and if she went to Dish, she would only need one remote

:)

[DJ13]

3. They might be eliminating their analog signal

A converter box would be needed to convert the digital signal into analog.

[MindPilot]

4. Is Comcast going to digitize the basic signal?

With my cable, I get the very basic signal over the wire without a box. For anything more than that, I need a box.

Maybe Comcast is planning on digitizing the entire spectrum?

[salin]

7. There is very little public information if that is the case.

Her town, due to geography, is hostile to antennae digital (for folks like me who want to be free of cable - and can get signals with a box, in my city), so everyone is on cable. I would think if there was a move to convert everything to digital - requiring a whole lot of folks to get boxes - that there would be some press or something.

[onehandle]

8. I have Comcast and just now switched on a TV that I have not used since the digital conversion.

It has no box.

I'm seeing just local channels, so if she wants to see anything else, she'll need a box it appears.

[salin]

12. That helps.

I am going to call in the morning. So its legit - even though it is contrary to how cable was being promoted in the runup to the digital conversion (ala you don't have to do anything per boxes if you have cable.)

[onehandle]

18. Read this FAQ about the conversion from Comcast.

http://digitalnow.comcast.com/FAQs.aspx?map=default_faq_map&#faq_def4

And, for the record. Comcast sucks.

[salin]

21. I agree... comcast sucks.

Thanks for the info. I just told her to go ahead and get it, and I will set it up for her.

[rcrush]

11. I thought the switch over was done a year ago?

Some places haven't done it yet?

[salin]

15. In central Indiana - prior to the switch over...the pitch was you cable users didn't need converters

that their signal would be fine. So the switch over for antennae tv happened nationally - but comcast - which sold itself as the means for avoided converters - is now requiring converters, less than a year later.

[Saturday]

24. I was mad about their lie too.

I'm in the Chicago burbs and was told nothing needed to be done if I had cable. What a lie! I guess Comcast doesn't think we'll remember what they told us just a few months ago. My new Comcast remote works everything and I do not have both remotes laying around to confuse me. I have lost a few channels (can you believe...CLTV which is local Chicago news)but I have gained a few with the box.

[salin]

25. It would be great if only one is remote is needed.

Otherwise I am going to get a lot of phone calls (I live more than an hour away) to help her navigate the remotes to get back on track.

[Saturday]

27. She can do it with one remote

but it has to be the Comcast remote not the TV remote.

[suffragette]

26. We had something similar happen in Seattle last year

They'd been promoting that you'd be fine with just the cable and no box, but started doing their digital transition.

Like your mom, I have an HD ready tv (has analog, but not digital tuner).

What that meant here was that if you just had basic cable (local channels. plus a few like Weather) you did not have to change, but if you had expanded basic (MCNBC, Bravo, Sci-fi, etc but no premium channels or pay-per-view) all of a sudden we were told we needed a (free) digital converter box since Comcast was changing these mid channels to digital. In spite of their free talk about the boxes, they had been slightly inching up the pricing of expanded basic to match digital starter for some months (sneaky).

Here's some info on how it happened here with a good explanation of what was going on:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/brierdudley/2008480563_brier08.html

I had tried a digital box before from Comcast, but didn't like it. Not great quality (my sister right now is having major sound iissues on hers) and I still have a vcr, which I like since I can tape one show while watching another without paying a monthly fee for it like a dvr. But the vcr doesn't work well with the digital box.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008719880_brier09.html

Since Comcast was taking away the mid channels in batches during the year, I decided to stay on my plan during the transition (despite numerous mailings and even calls from them to get the box) then call them once it was pretty much done and just reduce my bill to the basic plan I was now paying for. I already belong to Netflix (cheapest plan) so had been receiving their dvds and watching "Watch Instantly" on my laptop. Bought a ROKU. Easiest setup and use ever so I can use Netflix's watch instantly on tv.

Now I have the minimum basic plan and channels (again, pretty much local channels) from Comcast and have true on-demand through Netflix and ROKU in that I can watch shows I enjoy when I want. It acts as just a different channel with movies and tv shows I've picked to watch. And my bill is much lower.

Mind you no cable news in my new set-up. I do miss seeing Keith and Rachel live, but that's pretty much it for me. I supplement with Hulu or finding some guilty pleasures through their online page.

[NoPasaran]

16. The switch to digital applied to broadcasters

Cable companies could continue to crossconvert and provide analog service.

[asjr]

17. I have Charter Cable and they brought

a "little black box" when they hooked me up. My set is not digital either and this seems to do the job. There is no extra payment. The remote they bring you must be used, not the one that came with your t.v. set.

[itsrobert]

20. Her basic cable will be Local Channels, Fox News, CNN, Shopping, and God Channels

No MSNBC. She will need to pay a premium for that.

[salin]

22. Doesn't sound much better than no cable

I get nearly all of that (minus CNN and FoxNews) without cable.

[CatWoman]

29. Salin,

did my switchover this past October, and I "gained" stations.

Previously I had to pay extra for MSNBC, but after hooking up the converter, I was able to get it on the tv that had basic cable only.

[salin]

32. Mom has missed the extra Cspans...

So she will get those back - no longer concerned. Me, I am just no home enough to justify paying for any cable - and w/the net - I get the news without the aggravation.

Btw: :hi:

[salin]

23. Thanks all

as a non-cable user - I now better understand what the cable company is doing - and how to advice and help my mother.

[WeDidIt]

28. It's their switchover to 100% digital.

It's required.

They've already completed my area. Seriously, she needs to get the box.

[HillbillyBob]

31. The cable box remote control can be set to operate the tv

as well so she would not need a pile of remotes.
I would also have the company disable the pay per view option too.
I had a houseguest (from hell..i hope he goes back soon!) who ran up a bunch of ppv movies while I was in bed recovering from surgery costing us a couple hundred bucks.

[salin]

33. Yikes!

Will definitely have her have them disable the pay per view. The Grandkids are at the age where they wouldn't think about the cost, but just turn on.

Sounds like the houseguest needs to be house-gone.