F*ck comcast

[GoSeahawks]

I tried to sign up for Comcast cable and internet through the comcast website. On the site, after entering my zip code, it said that the internet would be 19.99 a month for six months, and the cable would be 39.00 a month for three months. I ran into a problem because the previous resident had not disconnected their service, so instead of finishing my order online I had to call 1-888-COMCAST.

When I finally got in touch with the right person I was told that the cable promo was no longer available. I was annoyed, but I decided to go ahead and still get the services. I was almost done with getting everything set up when I was told that the internet service was not available in my area either. Isn't this false advertising? I am disgusted with this company at the moment.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this with comcast? I already made a complaint through planet feedback, but I really doubt it will do any good. There is DSL where I live, but I have missed the speed of comcast since I have been out of range. I just moved into the city by the way. Anyway, should I just live with the bullshit and pay twice what they advertised, or should I fight with them until they honor their advertised prices? I f*cking hate these big companies.

[Tekneek]

That is the way they do it all the time. Even as a current customer, I've never been able to successfully add something through the website. It always sounds like a great deal and then, for some reason, I am told I have to call in. When I call in, they ALWAYS deny any knowledge of the deal I was offered via the website. I suspect it is some kind of elaborate bait-and-switch technique, although I cannot prove it.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

They tried to do a bait and switch with me as well when I signed up for a new service. I called up the local guy in my area and he offered Digital Cable for $33/9 months and internet for $20/12 months. I said great, lets do it. He gets all my info says he will be over tomorrow to install it. Not 5 minutes later he calls back and says he missed a meeting and that deal expired yesterday. And the best he can do is something much much worse, I forgot what it was but basically I argued with him and said I wouldn't accept another deal other than the one he offered. He said he would have to call me back and talk to his manager. For some reason I was not allowed to talk to his manager. It took several phone calls back and forth until he finally backed down and gave me the original deal. Honestly, I was shocked because they are a monopoly and I really had nowhere else to go. But yeah, you are not alone on this one. F*ck comcast

[wade moore]

At least they're using Tivo for their DVR now... I wish I had Comcast just because of that.

[Honolulu_Blue]

At least they're using Tivo for their DVR now... I wish I had Comcast just because of that.

Really? I still have the old one.

Mayhaps I need a new DVR...

[wade moore]

Really? I still have the old one.

Mayhaps I need a new DVR...
In fairness, I think the first rollout is like... Monday?

[wade moore]

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=108&sid=1265812

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - After more than two years of promises and delays, Comcast Corp. has finally begun rolling out its first set-top boxes that run TiVo's digital video recording technology.

As expected, New England is the first market to get the long-awaited Comcast-TiVo offering. The rollout started in the last few days with test customers only, TiVo spokesman Whit Clay said in a statement Thursday.

The boxes will be commercially available "in coming weeks," a Comcast spokeswoman said. Pricing has not yet been disclosed.

The Comcast-TiVo deal was first announced in 2005 and is considered a key part of TiVo's future as it works to attract more customers and become profitable. TiVo pioneered the DVR and is the best known brand name but has struggled amid cheaper offerings by rivals, including Comcast.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV provider, has said it will continue to offer its basic DVR service; the TiVo-based offering will be a premium service.

Shares of TiVo gained 3 cents to close at $7 Thursday.

[Passacaglia]

What's the difference between TiVo and a regular DVR?

[wade moore]

What's the difference between TiVo and a regular DVR?

There have been many threads here to hash this out but I'll just put it this way - the software. The TiVO software in most people's opinion (everyone but KSyrup) is far superior than the software on the other DVR's. It offers more features, works more consistently, etc, etc.

[Barkeep49]

What's the difference between TiVo and a regular DVR?
The response time is the thing that tends to be most noticably different, at least to me. When you pause on Tivo, for instance, it feel instantaneous, while on other hardware there is a lag. Same thing for fast forwarding, and many other features. This is indeed a software advantage, as wade talks about, and it is a little, but good thing that TIVO does right.

A fair analogy, I feel, is how you can get many different computers but Apples tend to be the best designed (if having their own downsides of price and difficulty of upgrading). In the same way TIVO is the best designed and if you can get it included standard, rather than having to buy an extra box, it really is the way to go. DVRs change how you watch TV and it's for the better. I don't watch a lot of TV and yet would always want to have a TIVO for what I do watch.

[markprior22]

We've had Insight cable here for many years. For the most part, I've been very satisfied. They sold part of their territory (including my town) to Comcast earlier this year and Comcast is supposed to officially take over before the end of the year. I'm extremely nervous about that after reading all these negative CC threads. My cable bill is $ 103.00 for digital cable with sports tier and basic movie pak (not HBO, etc), DVR and broadband internet. I'm sure my rates will go up. I can handle a little increase but I don't like what I'm hearing about the company in general. Hope it isn't too bad when the switch is made.

[Passacaglia]

There have been many threads here to hash this out but I'll just put it this way - the software. The TiVO software in most people's opinion (everyone but KSyrup) is far superior than the software on the other DVR's. It offers more features, works more consistently, etc, etc.

Yeah, I know there have been other threads -- I'm sure that I've even asked on this board before, but don't remember getting a straight answer -- just some generalities, and that TiVo will recommend other shows for me, based on what I record.

[Passacaglia]

The response time is the thing that tends to be most noticably different, at least to me. When you pause on Tivo, for instance, it feel instantaneous, while on other hardware there is a lag. Same thing for fast forwarding, and many other features. This is indeed a software advantage, as wade talks about, and it is a little, but good thing that TIVO does right.

A fair analogy, I feel, is how you can get many different computers but Apples tend to be the best designed (if having their own downsides of price and difficulty of upgrading). In the same way TIVO is the best designed and if you can get it included standard, rather than having to buy an extra box, it really is the way to go. DVRs change how you watch TV and it's for the better. I don't watch a lot of TV and yet would always want to have a TIVO for what I do watch.

I have a regular DVR, and I think I know the lag you're talking about -- when I FF through commercials, then hit play to go back to normal mode, it flips back a few seconds. It can get annoying, but I also actually like it sometimes because if I'm on top of things, I don't have to guess when the commercials end -- I just wait for the show to actually start, then hit play knowing that it will take me back to watch the stuff I just missed.

[wade moore]

Yeah, I know there have been other threads -- I'm sure that I've even asked on this board before, but don't remember getting a straight answer -- just some generalities, and that TiVo will recommend other shows for me, based on what I record.

Main Features that TiVO has that as far as I know other DVR's just don't have:

Suggestions
Wishlists
Tivo-To-Go
Playing MP3's from y our PC
Other Multimedia/web features including remote scheduling


Things that by my understanding TiVO does better:
I've heard the Season Pass system is better, but I haven't used a DVR so I can't say
the lag that was mentioned earlier (but he's not talking about the jump backwards, TiVO does that too and it is intentional)
I've heard that other DVR's crash at times when I've never heard of a TiVO crashing


I know there's other things that by my understanding TiVO does better, but it's hard for me to speak to those without having ever used a cable companie/satellite company's DVR.

[Passacaglia]

Playing MP3's from y our PC

huh?

But that reminds me: is it easy with TiVo to transfer TV shows to a PC?

[wade moore]

huh?

But that reminds me: is it easy with TiVo to transfer TV shows to a PC?

If you connect your TiVO to your home network you can play MP3's from your computer through your TiVO.

Tivo-To-Go I should have explained. That is the feature that allows you to transfer shows to your PC. You d/l a free client on your PC and it's VERY VERY VERY easy to just click and d/l.

[Raiders Army]

Tivo-To-Go I should have explained. That is the feature that allows you to transfer shows to your PC. You d/l a free client on your PC and it's VERY VERY VERY easy to just click and d/l.

Up until this point, I was thinking DirecTV's DVR was pretty nice. That right there is a huge thing.

[Passacaglia]

If you connect your TiVO to your home network you can play MP3's from your computer through your TiVO.

Tivo-To-Go I should have explained. That is the feature that allows you to transfer shows to your PC. You d/l a free client on your PC and it's VERY VERY VERY easy to just click and d/l.

Yes you should have -- I didn't give two figs for that other crap you mentioned, but now I want TiVo! Once my exam is done, I want to try to set something up so I can watch football games on the train ride to work. If I can get files on the PC, then move them to the ipod, I will be very happy.

[wade moore]

Up until this point, I was thinking DirecTV's DVR was pretty nice. That right there is a huge thing.Yup. To be fair I think some (all?) of the HD models don't have this feature quite yet. They will soon, but not quite yet.

[wade moore]

Yes you should have -- I didn't give two figs for that other crap you mentioned, but now I want TiVo! Once my exam is done, I want to try to set something up so I can watch football games on the train ride to work. If I can get files on the PC, then move them to the ipod, I will be very happy.

I was supposed to look into it, so maybe i'll do that now - but I think there is a software to convert from Tivo-To-Go to iPod, not 100% sure though.

[Passacaglia]

I was supposed to look into it, so maybe i'll do that now - but I think there is a software to convert from Tivo-To-Go to iPod, not 100% sure though.

Failing that, I'll think about bringing my laptop on the train -- an ipod might be too small to watch a football game on anyway -- but it would be more convenient to carry around.

[wade moore]

Failing that, I'll think about bringing my laptop on the train -- an ipod might be too small to watch a football game on anyway -- but it would be more convenient to carry around.

Ok..

Looks like you have to get "TiVO Desktop Plus" for 24.95 to go straight to your iPod.

However, there are also ways of converting the file around through 3rd party software, but this software makes it just basic click rather than having to make 2 conversions first.

[wade moore]

This may not matter to you either, but the Home Media features also allow you to view pictures on your PC on the TV.. I've used it multiple times for "slideshow" type stuff with family.

[Raiders Army]

Yup. To be fair I think some (all?) of the HD models don't have this feature quite yet. They will soon, but not quite yet.

There was an article in PC Magazine a few months ago that gave directions on how to hack into your DVR box to record to your computer. Didn't do it, but I've been thinking about it lately.

[wade moore]

There was an article in PC Magazine a few months ago that gave directions on how to hack into your DVR box to record to your computer. Didn't do it, but I've been thinking about it lately.Yeah, no hacking here. Like I said, the only worry is I'm not sure the situation with the HD Tivo or the Series 3 Tivo HD... I know that at some point one or both did not have it and that at least one of them still does not - but I also know that they intend to have it on both of them in some period of time.

[Mike1409]

plus there is a hack on TIVO that allows one button 30 second skip which makes watching taped football and baseball games fly.

[Buccaneer]

Add me to the list of saying, Fuck Comcast. They were scheduled to do a conversion of the web spaces and said it would take less than an hour. So far it's been 7 hours and a rep said that there is no timetable of when it will be up. They are screwing with my eBay auctions since I have the images linked from it. :mad:

[Balldog]

Fuck Comcast/Time Warner.

I don't even get to watch Ohio State play this weekend because they are on the BTN. I guess I could go to a sports bar but they are all going to be packed.

I wander if I pick up Direct TV, if I can get it installed by Friday.

[ISiddiqui]

plus there is a hack on TIVO that allows one button 30 second skip which makes watching taped football and baseball games fly.

My Comcast DVR has that as well.

[Dr. Sak]

When I signed up with comcast they told me I can have HBO and Showtime for as long as I don't change anything on my package for $5 each a month. I kept them mostly because I really enjoy watching Boxing. Well now I get something in the mail saying that they are no longer going to give me the offer. They are going to raise it to $10 each a month for 6 months then up to $15 each per month after that.

I really wish I hadn't ordered Centre Ice or I'd switch right now.

[Dr. Sak]

Fuck Comcast/Time Warner.

I don't even get to watch Ohio State play this weekend because they are on the BTN. I guess I could go to a sports bar but they are all going to be packed.

I wander if I pick up Direct TV, if I can get it installed by Friday.

I cant believe that...it is the damn game of the week in the Big Ten and a lot of people won't get to watch it.

[Honolulu_Blue]

My Comcast DVR has that as well.

Yeah?

Do tell...

[Honolulu_Blue]

I cant believe that...it is the damn game of the week in the Big Ten and a lot of people won't get to watch it.

Clearly the game of the week in the Big Ten is Michigan vs. Michigan State.

Thank you, ABC!

I cannot stand the Big Ten/Comcast standoff. I hate them both. You see, I actually side with Comcast on this one. I think the Big Ten should be part of the sports package. It's where it belongs. There is limited appeal to the network. Once football season ends, I'd never watch it. I think for most, the Big Ten Network would appeal through the end of basketball season. I still don't think the draw would be wide enough to justify it being on expanded basic cable.

That said, Comcast is deeply annoying. They have all of these self-righteous commercials about how they offer some 150 college games this year for free. Free? Free?!? Are you kidding me? Have you looked at my cable bill? It's freaking outrageous. Those games come at no additional charge, but are anything but "free".

[Dr. Sak]

As far as rivalry game goes I won't argue, but the other game has two ranked teams.

But you hit the nail on the head with the Comcast/Big Ten Network stuff. My only beef is that Comcast told me that not many people will want to watch the BTN, well my response was..."I don't ever watch BET so refund my money for that or give me the BTN."

The person had nothing to say in return.

[Honolulu_Blue]

As far as rivalry game goes I won't argue, but the other game has two ranked teams.

But you hit the nail on the head with the Comcast/Big Ten Network stuff. My only beef is that Comcast told me that not many people will want to watch the BTN, well my response was..."I don't ever watch BET so refund my money for that or give me the BTN."

The person had nothing to say in return.

Comcast definitely is not consistent with its approach to channels. I think there are a number of channels on its expanded basic offering that would draw less than the Big Ten Network. Versus, I think, is one example. The difference is that Comcast owns all (or maybe just a portion) of Versus.

So, Wisconsin is ranked again?

[Dr. Sak]

So, Wisconsin is ranked again?

They are and will stay ranked till the end of the day on Nov 3rd.

[Balldog]

I've lost all respect in Comcast/Time Warner. A lot of people say Comcast is full of shit when it comes to the whole debate vs. BTN. I'm starting to agree. For example, a couple weeks ago I called when the Ohio State game wasn't being broadcast in HD during the 3:30 ABC slot. The guy told me they just received a call from ABC saying the game wasn't available in HD. The game went to a commercial and came back in HD. So the guy flat out lied to me.

[Passacaglia]

Is RCN available in your area? They carry the Big Ten Network now.

[JediKooter]

I wish I could just pick the channels I want to watch and only pay for those. I think I only watch maybe a total of 15 channels. History, Discovery, ESPN, AMC, TBS, Comedy Channel, Cartoon Network, PBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, and that's all I can think of, I'm sure there's a couple more that I just can't think of at the moment, but, those are really the only channels I watch. I think a dollar a channel would be a fair price for a 'pick your channels' type plan.

[rkmsuf]

I wish I could just pick the channels I want to watch and only pay for those. I think I only watch maybe a total of 15 channels. History, Discovery, ESPN, AMC, TBS, Comedy Channel, Cartoon Network, PBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, and that's all I can think of, I'm sure there's a couple more that I just can't think of at the moment, but, those are really the only channels I watch. I think a dollar a channel would be a fair price for a 'pick your channels' type plan.

right but how would you ever discover new channels?

[JediKooter]

right but how would you ever discover new channels?

I really don't watch a lot of TV unless it's Sunday or if the Padres are on or I can't sleep. So, I don't think that would bother me too much. :)

[lordscarlet]

I wish I could just pick the channels I want to watch and only pay for those. I think I only watch maybe a total of 15 channels. History, Discovery, ESPN, AMC, TBS, Comedy Channel, Cartoon Network, PBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, and that's all I can think of, I'm sure there's a couple more that I just can't think of at the moment, but, those are really the only channels I watch. I think a dollar a channel would be a fair price for a 'pick your channels' type plan.

We've gone over this many times. Hopefully JiMGA will show up to tell you why that is a terrible idea. Primarily, I doubt AMC would exist under such a model. Ultimately, though, you should just do what I did, and drop cable altogether. :)

[Desmond]

Comcast can suck my balls. For 2 years I had constant outages with their internet service, almost like clockwork every 4-5 months I would have outages. Getting a hold of anyone who knew what they were doing beyond "unplug cables, unplug from outlet, wait a few minutes, plug everything back in", was a chore that could last hours. When i would finaly get someone to make an appointment I would usualy have to wait 4-7 days till someone came out, and more than once the truck just left without me having my internet restored, forcing me start the whole process over again.

The kicker was when they came out to fix an outage, knocked down my PHONE wire, and then drove away, leaving me without internet or an effing phone. I went to my neighbors to call them, got transfered about 3 times, got told since it was the phone line there was nothing they could do as they werent allowed to touch it, and then had to make another appointment and wait another period of days for them to send somone back out.

This happened for about 2 years until they finaly rewired outside and inside.

Now the giant kicker. About a year after the rewiring I got a call from Comcast telling my usage was extreme and I needed to curtail my bandwith usage. I am always downloading or uploading shit or playing a game, it is in constant use, that's what i friggin pay $50 a month for.

I ignored the threat and sure enough, the next month my service was shut off, when I called they said i had been blacklisted and that i could sign up again in 2 years. lol. Fuck Comcast.

I switched to verizon and will never ever give comcast another dime of my money, i'd rather watch 3 channels and use a 56k then give them any buisness ever.

[JediKooter]

We've gone over this many times. Hopefully JiMGA will show up to tell you why that is a terrible idea. Primarily, I doubt AMC would exist under such a model. Ultimately, though, you should just do what I did, and drop cable altogether. :)

I'm not sure how it would be a bad idea. I mean, I'm sure there would be a few channels that would go away because they don't have the revenue to sustain themselves. Which, I would assume, be less than what they are currently getting from the cable companies if it was ala cart type subscriptions.

I'm pretty sure as soon as the discounted rate ends for Comcrap, cable and their spotty internet will be dropped. :)

[JonInMiddleGA]

JediK -- here's a summary (http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=125538&site=cdn)of a study that kind of explains why the ala carte model would not & cannot work.

Basically, anyone who thinks they're going to get the channels for $1 per, is fucking nuts. You're going to pay for the channel but you're also going to pay for the lost ad revenue from the lost casual viewers, you're going to pay for the lost ad revenue from all the channels that were folded, you're going to pay for the technology/equipment changes required to implement it, and most likely you're going to pay what amounts to an aggravation fee as well. A more likely figure seems to be somewhere between $2 per and as much as $6 per.

[Crapshoot]

I've had Comcast for a month - in that period, they have outright lied to me on billing 3 times. Its getting ridiculous, but what can you do>?

[Mike1409]

What about billing on a usage basis like electric/water. You get every channel and pay a flat fee per hour, per TV

[JonInMiddleGA]

What about billing on a usage basis like electric/water. You get every channel and pay a flat fee per hour, per TV

From the study cable subs today spend roughly 22 cents per viewing hour. and they average around 8 hours per household per day. So on those benchmarks, so $1.76 per day or $52.80 per month (30 days).

Now increase that to cover the lost ad sales revenue of the defunct channels, because we already know that none of the network groups is going to deal with reduced profit.

And increase it again, about $4.50 per TV in the house, for set top boxes (in the roughly 1/2 of all households who are still on analog cable as of '06)

And increase it again to cover the increased costs of completely changing how networks are marketed.

edited to fix some faulty math in the original post

[lordscarlet]

I've had Comcast for a month - in that period, they have outright lied to me on billing 3 times. Its getting ridiculous, but what can you do>?

DirecTV? Dish Network? Antenna?

[JediKooter]

JediK -- here's a summary (http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=125538&site=cdn)of a study that kind of explains why the ala carte model would not & cannot work.

Basically, anyone who thinks they're going to get the channels for $1 per, is fucking nuts. You're going to pay for the channel but you're also going to pay for the lost ad revenue from the lost casual viewers, you're going to pay for the lost ad revenue from all the channels that were folded, you're going to pay for the technology/equipment changes required to implement it, and most likely you're going to pay what amounts to an aggravation fee as well. A more likely figure seems to be somewhere between $2 per and as much as $6 per.

Thanks for the link JIMG! I still say, let's try it and see if their fears come true. I'd gladly pay 25, maybe 30 dollars a month to get the channels I want.

I just counted...12 of the first 30 channels I get, I can not watch due to the language they are broadcast in or I do not watch at all. 40% of the first 30 channels I can not or do not watch. I see rabbit ears in my future. :)

[JediKooter]

I've had Comcast for a month - in that period, they have outright lied to me on billing 3 times. Its getting ridiculous, but what can you do>?

I hate to say it, but, Comcrap has no incentive to get your bill correct. They are probably the only cable company in your part of town. (Yes, I'm ignoring that someone can get Dish, but, what if there are some rules or laws where you live that won't allow for a dish?) Comcrap is not going to make sure their techs are there in a timely manner, get your bill right, provide good (I didn't say great) customer service, make sure that you are getting the best quality feed sent out, or basically care if you like it or not. You want cable, you have to use them and put up with shoddy, at best, service.

[Crapshoot]

Yeah, DirectTV and Dish is an option, but they both want contracts. For internet, Comcast is the only option short of dial up. I'm good now, but it often seems like the left hand has no clue what the right hand is doing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'd gladly pay 25, maybe 30 dollars a month to get the channels I want.

If you're only watching 5 or 6 channels, I'd have to say that cable probably isn't really for you (or at least, it isn't designed with you in mind, as you're probably in the single digit percentages of the population).

[lordscarlet]

Thanks for the link JIMG! I still say, let's try it and see if their fears come true. I'd gladly pay 25, maybe 30 dollars a month to get the channels I want.

I just counted...12 of the first 30 channels I get, I can not watch due to the language they are broadcast in or I do not watch at all. 40% of the first 30 channels I can not or do not watch. I see rabbit ears in my future. :)

At the rates Jim mentioned, you'd get 5-15 channels for $30.

I don't know that the X of first Y channels really tells you anything, but I switched to bunny ears (HD set-top antenna for ~$50) and I've never been happier.

I hate to say it, but, Comcrap has no incentive to get your bill correct. They are probably the only cable company in your part of town. (Yes, I'm ignoring that someone can get Dish, but, what if there are some rules or laws where you live that won't allow for a dish?) Comcrap is not going to make sure their techs are there in a timely manner, get your bill right, provide good (I didn't say great) customer service, make sure that you are getting the best quality feed sent out, or basically care if you like it or not. You want cable, you have to use them and put up with shoddy, at best, service.

It is illegal to prevent someone from using a dish.

Yeah, DirectTV and Dish is an option, but they both want contracts. For internet, Comcast is the only option short of dial up. I'm good now, but it often seems like the left hand has no clue what the right hand is doing.

If you don't have DSL available, that sucks. I have had DirecTV + DSL for about 6 years (with the aforementioned switch to antenna + DSL).