Just a reminder in the upper right there is a forum link for people to chat amongst themselves about love and frustrations if you don't feel like listening/reading my drivel.
http://thecableextortion.blogspot.com/p/cable-extrotion-forum.html
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Is cable really this expensive?
Can I ask how companies can offer 2 year long introductory prices at HALF of the "regular price" then double it? Why cant these introductory prices be the regular cable price 24/7? They used to say they lost so much in piracy that they needed to keep awkwardly inflated prices for those who would pay. Well now with the digital swap piracy and theft is a thing of the past so when will prices start dropping?
We NEED to have multiple cable providers per region. There needs to be competition, instead of these monopolies companies have on certain areas.
We NEED to have multiple cable providers per region. There needs to be competition, instead of these monopolies companies have on certain areas.
WOW I get to pay for nothing!
So the full on Comcast digital swap has happened. Any channels you could once get by simply plugging your cable into the back of your TV have now gone digital and you need either one of their fancy pants boxes or a digital adapter.
To make this transition "easier" Comcast has taken it upon their "good" graces to supply one free Digital Converter Box and TWO, yes you heard me TWO, free digital adapters!
I mean seriously how can you complain when a company is offering TWO FREE digital adapters?!!!?!??!? HOW YOU SAY?!
Well let me fill you in on how this new digital system works. You sign up for extended basic or even economy. With this package you get from 2 to about comedy central. Its a cheaper package, not much fluff, and reasonably priced. So you plug in your digital equipment and call in an activation. You scan through the digital box and see, "yup heres the package I'm paying for". You then stroll up to the digital adapter... "WTF MATE! Wheres my comedy central IM PAYING FOR!".
Well the TWO FREE digital adapters ONLY supply you with general basic.... BASIC! Channel 2 through 25! So in order to get all the channels your paying for you NEED to order another box at 8$ a pop. So if you have 3 TVs like most people have then thats 16$ + tax, almost 20$ on top of what your paying to get what your ALREADY paying for! This is unacceptable. Congress needs to step in and do something here. You should not have to pay for more things you never previously needed in order to "get what your already paying for".
The cable companies try to swindle the lines about "ohhhhh you get on demand and digital channels", fuck off! I dont use on demand and only care about my average channels. This is ridiculous. Either supply me with more free boxes so I can get what Im paying for or make one box that can supply multiple tvs at once.
This wouldnt be so bad if you could also buy your own converter box.
To make this transition "easier" Comcast has taken it upon their "good" graces to supply one free Digital Converter Box and TWO, yes you heard me TWO, free digital adapters!
I mean seriously how can you complain when a company is offering TWO FREE digital adapters?!!!?!??!? HOW YOU SAY?!
Well let me fill you in on how this new digital system works. You sign up for extended basic or even economy. With this package you get from 2 to about comedy central. Its a cheaper package, not much fluff, and reasonably priced. So you plug in your digital equipment and call in an activation. You scan through the digital box and see, "yup heres the package I'm paying for". You then stroll up to the digital adapter... "WTF MATE! Wheres my comedy central IM PAYING FOR!".
Well the TWO FREE digital adapters ONLY supply you with general basic.... BASIC! Channel 2 through 25! So in order to get all the channels your paying for you NEED to order another box at 8$ a pop. So if you have 3 TVs like most people have then thats 16$ + tax, almost 20$ on top of what your paying to get what your ALREADY paying for! This is unacceptable. Congress needs to step in and do something here. You should not have to pay for more things you never previously needed in order to "get what your already paying for".
The cable companies try to swindle the lines about "ohhhhh you get on demand and digital channels", fuck off! I dont use on demand and only care about my average channels. This is ridiculous. Either supply me with more free boxes so I can get what Im paying for or make one box that can supply multiple tvs at once.
This wouldnt be so bad if you could also buy your own converter box.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Check this out
Was just having an ala carte' convo this morning
http://news.yahoo.com/cable-providers-aim-offer-channels-al-la-carte-131918956.html
What do you think the pricing would be. Yes sports channels would be expensive but for those of us who simply like discovery and cartoons, we might make out. I Would be more than willing to pay 15$ a month for a dozen (more or less) channels of my choosing.
But we get back to those damn boxes and the rental costs, wattage and just plain ugly annoyance of having to put the thing somewhere!
http://news.yahoo.com/cable-providers-aim-offer-channels-al-la-carte-131918956.html
What do you think the pricing would be. Yes sports channels would be expensive but for those of us who simply like discovery and cartoons, we might make out. I Would be more than willing to pay 15$ a month for a dozen (more or less) channels of my choosing.
But we get back to those damn boxes and the rental costs, wattage and just plain ugly annoyance of having to put the thing somewhere!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wow maybe it's a conspiracy? Paying 2 companies AT ONCE!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/us/26cable.html?pagewanted=all
This is a nice article on something I have always held a resentment against cable boxes about. Your not just renting the box from your provider but also paying the extra juice it costs to run it DAILY!
To me having a box is just an uneeded expense in today's age of technological advances on television but the companies STILL find ways to make you NEED one.
When companies started going digital, TV's added the function into their products. Well cable companies promptly added the need for cards. When some TV's were manufactured with card slot they all of a sudden didn't use the encryption needed and you STILL needed a set top box. I just now heard first hand that some HD set top boxes will no longer work with previously purchased HDTV's HDMI ports due to new encryption standards and you now HAVE to use component cables. There is a constant change in features added to TV's (picture in picture, online services, ETC) that get put the the side when you need to have a box. Many providers now block ALL channels wihtout the use of a box (Cablevision) and when the switch was happening we were told we could purchase our own digital boxes at stores but I have yet to see one being sold anywhere. Its all a scam.
When will it end? We need to start writing letters to our congressmen and the FCC and demanding some changes start being made to make services more affordable. Or we can follow Jamel and cut the cord completely for services such as Netflix and Hulu.
This is a nice article on something I have always held a resentment against cable boxes about. Your not just renting the box from your provider but also paying the extra juice it costs to run it DAILY!
To me having a box is just an uneeded expense in today's age of technological advances on television but the companies STILL find ways to make you NEED one.
When companies started going digital, TV's added the function into their products. Well cable companies promptly added the need for cards. When some TV's were manufactured with card slot they all of a sudden didn't use the encryption needed and you STILL needed a set top box. I just now heard first hand that some HD set top boxes will no longer work with previously purchased HDTV's HDMI ports due to new encryption standards and you now HAVE to use component cables. There is a constant change in features added to TV's (picture in picture, online services, ETC) that get put the the side when you need to have a box. Many providers now block ALL channels wihtout the use of a box (Cablevision) and when the switch was happening we were told we could purchase our own digital boxes at stores but I have yet to see one being sold anywhere. Its all a scam.
When will it end? We need to start writing letters to our congressmen and the FCC and demanding some changes start being made to make services more affordable. Or we can follow Jamel and cut the cord completely for services such as Netflix and Hulu.
Why?
Why is this here? To "me" and the countless other people I have seen on forums cable companies have gotten out of control. Most of this started with their digital switches but they have hypothetically been financially raping customers for decades.
From being forced to rent boxes to just getting sub par service we pay because there are no other real options and due to service area lock ins there wont be, and our politicians are so paid off it comes down to what can we do? Aside complaining not much, BUT maybe if we all make our voices and anger known in some designated area we can force some kind of change to happen. If not at least venting is nice.
From being forced to rent boxes to just getting sub par service we pay because there are no other real options and due to service area lock ins there wont be, and our politicians are so paid off it comes down to what can we do? Aside complaining not much, BUT maybe if we all make our voices and anger known in some designated area we can force some kind of change to happen. If not at least venting is nice.
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