I'm pretty depressed today.
Got this letter in the mail with big bold letters saying YOUR CABLE SERVICE IS CHANGING TO DIGITAL TV
And it goes on to say how my cable provider, Shaw, is basically taking away my analog TV service. I have no choice but to switch to digital unless I only want "basic cable".
Basically, "DIGITAL TV" is a digital box that Shaw forces people to use. This box plugs the "analog hole", making it impossible to tape TV shows with a VCR..... or in my case, my Neuros Recorder II+.
I love my Neuros Recorder II+ ever since I got it in Nov. 2007. It records in .MP4 simple profile format which is compatible with my PSP, giving it a lot of functionality for me. Not only do the files play on PSP, but also my Play-Yan Micro (Game Boy Micro, DS Lite) and my current fave handheld, my HTC Legend phone. I tape TV shows all the time for watching on my handhelds when I'm away & bored.
And it looks like that's coming to an end. Shaw sucks. I'm really pissed off about this because there's NO reason for them to remove features from "cable" TV. The truth is that the cable signal I'm getting, the channels are ALREADY broadcasting those in digital. They're just using the mandated switch from analog to digital as a cover to force people into the plans Shaw wants them to have.
Looks like I need to learn up on torrents or something.
later
don
8 comments:
I just received the same letter.
The thing is, the only reason I was remaining with Shaw is *because* of the analogue broadcast. My mother just wants the simplest configuration possible, and an external box which operates on a different input to the television just makes things more complicated for her (yes, I tried getting a Harmony universal remote, but it didn't help).
If we have to get an external decoder box, then I'm switching to Telus. I'm going to call Shaw this evening to cancel the service.
I'm the same boat as you about the analogue broadcast. That's all I wanted.
Doesn't Telus use an external box? I thought they all do now.
later
don
They didn't bother to send me a letter, I just noticed that my Kitchen TV doesn't work on the upper channels anymore. Looking on their website, it looks like they've already switched here without sending out mail.
I have one digital box from Shaw in my house and one tv without. Each box consumes 0.08 A constantly, whether on or off. (This is the small "basic" box.) That is about 14% of the energy my refrigerator uses. If I add a second box I will be using 28% of the energy used by my fridge, with no benefit to me at all.
My old CRT TV uses only 0.02 A in standby, why should a crummy little Digital box use 0.08 A in standby?
Not even a warning letter? That's nasty.
This all kind of reminds me of when property is expropriated or something. I know it's not the exact same, we don't have any real "right" to cable TV, and stuff like this underscores that reality.
I checked the web, and all I came across was a loose timeline for the cut-off was by "fall 2012"... I don't know if that's true but I guess I shouldn't be surprised if they cut me off one of these days. Man does this suck.
later
don
This is why you don't watch TV; USE YouTube on Wii! It works!
SAD ! Shaw didn't consider their elderly customers when they assumed their pvr/digital box were user friendly. A year ago we tried installing a digital box for 2 weeks & my 80 year old mother managed to order IFC cage fighting & an R rated movie....(in fareness we got a credit from shaw). They should at least leave a second tier of cable service for those that don't need or want HD.
"I'm really pissed off about this because there's NO reason for them to remove features from "cable" TV. The truth is that the cable signal I'm getting, the channels are ALREADY broadcasting those in digital. They're just using the mandated switch from analog to digital as a cover to force people into the plans Shaw wants them to have."
It's true that Shaw can and does convert the digital channels to an analog signal so that a digital box is not required. However there definitely are reasons why they're switching to digital. A big one is that you could fit 6 digital channels in the place of 1 analog channel. Analog service takes up a ton of bandwidth and continuing to offer analog service is holding Shaw back.
Why should they hold onto an antiquated service? Shaw is now the only provider in the country that still offers any type of analog service and once they get rid of it, they will have 6X more capacity to add more channels, VOD services, or more internet bandwidth. Personally I can't wait until it's all digital everywhere.
Yes there are some devices that unfortunately aren't fully compatible with digital cable, however it's up to the manufacturers of those devices to get with the times and update their hardware to be compatible with the current technology.
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