Still no power for Michel... read story in the following:



Thank you for your concern....Maybe I'll take that as an apology from you LOLOLOL....

Well, to make the story short, we lost power 3 times yesterday morning at around 7.30 a.m., 2 for a short while and the third one lasted till 23.30hr last night. I saw the news at midnight that said that St-Hilaire's power wasn't back yet and gee, I thought I was one of the lucky few that got the power back. As it turns out, all of St-Hilaire was restaured at 11.30 p.m. and gee, how disapointing, I though I was getting a personal favor from Hydro.....I felt like a King for a minute or two LOLOL....No, I did not have to go to a shelter but let me tell you that the nightmare of 1998 came back to mind....30 days without power then....So, since I had no power, I decided to go do the race of boxing day at the St-Bruno mall, eat sushi for lunch and souvlaki for dinner....No, I won't go into details saying which sushi or what sauce with my souvlaki, I'll spare everyone of that LOLOL. Oh yes, I did get a deal on Stoke's magnetic milk frother and I was thrilled to be able to get savings of $3.... Who knows, that could pay me the first month of HD discovery should videotron revise their decision :-)

For once, I could blame Hydro rather than Videotron for npot being able to watch some nice HDTV yesterday....but make no mistake, I'm back on videotron,s case today ;)

Michel,

I know that St-Hilaire is without power due to the ice storm in your area.

Not a very nice way to spend the day after Christmas. Many need to go to a shelter because of lack of heat. Was it your case?

Thinking about you and hope all is well.

Yeap, do you remember Hydro saying after the 1998 crisis : " we have solidified our network to prevent this from happening again "....... and yesterday, I was listening to Hydro's public relation girl on the news saying; " well, no network can resiste such extraordinary weather conditions"....Gee, that sounded familiar...I almost thought I was talking to a videotron customer service person LOLOL

You have to know your cost before you start selling, not after.....I have difficulties understanding why this doesn't seem to be the case here...Did Discovery change their price after an agreement, in the last minute or Videotron miscalculated their true cost before offering it in a package ??? Either way, it seems quite stupid to me. Why is it that Rogers finds it profitable and Videotron not profitable if the "per subscriber price" is the same (presuming it is) ??? Many points are not clear to me.....


My friend and I discussed it briefly but my understanding is that Discovery notified all their distributors that as of january 2006 (or something like that),they will become a 100% real HDTV station. That's the reason why they are changing their prices. Apparently videotron felt that they should stop broadcasting now instead of waiting for people to get the new PQ and then loose it.

Nothing says that Rogers won't make the same decision or change their prices when this new royalty to DiscHD takes effect.

My friend and I discussed it briefly but my understanding is that Discovery notified all their distributors that as of january 2006 (or something like that),they will become a 100% real HDTV station. That's the reason why they are changing their prices. Apparently videotron felt that they should stop broadcasting now instead of waiting for people to get the new PQ and then loose it.

Nothing says that Rogers won't make the same decision or change their prices when this new royalty to DiscHD takes effect.

Wrong info. Discovery started 100% HD already and videotron actually had it on air for 3 days before cutting it out... Rogers has it 100% HD 16-9 already at the same date that videotron had it , only they kept it....In fact, in the case of videotron, they had both versions available, 100% HD on position 664 and regular SD discovery on position 64, silmultaneously....So that arguement doesn't hold....

What can we do to get Videotron attention in getting us more HDTV channels and content. I've been on HDTV for over a year now and not much new happened since....

I know I am late in this thread, but I too fell to that discover story.
People across the river from us (Ottawa) still have discovery HD with Rogers.
A guy I know said he called them about the discovery HD issue in Quebec.
They told them there were no changes to the programming.....(I'm sure they wouldn't tell him). Still they say there keeping it the way it is.

I would still have liked to see Discover HD once. I got the Pace 551 Monday morning (Dec. 26). I called videotron at 9:30am to activate the box and add the HD extra to my previous plan. The billing rep. confirmed that morning that I was getting discovery HD. Well got home and ...NO discovery HD. Called again and the next rep. said it was removed Dec. 21. (pretty lame support form the 1st guy). I made a point on my 1st to say I was getting the extra HD for discovery HD.....It almost feels like he knew I wouldn't get it if he told me It was removed...maybe I'm paranoid :D

Anyway I did write videotron and discovery and crtc about this feud....doing my share.

Wrong info. Discovery started 100% HD already and videotron actually had it on air for 3 days before cutting it out... Rogers has it 100% HD 16-9 already at the same date that videotron had it , only they kept it....In fact, in the case of videotron, they had both versions available, 100% HD on position 664 and regular SD discovery on position 64, silmultaneously....So that arguement doesn't hold....


Thank's for the correction Michel. I didn't watch it much lately and I didn't know it had been on air for 3 days.

Edit: I just check what's in the HD-Extra package on their web site and DiscoveryHD is still listed. As far as I know that constitute false advertising.

I'm gonna call Videotron and tell them it's illegal to advertise something they don't sell. I will also tell them I'm cancelling my HD-Extra until they either lower the price or bring back DiscHD.

I invite you all to do the same. If our complaints don't touch them maybe dollars will.


2nd Edit: Done, I just cancelled it giving DiscHD as the reason. I was told by the rep that it wasn't Videotron's decision. They told me Discovery made a request to the CRTC to force videotron to remove it. I said I didn't believe it because I don't see why they'd do it only with videotron and she said they are gonna do it with others.

In short, she fed me with a load of bullsh...

Edit: I just check what's in the HD-Extra package on their web site and DiscoveryHD is still listed. As far as I know that constitute false advertising.


I'm not seeing it here:
http://www.videotron.com/services/en/television/5_5.jsp

But it is here (channel grid):
http://www.videotron.com/services/gestionGrille.do?grille=NUM&ordre=num

And yeah, I'm a bit PO'd about it too. I purchased an SA8300HD on the 20th. Enjoyed DiscoveryHD that evening. Found the "notice" the next day. Found this forum that afternoon while looking for info on what was going on.

...jim

You will also find it in their "Do it yourself Package" here

http://www.videotron.com/services/en/television/5_calculette.jsp

Just go to the screen were HD-Extra is and check the list channels, it's still there.

Thank's for the correction Michel................
They told me Discovery made a request to the CRTC to force videotron to remove it. I said I didn't believe it because I don't see why they'd do it only with videotron and she said they are gonna do it with others.
In short, she fed me with a load of bullsh...


You bet she did....It,s a different story depending on who you talk to. Now, if they do the same with others, will they go OTA ???? If not, they'll broadcast for no one... Gee, videotron has to put their act together on this one....Maybe if they tried saying the truth, nothing but the truth and the whole truth in the matter, it would work :-)

You bet she did....It,s a different story depending on who you talk to. Now, if they do the same with others, will they go OTA ???? If not, they'll broadcast for no one... Gee, videotron has to put their act together on this one....Maybe if they tried saying the truth, nothing but the truth and the whole truth in the matter, it would work :-)

Can't argue with that. Since we still don't know the real reason behind all this I think that buggin Discovery and BCE a little can't hurt either. Here's a link to the press release announcing the launch of the new discovery.

http://www.bce.ca/en/news/releases/bg/2005/12/16/73127.html

There's a few email addresses at the bottom, I chose jcook@discovery.ca and sent her the following. Feel free to copy it and email her too ;) .


Hello,

Last week, 3 days after the launch of the new Discovery HD, Videotron stopped broadcasting it without warning. Today their customer service department told me that it is discovery who went to the CRTC to force them to stop the broadcast and that other cable distributors will be forced to withdraw it from their line-up..

Your press release says that "Canadian viewers are going to have the opportunity to see our world - and other worlds - like they've never seen them before,". How can such a claim be made when it is obviously not available to ALL canadian viewers. As I understand it, the laws of telecommunications in Canada makes it clear than when a public license is given to broadcast a channel, this channel must be made available to ALL canadian viewers.

As a canadian resident, I believe it is my right to get any canadian television channel I want with whichever cable/satellite provider I choose. Therefore I request that Discovery HD be made available again to all Videotron's subscribers without unnecessary delays.

[Put your name here]

... As I understand it, the laws of telecommunications in Canada makes it clear than when a public license is given to broadcast a channel, this channel must be made available to ALL canadian viewers. ...

]

This statement is not correct. First I think there are different rules for satellite and cable distributors.

For cable, I believe there are must carry rules for local Over-The-Air TV channels. With the new digital channel licenses, there are two Tiers. Tier 1 channels were must carry if a distributor elected to carry any channel from these new stations. Tier 2 channels were licensed to be carried if the distributor and the channel came to a licensing agreement. For the latter there were also other conditions about how many Tier 2 channels could be carried from the distributor's related companies versus from non-related companies. I believe the rest of the channels have various rules and conditions of carriage, such as limits on pure US originated channels.

Certainly, all channels licensed to be carried in Canada over cable and satellite are not "must carry" channels.

This statement is not correct. First I think there are different rules for satellite and cable distributors.

For cable, I believe there are must carry rules for local Over-The-Air TV channels. With the new digital channel licenses, there are two Tiers. Tier 1 channels were must carry if a distributor elected to carry any channel from these new stations. Tier 2 channels were licensed to be carried if the distributor and the channel came to a licensing agreement. For the latter there were also other conditions about how many Tier 2 channels could be carried from the distributor's related companies versus from non-related companies. I believe the rest of the channels have various rules and conditions of carriage, such as limits on pure US originated channels.

Certainly, all channels licensed to be carried in Canada over cable and satellite are not "must carry" channels.

I wasn't sure about it, that's why I began the sentence with "As I understand it" :D

I think it doesn't really matter wether I got everything perfectly right or not. The idea here is to let Discovery know that:

a) We're not happy about the situation.
b) Videotron claims that they were forced to do that
c) We want it back

If enough people cancel their HD-Extra as I did then Fox, CityTV, TSN, Global etc will notice there's something happening, maybe they will ask questions and put pressure on whoever is responsible.

You've got to be kidding. Cancel HD Extra during IIHF Junior Tournament on TSN, NFL playoffs on FOX etc... For what nature HD repeats!

You've got to be kidding. Cancel HD Extra during IIHF Junior Tournament on TSN, NFL playoffs on FOX etc... For what nature HD repeats!

...and "24" returning to FOXHD in January! This in addition to "Bones" and "House".

Hello,

Last week, 3 days after the launch of the new Discovery HD, Videotron stopped broadcasting it without warning. Today their customer service department told me that it is discovery who went to the CRTC to force them to stop the broadcast and that other cable distributors will be forced to withdraw it from their line-up..

Your press release says that "Canadian viewers are going to have the opportunity to see our world - and other worlds - like they've never seen them before,". How can such a claim be made when it is obviously not available to ALL canadian viewers. As I understand it, the laws of telecommunications in Canada makes it clear than when a public license is given to broadcast a channel, this channel must be made available to ALL canadian viewers.

As a canadian resident, I believe it is my right to get any canadian television channel I want with whichever cable/satellite provider I choose. Therefore I request that Discovery HD be made available again to all Videotron's subscribers without unnecessary delays.

[Put your name here]

Well, I did and here is the quick answer I received:

Let me look into it michel.
Mc

Mike Cosentino
VP, Programming Communications
CTV Inc.
mcosentino@ctv.ca

Well, I did and here is the quick answer I received:

Let me look into it michel.
Mc

Mike Cosentino
VP, Programming Communications
CTV Inc.
mcosentino@ctv.ca

You're already doing better than me, I didn't even get a reply :).

You've got to be kidding. Cancel HD Extra during IIHF Junior Tournament on TSN, NFL playoffs on FOX etc... For what nature HD repeats!
I would love to cancel in protest but sadly I need the HD-extra because of a weird captions problem I am having with the American channels; the HD feeds for CBS, ABC and NBC don't display the digital captions (yes, I have my SA8300HD set properly for analog and digital captions) but the HD-CTV and HD-Global versions of the same show (i.e., Lost, Medium, ER, CSI, etc.) mostly have their digital captions. Videotron claims it is the source stations (for example, NBC in Platsburg, NY) that is causing this problem, and that I should contact them. But the problem is actually inconsisitant since sometimes towards the end of the show, the captions suddenly appear! Or it will start with captions and after the first commercial, bam, no more captions.

It sucks to be hard-of-hearing...:(

Now that Discovery HD is gone, I've been trying to get rid of my regular Discovery channel since it was a requirement to get the HD Extra package. It'd be nice to replace it with another channel that I'd want to watch but it ticks me off that Videotron is requiring me to have Discovery SD in order to have HD Extra yet DisHD is no longer offered???? Unless I'm mistaken, they're just forcing me to pay for a channel that I'm not going to watch, just because some lazy tech can't remove the Dis SD as a requirement for HD Extra.

If you have the 20 channels for $20 package, you can drop the SD Discovery channel...