Shaw Cable promotions, programming packages and pricing discussion for 2011

[pioneer PVR]

Just before leaving for Optik, I'm looking at a few other options for Shaw.

I've had the Digital TV (now $64.95) package for years. I don't care about HD channels. I'm quite happy with SD on my 5 year old 32" 720p Samsung LCD.

I'm thinking of buying a DCX3400 (currently being unloaded for $197.99 from Best Buy, etc.) and activate it. I also want to continue to use my DCT700, that I bought in 2007 (which I would run to my Pioneer DVR left on channel 3, instead of to the TV.) This gives me close to the flexibility I have before the loss of higher Analog channels that is apparently imminent.

Question: will my bill change with the additional DCX3400, if I bought it outright from BB? I assume I can split the signal off to both digital boxes. There will still be only 1 TV.

Question: is Shaw thinking of dropping the Digital TV (no HD) option soon? It looks like Shaw wants everyone to use the SPP, with HD.

Question: If I add Broadband 50, will i still be able to get just the Digital TV (no HD) option?

[tux]

If you buy the DCX3400, your bill will not change. You'll be paying the same amount per month, and you'll have a PVR.

Shaw's not dropping the Digital TV anytime soon. They'll be moving the tiers from analog to digital (their "digital network upgrade"), and that will be going on for the next year. Also, they haven't yet launched Personal TV as a standalone service, so they can't get rid of Digital TV yet. I expect Digital TV to be around for a few more years.

BB50 is available by itself, or with any combination of services, including Digital TV+BB50. Personal TV is not required for BB50, though bundling the 2 services can often (but not always) save you money.

You can have BB50 with or without the Personal TV

[GWNorth]

Originally Posted by pioneer PVR

Question: will my bill change with the additional DCX3400, if I bought it outright from BB? I assume I can split the signal off to both digital boxes. There will still be only 1 TV.

tux answered the other parts but on the splitting question, why would you want two cable boxes for the one tv? The 3400 has two tuners and is a PVR so you may not need the dct700. If you do want the two boxes active for the one tv, it will be hard to control just one of them since the remote signals are the same for each box.

[Jetranger]

Also, there are 'basic HD' channels included with your cable service and, with the DCX3400 connected, you might find you actually like the picture on your 720P set and change your mind about HD. Just a thought.

[pioneer PVR]

The reason is my wife and I sometimes like to record 2 programs and watch 1 live at the same time. The DCX3400 allows
"Record one program while watching another;
Record two programs at the same time;
Watch a recorded program while recording two other programs"

I've already got the DCT700, and it would prolong the life of my one of my (non-digital tuner) Pioneer DVR-550H upconverting HDMI recorders. I tried some test recordings with it left on channel 3.

About the single remote controlling both units; can't you program each remote to only work on one box, since they are totally different boxes? (I saw the thread where the poster had trouble with 2 DCT700's separated by a wall.) I had a similar problem initially with 2 Pioneer DVR's on the same rack, but I was able to get each remote to only work on a distinct unit with the correct code. (I believe it involved naming each DVR-550H).

[Jetranger]

The 'non-addressable' remote issue is one that has long been a shortcoming of Shaw equipment. The only 'up side' to it is any Shaw remote will control any Shaw box, at least up until the Gateway came out. The Gateway system does use a completely different remote so you could use your 700 and a Gateway(Portal actually) in the same room but with 6 tuners in the Gateway, you really wouldn't need the 700.

[GWNorth]

I'm not sure if the Pace boxes use different codes than Motorola boxes but that might be another option instead of the Gateway Portal.

[pioneer PVR]

Thanks for confirming the remote issue.

I am also considering the Gateway MG5225G, since it's down to $398 at Visions.
I understand this is IPTV, like Optik, but I think it would be better to wait 6 months or so for all the bugs to get worked out, as well as more of the features activated on it than there are currently.
From reading other threads, the DCX3400 itself still has some "teething problems" over a year after coming online.

Moderators: sorry if this turned into a hardware discussion, but programming pricing was my main concern, hence posting here.

[Jetranger]

Pace boxes use the same remote codes as other Shaw boxes. As for programming packages, the old ones are much better than the new SPP. There is no comparison. If you have any 'grandfathered' pricing, don't give it up unless you are certain you want to abandon Shaw.

The idea of waiting a few months on Shaw's newer equipment isn't a bad idea either as pricing is bound to come down; think Christmas deals.

[BeeScene]

So I've got the basic of basics. Classic cable, all three tiers; Shaw highspeed Internet (7.5) and phone by Telus.

I want to cut my overall bill, if at all possible.

I punch in the config Personal TV, Entertainment 1 and News, add in highspeed (-10) and phone +15. My combined bill is now 104.95 versus was 135.00 plus (Shaw/Telus). Not bad, right?

No. I'm missing a whack of channels. By the time I add in the packages that have the channels that I really only need, I'm back at $125.+

Not the outcome I'm looking for - the TV component is now costing 99.90 vs 64.95, and I still don't have all the channels that classic cable provides.

I'm considering looking at just keeping classic cable (64.95) and finding better deals on an Internet and phone bundle elsewhere.

This personalizer thing isn't helping me out. Any thoughts on how to approach this topic with Shaw? The reps I've talked to so far can only offer me a 6mo deal that will take out the costs of Ent1 and News, but after that after 6 mos, it's back to full pop. Really looking for a way to cut my overall bill permanently, especially on the TV end of it, as for the total number of hours I watch, it's difficult to justify paying more now for digital TV than classic cable is currently.

Yes, I have a hi-res TV. Don't care. I use it for movies. We all know that everything will eventually all go hi-res and be part of the standard package anyway. No sense paying for it now unless I really need it. (Don't)

Any ideas?

[GWNorth]

Since your TV is HD capable, you might try looking at HD Basic (38.95) and add HD Plus (16.00). That gives you most of the common channels (and in HD as a bonus) but you do lose some of the SD only channels. It depends on which channels you want to keep as to which package(s) work best for you.

If you tell Shaw the list of channels you want to keep above basic, they can probably tell you your best options with them. Sometime just one channel can make or break getting a cheaper option due to the way channels are bundled.

[DIGITALEight]

I understand this is IPTV, like Optik

No it's not.

[Kritiker]

See also Shaw Gateway Offer.

For $98.90 per month one can get:

• Gateway
• 2 Portals
• Broadband 50
• Personal TV

I haven't yet seem any info on how this affects, or might be applicable, to ordinary bundled customers.

For example, those who currently get:

• Digital TV for $64.95
• HD Plus for $12
• High-speed internet for $39

$115.95 total monthly bill.

There was a big ad in today's Free Press and apparently, in some other, e.g., Calgary, newspapers.

It appears, that this is not for new subscribers only. It seems to be some sort of regular price. The newspaper ad states:Only Shaw has everyday prices that give you so much for so little and the fine print, i.e., the Terms and Conditions, make no mention of needing to be a new subscriber.

Caveat:
Shaw, in the web page's Terms and Conditions, says, twice, Additional/Other terms and conditions will/may apply but then doesn't give us any idea of what these might be. I hold the view that these conditions must be clearly stated on this web page or available via an obvious link. Being buried somewhere else on Shaw's web site or being told to us by a CSR when we phone to order, is far too late, and would, in my view, constitute misleading advertising. So, while it seems that there is no requirement that one needs to be a new subscriber to take advantage of this offer, I have been caught before, when trying to upgrade to the 6 month Extreme Internet option, by some of these unpublished other conditions.

Addendum:
So, apparently this is no big deal, just regular pricing attached to the reduced Gateway hardware pricing.

According to dabell:

The gateway offer is simply the normal Personal TV + Broadband 50 ($84.90) + the rent to own for the Gateway/Portal ($10) and additional portal ($4).

Shaw confirmed to me today that still a 1:1 trade of PVR for portal, but only for additional portals - no credit toward the initial gateway/portal.

So, in light of dabell's comments, the above example would become:

• Digital TV for $64.95
• HD Plus for $12
• High-speed internet for $39
• Gateway & Portal Easy Own for $10
• Portal Easy Own for $4

$129.95 total monthly bill

[DIGITALEight]

If the $98.90 deal included home phone it would have been even hotter. But it's still a pretty good deal considering you're getting 2 portals!

[4got10]

This is not a deal at all. Just standard pricing for basic Shaw SPP - phone

Easy own rentals for the gateway is just lower now.

They just took out the phone and added the hardware to give it the perception of a deal.