Check the 900s :)

[rpokane]

Thought I'd be the first to break this!

Can't get access to them now...say need Sub....but looks very promising!
Not all channels are there yet but maybe they'll be coming soon.
Danster, was the upgrade done to provide this?

Wonder why they didn't keep the 800 numbering as in ON?

[Danster]

Later last year, I had posted that my "contact" then, had informed me of the analog being switched to digital.

Recently, I was informed that the ROD and TMN OD and the 6412, had suffered a major set back. Now to my speculations *WARNING- I might be on a limb on this one.

Instead of upgrading the system, the easiest way to get the extra bandwidth, is to get rid of analog channels completely. ROGERS owns their cable system so why wouldn't they provide El-Cheapo digi boxes for grandma and grandpa that refuses to have their cable changed? They just need to provide "free" boxes to those with basic cable and the extra bandwidth, is now ready to give us PPV HD, ROD, TMN OD and whatever else that requires the extra bandwidth. That alone is the cheapest way instead of laying more cable around town....END OF SPECULATION.

Now I know Ontario is getting ready to go all digital as well but my contact later last year, had mentioned that our system was going to get something that Ontario doesn't have yet and won't get until end of 2005. She wouldn't tell me exactly what it was but we were going to be happy....

As to why they didn't go the same route as Ontario in the numbering, I wouldn't pay attention to it just yet. They can change anytime. For example, on my DCT2500, channel 198 isn't shoing anymore as of when I just checked the "new" channels in the 900's. I can't confirm this on my 6208 as I am recording somthing right now. If we had the damn dual tuner, I might've been able to check it. Maybe somebody from Ontario or NB can confirm if it's still on their guide or it's just that my 2500 doesn't want to show it to me....

[rpokane]

Same here...198 is gone but 535 (?) is still in the guide as REDTV is there now too.

[TheHulk]

Originally Posted by Danster

Instead of upgrading the system, the easiest way to get the extra bandwidth, is to get rid of analog channels completely. ROGERS owns their cable system so why wouldn't they provide El-Cheapo digi boxes for grandma and grandpa that refuses to have their cable changed? .

Which may be exactly why they have been showing the digital cable box and 100 channels commercial for 23.99 a month or whatever the price is. You know the commercial is for nb as it shows a motorola 2500. I don't mind this approach as long as it is a band-aid till they get everything upgraded properly but it is obviously not a long term solution.

[Danster]

Well I would say if they did go that way, there wouldn't be a need to upgrade the system for a bit. The pipe would be wide open for all digital so it might be what they are doing. I haven't seen the commercial yet. Where does it pass? On channel 10?

[que3jxp]

I have seen that commercial too.

Dan, I hope you are correct in your speculation. Getting everyone onto one type of signal is just the smart thing to do all the way around. It should reduce all kinds of aspects of cost from infrastructure upgrade timelines to customer support.

[rpokane]

Good idea but who is going to put in all these terminals?
People are still struggling with the VCR

[BigJimmy]

What did they do with all those DCT-1000s when they swapped them out? Are they sitting in a warehouse somewhere? When they swapped them out, they told me it was because they couldn't support the new features that were on the way. It would make the most sense for them to give those ones out to the people who only have regular cable, who wouldn't want the "ultra-advanced" features that those boxes wouldn't support.

In fact, I remember hearing somewhere about a DCT box that didn't have an analog tuner in it. Rogers will also benefit because they'll eliminate everybody's illegal splits as each TV will need a digital cable box.

[bigoranget]

The DCT1000s only support QAM64 modulation. I'd imagin Rogers is using QAM256 in most areas of Atlantic Canada.

[automator]

I imagine Rogers either just junked the DCT-1000s, or sell them to a cable company, if they could find one that still used them.

There is a box with an all digital tuner, it is the DCT-700. It's claim to fame is it's ultra cheap(about 150-175$) versus the 2500 which is worth about 330$.

[TheHulk]

Originally Posted by Danster

I haven't seen the commercial yet. Where does it pass? On channel 10?

all the regular channels that rogers seems to simsub their stuff on like spike and others i can't remember but not on channel 10.

[Danster]

I hope I'm right too about my speculation. Let's kick it up a notch:
By making sure everyone "requires" a box to watch cable, this will get rid of the "illegal" taps and force those that do, to get a box. It translates to this: No box = No Cable TV viewing.

The money they lose right now for these taps, will upset the cost to these no frills boxes required to watch TV. Remember when ROGERS got rid of the analog PPV's? No more Tri-mode descrambling testing... Everybody had to get a digi-box in order to watch Pay TV or PPV. Did you hear anybody complain? I didn't....except those who had bought Tri-mode boxes the week before ROGERS switched ot digital PPV...

Now as to what happened to the DCT1000, if they are not in the St-John warehouse anymore, they have been passed on to smaller cable companies

As for the VCR type of headache, the digi-box is the best way to go. They only need a power on/off channel up/down and volume up/down button. That's it. The time, date and whatever, is all done by the ROGERS HQ. The digi-box will never flash 12:00 like their VCR has been doing since 1984 !!!! I think this is the most cost effective way to go and give us the same access to the programming that Ontario has. My 3 cents tax included.

[Danster]

Found out something about the analog/digital channels. They are due to come online on March 29th. I was talking to technical somebody earlier this evening and I managed to get tid bits here and there. There is also a shipment starting to arrive in NB of the 6412 but no word as to when and who will be handing them out.

I also found out that March 1st was the date that ROGERS was hoping to get ROD and TMN OD online. I also found out that contrary to my earlier post in November/December, Fredericton and not St-John, will be the first to get the On Demand services. They have memos out to CSR's to inform people of the OD coming sooner than they think. We are still at 750mHz but I guess there is something on our system that will permit us to get the OD services. Gosh I'm happy to be part of the Fredericton feed....

As to what is the $23.99 promo deal, well it's basically the basic cable with no boxes. If you want the digital channels, you have to pay $8.95 more (box rent) to get basic cable plus music channels. What they are trying to say is that at $23.99, you can get all the popular channels out there with the possibility of getting up to 100 more with the addition of a box. Just a ruse to get more people to get digi-boxes. I called on behalf of my in-laws but after adding up certain fees, they are not too sure they want it.

That's it for tonight.

[que3jxp]

That is some sweet info there Dan!!!

The bit on the 6412 would tend to jive with Jason telling me that the 6412s will be available by the end of March. And that corelating, helps me believe he is right in regards to him telling me that the people on the waiting list will get them first.

I was up in the 900's and "saw" all of the channels but they are blocked from viewing.

The $23.99 deal is pretty sweet, even if some people are apprehensive. If Rogers was here with that kind of deal 4 years ago, I am sure I would not have bothered with the *C stuff.

Lets all get our collective 6412 fingers crossed again!!!

[rpokane]

I think it would be the way to go (then again it doesn't affect me) but then you run the risk of people realizing they need a terminal to watch and then may consider giving the sats a chance (since they need a terminal anyway).