GTA - Detroit HD Signals to be Buffalo HD Signals

[penguin44]

In a follow up to my earlier post, I have recieved a letter, email and phone call from CTSC in responce to my complaint to the CRTC. They will be getting back to me within 14 days. I have pointed her to the relevant forums here to check out what people are saying. She agrees that this kind of television is unacceptable quality and 'we' the subscribers are entitled to perfect quality.

BTW 57: Thanks for changing the name on my post! I totally forgot about that. You saved me. Thank you.

[lajohn27]

Penguin:

Isn't it just STOOPID that in order to reach anybody at Rogers who has ANY CLUE about the issues, you have to resort to complaining to the government body responsible for the industry and then they have to push you off to an industry funded 'watchdog' - who *might* be able to get some answers.

Utterly ridiculous.

Marketplace had a great show on how terrible customer service is these days - Across the board in all industries. Great show.

J

[Stoopid37]

Originally Posted by lajohn27

Penguin:

Isn't it just STOOPID that in order to reach anybody at Rogers who has ANY CLUE about the issues, you have to resort to complaining to the government body responsible for the industry and then they have to push you off to an industry funded 'watchdog' - who *might* be able to get some answers.

Utterly ridiculous.

Marketplace had a great show on how terrible customer service is these days - Across the board in all industries. Great show.

J

I don't think it's just me actually (sorry had to say something)

As I've stated before I'm disappointed with Rogers (TV) for more than just the switch. However, the responses or lack of response are expected and typical. I'm still pissed that we pay for digital cable, pay for HD service and still HAVE to rent their box for far too much when we could buy/build a more functional media PC for the same or less! The Buffalo switch is secondary to other issues but they all add up.

I'd switch but they have the best cell phone rates (for me) and I lived in a condo where ONLY Rogers was available and now live in an area where ONLY Rogers provides high speed internet. As a customer I've had very little choice but to use Rogers services and I fell they've exploited this. So in answer to your question - yes I think it's STOOPID, no I'm not surprised.

[lajohn27]

I'm not 'as ticked' at Rogers as I could be cause I managed to get their ditch the dish offer (free HD PVR for 24 months) and also catch the 15% of all services discount before it was discontinued.

Bell Expressvu is a joke. I would never subscribe to that. They do not deserve my money.

And while I like Starchoice; the discounts and value that I get from Rogers is the best deal right now in my situation.

[CorSter]

Did anybody contact Pat Foran or Silverman or Sean O'Shea?

If not, i'll start sending them out.

[castaban]

Originally Posted by CorSter

Did anybody contact Pat Foran or Silverman or Sean O'Shea?

If not, i'll start sending them out.

I thought about Silverman, but never got to it. Has been very busy lately
I think it is a very good idea to get the press involved.

[Mach2billy]

I just noticed that Rogers/Toronto has switched the HD PBS station(s) on 525 & 530 from Spokane to WNED from Buffalo. Now if they would just split the signals to give us Buffalo on 530, and Spokane on 525, we'll be getting somewhere, with PBS timeshifting.

[intrac]

It's been on Buffalo for quite a while.

[57]

Originally Posted by Mach2billy

Now if they would just split the signals to give us Buffalo on 530, and Spokane on 525, we'll be getting somewhere, with PBS timeshifting.

See the following thread on this subject. (This happened about 10 days ago).

http://digitalhomecanada.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=41434

There is only ONE HD feed from PBS. There is no timeshifting available. Even when we had Detroit and Spokane, the programmes were all on at the same time. Rogers saves some bandwidth doing this, and we don't lose anything, unless an affiliate goes down.

[Harl]

Last night I watched Invasion in HD. No breakup and all was well until 11.02pm approx. Lost had run 5 minutes long past the hour so it would be expected that Invasion would end around 11.05. However, WKBW decided their 11 O'clock Newscast just HAD to run so they cut out before the end of the show. About 3 minutes of the program never made it to air on Buffalo ABC.
Fortunately I have the West HD feeds so recorded the Seattle ABCHD version which I checked this morning. Talk about cliff hangers and plot developments in the last few minutes!!!

I emailed WKBW and ABC Network complaining about the chopped program. Buffalo's Program Director got back to me and said:

"Thanks for your e-mail. When "Invasion" was over, the news started.
The station does not upcut network programming, as that would be
inconsiderate and illegal.

Please check with Rodgers cable if they didn't follow the proper times."

I pointed out that no Canadian stations run Invasion except for CTV on Sunday afternoons, so Rogers had nothing to do with it. There's no sim-subbing at all.

The guy just wouldn't admit to them being wrong and wrote further:

ABC does produce programming in a version they provide as "Off the clock" to hold viewers for
one extra minute into other programs...and when Rogers or other cable systems run the shows,
their automated equipment may not run it appropriately."

I responded with a breakdown of the times plus how Seattle managed to show a further 3 minutes of program and 40 seconds of what's on next week. None of which ever played on Buffalo!
So far I haven't heard back.....

It really is annoying that we have to put up with such a dismal station when a perfectly good ABCHD is merrily transmitting from Detroit, which we used to get. As next week's episode is the finale, I'll make sure to record Seattle again just in case Buffalo screws up.

[Harl]

I did check the SD version after they'd switched to the news and the news was running there too.

[Mach2billy]

I taped both Lost & Invasion from WKBW HD on Wed, and just watched them on Sat afternoon. I had no problems, and it looks like the Rogers IPG was correct, in that Lost ran from 9:00 to 10:05, and Invasion from 10:05 to 11:00. I recorded from 9 to 11, and got the end of Invasion with the 'thanks for watching ABC' message, and the promo for next week's Invasion.

I'm visiting my sister tonight, and she recorded the same 2 shows on her hard drive recorder, from WKBW SD on Cogeco in Hamilton. Again, Invasion ran from 10:05 to 10:59, followed by the promo for next week, followed by the news at 10:59:45. Invasion did not run long, and I don't see that WKBW did anything wrong.

[nathan]

Originally Posted by HARL

WKBW decided their 11 O'clock Newscast just HAD to run so they cut out before the end of the show.

No, they did not. I still have Lost and Invasion on my PVR. Lost did run late, but IPG made note of that, and recorded until 10:05. Invasion only ran 55 minutes, and my PVR recorded all of it. Including the promo. WKBW ran them fine, and didn't cut them off. I suspect you were subject to the famous 'kickout' bug, and somehow ended up not watching live.

Everytime this season when Lost has had a 'long' episode, Invasion has had a 'short' episode, they've never run past 11PM.

[Harl]

Well that's weird - true I was recording it but I was watching it live. I wasn't in playback mode. As it started 5 mins after 10.00 I would expect it to be a full hour and run till 11.05. I never thought of the 'kickout' bug, but if indeed that's what caused it then I'll have to check things a bit more carefully next time.

It just doesn't add up though - the record light went out at 11.00pm but the kickout (if indeed that's what it was) didn't happen until 11.02.
The final scene was of everyone watching the 'lights' falling down, not a close-up of the doc. in the 'birthing' room (where my version cut out). I assume then that's what's at the end of your WKBW recording?

[nathan]

Originally Posted by Harl

The final scene was of everyone watching the 'lights' falling down, not a close-up of the doc. in the 'birthing' room (where my version cut out). I assume then that's what's at the end of your WKBW recording?

My recording ended after the preview/credits, and a bit into the local news. There was definately no missed time on my recording. (this thread had me worried as I had assumed I'd miss the ending, so I was fairly happy/surprised when I didn't miss anything)