Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: DREDIOCK on March 16, 2006, 09:00:23 AM
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Personaly I favor a la carte.
Cable bill is absurd, Satalite isnt much better pricewise.
And out of the sevrla hundred channels I get I only actually watch or want a fraction of them.
For example
I have like 20 different music channels that I never watch.
I have two ABC Stations that exept for the News, show exactly the same shows at exactly the same time. and the list could go on.
I just dont need,want,nor do I wish to pay for alot of these channels I get
Cable industry slams a la carte study
Repudiating a 2004 commission report that opposed a la carte, the FCC says that niche channels, often packaged in a tier of digital services, might be stronger under a la carte: Consumers could order them without paying first for expanded basic networks.
The new reports are a sign of "industry hysterics," says Consumers Union's Gene Kimmelman. "In Canada, you can buy a la carte as many channels as most Americans watch for about 20% less. In France, you can get ESPN for 40 cents a month, so it's hard for me to believe it would be $20 here."
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2006-03-15-cable-a-la-carte_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2006-03-15-cable-a-la-carte_x.htm)
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I'd kill for a la carte. My cable bill is ridiculous... between phone lines, residential broadband, commercial broadband, and the uber channel package (all premiums, on demand content, HD channels)... I pay $130/month for my house, and another $200/mo for my office. The ridiculous part is, with hundreds of channels available, I watch less than 2 dozen. My dream package would be HBO, Showtime, Military Channel, History Channel, Spike TV, and the HD channels... that's all I really want. I don't think I've ever even used the 100 music channels.
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Don't have cable or sat for just this reason. I dont need x number of shopping channels , or other useless channels. I don't and wont pay for something I'll never use. The only thing that temps me to get cable are Speed , SciFi (seen new bsg once and damn i'm hooked), and military channel
Bronk
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If the FCC has the time and/or manpower to conduct studies such as this, they are grossly over-funded.
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All I need is:
Sci-Fi
History
A&E
TLC
Discovery
HBO
Fox
My locals
And I could probably give HBO up.
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Originally posted by Krusher
And I could probably give HBO up.
give up HBO and you'll be getting a visit from this guy:
(http://cache.boston.com/images/bostondirtdogs//dirt%20dog%20gifs%205/TonySoprano.jpg)
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seeing as i lost cable at my house, and just spent the night at parents last night watching cable....
i found myself surfing in no particular order:
A&E
Bravo
Turner Classic Movies
AMC
Sci-Fi
Comedy Central
MTV
VH1
Spike
Discovery
History
Travel
FX
USA
TNT
CMT
TBS
Animal Planet
TV Land
Cartoon Network
add all those up, would i save money a la carte? there's at least 1 thing i like watching on most of those channels at one time or another. depends on the mood.
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Originally posted by xrtoronto
give up HBO and you'll be getting a visit from this guy:
(http://cache.boston.com/images/bostondirtdogs//dirt%20dog%20gifs%205/TonySoprano.jpg)
But Tony, I watched it on DVD rentals I swear !
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Originally posted by Mustaine
seeing as i lost cable at my house, and just spent the night at parents last night watching cable....
i found myself surfing in no particular order:
A&E
Bravo
Turner Classic Movies
AMC
Sci-Fi
Comedy Central
MTV
VH1
Spike
Discovery
History
Travel
FX
USA
TNT
CMT
TBS
Animal Planet
TV Land
Cartoon Network
add all those up, would i save money a la carte? there's at least 1 thing i like watching on most of those channels at one time or another. depends on the mood.
With TiVo, I do not surf ever. A la carte would be cheaper for me.
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Originally posted by Sandman
With TiVo, I do not surf ever. A la carte would be cheaper for me.
so you sit start to finish thourh 1 show?
i was watching both myth busters and world series of poker at the same time last night, and felt i got a good does of both, along with other stuff when there was commercials on both at the same time.
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Originally posted by Mustaine
so you sit start to finish thourh 1 show?
Exactly. I don't watch anything "live" and I fast forward through all commercials.
A one hour show has approximately 15 minutes of advertising. I don't start watching until it's at least 15 minutes into it.
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Yep a la carte would be the way to get it done. BUT somehow I think we would still get reamed by the man. Face it guys the little guys (consumers) never get the deals that would benefit us. It must benefit the corporate enviroment to be good for everyone.
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Originally posted by Sandman
Exactly. I don't watch anything "live" and I fast forward through all commercials.
A one hour show has approximately 15 minutes of advertising. I don't start watching until it's at least 15 minutes into it.
see i never know what i am in the mood for. if i had tivo, i would not have tivoed the poker, because i might not have been in the mood.
there's so many shows like that out there, i would not want to spend 2 hours reading tv guide and setting up what to record for the next week / month whatever.
i got a channel changer, it's made for commercials :p ;)
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Like Sandman, I never watch live TV anymore. I also have dual PVR's so I can record more than one channel at a time, when there are conflicts in decent programming. The last time I tried to watch a show in real time, I found I just could not do it. I really had forgotten how obnoxious commercials are.
That said, sure ala carte would be a good deal. I probably watch fewer than a dozen channels. It will never happen. They will argue about how the cost of the infrastructure would negate any savings to the consumer.
Of course, I would just tell then to fire thier IT staff if that is true. :)
Mustaine, we do not have to read TV Guide. I select from categories listed on my screen. Very fast, and very easy. For movies, you record once, for regualr season shows, it will automatically record the show each week. For daily shows, just select daily and that is it. Channel surfing is dead. Hehe
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Channel surfing is dead. Hehe
surf or die!!!!1111ONE
i am the bodhi-zappha of surfing (the kind without water :lol )
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Originally posted by Mustaine
see i never know what i am in the mood for. if i had tivo, i would not have tivoed the poker, because i might not have been in the mood.
there's so many shows like that out there, i would not want to spend 2 hours reading tv guide and setting up what to record for the next week / month whatever.
i got a channel changer, it's made for commercials :p ;)
Time Warner Cable has a search button. Hit that, type in the name of the program, and you get all the listings. On Demand content is also pretty cool. Just pick what you want, click start, and off you go into a commercial free viewing experience with pause, rewind, & play. Pretty spiffy. It's as close to al a carte as we've gotten so far. The downside is not all shows/movies/events are available at all times, and the main focus of it is premium channels. That's the catch with it, you have to already be paying for the premium channels you want to watch the show on, and then an additional $2 or $3/mo for the on demand service.
That said, it's still really nice to be able to watch the boxing matches, Sopranos, Weeds, Penn & Teller, stand-up comics, etc, etc, I miss a day or 2 after they air without having to own a PVR (and never having to remember to set it) :)
Strange side story here. On Monday one of my friends called, and demanded I find "Beginners Budekon" in the fitness section of I-Control. I dug through the menus and found it, hit play... eventually... I was looking in the dance section since all I heard was "Beginners Booty-Con". Then myself and some roommates stared in confusion at the TV as somebody who looks almost exactly like me started hosting the show... I geuss everybody really does have a twin out there.
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I oculd care less about on-demand. I have that with a PVR. Just a nifty side-effect of having one and it is free, and works with all channels.
Seriously guys. you really should take a look into some type of PVR. You would be surprised how it changes the way you watch TV, and in a very good way. There is no way I could ever go back to watching TV without one.
Of course, I have a dual channel PVR, which allows me to watch live and record, or record two shows at a time. The only downside to single channel PVR's, is when they are recording, you have to watch another PVR event or watch what is being recorded.
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No kidding. A dual channel PVR (or DVR) will change the way you watch television.
I can't really say when our favorite shows come on live. I just set the season pass and watch what I feel like watching.
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Our cable company announced that later this year a triple tuner PVR with 120 hour capacity will be available.
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Cool Vipermann. I could have fun with that. Is it HD capable?
I am getting ready to take the plunge and get a dual channel HD PVR, but it is a pricy option and want to make sure the time is right. If something better is coing in the very near future, I will hold off.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Seriously guys. you really should take a look into some type of PVR. You would be surprised how it changes the way you watch TV, and in a very good way. There is no way I could ever go back to watching TV without one.
Which brands don't suck? I've got a trip to Fry's & Best Buy to make this evening for dvd's & some access points anyways. :)
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
... It will never happen. They will argue about how the cost of the infrastructure would negate any savings to the consumer....
never say never..
Here in Tampa, Verizon is laying fiber to the home ..TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE ... with that anything is possible
they'll take the hit just to stick it to the local cable co's as their pockets are slightly deeper
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Originally posted by Vipermann
Our cable company announced that later this year a triple tuner PVR with 120 hour capacity will be available.
it will not be 120 hours at best quality ... then again some are happy with dvix :)
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Originally posted by Eagler
never say never..
Here in Tampa, Verizon is laying fiber to the home ..TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE ... with that anything is possible
they'll take the hit just to stick it to the local cable co's as their pockets are slightly deeper
Yes, I have that fiber already (FIOS). Unfortunately, they are using the Motorola set box which just flat out sucks for HD content (picture looks worse than the analog NTSC transmission).
My neighbor, across the street, works for Verizon and is in charge of the parts which go into the FIOS setup. He tells me they will be switching to another converter box soon. So, I am patiently waiting for that before making the switch.
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My current PVR(MOXI) is HD and the new ones are supposed to be as well.
As for not being 120 hours at best quality, the PVR only has one quality, except for HD which is lower.
From what I can tell the MOXI PVR is only available through your cable company but you may be able to use it elsewhere.
edit: Also I was wrong, the new one has 4 tuners and the ability to use smaller sub-boxes at other TV's to watch recorded content. Also the ability to use add-on USB 2.0 drives to increase recording time.
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Lower quality = no sale to me.
I would be happy with 40 hours of high quality HD content, versus 80 hours of poor quality. The curse of having a large screen TV is, you see every freaking error in the signal.
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Sorry I didn't mean lower quality I meant lower recording time with HD. The quality is still HD.
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Ahhh. Thank you for the clarification.
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Originally posted by Eagler
never say never..
Here in Tampa, Verizon is laying fiber to the home ..TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE ... with that anything is possible
they'll take the hit just to stick it to the local cable co's as their pockets are slightly deeper
Was there a "Cable Tax"?
Here in Jersey the Cable industry must be getting really really nervous cause they keep cranking out and inundating us with these so called "public information commercials" on how Verizon is going to be the cause or somehow institute a "cable Tax" That everyone is going to have to pay for.
they want everyone to contact their legistalors to "Say no to the Verizon cable tax."
Like Ii said. it must be making them nervous cause they are really adement about it.
http://www.keepitlocalnj.com/index.cfm (http://www.keepitlocalnj.com/index.cfm)
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if they gave you a al la cart option they would just price it so it was with in a couple dollars of the package price then advertise look how good a deal our package price is
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I have 2 dual tuner DVR's with my DISH. Only about $80/month with 180 channels and a few free premium channels running up to 4 TV's. Can record 2 programs at a time and watch a 3rd as long as it is recorded already. I'm with Skuzzy, commercials are impossible to watch any more.
I watch shows on the DVR or I watch a premium channel or I may even do PBS, but I avoid commercials like the plague. I can even set up 5 different search menus. So my wife has her favorites I have mine, plus a 'commercial-less' list plus .. whatever.
Now to save up for that "Pocket Dish"..... mmmmmmmmm.
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Cable companies have a right to be really nervous. Verizon owns the fiber outright. No government subsidies at all, so they cannot be forced to share it with any other company, unlike most of the telephone network infrastructure in the U.S.
My Verizon buddy across the street told me they could give as much as 600Mb/s of bandwidth to each home if they wanted to. The goal is to eventually deliver uncompressed HD content.
When it all gets fleshed out, it could be very impressive.
EDIT: Nice setup you have there MT. I am with DiSH as well. You know anyone using thier HD stuff?
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Not yet. I'm still trying to get the surround sound to work off the DVR.
:)
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Cable companies have a right to be really nervous. ..
we are .. been in cable since '79 and never seen them so...
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You have an optical audio out on the PVR MT. Just connect it to your decoder/receiver and enable it in the receiver.
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Originally posted by midnight Target
Not yet. I'm still trying to get the surround sound to work off the DVR.
:)
not everything is broadcast in true surround sound .. the little "blue light" on my Sony tells me when to crank it up :)
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quote:
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Cable companies have a right to be really nervous. ..
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Originally posted by Eagler
we are .. been in cable since '79 and never seen them so...
Good.
Maybe once the cable companies are no longer the only real game in town. They will realise they cant just P all over the people just because they can.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
You have an optical audio out on the PVR MT. Just connect it to your decoder/receiver and enable it in the receiver.
Yea, got that far, but I think Eagler's right. Very little if anything is broadcast with surround.
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Any of the PPV movies will be in surround. Anything prime time will state it is being broadcast in surround. Try the Simpsons.
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As long as I can download BSG on itunes, i don't need TV at all.. :)
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Hmmm, watch BSG on a computer monitor, or a 60" screen. Let me think....uhmmm, yeah. I think I will stick with the 60" screen. :D
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I've had DirecTV for 7 years. My bill has NEEVR went up. However the Cable bill has increased by $20.
Plus, the HD picture through "Cable" is garbage. Satellite is best for "Home Theater Guru's" such as myself.
Karaya
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Originally posted by DREDIOCK
Good.
Maybe once the cable companies are no longer the only real game in town. They will realise they cant just P all over the people just because they can.
we never did here ..
Competition is good for both sides - the companies and the customers
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Any of the PPV movies will be in surround. Anything prime time will state it is being broadcast in surround. Try the Simpsons.
I'll give it a go tonight.
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Originally posted by soda72
As long as I can download BSG on itunes, i don't need TV at all.. :)
Who needs iTunes for BSG? TvTorrents man... TvTorrents.
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Sandman beat me to it. I use EZTV.
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Here's what's always ground my backside to the bone...
I want to purchase cable service...but if I don't like my cable vendor , where are the competitors I can choose from?
Just how did a complete regional monopoly come to exist in a country where such a thing is patently illegal? Where are my choices of cable vendor, when I am unsatisfied with price/quality/service?
And, don't start with any flavor of 'take it or leave it' options...that's not the kind of choice that monopoly laws are supposed to protect.
Is there anything besides greed, politics, lobbying and protectionism behind the growth of the cable industry? Why is 'take it or leave it' my only true option?
To my mind, switching to another technology/delivery system is not part of the equation. Assume the customer has made the decision that cable service is right for them.
Anybody live in an area where this is any different?
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Originally posted by Sandman
Who needs iTunes for BSG? TvTorrents man... TvTorrents.
+ this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000204SWE/102-2779244-4718558?n=172282 ) :)
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Originally posted by SOB
+ this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000204SWE/102-2779244-4718558?n=172282 ) :)
Wow... that's cheap too.
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Originally posted by Goomba
Here's what's always ground my backside to the bone...
I want to purchase cable service...but if I don't like my cable vendor , where are the competitors I can choose from?
Just how did a complete regional monopoly come to exist in a country where such a thing is patently illegal? Where are my choices of cable vendor, when I am unsatisfied with price/quality/service?
And, don't start with any flavor of 'take it or leave it' options...that's not the kind of choice that monopoly laws are supposed to protect.
Is there anything besides greed, politics, lobbying and protectionism behind the growth of the cable industry? Why is 'take it or leave it' my only true option?
To my mind, switching to another technology/delivery system is not part of the equation. Assume the customer has made the decision that cable service is right for them.
Anybody live in an area where this is any different?
as technologies get cheaper, cable competition will happen in more areas
what about your local phone, water, sewer, electrical co, garbage pick-up, postal service, etc.. .. any other choices there? nope
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Originally posted by Eagler
as technologies get cheaper, cable competition will happen in more areas
what about your local phone, water, sewer, electrical co, garbage pick-up, postal service, etc.. .. any other choices there? nope
Not exactly Eagler,
Local phone, I have a choice, I live in Verizon area but we use Lingo (phone over IP) unlimited free long distance anywhere in the states and to western Europe.
Garbage, i have 2 companies to choose from for garbage service
Water, theres a choice put its painful. Water service is a Co-Op, pay a one time service fee and they hook you up and then get a monthly water bill. Alternative is have a well drilled, (and maintain it)
Sewage - country living no sewage, anaerobic septic system
Electrical - CoOp, in the past no choice there
Postal Service - I can use FedEx, UPS, DHL, or USPS. Regular mail I could careless how it gets sent to me.
I've had Dish Network for 6 years. I laugh at the Time Warner commericals that try to show how bad satillite is and why everybody should use cable. One trys to use the arguement that during poor weather or rain/thunderstorms satillite service fails and trusty cable service will work in any weather. HA. In 6 years I can count on one hand how many times my dish service has been interupted by bad weather, and then only for a few minutes once it past. I had cable from various providers since about 1981 to 1998. If can recall going for DAYS without cable service because a storm knocked done poles. Even now I still use Time Warner for broadband service because Verizon is to cheap to equip this area for DSL. I've lost my broadband connection several times because of poor weather.
And DVRs are great to boot. I'm with you guys about the commericals too, I almost hate to watch Live TV, commerical comes on and I reach for the remote and try to fastforward. We have one dual channel DVR, and two regular receivers, three TVs, three rooms. Although I dont watch that much TV its great to have a choice and not listen to the arguments about who is going to watch what show.