Author Topic: Cable or ADSL? (Read 476 times)

midnight Target · « **on:** April 30, 2002, 03:52:48 PM »

I have the opportunity to get cable access + Digital Cable for about $20 a month less than my current ADSL + TV cable bill. Any suggestions?

funkedup · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2002, 03:54:58 PM »

I'm real happy with ADSL. Haven't used cable modem but know two people who had big problems.

Nifty · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2002, 03:58:20 PM »

My cable modem connections are very good, service is hardly ever interrupted unexpectedly, perhaps once this year that I can remember (other than my whole place losing power).

At the time I purchased the service, the adsl service in my area was non-existant (my neighborhood hadn't been upgraded yet or something, or was too far from a station.) It's been remedied, but there's no reason to switch over. My only regret was not purchasing the cable modem and continuing to rent it. Would be saving me $15 a month. hmmm, that'd pay for some hobby of mine...

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2002, 03:58:33 PM »

Never had ADSL - just a cable guy here
Very happy with cable modem here (Time Warner - RoadRunner). I've had it for about 5 years now, was beta tester for my neighborhood.

Since you've had ADSL, I'd say try the cable. You can always go back right?

midnight Target · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2002, 04:09:26 PM »

True Eagle,

My ADSL has beeen very reliable (Verizon), so I am a little concerned, but I am gonna try it.
$59 per month for the entire package including digital cable 120 channels, cable music, 9 payperview channels, Internet etal.

Modem is free btw Nifty.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2002, 04:16:02 PM »

Well,....I have a fundamental problem with cable modem connections. Actually I have several problems, but one glaring one.

I wish support for monopolies would come to an end. There, I said it, and I am done.

At least with DSL you can change ISP's if the one you have is not giving you good service.

Soda · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2002, 04:40:21 PM »

I've had both Cable and ADSL connections and have settled on ADSL. Cable tended to be less predicatable in performance and showed greater variance. Sometimes it was fast, othertimes it would seem to stutter. I also had a lot more firewall hits when going through Cable then I do now on ADSL. ADSL, at least for me, offered very predicatable routing and ping times out more layers than Cable did. Cable seemed to have unpredicatable data-rates the second you left the modem.

Then again, if you understand the technology behind cable modems then it makes sense that this could be the case. Canadian service is a little different though, there are fewer options with only 1 real ADSL provider and 1 Cable provider.

-Soda
The Assassins.

Wlfgng · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2002, 05:06:42 PM »

depends...

my cable is great.. very stable and steady at about 46ms to AcesHigh.

Fishu · « **Reply #8 on:** May 01, 2002, 01:07:13 AM »

I prefer ADSL, because it is more reliable connection overall.
For playing games, I'd definately use ADSL.

Cable modems are as good as the ISP is. (too often not good)

SirLoin · « **Reply #9 on:** May 01, 2002, 03:22:47 AM »

I used to be happy with cable until I tried DSL...Now flying perk planes is fun instead of frustrating.Hardly ever a disco..no bs..(Preformance can vary with location but 1 very happy dsl subscriber here)

SOB · « **Reply #10 on:** May 01, 2002, 05:02:31 AM »

Used to have SDSL, which I had for a great deal and was a great connection. Always solid, rarely (if ever) disco'd. Moved and had to switch to @home...disco'd all the time. @home and AT&T parted company, now it's AT&T's own system and my connections are stronger, hardly ever disco, and service has been capped at 1.5mb down (fine by me). Could be good, could suck for ya.

My only experience with digital cable is that the menus are slow, switching channels is slow, and it altogether sucks. Dish Network is cheaper for me, and muuuuch faster in the menu system & channel switching.

SOB

Eagler · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2002, 07:53:36 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by SOB
Used to have SDSL, which I had for a great deal and was a great connection. Always solid, rarely (if ever) disco'd. Moved and had to switch to @home...disco'd all the time. @home and AT&T parted company, now it's AT&T's own system and my connections are stronger, hardly ever disco, and service has been capped at 1.5mb down (fine by me). Could be good, could suck for ya.

My only experience with digital cable is that the menus are slow, switching channels is slow, and it altogether sucks. Dish Network is cheaper for me, and muuuuch faster in the menu system & channel switching.

SOB

SOB
What cable converter did you have for your digital channels?
Was it a Scientific Atlanta brand?
We are on our 3rd or 4h model of those. The first couple were very slow but the last ones are much faster. Shame some cable systems are giving digital a bad rap. I'd guess many are not set up for nor have the experience needed to make the jump from analog to digital.

Sikboy · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2002, 08:04:51 AM »

I've had two cable connects, and one ADSL. And all I can do is echo what others have said: The major difference was the quality of the ISP.

My first cable connect was through Earthlink. It was great, they hooked it up to my existing NIC, and I was good to go. I never had any trouble with them, and I never had a major problem with net congestion or anything.

My second cable connect was with Excite@home. Those dudes sucked a whale dick. Seriously. The guys didn't show up on time to run the cable. Then the cable wasn't "Switched on" for a few days. And within a week, I was no longer able to upload to my webspace. After weeks of getting a rim-jop with customer service, we just cancelled and told them to eat a dick.

That's when I wen't back to Earthlink, this time with ADSL. It took a while to get hooked up (since you have a DSL account, you know what that's all about), but since then I've had no trouble at all.

Just make sure you have a good provider and you'll be taken care of.

-Sikboy

Wlfgng · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2002, 09:35:31 AM »

our digital cable boxes were slow too..
our DirectTV blows it outta the water.
not to mention the clarity of picture.. sweet

---

on cable and any ISP it's all about the provider, I totally agree.
we have a small local provider that actually services our ATTBI and I love it. haven't been down since after the transition and usually ping around 46 to HTC. gotta love it.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2002, 10:51:16 AM »

Looks a good hijack in progress....

Yep, when AT&T bought our local cable provider, I dropped them like a rock and went with DiSH and have not looked back.

The thing that astounds me, is DiSH support. It is really a refreshing experience. Then those nutjobs bundled in our local TV channels AND reduced our service fee by $5/month.
Cable is toast, never going back.