Re: TV Digital Adapters - Page 3

LonestarBabs · ‎06-26-2011

I am having the same problem with my TWC service. BTW, Comcast is buying TWC. Anyway, we just have Starter TV on our flat screen LCD TVs. No set-top box. We hook our TVs up to the outlets via coax cable and get our signal. Now TWC is converting to all digital service, and we will need a small digital adapter hooked up to every TV in order to receiving signal. 6 TVs! Adapters will be free for the first year but after that probably about 2.99/mo each. That adds up! Upgrading our service to the next level won't solve the problem because we'll have to have set-top boxes for every TV and the monthly charge for those is high. We are NOT purchasing new TVs anytime soon, as they are only a few years old.

It's absurd. I checked with ATT U-Verse and you have to have a box for every TV with them as well to the tune of at least another $60/mo on top of the service. Going to check with Verizon FiOS next, but I'm not optimistic.

I worked in the cable television industry for 10+ years and I hate how the customer is being treated these days. No wonder people are just cutting the cable altogether - never thought I'd say that but I'm disgusted. And the phone companies are no better.

Justina rae · ‎01-02-2015

On 2/20/2015 LonestarBabs said:
I am having the same problem with my TWC service. BTW, Comcast is buying TWC. Anyway, we just have Starter TV on our flat screen LCD TVs. No set-top box. We hook our TVs up to the outlets via coax cable and get our signal. Now TWC is converting to all digital service, and we will need a small digital adapter hooked up to every TV in order to receiving signal. 6 TVs! Adapters will be free for the first year but after that probably about 2.99/mo each. That adds up! Upgrading our service to the next level won't solve the problem because we'll have to have set-top boxes for every TV and the monthly charge for those is high. We are NOT purchasing new TVs anytime soon, as they are only a few years old.

It's absurd. I checked with ATT U-Verse and you have to have a box for every TV with them as well to the tune of at least another $60/mo on top of the service. Going to check with Verizon FiOS next, but I'm not optimistic.

I worked in the cable television industry for 10+ years and I hate how the customer is being treated these days. No wonder people are just cutting the cable altogether - never thought I'd say that but I'm disgusted. And the phone companies are no better.

Babs, that is exactly my situation and disgust. We went through the conversion to digital in late 2013 in NY/NJ. Since then twc has been charging more and more. Like I said in my OP - nickel and dime-ing the customer. I know about Comcast buying them. A twc technician told me things are going to get a lot worse once Comcast settles in and changes all the rules.

We also have the option of Verizon FIOS but some of my neighbors say that's even worse. Also last I heard with Verizon, they come in and change your wiring so that it is only compatible with THEIR service. So you can't ever switch providers without a great deal of trouble. Whether this is actually true I don't know.

kivah · ‎03-11-2010

Justina: A few weeks ago, my neighbor told me that Verizon changes the wiring --- so I'm sure that's true. I'm with TWC and yes - they're always raising my bill.

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
Glb, see my post #4. No it's not the cable converter box which is about a foot long and a couple inches high. It's the very small digital adapter which is about 3" x 3" x 1" high. When I downgraded my service from Standard to Basic they took away the converter box and replaced it with the digital adapter.

http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/cable-tv/digital-adapter/

Justina rae · ‎01-02-2015

On 2/20/2015 nutmeg3 said:
On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
Glb, see my post #4. No it's not the cable converter box which is about a foot long and a couple inches high. It's the very small digital adapter which is about 3" x 3" x 1" high. When I downgraded my service from Standard to Basic they took away the converter box and replaced it with the digital adapter.

http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/cable-tv/digital-adapter/

Nutmeg, I actually read this article before posting here. I also "chatted" with a Comcast person on-line. Naturally he also said only the Comcast digital adapter would work for Comcast cable but Comcast is not my provider yet. TWC is. I don't know exactly when Comcast is supposed to take over TWC.

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
On 2/20/2015 LonestarBabs said:
I am having the same problem with my TWC service. BTW, Comcast is buying TWC. Anyway, we just have Starter TV on our flat screen LCD TVs. No set-top box. We hook our TVs up to the outlets via coax cable and get our signal. Now TWC is converting to all digital service, and we will need a small digital adapter hooked up to every TV in order to receiving signal. 6 TVs! Adapters will be free for the first year but after that probably about 2.99/mo each. That adds up! Upgrading our service to the next level won't solve the problem because we'll have to have set-top boxes for every TV and the monthly charge for those is high. We are NOT purchasing new TVs anytime soon, as they are only a few years old.

It's absurd. I checked with ATT U-Verse and you have to have a box for every TV with them as well to the tune of at least another $60/mo on top of the service. Going to check with Verizon FiOS next, but I'm not optimistic.

I worked in the cable television industry for 10+ years and I hate how the customer is being treated these days. No wonder people are just cutting the cable altogether - never thought I'd say that but I'm disgusted. And the phone companies are no better.

Babs, that is exactly my situation and disgust. We went through the conversion to digital in late 2013 in NY/NJ. Since then twc has been charging more and more. Like I said in my OP - nickel and dime-ing the customer. I know about Comcast buying them. A twc technician told me things are going to get a lot worse once Comcast settles in and changes all the rules.

We also have the option of Verizon FIOS but some of my neighbors say that's even worse. Also last I heard with Verizon, they come in and change your wiring so that it is only compatible with THEIR service. So you can't ever switch providers without a great deal of trouble. Whether this is actually true I don't know.

I like this site for all information about cable and wireless.
http://www.dslreports.com/

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
On 2/20/2015 nutmeg3 said:
On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
Glb, see my post #4. No it's not the cable converter box which is about a foot long and a couple inches high. It's the very small digital adapter which is about 3" x 3" x 1" high. When I downgraded my service from Standard to Basic they took away the converter box and replaced it with the digital adapter.

http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/cable-tv/digital-adapter/

Nutmeg, I actually read this article before posting here. I also "chatted" with a Comcast person on-line. Naturally he also said only the Comcast digital adapter would work for Comcast cable but Comcast is not my provider yet. TWC is. I don't know exactly when Comcast is supposed to take over TWC.

I would not worry when the merger takes place, because you are using company issued equipment.

juliet · ‎10-08-2011

I struggled to get mine from TWC to work on my extra TVs last year and finally got one to work for a few months but now it's gone out again - they are frustrating to say the least and I've had to make several trips to get replacements to no avail and have temporarily given up on them and just watch my main TV with their DVR box. Will have to return both of them to avoid the charges. Don't get why they are such a pain.

glb613 · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/20/2015 nutmeg3 said:
On 2/20/2015 Justina rae said:
Glb, see my post #4. No it's not the cable converter box which is about a foot long and a couple inches high. It's the very small digital adapter which is about 3" x 3" x 1" high. When I downgraded my service from Standard to Basic they took away the converter box and replaced it with the digital adapter.

http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/cable-tv/digital-adapter/

I know what a digital convertor or adapter is. You use it when you have a old analog TV. That's why I asked if you have a tube style TV. You posted you have a flat screen television. All newer flat screen TV can accept a digital signal without a converter.

I don't know of a single cable company that doesn't rent a cable box with their service. Depending on what you have, it's a basic cable box (not an adapter), HD box or DRV. While you can buy a DVR, like TIVO, I don't know of any cable box for purchase. It doesn't mean there aren't any but, it's not something you can go to your local Best Buy and get. If you want cable, even the most basic, you need to rent a box.

lovescats · ‎03-10-2010

Everything I've read on the twc forums says you have to use the twc dta and even if you found one that worked twc could scramble the signal again so it didn't work and if you bought a dta that worked and went to turn in the one from twc they would probably say that you couldn't have services from them without renting theirs. Comcast used to give the first one free but I don't know anymore and they are supposed to be buying twc.