Info on HD Cable Boxes Needed

Early B.

OK, I'm considering the plunge into high definition TV. I bought a Sony LCD 50" last year and I have Comcast Cable. Their HD cable box rental is $10.99/month. Are there any other viable options before I place my order for this unit? For instance, can I buy my own HD box? I've seen a few boxes selling on ebay for $250 - $300. For some reason, they're all being sold out of Canada. I'd rather buy than rent.

Thanks.

steveinaz

If buy one, chances are your cable company won't allow access to it. They like renting their equipment to you. Don't buy. Maybe sometime in the future, comsumer boxes will be made available that companies will allow on their networks--but not right now. The rent fees help them pay for new equipment upgrades. Bastads.

BaggedLancer

Comcast will not let you use your own box

MikeC78

Early,

Call your cable company and ask before you make such a purchase. I'd ask for the model number and as long as the box you purchase is from the same provider, I wouldn't see a problem? BTW, I love the HD pack I get from my Provider(Insight), usually the first channels I turn to.

Mike

MikeC78

BaggedLancer wrote:

Comcast will not let you use your own box

Even if he finds one on Ebay from Comcast?

I know guys that have purchased boxes on Ebay, as long as it's from the same provider and they still use the same box, it should work.

Mike

tonyb

Make sure you upgrade your package also to get channels in digital or HD.Movies thru the comcast box are also available in HD.I like the features with it and no,they won't let you use anothers box.Thats the way the money train keeps rolling.You may also have to change the settings on your set to HD.

bobman1235

MikeC78 wrote:

Even if he finds one on Ebay from Comcast?

I know guys that have purchased boxes on Ebay, as long as it's from the same provider and they still use the same box, it should work.

Mike

It depends on the provider. The provider (Comcast, et al) has to authorize the box for digital channels. It's not like the analog days when it was just a descrambling device.

I'd rent. Although 10.99/month seems kind of high. I pay that for my DVR box.

MikeC78

bobman1235 wrote:

It depends on the provider. The provider (Comcast, et al) has to authorize the box for digital channels. It's not like the analog days when it was just a descrambling device.

I'd rent. Although 10.99/month seems kind of high. I pay that for my DVR box.

I wonder if the guy on Ebay who purchased my DishNetwork HD/DVR box for $600 got screwed then?

Mike

steveinaz

Alot of the boxes you see on ebay are STOLEN. Be careful.

unc2701

Almost NO cable providers let you use your own box. Each box has an address (kinda like a MAC address on an ethernet card) that they link to your account... so not only is the box likely stolen, but they might even know that it was theirs. It seems like a good idea, but you're probably wasting your money.

Doesn't hurt to ask them, though.

unc2701

MikeC78 wrote:

I wonder if the guy on Ebay who purchased my DishNetwork HD/DVR box for $600 got screwed then?

Mike

Different rules for dish & directv. Everyone has to buy a box.

Early B.

Thanks, fellas. I guess I'm stuck with renting the box. Yeah, I think $10.99 is kind of pricey. I may have to bend over on this one. Pass the vasoline, please.

Early B.

Just placed my order. Since I already have a digital package and one TV, the HD box is only gonna cost and additional $5 per month. That's cool, but they're gonna charge me $29.95 to install it. I can live with that.

PhantomOG

Early B. wrote:

Thanks, fellas. I guess I'm stuck with renting the box. Yeah, I think $10.99 is kind of pricey. I may have to bend over on this one. Pass the vasoline, please.

You've probably seen the threads, but just in case, remember to ask/threaten/beg before bending over. They hate losing customers to satellite.

I'm probably going to switch to Dish soon... cable is just too damn expensive.

Early B.

BTW -- is there a website where I can find out which TV stations and shows are broadcast in HD? Is "24" in HD?

Thanks.

tonyb

Thats the going rate around here big guy.Enjoy,and may the first channel you tune in be Discovery HD.Friggin awesome.

BaggedLancer

Early B. wrote:

BTW -- is there a website where I can find out which TV stations and shows are broadcast in HD? Is "24" in HD?

Thanks.

Of course 24 is in HD!

Discovery HD is absolutely incredible, you'll love it.

I wouldn't pay that $29.95 BS to install the box, it takes 2 seconds. The power cable is exactly the same as your current box and the only other cable is a component cable RGBRW that I am sure you can handle.

Save the $30 and go put the box in yourself

Early B.

BaggedLancer wrote:

Of course 24 is in HD!

Discovery HD is absolutely incredible, you'll love it.

I wouldn't pay that $29.95 BS to install the box, it takes 2 seconds. The power cable is exactly the same as your current box and the only other cable is a component cable RGBRW that I am sure you can handle.

Save the $30 and go put the box in yourself

I didn't know I had the option to pick up the box from Comcast and install it myself. If so, I'll definitely do that.

PhantomOG

Early B. wrote:

I didn't know I had the option to pick up the box from Comcast and install it myself. If so, I'll definitely do that.

When I moved from my old apartment to my house last year, I had to have some guy come and "install" my cable. I physically brought all the gear over to my new house, hooked it up and waited. The guy came, seemed shocked I knew how to hook up my own d@mn TV, called the main office with his cell phone and basically said "turn it on" and abra-ca-dabra my cable was installed. :rolleyes:

At least they didn't charge me. But they would have if I hadn't threatened to cancel

Early B.

I called Comcast and asked if I could pick up the HD box myself and install it. They said "No." But if it was the HD DVR, then I could do it. Huh?

tryrrthg

You've had an HDTV for this long without HD? why didn't you just hook up some rabbit ears and get it for free? (assuming you can pull in a strong enough signal).

You're in for a treat. I've started watching shows I normally wouldn't watch just because they are broadcast in HD and look so damn good. Enjoy!

MikeC78

Early B. wrote:

I called Comcast and asked if I could pick up the HD box myself and install it. They said "No." But if it was the HD DVR, then I could do it. Huh?

Interesting? If you install it yourself, they will usually drop ship the unit to your door. That's what Insight cable did in my area, but they are all different.

I remember when I wanted the HD/DVR box from Dishnetwork, I had to pay a $250 deposit and they shipped it to my door.

Mike

BaggedLancer

Early B. wrote:

I called Comcast and asked if I could pick up the HD box myself and install it. They said "No." But if it was the HD DVR, then I could do it. Huh?

That's rediculous. I refuse to let comcast techs install anything since the majority of the time they half-**** it or don't do it how you want.

Early B.

tryrrthg wrote:

You've had an HDTV for this long without HD? why didn't you just hook up some rabbit ears and get it for free? (assuming you can pull in a strong enough signal).

Tried that when I first bought the TV. Didn't work too well.

steveinaz

Early
Just have all your cables ready to hook-up to the STB--that's what I did. I didn't want the moron farting around with my stuff. Plug 'n play. He was in and out in 15 minutes.

fireshoes

Why not do the HD DVR anyway?

BTW Dish has free equipment upgrade to HD DVR now.

PhantomOG

fireshoes wrote:

BTW Dish has free equipment upgrade to HD DVR now.

Exactly why I'm about to switch. I can get more HD channels for less money, with DVR (which I don't have now). I'm just waiting to get a ClubDish card to sweeten the deal further.

My only problem is there is no phone jack near my tv. Wireless phone jack extensions run about $50.

Early B.

fireshoes wrote:

Why not do the HD DVR anyway?

Good question. I have absolutely no reason to get one, even though it's only a few more dollars per month. I can't imagine anything on TV I'd ever want to record. Even during the VCR era, I can't recall ever recording anything. I'm not a big TV watcher. "24" is the only show I watch on a weekly basis.