|
|
Post by Skaggs on Jan 16, 2008 19:25:52 GMT -5
New e-mail from TWC today: 
How can they claim FREE HD when you have to pay $8 a month to rent a set top box so you can receive digital cable? Receiving HD via an over-the-air (OTA) antenna is "FREE HD". Also, how can they claim... |
|
|
|
Post by Skaggs on Jan 16, 2008 19:30:31 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Skaggs on Jan 16, 2008 19:39:08 GMT -5
The website claims:
Sounds to me like TWC's marketing department is desperate to counter DirecTV's claim of "NEARLY 100 HD CHANNELS."
|
|
|
|
Post by hurnik on Jan 16, 2008 19:41:35 GMT -5
I wonder if someone should contact the PSC or Attorney General's office for false advertising. I know in SOME areas, other cable companies actually do transmit their local HD in their local basic package (but I believe that here, TW requires that you get digital cable to get the locals in HD)
|
|
|
|
Post by Skaggs on Jan 16, 2008 19:50:47 GMT -5
You are able to get the local HD channels with the "broadcast basic" package, but only with a QAM tuner. There is no mention of QAM tuners in the email or on the website...they lead you to believe you must have rent a cable box from them.
|
|
|
|
Post by adam on Jan 16, 2008 20:53:35 GMT -5
Another misleading thing is the "advanced fiber network." Their network is coax cable. The same as it has been since the 1980s. This is an obvious attempt to mislead people into thinking it is fiber optic, like Verizon FIOS. Just another TW lie. I sure am glad I'm getting my "Free HD" over an "advanced fiber network."  |
|
|
|
Post by adam on Jan 16, 2008 21:09:37 GMT -5
I wonder if someone should contact the PSC or Attorney General's office for false advertising. I know in SOME areas, other cable companies actually do transmit their local HD in their local basic package (but I believe that here, TW requires that you get digital cable to get the locals in HD) According to the PSC's website, you have to call Time Warner first and then if they refuse to help you, you can file a complaint with the PSC. I'm completely with you though, this is false advertising. I sent an e mail to CBS6 News asking them to investigate this. They seem to be good at getting answers and investigative journalism. I guess we will see if that goes anywhere. |
|
|
|
Post by shanedude on Jan 16, 2008 23:24:55 GMT -5
adam, tw has fiber running to within 200 yards of my house. I have seen their people out working on it with a special trailer. Got talking to a few of them when out walking the dog once and they said they were spliiting a 'node'. Looked it up on wiki and here is the link. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_fibre-coaxial From the diagram I take it they run fiber to each neighborhood? Also, a relative of mine pays for the cheap pack of channels from TWC and she gets HD channels without paying more. |
|
|
|
Post by shanedude on Jan 16, 2008 23:42:31 GMT -5
they dont rent anything from twc either. They pay $12 and get 15 or more analoge chs and another 8 hd channels from the local networks. PS I watched ch6 news tonight and wow they do a sweet job in HD. wonder when the rest decide to catch up?
Adam, i see the webmaster put a contact name for TWC on the contact section here. Maybe email them to get some answers for all of us?
|
|
|
|
Post by adam on Jan 17, 2008 1:52:04 GMT -5
I just sent Time Warner an e-mail:
Hello,
I have recently seen your advertisements about Time Warner Cable's Free HD. I receive HD programming from Time Warner Cable and I am charged $5.90 per month for the "HD DVR Converter" and I also pay $3.95 for the optional HD Tier. Combined, that means I am currently paying $9.85 per month to view HD programming through Time Warner Cable.
How can you advertise that something is free when it really costs customers between $6.00 and $10.00 per month? This seems like false advertising as worst and misleading at best. Can you elaborate on this?
I received an e-mail from Time Warner Cable in Albany today which said, "Time Warner Cable is the only provider delivering the local broadcast channels (WRGB, WTEN, WNYT, WMHT, CW) in HD, and we're the only ones to offer FREE HD. So, if you want to see the Super Bowl in HD, Time Warner Cable delivers it; no one else can." DirecTV now offers the channels mentioned in HD through the dish, so that statement is false. Also, this e-mail says I can only see the Super Bowl in HD through Time Warner Cable. This is another false statement.
The recent advertisements and the e-mail I received include many misleading and false statements and they have confused me. Why am I charged for HD when you advertise it as free? Why does the e-mail say I can only see the Super Bowl on Time Warner Cable? Also, what exactly is your "advanced fiber network"? It is regular coaxial cable? Or is all of the wiring now fiber optic?
I assume many other customers are as confused about these issues as I am and any help and clarification you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your quick response and your time,
Adam Girard
Albany, NY
|
|
|
|
Post by macUser on Jan 17, 2008 13:36:40 GMT -5
Another misleading thing is the "advanced fiber network." Their network is coax cable. The same as it has been since the 1980s. This is an obvious attempt to mislead people into thinking it is fiber optic, like Verizon FIOS In the village of Hoosick Falls, TW is all fiber. It was installed by Adelphia in approx. 2003. |
|
|
|
Post by Skaggs on Jan 17, 2008 16:18:18 GMT -5
I believe TWC has a fiber backbone. The fiber may terminate at the node for your neighborhood or (for those of us with undergound utilities) at the small box sticking up from your lawn. From the node to your house, it is coaxial cable.
Verizon's FIOS, on the other hand, brings the fiber right into your house.
|
|
|
|
Post by adam on Jan 17, 2008 16:40:14 GMT -5
What would be the real benefit of having it terminate at the node? If you are piping data through a "fatter pipe" and then make it go into a "smaller pipe" then the same amount of data enters the house regardless. Right?
|
|
|
|
Post by bsoplinger on Jan 17, 2008 21:45:12 GMT -5
This is the one that made me chuckle.
Umm, did they forget they don't have Cinemax (East) in HD yet?
Or are they going to actually provide Cinemax West before they provide the Eastern feed?
The whole email is a bag of bull.
|
|
|
|
Post by as12798 on Jan 17, 2008 23:17:01 GMT -5
What would be the real benefit of having it terminate at the node? If you are piping data through a "fatter pipe" and then make it go into a "smaller pipe" then the same amount of data enters the house regardless. Right? Hi, I have been lurking around this board for a few months and finally decided to post. To answer your question this is not really true. While coax is indeed a smaller pipe than fiber, the shorter the distance the better it is. Copper losses bandwidth the longer it is run for, thus, by fulling fiber farther, they can push more bandwidth through the copper since the copper is going a shorter distance. I also wanted to comment on some of the earlier comments and people wanting to complain about the illegal advertising. Time Warner advertising about being the only place to get the locals in HD may be illegal(I am guessing they have been officially told DirectTV offer locals and DirectTV will probably complain and they will stop) however, as far as I know, DirectTV doesn't have the CW(am I wrong about this?). Therefore, they could say there the only provider to get all the locals. However, the Super Bowl thing is obviously incorrect, and I don't expect to see it in any TV ads, or ever again(as they can't claim ignorance anymore). The free HDTV thing is most definitely legal. Cablevision(I live on LI when I am not at school) has advertised free HD for a long time now even though you need to pay for a converter. It is quite easy for them to get away with this. Essentially, they are saying digital TV comes with free HDTV, since there is no cost differential between the SD and HD box, and you get the HD channels for the same cost as the SD digital channels. I believe the HD Tier now only has channels that don't have an SD equivalent, so they are most definitely allowed to say free HD, since they can say if you get the channel in SD digital and we offer it in HD, the HD is free. It sucks, but that is how advertising law works, and unfortunately, everyone does it. Anyways, sorry for the long rant, I'll try to be more concise in future posts. |
|
