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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 2, 2009 14:14:58 GMT -5
I had a question about my TWC bill and when I spoke to a billing CSR, she mentioned that she had asked about the Tuning Adapters today and she was told unofficially that it would be late January/early February before they were released.
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 2, 2009 14:11:48 GMT -5
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 2, 2009 14:01:16 GMT -5
I guess Viacom's tactic of running popup ads on their web sites and tickers on their channels with TW's phone number had some affect.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 31, 2008 10:33:00 GMT -5
Was it hacked or was it just a web designer playing around an accidently update the site to see how the Wave 3 banner would look like on their site? My bet would be on an accidental screwup.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 31, 2008 10:28:22 GMT -5
With the tiny amount of Cable Card users out there, they might as well let us field test the tuning adapters.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 31, 2008 10:20:35 GMT -5
So if TWC doesn't blink and pay Viacom the increased rates, what are the odds that TWC will lower their monthly rate by not carrying the Viacom lineup?
Anyone try calling that 800 number that was appearing on the Viacom channels and one some of their websites? You get a recorded message about technical difficulties and you are requested to call you local TW company. Lovely...
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 24, 2008 8:37:52 GMT -5
Chris: How did that follow-up phone call from Dan go? I'll let you know when I get that call. I'm expecting a callback sometime between yesterday and the 12th of Never.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 19, 2008 9:36:09 GMT -5
Just to torture myself, I called TWC Central Texas on their 1 888-TWC-8585 number. Not only are the tuning adapters available for pickup at their office, they started rolling them out on December 1st. They have been calling people who had signed up for the tuning adapter waiting list in the order that they had signed up. You have to pick them up yourself, but you can get one.
I called TWC Albany and the CSR had no idea what a Tuning Adapter was. And of course she couldn't tell when one would be available. At first she tole me that I would have to buy the tuning adapter and then directed me to the SDV FAQ page on the TWC Albany. I then explained to the CSR taht it clearly states on their wen site that the Tuning Adapters will be supplied free of charge. This didn't match the script that she appear to be reading from and she got very confused.
I then asked to speak to her supervisor and I had to make several direct requests of her to transfer me to her supervisor. She then connected me to someone named "Dan" at extension 4061 who didn't help much.
"Dan" said the hold up was based on availability and that I would need to sign up on their waiting list. I told him that I knew that they had them in stock already and that I was on the list. He then said that they were waiting for enough people to request a Tuning Adapter before they could start releasing them.
I asked him how many people needed to request a TA before anyone could get one, and his story changed again. I then mentioned that other TWC franchises, notably Central Texas had been making TA's available since December 1st, and his story changed again. I started to lose track of how his story would change.
We left it with "Dan" calling their warehouse (I guess they are now making policy decisions) and would call me back in a "few days". I thik it's very odd that no one at TWC can tell when or if the Tuning Adapter will be available. If the decision has been made not to release them, someone had to make that decision and there has to be a reason.
Hello, TWC Albany! What is the hold up?
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 9, 2008 22:20:13 GMT -5
Maybe something needs to be done at the FCC level to encourage TWC to accelerate the deployment of the Tuning Adapters? I just signed up for digital cable, so the digital channels were already SDV, but those of you who have had it before the mass migration of channels to SDV (I picture it as lemmings going over a cliff) have a legal claim as TWC downgraded your service without remedy or due notice to city and/or towns that provided the charter to allow TWC to operate. Two TWC companies out in Hawaii were fined for moving channels to SDV without proper notice, I'm sure that the same case can be made for Albany. At this point everyone has read the articles about the FCC fines (like this one: is.gd/aW3Q) You can register a complaint with the FCC at this handy link: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htmAs much as I hate p*ssing on TWC, they may need to have a financial incentive to do the Tuning Adapter rollout. I have no idea how the FCC classifies a "single continuing violation", but you could make the argument that each channel that was moved to SDV would constitute a separate violation. If you figure at least 50 channels formerly viewable by the CableCards are now on SDV, you are talking about some substantial fines.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 8, 2008 23:22:58 GMT -5
Does anyone know what the hold up is with TW for the Tuning Adapters? Comcast in NJ started rolling out the Cisco STA1520 tuning adaptors back in early October.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 8, 2008 13:08:16 GMT -5
I just called it see if they had any updates for the tuning adapter availability (yeah, I know... ) and the CSR that answered was Sean (or Shawn), the same CSR that told me that I wouldn't be able to get the SDv channels until the multi-stream cards were available.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 4, 2008 20:44:45 GMT -5
My TivoHD changes channels fairly quickly with the cable card. I'd say just as fast as the crummy cable box. But not as fast as "direct" analog on the TV. I figured they would be about the same speed (which would be sluggish), since both the TiVo and the cable box are both using a CardCard. It does makes you change the way that you channel surf. Instead of skipping through channel, I'm going through the channel listing first, then changing the channel.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 4, 2008 16:21:41 GMT -5
Aaaahhhhhhh! The "contact the legal department" answer. When I asked what channels were SDV back on February 9, 2008, they told me the Legal Department would be contacting me to discuss the information. It's been 10 months and I never received a call from the TWC Legal Department. I wasn't terribly surprised. I didn't expect much and got what pretty much what I expected. I was shocked how slow it was to change channels with the CableCard installed. My only hope is that the Tunig Adapter gets released before the warranty on TiVo runs out.
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Post by Chris Miller on Dec 4, 2008 14:00:06 GMT -5
Well, the install went smoothly. The installer brought an M-Card and after a few minutes was able to get it authorized. I was disappointed on the number of channels that are SDV, at least 80-100 channels out of the 150 or so are not accessible. I'm also paying for a cable box (for another TV set) and it's vary obvious what I am missing from the lineup. I'm not really seeing much more of a lineup than what I was getting with the analog service.
The installer left very quickly and I was unable to ask him any questions about the SDV lineup. So I called TWC and the first CSR was borderline rude and provided information that was factually incorrect. He literally said that the reason why I get fewer channels is because I needed a multistream card. When I explained that I did have that card, his attitude went downhill. I didn't see any point in continuing the call, so I thanked him and ended the call.
I immediately called back and spoke to another CSR, who was much more professional. I asked her for a list of the SDV channels and I was told that that information was not public and she could not send it to me. I counted back (politely) that the information was public because they state on their web site that they are using SDV technology and the fact that I can not get a channel indicates that the channel is SDV. I just want a list so I know what to expect in terms of service. Also, if they move any more existing channels to SDV, that qualifies as a change in service and they would need to provide 30 day advance notice to the town that they supply service to.
The CSR did send a request to the TWC legal department to get back to me with a legal reason why they can not make the list of channels that go out as SDV available to me. I has also asked for an expected release date for the tuning adapters.
One thing that I have noticed is that every TWC employee that I have been in contact with today has asked me why I want to use a CableCard instead of their cable box or DVR. I realize the CableCard users are a very tiny minority of TWC customers, but I'm still a customer and they are mandated by the FCC to support CableCards.
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Post by Chris Miller on Nov 28, 2008 8:45:15 GMT -5
You have to first schedule the appt. You can TRY to ask for an M-card, but they'll either tell you (falsely) that they don't have them, or that they cannot specify which card you will receive Once you DO schedule the appt. you then need to call Tom Landry at 242-8800 x3455 to have him look up the appt. and he'll see that they get you an M-card. Thanks! Now Ijust have to add myself to the waiting ist for the tuning adapter.
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