TWC Family Tier Unlocks Analog Channels?

[ryguy417]

I used to have just standard RR for Internet. I would split the signal to my HDTV and received the ClearQAM channels perfectly.

My wife and I finally were getting bored of just the ClearQAM channels, so we decided to sign up for "Basic Broadcast" (~$5 more per month w/Turbo Internet), an HD DVR, and the Family Tier ($13 for a few channels like Food and HGTV). So, for about $25 more per month we were getting full DVR service along with some 30 channels, many of which were in HD.

Last night, I split the cable at the outlet and plugged one end in the DVR and the other directly to my TV. When I ran the pre-set on the TV, I got a whole bunch of channels. Basically, everything from channel 2 through 66.

What gives!? I can tell these are analog channels, but I thought those were going the way of the DoDo. Did the Basic Broadcast Service unlock this? Or was it the Family Tier, which includes a few digital-only, box-required channels?

I'm wondering if I could drop the TWC DVR and just get a TiVo Premiere--that way, I could actually record the 60+ analog channels along with the digital ones (if I get a CableCard).

Has anyone else experienced this?

[joequniby]

I was just told by twc that the family tier is not available without standard cable (we currently have broadcast basic & road runner. I tried to explain that this is not what the website States. Any suggestion?

[ryguy417]

TWC being what it is, I had several reps tell me the same thing until I finally got a hold of someone at the Albany branch that actually knew what was said on the website:

"The Family Choice Tier is $12.99/month plus Broadcast Basic subscription and a Digital Cable set-top box*."

So, maybe it's just because you need to add the box first?

[joequniby]

Thanks, ill try again tomorrow

[BenJF3]

Did a TWC tech come out and do the install? It sounds like he took the filter off the line thereby opening up all the remaining analog channels. Maybe they don't care about the analogs anymore because they are going to be gone soon?

[ryguy417]

Yes, a tech did come out. I assumed that if I just signed up for basic broadcast, only the channels up to 22 or so would be unlocked. I'm still wondering if the Family Tier somehow unlocked the others.

For $12.99, it's not a bad deal, even though it's probably only good for another few years at most.

[BenJF3]

The tech likely removed the line filter so the box could access everything. That or he forgot to put the proper filter back on blocking the others. Our area will probably be all digital in the next two years anyway so you'll need a transport adapter or full set top to get anything other than locals then.