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Digital Cable

Old 02-19-01, 04:36 PM
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It only costs 9.95 more per month (Time Warner Cable -- New York City) and it includes multiple premium channels, more basic channels, etc., so I've already scheduled an appointment to change over. Unfortunately it seems everyone has the same idea, so I have to wait until March 23. I have two questions that I can't seem to get answered anywhere else, so I turn to you:

(1) What is the connection? I heard it was coaxial. True?

(2) I don't have a digital TV. I do have a Hitachi 50" rear projection. What level (if any) of change will I see once I'm connected? Will it be any different for a 40" Mitsubishi tube TV?


Please share your thoughts.
Old 02-19-01, 04:47 PM
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Digital cable is coax.

Also I am not sure in New York but here in Mass. the only thing digital on digital cable are the music and premium channels. The rest of the channels, especially the local channels, are still analog and there is a very marginal improvment over quality. Of course this is my personal experience. I have had the cable company out to look at the signal quality and they said that is as good as it gets on the local channels. For $10 bucks extra a month though it is worth it just for the music channels.
Old 02-19-01, 05:28 PM
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In Cincinnati, the digital cable works as follows. The digital channels are 100+ on the lineup. I can tell a noticable improvement in image quality on the digital channels over the analog stations. Also, for the digital channels, you have to option of running a digital coax audio out (from the digital cable box, Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000) to your receiver. This allows certain movie channels (Starz, for instance) to send audio in Dolgy Digital 5.1.

I don't think you will notice much (if any) difference in video quality regarding your normal analog channels. However, I believe you will notice that the digital channels give a higher video (and audio, if you connect via the digital coax) quality than your analog channels.

Hope this helps.
Old 02-19-01, 06:22 PM
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Tried it and didn't like it

I tried Time Warner digital cable here in Memphis because I called and was told it was 5.1 DD. After setting it up and not getting surround I called and it took 2 or 3 people before someone finally confirmed that they were not transmitting 5.1 DD. They had no clue about audio. I hated the video service because I like to surf and could not stand the 2-3 sec. delay between channels (like satellite). I also found that the overall sound quality of digital was not as good using Pro Logic as w/ analog TV. When I can get real surround I'll put up w/ the channel change delay but not until then.
Old 02-19-01, 08:20 PM
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Re: Tried it and didn't like it

Originally posted by BLDN10
I hated the video service because I like to surf and could not stand the 2-3 sec. delay between channels (like satellite).

Is this delay universal?

Old 02-19-01, 08:22 PM
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Re: Tried it and didn't like it

Originally posted by Kromax
Originally posted by BLDN10
I hated the video service because I like to surf and could not stand the 2-3 sec. delay between channels (like satellite).
Is this delay universal?
I'm not sure what BLDN10 is referring to here. There is no delay between channel changes in Cincinnati, OH. As for transmission of DD 5.1 audio, the ONLY channels I have found to do this are a few of the Starz! premium channels. HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and the Pay-Per-View channels only transmit digital audio - not DD 5.1.

I would advise you to try it for yourself and see if you like it. You've only got $10 to lose - at most. As for me, I would never to back to "non-digital" cable.

[Edited by BartleyR7 on 02-19-01 at 06:25 PM]
Old 02-19-01, 10:13 PM
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I have digital in Minneapolis (Time Warner) and the price difference is, similarly, $10 / month. The video / audio isn't really all that different from standard cable (although the audio is pretty clean on the 40 DMX channels), but the additional channels make it well worth it. 8 Discovery Channels, Fox Sports World (a must if you're a soccer fan), the Sundance Channel....the list keeps going...

As far as the delay goes, there is a short delay in the digital tier of stations (those above 100) while the packets of information arrive. You'll see them coming in as what look like big pixels appearing on your screen. I've never found it a nuisance, though.

Is there a drastic difference in audio / video quality? No. Is there a drastic difference in programming quality? Yes.

IMHO, it's worth it.

[Edited by edclem on 02-19-01 at 08:34 PM]
Old 02-19-01, 10:28 PM
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Originally posted by edclem
As far as the delay goes, there is a short delay in the digital tier of stations (those above 100) while the packets of information arrive. You'll see them coming in as what look like big pixels appearing on your screen. I've never foundit a nuisance, though.
This is actually very interesting to read. The only time I see these big pixels is when browsing the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, and the like). You would think that Time Warner would have the same implementation nation-wide.

But then again, that's what I get for thinking.
Old 02-19-01, 10:35 PM
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Originally posted by BartleyR7
Originally posted by edclem
As far as the delay goes, there is a short delay in the digital tier of stations (those above 100) while the packets of information arrive. You'll see them coming in as what look like big pixels appearing on your screen. I've never foundit a nuisance, though.
This is actually very interesting to read. The only time I see these big pixels is when browsing the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, and the like). You would think that Time Warner would have the same implementation nation-wide.

But then again, that's what I get for thinking.

AOHell/ Time Warner do something right?! That'll be the day


Old 02-19-01, 10:37 PM
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I'm thinking of upgrading to digital. I can get it for only a couple bucks more. I wouldn't get any new channels that I want, but I would get the music audio only channels. I don't bother with any premium channels as I don't want to pay to watch movies in pan and scan. I wouldn't bother upgrading at all, but there is a special on the 23 and 24 where you get free installation, the first month free, and the next 2 months half-off. That's a pretty sweet deal. The only treason I'm still trying to decide whether to get it is that I really don't want to deal with a cable box. My entertainment system is stuffed as is. Also, the price would go up a couple of bucks since we'd have to rent another box for the bedroom. I'll probably just pass. Our analog reception is pretty good, and I don't want any of the extra channels except the audio ones.

[Edited by joshhinkle on 02-20-01 at 09:35 AM]
Old 02-19-01, 10:43 PM
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Kinda disagree

I have to disagree with everyone here...for me the picture quality was what drove us to the digital cable (along with the mess load of channels).

We had the cable company (Cox) come out a couple times to look at our signal and they told us that is was as good as it would get without going Digital. So we tried digital on one of their promos and damn...I will never go back to non-digital in some form...

As for digital audio - don't know, the only cable box they offer us one has composite 2 channel out (red/white).

It is probably something just in our area though as most of the cable channels (without digital service) are pretty crappy in everyone's home (the cable in the bedrooms - same thing)...

Anyway, just wanted to share that with everyone...
Old 02-20-01, 02:25 AM
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Our experience here in LA:

There is a noticeable delay in changing any channels. The premium channels below 100 are broadcast in digital and look pretty good, the digital channels above 100 like IFC, Bravo, Sundance, and such look terrible compared to analog broadcast.

[Edited by reverb on 02-20-01 at 12:38 AM]
Old 02-21-01, 02:05 PM
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Originally posted by joshhinkle
(edit)...I don't bother with any premium channels as I don't want to pay to watch movies in pan and scan...(edit)
Don't forget that HBO (and Cinemax) also have quite a bit of original programming. HBO offers Sex and the City, The Sopranos, and Oz. They also feature many special programming events (Jerry Seinfeld's I'm Telling You For The Last Time as well as other comedic performances jump to mind).
Old 03-02-01, 09:30 AM
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Re: Kinda disagree

Originally posted by jellis
I have to disagree with everyone here...for me the picture quality was what drove us to the digital cable (along with the mess load of channels).

We had the cable company (Cox) come out a couple times to look at our signal and they told us that is was as good as it would get without going Digital. So we tried digital on one of their promos and damn...I will never go back to non-digital in some form...

As for digital audio - don't know, the only cable box they offer us one has composite 2 channel out (red/white).

It is probably something just in our area though as most of the cable channels (without digital service) are pretty crappy in everyone's home (the cable in the bedrooms - same thing)...

Anyway, just wanted to share that with everyone...
I am a Cox customer as well. Digital cable is not currently offered where I live now, but I will be moving this month to an area where it is available.

I went to the Cox office and saw a demo of the digital service. The box is made by Motorola and does have S-Video and Composite output. For some insane reason, the television they were using only has the RF connection, but even with that, the channels were very clear. The box also has SPDIF audio output and supports 5.1 (not that many of the channels are in 5.1, but I see this changing in the future).

I am switching to digital because the analog service is ATROCIOUS. Almost all of my channels are grainy, and the audio is horrible. Also, maybe 20% of the channels we have on analog are in stereo (!) whereas every channel is in stereo with the digital service.

IMO, you should switch to digital if your analog service is crappy (like mine). If you are satisfied with the analog, maybe its not worth switching.



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