I'm sure all Comcast customers will be getting a letter telling them that they won't be getting channels 30 and up through their analog cable TV feed, and are requiring them to get a set top box (STB) to access all channels above 30. This is fine and dandy if you only have one TV, but most households have multiple TVs, and they'll all need STBs if basic cable network channels are to be accessed since they are now going digital on them.

The problem gets compounded if you still were using older analog recording devices, like VCRs or analog DVRs, to record basic network cable shows.

Comcast is offering all these users 1 free STB and 2 free digital adapters (which sound more like the devices used to go from analog to digital for the TVs that don't have composite video input, and only a coax input for the antenna).

A second STB will be around $7-$8/month, and if you want the STB that does DVR/HDRV, that's $16/month. So, it's almost $190+/year if you want DVR capability since your current analog recorders are useless for the channels over 30 in June.

This is yucky, and has me looking to switch to ATT U-verse if they actually offer their service in my area.

You can get additional digital adapters for $2 a month.

What pisses me off though, is it prevents people from getting free basic HD channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, PBS) and forces them to pay the $7 a month for the HD Box, plus subscribing to it.

Comcast is totally using this situation to unfairly screw over their customers, especially after them telling me last year, that I'd be fine with my HDTV because it already has a digital tuner card.

That seals it for me. I'm not taking this shit from them any more. I am willing to pay them around $100 a month for a satisfactory cable and internet package. If that is too much to ask for, screw 'em.

my parents encountered this situation already, as they originally had an analog signal. They really haven't subscribed to the full "digital package," so basically they are getting the tv guide for free. Can't even view the free movies. "Free, with subscription" haha

My area hasn't had this change yet, so I'm waiting.

Been that way with Fios for close to a year now. Not a big deal as they "grandfathered" in existing customers and gave us up to 3 "free" digital adapters.

I like that they're timing this switch with the OTA digital transition. Slimy as always.

They did that here in Michigan (at least southeast Michigan) in November and December. Anything above channel 24 was cut (except for 99, CBC). What made it worse is that they rearranged the channel line up right before the change was made. ESPN and Fox Sports Detroit were channels 11 and 13, which would have been in the analog range. Now they are channels 29 and 30. The analog is really only useful now for recording the major networks on my DVRs. Had to get their DVR to record shows on other networks.

No, it doesn't. The FCC requires all local stations to be carried in un-encrypted ClearQAM.* Even after the switch, you'll be able to plug your digital TV into a cable line and receive all analog channels under 30 and all of the digital local channels.

*More specifically, if a cable network rebroadcasts a local station, it must also rebroadcast that stations digital broadcasts and may not encrypt them.

comcast charges only $6 more a month for the hd dvr. all the hd channels are included in that price. well the hd versions of whatever channels you already pay for.

The big advantage that cable always had over satellite (and FIOS I believe) is that you could split however many times and simply plug and play and get the 2-99 level. If they start requiring STBs, they've lost that advantage.

If they are giving you a STB for free, you could always use an IR blaster to connect a ReplayTV or TIVO.

Thankfully, at least in ATL, all of the basic cable digis seem to be clear QAM, so lots of computer tuners and/or TV tuners should be able to access them for free (I've got my computer set up as a DVR, and the most difficult thing to accomplish was remapping the QAM channels to their appropriate station IDs). Too bad the HD channels beyond the locals are encrypted.

Maybe if Charter does this, too, it will finally push my parents into the digital age.

You might be in for a rude awakening in June if you try accessing channels above 30 with your PC setup after the switchover.

You're probably right. Just let me enjoy it while I can!

I alo use my computer as a DVR. I got converter boxes on the way, I'll let you know if Im still able to record anything with the new set-up.

Is there any info on the Comcast website about this? I couldn't find anything, and I haven't noticed any mention of it in my bills. I'm not sure when my area is switching and what I need to do about it.

That would be appreciated!

There's a hack available that allows one to add a cablecard to a computer tuner. Looks like it might be beyond my skill level, but I may try that this summer if they end up encrypting most of the channels. Of course, I'll have to pay for whatever channels I end up getting via the cablecard, but for HD stuff it might be worth it.

I already pay $16 for the DVR/HDTV/STB in the living room, I'm not going to pay another $8/month for a STB or $16/month for another DVR in the bedroom, I'll just suffer with the analog offerings under channel 30 in the bedroom.

This happened to me last month with no warning. I've been using the cable outlet for my second TV since there's no need for another HD-DVR. I can still watch network TV in HD, since they're just 4-1, 5-1, etc. I assumed the new boxes would give me the same channels I had before plus more, because that's what Comcast has told me. But from what I'm reading here, I'll lose the HD channels since Comcast bumps those up to 104, 105, etc. Is that true?

Analog digital video recorder?

Is that like jumbo shrimp?

Okay, if your TV has a digital Tuner you can still pick up the HD channels on 4-1, etc. Comcast provides you with FREE digital converter boxes with a remote to see all channels above 30 for up to 4 tvs.

Analog digital video recorders is what just about everyone has (including myself). It means the recorder scans through the channels and can record one thing while you watch another. This digital box means that it can only record the one channel you leave the box on... while it wants to record a different channel the DVR can not manually change the digital box with a loop of IR devices to physically change the channel. That's the issue I'm having right now... Once I get that working I can try and hook up my 2nd tuner. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to record 2 shows at once anymore.

It's their insidious plan to get people to upgrade to their Motorola HD-DVR-STB, where you can record 2 shows at the same time, and watch a previously recorded show while recording the 2 shows, which I end up doing a lot since I can skip through commercials, and then time-shift the newly recorded shows and skip through more commercials.

But the Comcast change (going digital on channels above 30) does obsolete my older DVRs for channels above 30, so I guess I'll just use my old DVRs for the network channels in a pinch if I need to record more than 2 shows in the same timeslot.

My Tivo has those IR adapters so I can still change the channels for anything above 30.