Comcast HDTV! (1 Viewer)

[ChrisMcK]

I'm a subscriber in Boston to Comcast digital cable. I don't have an HDTV set but while surfing last night I stumbled across the ABC, CBS, PBS, HBO and Showtime Digital channels. They start on channel 802. Just thougfht I'd pass along the info for those who weren't aware

 

[Tyler DJW]

This seem like a good place to ask a question I had. At Best Buy in East Palo Alto I've seen a sign for COMCAST HDTV which says HDTV is available in most areas... up to 7 HD Channels.

Does anyone know if Comcast is really offering HDTV in the San Francisco Bay area (SF in particular). I'm planning to buy a set very soon and haven't yet hear for sure if it is offered.

I'm am glad to see that COMCAST is taking the initiative to introduce HD into mainstream availability! I would just like to see it make its way to the west coast now!

 

[MikeM]

I called them about a month ago to specifically ask if they carry HDTV in the Bay Area, and they said, "No, not at this time." :frowning:

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Here in Western Mass we only have HBO and showtime so far, I'll check those channels tonight thou

 

[Nathan_F]

In Indianapolis, they only have NBC, Showtime and HBO. I was extremely disappointed that they do not carry the other networks. Since I have little interest in the movie channels right now, I was looking for a "cheap" solution to receive the HD versions of our local channels. $14.95/mo for just NBC is a little steep. I'm back to the drawing board, waiting on the cost of set-top boxes to drop?

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Why is it 14.95 just for NBC?

 

[Darrel McBane]

I called Comcast two days ago asking about local HD on cable. I was told that in two months all stations available in the area that broadcast HD can be accessed in King and Snahomish county. As of now only HBO and Showtime broadcast in my area. I had it but canceled after three months. We'll see if he was right in a couple of months I guess. He told me to check with Magnolia HIFI. They must be getting early information to pass on to customers.

 

[GlennH]

Still waiting for Comcast to bring HDTV to the Pittsburgh area. No sign of it yet.

But even when they do I would hope that all local digitals (CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, FOX) and ESPN-HD would be available. I know that even though it debutted on Sunday, ESPN-HD isn't being carried by Comcast yet (or Dish or DirecTV for that matter).

 

[Tyler DJW]

Well, since none of this is very encouraging I have another San Francisco area question. If I live within 1 mile of Sutro Tower (just signed lease last night!) will I get good reception for HD with an indoor antenna? I think I actually can see Sutro through one of my windows, but I'm not sure.

I'm thinking about buying an integrated set and trying for over-the-air transmissions, since Comcast doesn't seem like a sure thing right now. But I can't put an antenna outside.

 

[Nathan_F]

It's $14.95 as the basic cost of the HD service (includes the set=top box). Now if I already subscribed to HBO or Showtime, I would get those for the $14.95 as well without any additional charges. Since I don't... $14.95 for NBC.

 

[Michael Silla]

Waiting in Salt Lake for Comcast to begin there offerings - apparently sometime this Fall is the intended start date.

Michael.

 

[Scott McVicker]

for those of you interested in HDTV broadcasts, I have found that the avs forum has pretty good disscusions in that area. I live in the Denver area, and we are having to pull teeth to get decent signals. For the guy who was asking about the tower, if he would get a good signal. More than likely you will. Line of sight is a good thing to have.

 

[MikeM]

Well, since none of this is very encouraging I have another San Francisco area question. If I live within 1 mile of Sutro Tower (just signed lease last night!) will I get good reception for HD with an indoor antenna?

With the right antenna, you'll get everything except NBC in the SF Bay Area.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Still waiting for Comcast to bring HDTV to the Pittsburgh area. No sign of it yet.

But even when they do I would hope that all local digitals (CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, FOX) and ESPN-HD would be available.

Don't count on it. In the Detroit area, Comcast has not begun to carry the local CBS-HD signal yet. That means no NCAA Basketball Tournament or Masters for Comcast-HD customers.

I am sticking with OTA-HD until Comcast carries CBS and ESPN in HD in this area.

 

[MarkHastings]

There doesn't seem to be an official Comcast HD thread, so hopefully this will do.

I just got my Comcast HD box today and have it hooked up to a Mitsubishi 46" 16x9 RPTV. How COOL is this! Watching the US Open was amazing definitely worth it. I love the fact that 4x3 programming comes in with the black bars on the sides Plus the optical sound output

I can't wait for more channels

 

[John_Berger]

Comcast has been offering HD here in the lowly Harrisburg area for many months now. I still don't see any station out of the seven that make it worth the upgrade. Oh, well. They'll add more HD channels as time goes on, I'm sure.

 

[Thomas H G]

I've checked on this in the DFW area, and they told me not till the end of this year or early next year.

 

[Clark F]

I just got my Comcast HDTV STB last Friday in the Richmond, Va area. I get ESPNHD, INHD1, INHD2, HBOHD, SHOHD, ABCHD, & NBCHD. No Fox, CBS or PBS at this time.

Since I already had Comcast Digital Cable, there was no monthly or installation charge. Extra STB are $5 per month each (the first is no charge).

Installer just plugged in the new box using a component cable and regular RCA for sound. He was clueless - didn't even know where the stations were or what they should look like. Took me a while to find them.

 

[Bryan Toth]

Here in the DC suburbs (Montgomery County, MD) I've had Comcast HD for a little more than a year. Still waiting for the local FOX HD channel, but other than that, I have to say I've been pretty happy with it -- we get HBO, SHO, INHD1, INHD2, ESPN, PBS, ABC, CBS, and NBC ....

Bryan

 

[Matt DeVillier]

I'm also in Montgomery Co. MD, and am getting ready to drop it. The only station I get that I can't with my $20 UHF antenna is ESPN-HD (don't have SHO/HBO), which doesn't have enough HD content to make it worthwhile (plus the stretching of SD content BLOWS). Plus the motorola 5100 boxes they use are infamous for degrading the quality of the analog channels that pass thru (2-99), which is where the majority of my viewing is anyway.

But I can see how it would be good for people who can't get their local OTA digital stations because of location or lack of a receiver (mine is built-in to the set).