Western Canada HDTV via Shaw Cable w/ DCT5100, anyone? (1 Viewer)

[Andy]

Hi Folks, i noticed Shaw Cable in Edmonton is rolling out 5 channels of HDTV.....i would assume broadcast is very close as they've restructured the channel lineup complete with guide information, if it hasn't started already......my questions are regarding the Motorola DCT 5100 box Shaw wants an arm and a leg for....

i) must this be purchased from Shaw?...i'm assuming not, yeah?

ii) if answer to above = no, any leads on possible deals on one from a brick&mortar or online even?

iii) any comments from other Shaw HDTV subscribers or anyone else in western Canada using dct5100....i guess Rogers in Cowtown uses the same box eh? Is much actually broadcast in 1080i x 16 x 9? or is there a lot of 'grey area' stuff like 480p or 'extended-def-tv' etc

...thx for any answers....i've a 65xbr 16:9er that i'd love to see 1080i 16x9 on if possible..

rgds,
Andy.

 

[Ken Leggatt]

I am very interested in getting this to. I live Surrey, BC and I hope to see stuff in HD soon. Shaw wants 700 bucks for the box I was wondering if you can use any box or do we have to use the motorola?

 

[Andy]

That's a good question Ken......without knowing a whole helluva a lot about it, my guess is the dct5100 might be a necessity and there may not be freedom to use a completely different model ( i recall reading some sort of Motorola News-Release somewhere speaking about the contract with Shaw Cable to provide the hdtv set-top boxen, so maybe that means they are 'system-specific')...dunno for sure....i called the Shaw-lady and she sez it will be formally rolled out before the end of May, very early June 'at the latest"....uhhhh, ok, they had no dct5100 at their depots in edmonton yet, they want 7 bills minus a ppv/programming credit......i don't relly mind shelling out for the box, i just want it to last for several yr and/or be transferrable to another provider etc down the line as a backup plan, plus i gotta source an hdtv capable switcher as my 65xbr10w Sony only has one 480p/1080i comp input, i got another but it only does 480i......someone tell me the reason behind that design choice??

 

[Steve Winkler]

Shaw is the cable provider in Calgary too. I think the Motorola units may be for sale at A&B Sound & Future Shop but don't quote me on that, I know I've seen them there. Shaw's HD offerings will probably be the same or very similar to what Star Choice currently offers(Shaw owns Star Choice). I keep hoping Star Choice will add a few more HD channels as "promised" but haven't seen them yet.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Andy]

Roger that, i'll have to check a couple big box stores and see....i noticed they opened 2 Best-Buy stores in Edmonton just now......according to the channel line-up they got on the guide now, i believe 5 channels: an HD-mix, HD-PBS, and then ABC/NBC/CBS in HD....and then obviously only a small fraction of programming on latter 3 is 'true' HD...i understand PBS broadcasts more relatively speaking.......i'm assuming there will be some HD-PPV movies???

As far as whats on the horizon.....i've read that HD-net is applying for Canadian boradcast license and is tesing with Shaw right now...Discovery-HD would be a shoe in you'd think since Discovery Channel has n-number of iterations already on
cable/satt......i also understand that City-TV is applying for licence staring this fall in Edmonton/Calgary and afaik they are the first Canadian Network to go all HD (this fall i think). Defacto hd-ppv-movies or HD-movie channel needs to be necessity i think.

rgds,
Andy.

 

[Ken Leggatt]

A&B and Future Shop do sell the boxes and they are no less than 700. I was hoping that we could just use some other box but I called shaw and the lady said I needed the DCT5100.