Versus/Golf HD on an SDV channel?

[bdraw]

Ever since Versus/Golf got added on channel 694, I have not been able to watch it on my CableCARD Series3 TiVo. Others with CableCARDs have reported the same thing.

I really don't miss the channel, but this makes me thing that like TWC, BHN is testing Switched Digital Video.

[Macman752]

Ben,

Like you, I still can't get the VS/Golf channel on my cable card. To make matters more vexing I've now lost ESPN2HD.

I'd love it if BHN would train their techs to support customers who have CableCARD.

[bdraw]

They will have little choice after July 1st 2007, because from that day on, all STB they deploy have to use CableCARDs.

I suspect that they will be in there, but won't really be doing anything, considering CC don't work on 2-way services, like VOD, or SDV.

[sbiller]

Ever since Versus/Golf got added on channel 694, I have not been able to watch it on my CableCARD Series3 TiVo. Others with CableCARDs have reported the same thing.

I really don't miss the channel, but this makes me thing that like TWC, BHN is testing Switched Digital Video.

No 694 for me either.

[bdraw]

Enough is enough, I've called BHN, I've asked Greg on this forum, and now I'm filing a complaint with the FCC. Sure there nothing on right now I want to watch on this channel but will be come football season.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints_general.html

[Macman752]

Ben,

I'm close to doing the same. I've never received VS/Golf despite an April 23 service call and a promise that the channel would appear within 48 hours after the tech left.

Now I've lost DiscoveryHD but ESPH2HD has reappeared.

I will be making one last attempt to have BHN correct these problems. If they fail I too will be filing my complaint.

[LeapFroggie]

I will be making one last attempt to have BHN correct these problems. If they fail I too will be filing my complaint.

Don't forget that you can file a complaint with the appropriate franchise board in your municipality.

[Macman752]

Don't forget that you can file a complaint with the appropriate franchise board in your municipality.

That's true but it's not an effective route. My municipality has a long-term franchise agreement so the complaint just gets put in the file until franchise renewal time.

Of course with the recent change in the law municipalities won't have much say, if any, after their current agreements expire.

[Bschneider]

Here is what I just got from BHN:

CableCard and the Golf Channel - I'm told that it will not work on CableCards, due to the way the stream is configured. It's all related to the currently "one-way" nature of first generation CableCards.

[bdraw]

Thanks Bryan. That confirms my suspicion, it is an SDV channel.
For those who don't already know, Switched Digital Video is like VOD, when you select the channel the stb notifies the head-end to send you the signal. Since 3rd party CableCARD devices can't send the signal you can't watch the channel.

This will eventually save BHN throughput cause they only have to send the channel on the head end if someone is watching it.

It just sucks that CableCARD customers are left in the cold, and I'm hoping the FCC puts a stop to it till CableLabs will certify a Series3 for CC 2.0.

Just one more reason to switch to FIOS when they finally light up the cable in my front yard.

[Macman752]

Thanks Bryan. That confirms my suspicion, it is an SDV channel.
For those who don't already know, Switched Digital Video is like VOD, when you select the channel the stb notifies the head-end to send you the signal. Since 3rd party CableCARD devices can't send the signal you can't watch the channel.

This will eventually save BHN throughput cause they only have to send the channel on the head end if someone is watching it.

It just sucks that CableCARD customers are left in the cold, and I'm hoping the FCC puts a stop to it till CableLabs will certify a Series3 for CC 2.0.

Just one more reason to switch to FIOS when they finally light up the cable in my front yard.

They must be doing something similar with all of the HD Pak channels. I now can't see HDNet2. It seems that one HD Pak channel disappears for a week at a time. I've lost and then regained ESPN2 HD, the DiscoveryHD and now HDNet 2 is MIA.

[bdraw]

BHN's VP of Customer Service Bill Futch left a voice mail for me on my BHN phone while I was at work today. I called him back and asked him to give me a call on my cell. I know there isn't anything they can do for me, but at the same time the FCC needs to know that cable isn't complying with the spirit of the Open cable legislature, when they prevent someone with a CableCARD from accessing all the channels they would otherwise be entitled to.

[Macman752]

BHN's VP of Customer Service Bill Futch left a voice mail for me on my BHN phone while I was at work today. I called him back and asked him to give me a call on my cell. I know there isn't anything they can do for me, but at the same time the FCC needs to know that cable isn't complying with the spirit of the Open cable legislature, when they prevent someone with a CableCARD from accessing all the channels they would otherwise be entitled to.

Thanks Ben.

Let us know what Mr. Futch has to say about this problem.

[bdraw]

He said that the channel won't work with CableCARD, and offerd me a fee hd stb for one year. I told him if it had a CableCARD, it would work. He said he would get back to me, but atleast the FCC is aware of the issue, and hopefully they will force CableLabs to aprove 3rd party devices for 2way without OCAP.

[tampahank]

He said that the channel won't work with CableCARD, and offerd me a fee hd stb for one year. I told him if it had a CableCARD, it would work. He said he would get back to me, but atleast the FCC is aware of the issue, and hopefully they will force CableLabs to aprove 3rd party devices for 2way without OCAP.

Slightly off topic, I want to applaud your above message for one reason. CableLabs. Most people do not stop and think about where these devices and standards come from, and just curse their local MSO (This is uniform all across the country, not just Tampa).

So thanks for understanding that. People internal to your local MSOs are pulling their hair out just as fast as you guys are on topics like this, trust me, I know them.. only benefit there is perhaps I won't be the most early-balding one in the room at some events soon!


hank

[bdraw]

Hank,
While I don't blame BHN directly, they are part of the problem. After all they do own part of CableLabs, and they do have some influence over their decisions.

What it comes down to in the end is control, BHN like other cable companies wants to control the software that runs on the STB. Some of their motivations are admirable (customer support), but others are not.

In the end as a consumer it is simple, I want to have a choice and I want to save money. Obviously if I save money, then that is money that BHN won't get from me and I can understand why any company wouldn't want that. Personally, choice is more important, it's so important that I originally switched to DirecTV to get an HD TiVo and I switched back to BHN for the same reason. Price and programming weren't factors in either of the decisions for me, so much in fact that during football season I will subscribe to both services, DirecTV for football and BHN for everything else.

[sbiller]

Thanks Bryan. That confirms my suspicion, it is an SDV channel.
For those who don't already know, Switched Digital Video is like VOD, when you select the channel the stb notifies the head-end to send you the signal. Since 3rd party CableCARD devices can't send the signal you can't watch the channel.

This will eventually save BHN throughput cause they only have to send the channel on the head end if someone is watching it.

It just sucks that CableCARD customers are left in the cold, and I'm hoping the FCC puts a stop to it till CableLabs will certify a Series3 for CC 2.0.

Just one more reason to switch to FIOS when they finally light up the cable in my front yard.

Thanks for the updated info on 694. I'm hoping that BHN's experiment with SDV is a failure and they figure out a deployment mechanism that is compatible with the S3 for other channels. Interesting thread on TiVo community that I know some of you contributed to here --> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=357703&highlight=SDV

[Macman752]

BHN must have changed something very recently. I now receive 694 using CableCARD.

I hope the change is permanent as hockey season is just around the corner.

[bdraw]

It would make sense for them to convert it to a normal channel now that their more popular programming is rolling around.

[flyers]

I still do not receive 694 via the 2 S-Cards in my TiVoS3. WHat equipment are you using Macman752?

What does sense have to do with Bright House programming policies?

[bdraw]

flyers,
You may need to reboot your S3, I've seen that happen a few times when BHN added new channels that everyone else but me could get.

I'd try it too, but I recently switched to FIOS.

[flyers]

Thanks for the idea BDraw, but ther is no joy in Port Tampa tonight. I tried restarting TiVo 2x, and still get the blank channel.

I long for FIOS, but apparently all the new development on West Shore isn't enough to entice Verizon.

[bdraw]

I hear you, but keep in mind FIOS doesn't carry that channel at all.

[flyers]

True, but thats not a deal breaker. At least I'd know my service provider isn't charging me for something I cannot receive.

[Macman752]

I still do not receive 694 via the 2 S-Cards in my TiVoS3. WHat equipment are you using Macman752?

What does sense have to do with Bright House programming policies?

Sorry for the delay in posting a reply, I've been out of town. When I returned 694 had vanished. I'm using just the CableCARD with a 50" Pioneer Elite.

BHN had done yet another channel realignment. I have another set with a QAM tuner. They have moved 628 and 613 down to the 79 range. I had to rescan the channels to find 28 and 13.

[Macman752]

694 is back on my CableCARD. Hopefully it will stick around because hockey season is just around the corner.

[Bschneider]

BHN had done yet another channel realignment. I have another set with a QAM tuner. They have moved 628 and 613 down to the 79 range. I had to rescan the channels to find 28 and 13.

I still have 613 and 628 showing up. In fact 629 popped up too..

But I am glad that Versus/Golf is moved to a non-sdv channel.