Buy, NOT Rent!

Talked with Robin at Comcast 8/13/09, and after persistent questioning, she admitted what we all know - that the purpose behind pushing us into the cable box requirement for every tv in your house is to enable purchasing of premium content and/or impulse (pay-per-view) buying. She also pointed out that all of the other providers (satellite, fios, etc) require boxes anyway. She also said that by 2010 there will be nothing other than local channels available without the box. Fine, whatever. A few points:

1. We were mislead by the whole DTV transition propaganda by the implication that a new TV with ATSC/Clear Qam would be able to receive all non-scrambled content. True, unless it's all been removed. A new tv with all the tuners is no better than the one you replaced as far as channels are concerned. If your tv gets channel 3/4 and you are on comcast, you won't need the rest. But hey, the economy got a big boost from the sales of over-qualified TV's. Thanks for doing your part!

2. The cable card myth. I was told spitefully that I could junk my new tv and get one with a cable card tuner. Google cable-card TVs and let me know how that works for you!

3. Did you do a nice install of your shiny new flat panel? OK, now hang a cable box on it!

4. More remotes. I was told that the comcast remote would be all I'd need and I wouldn't need the tv remote. Uh, anyone out there ever use a universal remote? Works fine as long as you only need power, volume or channel. Let's go wading through your tv's menus to change color, hue, aspect ratios etc with the comcast remote - not gonna happen.

5. For every analog channel they remove, they gain 5-10 digital channels depending on compression. You'd think they could at least give us back digitally the channel they "stole" while keeping the rest for themselves?

6. Cable could promote the fact that they are the only providers capable of basic cable content WITHOUT the need for additional equipment but that would only make sense.

7. We are all told to screw in spiral light bulbs by the government because of the energy savings involved. (every little bit helps) I wonder what the idle wattage of your friendly cable box is? Times every TV in every comcast connected home? Oops!

The FCC doesn't care if it's not over the air. Your elected representatives are clueless, but contact them anyway - feel free to cut and paste.

I have seen class-action suits succeed with far less affected consumers involved. Any attorneys out there looking for some work? ( Delete or Edit for 15 minutes )