Had charter installed today

[Jhon69]

One more vote for Charter w/Tivo and Mini's. Was a long time Dish customer but when they dumped SNY I switched to DTV. Was paying Charter for Internet $60+ and DTV $180+ and decided to F that and switch to Charter. Got the same channels and internet for around $140 a month. Thanks to members here who warned me that the Charter boxes were the same ones they used 10 years ago (or so), I got a Tivo Roamio and have been very pleased since.

Charter + Tivo = save money and good channel selection.

We have them coming to install Charter Spectrum cable HDTV today,called Dish to cancel and all I was offered was AT200 for the same price as AT120 which I have and Dish wonders why long time subscribers are leaving??? Are you kidding me Dish???

Your Loyalty Department sucks!!! That's why!!!, No offer of a Hopper 3 or nothing,I own my VIP922 but still no offer????? Plus the CSR acted like she did not have much time to spend with me??? Why?? Because everybody is leaving!!!!!.

I have had Charter Broadband cable internet for maybe a month and I did not get the special deal then because I did not bundle,well the Charter CSR gave me the bundle special deal for TV and internet for a year,good job! Charter!!

We plan to try the Charter DVRs so we have access to Charter's On Demand.So it's $29.99 for TV, $29.99 for Broadband Internet 60Mbps/4Mbps.No caps.

Good bye Dish!

Goodbye AT&T High Speed DSL Elite 6Mbps/512kbps for$54. for 150GB cap,after you reach the cap it's $10. for 50GB extra,our bill was $84. a month for just internet.

 

[mdavej]

Smart move. Just watch out when your promo ends. Your price goes through the roof. TV goes to $60, Internet to $65, DVR to $12 + $7 per box = about $145. Enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[king3pj]

Smart move. Just watch out when your promo ends. Your price goes through the roof. TV goes to $60, Internet to $65, DVR to $12 + $7 per box = about $145. Enjoy it while it lasts.

This is true but I have been able to get them to continue offering my double play deals. All I did was call to cancel the TV portion and go back to OTA and streaming only when my first year promos ran out. They offered to let me keep my bundle with Spectrum Silver for the same price for another year so I kept it. I have a Tivo Roamio and Mini so I don't have to worry about DVR fees.

I think the key to doing this is to be ready to go through with canceling the TV service when you call. They may call your bluff and start the cancellation process. I was legitimately calling to go back to internet only and planning to try out Playstation Vue or Sling TV. I had been fine without cable service for almost 2 years before trying out Spectrum TV Silver so I knew I would have been fine going back to that.

 

[mdavej]

Yeah, I've managed to keep my Silver discount a couple of times as well. But I'll probably just drop cable TV next time around. PS Vue + OTA has just about everything I've got now for a fraction of the price.

 

[king3pj]

Yeah, I've managed to keep my Silver discount a couple of times as well. But I'll probably just drop cable TV next time around. PS Vue + OTA has just about everything I've got now for a fraction of the price.

The only reason I didn't go through with that even after they offered to let me keep the deal is because of the premium networks that come with Spectrum Silver. I watch a lot of HBO shows and catch movies from time to time on HBO, Cinemax or Showtime.

If I were to go with Charter internet, Playstation Vue, and an HBO Now subscription I would be paying the same price as a Spectrum Silver and internet bundle and have less channels. To be fair I don't watch most of the channels I would lose anyways but I may as well keep cable if it's the same price. Plus I like the idea of Playstation Vue's DVR compared to Sling but I doubt it would be as nice as continuing to use my Roamio.

 

[Jhon69]

Smart move. Just watch out when your promo ends. Your price goes through the roof. TV goes to $60, Internet to $65, DVR to $12 + $7 per box = about $145. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Well I thought I would give a quick update to my Charter Spectrum cable install.

The installer was good,the installer was fast.The Charter HDDVR box is dated but livable.

The problem I found was we starting watching one of my NBC affiliates on cable and the picture looked so damn good,it looked better than when I switched over to my OTA antenna.

I had to find out why? Why would a NBC affiliate's picture look better on cable,than on my antenna,where they broadcast in 1080i/60? My TV's system information gave me the answer,this livable,dated cable box the installer

installed was able to show all my 1080i HD pictures on cable in 1080p/60!. I'll take it! This is something I have wanted ever since I had satellite and now I found it on cable.

Oh! and that question on price,we were paying Dish almost $85. a month and AT&T DSL $84. a month,so when my special price goes off I should still be below that figure.The 1080p/60 is worth it!.

We also went with Charter Spectrum Silver package and it's awesome! AHC in HD! plus a whole lot more HD than Dish has and it's in 1080p/60!!! WooHoo!!!

 

[harshness]

My TV's system information gave me the answer,this livable,dated cable box the installer installed was able to show all my 1080i HD pictures on cable in 1080p/60!. I'll take it! This is something I have wanted ever since I had satellite and now I found it on cable.

Modern LCDs up the scan rate to 60, 120 or even 240fps from whatever it started at. If the DVR is doing a much better job, the TV isn't holding up its end.

Then there's the proprietary video processing that each carrier uses as part of its compression and modulation schemes.

Congratulations on the efficient install.

 

[Jhon69]

Modern LCDs up the scan rate to 60, 120 or even 240fps from whatever it started at. If the DVR is doing a much better job, the TV isn't holding up its end.

Then there's the proprietary video processing that each carrier uses as part of its compression and modulation schemes.

Congratulations on the efficient install.

Thanks for the Congratulations.

What fascinates me is the fact that OTA HD is 1080i/60-720p/60.

Both satellites providers provide 1080i/60-720p/60 HD on their satellite channels with some PPV movies are HD 1080p/60.

The cable companies that I know of Charter and Comcast have digital HDDVRs that can provide HD 1080p/60 per channel which to me is the best HD picture per channel for HDDVRs.

 

[Bruce]

Thanks for the Congratulations.

What fascinates me is the fact that OTA HD is 1080i/60-720p/60.

Both satellites providers provide 1080i/60-720p/60 HD on their satellite channels with some PPV movies are HD 1080p/60.

The cable companies that I know of Charter and Comcast have digital HDDVRs that can provide HD 1080p/60 per channel which to me is the best HD picture per channel for HDDVRs.

I have Comcast with the X1 and all the box is doing is up-converting the 720P/1080i picture to 1080P, most 1080P/4K TVs does the same thing that the STB is doing, some better, some worse.

No Cable Channel or OTA Broadcaster provide 1080P signal for their channels, wish they did but they do not.

If you want real 1080P the only way you are going to get it is online with a Roku-Netflix, Vudu, even Premium Channels Apps like HBO Go are 1080P ( and Dolby Digital + ) while 1080i on Cable/Sat. Providers

 

[Jhon69]

I have Comcast with the X1 and all the box is doing is up-converting the 720P/1080i picture to 1080P, most 1080P/4K TVs does the same thing that the STB is doing, some better, some worse.

No Cable Channel or OTA Broadcaster provide 1080P signal for their channels, wish they did but they do not.

If you want real 1080P the only way you are going to get it is online with a Roku-Netflix, Vudu, even Premium Channels Apps like HBO Go are 1080P ( and Dolby Digital + ) while 1080i on Cable/Sat. Providers

Well I guess I should have made one thing clear.I know the cable company's HDDVRs upscale the sad part is the satellite providers HDDVRs do not upscale,except maybe on PPV.

I have a Sony 4K upscaling Blu ray player that upscales a 480p DVD to 1080p and then it can upscale a 1080p Blu ray to 4K.

My son has Comcast X1 where he lives up north,when I go to visit, his Sony has an awesome picture,now when he comes down to visit me I can proudly show him the awesome pictures that Charter has on their HD channels.

I guess I am one of those people that can see every little detail of a picture and I have not really been happy subscribing to satellite providers because of this,now with Charter Spectrum Cable I am a happy camper.

 

[mdavej]

Going from 1080i to 1080p is not upscaling but simply de-interlacing. Whether the DVR does it or your TV or AVR does it, the result should be identical. I'm glad you're happy with Charter (I am too), but any picture quality differences you're seeing are due to other factors. If you came from Dish, then you are indeed getting higher resolution from Charter which a keen eye may be able to see (I can't see a difference myself). If you came from DirecTV, the HD resolution should be the same on both. Compression is probably different on each system, even each channel. So those differences are hard to nail down or generalize.

 

[Jhon69]

Going from 1080i to 1080p is not upscaling but simply de-interlacing. Whether the DVR does it or your TV or AVR does it, the result should be identical. I'm glad you're happy with Charter (I am too), but any picture quality differences you're seeing are due to other factors. If you came from Dish, then you are indeed getting higher resolution from Charter which a keen eye may be able to see (I can't see a difference myself). If you came from DirecTV, the HD resolution should be the same on both. Compression is probably different on each system, even each channel. So those differences are hard to nail down or generalize.

I Thank You and Appreciate your reply I am somewhat technical up to a point and yes I have had Dish for years(with a little time,maybe 3 years, with DirecTV).Because I am disabled I do watch alot of TV,so I grow accustom to the picture I see.

I was hoping I would get a better picture(because my son does with Comcast) but the main reasons were the "special deals" they are offering,plus more channels in HD,like American Heroes channel,Inspiration,TV Land,PoP and more HD channels

in the Premium channels in HD than the satellite providers have.The 1080p/60 de-interlacing is just another surprise benefit,but it's a benefit that puts the Wow! in the picture.

 

[harshness]

The 1080p/60 de-interlacing is just another surprise benefit,but it's a benefit that puts the Wow! in the picture.

Unless you're using a 1080i CRT, most non-CRT displays de-interlace as a matter of course and if you can perceive a difference, there's something else in play. De-interlacing, in and of itself, is typically a compromise as opposed to a win unless your TV has a very poor scaler/motion compensation (in which case, all evaluations based on that display are dubious).

It doesn't matter how much TV you watch, your brain will adjust and any differences that stick with you are likely in pre-compression video adjustments to contrast or color saturation. Side-by-side is the only true test of differences.

 

[Jhon69]

Unless you're using a 1080i CRT, most non-CRT displays de-interlace as a matter of course and if you can perceive a difference, there's something else in play. De-interlacing, in and of itself, is typically a compromise as opposed to a win unless your TV has a very poor scaler/motion compensation (in which case, all evaluations based on that display are dubious).

It doesn't matter how much TV you watch, your brain will adjust and any differences that stick with you are likely in pre-compression video adjustments to contrast or color saturation. Side-by-side is the only true test of differences.

Yes I probably got too accustom to Dish's HD Lite.

 

[Spike]

Going from 1080i to 1080p is not upscaling but simply de-interlacing. Whether the DVR does it or your TV or AVR does it, the result should be identical. I'm glad you're happy with Charter (I am too), but any picture quality differences you're seeing are due to other factors. If you came from Dish, then you are indeed getting higher resolution from Charter which a keen eye may be able to see (I can't see a difference myself). If you came from DirecTV, the HD resolution should be the same on both. Compression is probably different on each system, even each channel. So those differences are hard to nail down or generalize.

Hey mdavej, It is nice to see you again. How have you been? Are you still using your same setup with your computer acting as your HD DVR? I hope everything is going well for you!

 

[mdavej]

Good. Thanks for asking. I dropped the computer DVR when Rovi took over. But now Rovi has also taken over Tivo, and I have the same old problems again. I can't win . In any case, it's just TV.

 

[Spike]

Good. Thanks for asking. I dropped the computer DVR when Rovi took over. But now Rovi has also taken over Tivo, and I have the same old problems again. I can't win . In any case, it's just TV.

I'm glad that you are doing well. Too bad about the Computer DVR. Man,.. and you had such a great system. I was so impressed with your set up. I was also impressed with Charter until it crashed on me. Yet, I'm thrilled that it is still doing well in your area. Have a great day!

 

[Jhon69]

Yes I was even having guide problems with my Charter HDDVRs it had to be because of the merger or the merger with Rovi and Tivo because now it has straightened itself out..

 

[Jhon69]

Well thought I would update my opinion of Charter Spectrum cable and internet so far I am very happy with it.

I am using their HDDVRs and since I downloaded the user manual for their HDDVRs I am able to adjust it to my satisfaction.

I have never had an internet before that gave me more than I paid for it,the speed was always less,well not with Charter Spectrum Internet my speeds have been always higher.

So so far I am living the dream having 1080p resolution on my cable channels and 60/4 internet speeds.

 

[mdavej]

Glad it worked out. But for the record, nobody, not even Charter, broadcasts any channels in 1080p. Your TV is upconverting 480p, 720p or 1080i to 1080p. Supposedly, a new DVR interface is in the works, but it will probably be years from now, if it ever happens at all.

Incidentally, my 60/4 recently got bumped up the 64/5 which is enough to make my slingbox work a lot better.