S-video from SD boxes

[miamicanes]

If the installer shows up tomorrow with SD boxes that don't have S-video outputs, do I have no choice but to tell him to call the whole thing off and cancel the installation? Or can I let him go ahead and install the lame SD boxes, then exchange them myself at Comcast's office for better ones that DO?

If worse came to worst, and the only way to get S-video output is to use a HD box, how much extra does Comcast charge for additional non-DVR HD boxes? Can I do a box swap at their office, or do they actually require a full-blown service call for HD boxes (say, to verify that there's actually a HDTV to be connected to the box to stop people like me from getting HD boxes for all the TVs in the house just to get DVD quality on the non-HDTVs).

Yeah, Voom spoiled me pretty badly...

 

[shelly]

I refused the digital box without s-video and without digital audio and am using just the hd box, non dvr, and there is a $5/month charge for any hd box. If you had the hd dvd, it would be $5 + $10 dvd fee.

My local Comcast will give hd box over the counter without any special need to have it delivered.

Shelly

 

[miamicanes]

is the $5 per HD box instead of, or in addition to, the monthly fee charged for additional SD digital boxes?

If it's INSTEAD OF, that would mean it's either 5 cents more or 95 cents less than they charge for the SD box (don't remember offhand whether they quoted $4.95 or $5.95 per SD box). If that's the case, I don't see why ANY sane individual would take for a normal SD box (unless Comcast just counts on most subscribers being too clueless to realize that HD via S-video = DVD quality)...

 

[jgantert]

Not here. A SD box is included in the Digital price. HD is $5, HD-DVR is $10. Those are FIRST box prices. Second (and up) is $5 SD, $10 HD.

-John

 

[miamicanes]

ah, ok... I was referring to "second box and beyond" prices. At $5 for SD and $10 for HD, that looks like a slightly different way of saying "$5 for a digital box, $5 more for a HD digital box"

Sigh. If the old leased Voom boxen don't get OTA killed or have to be sent back, maybe I'll set up the Voom box as a second video source on the TV in my bedroom and use it instead of the cable box to watch local channels.

 

[spahoose]

Trade in

I had one of the older model digital irds and it did not have s-video output or coaxial output on it. When I bought my 6.1 system I just took the ird into the local office and traded it in on a model that not only had s-vidio, but coaxial, optical and component. You'd get the install done a whole lot faster if you just went ahead and got it installed and traded it in.

 

[betsig250]

I did the same as spahoose.. Just call the National Comcast line and they will make sure the local comcast will trade it in for you.

Has anyone heard if the normal SD boxes will ever have the ability to show the program you are watching in the upper right hand corner while you are in the guide?? I kinda miss that from Voom. My DVR shows the picture, which is nice.