Well... I did it...

[T2k]

Well... I did it... TWCNYC's DIRTY TRICK!!!

and ordered TWCNYC.

We'll see - the good side is they don't charge anything (one-time fee) for HD-DVR, they have more HD than sat providers and no commitment at all and the first month is free.
Bad side is they are expensive as hell - $112 per month with 3 rooms (1 HD-DVR STB and 2 HD STBs) and 3 premiums (HBO, Showtime, Starz) -, I have to pay some $150 fee for install and everything incl first month half price... :shocked

I requested explicitly that I want ACTIVE Firewire ports on my boxes - nobody knew WTF I'm talking about, of course but at least the 3rd person I was transferred to supposedly made a comment on my order page... we'll see, as I said.

 

[T2k]

Nice, they screwed up, of course.

Two Pioneer boxes - no Firewire at all - and SA8001HD for HD-DVR with not only missing Firewire but an inactive DVI port.

 

[T2k]

Here Is The Dirty Trick - Disgusting!!!

What?????????????????????????

I just discovered that TWCNYC has a well-hidden promotion for satellite customers: 2 MONTHS FOR FRE!

I called them up, saying I just got installed today and now I found this, they said F**k off, you've got installed, why didn't you ask about it before, I said I DID EXPLICITLY ASK ABOUT SATELLITE-RELATED PROMOTIONS 4-5x times last two weeks and YOU GUYS DIDN"T TELL MNE ANYTHING! They said sorry... I said, OK, then disconnect and reconnect but be sure you won't charge me $40 for installation again. They said OK but they NEED TO PICK UP MY SAT BOXES!!!

I asked what??? Those are rented, WTF should I say to Voom if they come to pick up their property??? She want off again to talk to supervis, came back, she said OK, bill is enough but if I disconnect now, I cannot reconnect for another 6 months!!!

I was like... there's no word to describe... WHAT???

I told her "you know what, I'll disconnect and reorder on my wife's name and TWCNYC can do me a favor..."

I'm going to their Payment Center anyway to get my new FW-enabled STB but I guess there'll be some yelling...

Outrageous, ridiculous - what do you think?

 

[Hall]

From reading over at AVS Forum, TW doesn't have any HD-DVRs with working Firewire ports. And contrary to any misinterpretation of some gov't "rules", all they have to supply is "a" set-top box with Firewire. Most franchises offer the Pioneer 3250HD (not a DVR) to satifsy this rule. As for getting one of these 3250s (some will have FW ports, most will not), you just have to ask the right people. I have a contact at my local TW who's aware of this requirement and says they do have them. I asked on behalf of someone else and he told me this:

If your friend really wants the SA 3250HD, then he can stop by one of our front counters and request it. If they do not have one at the counter, they can make arraignments to pick one up after the next warehouse delivery.

You need to go to their locations and get one. When they hand you without the ports, politely explain again what you're after. Eventually, the "counter" person will ask someone there (hopefully) who has a clue...

When I took advantage of their satellite-customer offer, they mentioned taking my receivers. I told them they're leased and they dropped the requirement. They know the DBS providers are leasing boxes nowadays so this isn't a drop-dead requirement.

 

[ggw2000]

Gee Whiz !!!!!

What?????????????????????????

I just discovered that TWCNYC has a well-hidden promotion for satellite customers: 2 MONTHS FOR FRE!

I called them up, saying I just got installed today and now I found this, they said F**k off, you've got installed, why didn't you ask about it before, I said I DID EXPLICITLY ASK ABOUT SATELLITE-RELATED PROMOTIONS 4-5x times last two weeks and YOU GUYS DIDN"T TELL MNE ANYTHING! They said sorry... I said, OK, then disconnect and reconnect but be sure you won't charge me $40 for installation again. They said OK but they NEED TO PICK UP MY SAT BOXES!!!

I asked what??? Those are rented, WTF should I say to Voom if they come to pick up their property??? She want off again to talk to supervis, came back, she said OK, bill is enough but if I disconnect now, I cannot reconnect for another 6 months!!!

I was like... there's no word to describe... WHAT???

I told her "you know what, I'll disconnect and reorder on my wife's name and TWCNYC can do me a favor..."

I'm going to their Payment Center anyway to get my new FW-enabled STB but I guess there'll be some yelling...

Outrageous, ridiculous - what do you think?

Man am I glad I live upstate! Got a good deal this week from TW. SA8300HD DVR coming saturday and all channels plus all premiums and HD Pak for $65 a month for a year. Digital Phone for $40 and I already have Roadrunner at $40. No installation fees to boot. Guess it pays to live in the sticks .

 

[klmnoah]

Ggw, go with Vonage for your phone service it is much cheaper than TWC.

 

[ggw2000]

vonage

Ggw, go with Vonage for your phone service it is much cheaper than TWC.

Already have cheap vonage and am going to cancel it. They do not have a local "rate zone" where I live and everyone calling has to pay long distance charges. I emailed them 60 days ago and told them if they did not get a local number that I was going to cancel (never even bother to return by email) So presently I have Frontier phoneline and Vonage... Both are going bye-bye!

 

[optimusprime]

I requested explicitly that I want ACTIVE Firewire ports on my boxes

If you get active firewire ports, I want TWCNY to come on down to North Carolina and give some to me, too ; )

 

[optimusprime]

Nice, they screwed up, of course.

Two Pioneer boxes - no Firewire at all - and SA8001HD for HD-DVR with not only missing Firewire but an inactive DVI port.

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/consumers_new/CableBoxes/8000hd.htm

Read towards the bottom of this page, right hand column...

"When will the DVI port on my Explorer 8000HD be activated?
The software which will activate the DVI port with HDCP is currently being tested. It will be made available to cable operators upon completion of the testing. This software will be automatically downloaded to your set-top by your Cable Operator. Expected availability is early 2005."

 

[optimusprime]

Ggw, go with Vonage for your phone service it is much cheaper than TWC.

It is cheaper, but not near as full-bodied as TW's... Example: Line siezure. (A function required for most decent house alarms systems) This is not available through Vonage, as they use IP based technology, whereas TW uses a dedicated data bandwidth for their phone service, hence they don't call theirs voIP. So while I certainly agree that Vonage does rock my face off, TWC's digital phone is not completely without merit. Oh, TWC's digital phone is also on a battery backup. (They have generators at their local substations, and your digital phone cable modem has a six hour battery strapped to it.)

 

[Hall]

Anything posted on Scientific Atlanta's website applies to SARA-based set-top boxes (first). In fact, it means almost nothing for Passport-based boxes. It doesn't mean Passport (Pioneer) is testing theirs or that they'll EVER turn it on.

 

[aspanjer]

TW told me my first 6 months was going to be $65. I went from Voom to TWC .. got my first bill today ... $316. they charged me for signal amplifiers, all kinds of hidden charges. SAME OLD TWC. I have 4 TV's 2 - Hi Def's .. TW's hi def is very poor compared to Voom. there is a lot of satellite fade with no satellite and not only that. i recorded 5 hours worth of programming on the DVR and it told me the space was 100% used. I rebooted, it cleared, but then 2 days later the same thing. the boxes are just crap.

I just called E* and am switching, first install date i could get was 2 weeks, because they have to send me a 942 hd dvr receiver.

 

[T2k]

Yeah, I decided too: enough from this nonsense.
HDDVR box sometimes droppes audio for seconds, menu gfx average ugly except its icons: they are horrible low res, channel lineup order doesn't make ANY sense whatsoever - oh yes and menu layout comes with 4:3 ANYWAY (forces my 16:9 streched channel back to 4:3 too), no option to strech it or something.

POS.