Friday, February 15, 2008

Cable Pirates...

I am sure some of you are aware that TV is supposed to be all digital by Feb. of 09. I was in the dark about the difference between digital and analog quality...till now.

We got a new TV a few weeks ago. Our first new TV since I bought the Quasar with built in VCR before we got married. We got the new one home and set it up...I had no idea how crappy analog looks on a good TV. The picture is actually worse that it was on our older smaller monitor.

We have basic cable and it is all analog all the time...I called the cable company and was told that in order to get digital I would have to rent a receiver for $7 a month. I pointed out that I do not need a receiver that the TV has one built in. They don't care...to get it I have to have the box. If I want the 9 HDTV channels they offer I have to use their Dual DVR...at a cost increase of $40 a month. The $7 receiver started looking better and better...until she told me that I couldn't have basic cable anymore that I had to upgrade to a whole bunch of stuff that I don't want or need for an increase of almost $30 a month.

I do not want 12 MTV channels or a baker's dozen of VH1...

I do not want to spend an extra $30-40 each month...

I do not want a new box of any kind...

Instead of TIVO or some other recording device we have something way cooler...a dedicated PC with Media Center. Rob hooked all of this up and it is amazing. It does everything a normal DVR will do (record two channels at the same time) and more. Let's say we are watching a movie and start arguing about where we recognize one of the actors from...there is no need for me to get on the computer and look them up to prove that I am right. I can click on the "More Information" button and it will pull up the entire cast...then I scroll to the character in question and hit "select" and Viola a complete list of every movie they have ever been in.

Another bonus is the fact that it is free...all of it...even the guide data that updates regularly and wirelessly.

So JaniceSparrowCablePirate...I hooked up an HDTV antenna. It gets NBC and CBS...FOR FREE.

The rest of it I can live with....for now....

4 comments:

Sandy said...

I do not understand the whole thing but I do know that I will use this as an excuse to buy a new TV!

Super B's Mom said...

Cable is a blood-sucking monster.

If it were up to me, I'd just throw our tv out in the yard. Nothing but crap-ola on the thing anyway.

But then Super B and SuperDad would tie me up and stuff me in the closet while they watched Speed Channel.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Cable Companies= communist ideas. Hate them. But cannot live without them. This is why they do it. It sucks!
We too argue about where we recognize one of the actors from.Funny!

Willow said...

We have satellite and it's "only" $45 a month but it's that much because hubby HAS to have *one particular* fishing channel that only comes with a larger package. Of course all the MTV and VH1 and all those CD music channels go unwatched/un-listened to.

Ridiculous. I think they should take all that extra money and balance the national budget.