Had charter installed today

[OregonGirl2012]

I had charter installed and am less than thrilled.

One thing that's bothering me is I cannot, for the life of me, find a channel line up JUST for my package. I have the tv select package.

The guide is in 4:3

Half the hd channels are in 4:3 and changing aspect ratio does nothing.

Changing channels or doing anything is extremely slow

 

[mdavej]

Go here to get your lineup:

https://www.charter.com/browse/content/new-channel-lineup

Maybe your market is different, but in most Charter markets, the HD channels are in the 700s and above except the movie channels which are mixed with SD in the 500s and 600s. None are 4:3, except pillar box on a few old movies and TV shows.

Depending on your box, you probably have to set the aspect ratio in the service menu. On a Motorola, turn the box completely off, then press Menu to access the resolution options and aspect ratio.

Charter's interface is always 4:3. If you want a much better DVR, get a Tivo. It's also cheaper than Charter's own crappy box.

Box shouldn't be slow unless you pick "Native" resolution. Pick 1080i only to speed it up. Failing that, you should probably call and get a tech out there to check your signal levels.

 

[OregonGirl2012]

Thank you for your reply. Now regarding getting a tech out to check my signal, charter is cable, so would there be a "signal?" A friend of mine across town says his isn't slow.

Also I mean if I go to a high Def channel, sometimes the program shows with the black bars on the sides. Does this mean the actual show wasn't filmed in hd?

 

[OregonGirl2012]

Also, is there a way to view only the channels I have? Or do I have to figure them out one by one and make a favorites list?

 

[caam1]

Most older TV shows made prior to the 1990s and all movies made before 1953 were shot in a 4x3 aspect ratio and will have the bars on each side. Many have been re-scanned from the original film and are broadcast in HD with bars on each side. TV Land and Turner Classic Movies are good examples of this. Some HD channels such as EWTN still broadcast a lot of SD programming. All Charter HD channels in my area are in the 700 up range except for the premium channels in the 500s. I have a Tivo and you can program it to only display the channels you subscribe to, but I am not sure about the Charter boxes. You can have low signal levels on cable TV. With digital, it will cause the channels to pixelate, break up or disappear. If you are getting all the channels with no picture problems, your signal level is probably good. Since the Charter channel arrangement is so convoluted, I typed out a alphabetical list of the channels I receive and placed a copy in each room where I have a TV.

 

[mdavej]

From what I remember about Charter boxes, you can make a favorites list, but it is a pain to use since you have to drill into the menus to select it every time you open the guide. Tivo is much easier to deal with.

As for the slowness, you'll have to define slow. On my system which works normally, it takes 2.5-3 seconds to change channels.

If you're seeing pillar box (bars on both sides) on everything (not just the cases the previous poster listed), then something is definitely wrong with your setup.

 

[primestar31]

Also, is there a way to view only the channels I have? Or do I have to figure them out one by one and make a favorites list?

NO, there is not a way to do this. Except for a Favorites list, as they said above. Not only that, but all the same channel's are listed in like 3-4 tiers, starting with low numbers, going up into the 900's. They want you to try to view channels you don't pay for, get the "you don't subscribe" message, and finally get pissed off enough to pay for a higher sub.

The Charter dvr is positively pre-historic compared to even a Dish VIP622 dvr. The video definition also sucks compared to Dish, and I have more service interruptions/breakups than I did with Dish.

The only thing going for Charter, is IF you also have internet with them, you can do the double-play, and save at least $25 a month (or more) compared to separate subs to each company.

 

[old corps]

NO, there is not a way to do this. Except for a Favorites list, as they said above. Not only that, but all the same channel's are listed in like 3-4 tiers, starting with low numbers, going up into the 900's. They want you to try to view channels you don't pay for, get the "you don't subscribe" message, and finally get pissed off enough to pay for a higher sub.

The Charter dvr is positively pre-historic compared to even a Dish VIP622 dvr. The video definition also sucks compared to Dish, and I have more service interruptions/breakups than I did with Dish.

The only thing going for Charter, is IF you also have internet with them, you can do the double-play, and save at least $25 a month (or more) compared to separate subs to each company.

Your post has taken care of any thoughts of switching to Charter from Dish for me. There have been so many posts for a very long time about their ancient DVRs and muddled programming guide. You'd think they would have corrected this by now.

 

[charlesrshell]

Your post has taken care of any thoughts of switching to Charter from Dish for me. There have been so many posts for a very long time about their ancient DVRs and muddled programming guide. You'd think they would have corrected this by now.

I think the best way to find out is to talk to your neighbors or friends that have Charter to find out how their DVRs are are performing.

 

[cpalmer2k]

Charter offers a great product now with good service for the most part, with the exception of their DVRs. If you're willing to invest in a TiVo Charter is easy to live with. My advice would be to search out a used Roamio with lifetime service on eBay. Pop a cable card in it, connect a mini (or two) and you have a pretty effective system. Yes there are up front costs, but if you intend to stay with them over the time you're a customer the savings in Charter's box fees would pay for the TiVo. It allows you to customize your channel guide (just choose the channels YOU want to see), the guide is great, and all the features are wonderful with Charter.

 

[primestar31]

Charter offers a great product now with good service for the most part, with the exception of their DVRs. If you're willing to invest in a TiVo Charter is easy to live with. My advice would be to search out a used Roamio with lifetime service on eBay. Pop a cable card in it, connect a mini (or two) and you have a pretty effective system. Yes there are up front costs, but if you intend to stay with them over the time you're a customer the savings in Charter's box fees would pay for the TiVo. It allows you to customize your channel guide (just choose the channels YOU want to see), the guide is great, and all the features are wonderful with Charter.

I agree with this fully. A TIVO is the way to go in this case, once Charter actually manages to get your cablecard properly authorized. I've heard absolute disaster stories about that though. I've heard of it taking multiple tech trips, multiple cards, and all sorts of tricks because they are so clueless.

I have also heard they've in some very few cases managed to activate cablecards properly the first time, by some odd coincidence/accident.

Once that's done though, the Tivo Roamio is comparable to anything Dish has. I own a Roamio myself, and I love it. I bought it with the money I got from selling the FREE Sony Ps/4 Dish sent me, lol.... Now that's revenge, in a DISH best served COLD...

 

[mdavej]

Another vote for Charter and Tivo here. Not only is the DVR experience close to Dish for a heck of a lot less money, you get a ton more HD channels and virtually no dispute related blackouts. One thing that you may not realize is that unlike satellite and cable company boxes, additional rooms with Tivo are free. That adds up fast. I figure I'm saving about $50/month with Tivo and cable.

 

[osu1991]

Usually getting the card and tuning adapter paired is the easy part. It's getting the correct programming authorization hits sent.

After going through it 3 times with Cox on the Tivos for my home, my dad's home and our Condo, when it came time to set up a Tivo Bolt for my step sister I told the installer to have the activation center send a hit for everything or else we would be here for hours. He didn't believe me, so went through the game of checking stuff for 20mins. I finally showed him the diagnostic screen and the error codes from Tivo site. He told them to send a hit for everything and within seconds the channels were authorized.

 

[cpalmer2k]

I should add that in most cases Charter is cheaper. I pay them $160, and $20 is taxes and regulatory fees. that includes Internet and their "Gold" package which contains virtually every channel they offer besides international packages.

 

[harshness]

I pay them $160, and $20 is taxes and regulatory fees.

You can't dismiss taxes and fees as some providers don't charges them. Non-disclosure of TiVo subscriptions (lifetime or monthly) and the like isn't really apples-to-apples either.

 

[mdavej]

Current Bolt ~$150 plus $12.50/month if paid annually, $15 if monthly. Lifetime on new units is ridiculously expensive now.

I got my Roamios with lifetime for $300 a while back.

Mini's are $70 on sale, $120 otherwise, never a monthly fee.

Payback for me was about 18 months. Over the 5 years I've had it, have probably saved a couple grand.

If you can afford the up front cost, the long term savings are substantial.

 

[Chuck W]

I went the Tivo route about 2 days after starting with Charter. I had Direct prior and was used to a whole home DVR setup and Tivo was the only way to get that.

I have a Roamio Plus and Basic and 3 minis and while the upfront costs kinda sucked(about $550 up front for that setup.), the savings have just about covered the cost now that I have been with them a year.

With Charter and their POS boxes, I'd be paying $20 for DVR service + $7 per box so $35($7x5) = $55/mo.

With Tivo(no lifetimes on either) it's $15 + $13 + $4 for 2 cable cards($2x2) = $32/mo.

So each month I am saving $23. After one year I saved $276. So in about 2 years I will have broke even, without even factoring in the whole Tivo experience and have whole home DVR service vs the POS Charter boxes.

The only pita with dealing with the cable cards is having to deal with rebooting the additional Tuning adapter every couple months.


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[Jhon69]

After putting up with AT&T High Speed DSL Elite 6Mbps/512kbps and all their overage fees I am proud to announce that the New Charter Spectrum Cable Internet came to our neighborhood.

We live about 5 miles out of the city,and years ago we were able to fanaggle the cable company to install lines where we live,the only problem is none of the cable companies ever offered HD or cable internet.

It took Charter's merger with Brighthouse and Time Warner to get the ball rolling(in search of more subscribers) now we are offered over 200 HD channels,plus VOIP,plus cable internet 60Mbps/4Mbps.

It's getting hard to remain a Dish Subscriber,but I do believe I will wait for the world box to come to our neighborhood.

http://www.lightreading.com/cable/s...dOc0iUKpM03F_r7jXSMnrNTOeRoHpxOaIJxoCtYvw_wcB

 

[mdavej]

Charter has been promising one new box or another for years. No matter what they say, you'll never see a worldbox. That post is a year old and they have yet to roll it out anywhere. Their worldbox DVR doesn't even exist yet, only regular cable boxes are in a few test markets and working poorly. Just get a TiVo and start saving money today.

 

[Jhon69]

Charter has been promising one new box or another for years. No matter what they say, you'll never see a worldbox. That post is a year old and they have yet to roll it out anywhere. Their worldbox DVR doesn't even exist yet, only regular cable boxes are in a few test markets and working poorly. Just get a TiVo and start saving money today.

Here's the only problem with that opinion in my view, is with a Tivo,do you still have access to Charter Spectrum's On Demand?.On Demand is supposed to be one of Charter's very good features that both Comcast and Charter are known to have.

Maybe I would try to go with Charter's regular HD box, if that can access their On Demand.