New Convert: Dish to Comcast

[RocketFoot]

Well, I made the switch...don't get me wrong, I loved DISH, but I just can't afford it along with phone and internet. Wife said something had to go or else get the Triple Play from Comcast. So here I am!

I got the Triple Play HD Plus with HD DVR, 16mbs Internet, unlimited phone, HBO and a free Dell Net Book all for $149.99 p/m. I was paying over $300 p/m with DISH, Verizon DSL and Verizon phone. $150 savings!

Now with that said, I am satisfied with the new Comcast, but not impressed! DISH has the upper hand with it's user interface and EPG. Comcast's just plain sucks! No favorites, no 30 second skip ahead button on the DVR and no multiroom capability with it's base HD DVR? It's an Explorer 8300HD dual tuner, but I can't seem to have it hooked up to watch DVR recordings in two different rooms like I could with DISH DVR.

Looking for any words of encouragement and advice on how I can make my Comcast venture more like DISH!

 

[bzydad]

30 sec skip:Link

 

[jayn_j]

30 sec skip:Link

In addition, there is a good article on the Motorola DVRs on Wikipedia: How to use a Motorola DVR - Wikibooks, collection of open-content textbooks

You will find that the Motorola HD-DVR is bug ridden and a horror story when you compare it to a 722, but it is manageable. I have a list of over 30 items that are either bugs or shortcomings of this DVR (6412).

One good tip is to NEVER turn it off. A lot of the funnies, like losing recordings, HDMI audio loss, etc are related to power cycle. The guide I referenced above tells how to disable the power button from the all off remote sequence.

You say you don't have a favorites list. The Motorola does have one, although it is flawed. I went back and looked and you never said that the DVR was Motorola. I know Comcast also uses SA in some markets. Unfortunately there is less info on those boxes. If you look back a few threads in this forum though you will find a discussion on the SA boxes.

What Comcast DOES offer that DISH can't touch is real VoD. They have hubdreds of choices including a ton of free stuff. That is very convenient, especially late night during the summer. There is always something to find there, like the old TV sitcoms.

Good luck.

 

[roachxp]

I going to make the switch too, but keep the local and Luso pak for now for the parents. I only had one dish 61.5 and they won't give me another dish or upgrade the dish to get all the channels I paid for, without paying for it or buying one myself. I guess the installer took my other one and never replaced it when Dish takes the installer side in which he lied. So I went from paying 150 a month to 30.

 

[bicker]

Looking for any words of encouragement and advice on how I can make my Comcast venture more like DISH!

Consider buying a TiVo HD. Comcast is required to provide a CableCARD to make it work, and it does everything that their DVR does except for VOD/PPV ... and better. It supports remote scheduling, so you can schedule recordings from the web. You can transfer most programs to your personal computer, and perhaps on from there to your video-capable mobile device. If you get two of them, you can transfer programs between the two, so you can record on one and watch on the other. It supports Netflix Watch Instantly and YouTube, and you can push programming onto it directly from Amazon Unbox. (I did that for the first time last night.) You can expand the storage. (I actually replaced the internal hard drive with a 1TB drive, for over 130 hours of HD storage.) TiVo's Season Pass and scheduling software is consider just about the best there is. And you can even review what is scheduled to record, and what is sitting waiting for you to watch, from anywhere in the world, through a web page.

Lots more features than that, too.

 

[jayn_j]

Consider buying a TiVo HD. Comcast is required to provide a CableCARD to make it work, and it does everything that their DVR does except for VOD/PPV ... and better.

The downside is that you have to buy the TIVO box. You also need to pay lease rates on 2 cablecards AND a monthly (or lifetime) fee to TIVO. I didn't suggest this because Rocketfoot said he was switching to cable to save money.

A HD TIVO costs from $300 to $600.
Monthly service costs $13/mo (yearly discounts available)
Cablecard rental costs from $3-10/month/card depending on your local Comcast.

The HD-DVR leases for less. Sometimes free, sometimes up to $15/mo. So this could add $35/month to his bill.

My local Comcast has made the first HD-DVR 'free', but has added a 'high definition access' charge of $10/mo on my bill. I expect this is the TIVO surcharge to make sure they keep getting theirs, even if I give up their garbage DVR.

 

[RocketFoot]

Yes, my box is a SA/Cisco 8300HD.

I wonder if the 30 sec skip hack will still work! That would be awesome!

 

[jayn_j]

Yes, my box is a SA/Cisco 8300HD.

I wonder if the 30 sec skip hack will still work! That would be awesome!

Sorry, that hack is Motorola only.

AVS Forums has a good thread on this DVR here: SA 8300 HD Tips & Tricks -- SARA - AVS Forum

I don't think there is any way to do a 30 second skip forward though. Sorry.

Also, check this out for expanding recording capacity:
GearBits: Expand the Recording Capacity of your Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD DVR

One problem you will need to resolve is to figure out which operating system is running on your box. There are three different sets of software running on the box, depending on your cable system, and the tricks and hacks depend on which system you are using.

 

[RocketFoot]

Sorry, that hack is Motorola only.

AVS Forums has a good thread on this DVR here: SA 8300 HD Tips & Tricks -- SARA - AVS Forum

I don't think there is any way to do a 30 second skip forward though. Sorry.

Also, check this out for expanding recording capacity:
GearBits: Expand the Recording Capacity of your Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD DVR

One problem you will need to resolve is to figure out which operating system is running on your box. There are three different sets of software running on the box, depending on your cable system, and the tricks and hacks depend on which system you are using.

Thanks for the links!

So...the 8300HD has no external had drive fees like DISH had? I may have to take advantage of this!

 

[bicker]

The downside is that you have to buy the TIVO box. ... AND a monthly (or lifetime) fee to TIVO.

Yup. I can get one for about $250, plus $399 for lifetime service (actually only $299 for lifetime service for me, because I already have one).

You also need to pay lease rates on 2 cablecards

Probably not: First, the TiVo HD needs only one M-Card CableCARD, not two. (The need for two was an older model.) Second, one CableCARD rental is included in my digital package monthly fee.

I didn't suggest this because Rocketfoot said he was switching to cable to save money.

Rocketfoot also said that achieving the features that Dish Network's DVR offered was important. Nothing does both (except, perhaps, for the Comcast TiVo, but that's still only in limited release).

The HD-DVR leases for less.

Your math is really haphazard. If Rocketfood is interested, I can provide a link to some really good financial analysis of the Comcast DVR versus the TiVo HD. The break-even point is typically about 3 1/2 years -- meaning that in the long run the TiVo HD is less expensive.... but that is a very long break-even point, during which a lot of things could change, in your life, in technology, etc. The reality is that both options have their advantages, and the one will be better for some people while the other better for other people. There is no right or wrong answer between the two -- it is just a matter of which is the best option for the specific person given their needs and preferences.

 

[jayn_j]

Your math is really haphazard.

Agreed. That's why I used fuzzy terms like "up to" and lots of disclaimers.

The only thing we can probably agree on is that the accounting at my Comcast is different than the accounting at your Comcast and different still than at RocketFoot's. And the accounting at my Comcast isn't the same as it was 6 months ago, and is probably different than what it will be a year from now

Not trying to start a fight. I'm glad the TIVO solution is working for you. I am on the fence myself, but when my Comcast changed the rules from charging for the DVR to charging for the access, it tipped the scales for now.

YMMV, taxes not included, and anyone researching should consider all options. But you cannot take someone else's word for it because there are many "Comcasts"

 

[RocketFoot]

Yeah, I noticed that everyone at each Comcast has a different 'Opinion' of what you are asking them at the moment!

The one thing I do like about Comcast is the On Demand features...I'll probably avoid TiVo until it can do On Demand.

 

[bzydad]

The one thing I do like about Comcast is the On Demand features...I'll probably avoid TiVo until it can do On Demand.

My reasoning for not going the Tivo route,love my OD and they're adding more programing monthly.

 

[RocketFoot]

Well, it took me 4 days, but I finally got everything working to my satisfaction! Mainly the HSI...I could only pull 768kbs but signed up for 16mbs! Turned out that the modem needed reset, but took 5 tech calls and chats until the CSA decided to have me reset the modem! Worked like a charm after that...I even pulled a fluke 24mbs this morning at off peak hours!

Still wish the DVR had more features, but what can you do? Dish Network definitely has the best user interface!