Why are some charter HD channels not available in my area

[whicky1978]

I know that there are more HD channels that I could get, but they are scrambled. I emailed charter about this, but they never answered my question. They just tolme me they are not available. Don't I pay the same price as everyone else?

 

[SatinKzo]

please elaborate a bit more. What is your setup, package, what is offerred, what are you not getting, how do you know they are scrambled?

 

[whicky1978]

I use a cable card. My TV tells me they are scrambled. I see the channel lable, but I don't get a picture, just a message saying it's scrambled. I am paying for the same HD package that they offer. In some places you can get HDNet Movies, HDNet, TNTHD. I pay the same price as everyone else, but I don't get these channels.

Off cource, I don't get the Sports or movie channels that I am not subsribed too.

 

[SatinKzo]

Have you called them? I don't use a cable card or STB, just a QAM decoding stb. I only get the unencrypted stuff, but last I knew with a cable card you have to give them some info from it.

 

[whicky1978]

yes, I called them enquiring about how to get the channels. They are "just not available". I may email them again. Maybe if I push hard enough, I will get some answers or even results!

 

[SatinKzo]

Weird, I talked to a couple people at work today who I know have cablecards. They said they just had to call and tell charter they wanted to use the cable card and not a stb.

The only question I have is do they officialy offer the channels you are trying to get? I know with my QAM box, I get channels that charter is testing, but people with cards and stb's cannot get them

 

[whicky1978]

Weird, I talked to a couple people at work today who I know have cablecards. They said they just had to call and tell charter they wanted to use the cable card and not a stb.

The only question I have is do they officialy offer the channels you are trying to get? I know with my QAM box, I get channels that charter is testing, but people with cards and stb's cannot get them

That may be. It seems though they officially offer those channels in some locations. I will try emailing them again.

 

[SatinKzo]

Are you trying to get channels that charter offers in other areas? IF they are not on your official channel lineup for your area, then you are not going to have any luck getting the channels just cause they offer them in another area. Charter is not homegenous across their cable system.

Here's my HD channels in SW Mich
770 HDNet Hi-Def Tier
771 HDNet Movies Hi-Def Tier
773 ESPN HD Hi-Def Tier
774 TNT - HD Hi-Def Tier
775 Discovery HD Theater Hi-Def Tier
776 Cinemax HDTV-East Hi-Def Premium
777 HBO HDTV-East Hi-Def Premium
780 WOTV-DT - ABC Hi-Def Lifeline
787 WXMI-DT - FOX Hi-Def Lifeline
788 WOOD-DT - NBC Hi-Def Lifeline
793 Universal HD Hi-Def Tier

Here is what Charter shows for your area
773 ESPN HD Hi-Def Tier
775 Discovery HD Theater Hi-Def Tier
777 HBO HDTV-East Hi-Def Premium
778 Showtime HDTV-East Hi-Def Premium
782 WKRN-DT - ABC Hi-Def Lifeline
784 WSMV-DT - NBC Hi-Def Lifeline
785 WTVF-DT - CBS Hi-Def Lifeline

Just cause I have different channels in my area doens't mean they are available to you. Sorry, that's just how it works. Sure they may have some channels testing there right now, but if they are not offcially available they can't authorize you to get them. It won't matter how many phone calls or email you send,

 

[whicky1978]

So they may be testing those channels that I see scrambled? What is there to test? Do they have to test thier own equipment? I wouldn't think they would have to test STB's

 

[SatinKzo]

can't help ya there. All I know is I see charter test channels quite a bit. I have my QAM box scan about once a week. I usually find some channel in testing. They keep the channel in the clear, but not viewable by stb's. Many cable providers do this. Dish does it when they uplink channels but don't make them available. They have to cover all the bases before making announcements.