When will Comcast get ESPNU?

msudawg12

Senior
Dec 9, 2008
3,863
624
113
write e-mails, letters, and talk to your local comcast rep's (not the tellers) This is the only way to get **** done. If they think you're happy they won't care
 

GimpyDawg

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2008
319
0
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So far, I love the format and channel selections. Don't really think the picture is as good as they advertise, but overall, I'm glad I ditched Comcast.
 

birdZdawg

Redshirt
Jul 16, 2008
960
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Locals in HD, and the $5 per month for each the 3 additional boxes that I would need with Direct.
 

dawgstudent

Heisman
Apr 15, 2003
39,285
18,517
113
I am becoming trigger shy because they don't have HD Locals. That's what I am holding out on.
 

graddawg

Sophomore
Jun 4, 2007
2,699
102
63
What was the info you posted on BDJ about the % of the country that doesn't have HD locals and how Mississippi plays in to that number?
 

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
5,542
199
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I called DirecTV to ask about purchasing the national network feeds so I could get HD. Apparently, a request had to be filed with the local stations to allow those broadcasts at all in their area. Yep... denied here.
 

dogfan96

Redshirt
Jun 3, 2007
2,188
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the satellite company really doesn't give a **** but you have to get permission from the city (that's what I was told) but the local networks seem more plausible. At any rate, they denied him too. I can get all my local HD channels over the air (in Huntsville) so that's a big, big plus.
 

dawgstudent

Heisman
Apr 15, 2003
39,285
18,517
113
because you won't be watching the local advertisements. I think if you are out of range, they will grant the waiver. If you are within range of receiving the local's over the air in HD, they will more than likely deny it.
 

dogfan96

Redshirt
Jun 3, 2007
2,188
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but I live on the top floor of an apt building and I can get an indoor HD antenna and aim it at the window and get mine. For those who live in houses that might be surrounded by trees and whatever, you might have to actually put an antenna either in the attic or outside on top of the house. I don't know if the Dish guy would do that for you or not.
 

dawgstudent

Heisman
Apr 15, 2003
39,285
18,517
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with regards to cable and just using a coaxial cable. From a friend, if you have regular standard cable and you have a ATSC tuner on your TV you can get HD. This will only work with cable as far as I know… it's called clear QAM… HBO and stuff is on encrypted QAM. HD will show up as 63.2 or 3.4 or something like that. You can get the digital channels the same way but they will be the same xx.x format <p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"></span></p>
 
Nov 16, 2005
27,032
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We had an antenna to pick up our locals plus the network channels on the dish. That meant a bevy of sports programming especially on NFL Sundays. You had the potential to watch 4 or 5 different NFL games.
 

MadDawg.sixpack

Redshirt
May 22, 2006
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my brother could get the HD channels off the cable from Comcast before he went ahead and got an HD box.

But one of the things that soured me to Comcast was my brother telling me how sometimes he would have to switch over to the antennae because WLBT in HD would be screwed up on cable (hesitating picture, freezing, skipping).
 

birdZdawg

Redshirt
Jul 16, 2008
960
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I noticed that you can add an external hard drive to expand the DVR capacity by 500 hours. That sounds interesting.

</p>
<h5>Seagate® Showcase™ DVR Storage Expander</h5>

Easily add 500 hours of contect to your DISH ViP Series Receiver with the only external storage solution purposely built to record and playback HD content.</p>

Showcase products are plug and play-capable for easy setup and their stylish design fits seamlessly with your existing equipment enabling your complete library of high-definition movies.</p>
</a><a href="http://www.dishnetwork.com/receivers/expandYourDVR/default.aspx">http://www.dishnetwork.co...xpandYourDVR/default.aspx
 

benatmsu

Junior
May 28, 2007
2,398
223
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Yeah, I don't have an HD box in my room, but we get ABC,CBS,NBC, FOX, PBS, National Geographic, We (YES!) and about 10 of the music channels over QAM through regular coax. I didn't know there was such a thing until i bought our Vizio and it did the initial setup and said it found 20 something digital stations. So, thanks Comcast, I won't be paying you an additional $8 or whatever it is every month to have another hd box.
 

MadDawg.sixpack

Redshirt
May 22, 2006
3,358
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I have been extremely happy with Dish. The DVR is simply the best there is out there. I love the "Dish Pass" feature where I can set my dvr to record anything that has "Mississippi State" (or anything you put in) in the title or body of the show description. My friend who just went back to cable (because they could not get a line of sight to the satellite to add his HD) from Dish really misses that feature.

The only negative I can think of would be if you wanted one of the pay-sports packages that only Direct offers. Oh, and of course no Comacst Sports channel.
 

birdZdawg

Redshirt
Jul 16, 2008
960
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I've been wanting to switch, but the local HD issue kinda bothers me. I've tried the indoor antenna, and had mixed results.
 

lawdawg02

Redshirt
Jan 23, 2007
4,120
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i have tivo hooked up to ours, so my initial setup may not have worked right. i will definitely reconfigure if i can get some hd.
 

cdhmsu

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
62
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Comcast in Houston is pretty good only b/c the internet speed is fast. So I have Comcast HD with internet and ESPN Full Court Package so I can watch SEC games. (and most other game for that matter). We can watch most the basketball games up through the conference tourneys and then it cuts off coverage. Direct TV has the March Madness package and it is sweet. I order Full Court and my buddy orders March Madness, we trade off.
 

lawdawg02

Redshirt
Jan 23, 2007
4,120
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because the 7:00 shows would come on again at 10 on the west coast channel. the sports choices were fantastic.</p>
 

Optimus Prime 4

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
8,560
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always works, no problems. 10+ years in 8 or so residences, and no problems. I've had to take old boxes back and exchange them, but that's it. My service people have always shown up on time too.

I've watched Dish at peoples houses or bars, and I swear I've never seen it where it didn't lose a signal at least for a minute or two.
 

dogfan96

Redshirt
Jun 3, 2007
2,188
12
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First is channel availability: I have Comcast and they don't offer ESPN Classic or ESPNU.. they also don't offer as many HD channels.. neither NHL Network, MLB Network or NBATV are available in HD where I live (yes I'm an admitted HD snob). MOJO used to carry some of the NBA TV HD broadcasts but that channel has ceased to exist.

Second is picture quality: Although Comcast is getting more HD channels, the quality ranges from very good to horrific. They are trying to squeeze 3 HD signals into one channel (10 to 12 SD programs and normally no more than 2 HD signals on every channel normally). The result is some of the HD channels look like absolute ****. Compression is a fact of life when dealing with HDTV but damn.. I shouldn't be able to see it so clearly.

Oh yeah and pricing. I can get more channels and more HD for a far better price with satellite but unfortunately my apartment faces the wrong direction.
 

weblow

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
2,860
3
38
I sent comcast and email about an hour ago requesting ESPN U, below is their response.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for contacting the Comcast Office of Rick Germano, Senior Vice
President of Customer Operations in regards to ESPNU. I understand the
importance of this channel to you. I will be happy to provide you some
information about this.

Comcast is extremely committed to delivering quality sports programming
to our customers. Comcast already carries more than a dozen ESPN
channels including up to six ESPN pay per view channels, and carries
four channels devoted exclusively to college sports.

They are as follows:

ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN Classic
ESPNEWS
ESPN HD
ESPN2 HD
Up to six ESPN PPV view channels
Plus, we carry local ABC stations (Disney owns ESPN & ABC Sports)

We want to bring ESPNU to our customers in the best and fairest way, but
at this point Comcast does not have carriage rights from ESPN to show
ESPN U on the cable system. Comcast is always investigating new
programming to offer our customers the best in home entertainment and
information. I would be happy to record your interest in this
programming so we can use that information to help us make future
programming decisions

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your suggestion on how
to improve our service. I have forwarded your suggestion to the
appropriate management team for further review and action. We appreciate
your interest in making Comcast the best entertainment value possible.
 

Optimus Prime 4

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
8,560
0
0
and my signal is very strong, so the HD looks great. One old house they gave me some device to strengthen the signal, then the HD were all perfect.

I also like having cable internet, it's blazing fast.
 

dogfan96

Redshirt
Jun 3, 2007
2,188
12
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to strengthen your signal? I've heard about it but opinions have varied widely on how effective (or ineffective) it is. Plus I live in an older building and the cable wiring is probably as old as the building and they probably employed some practices that aren't condusive to getting the best possible HD picture. I do like cable internet though.
 

msudawg12

Senior
Dec 9, 2008
3,863
624
113
<span lang="EN">Thank you for contacting Comcast via e-mail. We want to bring ESPNU to our customers in the best and fairest way, but at this point Comcast does not have carriage rights from ESPN to show ESPN U on the cable system. Comcast is always investigating new programming to offer our customers the best in home entertainment and information. I would be happy to record your interest in this programming so we can use that information to help us make future programming decisions.</span></p>

<span lang="EN">If you have any more questions feel free to reply to this e-mail, or you can chat with one of our Online Customer Support Specialists 24 hours a</span></p>

<span lang="EN">day, 7 days a week at</span></p>
 

Bdog9090

Redshirt
Aug 11, 2008
977
4
18
After the Espn/CBS deals go in, are they going to show any of our games live on CSS? Will they still play replays?
 

benatmsu

Junior
May 28, 2007
2,398
223
63
...and if it does, and if you're on comcast and running coax from the wall to your tv (not using a cable box) it should pick them up... if you're in jackson, I know wlbt-hd is 102-3...and fox is like 90-1 or something like that...
 

fishwater99

Freshman
Jun 4, 2007
14,072
54
48
Or we will be screwed when MSU games are on ESPNU..
And the better not do that to the "Future BCS champs" out of Oxford...