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- Newsgroups: triangle.general
- Path: sparky!uunet!concert!sas!mozart.unx.sas.com!sch
- From: sch@unx.sas.com (Steve Holzworth)
- Subject: Re: Cable TV and you
- Sender: news@unx.sas.com (Noter of Newsworthy Events)
- Message-ID: <sch.721332716@gargoyle>
- Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:11:56 GMT
- Distribution: nc
- References: <17342@borg.cs.unc.edu>
- Nntp-Posting-Host: gargoyle.unx.sas.com
- Organization: SAS Institute Inc.
- Lines: 124
-
- hardarso@weiss.cs.unc.edu (Kari Hardarson) writes:
-
-
- >I (being a Cablevision customer) received an insert with my latest
- >Cable bill. The headline reads: "If you are thinking of buying a new
- >VCR, beware of paying extra for one with the so-called 'VCR Plus+'
- >feature". It goes on to explain how this feature won't do you any good
- >because the VCR can't control your cable box. The insert ends by saying:
- >"Look for future messages from your cable company on this and similar
- >consumer issues".
-
- The above is true. Other useful things that cable screws over are:
-
- cable-ready (what an oxymoron) TVs.
- many "universal" remotes.
- almost always, the "record one, watch another channel" feature of VCRs
-
- >It almost sounds like the cable company is doing people a favor by warning
- >about those unscrupulous VCR makers. I can't help but think that if
-
- Yeah, right.
-
- >the cable boxes weren't there, this VCR Plus system would work just
- >fine. And come to think of it, I would be able to program my VCR
- >to record a program into the week on a preselected channel, or watch
- >one channel while recording another, and I could use one remote control
- >instead of having to pay the Cable company extra to get a remote control
- >with the cable box (1-2$/month extra).
-
- This is true. Some systems, like Raleigh Cablevision, scramble ALL channels,
- so you MUST use their box to get ANYTHING (this may have changed - I doubt
- it though). Cary Cablevision (CVI) scrambles premium channels only. This
- is somewhat better because you don't need a box unless you get premium
- channels. I don't, so all of the VCR features are still useful. Note:
- Cary customers: CVI is currently proposing to do what Raleigh does, and
- scramble everything. This WILL RENDER YOUR VCR PROGRAMMING FEATURES USELESS.
- It is easier and CHEAPER for the cable companies to make you have a box.
- The technology exists for them to block premium channels from your house
- "at the pole". They can still enable this from the local office, too, like
- they authorize your box now. BUT, it costs them more to do it this way.
- Since they have an *effective* monopoly, you can't pursue alternative
- methods.
-
- >Why do we need those boxes on top of our TV? They look ugly, they
- >consume energy even when turned off (mine is always hotter than skin
- >temperature) and they complicate TV watching in general. Does anyone
- >know if they benefit the consumer in any way?
-
- See above. No, they don't benefit YOU at all. The cable companies will
- argue the vague point that it helps reduce signal theft, blah, blah..
- thus reducing your rates. Yeah, right. The following is a rate chart
- list of what CABLE COMPANIES pay per subscriber for assorted "standard"
- services. Note that you probably pay $15.00 above "Basic" cable rates
- to receive "Standard" tier service.
-
- Article: 4584 of rec.video.satellite
-
- TOP-OF-THE-RATE CARD COST TO CABLE COMPANIES
- FOR POPULAR PROGRAMMING
-
-
- PROGRAMMING COST/SUBSCRIBER
- ============================================================================= =
- Arts & Entertainment-----------------------------------------$0.130
- Black Entertainment Television--------------------------------0.070
- CNBC----------------------------------------------------------0.090
- Cable News Network--------------------------------------------0.340
- Comedy Channel------------------------------------------------0.090
- Discovery Channel---------------------------------------------0.080
- ESPN----------------------------------------------------------0.350
- The Family Channel--------------------------------------------0.110
- Financial News Network----------------------------------------0.080
- Ha! TV--------------------------------------------------------0.080
- Headline News Network-----------------------------------------0.340
- The Learning Channel------------------------------------------0.070
- Lifetime------------------------------------------------------0.130
- MTV-----------------------------------------------------------0.250
- Nickelodeon---------------------------------------------------0.250
- Sports News Network-------------------------------------------0.080
- Turner Broadcasting System------------------------------------0.100
- The Nashville Network (TNN)-----------------------------------0.200
- Turner Network Television (TNT)-------------------------------0.370
- USA Network---------------------------------------------------0.240
- Video Hits 1 (VH-1)-------------------------------------------0.040
- Vision Interfaith Satellite Network (VISN)--------------------0.030
- The Weather Channel-------------------------------------------0.099
- ______
- Total $3.819
-
- (Does not reflect discounts for carrying multiple services offered by the
- same programming company)
-
- Source: Paul Kagan Associates,Inc.
- ============================================================================= =
-
- Premium channels are somewhat higher, but not close to the extra $10.00
- you have to pay for them.
-
- stuff deleted
-
- >While I'm on the subject of cable TV: How come the cable
- >company doesn't broadcast the evening program on a separate channel like
- >so many companies do? Instead they have been trying to get people to
-
- Th almighty dollar. This is the same reason you have to pay the cable
- companies a coupla bucks a month for remote box control, even if you want
- to use your OWN remote. They won't enable the remote feature unless you
- pay them. Note that this doesn't cost them a DIME extra. (one might argue
- that the remote feature costs the cable companies more, because the box
- has to be more capable. The incremental cost is negligible, and is a
- "sunk cost" anyway.)
-
- >Ahhhhhh! That felt better!
- >--
- >Kari Hardarson, 217 Jackson Circle, Chapel Hill NC27514, (919)-914-5910
- >When Cows laugh hard, does milk spill out their noses?
- >Does the Pope french kiss the ground of a country he likes very much?
- > - Some comedian on A&E's Improv
- --
- Steve Holzworth
- sch@unx.sas.com
- x6872
- SAS Institute - Open Systems R & D
- Cary, N.C.
-