Today (November 4), COMCAST moved TV GUIDE NETWORK from Analog Cable Channel 2 to Digital Channel 111. This doesn't make sense as who would want to see scrolling tv listings when you have interactive tv listings? My eldery mother has Standard Analog Cable TV, and her problem is that she has no access to local tv listings since the demise of the regional digest sized TV GUIDE, as well as the local paper discontinuing its weekly TV magazine. She also doesn't have a computer. Now she can't find out what is playing on tv. My guess is that the change in due to the upcoming change of TV GUIDE NETWORK itself. What's everyone's thoughts on the effect of this on people 65 years old and older? Thanks!
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TV GUIDE NETWORK moves from Analog Cable to Digital Cable.
- Thread starter Madmansam
- Start date
Just to clarify: TVGN is moving to the digital tier in your area only. Though, I would be interested in finding out if this is happening on other Comcast systems. Such a move might be a precursor to Comcast launching its own in-house cable listings channel. Cablevision has two cable listing channels; in New York City, channel 100 for digital, and the analog listing channel just recently moved from its longtime position of channel 14 to channel 80.
Whatever... Just bring back "Prevue Guide" and I'll be a happy camper. ;D
Whatever... Just bring back "Prevue Guide" and I'll be a happy camper. ;D
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imhomerjay
Guest
Why would anyone start up a channel for listings when between the satellite companies, the telephone companies and the cable companies, the pool of people without access to the interactive guide is shrinking rapidly? Whether there's a space there to continue running an existing option is one thing, but starting up something with zero future doesn't seem like a smart business move. Purely from a return on investment standpoint, it's a waste of resources.
I became a COMCAST subscriber when I moved into my apartment in April of this year. TV Guide Network is on both Channel 72 and 100. A lot of the channel listings are wrong and have been wrong since before I moved in.
2 is listed as WFSB - CBS. WFSB moved to Channel 3 several months ago. There's nothing on Channel 2.
*19 is listed as Educational Access. 19 is The Weather Channel.
20 is listed as CT-N, the CT Government Channel. There is nothing on channel 20.
*21 is listed as Government Access. There is nothing on channel 21.
98 is listed as The Weather Channel. 98 is CT-N, The CT Government Channel.
*Educational Access is channel 95. Government Access is 96.
Not Listed:
24 New England Cable News (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 177).
37 TRU-TV (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 182)
38 Hallmark Channel (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 137)
72/100 TV Guide Network.
90 Leased Access (Jewlery Televison)
97 CPTV (Before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. Also on Analog 7)
Also The Commercials on The Weather Channel says "The Weather Channel is brought to you by this cable or satellite provider. And on the screen it says COMCAST Channel 26." Channel 26 has been SNY - SportsNet New York for a number of years.
2 is listed as WFSB - CBS. WFSB moved to Channel 3 several months ago. There's nothing on Channel 2.
*19 is listed as Educational Access. 19 is The Weather Channel.
20 is listed as CT-N, the CT Government Channel. There is nothing on channel 20.
*21 is listed as Government Access. There is nothing on channel 21.
98 is listed as The Weather Channel. 98 is CT-N, The CT Government Channel.
*Educational Access is channel 95. Government Access is 96.
Not Listed:
24 New England Cable News (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 177).
37 TRU-TV (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 182)
38 Hallmark Channel (before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. It is also on 137)
72/100 TV Guide Network.
90 Leased Access (Jewlery Televison)
97 CPTV (Before everything above 24 went digital-only in September, this was digital only. Also on Analog 7)
Also The Commercials on The Weather Channel says "The Weather Channel is brought to you by this cable or satellite provider. And on the screen it says COMCAST Channel 26." Channel 26 has been SNY - SportsNet New York for a number of years.
Madmansam said:
You answered your own question. A few months ago, the new owners of the TVG channel announced they are removing the scroll and becoming a "regular" channel, just like all the hundreds of others. Folks of any age who depend on the scroll will have to look elsewhere.
Charter bumped TV Guide Network to digital two years before on all of the systems they had an out to dump it off analog basic. Subsequently TVGN has fed a non-listings version of the network on full-screen to those systems which don't have the listings (though oddly many of the graphics are still meant to fill the listings versions of the network, thus the usual bottom-third graphic becomes a two-third).
Likely the non-listings version is what that Comcast system switched to when they booted it to digital, so the only option for her might to be stomaching the $5 to get the digital box or try to get the cable company to discount the $5 off as a hardship charge.
Likely the non-listings version is what that Comcast system switched to when they booted it to digital, so the only option for her might to be stomaching the $5 to get the digital box or try to get the cable company to discount the $5 off as a hardship charge.
K
kenrayc
Guest
Madmansam said:
The last poster is right she should get a box for $5 extra, also for the reason it won't be long before Comcast is going to eliminate the analog band except for local stations and WGN and a couple of other channels that are now in the lifeline $12.99 a month package.
I find it strange that the Sacramento Bee removed their TV listings, The Fresno Bee ( Sacramento's sister paper) just expanded their Sunday TV guide ,but you must request it to be added to the Sunday Paper for 29 cents extra a week.
Actually I need to clarify. What I thought was Standard Analog Cable TV is actually called "Limited Basic". All it is are local tv stations, public access and shopping channels. Where she lives at (Senior Apartment Complex) doesn't allow External Antennas of any kind (this includes satellite dishes). And the rabbit ears were alright until the tv stations switched to digital, then she couldn't get anything. That is why she signed up for Limited Basic for $10 for 12 months deal. And it is the Stockton Record that dropped the TV listings. Not sure about Sacramento Bee but that gives me an idea. Maybe I can get the TV listings book from the Sacto Bee! Thanks kenrayc! 
I also have limited basic from Comcast for $10/month 'cause I too got analog fine but couldn't get any channels once the switch to digital came about.
But in Chicago, Comcast did away with analog cable and offers digital cable. They are allowed to do this 'cause they let everyone in the coverage area of Chicago have one free digital cable box per household.
Cable was a huge theft problem in Chicago but digital puts and end to that.
The thing is I went out and got a new TV and it gets digital and analog cable and I don't need a box for digital cable. You might want to get her a new TV capable of getting digital cable (make sure to check the box, some are analog cable only) and she will get the basic unscrambled stations. Well she should get them, anyway I do. I get all the OTA stations and shopping and public access and they throw in TBS and MSNBC and some religous ones.
But in Chicago, Comcast did away with analog cable and offers digital cable. They are allowed to do this 'cause they let everyone in the coverage area of Chicago have one free digital cable box per household.
Cable was a huge theft problem in Chicago but digital puts and end to that.
The thing is I went out and got a new TV and it gets digital and analog cable and I don't need a box for digital cable. You might want to get her a new TV capable of getting digital cable (make sure to check the box, some are analog cable only) and she will get the basic unscrambled stations. Well she should get them, anyway I do. I get all the OTA stations and shopping and public access and they throw in TBS and MSNBC and some religous ones.
K
kenrayc
Guest
Mark said:
Comcast did the same with the TVguide channel in Fresno and made it digital only on ch.111, but with my digital TV directly hooked up to cable bypassing my box The TV guide channel is on 74.8 , along with the locals on their actual channel numbers and sub channels as well (7.1, 7.2, 18.1, 18.2, 18,3and so forth), WGN is on 74.3, ION is on 74.4 and the Weather Channel 74.7 and weather scan on 104.21.
MarcB said:
Hey Marc, I'm not sure how bad it is around Hartford, but Comcast is simply awful as a franchisee for the Waterbury/Seymour area!!! They did the same thing to us last summer (August 2008). I could never understand why they would remove the TV Guide Network from the analog tier. It's the subscribers of that tier, especially senior citizens, who relied on TV Guide Network the most; and not the people subscribing to digital which already has the interactive guide/listings at the bottom of the screen.
???
Last summer they also removed CMT, MSNBC, TruTV, Hallmark, ShopNBC, and NESN from analog. This past week, they also removed WNET-13 and WNYW-5 from the line-up, allegedly because they are out-of-market stations; even though they've been viewed locally since their inception (and two or three decades before CPTV or WTIC-61 ever existed). However, with all of these cuts to our lineup we've yet to see any decrease in the price of our cable.
Every year since Comcast replaced Tele-Media/Adelphia (2006?), it has been cuts, cuts, and more cuts to our line-up and community channel. Comcast's business strategy is all wrong for this area. They think by focusing on adding all of these HD channels and transitioning to digital that people will be happy. Unfortunately, in these old mill-towns, your average local folks want quantity, and not necessarily (HD) quality. They also don't like change, and in an extreme way. So every time Comcast removes something from the line-up, it's another nail in the franchise's coffin. I guess it's no wonder why people around here are leaving in droves for ATT Uverse, and a to lesser extent, satellite. Especially since ATT provides all of the traditional New York City locals (2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13) and more at a cheaper price than Comcast.
JeeperOne
Banned
And the problem is..... ???Madmansam said:
Umm....How 'bout people who don't have access to the Internet nor any way of getting on the Internet??
Three words - GET DIGITAL CABLE
My mom is 64 & she has Digital Cable. In case you're wondering, SHE HAS NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER reading the channel guide. Then again, she doesn't use TV Guide Network. She just simply presses that big RED button on the remote that says GUIDE to be taken to the channel listings or the other one that says MENU to browse her favorites. I do the same thing.
Contrary to popular belief, it's really not that hard to do.....
Cheers
<<<<My mom is 64 & she has Digital Cable. In case you're wondering, SHE HAS NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER reading the channel guide. Then again, she doesn't use TV Guide Network. She just simply presses that big RED button on the remote that says GUIDE to be taken to the channel listings or the other one that says MENU to browse her favorites. I do the same thing.>>>>>
Yes, that would be a solution. A $400 annual solution, since the Limited Basic is probably under $20 a month and digital cable runs at least $50. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend.
The previous house I rented had basic 80-channel Time Warner extended cable. We added a digital cable box for $4.95 and had access to all the on-demand products, Music Choice, and the on-screen TimeWarner schedule guide, but didn't "purchase" any tier of digital programming. That option may run as little as $60 and be a nice XMAS present.
Yes, that would be a solution. A $400 annual solution, since the Limited Basic is probably under $20 a month and digital cable runs at least $50. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend.
The previous house I rented had basic 80-channel Time Warner extended cable. We added a digital cable box for $4.95 and had access to all the on-demand products, Music Choice, and the on-screen TimeWarner schedule guide, but didn't "purchase" any tier of digital programming. That option may run as little as $60 and be a nice XMAS present.
oldschooltv said:
It's bad. Here you have to have a box on every TV to watch anything on channel 24 or above. This went into effect at the end of August or beginning of September. It kind of sucks because now if I ever buy a TV for my bedroom, I'm gonna have to get a 2nd box. In my town (Bristol, along with Avon, Berlin, Canton, Farmington, New Britain, and Burlington) the Public Access Station is run by Nutmeg TV and for years they used to televise the Bristol Mum Parade live. Now COMCAST won't let them do that anymore stating that by them televising the parade live is slowing down the Video on Demand Services. Now Nutmeg TV tapes the parade and airs it at a later date.
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imhomerjay
Guest
SanDiegoInExile said:
Then by all means, don't spend it. It's a trade off. Sometimes you can't have precisely what you want for precisely the price you want to pay. Life isn't always "fair," and it's not any company's (nor government's) obligation to make it that way.
imhomerjay said:
It's not only money. Many elderly people simply cannot operate any technology that has complications, including digital cable. My father told a cable rep basically that if they weren't prepared to let my grandmother have analog cable, not to even bother with her when she moved into a retirement home recently. In her retirement home, of all the rooms I've seen with TVs, I've only seen one digital box. These things are too complicated for many seniors to operate. It's no fault of their own; their generation didn't have the rapidly advancing technological advancements people born since the 1960s have experienced, and it is much more difficult for people from before that time to adjust to changing technologies. People in my generation have no problem with changing technologies because we're used to it.
I
imhomerjay
Guest
I completely understand. I just spent the better part of an hour trying, over the phone, to help my mother use her TV and VCR/DVD player properly to watch a video tape. I'm basically her tech support line. She actually has a DVR, but only knows how to play her daily soap operas. She would never figure out how to record something--not on a DVR, nor before that on a VCR--by herself. Smart woman, to be sure, but tech just isn't her thing. My dad played with the gadgets, but when he passed away, it wasn't something she could pick up.
That audience, though, isn't necessarily enough reason to continue a business that's becoming obsolete, just as the local TV Guides were simply not a sustainable business anymore.
That audience, though, isn't necessarily enough reason to continue a business that's becoming obsolete, just as the local TV Guides were simply not a sustainable business anymore.
Thanks for the suggestion, Pat Cook, but Mom is on a fixed income. She can't afford to get digital cable. She has paid for a 12 month promotional price of $10 a month. God knows how much it will be by the time the promotion ends. Unlike PGE and ATT, there is no Lifeline/Senior discount on Cable TV. Probably because Cable is considered a luxury rather than a neccesity. The cheapest digital pakage here is for the digital starter package (around $58 plus tax). Plus she is not tech savvy. She still has problems programming her VCR even that is becoming obsolete. ;D
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