[CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet??? Page 7
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ike @ 4th Nov 12:10AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by Heggs :

Whitehall / Catasauqua node not supposed to get crushed until Dec.21st
What!?! $@#%! customer service...
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syborg1404 @ 6th Nov 06:58PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

The crush came on schedule....no hitches or hangups. Other than learning the channel numbers, it's a definite hit. The Weather Channel HD doesn't have the local feed, but I'm sure that will happen in due time.

All that HD content is welcome!!
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alanisrox69 @ 11th Nov 11:06PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

My crush comes tomorrow!!!

I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve....instead of Santa, it's where's Crush? Where's Crush? Did he make it to Bethlehem yet? *sets out cookies and milk*

:D

What time has it been happening? early morning?
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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Heggs @ 12th Nov 11:27AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Hey, can somebody that is crushed and has HD post how good the clarity of it is? This post went dead now that most people are crushed.It don't happen at my house till Dec.8th. I just wanted a sorta semi-pro review of the clarity and quality of the HD.I know there is a lot more HD channels but I am concerned about rate shaping and does it look better than the pre crush era. Thanks in advance.
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mightyhog @ 12th Nov 10:35AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Nazareth seems to be getting hit on Dec 8th. I'm in Upper Naz. and my mother is in the borough. We both have the same date for the crush. Can't wait. Maybe my internet speed will return from it's year long hiatus after the crush.
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shadyman777 @ 12th Nov 01:11PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

nothing looks rate shapped.... Then again, I might be mistaken. Anything is better than the SD channels I was forced to watch before. They look horrible now, worse than pre crush. I was never one that cared for true HD or not, All I wanted was a picture that was more clear, which HD brings even if rate shapped, and the 16x9 widescreen ratio that HD also brings. The HD channels don't look horrible, if that's what you're asking. I believe it would also depend on if the station is messing with the signals streching something non-HD to put on their HD feed. Many variables to seek, little information given unfortunatly.
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alanisrox69 @ 12th Nov 01:30PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by Heggs :

Hey, can somebody that is crushed and has HD post how good the clarity of it is? This post went dead now that most people are crushed.It don't happen at my house till Dec.8th. I just wanted a sorta semi-pro review of the clarity and quality of the HD.I know there is a lot more HD channels but I am concerned about rate shaping and does it look better than the pre crush era. Thanks in advance.
Just got crushed. checked a few channels before heading to work. All the HDs that were rateshaped pre-crush ARE STILL BEING SHAPED. HBOHD, MAXHD, SHOHD, TMCHD, STARZHD -- CBSHD, ABCHD, FOXHD, NBCHD -- all have rateshaping license applied.

:( :( :(

Also, MGMHD says it's a subscription service.

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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cypherstream @ 12th Nov 04:50PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

I'm sure those channels are still coming out of the same cherry picker / dm6400 or whatever they are using. Going to take a lot of reconfiguration to re multiplex those channels. Let's get one thing done at a time.
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alanisrox69 @ 12th Nov 07:38PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by cypherstream :

I'm sure those channels are still coming out of the same cherry picker / dm6400 or whatever they are using. Going to take a lot of reconfiguration to re multiplex those channels. Let's get one thing done at a time.
The thing is, there's no reason for the license to be applied. all the channels are 2 per QAM, so plenty of bandwidth for each channel to run at their native bitrates, with room leftover!

-Derek-
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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shadyman777 @ 12th Nov 10:13PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

how do you know they are still rate shaped? I honestly can't even tell.
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kentonet @ 12th Nov 10:21PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

By looking at the headers on the feed. If the header is modified then it usually means there's rateshaping (or at least a license) applied.
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alanisrox69 @ 12th Nov 10:24PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by kentonet :

By looking at the headers on the feed. If the header is modified then it usually means there's rateshaping (or at least a license) applied.
Bingo!

Not to mention I cap the same segment from OTA and it's apparent the RCN feed has been altered.
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CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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cypherstream @ 12th Nov 10:52PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

But even if the feature is turned on, one HD stream cannot exceed 19.2mbps. So if there are only 2 HD streams per QAM, there would be no reason for the encoder to rate shape. Are you seeing a variable bit rate on your captures? What is the average bit rate on some of the channels? Some are very low from the source, like Universal HD is only about 8~9mbps from the Sattelite. Some others like Starz only run about 12~13 mbps at times. HGTV and Food Network should still have 19.2mbps feeds, as well as Palladia, Discovery HD Theater, and most of the sports channels.
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alanisrox69 @ 12th Nov 11:14PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by cypherstream :

But even if the feature is turned on, one HD stream cannot exceed 19.2mbps. So if there are only 2 HD streams per QAM, there would be no reason for the encoder to rate shape. Are you seeing a variable bit rate on your captures? What is the average bit rate on some of the channels? Some are very low from the source, like Universal HD is only about 8~9mbps from the Sattelite. Some others like Starz only run about 12~13 mbps at times. HGTV and Food Network should still have 19.2mbps feeds, as well as Palladia, Discovery HD Theater, and most of the sports channels.
The feeds are generally being reduced 500kbps-1mbps on average.

I know what feeds run from all the sources as I have access to a c-band downlink of all the master feeds.

I'm just saying, for instance, HBO has a header of 14mbps (so the bitrate won't exceed 14mbps at any given point) but RCN has shaping license applied. There is no reason to apply the license since half a QAM is 19.39mbps and 14mbps is well under 19.39........

-Derek-
--
CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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cypherstream @ 13th Nov 07:35AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

But maybe the licence is globally applied, so that one day if they need to reconfigure things, they can put stuff that "needs" to be rate shaped. The question is, can the licence be applied but disabled, and turned on at a whim if needed down the road? I wonder what technology they are using, Imagine Communications ICE, Cisco, Harmonic, BigBand Networks, etc...
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Heggs @ 13th Nov 11:28AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Thanks everyone on the input of my question. Derek, great explanation of rate shaping and the license,cause I remember when I got my HD converter box over a year ago I could easily see the difference between the rate shaped HD and the non rate shaped HD. TBS,CBS and HD Net clearly had a better resolution or "wow" picture,when you would look at Fox NFL live and TBS MLB live if you could not see TBS was much more vivid then get your eyes checked.Now I don't see that "wow" look in any of the HD's,I mean its good don't get me wrong but that super resolution is gone thats why I posted asking to see what the crush HD was looking like.But I believe with the crush that the majority of the people will see a clearer picture be it digital or HD and be very happy with it as some were looking at snowy pictures, lines and distortion on there channels when it was analog.Now that all the channels look clear they will be satisfied.But true HD gives you an unmistakeable outstanding picture. Also I think RCN has made a big step forward in a new technology with the crush and the potential is now there for all kinds of advancement,lets sit back and let the dust settle and see if they take the ball and run with it. Sorry for the long post and off thread. I guess we need a new thread on the "RCN HD Quality" :) now that the crush will be winding down shortly.
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anon @ 13th Nov 04:10PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Since the LV is a mix of one and two way areas, is RCN rateshaping HD to help protect the bandwidth in some of the older legacy areas? It seems easier to just to modify the signal at the head end, and pass it on to everyone rather than modify it for the individual nodes that need it. Just a thought.
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cypherstream @ 13th Nov 04:34PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by CBL B0X :

Since the LV is a mix of one and two way areas, is RCN rateshaping HD to help protect the bandwidth in some of the older legacy areas? It seems easier to just to modify the signal at the head end, and pass it on to everyone rather than modify it for the individual nodes that need it. Just a thought.
No. One way area's would not have a return path, which is 5-42 MHz (typically).

54-750 or 860 MHz should be available in the forward path... Although if those amplifiers can't pass a return, I'd be surprised if they went higher then 550 MHz.
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anon @ 13th Nov 05:48PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

good info on teh rateshaping. I see it too...The network channels BLOW AWAY the pay channels on my plasma.
IMO at least....lets hope RCNMAN doesnt go into hiding as far as commenting on this issue. That happened with the whole lehigh valley crush thing and I am sure a lot of customers jumped ship when they didnt have to(or want to). If they just new the crush date was coming soon it would have been good enough for most.
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Heggs @ 13th Nov 11:41PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Maclin,I know back in April I decided to switch from RCN to Service Electric because they had so many more HD channels and I like the Ironpigs and there was no crush seen coming from RCN so I called Service and got an install date and then when I went to cancel RCN the person looked at my bill and told me I was paying to much and he could cut my bill down $15 and give me Mach 10! He also said the crush is commg in June. So I thought this deal is to good to pass up so I waited it out and kept RCN and it paid off even though I get crushed Dec.8th and it wasn't June. It still would have been nice to know in advance. I think a few people jumped ship an got Service or Verizon and wish they would have stayed with RCN now but like you said,who knew when it was coming?
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alanisrox69 @ 13th Nov 11:53PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by MACLIN09 :

good info on teh rateshaping. I see it too...The network channels BLOW AWAY the pay channels on my plasma.
IMO at least....lets hope RCNMAN doesnt go into hiding as far as commenting on this issue. That happened with the whole lehigh valley crush thing and I am sure a lot of customers jumped ship when they didnt have to(or want to). If they just new the crush date was coming soon it would have been good enough for most.
Part of the problem is also...all the secondary HD premiums (like ShoTooHD, Starz KidsHD, etc etc) are all pumped out from the source as 4-6mbps h264 feeds. They are encoded for DirecTV and Dish, so RCN simply downlinks those low quality highly compressed HD feeds and re-encodes them to mpeg-2 to be compatible with our Moto boxes.

Since the source is crappy quality -- the output will be.

The MAIN premium HD channels are all sent out in mpeg-2 from the source (with bitrates ranging in the high 14's to 16's) -- HBOHD, MAXHD, SHOHD, STARZHD, TMCHD etc etc.

It's these channels that the rateshaping license is applied and SHOULD NOT BE since there is plenty of room on the QAMs for them to run at their native bitrates.

-Derek-
--
CHECK YOUR FSLC TAXES!!!
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ike @ 14th Nov 09:17PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by ike :

said by Heggs :

Whitehall / Catasauqua node not supposed to get crushed until Dec.21st
What!?! $@#%! customer service...
Just got my post card today: Dec. 17 for Hokendauqua.
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Heggs @ 15th Nov 03:18AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

They were only 4 days off for you.That customer service girl was pretty close I talked to for your area. I get crushed Dec. 8th here in Catty along with the Northampton,Bath area. Looks like they bumped the dates up some which is nice. Hokey/Whitehall node is probably the last phase of the crush.RCN wanted it wrapped up by the end of the year and it looks like they are well on there way of doing it.
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ike @ 15th Nov 08:26AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by Heggs :

They were only 4 days off for you.That customer service girl was pretty close I talked to for your area. I get crushed Dec. 8th here in Catty along with the Northampton,Bath area. Looks like they bumped the dates up some which is nice. Hokey/Whitehall node is probably the last phase of the crush.RCN wanted it wrapped up by the end of the year and it looks like they are well on there way of doing it.
I don't mind that we're last, but I do mind that when I called back in September (after the first postcard), I was told I had to hurry and get STBs by 10/1...


I'm just a bit miffed that (1) my wife missed an appointed because the tech was late (didn't get there until an hour after the "window"), (2) I had to rework the installs (didn't follow my detailed instructions and removed splitters to DVRs that I wanted to use as-is until I could set up IR-blasters, etc.), (3) I had to have a tech out at all (I think I've seen that we can now go to Ave. C to get them...) and (4) have been paying for STBs I really haven't needed for the last two months.


Eh, well... time to go reduce my blood pressure and set my fantasy football lineup (side note: when will the NFL figure out it can make more money from "Sunday Ticket" if they permit cable companies to sell it as well... I'd be willing to pay RCN for that...)
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shadyman777 @ 15th Nov 01:41PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

said by ike :

Eh, well... time to go reduce my blood pressure and set my fantasy football lineup (side note: when will the NFL figure out it can make more money from "Sunday Ticket" if they permit cable companies to sell it as well... I'd be willing to pay RCN for that...)
I would also be willing to buy Sunday Ticket as well. Only if RCN could deliver the games in HD and inlude NFL Red Zone in the package. If the games aren't in HD, i'd have a tough time getting the package.
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Heggs @ 15th Nov 01:43PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Ike,I did not know you received a postcard to be ready for Oct. 1st ! That bites, I can see why you would be upset. You were on your way to being one of the first crushed and now it turns out to be more like a 2 1/2 month delay. Plus they told you to quick get your STB's and all that. Your right that was bad. I know the eastside of Allentown was supposed to be Oct.27th and my friend showed me his postcard from RCN saying it has been delayed until Nov.27th. Oh well by the end of Dec.it will just be a thing of the past. Todays technology is like this Jone's, you better keep up.
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anon @ 15th Nov 02:02PM:
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anon @ 15th Nov 09:19PM:
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anon @ 17th Nov 09:05PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

I am Crushed. :(
About two years ago I got rid of my converter box so I wouldn't have to surf through 200 channels to find what I do get. (and to save 5.00 a month rental fees) It was so nice that I could program my TV to receive the channels with a signal so that when I surf I only get what I get. Now I have 1000 chanels of which I only get 50 0r 60, and I really only watch about 10 with any frequency. RCN is forcing me to plow through hundreds of channels that I neither get nor want to watch the few I do. The result is that I don't "call to subscribe today!", I just turn off the TV or hit the Redbox, the Blue box(block buster) or the mail box(netflix). Advertisers should know that more and more people like me are turning away from TV and going to movies only. RCN pisses me off. If Service Electric had better internet or if Fios werre available in my area, RCN would be a distant unpleasant memory for me. :(

Crushed in Wilson
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DanD @ 17th Nov 11:20PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

quote:
RCN is forcing me to plow through hundreds of channels that I neither get nor want to watch the few I do.

The best way to get around this is to add the channels that you do watch to your favorites... then just push the FAVorites button on your remote to surf through them...
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anon @ 18th Nov 08:00AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

That was a helpful suggestion. This feature is symptomatic of all of the poor design choices and complete lack of responsiveness by RCN. You can only scroll in on direction through favorites. This is ok if you only have 4 or 5. Why did RCN not bother to offer any literature with the converters that tell you how to find features? Shouldn't there be some form of set-up instruction? No, I am left in the dark to figure it out for myself as usual.

Crushed in Wilson
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quattrog @ 18th Nov 08:50AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???


One other thing you can do, is you have the ability to create a list of channels to skip. Then when you surf up/down, these channels will not show up. They still show on the guide though. I wish there was a way to also exclude them from the guide as well. I agree like everyone else. I only watch a small percentage of the channels that we currently get. Would be nice to truely customize the box to only show what you want.
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anon @ 20th Nov 05:56PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Today my father called up RCN and ordered our boxes. I will be getting an HD box but am curious as to what the model box is. Does anyone know what HD box(es) RCN are distributing? The CSR told my dad I would need RCA (yuck) or component cables to connect...unfortunately I have spare HDMI but not component.
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DanD @ 20th Nov 06:10PM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

quote:
Does anyone know what HD box(es) RCN are distributing?

My original HD box did not have HDMI -- I exchanged it at my payment center for a different model (DCH3200). Then, I exchanged that for a DCX3200 -- that is a "1/2-size" all black box, that sit either horizontal or vertical... no clock on that one, but it looks pretty sleek
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quattrog @ 21st Nov 09:03AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

DanD, can you post a picture of that new hd box? I have the older, larger 3200 box and would love to get something smaller. I will have to check to see if they are even available here in the LHV area.
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DanD @ 21st Nov 09:20AM:
Re: [CATV] Anyone Crushed in the LV yet???

Here is a picture of it.

Also, here is the link to it on Motorola's web site:

»www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Bus···heet.pdf

DCX3200
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