TV Options Still Limited … Change May Be Coming

Whenever the local cable company makes a change or raises monthly rates, many look at their monthly bill and ask if there is a less expensive alternative.  We hear about other people “cutting the cord” and opting for a combination of receiving local channels via an antenna and using one of the many internet-based streaming services for the other channels.  Like so many purchase decisions, there is no one right answer.

As long as there is a single cable provider in our area and only two satellite services available your choices remain limited.  Both the cable and satellite companies force you into bundles of channels.  So if you want to watch some of the most popular channels like ESPN, History, DIY, etc. you are required to purchase a bundle of hundreds of other channels that you will most likely seldom watch.  For example those who are not avid sports fans are irritated that they pay about $5.00 per month for ESPN even if they never watch it because it is part of the “bundle.”

Before you decide to cut your cable you should do an inventory over a two or three week period.  Write down what you actually watch.  Once you have that list you can check if these programs are available using some other service.  For example, Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon TV offer many of the same programs found on cable.  Services like the History Channel, Smithsonian Channel and HGTV offer some complete episodes of series on their respective webpages.

Once you do the research you need to then do the math.  Right now you can’t cut the cord completely.  You still need to have a robust internet connection and install a TV antenna to get local stations.  The former will come with a monthly fee and the cost of the antenna will depend on where you live.  Some can use simple rabbit ears while others with require a more expensive outside-mounted antenna.

The streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus have monthly fees.  These fees need to be added to the cost of your internet connection.  Once you add up all these costs you will be able to make an informed decision if cutting the cord will save money and if it is for you.

Looking ahead, services like MyTV from Cincinnati Bell are beginning to offer ala carte channels, promising that you will only pay for the channels you watch.  Since this service is not yet available in most of the local area, it is too early to say if it will save significant money.  For sure, if MyTV becomes an option look for the Time Warner to begin to offer an ala carte service to compete.

Some Changes for Cable Subscribers

You may have seen spots on the TV or received notification in the mail about some changes coming if you are a Time Warner Cable subscriber.  The company recently announced that it is dropping the analog cable service and all subscribers will be required to have a special digital adapter if they do not already rent a set top box from the company.  Time Warner is joining with most other cable providers in making this move. 

Ever since the cable companies began providing digital cable, a system that was much superior to the old analog system, cable companies have essentially operated two separate systems. This was expensive and was not the most efficient use the bandwidth available.  Initially this was done so customers with older TVs could easily hook up their sets.  Now that most people have digital wide screen TV sets, the analog system is no longer required.

Many customers have several TV sets connected to the cable.  Some of the sets make use of the set top box but others, up until now, could be connected directly to the cable using the TV set’s internal QAM (cable) tuner.  Beginning in April, the QAM tuner will not be compatible with the cable signal so a special digital adapter will be required for each cable-connected TV set if it does not use a set top box.

The adapter can be ordered from the Time Warner.  The company promises to provide them free for two years.  After that time there will be a charge of about $4 per month each.  Just as it was with the QAM tuners, using the new digital adapters will not allow you to receive many of the special premium services.  These are only available using a full-featured set top box.  Examples of these services are pay-per-view, the on-screen guide, viewing on demand and “start over.”

It is interesting that just this week the FCC announced new rules that will allow cable customers to purchase the set top boxes instead of paying an average of $10 per month rental fee for each box.  This could save customers hundreds of dollars each year.  It is estimated that a set top box will retail less than $100. It is likely that these new digital adapters will also be available for sale instead of monthly rental after the first two years.  The cable companies are not happy about this new FCC ruling since they were able to collect millions of dollars from these monthly recurring charges for set top boxes.

For more information for Time Warner subscribers go to this special web site.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/support/tv/topics/digital-adapters.html

Get Ready To Change the Channel

The FCC is in the process of realigning the TV broadcast channels again.  Not too long ago you might remember we were all required to get new TV sets in order to enjoy the new digital HD TV channels.  At that time most TV stations, both commercial and public were required to use new channels on which to broadcast.  So locally Channels 5, 9, 12, 48 and 64 built new digital transmitters and for the most part began broadcasting on new channels.  Because the new sets were able to display the old channel numbers even though the actual channels had changed, few of us even cared that Channel 5 was actually broadcasting on channel 35 or that 48 was really channel 34.

There is a good reason for these changes.  The FCC is trying to develop a plan to use all the broadcast channels in the most efficient way so additional bandwidth can be opened up for the exploding wireless market.  Today in this country there are many more wireless devices than there are people.  Take an inventory of your house.  The smartphone, tablet, gaming device, hands free telephone, blue tooth speakers and headphones, wireless doorbell, baby monitor and your garage opener all compete for bandwidth space which is a finite resource.  By moving TV broadcasters to lower frequencies, most in the VHF Band (Channels 2-13), large portions of bandwidth will be available to auction to the Verizons and AT&Ts of the world for wireless devices.

Most likely this first phase of the transition will not require the purchase of new TV sets.  However, at the same time this reorganization of channels is going on, the industry is developing new technology to replace the Digital Broadcasting technology adopted just about 15 years ago. You will remember needing to buy a new Digital TV or connect one of those DTV convertors to your existing set.  You may need to do it again.

This new TV technology will provide higher resolution, more robust over-the-air reception and many features similar to those now found only on internet- connected smart TVs.  How quickly this will happen is anyone’s guess but for sure it will roll out much faster than the roll out of DTV at the beginning of this century.  Whether it will be a shot in the arm for local broadcasters is still unknown.  Many local TV stations are finding it harder and harder to compete with the plethora of non-broadcast options.  We will have to just stay tuned.