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I have Brighthouse cable. HD. DVR. The full enchilada.

It sucks. Sucks bad. I get better picture quality from 12kbps Quicktime movies over the net. Even the HD channels are so overcompressed that they’re hard to watch. When my wife, who has no eye for such things, complains about how blocky the channels are, you know there’s problems.

Here’s the rub. To get the same number of channels as well as the same # of HD channels through satellite, we’re talking at least $30 more a month. Plus, since I’m HD and would need an HD compatible DVR, that’s another $400 out of my pocket just to get the equipment.

So, do I stick with the shitty quality which counters actually having HD or do I get a second mortgage for satellite (adding that most of the tv viewing in our house is Noggin for the little ones)?

rolled out on Monday, November 21, 2005 4:09 PM
Comments
# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - Jeff Harrell

Rolled Out On: 11/21/2005 4:50 PM

Whatever you don, don't get satellite NOW. DirecTV is rolling out new service based on H.264 video compression (a significant upgrade from their existing MPEG-2-based service), and the change-over is going to require all new customer equipment. And as far as I know — though I'm surely no expert — DirecTV doesn't have an HD DVR yet to replace the MPEG-2/TiVo-based one they're selling now.

The good news is that MPEG-4 H.264 is about a skrillion times better than MPEG-2 at the same bit rates, so either your picture quality will be better for the same number of channels, or you'll get more channels for the same picture quality. Unless something horrible happens.

# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - walkercolt

Rolled Out On: 11/22/2005 4:48 PM

We ditched cable/satellite when my daughter turned into an addicted vidiot. Now we can't get her nose out of a book half the time, She's become a killer Uno player, and is active in soccer. Boy, do I miss History Channel, Cartoon Network, and Discovery though...

# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - Robb Allen

Rolled Out On: 11/22/2005 7:06 PM

We're strict with our daughter's viewing habits. I only watch HGTV, Food TV, and Discovery. But unfortunately you have to buy the extra-special package to get those.

A La Carte would see me a $2.50 a month bill.

My wife on the other hand has to watch Survivor and a zillion other silly shows.

# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - Evilwhiteguy

Rolled Out On: 11/22/2005 7:28 PM

Eh, you could pack up and move to a city with a better cable system :)

# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - Robb Allen

Rolled Out On: 11/22/2005 8:05 PM

Or 1/10th a mile down the road and get Verizon's Fios and just wait until their tv service comes online.

# RE: Dear Brighthouse - Stuff it... - Don McArthur

Rolled Out On: 11/21/2005 7:11 PM

Renew your library card instead, buy Scrabble and Yahtzee, and get to work on that novel.

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