Letter from Comcast RE: SDV

jtmal0723 · 10-04-2008, 02:37 PM

I just received a letter today from Comcast regarding Switched Digital Video and getting an adapter, which reads:

Quote:

October 3, 2008

Dear Valued Customer:

As a part of a system upgrade in your area this fall, we are introducing an exciting new way of delivering video programming to your home, called Switched Digital Video (SDV).

Currently our system sends all channels simultaneously, all the time, whether they are being viewed or not. SDV is a two-way video technology that lets us deliver individual channels over our fiber optic network at the moment you tune to them. This new technology will allow us to expand the services we offer our customers, including by providing more high-definition programming and faster internet speeds.

Because SDV is a two-way interactive technology, you will not be able to view SDV channels using one-way devices such as your TiVo equipment without some additional assistance. To ensure that you will be able use all the features of your TiVo equipment and enjoy all the channels you currently receive, Comcast, in partnership with TiVo, has developed a special tuning adapter to use with your TiVo equipment.

Starting on October 6, 2008, you can bring this letter to one of your local Comcast payment centers at:

[centers vary by area]

where we will give you a tuning adapter at no additional cost. Or, you can call us at 1-800-COMCAST and refer to "the TiVo letter," and we will schedule an appointment for a technician to visit your home to install it for free. Representatives are available by phone 24/7 to assist with any questions you may have.

Please refer to the FAQ section of this letter for more information on SDV. Remember, you can reach us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-COMCAST or chat with us online at www.comcast.com.

Thank you for being a Comcast customer!

Has anyone else received a letter like this, whether from Comcast or not? It does give a list, that varies by area, of what channels would be affected too... It looks like I'm going down to a payment center on Monday to get an adapter and tell about my experiences installing it. Should be interesting!

debtoine · 10-04-2008, 02:50 PM

What state are you in? I'll have to ask my friends who have Comcast if they've received a similar letter (where we are, it's Cablevision).

I do hope Cablevision follows Comcast's lead and gives them to us at no additional cost as well.

deb

jtmal0723 · 10-04-2008, 02:55 PM

I'm in the Comcast of Garden State area, which is around Cherry Hill, NJ

pin87a · 10-04-2008, 02:57 PM

I received the same letter from Comcast (South Jersey / Cherry Hill / Scientific Atlanta area) this morning.
Came here expecting to see some horror stories involving the 'Tuning Adapters', but was surprised to see none. I guess we are some of the first guinea pigs in this experiment? Uh oh.. Considering how hard it was for Comcast to even get my TiVo working in the first place I can't imagine this is going to go smoothly

jtmal0723 · 10-04-2008, 03:04 PM

We shall see how simple this is, I have an idea how it may work, but I'm unsure myself.

Jimbo713 · 10-04-2008, 03:08 PM

Great! Time Warner could be next (fingers crossed)!

rainwater · 10-04-2008, 04:07 PM

I like the fact that you can pick it up, thus not requiring a truck roll.

ajayabb · 10-04-2008, 06:22 PM

Just received my letter today here in Moorestown. I will try to pick 2 up next week...

TriBruin · 10-04-2008, 06:24 PM

I am just happy to see that Comcast (and hopefully other cable companies) are not hiding the SDV Tuner and actively promoting it.

morac · 10-04-2008, 06:44 PM

Cherry Hill is one of 2 (3?) SDV test areas. My guess is that they are expanding the test to the entire "Comcast of Garden State" system (Cisco).

I'm in the Burlington System (Motorola) so no SDV for me most likely (for now).

mikeyts · 10-04-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RBlount

I am just happy to see that Comcast (and hopefully other cable companies) are not hiding the SDV Tuner and actively promoting it.

They're probably sending that letter out to every CableCARD sub. Why would they "hide" the Tuning Adapter? Distributing it helps them retain TiVo-addicted subs, and to sell them services which they offer primarily as switched broadcasts.

jayfest · 10-04-2008, 08:54 PM

I also live in South Jersey and got this letter today. I immediately called Comcast and I have a guy coming to my house this Monday (free) to check on the Multi-Stream cable card I have in my TiVo HD. In the meantime, I still seem to be getting signals on my HD from the 100 or so channels the letter said I might lose. I suppose I could have installed this tuning adapter myself, but if they're offering a free service call so promptly, I'll take it.

TriBruin · 10-04-2008, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyts

They're probably sending that letter out to every CableCARD sub. Why would they "hide" the Tuning Adapter? Distributing it helps them retain TiVo-addicted subs, and to sell them services which they offer primarily as switched broadcasts.

After all support cable companies gave to install Cablecards in S3s at the beginning, call me cynical.

ZeoTiVo · 10-05-2008, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RBlount

After all support cable companies gave to install Cablecards in S3s at the beginning, call me cynical.

Times change and business gets tighter.
What used to be competitors now become loose partners against even more dangerous competitor - eg satellite companies.

mikeyts · 10-05-2008, 01:30 AM

The entire "Tuning Adapter Initiative", which has required over a year from conception to deliver (pretty high pace for this industry) is designed to help assuage complaints to the FCC by CableCARD-using subs and to fight off the NCTA's "Digital Cable Ready Plus" proposal. If they made it difficult to get, or charged anything more than a nominal fee, the effort would seem disingenuous.

husky55 · 10-05-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morac

Cherry Hill is one of 2 (3?) SDV test areas. My guess is that they are expanding the test to the entire "Comcast of Garden State" system (Cisco).

I'm in the Burlington System (Motorola) so no SDV for me most likely (for now).

Any idea if CT is Cisco or Motorola system? All Comcast STB in CT are Motorola, but I don't think Cisco makes STB.

I did not receive any letter from Comcast.

dylanemcgregor · 10-05-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by husky55

Any idea if CT is Cisco or Motorola system? All Comcast STB in CT are Motorola, but I don't think Cisco makes STB.

I did not receive any letter from Comcast.

Cisco bought Scientific Atlantic a while back.

bohbot16 · 10-05-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by husky55

Any idea if CT is Cisco or Motorola system? All Comcast STB in CT are Motorola, but I don't think Cisco makes STB.

Danbury uses Scientific Atlanta (Cisco) STBs

timstack8969 · 10-05-2008, 04:38 PM

So I'm asuming that if you can pick up your tuning adapter on October 6th they will start using SDV on October 6th??? Does this go for Barrington, NJ?

jtmal0723 · 10-05-2008, 07:22 PM

saying they're available starting the 6th doesn't mean they're going to immediately flip the switch on that day.

mikeyts · 10-05-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtmal0723

saying they're available starting the 6th doesn't mean they're going to immediately flip the switch on that day.

I'm sure that they have the system set up, though they might not be presenting any services as publicly available switched broadcasts yet. They will have been testing it for months before rolling it out to subs.

morac · 10-05-2008, 09:34 PM

Cherry Hill is running SDV right now and has been for some time. I'm not sure how hard it is to expand that to the entire Garden State Cable system.

jtmal0723 · 10-06-2008, 03:30 PM

I got my adapter today... It's a Cisco STA1520... I've got it plugged into the tivo now and everything and am going to see what this is all about

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/05/19...apter-sta1520/ <= for more info on my adapter
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/coll...28/7013834.pdf <= data sheet

jtmal0723 · 10-06-2008, 03:36 PM

It works. The TiVo says it's operational and everything so all is good! Thumbs up to Comcast.

MickeS · 10-06-2008, 04:07 PM

Good to hear, for all you poor suckers still using cable.

skaggs · 10-06-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtmal0723

It works. The TiVo says it's operational and everything so all is good! Thumbs up to Comcast.

Nice!

rv65 · 10-06-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtmal0723

It works. The TiVo says it's operational and everything so all is good! Thumbs up to Comcast.

Glad you got yours working. Our Time Warner area uses SDV though they can't get theirs out fast enough. Let's hope they do get them in a timely manner. I too am interested a Tivo.

oddlycalm · 10-06-2008, 05:39 PM

Nothing yet on the West coast. The Comcast tech support call center had no idea what SDV is let alone what the tuning adapter is. They were nice about it and got back to me, but nada. Looks like you folks in the Northeast are the test market.

oc

jhimmel · 10-06-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtmal0723

It works. The TiVo says it's operational and everything so all is good! Thumbs up to Comcast.

Congratulations. As far as I know, you are the first (and only) person to deploy a tuning adapter who is not restricted by NDA.

Jim H.

mikeyts · 10-06-2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtmal0723

It works. The TiVo says it's operational and everything so all is good! Thumbs up to Comcast.

Are you certain that there are channels presented as switched digital that you can tune now that you weren't able to tune before? Unlike letters announcing SDV sent out by TWC and Cox, that one didn't seem to list the group of services that they planned to provide as switched broadcasts.