Mini Box, Why?

Hello ColleenD,

If it is really all about the encryption then why isn't that even mentioned in the documents or web pages about this move.

It seems the customers who have stuck with cable are paying in the form of rate increases and rental fees so that Cox can encrypt the channels, something that has NO benefit for the customer.

The only channel that I think I would miss is SyFy, can't seem to find it in any of the streaming packages, but I did find every other channel I watch. So I think I am going to need a better answer, a lower rate or a FREE FOREVER de-encription box, otherwise I am going to be seriously be looking into this cord cutting thing.

Hello Becky K,

I thank you and ColleenD both for your prompt answers.

However I will have to point out again that Cox seems to be upgrading and lowering their costs while not providing new capability to their customers.

My first example above points out that if Cox did not intend to encrypt the signals provided, something they are not doing now and does not improve the service for their customers, we would not need a "Mini Box" at all. Except in the case of old TVs that do not have a digital receiver built in, and those are old. It is only because Cox is encrypting the signal that we need a "Mini Box" and Cox wants their customers to pay for the privilege, when it doesn't benefit them at all.

True or not true, if not then please explain.

According to what you have written above, an additional "benefit" besides the encryption is that Cox will only have to provide a single digital signal, something mandated by the FCC. Cox saves expenditures in two ways for this, first they no longer have to lease the analog frequencies, and second, they get to use that bandwidth that they already have for something else. As you say, "Since a digital channel takes less bandwidth to get to your home than a non-digital or analog channel, making the switch to all-digital will allow Cox to utilize bandwidth more efficiently." What this means to me is that Cox is charging us more in the form of rent for a "Mini Box" that isn't technically required, so that they can save revenue and charge for the extra bandwidth that we have all already been paying for in the form of faster speeds or extra channels. By the way most places except the USA have internet speeds much faster than Cox provides, yes I think gigabit speeds, and 4K TV already works for many of the movies I stream so the bandwidth is there.

Again the reasons you describe are not what has been advertised on Cox.com.

It seems to me that Cox is taking advantage of it customers.  Please explain how I am wrong.  because I have been a Cox Customer for more than 20 years, and I would like to stay one, if I didn't think that I was being taken advantage of again.

Thanks for your time

C'mon, let's be honest.  Most homes already have digital TV's, and the FCC has mandated that broadcast channels are in digital.  We were all inundated with the rebate offers to get digital conversion boxes for our older analog TV's, so this is a non-starter.  The only advantage is that the mini-boxes are required to decrypt the signal coming from Cox, and the sole purpose for this encryption is for Cox's security to prevent people from stealing cable.  Why then should I have to pay for a mini-box at all, since this is just for Cox's benefit and not mine?

William65 said:

C'mon, let's be honest.  Most homes already have digital TV's, and the FCC has mandated that broadcast channels are in digital.  We were all inundated with the rebate offers to get digital conversion boxes for our older analog TV's, so this is a non-starter.  The only advantage is that the mini-boxes are required to decrypt the signal coming from Cox, and the sole purpose for this encryption is for Cox's security to prevent people from stealing cable.  Why then should I have to pay for a mini-box at all, since this is just for Cox's benefit and not mine?

You DON'T have to pay for a mini-box. But if you want to watch the programs, some sort of receiver is required - just like on every other cable system in the U.S. So you pay, or you don't watch. I guess all of the mini-box complainers don't consider the addition of a few dozen HD channels to be a benefit.

Domino said:

[...... I guess all of the mini-box complainers don't consider the addition of a few dozen HD channels to be a benefit.

Maybe if you happen to understand Spanish.

Cox does encrypt the signal when the area goes all digital.  You can get other tv providers, but all of them need some sort of box to receive the channels.  Cox was the last major cable company to go all digital. 

Don318 said:

Domino said:

[...... I guess all of the mini-box complainers don't consider the addition of a few dozen HD channels to be a benefit.

Maybe if you happen to understand Spanish.

Huh? Only a handful of the four dozen or so Essential HD channels are in Spanish. True?

Scaytale said:

It seems to me that Cox is taking advantage of it customers.  Please explain how I am wrong.  because I have been a Cox Customer for more than 20 years, and I would like to stay one, if I didn't think that I was being taken advantage of again.

Cox is the last cable company to require a STB for minimum service. Would you feel better if the STB charge was built into the programming fee like most of the others do?

vch said:
I am absolutely clueless about all this.

Your first seven words explain much.

dear subscribers.  yes, it has been a wild run thus far.  here is my story..... 

firstly, i am informed like all of you that i have to obtain mini boxes for those tv sets which do not currently have a 'so-called big box on them if i want to continue to receive a signal on those two sets.  just as a matter of note, i have 3 tv sets.  one has a digital box the other 2 sets do not. 

perhaps, another point i must inform is that i had the tv economy package which gave me all of the channels except espn,etc.  it gave me cable news, i.e., fox, cnn, sy-fi, etc.  so, hopefully, i have explained what i had before the nightmare begin.

i ordered 2 mini boxes for the two no-box tv sets.  i received them in the mail.  after installing the first box, i was at a loss as to why i lost my cable news channels plus others.  i called tech support and they could not figure out why i was not getting the channels i had before.  so, tech support sent out a field repair person who informed me that the mini boxes would not provide me with the same channels i was receiving.  wow... this was alarming as there was no info provided in all of the pr.  the only way i could continue to receive the channels i had been receiving (before the mini box) was to order the 'big box' for $8.50 a month.  so, wanting to keep the channels i had before, i ordered the 'big boxes'. . i was told that i would only have an increase to my monthly bill of  $17.00 a month.  Not happy with the increase to keep what i was already getting, I ordered the two 'big boxes'.  i installed both myself.  Well, all was looking okay until I saw what my 'new' bill was going to be. $100 per month for the tv portion versus the $43 I had been paying. So, my monthly bill went from $43 to $100 or $57 a month.  An increase of $57.  Not so good.  Well, I am heading for the Cox retail store to try to get this resolved.  By the way, Cox also charged $39.99 for the fiield rep that had to inform me I needed the bix boxes.  Also charged me $20 each for self-installation of the two big boxes.  This is not good folks.

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ozma said:

perhaps, another point i must inform is that i had the tv economy package which gave me all of the channels except espn,etc.  it gave me cable news, i.e., fox, cnn, sy-fi, etc.  so, hopefully, i have explained what i had before the nightmare begin.

i ordered 2 mini boxes for the two no-box tv sets.  i received them in the mail.  after installing the first box, i was at a loss as to why i lost my cable news channels plus others.

The mini-box does not receive "Economy" tier channels. This fact has been mentioned here ad nauseam. "Economy" tier customers should not ask for a mini-box.