Plus Pak Pricing

[Stolen from San Diego HD forum]

Cox’s motto: “HD is FREE!” And their fine print always reads “Cox Advanced TV (formerly Digital Cable) and paid subscription to Digital HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and/or Showtime required for respective premium HD channels. Other HD channels require subscription to Cox Advanced TV and service Pak with the standard version of the channel.” Oh, really?

Cox’s “Plus Pak” contains 39 channels, all HD. 2/3 of those HD channels have SD versions in various tiers or “Paks.” Yet Cox charges extra for access to those HD channels. I get the SD version of the DIY network, BTN and the PAC-12 Net on the “Sports & Information Pak” yet I must pay extra for the HD channels, contrary to Cox’s stated policy. I get The Cooking Channel in SD in “Variety Pak”, but not the HD version since it is in the “Plus Pak.” I get the SD versions of 16 of the “Plus Pak” channels, yet must pay for the HD versions.

And WHY does this “Plus Pak” price vary depending on which DVR you have? Do you have a TiVo or HTPC? Then, the “Plus Pak” is FREE! Have a Cisco 8642HDC or 8742HDC WHDVR? Then it’s $5/month for the “Plus Pak.” Have the new 6-tuner Cisco 9865HDC WHDVR? Then the same “Plus Pak” is $10/month. Why, Cox? Why? That’s like selling a bag of potatoes for FREE to redheads, for $5 to blondes, and for $10 to brunettes.

 Why, Cox? Why?