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Switch to all digital
I have Cox TV Essentials and do not use a STB. As Cox transitions more channels to digital, is it their intention to encrypt the signals, requiring customers to lease a mini box, CableCard, or STB or will this be clear QAM channels? If the former, is there an option to purchase appropriate hardware instead of leasing it?
bryaninphx
+6 more
Valued Contributor
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Every TV will require a STB, as all channels will be encrypted. The Local Clear QAM are most likely being eliminated also.
If you want to purchase your own a equipment, you will need a $2/mo CableCARD and Tuning Adapter from Cox, then you basically have two options.
The best experience would be to purchase a TiVo Roamio or Plus or Pro and TiVo Minis for additional TVs. Using an eBay discount Code.
TiVo Roamio Plus - 6 Tuner, 1TB, 150Hrs HD w/ Lifetime Service can be had for $599.99
TiVo Roamio Pro - 6 Tuner, 3TB, 450Hrs, w/ Lifetime Service for $699.99
TiVo Minis are a flat $149.99 ea.
The base 4 Tuner TiVo Roamio 500GB, 75Hrs HD, w/ Lifetime Service, would cost you $449.99
Or build a Windows Media Center HTPC with either a SiliconDust HD HomeRun Prime, or a Ceton InfiniTV, additional TVs would need a Ceton Echo Media Center Extender
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WCSA
New Contributor
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So, the short answer is yes, Cox will be charging more for the same channels and no, there is no option that doesn't involve leasing equipment from Cox.
For anyone from Cox monitoring this thread, I've received three answers from Cox as to the cost of a mini box: free, $1.50/month, and $1.99/month. Are any of these answers correct? If so, which (just so I can have a fourth answer)?
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bryaninphx
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Yes there is an Option to use a CableCARD and purchase your own equipment.
As it is currently without a STB you are NOT receiving all the Essential channels you are paying for, It already requires a STB to receive every channel in the Essential TV Package. The Cox Mini box, will also NOT receive all the channels you pay for in the Essential TV Package, and is limited by the items below.
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bryaninphx
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Additionally there is the Samsung GX-SM530CF Cable Box which also uses a CableCARD. This item may have been discontinued, but is still available. It also has some mixed reviews, but mostly positive.
http://www.frys.com/product/8040074
http://www.samsung.com/us/video/blu-ray-dvd/GX-SM530CF/XAA
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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Using a CableCARD is leasing equipment from Cox.
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WCSA
New Contributor
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I understand that there are currently channels that are unavailable without a STB, but my concern is that this number will grow, meaning that I will be receiving less and less for my dollars. The other option being to spend more each month to lease equipment from Cox.
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PopsicleD
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It is, in a sense, but at less than market value and only because they are federally mandated to do so. If it was legal to not offer them or to charge more, they would absolutely do so (the clear QAMs vanished as soon as it was legal to encrypt them, analog is about to do the same). Equipment rental is pretty much the actual business content distributors are in at this point. Both the satellite I switched from and cox wanted around $50 in equipment rental/maintenance and around $70 for the programming packages. Think about that for a second, most people are "renting" <$500 worth of equipment for $600/year. That's a *** of a return, but of course it's not *all* return - they're having to provide the content at nearly, if not actually, a loss if anyone is going to pay that.
It's your call if that's a battle you want to pick of course. I'm just saying, don't go into it with any illusions that you'll win. They're not pulling in especially much money (if any) on people sticking it out on analog or using cablecards, it's mostly there because A) you might decide to upgrade and buy a bigger package, premiums, DVR service, etc and B) it's illegal not to if you offer those and that's where the actual meat of the business is.
I went with a Samsung GX-SM530CF, a TiVO Premiere ($50 each at a WalMart clearence, ~$100 without shopping around), and a SiliconDust HDHomerun (LAN tuner, ~$100 on eBay) and went ahead and grabbed a Motorola SB6121 modem since I do internet too. Three cable cards run $8/month, which is the absolute rock bottom least you can possibly get "nickle and dimed" while receiving the standard networks legally non-OTA. So essentially I needed to put in ~4 months worth of rental cost up front and deal with a slightly more complicated setup while fielding upsale pitches the whole way, and mentally reconcile that $8 more than what the ad on TV says is actually a very low increase (hook up almost anything and $10-$20 worth of fees, taxes, charges, etc appear out of thin air - that's just life), a package they're of course officially happy to sell me, but not one that's raking in massive coin and giving me a lot of leeway to negotiate.
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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PopsicleD: "(the clear QAMs vanished as soon as it was legal to encrypt them, analog is about to do the same)."
ClearQAM is alive and well (for the time being) in Southern California.
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WCSA
New Contributor
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The Cox Mini box, will also NOT receive all the channels you pay for in the Essential TV Package, and is limited by the items below.
It sounds like the mini box provides even less functionality than my TV (e.g. I currently get channels above 99).
So, a few representatives from Cox have told me a mini box will work, although they can't agree on the price, but you're saying it won't. It would be really nice if someone from Cox would actually address my questions, but maybe they just don't want to put anything in writing. Who knows.
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bryaninphx
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http://www.cox.com/all-digital/go-all-digital.cox
Hopefully, Cox will move all SD and HD Channels in the Essential TV Pak that are currently using SDV to Linear, so that the Mini box will at least get every channel below 100 and 1100, those moves would seem logical, but this is COX.
If they do not, then currently in Arizona the Mini box would not receive the following channels.
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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How many in the above lists are/were available to analog only users before the digital switchover? That, after all, is the goal of offering the mini-box - retaining the analog only users' channels.
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WCSA
New Contributor
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I dropped by my local Cox store and asked what equipment I'd need to view channels that are transitioned from analog to digital. I walked away with a Motorola DCX3200-M ($8.99/m0nth) because they won't have mini-boxes until June. Unlike what has been posted in the "All Digital" thread, I was not offered a mini-box free for one year and the price (when they get them) was quoted as $2.99/month vs. $1.99/month.
This is in Orange County, CA.
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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When Orange County is near to its transition time, they will have mini-boxes, and they will be offered as per website:
"*A Cox-provided CableCARD together with a certified compatible CableCARD retail device may be used in lieu of a mini box. Depending on customer current service level, up to 2 mini boxes or CableCARDs will be provided at no charge for up to two years. Regular rates apply thereafter. Special offers available to customers with Medicaid. Additional units may be ordered at the regular monthly rate (currently $1.99/month). Taxes extra. HD channel availability may vary between mini box and other Cox equipment options. Other restrictions may apply."
http://www.cox.com/all-digital/go-all-digital.cox?campcode=home_alldigital_landing_hero1_3&s_tnt=66887:1:0
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WCSA
New Contributor
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When Orange County is near to its transition time, they will have mini-boxes, and they will be offered as per website:
Except they've already begun the transition and don't have the mini-boxes. It's also clear that the employees of Cox don't know the pricing schedule or that they must provide the boxes at no cost for one year.
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Domino
Valued Contributor III
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Please enlighten me as to how they have "begun" this transition, and what city this is in? Also, how many STBs from Cox did you have?
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