The COX Mini Box Scam

I agree with you nordattack. I live in Virginia and just ordered the 3 mini boxes I'll need for my tv's. I will admit i didn't really look into what the mini box was, I made the assumption it was a decryption device and I would still be using my built-in digital tuner since tv's went digital years ago. I know, I shouldn't assume I should have really looked into it, but that wouldn't have changed anything. So now I'm stuck using these craptastic little tunner with its equally craptastic remote. This move by Cox has put an end to my single remote home theatre system. I could control the entire system with a single master remote or the interface on my tablet. So my "Mercedes" of an entertainment system now has a "Ford Pinto" for a tunner. This is probably the worst part of it for me but it is by no means an end to my disatisfaction with these crappie little boxes. I found out after working with a Cox tech today that there is no way to edit the channels to remove or skip those channels you dont want, don't like or just don't watch. COME ON...the tube tv's from 20 years ago could do that. Also I wanted to turn 'off ' the the blue box with channel information that pops up at the bottem of the screen every time I change the channel. Its just really f-ing annoying and I just dont need to see it every time. My guess, this is intentional to try and up-sell you to a higher rent item with more options. 

Bottem line, it yet one more bad experience with Cox they have pushed me into finding another service provider. FiOS is currently unavailable in my neighborhood so I'll look into satellite providers. If I'm going to have to have a STB I might as well get more for my money. I've just had it with Cox's never ending search for more and more of my money while offering me less and less for every dollar I spend. Its funny that even with my basic/expanded service in the winter months my cable bill is higher than my electric bill.

nordattack: "My HD TV has a built in digital tuner and up to this point in time, I could tune any Cox non-pay for view digital channel without an issue."

No, you couldn't. All digital channels except the ClearQAM channels in the Starter tier have been encrypted since day one. Only the analog channels have been ITC.

nordattack: "Previously the only channels that were scrambled are the pay for view and premium channels like HBO, Showtime etc."

Still wrong. All digital channels (BBC America, ESPNU, etc.) have always been encrypted.

nordattack: "I am now tempted to cancel all my service. It is just not worth it."

Do it!

"I understand that you lose one of the tuners in the DVD recorder"

Wrong. We lose the tuners in our two TV's and our two DVD recorders.

We would need to pay for 4 mini boxes to return our service back to what it was prior to our need for these dumb mini boxes.

So if you want to "give" us 4 mini boxes at no charge then that would be the least you could do for messing up our whole TV experience. If not, then we will be looking for another service provider.

nordattack said:

So if you want to "give" us 4 mini boxes at no charge then that would be the least you could do for messing up our whole TV experience. If not, then we will be looking for another service provider.

Why do those who huff and puff and threaten to leave never leave?

Because it is a hassle to leave, when there should be no problem to begin with, if Cox provided free mini-boxes to everyone, as they should; or, at least, sell the boxes for a small cost.  This is a monthly fee apparently forever for viewers who do not require a better picture or sound, and have no interest in listening to music on their TV. My elderly mother received her Cox letter yesterday, and it stated she would have to pay $2.99 a month for each box, not $1.99. I assume this box is also going to mess up recording with a DVR that is not owned by Cox, too. She records soaps five days a week. Thus, here we have a person in her 80s who now must get boxes to improve her TV watching and listening in ways she has no interest in, and will probably have her soaps recording messed up.  Oh, and she's going to have to pay Cox for all of this every month from now on!

boopsie said:

...if Cox provided free mini-boxes to everyone, as they should; or, at least, sell the boxes for a small cost. 

Should Cox just include the STB charge in the program charge, and then provide them "free"? Please list the cable systems that let it's customers buy the cable box (not including boxes that require CableCARDS.)

We should not have to pay an eternal monthly fee for these boxes, which by the way are very cheap and crappy.

Cox should just have a one time charge of like $20 bucks each (they are not worth more) and be done with it.

If later they offer better boxes then we should be able to trade back the old ones for value towards the new ones.

But $2.99 a month forever for these pieces of junk that only cause a reduction in the TV watching experience?

I think not.

nordattack said:
We should not have to pay an eternal monthly fee for these boxes

Why not? Just because you didn't before? Things change. What is your suggestion for improvement? First you say you don't want to pay for the boxes at all, then you say they are too cheap. Quality, cheap, easy to use; pick two. I hate that I have to buy a whole new cell phone every time they change a CPU or antenna. I think cell phones should like PCs; build them yourself. But that is not the reality of the situation. The best you can do is either adapt or seek service else where. But you will be hard pressed to find one that meets your demands IMO. 

It seems like people are just not getting it. This is a scam.

Here is my solution:

Everything can go digital, no problem.

All the basic analog and digital channels that before the change we could tune with our TV's and DVR's digital tuners, would not be scrambled, they would remain open to those users that had them before.

Those people that do not have a digital tuner in their TV's can "buy" as many mini boxes as they need for $15 each, no rental fee.

People that want premium pay channels will have no need to do anything different than they did before, they can continue to use their high quality cable box or DVR.

Done. Everyone wins.

nordattack, in a world where everyone is 100% honest, I agree it's a win/win.  In the real world, your solution is a win for the consumer, a big win for anyone who wants to steal service and an overall loss for Cox.  Under your scenario, someone with basic of enhanced service plus internet can drop all tv, just keep internet service.  Without encryption, they would continue to receive the same tv service as if they were paying for it.  As I've said before, we pay every day, as part of everything we buy, for the cost of theft.  When was the last time you refused to pay a portion of the cost of an item attributed to the anti-theft tag, door sensors, security team and inventory loss?  Until our world is perfect or I come up with a better solution to prevent theft, I guess I will just live with Cox's solution.  End of soapbox.

nordattack said:

Here is my solution:

Everything can go digital, no problem.

All the basic analog and digital channels that before the change we could tune with our TV's and DVR's digital tuners, would not be scrambled, they would remain open to those users that had them before.

So theft of service and reduction of truck rolls - two of Cox's goals in encrypting all channels - are not obtained. Not gonna happen.

Those people that do not have a digital tuner in their TV's can "buy" as many mini boxes as they need for $15 each, no rental fee.

Please (1) give us your source that justifies the $15 price, and (2) name any cable system that allows customers to purchase their (non-CableCARD) STBs.

I believe most of you have missed Nordattacks point.

If Cox has a big problem with theft and they are loosing money then yes they need to fix it. However their solution to THEIR problem is to force customers who did not need or even want a cable box to have to have it to continue using a service we were already paying for. And to fix THEIR PROBLEM they are going force those customers who never wanted a cable box to rent one to continue receiving cable. 

So to recap, its a Cox problem, not the customers problem. Their solution, put the burden on their customers. My 7 digital tunners have just become usless despite the fact they function just fine. The wife and kids can no longer set up and record programing while we are away. And the home theatre we spent time and money customizing to our liking no longer function correctly. And for the privilege of screwing things up we now get to give more money to Cox.

And as to the "truck rolls" again that is a Cox problem not a customer problem. If they want to send out fewer trucks and increase the bottem line then they need to become more efficient. Its not a costomer responsibility to make thing easier for Cox to do business.