From: Some@Guy.com   
      
   Just got this in the mail today.  I'm subscribed to a Rogers analog   
   cable service (have been for more than 10 years) so it's understandable   
   why I'm getting this letter.  I don't know if anyone else that could   
   technically be a "digital" cable subscriber is getting these letters...   
      
   On the front-side of the letter, it seems to indicate that some or many   
   channels are being removed from analog service, and that I'm going to   
   need a free digital box (digital adapter) to view them.  A date of May   
   31 is given for this change.   
      
   On the back side, the reality is somewhat different.  It seems that 6   
   channels are going to be moved (but remain analog) and 3 are going to be   
   removed from the CCTV channel lineup and go completely digital.  Here's   
   the change:   
      
   Channel        Current  New   
      
   W Network         60    70   
   Shopping channel  18    95   
   Vision TV         27    96   
   Treehouse         63    18   
   APTN              70    129   
   TVA               95    130   
   RDI               96    (ATSC only)   
   Ontario Legis.   129    (ATSC only)   
   TV5              130    (ATSC only)   
      
   So, does anyone (or can anyone) speculate why they're playing this shell   
   game?   
      
   We have APTN(70) being moved to 129, and W Network(60) being moved to   
   the channel that APTN used (70).  The channel that was on 129 (Ontario   
   legislature) being moved to digital.   
      
   We have Treehouse(63) being moved to the channel currently being used by   
   Shopping channel (18), and Shopping being moved to the channel currently   
   being used by TVA (95), and TVA being moved up to 130, and 130 (TV5)   
   being moved to digital.   
      
   We have Vision TV (27) being moved to the channel currently used by RDI   
   (96) and RDI being kicked into digital.   
      
   So we have channel 60 and 63 being free'd up, and for the past year or   
   two channels 59, 61 and 62 have been empty as well (one or two of those   
   were US network affiliates in Cleveland if I remember correctly).  That   
   would create a block of empty channels from 59 through 63.   
      
   There is currently nothing in analog format on channels 64 through 69   
   and 71 through 80 - and I suspect that there is something on each of   
   those channels being broadcast in scrambled ATSC format.  On channels 81   
   through 84 there are On-demand and Pay-per-view channels that are   
   broadcast in ATSC but they are not scrambled - I've been viewing those   
   for maybe a year now directly on my flatscreen TV.   
      
   It looks like channel 27 is going to be empty.   
      
   Is there a legal case to be made that the removal of the Ontario   
   Legislature from analog cable is a violation of CRTC accessibility rules   
   or standards?   
      
   I see this as a test for Rogers to see how many people that currently do   
   not have a digital tuner box will put in a request for the no-frills   
   Cisco digital box given the changes being planned.  They've clearly   
   identified the least-watched channels to eliminate from analog service,   
   seemingly with the intent to float this trial balloon to gage the   
   reaction.   
      
   The letter goes on to say:   
      
     "Soon more analog channels will no longer be available for   
      viewing without a digital adapter (we'll keep you informed)"   
      
   Has Rogers done this (removed POPULAR channels from the analog domain)   
   in any other city yet?   
      
   I know that Cogeco in Windsor has been removing channels from the analog   
   domain for the past few months.  There isin't much available above   
   channel 27 in analog format at this point).   
      
   Comments?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)