From: Some@Guy.com   
      
   Sid Elbow wrote:   
      
   > > This shuffling may enable Rogers to free up a block of channels   
   > > which will no lonegr require a filter since that block would no   
   > > longer carry any analogue channels   
   >   
   > I think it's a bit more than that. Rogers wants to dump analogue   
   > cable altogether (why wouldn't they?).   
      
   Hypothetically, consider this:   
      
   Say that Rogers has a base-level set of basic channels.  If you   
   subscribe to ANY cable-TV package, you're going to get this basic set of   
   channels.  These channels are (naturally) also present in the digital   
   domain.   
      
   Now, what's the upside of offering those basic channels also in the   
   analog domain?  Well, you don't have to supply any sort of box at all to   
   the end customer.  They plug the cable into their existing NTSC or ATSC   
   TV and they can watch those channels.   
      
   What's the downside of offering those basic channels in analog?  One   
   downside is that Rogers can't move to a completely automated connect /   
   disconnect system.  Rogers (like any utility company) wants to eliminate   
   the need to roll a truck (or roll a person) to deal with disconnects,   
   reconnects (or meter reading).   
      
   So if Rogers goes completely digital, then they can leave all cable   
   drops permenantly connected to homes and appartments (no blockers, no   
   filters) and all customers must have boxes -> and all boxes are (or must   
   be) addressable (they can be turned on/off or programmed remotely).   
   This also kills the idea of clear-QAM (digital channels with no   
   scrambling / encryption).  Clear-QAM is common on US cable systems where   
   any local over-the-air channel is present on the cable plant in   
   clear-QAM - but this concept was never taken up by Canadian cable   
   providers nor mandated by the CRTC.   
      
   Naturally, I would have liked to have seen clear-QAM here on Rogers in   
   Ontario, and I am not looking forward to the removal of channels from   
   the analog domain.   
      
   > However, the CRTC won't let them while they still have a sizeable   
   > customer base for analogue. They can't just pull out the rug; they   
   > need to get that base down to an "acceptable minimum" first.   
      
   "The CRTC won't let them ..."   
      
   Are you sure?  Are you sure there are conditions that must be met for   
   the CRTC to allow them to yank analog channels?   
      
   And why would the CRTC allow the Parlaimentary channel(s) to be the   
   first channels to be yanked?   
      
   > So for years, Rogers has been trying to tempt those customers onto   
   > basic digital. It costs the same but many resist it because of the   
   > disadvantages (ugly set-top box, additional controller and   
   > inability to record one program while viewing another).   
      
   Plenty of other reasons.  Who wants a digital box for every device (TV,   
   VCR, computer-with-tuner) connected to your home coax network?  There's   
   an additional monthly cost for these extra boxes.   
      
   Second, I do a lot of channel switching, and I hate the time-lag when   
   flipping through channels using a digital box.  My primary TV is a 36"   
   Sony flat-tube that's 12 years old, and my channels change instantly   
   when I flip from one to another.   
      
   > So, "smart" customer (like me, I fell for it) goes on line and   
   > orders the box .... absolutely free like they say, including   
   > delivery. And now he's officially a digital customer, not   
   > analogue.   
      
   I will never order the digital box nor the digital adapter.   
      
   When Rogers degrades their analog service further during some future   
   round of channel-pulling, that's when I cancel my cable subscription.   
   By then, I'll have my TV antenna tower up with my array of GH and Yagi   
   antennas with custom-built pre-amps to recieve US tv stations OTA.   
      
   Fuck this Rogers cable-TV shit.   
      
   There's absolutely nothing good on TV anymore.  All programming is   
   either designed for children, teens, ethnics or women.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)