From: gwelsh@spamcop.net   
      
   "Some Guy"  wrote in message news:4F9B1CF5.4FA5165A@Guy.com...   
   > Just got this in the mail today.   
      
   I got the same letter, preceded by a recorded phone message (the first part   
   of which did not make it onto my answering machine.)  The voice message   
   concerned me greatly but when I got the letter I pretty much shrugged...   
   pretty much the difference in your reaction to the front and back of the   
   letter.   
      
   My channels are slightly different (so I guess you don't live in Richmond   
   Hill) but the bottom line is that I won't miss at all any of the channels   
   that are being dropped from analog and the ones that are being moved aren't   
   ones I watch often, if at all.   
      
   The bottom line is that, after scaring the crap out of me, Rogers is making   
   changes that amount to nothing.   
      
   > So, does anyone (or can anyone) speculate why they're playing this shell   
   > game?   
      
   In my area it looks as though they're trying to clear out the 60s, though I   
   find it odd that they're still using channel 70 as well as some in the 90s   
   and 129/130.  (If it was me, I'd pack all the channels as tightly as   
   possible into a single clump or maybe into clumps at the low and high end of   
   the spectrum and leave a single contiguous unused space... but maybe some of   
   that space is already used in ways I can't see.)   
      
   > 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.   
      
   I don't know if it's a regulation or just a rule of thumb, but I believe   
   that cable companies maintain analog service only where digital adoption has   
   not reached a certain threshold, at which time they can just drop it   
   completely with minimal backlash.  I don't know if the current adjustment is   
   an intentional effort to push more of us into adopting digital service, but   
   the scary wording seems designed to do just that.   
      
   What bothers me is this:   
      
   Q: Would I still use my VCR to record TV after the network enhancement?   
      
   A: Yes, you can still watch TV and record on your VCR through your Digital   
   Adapter. The installation guide included with your Digital Adapter provides   
   step-by-step instructions on how to properly connect. You won't be able to   
   watch and record different shows at the same time, but you can still use   
   your VCR as a recording device.   
      
    ... in other words, your VCR's tuner is now useless and you'll only be able   
   to record what's tuned on the Digital Adapter... which means that you won't   
   be able to record, for instance, shows on two different channels while   
   you're away, because you won't be there to change the channel on the Digital   
   Adapter   
      
   OK, so maybe I'm a Luddite for using a VCR, but go to the Rogers site and   
   look for a PVR... the only one I can see is $25.32 per month, or over $500   
   up front.  For a company that's worried about losing customers to satellite,   
   Fibe, Netflix, and other "over the top" services, they're pretty brazen   
   about trying to twist the arms of people who want to record shows into   
   accepting a big increase in their monthly costs!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)