From: sch@unx.sas.com (Steve Holzworth)
Subject: Re: Cable TV and you
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:11:56 GMT
Distribution: nc
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.

hardarso@weiss.cs.unc.edu (Kari Hardarson) writes:


>I (being a Cablevision customer)  received an insert with my latest
>Cable bill. The headline reads: "If you are thinking of buying a new
>VCR, beware of paying extra for one with the so-called 'VCR Plus+' 
>feature".  It goes on to explain how this feature won't do you any good
>because the VCR can't control your cable box.  The insert ends by saying:
>"Look for future messages from your cable company on this and similar
>consumer issues".

The above is true. Other useful things that cable screws over are:

cable-ready (what an oxymoron) TVs.
many "universal" remotes.
almost always, the "record one, watch another channel" feature of VCRs

>It almost sounds like the cable company is doing people a favor by warning
>about those unscrupulous VCR makers.  I can't help but think that if

Yeah, right.

>the cable boxes weren't there, this VCR Plus system would work just 
>fine.  And come to think of it,  I would be able to program my VCR
>to record a program into the week on a preselected channel, or watch
>one channel while recording another, and I could use one remote control
>instead of having to pay the Cable company extra to get a remote control
>with the cable box (1-2$/month extra).

This is true. Some systems, like Raleigh Cablevision, scramble ALL channels,
so you MUST use their box to get ANYTHING (this may have changed - I doubt
it though). Cary Cablevision (CVI) scrambles premium channels only. This
is somewhat better because you don't need a box unless you get premium
channels. I don't, so all of the VCR features are still useful. Note:
Cary customers: CVI is currently proposing to do what Raleigh does, and
scramble everything. This WILL RENDER YOUR VCR PROGRAMMING FEATURES USELESS.
It is easier and CHEAPER for the cable companies to make you have a box.
The technology exists for them to block premium channels from your house 
"at the pole". They can still enable this from the local office, too, like
they authorize your box now. BUT, it costs them more to do it this way.
Since they have an *effective* monopoly, you can't pursue alternative
methods.

>Why do we need those boxes on top of our TV?  They look ugly, they
>consume energy even when turned off (mine is always hotter than skin
>temperature) and they complicate TV watching in general.  Does anyone
>know if they benefit the consumer in any way?

See above. No, they don't benefit YOU at all. The cable companies will
argue the vague point that it helps reduce signal theft, blah, blah..
thus reducing your rates. Yeah, right. The following is a rate chart
list of what CABLE COMPANIES pay per subscriber for assorted "standard"
services. Note that you probably pay $15.00 above "Basic" cable rates
to receive "Standard" tier service.

Article: 4584 of rec.video.satellite

                  TOP-OF-THE-RATE CARD COST TO CABLE COMPANIES
                            FOR POPULAR PROGRAMMING


     PROGRAMMING                                     COST/SUBSCRIBER
============================================================================= =
Arts & Entertainment-----------------------------------------$0.130
Black Entertainment Television--------------------------------0.070
CNBC----------------------------------------------------------0.090
Cable News Network--------------------------------------------0.340
Comedy Channel------------------------------------------------0.090
Discovery Channel---------------------------------------------0.080
ESPN----------------------------------------------------------0.350
The Family Channel--------------------------------------------0.110
Financial News Network----------------------------------------0.080
Ha! TV--------------------------------------------------------0.080
Headline News Network-----------------------------------------0.340
The Learning Channel------------------------------------------0.070
Lifetime------------------------------------------------------0.130
MTV-----------------------------------------------------------0.250
Nickelodeon---------------------------------------------------0.250
Sports News Network-------------------------------------------0.080
Turner Broadcasting System------------------------------------0.100
The Nashville Network (TNN)-----------------------------------0.200
Turner Network Television (TNT)-------------------------------0.370
USA Network---------------------------------------------------0.240
Video Hits 1 (VH-1)-------------------------------------------0.040
Vision Interfaith Satellite Network (VISN)--------------------0.030
The Weather Channel-------------------------------------------0.099
                                                              ______
                     Total                                   $3.819

     (Does not reflect discounts for carrying multiple services offered by the
      same programming company)

      Source:   Paul Kagan Associates,Inc.
============================================================================= =

Premium channels are somewhat higher, but not close to the extra $10.00
you have to pay for them.

stuff deleted

>While I'm on the subject of cable TV: How come the cable
>company doesn't broadcast the evening program on a separate channel like
>so many companies do?  Instead they have been trying to get people to

Th almighty dollar. This is the same reason you have to pay the cable
companies a coupla bucks a month for remote box control, even if you want
to use your OWN remote. They won't enable the remote feature unless you
pay them. Note that this doesn't cost them a DIME extra. (one might argue
that the remote feature costs the cable companies more, because the box
has to be more capable. The incremental cost is negligible, and is a
"sunk cost" anyway.)

>Ahhhhhh!  That felt better!
>-- 
>Kari Hardarson, 217 Jackson Circle, Chapel Hill NC27514, (919)-914-5910
>When Cows laugh hard, does milk spill out their noses?
>Does the Pope french kiss the ground of a country he likes very much?
>                               - Some comedian on A&E's Improv
--
Steve Holzworth
sch@unx.sas.com
x6872
SAS Institute - Open Systems R & D
Cary, N.C.
Newsgroups: triangle.general