Now that the digital conversion has taken affect, every TV requires a cable box to receive channels once accessible directly to the TV set through the cable wire. And now with more boxes, more problems. So why call the cable company for assistance when the answer is always the same: unplug the box, wait 30 seconds, plug back in. What it didn't work; repeat, try again. That is the number one solution for every cable problem! Is it that the cable box is overworked or just a brick in sheep's clothing. These problems don't occur nearly as often with computers, Tivos, Playstations, Wiis, or other devices; the cable box needs continual rebooting. Stuck channel - reboot; no cable guide - reboot; no service - reboot.
Frustrating to say the least. And does it seem that every cable box that gets put in the field has been refurbished. Who is getting the new boxes? And when will Comcast finally get me a Tivo guide in their cable box at my home? I remain frustrated, ready to switch providers and missing the days when I had a Tivo directly connected to the TV WITHOUT a cable box to slow me down. Why do customers switch providers; cost may be one reason, but service and connectivity is definitely another.
We left Comcast for Verizon FiOS for a variety of reasons, cost being one of them, but the other being the terrible cable box software.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Verizon had a problem with their software which required an unplug every few days or some channels would blank out (and you'd lose programs you scheduled the DVR to record). They did end up giving us 2 months of free service when we called to complain and did eventually fix the software, but it was still better than Comcast.