New TW Cable add: "Free standard cable"

[Mike123abc]

Interesting new attack on DBS by the cable company. They are going after the $5/month second box fee, but of course in a misleading way that only the cable co can do.

The pitch is 99 cents for digital cable installation. You get digital cable installed for only 99 cents. But, then they go on to say that as a benefit of digital cable you get "Free standard cable on all your other televisions".

Of course TWC charges $9.23 to get a second digital box and "mirror services"! From the local web site: http://www.twcablewf.com/prods_county_clay/clay_prods_ratecard.htm

But, it is interesting they are now spinning that you get one TV with digital and the rest are free analog, even though it has always been that way.

[AJ2086]

They make you pay a dollar for WGN and TBS????

That company is a rip off, must be alot of dishes around your area.

[dtcarson]

Mine is similar--one of the motivating factors that led me to get Dish, apart from the 'free' PVR, was the price schedule from my Time Warner, and the way it was laid out--Based on their website, your prices for digital cable could fit anywhere in about a 30 range; at least with Dish's website, I could get the actual price it would cost me. And I knew what I would be getting, unlike TW.
here's mine:
http://twc-nc.com/rates/cary.php

at least 51.65 just to get the digital tier. Another 7 dollars, I think, to get digital on a second tv. Even with the RoadRunner combo pack 'discount' [we do have RR], it was 48/month--I'm paying just over 50/month for Dish, more channels, better picture/sound, PVR, and enjoying it a lot more.

And this is funny too:

http://twc-nc.com/digital_cable/cable_vs_satellite.htm

satellite has 'the add'l cost of installation.'
self-install instructions are 'scary'
bad weather loses the signal.
The few 'benefits' they offer that I can actually see are benefits are no contract, and no phone line [but according to another thread, no phone line is really needed for Dish/DTV anyway]. And a contract isn't a big deal to me--I'm locked into a price rate, and how often do people change cable providers anyway?

[Bogy]

Plus of course with DBS you can also hook up additional outlets without the hassle of buying another box. Oh, that's right, you can't. I have two digital boxes, and two analog only outlets, on TV's where the analog channels are sufficient. When I had DBS, I had several TV's hooked up to each of my two boxes, but of course the TV's were limited to receiving the same channel. Why is it a crime to state a selling point in a new way. That's called advertising. Just because its a weak point for DBS doesn't make it dastardly and underhanded.

[Mike123abc]

Well it will get interesting when the digital cable ready TVs come out and will not require the digital box "rental". Will you be able to add them to your account for free if you already subscribe to the digital service or will you have to pay the interactive onscreen guide fee for that one too ($2.95 as shown on the rate card linked above)?

Note that their interactive onscreen guide is 1/4 of the screen. The other three corners of the screen are ADs!!!!! To be honest when I got digital cable and went from the full screen guide I had on the analog box to the small guide with ads on the digital box that finally pushed me over the edge and I started to look at DBS.

[Mike123abc]

The second box fee is my biggest negative on DBS. If I could go out and buy some used 301 recievers for my other TVs and not pay the $5/month for them I would do it. Right now I have to have my 6000s RF modulated and piped back into the house cable system to allow me to watch them on other TVs.

It is just interesting that my cable co charges $9.23 to duplicate digital channels to the other TVs much higher than DBS, but advertises reduced services on other TVs for free. A new spin.