[Guest]

im interested in digital cable myself. we are served by AT&T broadband, i am currently on directv, but digital cable offers GEMSTAR guide system in there boxes branded with the TVGUIDE logo wich is now owned by GEMSTAR. Mr. Yuen born in china, has at least 5 patents on the guide system, he has invented it,so he maintains, wich is why new `RG` thomson directv boxes have such POOR quality guide systems,thomson consumer electronics cant violate his patents any more and the whole matter is in court. When directv merged with echo star or when it merges, all possible deals with GEMSTAR fell through of getting these great guide systems. Im gona stop in my local cable office and may be evaluate this box, i am not buying anymore directv boxes thats for sure, enough is enough ! also, the picture quality is terrible on the locals , i can get better with an off-air-antena and get to use the GEMSTAR guide system thats builnt into my 36 inch rca tv.PLEASE.. dont buy any new `RG` thomson boxes, they are terrible,you have been warned. thanks!

 

[Guest]

Ok. Ok. TV Guide Interactive (which is the guide on the cable boxes) is absolutely terrible. Most (not all) cable systems look worse than satellite on digital and many many times worse on analog. Certainly around here it does. Second, of course DirecTV locals look awful. They must be overcompressed. I completely don't understand the point in locals on satellite. They look awful, they make the other channels look worse, and on over-the-air antenna (even a dirt cheap one) provides a practically perfect picture (far better than cable or satellite locals) for no monthly cost.