Voip teleophony - Anyone know Packet-8 or others?

[Ben Scott]

On 12/14/05, Paul Lussier <p.lussier at comcast.net> wrote:
> Currently it is my understanding that in order to watch *any* HD on
> Comcast, you need to have their Digital Cable package + the HD
> package.  The Digital Cable package gets you an HD-capable box, and HD
> package means someone has actually flipped that particular switch back
> at the head end allowing you to receive said content.

  My mom has Comcast.  Until recently, she had "digital cable", but
without the high definition service.  The "digital cable" cost
something like an extra $10/month.  She got a Comcast set-top box with
that, which we hooked up to her NTSC TV.  The digital cable got her a
clearer picture, even though it was still NTSC (no analog distribution
degradation).  It also got her Comcast's "On Demand", an on-screen
program guide, additional programming, and some other bells and
whistles.

  Recently, she bought a high-def, wide-screen TV.  She upgraded to
Comcast high-def service with that.  They gave her a new set-top box
with that -- apparently, the old one was digital but not high-def. 
IIRC, the high def service cost an additional amount per month over
the already additional digital cable.

  I don't know if Comcast's "digital cable" signal is ATSC, DVB, or
some other thing.  I also don't know if the signal is different for
w/out high-def vs with, or if it's just a they-control-the-box thing.

> Assuming you have an HD tuner in your set, can you get away without
> the Digital Cable package and also not have the box?

  As I understand it: If you have a digital tuner with "CableCARD",
you can just get said card from the cable provider, plug it in, and
you're good to go.  The CableCARD handles the DRM stuff.  No cable box
needed.  However, you loose all the proprietary "extras" like On
Demand, on-screen guide, and such.

  Popular thought has it that the cable companies make money on the
set-top boxes, so they've done everything they can to cripple the
CableCARD standard.

> Currently, because I a) don't watch a lot of tv. and b) as a cost cutting
> measure, I have only "Basic Cable" and no cable box from Comcast.

  Me too.  I keep meaning to check out the "a la carte" options that
are supposedly mandated to be available now, since I only watch
programs on about five different channels, and I hate paying nearly
$50/month for that.  Unfortunately, I can't get satellite in my
current dwelling, or I'd drop Comcast for TV entirely.

-- Ben