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Comcast plans to go all digital in Portland
Slowly but surely providers all over the country are converting from analog to digital, but not necessarily because of the digital transition in a few months. The main motivation to providers is that by eliminating analog channels, it frees up a lot of bandwidth for other services including our personal favorite: HD channels. Comcast plans to have 20 percent of its footprint all-digital by the end of the year, and at this point it is focusing on the Portland area. The main part of the plan is to utilize Motorola digital terminal adapters (DCT) -- just like Verizon did when it went all digital on its FiOS service. The interesting thing to us is that the 40 or so channels available to those customers with a DCT, won't be encrypted, so you could just use the clear QAM tuner in your TV -- assuming it has one. These DCTs are pretty dumbed down boxes and are only one-way so that means no VOD etc. There seems to be some confusion as to whether the FCC allows providers to charge existing customers for these boxes, but even if there is a charge, it is usually only a couple of bucks.
Verizon's deal with the FCC on the way to all digital
Last week we learned that Verizon was going to be handing out free STBs on its way to shutting off the analog this year, but if you were expecting an HD STB with Verizon's spiffy IMG, think again. To say the free box is going to basic is an understatement, in fact these boxes are so cheap other providers are going to be down right jealous. Because you see, Verizon struck a special deal with the FCC and will be allowed to deploy boxes with integrated security -- no CableCARD required and past the waiver date to boot -- and these boxes are reportedly about $80, compared to about $230 for the boxes everyone else has to use. While HD fans should be happy that those bandwidth hogs will be gone from the network, we can't imagine those still in the SD age will be too pleased that not only do they have to have a STB now, but a second remote that we're sure is well beyond their technical ability to program.Read - Verizon's Path to All-DigitalRead - The cost of CableCARD
