View Full Version : Simple Solution
Skyboss
05-19-2003, 05:41 PM
Let the cable companies decide. From what I understand, the DVI options on HD cable boxes are about $300 per box. You think cable companies will fork that over??? They need to come up with something more like Macrovision rather than a flag that kills the signal all together.
kojak light
05-19-2003, 05:48 PM
Originally posted by Skyboss
Let the cable companies decide. From what I understand, the DVI options on HD cable boxes are about $300 per box.
$300 for the DVI port?!? No way. It is more like $30. I can get the whole box for about $325.
Agreed, the cost to the cable companies for the boxes in Canada has been pegged at about C$5-600 (SA3100HD middle of 2002). At the exchange rate of the time that was US$350. The new boxes will cost them about the same, with the older boxes coming down in price.
Skyboss
05-21-2003, 05:35 PM
Only repeating from what I was told. The 3100HD was $350 and the 4200 $700 for Cox which pushed them back a year. The testing done with the 3100 showed it would have marginal performance. They ended up rolling out the 3100 to get a cutomer base so they could move on to the 4200 by December. In December of 2004, yes yet another year, Cox will launch the 8000HD DVR.
Rogers plan to roll out the SA3250HD in Toronto "soon". They have also promised to roll out the HDPVR before year end (this year). I'm assuming it's the SA8000HD. They stated that they've almost finished internal testing on the the various PVRs, and will begin "external" testing shortly.
The SA3250HD has optional DVI and Firewire. Rogers stated that they would enable both, but we will see...
Just as an FYI, Rogers started with the SA2000HD in late 2001 (as a stopgap measure for those interested in cable HD). I had one for a few months and then they switched to the SA3100HD. I switched to that one as soon as it was available in early 2002. Wow, time flies.
I'm hoping to be one of the first SA8000HD customers...
DoubleDAZ
05-21-2003, 07:25 PM
57U. How can you afford to keep buying new cable STBs every year or so? It seems like an awfully big outlay just to keep up-to-date, no?
Cheers,
kojak light
05-21-2003, 07:40 PM
I believe that one leases the box from Rogers.
But I could be wrong....
Many Cable companies allow you to rent the STB. In my case the SA3100HD is C$15/mo (about US$9/mo five months ago, but US$11 today...dropping US$)
It'll be interesting to see what they do for the SA8000HD... Either way, I'm getting one (Should be about $1k or perhaps $30/mo...very rough guess - use US or C$ it's so rough)
DoubleDAZ
05-21-2003, 09:19 PM
Sorry, I should have thought of that. Since Cox here in Phoenix will only sell them, I completely forgot that some cable companies rent them, sigh...
Cheers,
I thought I read somewhere that Cox is changing it's policy on this issue in some areas. You may wish to check... You may even be able to "change".
DoubleDAZ
05-21-2003, 10:55 PM
Yeah, I saw that post too. Unfortunately, Cox is all over the US and it appears that policy differs with the market. So far here in Phoenix, they still require a purchase and I have seen nothing to indicate any change is in the works. I guess they want us to make the capital outlay, but I think that is short-sighted. It does tend to slow the demand for them to support newer STBs however, since most folks will want to get some of their money's worth before having to shell out even more $$ for yet another new STB.
Cheers,
