[mythtv-users] (US) Goodbye to unencrypted QAM...

[jedi]

On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 01:41:13PM -0400, Johnny wrote:
> > At least in the U.S. market, it seems to be set up to force you to
> > bounce between carriers.
> >
> > Get Comcast Tripple Play!  Unlimited Voice, 10,000 HD channels, 5Gb/s
> > Internet and we'll pay you $10/month just for being our customer! *
> >
> > <microscopic font>*promotional price valid for the first 20 minutes of
> > service, rates adjust to $1499.99/mo for the next two years,
> > forfeiture of the deed to your house and/or children upon early
> > cancellation.</mf>
> >
> > Or something like that.
> >
> > Anyway, the rates for being a "new" customer seem to be significantly
> > lower than being a loyal customer, so it doesn't make too much sense
> > to shy away from Comcast based on what they might do a year or two
> > from now.  If they do something you don't like, that's the perfect
> > time to become someone else's new customer.
> >
> 
> Yeah MythTV had a similar offer for me. ;-)
> 
> Introductory offer: Free! Now you can finally use that old computer
> from your basement! We will provide the software! Its better than your
> VCR!
> 
> After the first year: You now "need" to rewire your house with gigabit
> ethernet, build a multi-terabyte NAS array, install an antenna on your
> roof, and purchase multiple new frontends and a master backend with
> the associated accessories.

    I did a quick calculation of the relative costs and it turns out that
while MythTV did have it's extra costs they aren't so bad and Tivo would
not exactly have been cheap either. Then again, once you realize that you
can do something extra it becomes very tempting to do so.

    ...suddenly you've got not one but two machines in the home office with
SATA hot swap racks.

    OTOH, the multiroom setup we have with MythTV and MythVideo generates
enough WAF that I have carte blanche on the computer purchases now. 

> 
> Fine print: * You will also now work for us most weekends and provide
> tech support via our online mailing list 24/7.
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