OT - Comcast degraded picture quality in Metro Detroit/nationally
Just a heads up for people out there who are Comcast subscribers; (granted, some of this may sound like gibberish, so I'll use a picture to start to this off) -
https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r31554919-
2nd source - http://www.avsforum.com/forum/25-hdtv-technical/2623961-why-comcast-hd-quality-horrible.html
Comcast has massively degraded picture quality in many markets nationally, and is about to do the same in Metro Detroit (they've already performed this in the city proper). Why you ask? Because they can, they think most people won't notice, and are shifting spectrum/bandwidth for more internet speed.
Here's a highly detailed explanation of what they've done - https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r31539495-
Some of you may have alternatives via at&t, Direct TV, Wide Open West, Dish, or one of the over the top (PS Vue, Sling TV, YouTube TV, etc.) TV service.
Comcast also recently instituted a 1024GB/month internet service usage cap.
I have no dog in this fight - I switched my folks over to WideOpenWest (no bandwidth caps, they still use MPEG-2 video and give the channels a good bitrate), and use a Slingbox to tune into a TV in the basement they no longer use.
Let me know if you have any additional questions - I am a huge nerd, and love talking about this stuff.
September 6th, 2017 at 8:33 PM ^
I switched to Comcast internet-only last year from AT&T. I'm paying $16 less a month for more bandwidth.
September 7th, 2017 at 12:31 AM ^
Huh. I wish I could do that, I'm paying $50 less per month for AT&T internet for what Comcast would charge me for internet only.
September 7th, 2017 at 2:13 AM ^
I'm in Ann Arbor.
At the time I switched I was hoping I could get them to ballpark AT&T's offer because it was more convenient to stick with Comcast, but as it turned out, Comcast was offering 75MB for the same price as AT&T was for 50MB. (both 10MB upload if I recall)
Comcast usually doesn't play ball with you for "new customer" deals and indeed when I called to cancel they wouldn't do it, so I cancelled both. A cowoker of mine mentioned that they tend to be more friendly in the Comcast office in town so I made sure to turn the cable box in there so I could try my luck. Took a little nudging and winking and dropping "switch" and "AT&T" in the same sentence but I eventually for it for the new customer rate of $40 for the full year and I didn't even have to agree to the contract like the website said.
September 6th, 2017 at 4:46 PM ^
I would like to downvote Comcast to Bolivia.
September 6th, 2017 at 4:50 PM ^
After 30 years of no choice but Comcast for Internet I moved and was able to switch to AT&T. I don't care if they gave me a string and two cans - anything is better than Comcast. I hate them with a passion. AT&T speed is not great but at least I do not have to speak to anyone from Comcast.
I have Dish for TV and am happy as I have a cottage up north as was able to add a second location for $10 a month buy purchsing my own box - the cottage already had a Dish I could use. btw customer service at Dish is so far ahead of Comcast in terms of quality an communication ability. Comcast is just plain horrid.
September 6th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 8:02 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^
That is why I'm cutting the cord and going with WOW!'s for internet and most likely VUE, although Hulu live tv is intriguing.
September 6th, 2017 at 4:55 PM ^
And this is why I have fios
September 6th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 6th, 2017 at 10:09 PM ^
Stop by McShane's for a game; we get a pretty good size crowd - https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoBlueInDetroit/?ref=bookmarks
September 6th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
I'm in Grand Rapids and AT&T has crappy internet speeds in comparison to Xfinity where I live. Are there alternatives? Any of my mgobrethren know?
September 6th, 2017 at 10:33 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
Just signed up for this service at the start of CFB season. However, it should be noted that the streaming quality is poor. Can't quantify it, but for me it is noticeably worse than DirecTV or Comcast.
Still, it's worth it for me to not have to give Comcast my money.
September 6th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^
what half are you are saying ...and I have Comcast Everything seems to work just fine but Im one of those that prob couldnt tell the difference..
September 6th, 2017 at 5:21 PM ^
I like the part where they say you get more DVR storage...but fail to note it's because you're getting less bandwidth
September 6th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^
Yeah, the cap - which I've actually gotten notices about because mine is a heavy-use household - is probably going to be the final straw in my relationship with Comcast. We bitched about $80 off our bill about a year ago, but if they are going to find ways to make back that money, then it is finally time.
September 6th, 2017 at 5:52 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^
I was watching the game last Saturday while on vacation in Marthas Vineyard, MA on an xfinity cable box. I was wondering why the image looked so crappy. Thought I was going blind / crazy...
September 6th, 2017 at 6:33 PM ^
Folks....get Dish Network or DIRECTV. Cable sucks balls. I have Dish Network and love it.
September 6th, 2017 at 6:47 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 6:53 PM ^
Three responses:
1) How often does it storm where you live? The signal outage is rare.
2) Switch to standard definition when it goes out. SD requires a much weaker signal than HD. Once the signal is back, change back to HD. I mean, it's not that big of a deal and it would not last long.
3) If you don't want to do that during a storm, get the game online and wait for the TV signal to come back. Pretty simple.
September 6th, 2017 at 6:58 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 7:25 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 9:39 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 6:44 PM ^
And I knew better than to try them again.
September 6th, 2017 at 6:53 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 6:56 PM ^
Monopoly, effectively.
September 6th, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^
Downgrade the video quality to give cord cutters more bandwidth and restrict the amount of bandwidth so those who do cut the cord can't stream as much. They could have at least picked one or the other to piss off instead of both. Kinda glad I have Uverse and don't watch much TV.
September 6th, 2017 at 7:25 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 8:50 PM ^
This is politics, because of Net Neutrality, so let's all look the other way and say, but, no politics. You may hate it and feel a certain way, but every single thing is political.
September 6th, 2017 at 8:55 PM ^
September 7th, 2017 at 12:40 AM ^
Streaming 4K content a lot could get you there. You'd certainly get to 150 GB pretty quickly.
September 6th, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
Comcast delivered me TV/Internet in Northern California until 1:00PM PT. I had to watch 80% of the Florida game on my phone. Was out the entire night. If I can also prove they are pulling quality I will be cutting the cord faster than I thought.
September 6th, 2017 at 10:31 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 10:48 PM ^
Has great picture quality. The same thing happened to me with Cox cable. They reduced the resolution on their basic cable, on what I use to pay an additional $120.00 per month, on top of my $70.00 per month high speed cable connection. Now I have plenty of sports channels including the BTN for only $40.00 a month. I saved $80.00 a month for a much finer resolution feed.
September 6th, 2017 at 11:03 PM ^
September 6th, 2017 at 11:38 PM ^
The one thing that has prevented me from cutting the cord has been quality and reliability. If they start eating away at that now, the day I cut the cord may come sooner than I thought.
September 7th, 2017 at 9:26 AM ^
We left Comcast about six years ago- when we put the Samsung DLP projector on the 120" screen the Comcast's over-compressed PQ mess was too much to watch, especially live sports. I couldn't get any sort of reliable data on when/whether they were going to address it by adding bandwidth or moving to a more efficient codec, so we went to DirecTV. The only issues we've had are in VERY hard rain and when my neighbor's tree grew up and blocked the LoS to the satellite- the tech they rolled out the first time told us it wasn't fixable and we'd have to switch to Comcast. After I reported that convesation to them a supervisor with a taller ladder showed up and happily relocated the dish.
Their PQ doesn't compare to a 1080P BluRay, but it's very good; MPEG artifacts are there but minimal.