# Comcast Bill - $6.99/month 'Add'l Digital Outlet' charge?



## jonman21 (Dec 19, 2006)

Thought I'd post this as a new thread to see if anyone can help me...

Here's a question that I'm hoping some of you are familiar with (especially those of you in the Bay Area, Calif. who should have similar pricing schemes)...

I just received my first post-TiVo-Series-3-CableCard-install Comcast bill, and it includes this extra monthly charge that I was never quoted on the phone when I scheduled my CableCard install appointment...

I was only quoted the $1.50/month 2nd CableCard fee, and the $15.99 one-time install fee.

However, on my bill, I see a $6.99/month "Digital Add'l Outlet - includes digital converter & remote, if applicable" fee right below my $1.50/month "TiVo Digital Access" fee.

What does this additional Digital outlet even mean? And how would I argue myself out of this charge (other than the fact that I can say that I was never quoted that fee)?

Thanks for your help everyone!


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

Do a search. There are several conversations about this.


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## blacknoi (Jan 23, 2006)

hookbill said:


> Do a search. There are several conversations about this.


Thanks hookbill.

Basically 2 cable cards are looked at by the cable company as being 2 tvs.....

I would think you could try to argue your case that its only one device and the installer that charged you to put them in, can back you up. Not sure if that'll help them remove the additional outlet charge.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

If they are billing him $1.50 for the second CC (Line item: Two CCs for a non-Comcast DVR), then that Digital A/O fee is not for the second CC, unless you have the Tivo on your primary TV, and then the A/O fee is incorrect. 

Do you have the Tivo on a secondary TV?
If so, the Digital A/O applies, assuming you want Digital Classic Plus access on that TV. Alternately, you can get Digital Starter A/O for Standard acesss. Or pay no fee for Basic access.


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## cgould (Dec 28, 2002)

If you are in the bay area, and you ONLY have an S3 (no comcast STB), then you shouldn't pay the digital A/O charge. I only pay $1.50 tivo card fee.

Note that I also get Digital Classic, which "includes" one digital outlet (eg, the cable cards or one STB); if you don't have digital classic, maybe that's why...


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## bkhowson (Aug 11, 2004)

The only official documentation I have found on this is in the 12/22 NCTA filing to the FCC:
http://www.ncta.com/ContentView.aspx?hidenavlink=true&type=lpubtp5&contentId=3747

Quoting Comcast, by way of their Lawyers, to the FCC):

"* Comcast does not charge monthly lease fees for CableCARDs except in the case of a device that requires a second CableCARD. Second CableCARDs in the same device are billed at $1.50/month. Installation fees may apply, along with monthly programming service fees."

This should be national policy...


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## jonman21 (Dec 19, 2006)

Thanks for your help everyone -

Yeah, I have the Digital Silver package, and I only have one TV in my apartment, to which my Series3 TiVo is connected.

I'll call Comcast later today to settle this - hopefully they'll cooperate.


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## TerpBE (Jan 23, 2003)

I was getting the same fee (except $8.50). I called Comcast yesterday, and they said they'll remove that fee. I'll see if it really happens when we get the next bill.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

What has happened to me isn't funny and I'm not done yet.

I had the CableCards installed (by Comcast) in my S3 in November. In December, my bill showed the Additional Digital Outlet (ADO) plus two $0 line items for CableCards. I phoned and canceled the ADO. The next day, my 2nd CC stopped working. I phoned and they said they fixed it. Sure enough, I get my bill yesterday and they put the ADO back on the day I phoned. I phoned again today and this guy is really confused. He finally gave me and told me to talk to the local office. I'm heading there after work.

Interestingly enough, I received a new rate card in the mail last week that clearly shows the $1.50 per month for the 2nd CC in a single device. The billing rep I talked to today couldn't find that.

Sigh...
.../Ed


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## Necro (Sep 26, 2006)

With Comcast (formerly Adelphia) in Georgia

Not being charged for an "outlet fee".


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## ziffer (Dec 8, 2006)

jonman21 said:


> However, on my bill, I see a $6.99/month "Digital Add'l Outlet - includes digital converter & remote, if applicable" fee right below my $1.50/month "TiVo Digital Access" fee.


I'm also in the Bay Area and had the same issue. In my case, the $6.99/month is for the cable box (that was) connected to my series 1. Once I returned the cable box back to comshaft the $6.99 fee went away. So my cable bill went down now after my S3 upgrade.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

Before the 2007 prices, if you explained to Comcast that it was one DVR needing two cablecards, therefore one outlet, if they were cooperative, they would bill it correctly, with both CCs being nominally free. And, of course, No A/O fee on a primary TV (or no two A/O fees, if you have only one A/O).
Others were mistakenly charging the second CC as an A/O, because there was no dual CC line item. 

Now, in 2007, you still have to tell Comcast it is two CC for one DVR, and now they have the line item for the two cards in one DVR being $1.50, so I don't understand how they can be charging a second A/O, even by mistake, it sounds like it might be on purpose. Have them remove the A/O, and your second CC should still work.

It reminds me of those being charged $5 for 'HD' when they have a CC, when there isn't/aren't any HD service(s), rather, HD within various services, so, it has to be for the HD STB, and therefore doesn't apply.


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## sobenski (Sep 19, 2006)

jonman21 said:


> However, on my bill, I see a $6.99/month "Digital Add'l Outlet - includes digital converter & remote, if applicable" fee right below my $1.50/month "TiVo Digital Access" fee.


I had the same problem, but I think it was because I signed up before Comcast starting offering the lower $1.50/mo fee for "customer-supplied dual cablecard set top boxes." I called Comcast and they made it good. They were quite nice about it, and the credit (for several back months too) appeared on my bill right away.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

I was having a problem with my second cablecard stopped receiving any of the digital channels (this was after a month of it working). When the installer was here (again) he called in and they said that is because I was not paying the Digital A/O charge for that card. They could not "enable" the card w/o adding that line item to my bill.

Got my first parital bill since that visit:
Digital A/O Pak ... $5.95

I know if I call and complain and they remove it, my second card will stop working again. 

Can't wait to see next month's bill. This digital cable merry-go-round is one ride I'm about to get off. :down:

Edit: forgot to mention. I could still get all the premium HD channels (ESPNHD, HBOHD, STARZHD) w/o adding this to my bill. But because a handful of channels wouldn't come in that I like, I had to pay up. No way to force Tivo to use one CC over the other for certain channels (nor should there have to be a way).


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

sobenski said:


> I had the same problem, but I think it was because I signed up before Comcast starting offering the lower $1.50/mo fee for "customer-supplied dual cablecard set top boxes." I called Comcast and they made it good. They were quite nice about it, and the credit (for several back months too) appeared on my bill right away.


No, this is different, the Original Poster has the new $1.50 dual-CC fee and the A/O fee for one outlet.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

greg_burns said:


> I was having a problem with my second cablecard stopped receiving any of the digital channels (this was after a month of it working). When the installer was here (again) he called in and they said that is because I was not paying the Digital A/O charge for that card. They could not "enable" the card w/o adding that line item to my bill.
> 
> Got my first parital bill since that visit:
> Digital A/O Pak ... $5.95
> ...


If your new prices took effect yet, (some are January, others are March), you just need the 'Dual-CableCards for a non-Comcast DVR' $1.50 line item, and the A/O removed, and the second CC should still work fine.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

QZ1 said:


> If your new prices took effect yet, (some are January, others are March), you just need the 'Dual-CableCards for a non-Comcast DVR' $1.50 line item, and the A/O removed, and the second CC should still work fine.


I heard people say they seen a message about this coming change on bottom of their bills. I never have. I'll have to take this info into their office and see if they can change my bill.

Thanks.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

On hold with Comcast. This not going well.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

The A/O charge remains. The comcast CSR called her "dispatch" who apparently has an S3 himself. He told her they have to charge for A/O for the other cablecard.

I don't know who is right. But when my 12 month promotion is up here in a couple more months, digital service can kiss my *ss.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

greg_burns said:


> The A/O charge remains. The comcast CSR called her "dispatch" who apparently has an S3 himself. He told her they have to charge for A/O for the other cablecard.
> 
> I don't know who is right. But when my 12 month promotion is up here in a couple more months, digital service can kiss my *ss.


Call again. The rep and "dispatch" are both wrong. Get your case transferred to a billing specialist.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

jfh3 said:


> Call again. The rep and "dispatch" are both wrong. Get your case transferred to a billing specialist.


My heart's just not in it. I'm afraid when my 12 month promo is up I am going to have a comcast bill heart attack anyways.

Anybody want to post a scan of their bill that shows the 'Dual-CableCards for a non-Comcast DVR' $1.50 line item? I think I would have better luck walking into the local office and physically throwing it in their face.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

ewilts said:


> What has happened to me isn't funny and I'm not done yet.
> 
> I had the CableCards installed (by Comcast) in my S3 in November. In December, my bill showed the Additional Digital Outlet (ADO) plus two $0 line items for CableCards. I phoned and canceled the ADO. The next day, my 2nd CC stopped working. I phoned and they said they fixed it. Sure enough, I get my bill yesterday and they put the ADO back on the day I phoned. I phoned again today and this guy is really confused. He finally gave me and told me to talk to the local office. I'm heading there after work.
> 
> ...


So I went to the local Comcast office yesterday to talk to a CSR. Stumped her. Not only did she not even have a current rate card, she was absolutely convinced that "CableCards are free, but you have to pay the ADO charge". She never got over the point that means that the CableCard is not free. She had no idea what the $1.50/month charge would be for. She was going to pass it on to a supervisor today. I may have to make another trip (or two) to the Comcast office before I straighten this out.

.../Ed


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## mike300 (Apr 20, 2006)

ewilts said:


> So I went to the local Comcast office yesterday to talk to a CSR. Stumped her. Not only did she not even have a current rate card, she was absolutely convinced that "CableCards are free, but you have to pay the ADO charge". She never got over the point that means that the CableCard is not free. She had no idea what the $1.50/month charge would be for. She was going to pass it on to a supervisor today. I may have to make another trip (or two) to the Comcast office before I straighten this out.
> 
> .../Ed


I also live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Same as you, I am being charged a $4.95 A/O fee instead of the $1.50/month. I called Comcast after I received the rate card in the mail, and they had no clue about the $1.50 cable card rate. They said they would open an incident about the matter, but that was a week ago and I've heard nothing.

Right now I have three cablecards in the house (two in the TiVo and one on an additional TV). I am being charged zero for the cable cards, but $4.95 x 2 because one of the $4.95 charges is included in the digital package. According to the rate card, I should have only one $1.50 charge on the TiVo and that's it. I'm unsure if the second TV's cablecard should also be only $1.50 or if the A/O charge does apply in that case. It seems like the rate card says that it should only be $1.50.

Please keep me informed if you find out anything. Thanks!


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## dieman (Sep 21, 2006)

mike300 said:


> I also live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Same as you, I am being charged a $4.95 A/O fee instead of the $1.50/month. I called Comcast after I received the rate card in the mail, and they had no clue about the $1.50 cable card rate. They said they would open an incident about the matter, but that was a week ago and I've heard nothing.


Mike, did you talk to the 'local escalations' department? Do you have any sort of reference to your issue?

I'm also in MSP and am bothering them about the issue. Please let me know if you make any headway.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

For the Twin Cities folks, please visit http://hdtvtwincities.com/forumbb/viewtopic.php?t=2983 and let's keep a discussion going there. That forum is dedicated to Twin Cities HDTV topics and the topic I started was just to talk about CableCard pricing.

Thanks,
.../Ed


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

greg_burns said:


> My heart's just not in it. I'm afraid when my 12 month promo is up I am going to have a comcast bill heart attack anyways.
> 
> Anybody want to post a scan of their bill that shows the 'Dual-CableCards for a non-Comcast DVR' $1.50 line item? I think I would have better luck walking into the local office and physically throwing it in their face.


Someone else's bill is not useful for you to show them; what you need is your local Prices/Services List. They are FCC-mandated to send one out annually, and to give you one upon request. Call them to send one out or stop by the local office to pick up a price list, it should be on there. Then, later, you can take it to the office and get the right line item.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

mike300 said:


> I also live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Same as you, I am being charged a $4.95 A/O fee instead of the $1.50/month. I called Comcast after I received the rate card in the mail, and they had no clue about the $1.50 cable card rate. They said they would open an incident about the matter, but that was a week ago and I've heard nothing.


Apparently calling the national # doesn't help, and even the local # claim they don't have a price list to refer to, but they really do. Since you have the price card, take it to the office and show them the price.



> I'm unsure if the second TV's cablecard should also be only $1.50 or if the A/O charge does apply in that case. It seems like the rate card says that it should only be $1.50.


It should be only $1.50.


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## mike300 (Apr 20, 2006)

dieman said:


> Mike, did you talk to the 'local escalations' department? Do you have any sort of reference to your issue?
> 
> I'm also in MSP and am bothering them about the issue. Please let me know if you make any headway.


I called again today and of course they had no record of my previous call or supposed incident report. I again tried to explain the cablecard charges that are clearly printed on their rate card. Frankly, I might as well have been talking to the wall. All she could say was that cablecards are $0.00 plus $4.95 A/O.

Perhaps I'll try again in a month as this is too frustrating right now. The rate card I have does say effective Feb. 2007, so maybe something will change in their computers by then. The only thing else I could try is physically bringing the rate card to the local office to show them. Somehow I think even this won't work.


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## kjmcdonald (Sep 8, 2003)

At least the message coming from corporate ComCast is sounding better. Even if it hasn't filtered down to all locations and CSR's. 

It seems that if you have say 2 Digital (CableCARD) TV's and 2 S3's, and the first TV is also Dual Tuner, you should have to pay :

EDIT: THIS IS MY SPECULATION ON HOW IT SHOULD WORK. I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE WETHER THIS IS REALLY HOW THEY INTEND IT TO WORK.
I COULD LIVE WITH THIS SETUP.

First TV:
-------------
First Outlet $0.00 (included in digital package)
TV CC#1 $0.00
TV CC#2 $1.50
Tivo CC#1 $0.00
Tivo CC#2 $1.50

Second TV:
--------------
Second Outlet: $4.95-$9.95
TV CC $0.00
Tivo CC#1 $0.00
Tivo CC#2 $1.50

I suppose it's possible that they'll want an outlet for the TV and a serpate one for the Tivo, but that seems overkill. And I'd balk at that - I'd probably only connect up the Tivo's and forget the TV's.

Personally I think (even if it meant a higher single price) that you should pay for Cable service to your address. How many rooms or devices you wire it to inside your house should be irrelevant. I'd like to see the FCC do something about that.

I always wondered why, back in the 80's with just analog cable, the Cable Company couldn't give you a single advanced cable box that went in your basement or whereever your cable came in your house, it could spilt out the channels, descramble the ones you pay for, and recombine them back out to your house to be tuned by the cable ready TV's wherever you might connect them.

If the Cable Companies want to avoid the Hassle of CableCARDs, then they should do the same for Digital signals. Put something where the cable enters my house, decrypt what I pay for, and send it out in clear QAM through my house. Then I coudl care less wether the 'Conditional Access System' was Proprietary or not! Any device with a QAM tuner would work fine, No (or little) additional cost to teh device vendor.

I'm probably dreaming though.

-Kyle


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## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

Part of the problem here is that EVERY office runs itself and doesn't seem to feel it has to answer to corporate with regards to billing issues. I have the same issue. I'm being charged for a 2nd outlet. And because in 3 months of having my TiVo with 2 cablecards, I've yet to receive a correctly itemized bill. Each bill has been for 10s of dollars more than I was quoted, and each bill required between 30-120 minutes to talk through, with a revised acceptable monthly rate. In my case, its a $32/month Digital Silver Promotion, plus $6.95 for an additional outlet, plus taxes and other fees, coming out to about $46/month which is slightly less than what I was paying for extended basic prior to the TiVo arriving. But now I'm also getting HBO and an additional 80 or so channels, including a bunch in HD. As long as this promotion lasts, I assume a year, I'm not upset. I'm worried about what happens when the promotion ends... I'm hoping multi stream cards come out so I can truly scream ONE OUTLET.

Scott


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

mike300 said:


> The only thing else I could try is physically bringing the rate card to the local office to show them. Somehow I think even this won't work.


I'll find out! When I was there yesterday, and promised a phone call today, the Roseville office did not have any rate cards (seriously!). I did get a phone call today, was told the ADO rate is what I have to pay, and am now waiting for a supervisor to call me.

I also filed a complaint with the FCC. The link is at
http://www.eff.org/IP/pnp/cablewp.php

.../Ed


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

mike300 said:


> Perhaps I'll try again in a month as this is too frustrating right now. The rate card I have does say effective Feb. 2007, so maybe something will change in their computers by then. The only thing else I could try is physically bringing the rate card to the local office to show them. Somehow I think even this won't work.


There is the problem then, the new line item fee didn't exist before the new prices took/take effect, in Jan./Feb./March '07, in your case, it will be Feb.

At this point, with the old line item fees, only some people were/are able to get the logical fee for CCs, which by the old fees, was no fee for both CCs; but, in your area, they won't bill it like that.

Wait for bill with a billing period that starts in Feb., and I bet you will get the correct fee, if not, it should be easily correctable.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

kjmcdonald said:


> At least the message coming from corporate ComCast is sounding better. Even if it hasn't filtered down to all locations and CSR's.
> 
> It seems that if you have say 2 Digital (CableCARD) TV's and 2 S3's, and the first TV is also Dual Tuner, you should have to pay:
> 
> ...


Those would be the new Jan/Feb/March '07 prices, which some people don't have yet.
I wouldn't count on those fees being correct, though. Indeed, some people have been able to get a cableco. DVR and a CC on the TV, with no A/O fee, (and I guess some might have CCs on both the Tivo and a TV, with no A/O fee.)
But, usually, as you surmised, they want an A/O fee for one of them, because you could easily move the DVR to another TV/outlet. Even if you had boxes at every outlet, they could say you might split the signal and create another outlet. 

I also wonder about the A/O fee of $4.95- $6.95. 
Here, a Digital Starter A/O is $4.95, this is just for a Box or CC to get Standard channels in Digital form.
The Digital Classic/Plus A/O was $6.95 in '05, then jumped to $8.90 in '06, and now it isn't listed in '07.  
And, online chat doesn't know until you start an order, which you could then cancel.


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## mike300 (Apr 20, 2006)

QZ1 said:


> There is the problem then, the new line item fee didn't exist before the new prices took/take effect, in Jan./Feb./March '07, in your case, it will be Feb.
> 
> At this point, with the old line item fees, only some people were/are able to get the logical fee for CCs, which by the old fees, was no fee for both CCs; but, in your area, they won't bill it like that.
> 
> Wait for bill with a billing period that starts in Feb., and I bet you will get the correct fee, if not, it should be easily correctable.


Hopefully you're right. However, on the rate card the "Current Price" column shows the $1.50 pricing and the "Effective Feb 2007" column shows "No Change". So according to the card, I've been wrongly charged all along. But try to convice a Comcast CSR of that!


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## CharlesH (Aug 29, 2002)

I just got a Comcast CSR to remove the $5 "High Definition TV" charge from my bill. Previous CSR's insisted that it was a programming charge to get HD channels. My current bill contains the price list for my service area, and it lists "HDTV Equipment Fee" as a $5 charge in the Equipment section. I assume that that is the same as the $5 "High Definition TV" charge on my bill.

Hopefully, I will not discover that my CableCards and/or the SD set top box for my Series2 TiVo have been deactivated


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

kjmcdonald said:


> It seems that if you have say 2 Digital (CableCARD) TV's and 2 S3's, and the first TV is also Dual Tuner, you should have to pay:
> 
> First TV:
> -------------
> ...


I have Tivo S3 (unopened at the moment, trying to wrangle lower prices/refund for lower prices from Amazon).

downstairs has digital cable now. They have a box, the HDTV does not have a cable card slot.

The major reason I would get cable cards at all is for the mapping of the unencrypted digital channels.

I am in SF Bay Area. Would I likely still fit in this category even though I am technically on another TV? I am willing to pay $1.50/cablecard (I was expecting to pay for both since they DO have the box downstairs), but would almost certainly NOT get the cablecards if I had to pay an additional ~$5-ish/month on top of that.. (As you can tell, I HATE extra monthly fees, that's why I'm willing to shell out $$$$$ for S3+lifetime.)


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

CharlesH said:


> I just got a Comcast CSR to remove the $5 "High Definition TV" charge from my bill. Previous CSR's insisted that it was a programming charge to get HD channels. My current bill contains the price list for my service area, and it lists "HDTV Equipment Fee" as a $5 charge in the Equipment section. I assume that that is the same as the $5 "High Definition TV" charge on my bill.
> 
> Hopefully, I will not discover that my CableCards and/or the SD set top box for my Series2 TiVo have been deactivated


I doubt it, I haven't heard of anyone even having the HD channels de-activated, this is because they are already part of their respective services.

As a parallel, if you have Digital Plus in your area, this has a variety of channels and Encore movie channels. Would they say, yes, Digital Plus is $15, but to get the Encore movie channels, it is another $5.   Of course, not. They are all part of Digital Plus, just like the HD channels are respectively part of Basic, Digital Classic/Plus, and Premiums.


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

mattack said:


> I have Tivo S3 (unopened at the moment, trying to wrangle lower prices/refund for lower prices from Amazon).
> 
> downstairs has digital cable now. They have a box, the HDTV does not have a cable card slot.
> 
> ...


It is not clear what you are asking, but if it is another TV, there are A/O fees unless you just get Locals (Basic). 
Here, to get Standard, it is Digital Starter A/O for $4.95
No listings beyond that, but last year Digital Classic/Plus A/O was $8.90, some areas it is $6.95, it used to be that here; maybe the price is changed here again, I don't know.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

QZ1 said:


> but last year Digital Classic/Plus A/O was $8.90, some areas it is $6.95, it used to be that here; maybe the price is changed here again, I don't know.


Here Digital Classic has just been raised from $9.99 to $11.99 per month. The ADO is an additional $4.95 on top of that. Comcast locally refuses to acknowledge the $1.50 per month for the second CableCARD in the same device, even though it's on their rate card.

.../Ed


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## QZ1 (Mar 24, 2003)

ewilts said:


> Here Digital Classic has just been raised from $9.99 to $11.99 per month. The ADO is an additional $4.95 on top of that. Comcast locally refuses to acknowledge the $1.50 per month for the second CableCARD in the same device, even though it's on their rate card.


Same here for Digital Classic pricing. 
Digital A/O for $4.95 is nothing compared to $8.90. 

If they won't honor CC price, file a complaint with the Local Franchise Authority or maybe with the FCC, I don't know which would apply in this case. I think FCC because they mandate the prices to be in writing.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

QZ1 said:


> It is not clear what you are asking, but if it is another TV, there are A/O fees unless you just get Locals (Basic).


I was trying to say that I am technically on another TV, but the first TV does *not* include the (4 free!) cable cards mentioned in the message I replied to... it just has a cable box.


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## kjmcdonald (Sep 8, 2003)

mattack said:


> I was trying to say that I am technically on another TV, but the first TV does *not* include the (4 free!) cable cards mentioned in the message I replied to... it just has a cable box.


Oh Ok.

That might be my mistake.

I think I made a typo in there. the second Tvio CC should have been $1.50 even with my way of thinking...

But the real thing to realize is that my post was a big question. I was making a guess, and throwing the idea out there that that was how 'corporate' comcast was thinking it should work.

I was saying I could live with that also.

Additional outlets are a pain and I don't think should cost more $$. But I can see where they might want something for each additional location you can watch from.

My hope was that if they were going to bill for additional outlets it would only be 'per viewing screen' and not 'per device'. I could still be very wrong about that.

I won't be able to live with that. I'll have to not put CC's in my TV's. Only in the tivo's 

Eventually I see myself wanting 3 HD TV's with 3 Tivo's. I like PIP, so I'll probably look for a TV with Dual Tuners. But I won't put CC's in them if I need an outlet for the Tivo, and another for the TV.

-Kyle


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## jedwards (Jun 1, 2003)

I just called to get pricing on cablecards for my second Series 3 Tivo.

At first the rep claimed it would cost me 1.95/month for each card + an additional $15 outlet fee for the second Tivo. Then he got increasingly confused and went off the line for quite some time to research it.

I was told that starting Feb 1, they are changing the price structure in my area.
Under the new pricing, the first cablecard is free and each subsequent card will cost $3.95/month. For two Tivos this works out to $3.95 or $11.95/month.

First S3 is $3.95/month. Each additional is $7.90/month.

For the geeks the cost for N Tivos will be (N*2 - 1)*3.95


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

jedwards said:


> I just called to get pricing on cablecards for my second Series 3 Tivo.First S3 is $3.95/month. Each additional is $7.90/month.


I plan on using two cable cards for my first unit ($5.00 starting Feb 1 - Comcast) and OTA HD/Analog for my second unit. I think this will give me the freedom to record all of my locals in HD and all of the subscription based stuff without any conflicts.


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## yunlin12 (Mar 15, 2003)

mattack said:


> I have Tivo S3 (unopened at the moment, trying to wrangle lower prices/refund for lower prices from Amazon).
> 
> downstairs has digital cable now. They have a box, the HDTV does not have a cable card slot.
> 
> ...


I think you should pay $0 for 1st CC, $1.50 for 2nd CC, then $6.95 for the extra cable box on the second TV. If you need to, get them to remove everything, then add back the S3 first to get that priced right. Then add back the extra box, and it should be plain what the cost should be (hopefully). Good luck.



mattack said:


> I was trying to say that I am technically on another TV, but the first TV does *not* include the (4 free!) cable cards mentioned in the message I replied to... it just has a cable box.


I think the spirit of the 1st TV having 4 free CC is that the outlet should really be defined as a TV, where you can only really watch one show at a time, even though you may have multiple tuners feeding signal to the TV (2 in S3, and 2 in this super-duper 2HD tuner TV itself). So they worked out a pricing plan where you can charge upto 4CC on this one outlet.

Also the fact they charge $1.50 for a 2nd CC in S3, vs $0.00 for a 2nd CC in a TV, reflects that thinking that a 2nd CC in a DVR can be used to recording shows simultaneously as CC1 is being used to watch TV, therefore it is more used and should be valued more than the 2nd CC in a TV, where even if user can use PiP to receiver two channels at the same time, they are not really receiving the complete 2nd show in the PiP.

When I fought with Comcast on the $6.95 ADO fee in Oct, one of their defense was that their system can not handle multiple CC on a single outlet. It just assumes that extra CC are extra outlets.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

yunlin12 said:


> When I fought with Comcast on the $6.95 ADO fee in Oct, one of their defense was that their system can not handle multiple CC on a single outlet. It just assumes that extra CC are extra outlets.


Except when you buy THEIR dual tuner DVR, there is no A/O or cableCARD or STB fees. Just the DVR fee! Yet, if you have Dual Tuner Tivo with a STB to get PPV and VOD, you pay for a cable card and TWO A/O fees!


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

I finally resolved my issues with Comcast in the St. Paul area. I received a credit for my ADO charges and had retroactive fees of $1.50 per month for the last two months (the first time the "TiVo fee" was added to the rate cards was February 1, 2007).

I now have the first CableCARD included in my Digital Classic package and the 2nd one for $1.50 per month. I believe that this is a fair rate since it obviously costs Comcast something for the physical cards.

I received my S3 in November since it's been a long fight, but in the end, I "won" and Comcast is finally charging what their rate card says the rates are supposed to be.

.../Ed


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I recently received my fourth bill. I wish I could just have two bills that were alike. Last month almost every charge was gone off my bill except cable cards. This month I have no charge for 6 cable cards in three S3 boxes but they are charging me the $6.95 each for the second and third outlet. I don't know why I can't have two bills that are the same. I've had the same services during all 4 bills but yet every bill has been completely different. I'm afraid of whats going to happen when I get the phone service in the next few weeks.


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## lachacg (Jan 11, 2003)

ewilts said:


> I received my S3 in November since it's been a long fight, but in the end, I "won" and Comcast is finally charging what their rate card says the rates are supposed to be.


I thought that too, getting them to resolve the billing issues. And then my second cablecard stopped receiving the digital plus channels a few days later.

Make sure that you still get all you channels during the next week on all the tuners.


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