# FYI: Comcast Digital Migration Schedule in Minneapolis



## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

Hello all. Just thought I'd let whoever might care what I learned about the imminent Minneapolis Comcast "digital migration". After ordering my two DTAs, I called Comcast to ask when the migration in Mpls proper was actually going to happen. I was told the first set of analog channels, I didn't ask which, will be removed in November with the next batch sometime in December. At that point, they will be adding more HD channels (with the reclaimed bandwidth). I then asked if we would get to keep any analog channels after December and was told that, yes, "limited basic" will continue to be available analog. Of course all of this is from one CSR and even he admitted that the schedule may get moved up slightly, as happened in St Paul, he said.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

The OTA analogs are "sort of" removed in the STP area (I'm in Mounds View). They now broadcast nastygrams saying that you need to contact Comcast to get your digital hardware. I didn't try the locals but tried a few others on my TV that doesn't have a TiVo attached and just has the Comcast connection without any other hardware.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

ewilts said:


> The OTA analogs are "sort of" removed in the STP area (I'm in Mounds View)...


We are just starting to see the scrolling message now, before the migration actually starts, it is just a warning. As the rep explained it, the cut off is in stages. You've probably had the messages for weeks (months?), but I would think you would not see them on those local, "limited basic" channels (KSTP, KARE, etc.). And on the ones that do show the message, will be disappearing soon.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

One thing that's pissed me off for ages is that channels like FX and Comedy Central are available only in analog on Comcast Minneapolis. Hopefully, with this they'll not just go digital, but HD. I would LOVE me some HD FX!


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## GBL (Apr 20, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> One thing that's pissed me off for ages is that channels like FX and Comedy Central are available only in analog on Comcast Minneapolis. Hopefully, with this they'll not just go digital, but HD. I would LOVE me some HD FX!


Currently comedy central (31) is simulcast in digital form (480i QAM 256 at 663MHz) for me as cable card user in the western suburbs. Still a crappy format and I look forward to COMHD as well!


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## jrmsp (May 20, 2004)

So, today is supposedly D-Day for the Minneapolis upgrades. Will I need to do something (i.e. re-run guided setup) or will I hopefully come home tonight and fine some new stuff?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I haven't received any notification from Comcast that the migration is happening on any particular date yet. When it does happen, assuming it goes as planned, there should be a lineup change in that day's Guide Data download. All your existing Season Passes will transfer. Any Season Passes for SD channel that will now have HD channels you will need to switch yourself. From the new line-up card (which says "Coming Dec. 2010"), it looks like virtually everything will have HD versions (one appalling exception being the continued absence of BBC America HD).

More likely, from past experience, is that the actual migration and the Guide Data switch will happen on different days, hopefully not too far apart but possibly a matter of weeks. But it looks like most of the existing channels will still have the same numbers.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I just looked at some of the old analog channels, and they're definitely digital now. Much, MUCH sharper than they used to be, although 16:9 content is now window-boxed. The old analog version of FX, e.g., looked like crap. The digital edition looks great (for SD, anyway).

Can't wait for the HD!

<knock knock knock> HD?
<knock knock knock> HD?
<knock knock knock> HD?


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I just looked at some of the old analog channels, and they're definitely digital now...


But are they really gone on the analog side?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ebf said:


> But are they really gone on the analog side?


I'm not sure what you mean by "side"...where there used to be analog channels, now there are digital channels (the same ones, only digital).


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## E94Allen (Oct 16, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by "side"...where there used to be analog channels, now there are digital channels (the same ones, only digital).


Is your cable provider uses ADS? Or is it 100% digital like Fios?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

E94Allen said:


> Is your cable provider uses ADS? Or is it 100% digital like Fios?


I don't know what "ADS" means. It used to have analog channels up to 99, and digital over. As of today, it's all digital. They'll use the freed-up bandwidth to add a bunch of new HD channels.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by "side"...where there used to be analog channels, now there are digital channels (the same ones, only digital).


I mean, is the direct-from-the-wall analog still live?

I just got home. At least in 55408, the analog channels, complete with "urgent" you're not ready messages, is still going. No cut off here yet.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

All I know is yesterday, the picture quality on the analog channels (1-99) was crap, and today it's great...

I haven't had an analog TV in about a decade.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I don't know what "ADS" means. It used to have analog channels up to 99, and digital over. As of today, it's all digital. They'll use the freed-up bandwidth to add a bunch of new HD channels.


Since you have cablecards, they may simply have 'flipped a switch' and your Tivo is now getting the digital version of the channel instead of the analog channel.

If you hook up a standard cable ready tuner (e.g. VCR, probably your TV, etc.) directly to the cable, and tune to the under-99 channels, are you getting a(n analog) picture? If so, then the only thing you're getting now is a 'simulcast' version of the channel, and the cable card is causing the magic of your Tivo remapping the under-99 channels to the digital versions now rather than the analog versions previously.


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## t1voproof (Feb 6, 2010)

My Tivo Premiere randomly added National Geographic #66. (I have limited basic). I just deleted it because I don't get that channel. Hopefully Comcast gets this transition right!


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## E94Allen (Oct 16, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I don't know what "ADS" means. It used to have analog channels up to 99, and digital over. As of today, it's all digital. They'll use the freed-up bandwidth to add a bunch of new HD channels.


analog-digital simulcasting (ADS) here is what I meant.


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## Vect0r (Nov 2, 2010)

3rd shift worker here. Im excited to get home and check this out to see if we finally have these HD channels that have existed pretty much everywhere else for quite some time. Premiere/Comcast/M-card user in south metro. Will report any good news!


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## jrmsp (May 20, 2004)

After emailing WeCanHelp, I got a call from a pleasant and seemingly very knowledgeable lady at Comcast in St. Paul who told me the new HD channels would be in place on 12/16.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

I posted this in the "Minneapolis Comcast emergency" thread...



ebf said:


> I checked and my TiVoHD with cable cards on the "Digital Preferred" tier and it *thinks* I get the 8xx channels (they are in the guide), but I only get the "channel not available" message when I try to tune to them (FXHD, 830, TCM, 832). The 4xx HD's are working still. And while many of the straight-from-the-wall analog channels are gone (TCM, 64, Cartoon, 42), now showing only the "you need to upgrade to digital" infomercial, others are still there (MSNBC, 62, HLN, 61) with the "urgent" message. I expect the remaining 23+ channels will go away in the new few weeks.
> 
> I am in 55408. Why am I not getting the 8xx channels yet?!?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Minneapolis hasn't done the migration yet. They replaced the analog channels with digital about a week ago, but they haven't added the new channels yet. So it looks like your TiVo jumped the gun with the Guide Data.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

You could be right-- a hold over from the original "emergency" that spawned this thread. I have repeated guided setup (to switch back to my own zip) in the past couple weeks. I checked the Comcast website and they are not yet listing the 8xx channels in my zip's "Digital Preferred" tier list.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

The new channels are up and running, and properly labeled by TiVo, but no Guide Data for them yet. I assume that will come soon (the daily Guide Data seems to roll over around noon, so probably the next daily call after around noon today will have it).

Yee-haw!


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

I didn't think to check this AM... Are the HD 400's gone? The 800's have been labeled and getting guide data for awhile now on my box. I have had a few recordings try to go on the 800 version.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

The 400s aren't going away. They'll have two versions of each.


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## jrmsp (May 20, 2004)

I've had the guide data for a few weeks, just no channel there. Everything's up and running just fine today; now just need to go through and re-set my "channels you receive".


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

What's your Zip Code?


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

jrmsp said:


> I've had the guide data for a few weeks, just no channel there... now just need to go through and re-set my "channels you receive".


Me too. I left mine checked after re-running Guided Setup to change my zip, 55408, a few weeks ago back after the missing channel "emergency" that happened a couple months ago.


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## teddykgb715 (Dec 16, 2010)

Hey guys, I'm in Mpls and just ordered a Tivo. Can someone tell me if Comcast has everything copy-protected here in MN?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ebf said:


> Me too. I left mine checked after re-running Guided Setup to change my zip, 55408, a few weeks ago back after the missing channel "emergency" that happened a couple months ago.


Well, that's just bizarre. I just changed my Zip Code to 55408, and after the guided set-up, it still doesn't show the new channels.


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## jrmsp (May 20, 2004)

teddykgb715 said:


> Hey guys, I'm in Mpls and just ordered a Tivo. Can someone tell me if Comcast has everything copy-protected here in MN?


Mostly just the premium channels i.e. HBO, Showtime, etc.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

I just reported this channel mixup to TiVo:

Channel 882 shows twice on the guide-- as HDT and HIHD. Is really HIHD. Channel 883 is listed as HDTHE, but has no guide data. Looks to actually be showing what's listed under the HDT guide.


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## teddykgb715 (Dec 16, 2010)

jrmsp said:


> Mostly just the premium channels i.e. HBO, Showtime, etc.


Thanks!


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

Anyone know if we are getting BBC America in HD? I can't find it. Also, what are the chances we'll ever get HD-Net Movies? What other channels are we missing??


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ebf said:


> Anyone know if we are getting BBC America in HD?


Apparently not.


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## ebf (Mar 21, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Apparently not.


:down:


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## lcahlander (Feb 9, 2001)

ebf said:


> Anyone know if we are getting BBC America in HD?


This is from a chat with a customer service representative:

_I see here that Comcast is currently working with BBC America regarding the permission to carry the HD channel for the channel lineup in your area. As of the moment, we are waiting for the feedback about this negotiation.

The outcome of the negotiation will be posted on our website at Comcast dot com first week of January.
_​


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## Torgo (Dec 31, 2001)

Comcast in Philly just got a whole slew of additional HD channels, including BBCA HD. I would assume eventually all this will trickle down to their other systems...

Here's a listing of new channels added 12/15/10 (All HD!)

Network-Channel Number-Package
BBC America- 1225 (Digital Preferred)
Crime & Investigation 1231 (Sports/Ent Pack)
Nat Geo Wild 1262 (Digital Preferred)
Smithsonian Channel 1265 (Digital Preferred)
Cooking Channel 1281 (Digital Preferred)
DIY 1291 (Digital Preferred)
Jewelry TV 1315 (Digital Preferred)
Game Show Network (GSN) 1325 (Expanded Basic)
Ovation 1345 (Digital Preferred)
Galavision 1368 (Digital Preferred)
Sprout 1505 (Expanded Basic)
Hub 1511 (Digital Preferred)
MavTV 1621 (Digital Preferred)
Outdoor Channel 1630 (Digital Preferred)
Sportsman Channel 1632 (Digital Preferred)
World Fishing Network 1632 (Sports/Ent)
IndiePlex 1862 (Digital Preferred)

HBO West 1911
HBO 2 West 1914
HBO Signature 1915
HBO Signature West 1916
HBO Family 1917
HBO Family West 1918
HBO Comedy 1920
HBO Comedy West 1921
HBO Zone West 1924
HBO Latino West 1926

Cinemax West 1931
MoreMax 1932
MoreMax West 1933
ActionMax 1934
ActionMax West 1935
ThrillerMax 1936
ThrillerMax West 1937
WMax 1938
5StarMax 1941
OuterMax 1944
@Max 1946

Showtime2 1952
Showtime Beyond 1954
Showtime Beyond West 1955
Showtime Showcase 1956
Showtime Showcase West 1957
Showtime Extreme 1958
Showtime Extreme West 1960
Movie Channel 1970
Movie Channel Xtra 1972

Starz West 1981
Starz Edge 1982
Starz in Black 1984
Starz Kids & Family 1986
Starz Cinema 1988
Starz Comedy 1991


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