CABLE SIGNAL DEGRADATION CYCLE

Cable signal degradation graphic.

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We are approaching the Fall Sun Outage Period which will start September 29th and run through October 7th across the West Palm Beach Region Service Area.

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These degradations in the signal will begin as a mild interference starting at 12: 30 PM on 9/30/09, with the maximum degradation occurring 10/3-10/5 and ending each day at 5:17 PM on 10/07.

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A sun outage is an interruption in, or distortion of, Geostationary Satellite signals caused by interference from solar radiation. The effect is due to the sun's radiation overwhelming the satellite signal.

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Generally, sun outages occur in February, March, September and October, that is, around the time of the equinoxes. At these times, the apparent path of the sun across the sky takes it directly behind the line of sight between an earth station and a satellite. As the sun radiates strongly at the microwave frequencies used to communicate with satellites (C-band and Ku-band) the sun swamps the signal from the satellite effectively blinding it.

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The effects of a sun outage include partial degradation, that is, an increase in the error rate, or total destruction and loss of the signal during these short periods of interference.

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Dave Israel

Cable Chair

CABLE BOX CONFUSION

Hi All,
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Ok, there is a bit of confusion about the Cable Box (CB).
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The following Comment appears in another thread:
……………………………………………………..
Anonymous said...
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While we're at it, can someone explain the difference between the Comcast boxes? Do you get the same stations with a pre-existing box for which you pay as you do with a new box installed under the new contract? I understood that under the new contract i don't have to pay anymore for my pre-existing box but I’m still getting a bill for it. Shall I turn in the box to Comcast and get a new box installed? What’s the solution?Confused.
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A CB is a special purpose Radio Receiver. It consists of three main parts; they are Tuner, Demodulator/Demultiplexer and MODEM.(Modulator-Demodulator).
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The MODEM, just like the one in a PC, allows for two way communication with the Head End. Thus, any full featured CB, or more correctly Set-Top Converter can receive instructions from the Head End and thus tune and display any TV product that you the subscriber want to pay for.
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So, any of the Comcast Set-Top Converters, from the basic Box, included in our contract, to the top of the line HD/DVR CB (High Definition/Digital Video Recorder) can display the same set of channels, it’s all a matter of what Tier you are willing to purchase.
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Now, if you had a pre-existing CB, which you have been paying for since before the deployment of our contract CB; why would you expect to get that box for nothing? Rather, with the signing of our new contract, if you do not take the contracted basic box; you will receive a small credit on your pre-existing box.
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What if you take the new basic box in addition to your pre-existing CB; well, then you will see a fee of $6.50 for an Additional Outlet. We on the Cable Committee do not feel that this is correct, as our contract calls for that basic box to come as part of the Bulk Rate under our agreement at no addition cost. This issue is under discussion with Comcast.
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The recommended approach, for the moment, if you have a pre-existing CB is as follows:
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1) Do not take the Basic Box, wait for the small credit.

2) For two additional TV’s, wait for the DTA (Digital Terminal Adaptor) boxes. There will be two of them And they will be free. They will receive all channels from 2 – 99 even when channel 31 - 99 transform to digital.
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The DTA box is not a two way box.
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For any TVs beyond 3, take no box whatsoever; yes, in due course there will only be 30 analog channels remaining for reception without box; but this is the lowest cost approach.
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Dave Israel
Cable Chair

darn outage comcast again

5pm / power went off/ tv went off/ tv on -can't get any channels-only OnDEmand flipping on - anybody else having issue?
...............................................................................
Your BLOGMEISTER suggests;

A power glitch of any type can cause "The Box" to lose synchronization with the Head End.
The glitch can be the result of lightning strikes miles away.

When power returns, please unplug the box from the wall, count 10, and plug it back in. It will then reboot like the special purpose computer it is. Be patient, as the box is downloading data consisting of important settings.

Dave Israel

Disappearing Channels?

anyone else having comcast issues 3:50p today ---suddenly my HBO channels/48 and all the encore just disappeared?

MY MIND IS MADE UP; DO NOT CONFUSE ME WITH THE FACTS!

Hi all,

The following comment is from this BLOG:

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Anonymous said...

Dave is really doing a good job that many of us would shy away from here in CV. I was at Hastings today and to listen (due to his LOUD voice) a retired college instructor from NYC blabber on about how he always had "a better deal from Comcast in 1983 than the Cable Guy--Solomon Israel (sorry Dave) negotiated for CV..."
Jun 18, 2009 10:29:00 PM

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Let's look at some facts:

The chart, at the top of the page, shows the rise in Monthly Basic Cable rates from 1983 to 1998. It may amuse your boasting College Instructor at Hastings to know, that even with Taxes and Fees, our new bulk rate agreement comes in at UNDER the 1998 rate noted in the chart; and our Bulk package includes a Digital Starter Tier which is a service beyond Basic Cable, which is all that is charted above. There are not many things available today at prices that go back over 10 years!

Criticism is fine folks, it goes with the territory; but please get the facts!

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Dave Israel

COMCAST NEW REMOTE CONTROL

Hi all,
there have been some questions regarding the use of the new Remote Control. Following is an attempt to elucidate the use of the most elementary functions of this control. The goal here is to get you "up and running"
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1) Press "All On" red button at top of the Remote, if TV comes on, but Box does not; press the "Power" button also at the top of the Remote.

2) Press red "Guide" button near the middle on the left of the Remote.

3) Navigate the on screen Guide with the white arrow buttons "^ < >" in the middle of the Remote.

4) When you arrive at a channel you like, Press the red "Ok/Select" button, in the middle of the white navigation buttons.

5) If, you want some information about the program, before you press the "Ok/Select" button, press the little white "Info" button directly below the arrow
navigation buttons. To clear the the information screen, press the "Info." button again.

As always, Left Click the image to supersize it.

If you find this little primer useful, so indicate in the Comment stream and I will try some others, like navigating the Video on Demand menu. If you have discovered better ways to do things, also so indicate in the Comment Stream.

Finally, this is something new for many of our Unit Owners, if you have mastered the essentials of the Remote Control; please help your neighbors.

If your Box seems to be "locked up" try pressing the "Cable" button at the top of the Remote.

Thanks,
Dave Israel
Cable Boy

New Digital Box Experiences

The rules: I will never order anything that has a charge attached from Comcast.
The service is glitchy this week, some of it may be because of storms, wide Comcast S. Florida maintenance Tues and Wed nights, and work on analog conversion.
Anyhow, I was exploring Channel 1, Video on Demand. I was proceeding thru menus Top Picks > Bikini Body (no laffing) when I got the message “Your Explorer set top is not authorized for use. Call 800-266-2278”.
So, I just spoke with an exceedingly pleasant young lady at local Comcast 800-266-2278, she explained that msg meant my box had lost its connection. She reconnected my box and gave me instructions, she also answered other questions about glitchiness, occasional stickiness waiting for Channel 1 instructions to appear, and the notice saying “already ordered”!! Hey I did not order anything – she said that can show up when a show has a $0 cost eg. Bikini Body.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR CABLE

Hi all,

In another thread, the following questions appear:

"One question I have. Does anyone have any information on different channel packages that can be purchased for additional money. One of the representatives told me I could sign up for the Digital Classic Tier (101 through 741) plus Starz - for $14.95 per month. Does anybody have any experience with these stations? I notice Biography, Turner Classic and a few other good ones are located there."

It is not smart for me to comment on prices, because there are specials that come and go all the time. Following is a Comcast Web Site with a Drop down Menu showing the various Tiers of programming:

http://www.comcast.com/customers/clu/ChannelLineup.ashx?area=0

Pick the Tiers you are interested in, and then go to the clubhouse and speak with Bob Seibeneck about costs for those Tiers. One of the benefits of the new box is that it can be programmed for any Tier you desire to pay extra for.

Dave Israel
Cable Chair

CABLE BOX ROLLOUT

Hi All,

Following is an A Nony Mouse Comment:
My responses are in red!

Anonymous said...
Do you really have to go for the interview if you're not interested in changing your phone company or internet provider?

The Cable Box registration and installation, has nothing whatsoever to do with Telephone or Internet. BUT remember that the Comcast representitives who are doing the registrations in the Clubhouse, are SALES people and they are aggressively marketing extra services. We are under no obligation to purchase these services; so if you do not want them, "Just Say NO"; i'm here to register for my Cable Box.

Does the installer leave a box for each set or can you get the tv without a box?

The installer will bring your box to your unit and install it. He/She will show you how to use the remote control. Our contract only provides ONE Set-Top-Converter at this time. There will be two more boxes of a fundamentally different character at a future time, for up to two additional TV's. These two additional boxes are called DTA boxes and they will only receive channels 2 - 99; even when they are converted to digital format.

In the meanwhile, your non-boxed TV's will work as they are working now; but without the Set-Top-Converter; you will not be able to view the Digital Starter Tier.

Does the installer install anything? (yes, as noted above, he/she will install your one Set-Top-Converter box) Can you get in demand without the box? (NO, Video on Demand is in the Digital Starter Tier and requires the Box to view.)

Anybody have the answers? (Yes, I Cable Boy, have the answers)

Jun 12, 2009 11:54:00 AM

Dave Israel

WHERE DID MY HBO GO?

Hi

Too bad no heads up on the HBO disconnect.

What was I going to do at 2 am and no Comcast contact available. Now I have STARZ (owned by HBO probably) for less than HBO cost of $10 per month.

CABLE BOX FAQ

Hi all,

There have been some changes made by Comcast to the answers. I am reposting the FAQ as modified by Comcast. Some of the changes are important and have been highlighted in red. We have advised Comcast that a few of our Residents do not have a Florida ID, and we have requested that, in those cases, they accept our CV ID cards. We are awaiting a reply on this issue.

Dave Israel
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
FAQ Comcast Boxes

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Soon, the new Comcast Cable Box will be deployed to all of our Unit Owners. Clearly this will take some time as we have 7,854 condos which will require careful scheduling and execution. The process is simple and your co-operation will be required to make it happen. Each Unit Owner should come to the Clubhouse in accord with the published schedule. Comcast Personnel will be in Meeting Room C and they will collect information from each person and make an appointment for actual installation of the new box. Please be sure to bring a valid Florida ID to present to the Comcast Representatives. The installing technician will install the box on the day of your appointment, and show each of you how it works and how to use the Remote Control. For those of you who work during the day, and for those of you who miss your scheduled appointment; extended hours will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, until 7:00pm.

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Product

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Q: What do we get?

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A: In the first hardware deployment, each apartment will receive one Standard Set Top box. This box will be connected to an existing outlet at the request of the Unit Owner, and connected to one TV of your choice. The box will be programmed to receive; Limited Basic, Expanded Basic, Digital Starter, Video on Demand and the 48 music channels included in our Bulk Cable agreement.

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Schedule

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Q: How soon are the boxes available for those of us here this summer?

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A: I believe that signup and orientation will commence as soon as June 5th. See the signs on your bulletin board and on Channel 63.This will be a major effort, centered in the main Clubhouse.

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Q: When will Snowbirds get boxes installed?

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A: Due to the large numbers of boxes, and the absence of our Snowbirds, the deployment will take time; and in fact will be resumed in the December (2009) - January (2010), timeframe.

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Q: Will there be times for people working 9-5 to get boxes?

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A: For those of you who work during the day, and for those of you who miss your scheduled appointment; extended hours will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, until 7:00pm.

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Q: If we don't get the boxes before December of January will our TV's still work?

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A: Yes, your TV will work fine.

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Q: I always phone local Comcast for help, is there a special phone number for our thousands of box installs?

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A: There is no phone number for registration and installation the project is too large (7,854 units) – please follow your schedule. You may call Comcast for help on using the new menus when you have your box 561-COMCAST.

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Q: There are some Sabbath observers who live in Wellington E and G. They cannot come on Saturday as per schedule. What is their alternative? Your understanding is appreciated.

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A: As noted at the bottom of the flyer, if you miss your appointment, come to register on Wednesday or Thursday between 5:00pm and 7:00pm.WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY HOURS EXTENDED UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR THOSE WITH DAYTIME JOBS AND THOSE WHO MISS THEIR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS.

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Q: What's the number to call to make an appointment for the installation ?? I'm not coming to clubhouse for volunteers.

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A: The Registration will be done by Comcast personnel, There is no phone number for registration and installation the project is too large (7,854 units) – please follow your schedule.Come to the Clubhouse to register, because if you wait and call Comcast, outside of the planned rollout process; there may be a Technician visit charge.
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Q: May I pick up my box on my registration day at the Clubhouse?

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A: Each unit owner will register and sign for their box, but you will not receive your box during registration.You will make an appointment for a Comcast Technician to deliver and install your box in your unit.The box will be connected at any EXISTING outlet of your choice, and the technician will show you how to operate the box via the included remote control.

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Q: As a building president, I'd like to know if I could make a appointment, on the assigned day, for a disabled person who would have great difficulty showing up at registration. Would I have the 'authority' to act in her stead?

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A: If you bring a photocopy of the Unit Owner ID, Comcast will sign that owner up, Important modification, see next answer..

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Q: As a building president, I'd like to know if I could make an appointment, on the assigned day, for owners who are up North at this time. May I register for them as well?

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A: As regards owners, not currently in residence, if you will be arranging for the installation of the converter for a resident within your building, you will be required to obtain a letter from the unit owner authorizing you to have their converter installed for them. A copy of their valid ID will also be required. You will have to make the appointment and let the technician in to install the box. There are some issues in this process:

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1) As soon as you register this seasonal owner and the box is installed, the billing commences, in other words the entire Village starts paying starting on July 1, 2009 based on the number of boxes then installed.

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2) It's your signature on the box contract. (May not be an issue since Comcast has the ID photocopy)

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3) The absent owner does not get the associated training.

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4) Be sure to find out from the owner, which TV they want the box installed on, if there are multiple sets.Keep in mind, there will be another wave of installs in Dec/January to accommodate the returning Seasonal unit owners.

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Q: What kind of ID needs to be presented? Landlord owner or renter.A: If you rent, the renter would get the box, sign for it and be responsible for it. Same holds true if you sell it. New owner would be the responsible person.

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Q: Renters:

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A: Renters will go to the Clubhouse on schedule, same as residents. They will be responsible for their box and for the return of same. There will be no liability to CV and UCO for renters. Comcast will use their standard procedures for renters – as in other developments.

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Q: If we move how do we return the Box:

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A: There will be a container in the village for easy return of boxes.

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Cost

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Q: What is THE COST to our residents.

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A: Sign up Free, Box Free, Monthly cost Free, Installed Free

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Q: Don't we have a contract with Comcast, does it cost more?

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A: There will be an increase of $4.12 over the current rate per month, per unit. That is a common expense and you must pay it even if you do not take the box. So, for the extra programming alone, it is worth taking the new box.

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Q: HOW WILL THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE A $5 A MONTH BOX BE AFFECTED IF AT ALL? WHAT WILL THEIR COST BE?

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A: Each account will be looked at individually.The new box being distributed is a Standard Definition box; it will not support High Definition.So, if your current box is an HD box, you will keep that box and an adjustment in cost will be made for the value of the new box, which you will not be receiving.That said, the new box can be programmed for any services on your current box (other than HD) and that is what will be done.Once that is done, you will receive an adjustment in cost reflecting the fact that the new box comes free of extra charge in our new contract.You will continue however to be billed for services you receive over and above those included in our new bulk agreement, in other words, beyond Digital Starter Tier.

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Features

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Q: Will all the boxes have an on-screen TV guide feature, or just the prime box?

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A: Only the Main Box is assured of having the interactive Guide.The DTA Box will display Limited Basic and Expanded Basic, in the range of channels 2 - 99.

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Q: Will the old $5-a-month boxes still be adequate to get channel 104 C-span 2 and the 300-312 HBO movie channels.

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A: Yes, your box will continue to work fine.However, you will not be required to come to the box signup event at your appointed time; Comcast will be looking at each account that currently has Digital Service and, if applicable will adjust those accounts automatically. Alternatively, you may accept the new box, which will be programmed with your existing subscriptions. In either case, depending on what you choose to do, if you currently have digital service you may see an adjustment in your monthly invoice.

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Q: As we phase in the new boxes, will those customers who have yet to receive the new boxes continue to receive the two HBO channels they are currently receiving?

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A: Comcast reply - Once the new Agreement is effective, we will no longer be provided HBO in the clear. That is because it is not part of the new Agreement. Once you receive your digital converter, you will not receive HBO on that converter, unless you choose to subscribe to that service on your own. HBO will still be shown on your televisions that do not have a converter on them until the new Agreement is effective.

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Q: with technology moving so fast, why did we sign a 10 year contract? Most if not all the board will probably not be with us in 10 years and what do the rest of us do?

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A: Technology morphing is inevitable, all of the vendors we negotiated with; AT&T, Hotwire, Hawkins Broadband and Comcast demanded a 10 year term in exchange for the low bulk rate and, a significant signing bonus. Any significant new technology that comes along would be deployed by Comcast at no additional cost to us. Just because "we" may be gone, our unit owners will still be watching TV, and the new box, which is in essence a computer will continue to serve or will be replaced by the vendor, within the parameters of the contract.

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Q: Why do I need this box?

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A: We have signed a new contract with Comcast. The new contract adds a new Tier of service called Digital Starter. This Tier consists of some 18 channels including Video on Demand, which includes a lot of free content. The Digital Starter Tier has encryption applied by Comcast, in order to remove the encryption, you will need the box

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Q: Will we be able to get more then 1 box per unit?

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A: Only one full set top box (STB) is included in our new contract. Later, when they become available, you may have two DTA (Digital to Analog) boxes which will only receive channels 2 - 99, they are also included in our new contract.

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Q: What happens to my other TVs (no box) as analog to digital conversion progresses?

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A: At some time in the future, as yet undetermined, for those with more than one TV, Two additional boxes will be made available. The boxes are different from the Standard Set Top Box, and are called Digital to Analog Converter boxes (DTA).The DTA box will be a simple box capable or receiving only channels from 2 - 99. This range includes Limited Basic and Expanded Basic programming. The DTA will continue to provide these two Tiers of service even if channels are converted to Digital format in the future; which many undoubtedly will. All three boxes are part of our contract; there will be no additional costs for these 3 boxes.

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Training

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Q: Will there be training to use box and remote?

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A: While Comcast is in meeting room C at the clubhouse, they will have televisions with a converter connected to them. A Comcast representative will be available to show residents how to use the converter. Also, the installing technician will install the box on the day of your installation appointment, and show each of you how it works and how to use the Remote Control. Additional plans for the training and demonstration of operation of the box and its distribution will be available soon.

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Q: Is the new remote tricky?

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A: It is actually very simple, make sure your TV is set to channel 3 (you can do this with your old remote or buttons), click ‘power on’ with the new remote and click to whatever number channel you want. Further choices appear on the screen for Channel1, there are many On Demand choices.

CABLE BOX REGISTRATION AND DEPLOYMENT

Registration and Deployment of new Cable Box
left click to supersize
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Soon, the new Comcast Cable Box will be deployed to all of our Unit Owners.
Clearly this will take some time as we have 7854 apartments which will require careful scheduling and execution.
-
The process is simple and your co-operation will be required to make it happen. Each Unit Owner must come to the Clubhouse in accord with the schedule published above. Comcast Personnel will be in Meeting room C and they will collect information from each person and make an appointment for actual installation of the new box.
-
The installing technician will install the box on the day of your appointment, and show each of you how it works and how to use the Remote Control.

For those of you who work during the day, and for those of you who miss your scheduled appointment; extended hours will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, until 7:00pm.
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Please post questions in the Comment Stream

Dave Israel
Cable chair
VP - UCO

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IMPORTANT NOTE

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No boxes will be delivered in the Clubhouse during registration.

Your boxes will be delivered and installed in your apartments by a Comcast Technician, at an existing outlet of your choice.

COMCAST DECODER BOX CONFIGURATION

COMCAST SET TOP TUNER BOXES

Left click to supersize

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Some questions have come up as to exactly how many boxes, and of what type we will be receiving under the provisions of the new Cable Contract.

Let's have a look:

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In the first hardware deployment, each apartment will receive one Standard Set Top box. This box will be connected to an existing outlet at the request of the Unit Owner, and connected to a colocated TV of your choice. The box will be programmed to receive; Limited Basic, Expanded Basic, Digital Starter, Video on Demand and the 48 music channels included in our Bulk Cable agreement.

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Due to the large numbers of boxes, and the absence of our Snowbirds, this deployment will take time; and in fact will be resumed in the December (2009) - January (2010), timeframe.

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Complete plans for the training and demonstration of operation of the box and it's distribution, will be available soon.

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At some time in the future, as yet undetermined, for those with more than one TV, Two additional boxes will be made available. The boxes are different from the Standard Set Top Box discussed above, and are called Digital to Analog Converter boxes (DTA).

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The DTA box will be a simple box capable or receiving only channels from 2 - 100. This range includes Limited Basic and Expanded Basic programming. The DTA will continue to provide these two Tiers of service even if channels are converted to Digital format in the future; which many undoubtedly will. All three boxes described herein are part of our contract, there will be no additional costs for these 3 boxes.

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Please raise any question you may have in the Comment stream.

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Dave Israel

Cable Chair

CABLE COMMITTEE MEETING

Hi all,
There will be a meeting of the Cable Committee as follows:

Day:..................Friday

Date:................May 15th., 2009

Time:...............2:30pm

Place:...............UCO Conference Room @ 2102 West Drive.

Agenda:...........Distribution of the new Cable Set-Top-Box

Dave Israel
Cable Chair

CABLE COMMITTEE MEETING

Hi all,
There will be an important meeting of the Cable Committee as follows:

1) Day:..........Friday
2) Date:........May 08, 2009
3) Time:.......1:00 pm
4) Place:.......UCO conference room

AGENDA:.....Roll out of new Cable Boxes.

Dave Israel

DON'T TUNE US OUT - YOUR CABLE COMMITTEE RESPONDS

Hi all,
The following has been submitted as a draft article to the UCO Reporter; it may or may not be published, depending on the decision of the Editorial Committee. In any case our BLOGGERS will get first chop:

Dave Israel
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DON’T TUNE US OUT – YOUR CABLE COMMITTEE RESPONDS
By Dave Israel

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It is interesting to note that the signer of the “Mail Bag” letter, don’t tune us out, cannot be verified as a Unit Owner in Century Village and hence the article is Un-attributable. The letter shows misunderstanding of the process, but we have chosen to respond to it nonetheless, as an information vehicle for our Unit Owners. The responses will be intermixed with the original and my entries will be in a Bold blue type.

I went to the last Delegates Meeting and sat through a tremendous amount of discussion about the Cable Committee’s review and decision about the need to sign a new cable contract. I had attended previous meetings where there was discussion about why we needed a new contract — but for the life of me, I can’t remember why. Our current one doesn’t expire till 2011.

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When the original cable contract was signed with Adelphia Cable in 2005 we had a channel lineup consisting of 74 channels, over recent years, arbitrary removal of channels by Comcast has reduced this to 67 and Comcast advised that this removal to the digital tier would continue. If we simply let the current contract play out, by 2011 we could be facing a channel lineup of 30 channels or less, with consecutive increases of 5% in January of 2010 and January 2011. When the contract expired, we would have no other competitor ready to pick up the service, as there would be no time for them to place their new infrastructure. We would have to simply rollover the Comcast contract with ever reducing service and there would have been no signing bonus.

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I can understand us not liking Comcast removing stations at will — theirs, but if you read the disclaimer at the bottom of the sheet that was handed out at the meeting, nothing has changed in that regard; they can still remove stations at their own discretion.

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Actually, we have had language inserted into the contract stating that Comcast may only remove channels from our lineup, if they remove the same channels from all customers in our Franchise area. This effectively precludes arbitrary redaction of content from Century Village product only.

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Do we really think they’re going to add programming and not charge us?

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Actually, if indeed they add programming, there will be no change in cost; the most probable course of events will be a swap of equivalent programming. This has already occurred; Comcast has taken away “Movieplex” and substituted “Lifetime Movie Network”. I would call that a reasonably equivalent swap.

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What I think was that decisions were made at committee meetings that no one knew anything about. It seems to me that there was a royal stink a few months ago about transparency and openness. I’m a regular viewer of Channel 63 and always read the Reporter, but I saw no notification of Cable Committee meetings. I can go to Security, Maintenance, Transportation, Delegates, etc. meetings as a resident and time constraints considered, be heard or question any items discussed or commented on. Why no notification of the Cable Committee? We are talking about a new contract, worth a tremendous amount of money to Comcast and us and we were told take it or leave it, without as much as a clue of what was going on. I am not complaining about the new contract. How could I? I have no idea what the other companies were offering. But I was told that this was the best. What am I? Am I a child that won’t understand the big words?

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Yes indeed there was a major brouhaha over “Open Meetings”, of which I was a major proponent. However, your Cable Committee was hearing from four major providers simultaneously, and none of them wanted the other to know what they were offering. This is very typical in contract negotiation, the offerings and proposals are all marked “Proprietary and Confidential”. The Cable Committee made every effort to release information in as timely a manner as possible. Every meeting that could be open was open, but some had to be limited to the principals involved. Some of our Unit Owners have come to the UCO Office to inquire about the other Companies and their proposals; and the Cable Committee has prepared a Decision Matrix chart showing the key components. This chart is available to any Unit Owner of Century Village, drop by the UCO Office and ask for Dave Israel; just do not blab it to Golden Lakes.

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From what I can see, UCO will be getting a $2.3 million signing bonus, plus $27 thousand for the loss of the two remaining HBO channels — they already looted the third one.

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Actually, the exact numbers are confidential and UCO has signed a Contract with a specific confidentiality clause. However any Unit Owner may have the numbers if they so desire; just come in to UCO and ask for Dave Israel. To correct one misconception, we were compensated for the loss of one HBO channel from the time it was pulled by Comcast in September 2008; it is virtually unheard of for Comcast to pay compensation for Channel realignments.

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If you read the Treasurer’s report, you can see that the signing bonus is one year’s budgeted amount. So we get one year free basically. For the remainder of the time, we’ll pay an additional $4.12 per unit x 7,500+ units x 12 months x 5% annual increase. That’s a lot of money without residents’ input and hoping that Comcast will keep their word and not remove channels because they’ve got a newer and cheaper technology.

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Actually there was extensive opportunity for Unit Owners to be heard at the Delegate Assembly; and many came forth and were heard. The issue of the cost is of course important; the initial cost of the new Bulk Cable Contract will be $22.95 per month plus Taxes and fees; this will be reduced by approximately $18.00 per month for the first year. The same product off campus at retail rates would cost $55.00 per month, and in some markets more. This is a bargain in any market. Our new lineup brings us back the missing channels, except for HBO, and adds some 18 additional channels. In particular, we will receive the Video on Demand channel which includes some 200 free movies, and other programming from HBO, Movieplex, Lifetime, Sundance and other major providers. In addition, our Bulk Channel Rate includes a Standard Set Top Box and two additional special Digital Converters. The concern over a new technology is a good one, common sense would suggest that if such new science or art were to emerge, that Comcast would deploy it at their discretion; there would be no impact on our cost during the contract period. It is the considered belief of the Committee that when our Unit Owners become familiar with the new channel lineup and with Video on Demand, they will be very pleased with the entertainment value available to them.

WHO IS LORETTA SKELLY?

Hi all,

A letter in the UCO Reporter(The Mail Bag) May 2009, Page 6; castigates the Comcast Contract negotiation process, for not being more open. There are many questions asked, which will in due course be answered, both here and in next months Reporter.

The letter is signed by "Loretta Skelly"! Does anyone know who Loretta Skelly is? She appears nowhere in the records of Palm Beach county as a Unit Owner in CV. Can anyone tell us who she is???

Of greater import, anyone who has been involved with Contract negotiations with multiple bidders in the game knows that there are many issues of a confidential and proprietary nature. So it was in this case; every bit of information that could be released was released in a timely as possible manner.

Every meeting that could be Open, was open.
The service rendered by the Committee and the Officers of UCO in this effort was an Exemplar of how a UCO Committee should operate in serving the Unit Owners of CV.

So Loretta Skelly; step up and volunteer, see how the sausage is made.

Dave Israel

DELEGATE ASSEMBLY MEETING, CABLE and CHANNEL 63

Hi All,
The Delegate Assembly meeting of April 3, 2009 was very important to our Unit Owners. Extensive discussion was had about the Cable Contract, and a vote was taken.

Due to the ongoing efforts of the Channel 63 Committee, a Video of this meeting is being broadcast on Channel 63 each day for the next 10 days.

Please look for this Broadcast on Channel 63 twice daily, at 9:00am and 6:00pm.

Thanks in particular to Ed Black for filming and loading this meeting.

Dave Israel

Complastic?

READ THE NEWS

I hope this doesn't spoil our deal, but I read something about their not-so-truth in advertising. Make sure their contract with us is more iron-clad than Robert Downey Jr.!

CABLE

CABLE NOT WORKING AT NORWICH-N. TRIED TO CALL COMCAST BUT THE LINE STAYS BUSY.