Just about 6 months ago, I got a new Digital Cable package provided by my regular cable company, Time Warner. I chose to switch for a few reasons, but have recently become somewhat unhappy with it. Here's why.

Why I Got It In The First Place

(Supposedly) Better Reception
Time Warner's big sales pitch for their Digital Cable package is based on clarity. They say that Digital Cable is much more clear and more reliable than the regular old cable. I will admit, when it is not just a black screen it is quite clear. The sound has actually been noticeably improved. Loud noises are clearer and less distorted, and there is not nearly as much fuss. For me, these do not justify the larger expense, as it is not that important for me to have better sound, I think the analog sound was clear enough.

More Channels and Options
The second, and most important (to me), is the usability and variety that a digital cable plan can provide me. I have about 5 HBO’s, 4 CineMax’s, 8 Showtime(including 2 ShotimeX), and 2 TMC’s. This was very easy to order, and would not have been possible with an analog plan, I would have had to drop some other channels that were part of my old plan. In addition, I now have many extra channels such as, Classic ESPN, The Game Show Network, GOLF Channel, and The Home and Garden Channel. Although I usually don’t watch most of these, with everything that I have, I can always find something I want to watch on TV. I am very happy with the selection that my new digital cable has provided me.

Customizability and Usability
Possibly the most satisfying part of digital cable, is the customizability of my plan and the usability of the TV. Just by using my remote, I can set my favorites and scan through them with one button, get extensive info on whatever is currently showing on that channel, what was showing and what will be showing for the next two days, and I can see what is on other channels without missing what is on the current channel. In addition, I can order from 150 pay-per-view channels with a push of a button, and search through all currently playing shows by title, genre, or rating.

What Has Made Me Increasingly Unhappy

Reception and Pixelation
I know that I've now put the same reason for digital cable being good and bad, but there is good reason for this. The good is that reception is better when it is working, however the bad is that a lot of the time it is not working. A lot of the time, and especially on the added channels, that were not part of my basic cable(HBO, Showtime, Classic ESPN, etc…) I do not receive a clear picture, if any. The picture becomes pixilated, and freezes for anywhere from a second to 10 or 20 minutes. The sound becomes completely non-existent, and sometimes, the picture goes completely black. This can be for up to many hours. Although I know that this could be a problem specific to me, it is true that with analog cable something like that would be impossible. So before you decide to get digital, talk to your provider and make sure that they haven’t had any pixelation problems in your area.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about this review, feel free to let me know.
--dick112112@aol.com



Recommended: Yes