Yesterday I hinted at some sort of story behind the addition of HD teevee to my entertainment portfolio. Well, there is a story (albeit not much of one) and said story involves my extreme Luddite tendencies. Which is another way of saying I'm remarkably inept for a former techie; "would-be techie" being perhaps the better term, now that I think on it. Anyhoo, it came to my attention a couple of months ago that HD teevee finally arrived in our dusty backwater burg. And since hockey season just kicked off, and since Versus gives us hockey in HD, well… it just seemed like the thing to do. I went down to Comcast day before yesterday and signed up… even after discovering that Versus HD isn't available in these parts, which was a disappointment but no BIG surprise. There are 20 channels in the local HD line-up, including History, Discovery, PBS, NatGeo, and A&E, all of which I watch with great regularity, and the prospect of seeing the "National Parks" re-runs in HD was just too tempting… so I put my money down.
So… the kind Comcast lady asks if I'd like an installation appointment, or would I rather hook up the required digital cable box myself, which she can hand over to me right this minute? "Hmmm," thinks I… "I can handle this." So she gives me the box and a few cables, I sign the paperwork, and we're off on the return trip to El Casa Móvil De Pennington. Fast-forward an hour: it was more than I could handle, and it had everything to do with getting the complete package… DVD/VHS player, teevee, and cable box… integrated into a functioning whole. I gave up and called Comcast, who scheduled an appointment for me on the morrow (which was yesterday). After a couple o' phone calls to resolve scheduling misunderstandings the techie arrives and spends all of about 20 minutes successfully hooking everything up. And we now have HD teevee, which is a wonderful thing.
It hurts to admit it publically, but I'm technically incompetent. In my defense… our technical friend told me the component video outputs from my DVD player can't be hooked up along with the cable box… it being one or the other but not both… and that was what defeated me in the first place. But it makes no nevermind anyhoo, since my DVD player isn't high-def to begin with. So, I'm semi-incompetent. Still: embarrassing.
The great good thing about springing for HD is I get the "enhanced" digital service, which means I get a whole helluva lot of channels I didn't used to get. Which also means I get to watch the Isle of Man TT races this coming Monday evening. In high-def. Ooooh! And Ahhhh!
Well, the Good Senator from Maine had a classic comment on her defection, dint she? But I especially like Ramirez today. I'd check that frickin' box in a heartbeat.
Credit: The usual source.
So… the kind Comcast lady asks if I'd like an installation appointment, or would I rather hook up the required digital cable box myself, which she can hand over to me right this minute? "Hmmm," thinks I… "I can handle this." So she gives me the box and a few cables, I sign the paperwork, and we're off on the return trip to El Casa Móvil De Pennington. Fast-forward an hour: it was more than I could handle, and it had everything to do with getting the complete package… DVD/VHS player, teevee, and cable box… integrated into a functioning whole. I gave up and called Comcast, who scheduled an appointment for me on the morrow (which was yesterday). After a couple o' phone calls to resolve scheduling misunderstandings the techie arrives and spends all of about 20 minutes successfully hooking everything up. And we now have HD teevee, which is a wonderful thing.
It hurts to admit it publically, but I'm technically incompetent. In my defense… our technical friend told me the component video outputs from my DVD player can't be hooked up along with the cable box… it being one or the other but not both… and that was what defeated me in the first place. But it makes no nevermind anyhoo, since my DVD player isn't high-def to begin with. So, I'm semi-incompetent. Still: embarrassing.
The great good thing about springing for HD is I get the "enhanced" digital service, which means I get a whole helluva lot of channels I didn't used to get. Which also means I get to watch the Isle of Man TT races this coming Monday evening. In high-def. Ooooh! And Ahhhh!
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Today's political content:
Well, the Good Senator from Maine had a classic comment on her defection, dint she? But I especially like Ramirez today. I'd check that frickin' box in a heartbeat.
Credit: The usual source.
Don't feel bad about the techy stuff. I did not do well at pulling the tractor into the barn. But the truck kept sliding sideways and spinning out...I was afraid I would skid and take out half the crap in the barn...hmm, not a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteI just dumped Comcast, Directv will be installed next week.
ReplyDeleteI can clearly remember when we were haviong the floors re-finished after Katrina and my husband came into the room to tell me that Juan was waiting for me to disconnect the tv, et al., upstairs before they could start. It drives him crazy that I have to do all the electronic de-hooking and hooking up. It's not that I'm tech -savvy or anything. It's just that my Daddy taught me a very important lesson when I was but a youngster: remember where the signal is coming from and remember where the signal is going. Intermediate stops in that path (such as DVD players) can cause a hitch in the go-along, but can be dealt with. Enjoy, anyway!!
ReplyDeleteI'm stealing the Ramirez!
We don't have a TV in the house capable of achieving HD. We don't even have gasp a DVR. We take crap for that all the time from our flat panel, HD, DVR, WII friends.
ReplyDeleteDon't care. I don't need a TV wider than my room, and I don't watch enough regular TV to bother with the expense.
But all that said - congrats on the new addition to your family Buck. When you know what you want, you gotta have it!
Lou: We're ALL about "sliding sideways" these days. :p
ReplyDeleteMoogie sez: Intermediate stops in that path (such as DVD players) can cause a hitch in the go-along,
And sometimes those hitches can be significant. Just sayin'. :D
Kris: There was once a time when teevee wasn't significant in my life. But these days it's an entirely different story...
Buck, I struggle with the same issues here. When my oldest son lived here he always took care of that stuff, although I watched carefully, took notes. When he came back from the Air Force Tech School (E&I was his specialty) he re-did all of the house network and cable wiring. Now I am afraid to touch it!!
ReplyDeleteProgress, always tough.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
Andy, if your issue is Versus (not just Versus HD), DirecTV dropped it because "Comcast, our largest competitor, has forced us to pull down this channel. Comcast charges us fees to air Versus, and they are now demanding an unfair and outrageous increase in those fees."
ReplyDeleteLoves me a "cable" war. Competition will drive the result. Congress, mind your own business in this, thank you.
Buck, watching the NFL in HD is quite nice. Don't know how much more of that I'll be doing, though. We do love our Packers.
Don't forget your local translators are broadcasting HD. Use the built in tuner if you have one i.e. if your HDTV is more than just a monitor. Otherwise you need an HD tuner. Regular old rabbit ears will bring it in as you're so close to a [major] metro area like Clovis. Also, I'll bet there's a VGA input that will embiggen your laptop video experience.
Reese, Clovis is no metro area. LOL! We still get everything from Amarillo or Albuquerque out here. On that note, I got my dang converter box just like everyone was screaming at me to do. And guess what? I only get TWO stinkin' channels (PBS and religion!). Gotta unhook the box for the external house antennea to get any network (and it's still really fuzzy).
ReplyDeleteBuck, I used to be the tech gal here, but sometimes common sense won't get it done anymore. LOL! Loved the cartoons.
Reese - Versus isn't really the issue. I expect (hope) Directv will have that ironed out before too long. There is much that I have come to not like about Comcast.
ReplyDeleteDirectv will give me the Altitude network, in HD, which shows pretty much every Colorado Avalanche game there is. And until playoff time, that's the most important thing for me.
Jenny: I probably sold myself short with this post, coz I'm usually pretty good about basic hook-ups and such. But this one kicked my butt. And I her ya about the local broadcast channels.
ReplyDeleteBob: What Jenny said. I got cable soon after arriving in P-Ville because I couldn't get squat using my antenna.
Well, sir, Buck 'n' ya'll, I got that Comcast outfit to come and give me their HD hookup at a special price (for 6 months, anyways) but I had the young fellow who delivers my oxygen help Wild Thing pick out the set and hook the durn thing up, waiting for the Comcast guy. Tweren't a real Comcast guy, just a subcontractor who goes 'round making the connections. But, we got 'er and don't the football games look grand. Wow.
ReplyDeleteFor those who are able to do it, PCWorld, current edition, has an article about how to hook up your TV to an old computer (I guess) and never pay a cable bill again.