David wanted a straight answer from Comcast as to whether they were degrading his HD signal, but instead was fed a colossal trough of baloney. The executive customer service rep who replied to David’s email said Comcast is using a “new system” for HD and while it “works well with clean 1080i signals, we’re making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right. ” Sure… check out this previous post, Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels, for the science and proof of how Comcast (and other cable operators) are degrading HD feeds to make more money. The full exchanges between David and the Comcast reps, inside…

analyst Kris has entered room
Kris: Hello amanda_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Kris. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Kris: I will be happy to assist you with your questions today.
amanda: ok
Kris: I apologize for the inconvenience, I can understand your frustration.
Kris; Please give me a minute while I pull up your account.
Kris: Can you please provide the serial number from the bottom of the box?
amanda: I understand you are compressing HD channels now on the History HD channel to make more room for other channels, this seems to be effecting my HD quality.. is this a known problem?
Kris: This is the first of its kind that we encountered and I am having it noted.
Kris: Can you please provide the serial number from the bottom of the box?
amanda: I am not able to lift it up… is there another way to get the SN out of it from a menu command?
amanda: or can I give some personal info to look up my account?
Kris: is that the only HD box?
amanda: yes, the only one
Kris: I already have your account. I just need to trouble shoot the correct box,.
amanda: ok
Kris: Please make sure that the box is turned on.
amanda: cause I have look at several articles stating that several HD channels are now being compressed to carry more HD content, and for the last few days, my A&E Hd, and history channel HD look very degraded..
amanda: yes it is on
Kris: i will send a signal to refresh your box.
amanda: ok
Kris: I will now send a hit signal.
amanda: ok.. waiting…
Kris: I have sent a signal to your digital box. Can you please check to see if this has resolved your issue?
amanda: one sec
amanda: I have degraded service on A&E, discovery, and history HD…
amanda: FROM THE WEB, Wow. Can this company be any more evil? “It looks like Comcast is degrading the quality of some HD channels in order to make room for more channels. So far the Comcast channels receiving extra compression are: Discovery Channel, SciFi, USA, Food, NatGeo, UHD, A&E, HGTV, Starz, Cinemax, HBO, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD Theater, and History HD.
amanda: that is the info I have
Kris: There are no HD issues reported for your area. Is it fine with you if I schedule a technician to have it checked?
Kris: I am sorry but we are not degrading services.
amanda: it sure seems like it.. because all the channels in the list are degraded… seems real weird…. is there a new HD box top that might solve this problem? mine is kind of old
amanda: I think I might just cancel my HD service… how do I go about doing that?
Kris: I can process that for you and schedule a tech to have your box replaced. Another option is to return the box to your local office and replace it with a regular box.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: David R
To: brian_roberts@comcast.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 16:14:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: NO MORE HD

Dear Mr. Roberts,

I want to let you know about my total dissatisfaction with your new attempt to carry 3 HD channels worth of bandwidth in the space of 2, effectively degrading my HD service.

I am a avid History Channel watcher, and enjoy the HD service for it’s crisp picture and clarity. Now that you have decided to try and compete with FIOS, you have degraded your own HD signals to try and carry more channels. This has totally messed up my HD channels that I watch, and makes me wonder why I am paying full price now for down-graded service.

This is just another reason why I might leave Comcast and move to FIOS. Don’t degrade your own channels to say “we have more HD”, just give me good HD on the channels I have now… PLEASE!!!!

Dave R

— “Asbury, Cynthia” Cynthia_Asbury@cable.comcast.com wrote:

Good evening Mr. R,

Thank you for the feedback to Brian Roberts. As you are aware, we are constantly striving to provide improved services to our Customers, including a wide variety of HD content. In an effort to do this, we have recently started using a new system to deliver some HD channels.

While this system works well with clean 1080i signals, we’re making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right.

Thank you for being a Comcast Customer!

Sincerely,
Ms. Asbury

National Customer Operations
Executive Office
One Comcast Center
Phila, Pa. 19103

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: David Rogers
To: “Asbury, Cynthia” Cynthia_Asbury@cable.comcast.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 20:39:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Comcast HD channels

Ms. Asbury,

I beg to differ. This has nothing to do with 1080i vs 720i. This seems to have every thing to due with Comcast over compressing HD singles in limited bandwidth, and not informing your customers regarding the degraded HD signals, nor offering your customers a reduced rate for the degraded HD signal.

This seems to be nothing more than a marketing campaign to try and be able to state that “we have more HD than XYZ”. Seeing that FIOS is available, and that Direct TV has just launched another satellite offering HD, I no longer see any reason to hang on to Comcast’s degraded HD service.

Dave R

PREVIOUSLY: Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels

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