Reader CJ decided to order cable after not having it for several years. Turns out Time Warner Cable in LA is out of HD cable boxes… until June.

CJ says:

Recession? Or just stupidity?

I called Time Warner Cable to order cable for the first time in two years. I had canceled my service because I didn’t have the money but I recently started a new job and thought, naively, that I could now return to enjoying ‘Charles in Charge’ reruns on Nick at Nite (can you tell I don’t have cable?).

So I called Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles, where I live, and went through a 10-minute cheerful conversation with the customer service rep, who was no doubt whistling away in glee as I added tiers and packages and whatnot that would make him look really awesome to his boss. Except we get to the end part, and he goes, “Oh, by the way, we don’t have any HD receivers in stock, so you can just order the DVR receiver instead and then return it to a store when we do have them in stock.”

I informed the guy that I had no intention of “going to a store” to return anything, because my point of getting cable installed — by someone other than I — was not to make my life more difficult — in fact, just the opposite.

I asked him when Time Warner Cable would have the normal HD receivers in stock. His answer?

“June.”

I calmly informed him that I would be taking my business elsewhere.

Not that you shouldn’t just take your business elsewhere, but this makes us wonder– what other options are there for HD DVR-ing yourself?

Anything good?

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