Soon, Time Warner Cable customers will enter a bold new era of being required to rent a set-top box in order to watch television. That day is not yet here, and some people still plug a coaxial cable right into the back of their standard definition TV sets. In the Los Angeles area, analog customers missed about an hour of this year’s Super Bowl, including the halftime show, and will get $5 for their trouble.

With impeccable timing, it was only the Fox feed that glitched. Time Warner Cable customers, already annoyed with periodic outages and TWC’s regional cable monopoly, took to the Internet to express their rage. It’s not just gift cards: customers will have the choice between a gift card (what kind of gift card is not specified) or a $5 credit on their bill.

The glitch may not have been quite as annoying if Time Warner Cable hadn’t aired several ads bragging about how great Time Warner Cable is shortly after restoring service. Maybe. Imagine hearing the words, “Whatever you are passionate about, Time Warner Cable invents ways for you to enjoy it even better,” if you’re really passionate about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or football, we suppose.

Time Warner Cable Issuing Credits for L.A. Customers Affected by Super Bowl Blackout [Hollywood Reporter]

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