Time Warner Cable Is Now Spectrum - still sucks

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Erik Tracy, Oct 18, 2016.

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  1. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    wow, kind of backs up all the stories i've been told.
     
  2. slovell

    slovell Retired Mudshark

    Location:
    Chesnee, SC, USA
    Yeah, DirecTV's introductory rates are pretty much a scam. You get the low price for six months to a year then they hammer you. Of course they'll offer you a break if you'll sign up for a two year contract. I've thought about going in the streaming direction, but streaming is pretty erratic in my experience. I could be wrong though, maybe it's improved but there's still the no DVR and no locals thing with streaming.
     
  3. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    Boy, the Cable Industry sure has some effective lobbying in Congress. Hard to think of another that basically has legal permission to screw people. Other than banks. And Auto manufacturers. And airlines.
     
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  4. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    well, i've discovered another f**k-job from spectrum with their little box program.....

    i had a VCR hooked up to my TV using a splitter.

    i use the VCR for one thing and one thing only...i tape 'survivor' and show it in my sociology class.

    well, with the new box program (and their switch to all digital) spectrum has really crewed me over good. i cannot even use the little box because the VCR has no HDMI input.

    i doubt i can use CBS.com, because i would have to pay a fee.

    my only chance is specrtum on demand, which i am not really sure i can use at school yet ( i will try tomorrow), nor do i know how soon shows end up on demand.

    what a mess, what a mess...my my my
     
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  5. Benno123

    Benno123 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    Spectrum called my grandmother and threatend her about the change. She said she will do what she can but at 87 she said she wasn’t sure without help. They have threatened to cut off her TV service without getting a box and will continue to charge her. She called back and had someone nice but that made me mad. I told her to wait and see, that my understanding is that they need to by federal law broadcast the local channels over the cable. But I know they are moving channels and taking off popular ones and replacing with junk ....
     
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  6. Tim S

    Tim S Senior Member

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    The boxes have DVR's so just use that? My spectrum box also has analog outs if you just have to use your vcr. I realize you must like your vcr or you wouldn't be using it, but you know it is 2o17 and TV is digital, whether we like it or not.
     
  7. Tim S

    Tim S Senior Member

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    I feel sure if you or she were to call and ask nicely they would send over your box and have one of their service people set it up. That has been my experience with Spectrum.

    I wasn't there to hear what they might have said to your Grandma, but I really doubt they "threatened" her. The box requirement happened about two years ago and they mailed out explanations about it. All the local channels are still on there, you just have to use the box, which they supply. In our case, they supply up to 3 per household.

    I don't work for Spectrum or love them or anything, I'm just telling you my experience with them and one of my own elderly relative's experiences.

    At first I was pissed about the box, too, until I used it and saw that it had a DVR and some other features I liked.

    The feature I HATE? No analog audio out that is controlled by the remote unless you are using your TV's build in speakers or an AV receiver.
     
  8. Benno123

    Benno123 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    I didn’t take the call, I just know that she said someone from Spectrum called her. Once she verified it was them (she had her bill and I guess have them verify maybe the account number, again I know she said she verified) and they told her she just asked some questions. That is when she said the person turned nasty. When she called back the person she talked to was very helpful, not the first one. I have not had one positive experience with them since they became Spectrum and I have no reason to not believe her. She said she was told that if she didn’t comply she’s cut off. She said she just wanted to ask questions .... she has no reason to not ask any way but nicely, and maybe that was all she was asking, she didn’t say. I just know the person on the first call upset her.
     
  9. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    nope, tried it....won't work :(

    the little bedroom box doesn't have a DVR, and it only has an HDMI out, my VCR has no HDMI in.

    i'm going to try the spectrum on demand in school tomorrow, that just might work, my fingers are crossed. and if worse comes to worse, i'll buy the CBS app for 3 months.

    BTW - when spectrum went digital we lost all TV at school....we have $3000 video smart boards and no TV channels because they are analog.
     
  10. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    are you talking about the little box having a DVR?

    mine sure doesn't, you cannot pause or rewind live TV like you can with the big DVR box on the big T?V.
     
  11. Tim S

    Tim S Senior Member

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    The boxes Spectrum provided for us when they notified us about having to have a box from now on to receive ANY service are about the size of a stereo receiver - just slightly smaller. The have full feature DVR. They sent them to us by mail. They are made by Cisco. I haven't heard of a smaller box.

    Note: The service in our region has always been from Spectrum (CHarter), so I understand things may be different for people who had service from another company that was taken over by Spectrum.
     
  12. PTgraphics

    PTgraphics Senior Member

    Called this weekend to switch from TWC to Spectrum to get a slightly cheaper rate. I have to turn in my 2 digital boxes since they won't work with Spectrum. DVR will work OK. My 2 older Tube TV's don't have HDMI and they didn't locally have the box with 2 cable connectors - input and output, so I have to wait for them to mail me the boxes to set them up to get the cheaper rate. Was told I will always need the boxes unless I get a Samsung TV and I can use the app that you download to the TV. It's $5 a month for each box. Looking for other alternatives if anyone has them. Will probably get at least 1 cheap new TV. My wife 'watches' one before she goes to sleep and the other is just used to watch ESPN or something when the main TV is used by the kids. Cable got cut to 125 channels of which we probably watch 12 total, maybe.
     
  13. MikaelaArsenault

    MikaelaArsenault Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Ugh. So this year again, I'll have to deal with Wrecktum when going on vacation in Maine for two weeks this time.

    Lucky for me, I have a trick up my sleeve. Getting the XFINITY Stream app for my iPhone 7.
     
  14. Reader

    Reader Senior Member

    Location:
    e.s.t. tenn.

    I'm in the same general area as you and the boxes we have to use do not have DVR features. I do know how to use them and it's not a feature I would miss knowing about.

    Spectrum service is garbage in my opinion. I stopped their service before the boxes were necessary and will never give them another penny of my money. I do have an older relative that uses their service and that's how I know about their pitiful excuse for service. After a period of time they started charging for the now necessary box that we didn't want to start with. We've had to exchange the box a couple times due to the signal breaking up but it's still hit and miss.

    This relative needs to have the tv service even though only about 5 channels are ever used, mostly news. The cost is high and seems to go up at least once a year. I would love another option for this person I try to help but don't think we have any other way to go.

    I will not use the satellite services due to their lying about cost unless you read the small print and between the lines. I've not been impressed by what I've seen of their service either.

    I know this post makes me sound like a real grouch and that I will not give the cable companies a fair shake but they are ripping everyone off with their bad service and over charging. There should be a small basic charge and then you should be able to pick the channels you want without these huge packages you don't use. Many people don't have a need for 50 sports, 10 religious, and another 100 channels of garbage tv. Pay for what you want, get decent service and enjoy the things you want to see. Cable needs to have massive regulation and not be the rogue outfit it now is. My opinion.
     
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  15. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Cable companies are the cell phone companies of the past. There’s only one thing a company wants you to do sign a contract or get their credit card. Because most Americans are too lazy to consider even getting out from under that baloney once they been sucked in.
     
  16. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    the latest spectrum price gouge.

    they charge $12.99 to 'rent" their DVR per month.......OK, i get it and i like it so i pay;

    looking at my bill yesterday i noticed that i was being charged $13.98 for 2 boxes, with a $6.99 credit. (which, i assumed was for the free for one year box they gave me)

    well, i immediately called them to tell them i only have 1 box, and that they told me that i get it free for one year. and they agreeed. so i asked why i was being charged for 2 boxes when i only have 1?

    i was informed that i do have 2 boxes: the one in my bedroom that i am getting free for a year.

    and the one in my DVR!!!!!!

    an immediate WTF came out of my mouth. informing them i pay $12.99 already for my DVR.

    they said yes, and that i also had to pay for the additional box that is INSIDE the DVR. i said that is selling me a car without a steering wheel and the lady agreed with me, but said that is how it works.

    so my $12.99 a month DVR actually coasts $19.98 a month.

    spectrum are truly f**kers. i don't understand how the FCC lets them get away with what they get away with.
     
  17. Gems-A-Bems

    Gems-A-Bems Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Duke City
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015H76TRI/
     
  18. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    Final straw hit today with Wrecktum.

    I used to get the Destination America Channel and regularly watched the channel - esp. BBQ Pitmasters.

    Today, I get the "Call Customer Care to Receive This Channel" display.

    F' that!

    Yet another channel stolen away while my monthly fee has gone up.

    Just ordered two more Roku sticks for the other 2 rooms; when they show up and get running, I'm telling Wrecktum to go f' themselves and return all their damn boxes.

    MFs....:realmad:
     
  19. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    I wrote earlier here about the difficulty in getting Google to do fiber even though our neighborhood is wired for it and may have mentioned all the time I wasted with calls, a trip to the Google Fiber store, no follow up, etc. We got Spectrum for $50 bucks/mo, internet only and I was pretty happy with the service. Then, the 'introductory offer' expired and our bill, after the first year, became $70/mo for the same service.
    I called and asked if there was anything they could do to accommodate me, otherwise I was going to disconnect. They politely told me to go fish.
    My wife contacted Google Fiber and unlike my experience, they had the outside box installed almost immediately. In fact, I didn't know it was there until a Google tech came the day before our scheduled appointment to check it. (They did a nice job on the install too, pulling their outdoor wire through existing conduit underground between our house and their node). The indoor install guys came the following day and got the modem hooked up in almost no time, using the existing cable path inside the house to pull their optic wire.
    I called Spectrum to disconnect. I got the nastiest person on the planet. I was not to be daunted however. I told him when he quit interrupting me, I would gladly give him an explanation of why we were discontinuing service (apparently, they are trained not to let this happen and he extended me all kinds of offers and incentives at this point, which were ridiculous- I already had the other service installed). I just said in as nice a way as i could: "I called you guys when you raised the monthly charge and gave you an opportunity to make good. In fact, most of the people I dealt with at your company- other than you--were pretty nice. So, if I can hang up now, I'd appreciate it."
    My wife is going to return the modem tomorrow.
    They are dinosaurs- operating as if they still rule the earth.
    Much as I don't really like the Alphabet Co. and big data, they are the giant meteor. And, I'm pleased to say I enjoyed watching it hit.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2018
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  20. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident

    Been dealing with Spectrum for about 1 1/2 years since they made the switch around here. I found its best to deal with them in person, customer service over the phone is horrible and often inaccurate. Going in the store gets all our needs done, plus I walk out saving a few bucks because they apply the best discounts.

    I should add, I only use them for internet. They usually throw in basic TV, for almost nothing. My family does not watch much TV, occasionally PBS. We don’t get any over the air channels because we live in the hills, so cable is our only option for any basic channels.
     
  21. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    I'm glad you got some sort of consideration, but for me - I'm done with Wrecktum.

    3 DVRs, cable modem, phone modem, bunch of remotes; gonna pile them all in a box, visit the store, and go tell them to f' themselves and pound sand.

    I'll still lose CBS and live PBS, and some other channels, but I'll save a bucket of money each year, and be rid of these MFs.
     
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  22. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    i would not make a trip to their store to return the stuff.....have them send a person to come and pick it up. if they want it they will do it.

    and they know you are not using their service anymore once you cancel so they can't charge you for the stuff either.

    BTW - was at the spectrum store last week, my DVR took a poop, and there had to be at least 10 people there returning things and canceling services. as far as i could tell, no one was adding anything new.
     
  23. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

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  24. Dude111

    Dude111 An Awesome Dude

    Location:
    US
    Yea they seem to be making a lot of people mad!!!!!
     
  25. SquishySounds

    SquishySounds Yo mama so fat Thanos had to snap twice.

    Location:
    New York
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