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terrible reception on TNT and AE (TWCable) — Brooklynian

terrible reception on TNT and AE (TWCable)

lnelson
lnelson
edited November -1 in Park Slope
'nother tech question here. does anyone else who has time warner cable sometimes get terrible reception in certain channels, such as TNT and A&E? those channels carry the highly predictable procedural dramas i rely on to keep me sane in a crazy world, and they both sometimes are rendered unwatchable, becoming pixely or even scrambled (but in a digital way, not an old-style way), and the sound is similarly choppy and weird and incomprehensible. other times they're fine. both are in my regular cable package. my TV is new and i vaguely recall this happening with a different TV also in park slope at my old apt. anyone else have this experience? know how to fix it?

Comments

  • carmen
    carmen
    I don't know if its possible that only specific channels are screwed up but I have twc and have crap reception over all. Maybe it just seems like its those channels more often bc you watch them more? It seems like "high traffic" tv time produces worse reception (like it'll be fine during the day but during prime-time its all choppy and the audio goes out etc) but that could again just be my imagination
  • easilyfound
    easilyfound
    Receptions on TWC has been very spotty -- crappy -- since Thanksgiving from what I can recall. Picture will be blurry or pixely. I purchased a new HDTV at the beginning of Nov. My new TV plays Blu-Ray discs great, so the crappy picture is not caused by my TV.
  • bradedward
    bradedward
    I'm considering dropping my TW Cable and keeping the internet and getting all my shows through Hula, Netflix, and other online sources.

    Has anyone else attempted this?
  • booklaw
    booklaw
    EasilyFound, did you replace your TWC cable box when you bought your HDTV? The standard TWC cable box doesn't provide HDTV-quality signals, and it costs nothing to trade it in (at the TWC office at 5th Ave and roughly 30th St.) for an upgraded box.
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    bradedward wrote: I'm considering dropping my TW Cable and keeping the internet and getting all my shows through Hula, Netflix, and other online sources
    If you do that, you must report back here forthwith. I've considered it too. If I do it, I'll brief everyone on my experience.

    Would you get any reception at all in that case, does anyone know? In the olden days there were antennae and you would still get the networks and some shitty local channels. But I feel like that was over soon after "Wayne's World" came out. ?
  • bradedward
    bradedward
    Lnelson, since everything is digital you can now pick up HD channels with an antenna....and a lot of them from what it sounds like. I have seen directions online as well to build your own antenna perfect for picking up HD stations. And since we are on the slope I image we would get decent reception considering everything is coming from the Empire State building.

    Hmmmmmm.....my gears are turning....
  • bradedward
    bradedward
    The only thing that sucks about pulling this off is that I would still be forced to use Time Warner for internet.

    My New Years Resolution is to quit Time Warner Cable.
  • easilyfound
    easilyfound
    booklaw wrote: EasilyFound, did you replace your TWC cable box when you bought your HDTV? The standard TWC cable box doesn't provide HDTV-quality signals, and it costs nothing to trade it in (at the TWC office at 5th Ave and roughly 30th St.) for an upgraded box.
    Yes. I went down myself and exchanged boxes. I even called TWC to send out a technician because I had some other problems. One night my DVR did not record. Or I should say, it recorded a blank screen. Other times the cable guide telling you what shows on are each channel didn't show. I just got a black screen where the guide was supposed to be. On Monday, the screen froze up while I was trying to watch MNF, and I had to reboot. The technician came out and replaced the cable inside my apt. Did something to the box.

    I have friend who doesn't have cable and gets channels in HD via an antenna on top of his building. Picture was great. Another friend told me that antenna reception give you the best HD picture.
  • jimmy
    jimmy
    I recently ditched cable and got an HD antenna - it cost $10, set up in about five minutes, and I get great reception on all the networks, plus a few additional random channels. I'm saving a ton of money and a lot of time spent watching useless tv when I could be doing something else a lot more productive.
  • nomad
    nomad
    bradedward wrote: I'm considering dropping my TW Cable and keeping the internet and getting all my shows through Hula, Netflix, and other online sources.

    Has anyone else attempted this?
    Yes. But not everything is on the internet... but then again, I'm not always up to date with the best sites to get TV etc...
    Jimmy wrote: I recently ditched cable and got an HD antenna - it cost $10, set up in about five minutes, and I get great reception on all the networks, plus a few additional random channels. I'm saving a ton of money and a lot of time spent watching useless tv when I could be doing something else a lot more productive.
    I've been doing this for over a year now. But - I'm in Prospect Heights, and I have trouble getting Channel 13. Some days I can, and others not. Do you?
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    does the antenna have to be on top of your building, or can you have it in your apartment?
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    whoa, the new york times tech section has a whole article on avoiding cable: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10basics.html?em

    i definitely couldn't replicate this. i would pay someone else to set it up and explain to me, though. only how does the author get internet? isn't he still paying a gabillion dollars for that, probably?
  • nomad
    nomad
    lnelson wrote: does the antenna have to be on top of your building, or can you have it in your apartment?
    My antenna is on my apt window sill. (So not on apt building roof.)
  • sadarami
    sadarami
    I have the same set up, digital antenna on window sill, first floor in center slope and am still amazed at how sharp the picture quality is with new flat screen tv, HD and everything, even shows a channel guide. Generally no problem with reception except occasionally when a bus or truck drives by in front of apt the picture will cut out for a few seconds, its annoying but tolerable. I bought a fancy $60 antenna (I think its a Winegard) which got good reviews and seemed reasonable.
  • anthonycm
    anthonycm
    Don't you often get some channels by just plugging in the cable whether you have cable or not? I seem to remember in an old apartment of mine in Manhattan I got all the broadcast channels, TBS, and a few others without paying for cable. Does anyone know what's available this way?

    Also, I'm really considering going cable-less. I've already got a PS3 and an Apple TV. I'm considering the Mac Mini. I'm off to CES this weekend, so I'll see what other options are out there.
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior
    hulu for some tv shows if they are up to date on them, usually 1 week delays, but i get around that problem with bittorrent on all shows on movies for years :p. I still have directv.
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