A cable alternative to Metrocast??

[NHBassMaster]

Hello,

Relatively new to Meredith and I was just wondering if Metrocast has a monopoly
With respect to cable providers in Meredith, NH? Is there another company coming soon??
I don't want Dish, or Roku or anything similar, I prefer cable but Metrocast seems to have a very poor selection of channels.

Thanks for any info you can give me.
Much appreciated.

[Merrymeeting]

For reasons I increasingly don't understand, our government(s) have decided it makes sense to award exclusive licences to cable companies in each town. If your town has Metrocast, that is the only option. Given how quickly things are changing in the video and streaming spaces, this needs to change.

In the end, the biggest issue is you only have one choice for a high bandwidth, internet connection...and it's Metrocast.

(And BTW, I've been very happy with my Metrocast broadband service. Though I would like to have options)

[Rinkerguy]

Go with metrocast for Internet, and Directv for TV

[brk-lnt]

For reasons I increasingly don't understand, our government(s) have decided it makes sense to award exclusive licences to cable companies in each town.

It's simple, there is not enough business for multiple competitive operators to offer service.

That's why you have a 3rd-tier operator (Metrocast) in the first place.

[Merrymeeting]

It's simple, there is not enough business for multiple competitive operators to offer service.

That's why you have a 3rd-tier operator (Metrocast) in the first place.

So why not let the market determine this rather than a government bureaucracy?

[Lakegeezer]

For reasons I increasingly don't understand, our government(s) have decided it makes sense to award exclusive licences to cable companies in each town. If your town has Metrocast, that is the only option. Given how quickly things are changing in the video and streaming spaces, this needs to change.

In the end, the biggest issue is you only have one choice for a high bandwidth, internet connection...and it's Metrocast.

(And BTW, I've been very happy with my Metrocast broadband service. Though I would like to have options)The government licenses (franchises) are going to the cable TV service. The internet (and telephone/security services) ride along for free with the monopoly. As long as there is a market for cable TV - the economics of delivering internet that way makes sense. Twenty years from now (maybe sooner), WIMAX fixed wireless services (think WIFI on steroids) will be competitive. But, with the cable already in place with its saturated market, it will be a challenge for any new provider to win over new customers. That is why we see little in the way of fixed wireless services today. The internet is unregulated and regulations for WIMAX airwaves vary by frequency.

Companies like Verizon and AT&T could own the future of the residential internet market, if they dropped the data volume charges. A typical residence, using 30+ gigabyte per month, would be very expensive with today's mobile wireless data rates. Yes, capacity is an issue for wireless, but that is just an engineering specification and business model problem.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[brk-lnt]

So why not let the market determine this rather than a government bureaucracy?

The market *has* determined it. It's basic math, subscriber density relative to build out and operation costs. The reason an MSO wants an exclusive license is to ensure that they don't invest in infrastructure and then have another MSO come along and overbuild the system, causing both to lose out long term. There is already competition, to a degree, with satellite TV.

In areas like the lakes region you have a LOT of seasonal subscribers and a lot of basic-tier only subscribers. The seasonal ones aren't that profitable, and the majority of the basic-tier pricing is heavily regulated. They make most of their money on PPV, premium channels and additional services.

I've worked a lot with MSO's and have sat on the telecom board in a previous smaller town that I lived in. You need a very dense city with a population of about 100,000+ people before multiple operators becomes feasible.

[Merrymeeting]

Interestingly, this whole topic was the subject on the Diane Rehm show today on NHPR. http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-04-23/shake-up-in-the-cable-tv-industry-and-what-it-means-for-consumers

[NHBassMaster]

Thank you all for your thoughtful, informative responses. Sadly, it looks like there is only one choice when it comes to cable and not a very good one at that.

[TriDad]

IF you have a seasonal home, here is an option...

I purchased High Speed Basic Internet only from Metrocast @ $42 and then a Slingbox ($129) installed on my Comcast box at home. It works great.

[Happy Gourmand]

How do you get the TV signal from your internet to the TV at the lake? Does the TV have to be connected to a computer? Do you get all the channels that you have at home?

[TriDad]

You can connect a computer to the TV and use the slingbox app to control and receive the TV signal. You can also use and app on the iPhone or iPAd and then connect that to the TV.

[bigdog]

I have a question regarding Sligbox connection?

I have a older Projection TV (2001), which cannot connect to my computer nor does it have HD. TV is located in Mass house.

I know what you're going to tell me..... Replace old Projection TV with new type. Can I connect the Sligbox to that TV?

All TV's in NH house are all new Internet ready type. Currently streaming Netflix here.

Does the Slingbox connect to the actual TV or to the cable box?

[TriDad]

The slingbox connects directly to the cable box. It doesn't matter what TV you have at the "source"

[SIKSUKR]

And the tv your sending to does not need to be internet ready but an hdmi port will give you HD if thats what your home service is.

[SIKSUKR]

As a channel surfing nut I need to ask how responsive is the channel changing process in terms of time delay if any?

[Happy Gourmand]

And, on that note, is there a clicker available that will work with whatever you use for the computer?

[SteveO123]

Regarding the delay time to change channels with Sling, honestly it's maddeningly slow. Response is several seconds and it's really annoying. For example you can't really control stop/pause/play etc on your DVD because of the timing delays. Having that annoyance is a very small trade-off for what you DO get. Amazing device that sends your already-purchased content over the internet!

Regarding the "clicker", you can purchase an App for your phone or iPad that acts as the clicker--and also does the streaming too. If you use your PC then you control from there.

I am, for one, hooked on Slingbox for the lake. If you have a strong, decently fast internet signal at the lake then send those shows from Mass. up 93 and bypass the tolls!

Cheers,
--Steve

[Happy Gourmand]

Do you connect the Slingbox to your cable box at home, or to your home TV?

[SIKSUKR]

You connect your cable box out to the Slingbox and then to your tv so Sling is seeing what is going to the tv.It passes through the sling without affecting your primary tv.

[TriDad]

As a channel surfing nut I need to ask how responsive is the channel changing process in terms of time delay if any?

Don't use Slingbox if you are an ADHD channel surfer. It will be maddeningly slow. Great if you just want to set it on the SOX channel and watch a game.

[bigdog]

I see there are several Slingbox models: M1, 350, 500, Solo, etc, all at different prices. I suspect it's like buying any electronics, comes down to options !

What does one model have over the other?

Keeping it simple....I just want to use Sligbox on 1 HDTV, set to one station and watch TV !

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated....

[TriDad]

I see there are several Slingbox models: M1, 350, 500, Solo, etc, all at different prices. I suspect it's like buying any electronics, comes down to options !

What does one model have over the other?

Keeping it simple....I just want to use Sligbox on 1 HDTV, set to one station and watch TV !

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated....

I don't know all the options on each box. I have the M1 connected to an Comcast service in MA so I can watch the Sox on an HD TV at the lake. This setup works fine for me.

[SIKSUKR]

I see there are several Slingbox models: M1, 350, 500, Solo, etc, all at different prices. I suspect it's like buying any electronics, comes down to options !

What does one model have over the other?

Keeping it simple....I just want to use Sligbox on 1 HDTV, set to one station and watch TV !

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated....

Basically,you need an wired connection near your tv with the 350.The 500 has WiFi and a few other features.

[bigdog]

Sorry to beat this dead horse, but........

I believe that I'll need the mobile application to enable streaming on most home devices, such as an Apple TV or Roku to use with the Sligbox?

We have an Ipad and already using for Roku and Apple streaming Netflix, etc at each location.

So it sounds like I need to purchase a mobile appl. install on the Ipad,
to use in conjuction with my Slingbox (Apple/Roku).

Do I have this right?

Thanks,
Bigdog

[Patofnaud]

Do some Googling on Slingbox and you will see that as of recent, they turned on advertising in all of their free mobile apps. Kind of like Youtube does. LOTS of folks up in arms. Not sure ho it effect the Chromecast or ROKU apps.

You can pay (per device) for the ad free version.

I use a Monsoon Vulkano (similar to a Slingbox, not as big a following) to do the same.