[DSCToronto]

I am thinking of buying a condominium in an (older) building that has a bulk purchase contract with Rogers Cable TV and gets their Ultimate Digital package plus 3 standard digital boxes for about $32 a month. It is a compulsory charge so all units get this package but can then buy additional channels. From the Rogers site, the 'retail price' of this 'basic' package (without the boxes) is about $75 so this is a pretty good deal. Do most condominium buildings in Toronto have these packages? Any other comments?

 

[intoronto1125]

I live in a condo and we pay separately for cable. I think you are getting a good deal though.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

My friend lives in a mid-80's condo on Jarvis Street that has a very similar arrangement, I'm not sure how many digital boxes he gets through. It is a good price but I'm sure you'll find that this is partly being subsidized through maintenance fees. The HD boxes are $16-$25/month each. These are grandfathered arrangements, your not likely to find these in newer condos as the Act changed in 1997 so they can't lock residents into these contracts anymore.
Once Bell FIBE becomes more widely available (will be in my building very soon) it gives us the power to negotiate even better terms for TV/Internet & land lines between the two carriers.

 

[ShonTron]

My parents' condo has an arrangement where Rogers Cable is paid through maintenance fees. They get the basic digital non-HD package - all the basic cable channels plus the timeshifting and a new digital-only channels. I think Rogers offers these exclusive deals because if a condo is pre-wired for their service, it doesn't cost them much to provide that signal, so if it's a take it or leave it exclusive offer, I don't think maintenance fees will have much or any subsidization of that deal.

I get the basic Rogers package for free (it's pretty much the VIP package), but not quite "legally" - the TekSavvy tech (a contractor) turned on the cable signal when he came last year to set up my internet (without me knowing), 14 months later I'm still enjoying it. Don't tell anyone though!

Apart from my cellphone and the occasional Jays ticket, I haven't paid Rogers anything in 26 months - the last place I rented shared the cable/internet.

 

[Eug]

My friend lives in a mid-80's condo on Jarvis Street that has a very similar arrangement, I'm not sure how many digital boxes he gets through. It is a good price but I'm sure you'll find that this is partly being subsidized through maintenance fees. The HD boxes are $16-$25/month each. These are grandfathered arrangements, your not likely to find these in newer condos as the Act changed in 1997 so they can't lock residents into these contracts anymore.
Once Bell FIBE becomes more widely available (will be in my building very soon) it gives us the power to negotiate even better terms for TV/Internet & land lines between the two carriers.

You can buy used 4250HD boxes (hi-def non-PVR) for about $150 or less on Craigslist. In fact, Rogers was clearing out the old 8300HD PVRs (hi-def PVR) last year for 180 via their Shopping Channel store. No need to spend $16-25/month if you plan on signing on for a year or more.

DSC, what do you mean by "standard digital boxes"? Because I wouldn't bother with their non-HD boxes.

 

[doug]

I get the basic Rogers package for free (it's pretty much the VIP package), but not quite "legally" - the TekSavvy tech (a contractor) turned on the cable signal when he came last year to set up my internet (without me knowing), 14 months later I'm still enjoying it. Don't tell anyone though!

They're eliminating the analog service slowly right now.

 

[Eug]

They're eliminating the analog service slowly right now.

Correct. That analogue service will disappear soon enough. They are providing "free" digital boxes that provide the same basic cable in standard def. from their digital signals, but those free boxes absolutely suck. I had one briefly and then chose to return it. They're just horrible, so I ended up buying a proper HD box.

What they really need is a proper HD box that uses less electricity than the current ones, and is about the size of the free boxes. The HD boxes are unnecessarily large.

 

[DSCToronto]

Correct. That analogue service will disappear soon enough. They are providing "free" digital boxes that provide the same basic cable in standard def. from their digital signals, but those free boxes absolutely suck. I had one briefly and then chose to return it. They're just horrible, so I ended up buying a proper HD box.

What they really need is a proper HD box that uses less electricity than the current ones, and is about the size of the free boxes. The HD boxes are unnecessarily large.

Yes, it is clearly best to buy a proper HD digital box. I assume that one day Rogers may add these to the packages they sell condominiums but now the contract I mentioned above is for the (crappy) digital boxes.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Correct. That analogue service will disappear soon enough. They are providing "free" digital boxes that provide the same basic cable in standard def. from their digital signals, but those free boxes absolutely suck. I had one briefly and then chose to return it. They're just horrible, so I ended up buying a proper HD box.

I still have a tube TV in my bedroom, it works fine so I'll stick with it until it dies then I'll go to a smaller HD panel. The digital boxes all suck from Rogers - the new SD "Explorer" receiver that I bought from Future Shop lasted about three years and then Rogers replaced it with a rental ($4.49/month) that's a small black box, which I've had to have replaced three or four times in about two years.

Yes, it is clearly best to buy a proper HD digital box. I assume that one day Rogers may add these to the packages they sell condominiums but now the contract I mentioned above is for the (crappy) digital boxes.

You can buy used 4250HD boxes (hi-def non-PVR) for about $150 or less on Craigslist. In fact, Rogers was clearing out the old 8300HD PVRs (hi-def PVR) last year for 180 via their Shopping Channel store. No need to spend $16-25/month if you plan on signing on for a year or more.

The older "Explorer" models (SD, HD & HD-PVR) are problematic with their firmware. About two years ago they hired Cisco to write the firmware updates and it's been one problem after another, I wouldn't spend a dime on any of these units even though they were great units until Cisco screwed them up. The new units are cheap crap, slow and are also buggy, Cisco is still working out the problems with them too so I wouldn't buy one of those either. The Explorer boxes were good work-horses, the new boxes... not so much. Google "Canadian Home Theatre Forum" and you can read all the dirt on these units there, it's a forum much like UT.

 

[doug]

I still have a tube TV in my bedroom, it works fine so I'll stick with it until it dies then I'll go to a smaller HD panel.

Once the analog tier is gone you'll have to use a box, Rogers doesn't have any clear(unencrypted) qam channels.

 

[Eug]

I still have a tube TV in my bedroom, it works fine so I'll stick with it until it dies then I'll go to a smaller HD panel.

If you're talking about analogue on the tube TV, you're lucky Rogers still allows this. I thought they would have cut off analogue completely in 2012.

The older "Explorer" models (SD, HD & HD-PVR) are problematic with their firmware. About two years ago they hired Cisco to write the firmware updates and it's been one problem after another, I wouldn't spend a dime on any of these units even though they were great units until Cisco screwed them up.

Mine work just fine. I have both the 4250HD and the 8300HD PVR units. I can even program the PVR over the internet from my cell phone. There was a drive-spinning-up firmware issue a couple of years ago with the 8300HD PVR but that was corrected a long, long time ago.

My main issue with these is that the interface is slow (esp. on the 4250HD) and not really well laid out, and there is no whole home PVR support.

I also even have an old 3250HD. It actually still works, but the DVI port finally died. I switched it to using analogue component video and it continued to work fine after that (sans DVI).

Actually, my real main issue is that I don't watch much cable TV anymore so I really don't need all this crap. However, my wife does, so I continue to pay the $850 a year for this unfortunately.

 

[Electrify]

Recently moved into an apartment, and will be getting Netflix. Sure being able to channel surf is nice, but $8 for Netflix vs $80 for cable... ya, the value just ain't there.

I should really look at getting an OTA antenna though.

 

[Eug]

Recently moved into an apartment, and will be getting Netflix. Sure being able to channel surf is nice, but $8 for Netflix vs $80 for cable... ya, the value just ain't there.

Netflix in Canada is nowhere near as good a selection as the US version, but nonetheless it is still good for a lot of stuff, particularly if you like stuff like old TV shows, and don't mind seeing movies a few years after they're released.

Also, its new content is getting good reviews. I haven't seen House of Cards, but it's been nominated for Emmys. I have started watching Orange is the new Black, and it starts off kinda funny and interesting so I have high hopes for it.

I should really look at getting an OTA antenna though.

I ran OTA for years. It generally sucks. No on-demand features (for obvious reasons), and it if rains you can count on problems. That was in my apt. though. In my house I have a rooftop antenna but it's broken. I could get a new one, but I haven't bothered because of the drawbacks of OTA. Mind you, the $850 I'm paying every year for cable is a pretty big drawback as well, esp. when it's not me watching in general, just the wife.

 

[Electrify]

I know Netflix in Canada ain't perfect, but as I said, $80 bucks vs $8. If I really get tired of it though, I have heard good things about this service called unblock.us or something like that. $5 per month, and I can get the US or other international Netflix services.

I've also been reading that OTA has gotten much better, especially now that it is all digital. Right now I'm having the most difficulty trying to find a place which sells starter equipment. Any suggestions?

 

[doug]

I've also been reading that OTA has gotten much better, especially now that it is all digital. Right now I'm having the most difficulty trying to find a place which sells starter equipment. Any suggestions?

What do you mean by starter equipment? you need a Tv and an antenna.