TWC runs out of HD boxes!

[mr_yeti]

I had posted here yesterday about the impending installation of an HD-capable TWC box in my home. Well, when the installer arrived, he informed me that TWC had run out of HD boxes. Crazy! While I guess that it's good news that these are in such demand (and I'm not entirely sure I believe it), I'm still incredibly disappointed. There must be a lot of pioneering and experimenting going on, if what I've been told is true. I wanted to watch HD stuff last night. The installer said it might be a week to ten days, but he didn't even know what component video connections are, and this further leads me to believe that I am bring misled. How, if the HD boxes are popular, and you've hooked at least a few of them up, do you not know what component video is?

Anyway, here is the complaint I submitted, via email, to TWC this morning:

I would like to make a complaint about the digital cable installation which took place at my home yesterday afternoon. I have only one issue which I want to bring to your attention, but it is, to me, a significant one.

When I called to schedule this appointment more than a week ago, I requested an HD decoder. I believe this to be a Scientific Atlanta 3100HD. When the installer arrived at my home, he told me that this box was currently out of stock and would be available again in about a week and a half.

I must tell you that the availability of this HD decoder box is what caused me to choose Time Warner Cable over your competition, and I am extremely disappointed by my inability to receive the HD feeds you offer, even if only for a short time.

I guess what disappoints me most is the fact that no mention of this was made at the time I placed my order, and I did not receive any notice before the install that the equipment I ordered would not be available. This installation was not a suprise, and the work order clearly stated that an HD box was what I asked for. I am upset that no one contacted me ahead of time to inform me of any problems filling my order in full. I would have rescheduled the install until such a time as the correct equipment was available.

As it is, I am seriously re-weighing the options when it comes to television service. If this is the kind of service I can expect of your company,

[mr_yeti]

I guess I didn't copy the whole thing. You get the idea, I'm sure. I think I just went on to threaten to discontinue the service.

Perhaps I could parlay this into some sort of free services.

[mr_yeti]

I have heard back fom their customer service department, and they have applied a $20 credit to my account. More of a gesture than an attempt at fixing the problem, in my opinion.

Thoughts?

[John Dhein]

You are being hosed. Work your way up the chain off command, until you reach someone with authority. Try to reach Bev Greenberg.

[This message has been edited by John Dhein (edited 11-21-2002).]

[Tom Snyder]

Don't feel bad about the cluelessness of the installer.. it reminds me of when I got my first HDTV over three years ago. As a newbie, I didn't know what I needed to get Hidef. But when I talked to TWC, they said I just needed a regular digital cable box. When the installer came out he was clueless. Nice but clueless. When we both discovered that Hidef was not gonna happen with what he brought, he made a call ,and someone he talked to at HQ said we needed a HiDef Box, but they didn't have any yet... would be a few weeks before they got them in.

So in the meantime, I did my homework at AVS, and got an RCA DTC-100, installed my oval dish and signed up for DirecTV. HBO-HD and 10's digital channel with a demo loop were all there was, but that was good enough for me.

A couple weeks later TWC called and said they had finally gotten an HDTV box, so I said bring it out and let's give it a shot. So a service guy came out, and couldn't get it to work. He called for backup, and while we waited for the "expert" to come, I showed him HD on DirecTV. He was blown away.

A little while later, the "expert" showed up. And while he was taking off his shoes, he was muttering about how Hidef wasn't all it was cracked up to be, that there was no difference between it and digital cable, blah, blah, blah. The look on his face was priceless when he came into the living room and saw HiDef, apparently for the first time in his life.

Well, they never could get the box to work right, and the picture quality on the rest of the channels was so awful, I just dropped off the box a few weeks later and told them they could keep it.

Been a DirecTV guy ever since.

[kjnorman]

Bummer man! Perhaps its a regional thing?

When my wife exchanged our "regular" box because it went kaput on Thursday, I got her to ask if we could exchange the 3100HD as well because of our sound problems. To my surprise they had one there and then - which they held for me until I went in on Saturday to exchange in.

Perhaps we were lucky and our timing was good.

Now I am not a supporter of TW, I would love to dump them - but currently it is the only way I can get HD. I can probably guess at their business plan here. I am sure that they do not stock many of the 3100HD boxes as they are undoubtedly more expensive that the regular boxes. I would expect that they have a call off capability against Scientific Atlanta, so that they get like 50 boxes per shipment - stock these till they run out, then call off more units at a week or so lead time.

Not great for availability but probably rather sound from a business perspective. Afterall, we are just in an "experimental" phase....

Kerry

[mr_yeti]

Actually, I don't mind the quality of the non-HD stuff. Some of it looks a bit pixellated, but it all depends on the channel I'm watching.

I believe I will be calling the customer service guy after work (calling him from work would likely involve raising my voice and making a scene) to tell him I am unwilling to wait indefinitely for this box of theirs. I am somehow supposed to believe that, in the entire Metro Milwaukee area, there are zero HD boxes to be had? Please.

I would, however, accept a free Tivo box for six months by way of apology, in addition to the HD receiver being delivered to my home in the next week.

20 bucks, indeed.

[mr_yeti]

December 16!
This is when TWC expects their next shipment of HD boxes.

Wow, is that poor. I'm not sure I find this arrangement acceptable. I would not want to be the customer service guy I talk to this afternoon.

[Tom Snyder]

So, Kerry, what you're saying is YOU got yeti's box????? http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif

[MesaV]

I wonder who is getting Kerry's old HD box?

[mr_yeti]

You know, I actually thought about that last night http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif (Kerry getting my box). The blame rests squarely on the management of TWC, though. Sound business decision or not, this is no way to keep a customer.

[kjnorman]

Yep, it was me! I confess...

Actually it turns out I still have sound issues, so it seems that the box I returned was fine.

Perhaps it is worth calling the customer center at at corner of Martin Luther King and North in Milwaukee. That is where I returned my old box.

You never know - they may still be in stock at that location? Always worth a go. I presume Port Washington is served by their own customer center, but if Milwaukee has a box and they allow you to pick it up, it cound be worth the drive.

Kerry

[Tom Snyder]

I dunno.. I think yeti should go get Kerry's box... it's the right thing to do, and on a snowy day, Whitefish Bay is a shorter drive than going downtown... http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Tom Snyder (edited 11-21-2002).]

[mr_yeti]

I'll give them a call tonight after I'm done with the fun customer service call which awaits me after work. Actually, the number I've been given to call has a 414 area code, so might actually be the center on King Drive. I will ask if they've had any returned boxes in the last few days. When exactly did you swap boxes, Kerry? And it was for audio issues that turned out to be the signal anyway, right?

I would really prefer not to wait (and pay for) an entire month while I don't get the service I subscribed for in the first place. If they didn't have HD, and a box I can rent rather than buy, I never would have considered calling them. That $20 credit just doesn't do it for me. I will pursue the following options, in this order:

(1) Get the returned box. Maybe if they have a really dedicated customer service guy, he'll deliver it himself (ha!).

(2) Get some kind of free service. I'm planning on dropping subtle hints about how I'd like to try Tivo, and see if they offer that for a few months free.

(3) Cancelling my service and never calling Time Warner for anything ever again, not to mention telling everyone I know not to get cable of any kind.

I demand satisfaction!

[ugyvel]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kjnorman:

Now I am not a supporter of TW, I would love to dump them - but currently it is the only way I can get HD.
_________________________

If I might ask, with you living in WFB, why is TW your only source for HD? Samsung 150 with Radioshack bowtie antenna gets me all the OTA (except faux 6 of course)13 miles north of you in Mequon.

PS--with no sound problems!!!

[This message has been edited by ugyvel (edited 11-21-2002).]

[kjnorman]

Originally posted by ugyvel:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by kjnorman:

Now I am not a supporter of TW, I would love to dump them - but currently it is the only way I can get HD.
_________________________

If I might ask, with you living in WFB, why is TW your only source for HD? Samsung 150 with Radioshack bowtie antenna gets me all the OTA (except faux 6 of course)13 miles north of you in Mequon.

PS--with no sound problems!!!

[This message has been edited by ugyvel (edited 11-21-2002).]


Alas it has nothing to do with reception. Ironically, I even have a monster antenna stuck to the chimney - but its not connected to anything and my wife would like it taken down. agggh!

Its all down to the wife acceptance factor. She'll tollerate the monthly charge for digital cable (though in her view analog is just fine) and is not willing to allow me to stump up the money upfront for an OTA box - especially when it does not integrate into our system very well.

Its been an expensive year (new house, new dining room set, new windows *ouch*) and next year is not much better (new cars, new daughter!! - one the way) so HDTV is currently seen as frivolous. http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/rolleyes.gif

The good news is that I have lots of dosh set aside for a HD PVR which she'll let me spend in 2004, so I'll have to wait till then.

For now, I'll sneak the HDTV under her cost alert radar screen http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif through digital cable and hope that she'll be won over by it, that she might stop talking about cancelling digital cable at the end of the year.

Kerry

[kjnorman]

Originally posted by mr_yeti:
When exactly did you swap boxes, Kerry? And it was for audio issues that turned out to be the signal anyway, right?



Returned it Saturday and the box now appears to be in good working order.

All the problems appear to be on my cable line.

Good Luck!
Kerry

[Blitzman]

Get Direct TV, it's the best deal out there and the best picture and sound quality. I was a long time TWC customer and last year I purchased a 57 inch Wide . I hooked this up to my cable and I was very dissapointed.

I sinced purchased a home, and decided to switch to Direct TV and give them a chance. WOW!! So I went out and purchased the Dual LNB dish, purchased the Toshiba STB and hooked up my OTA antenna and there I was watching all the local HD channels, HDNet, and HBOH. This is the way to go.

TWC to Direct TV is a great move!

Direct TV does need to get the Discovery HD. Does anyone know the status of that?

Just thought I would put my two cents in.

[Gregg Lengling]

It's not going to happen until this whole buyout thing with Dish trying to buy Directv. As far as I know the only way to get Disovery HD is through Dish right now and I wouldn't anticipate anything going on with Directv negotions right now.


------------------
Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
HiDTV Pro 2 computer reciever card
glengling@ameritech.net

[John Polulach]

Mr. Yeti -

You are not alone. I feel your pain.

I got my TWC HD box last January. It went kapoot after about a month so I called and was told I could pick up a new one at their Mayfair Rd office, so I went there, they didn't have an HD box, so I had to go back a few days later.
Then the second box went kapoot, then I was told I could no longer pick up a replacement, but needed to schedule a service visit. I told them to MAKE SURE the tech had an HD box in the truck. I took off from work for a half day, the TWC Tech said, "yep, your box is bad", but, of course, there wasn't a replacement on the truck. So another service call a few days later was required, which required taking off from work again.

So while TWC may be convenient in some respects, their service calls are very inconvenient, especially with an HD box.

John

[Joseph S]

Same story here.

I specified the HD Box and it was written on the install order form as well last Sept/Oct. Of course they only brought the normal digital cable box. Fortunately, I was able to go to the Mayfair office and switch it a mere half hour later. I originally cancelled cable January 2002 when they informed me it would be 3 months before I could get an HD box.

[Mike H]

Originally posted by kjnorman:
Actually it turns out I still have sound issues, so it seems that the box I returned was fine.


What kind of sound issues on the SA 3100 box? I have problems with the digital sound only... worse on PBS HD than other HDs but haven't noticed problems on any of the regular digital channels.

[SugarRay]

Great. I am scheduled for the digital cable/HD3100 box upgrade next Friday. What are the odds of them not having the correct stuff with them. I am starting the bidding at 3 to 1 against them getting it done next Friday.

[mr_yeti]

SugarRay:

Please keep us posted as to whether or not you get your box. I would be very interested to hear the explanation I might receive when I confront them about why I must wait nearly a month for one, yet someone whose install date was after mine received one no problem.

I was unable to contact the customer service person I had been emailing back and forth about my problem, and I didn't have time to call anywhere else last night. The guy I was talking to is out of the office until Sunday, so maybe I can get another person who will actually address my concerns rather than trying to placate me with politeness and $20.

The package I ordered is $60/month, so I expect at least that much in credits/free services.

If they can find a stupid box for me, that would be better. Does anyone know if the regional offices share equipment, or do they all stock their own?

[kjnorman]

Originally posted by Mike H:
What kind of sound issues on the SA 3100 box? I have problems with the digital sound only... worse on PBS HD than other HDs but haven't noticed problems on any of the regular digital channels.



Sounds like you have the same issue as me. PBS HS is very bad in that the sound is kind of scratchy. I always just presumed it was the demo loop as the digital sound was fine on HBO HD - never a problem and the normal digital channels.

Then comes WTMJ-HD and that has similar problems in that the sound will every - now and then - crackle or pop. WISN-DT comes on and this seems to have no (or very very few sound issues) os I am perplexed.

It can't be the box as this has been changed. So I can only assume that it is in the HD feed.

Kerry

[mr_yeti]

My final complaint to the good folks at TWC:

Good morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, I was supposed to have an HD box installed with my new digital cable service. I was told this box was currently out of stock. Yesterday, I emailed a complaint to your department, to which (customer service rep) responded. I was informed that the box I require would not be available until December 16th at the earliest. I told (customer service rep) I would call him around 3:30 (I believe I said "after work"), but he was not at his desk when I called, and last night was busy for me. This is nearly a month from my install date to receive a piece of equipment which I ordered a week prior to the date of installation.

I should explain at this point that I subscribed to your service specifically for the High Definition programming you offer. I realize this may seem silly, as you currently offer less than ten channels, but it is true.

At present, the only three ways that this will be resolved satisfactorily to me are:

(1) An HD box is delivered to my home within the next week. A friend of mine from www.milwaukeehdtv.org (http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org) has informed me that he returned a working HD box to your King Dr. location last Saturday (he had an audio problem that turned out to be in his wiring). Would you be willing to check on the status of any returned boxes for me?

(2) A full refund (credit, I suppose) of the $60 I paid up front for the first month of service. Since I am not receiving the services which were my primary reason for ordering cable, I do not feel that I should have to pay for the month I will not have the HD box for. I would also accept the use of a Tivo receiver for such a period as would equal $60.

(3) Termination of service. I do not think the things I am requesting are, by any stretch of the imagination, unreasonable. If I am not satisfied that everything possible has been done to try to meet one of the above two options, I will cancel my service and go with DirecTv instead. I would prefer not to take this route, but if I have to, I will.

[This message has been edited by mr_yeti (edited 11-22-2002).]