Once I go in to return the boxes I will write back exactly what has happened so everyone has a clearer understanding of what to expect.
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Following Launch of New App, Spectrum Users Can Get Apple TV for $7.50 per Month
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Thanks, I am very curious to see what happens. As of now, what the CSR told me still stands.
If they let you keep the Tier 2 Spectrum TV package with no boxes and not buying an Apple TV 4K from them that would be cool.
But as others have pointed out, be prepared to either have to buy the Apple TV or loose access to Spectrum TV app.
The CSR said you can either buy it for $180 or $7.50/month until paid off.
Also, please ask if you turn in all boxes do all the state and local taxes related to cable go away.
Here in FL we have a "communications tax" based on cable.
Since you will technically still have a cable package, even with no boxes, I suspect all local taxes will apply.
As a side note, before the Apple TV deal became available I was told I could just rent a Cable Card from Spectrum for $2/mo and keep my cable package. So if they insist you buy an Apple TV to keep your Tier 2, then say you want a Cable Card instead. You do NOT have to plug that cable card into anything. Just put in a drawer so it can be returned in the future if you cancel cable.
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Sounds good I hope I do not have to get another ATV but I guess I could use one on the kitchen tv thanks will let you know
BTW, Charter Communications which we know as Spectrum is a large mixture of various cable TV providers which have been acquired over the years. I know they have acquired Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, and a bunch of smaller companies and services throughout the country. In areas where they bought out another company, they tend to use that company's infrastructure to provide Spectrum services. As a result, their systems vary in different locations. So keep in mind that what applies to one location might not apply to other locations, hence some of the confusion from how they operate and what their CSR tell us.
App is really useful and fits in our world allot better, seeing how we only watch certain channels and those are watched via our apple tv's
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I read that article also. They are supposedly kicking around the Idea of a smaller version, so maybe we will see Apple @ CES for the surprise dongle/smaller Apple TV (Apple Portable,ATV)....?
As far a an ATV Dongle, even if Apple builds one they traditionally charge way more for their hardware than comparable manufacturers. Apple loves to claim that they only sell premium hardware and thus it is worth the extra money. I would not expect to ever see an ATV dongle for $50 or less like the Fire TVs, Rokus, etc. While I love my iThingies and Macs, to be honest Apple is close to the point of pricing them out of my ability to buy them, and they might inadvertently force me to go with less expensive non-Apple hardware in the future. I will be angry and definitely feel betrayed if that happens because I prefer Apple hardware, but I only have so much money and I'm now retired. An Android tablet or phone doesn't appeal to me at all, I've had both in the past, but no tablet or smartphone is even less appealing, so if all I can afford is from another manufacturer then I'll just have to bite the bullet and move forward in a direction I don't want to go.
I have nothing but a Spectrum cable card I use in my Tivo, and their app on my apple TV works just fine for me. Spectrum charges me only $15/mo on top of my internet service for the cable card and good package of channels. It's a pretty good deal.
The big problem here is no DVR. Yes, YouTube TV, PS Vue and I think even DirecTV Now? offer “cloud DVR” but you don’t get all of the channels (except for DirecTV but since Spectrum and Fios are only viable ISPs, it would cost the same or more to get DirecTV instead defeating the purpose of cutting the cord) and you can’t choose how long to keep recorded content. The channel selection is always poor if you watch niche channels. For me no Tennis Channel and no ESPN2 for example is a deal breaker.
The other problem is the lack of DD 5.1. I don’t understand why they can’t manage to fit a basic 384 kbps 5.1 track in the stream. This goes for the majority of the TV channel apps on all of the streaming boxes. For people with full home theater setups this is just unacceptable. I have an amp and speakers to be used. If I would be satisfied with stereo, I wouldn’t bother spending the money in the first place.
Unfortunately there isn’t much incentive to deliver 5.1 everywhere since most consumers are buying sound bars if they’re buying any sort of external audio solution at all. For me great audio is as important as great video.
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The only workaround is to “favorite” them. Then you can filter favorites and quickly go from channel to channel without having to scroll for half a minute. Throw the 12 channels or so you watch the most on there.
The other problem is the lack of DD 5.1. I don’t understand why they can’t manage to fit a basic 384 kbps 5.1 track in the stream. This goes for the majority of the TV channel apps on all of the streaming boxes. For people with full home theater setups this is just unacceptable. I have an amp and speakers to be used. If I would be satisfied with stereo, I wouldn’t bother spending the money in the first place.
Unfortunately there isn’t much incentive to deliver 5.1 everywhere since most consumers are buying sound bars if they’re buying any sort of external audio solution at all. For me great audio is as important as great video.
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The only workaround is to “favorite” them. Then you can filter favorites and quickly go from channel to channel without having to scroll for half a minute. Throw the 12 channels or so you watch the most on there.
For us, that's not a big problem, as most of the things we were recording were available to stream separately, usually from the channel's own app.
I've gotten back to Comcast territory and can confirm (if it wasn't already obvious) that you can't use the Spectrum app with your Spectrum credentials on a foreign connection. I may attempt a VPN+VLAN hack to see if I can get it working from here, but since our credentials work as sign-ins to most of the channel apps anyway, I may not get up the gumption to try.
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I don't think that's exclusive to Charter. I believe Comcast and Cox also expanded through local acquisitions. I know this happened in at least one case, as when I moved to Santa Clara 27 years ago, the cable company was South Bay Cablevision. They were acquired by what became Comcast.
Directv is ATT, which is a viable ISP. I have my internet bundled with DirectV now. As for how long recorded content is available, I believe all providers have slowly been affected by license constraints requiring auto deletion of content now that the technology supports it. Not much can be done about niche networks until all of them offer direct to consumer a la cart offerings.
Wow... I think the trackpad and SIRI are the best features of the Apple Remote.
I have a gut feeling that you are not using it correctly like other people I have seen use it incorrectly.
Right, this has been the policy up to now. If you had one box or one cable card you were considered a TV subscriber and could have any plan you wanted. What you could not do was have no cable card or box and still keep you channel package. I tried to that and just wanted to run ROKUs since there was no Apple TV app yet. They said no box/card then no TV package.
Now the new policy appears to be that you no longer need to rent a box or cable card to have a TV package subscription IF you buy at least one Apple TV from Spectrum. To stream your TV package you also must be a Spectrum Internet subscriber.
We will see if this works...
We don't have any Spectrum TV packages that cheap here in north Texas. I pay close to $15/mo just in darn taxes alone! The first year with Spectrum they cut you a decent deal, but subsequent years the rates go up quite a bit. To get the Silver Package with tier 2 but none of the Premium Channels I'm paying $156/mo bundled with their cheapest internet of 200 Mbps. I'm currently paying $45/mo for the internet bundled but it will cost $80/mo if I drop their TV programming. BTW my current deal will expire next month and the rate will go up to about $180/mo for internet bundled with cable TV. Sux! I only watch about 41 channels but since they include ID Investigation Discovery, HGTV, NatGEO, AMC, Science Ch., American Heroes Ch., Velocity (now MT Motor Trend), Discovery, TNT, A&E, History Ch., BBC Amer., DIY, and TCM Turner Classic Movies, no streaming service carries all of them except DirecTV Now which costs $65/mo plus taxes. Losing any of those channels is a deal breaker for me. With Spectrum internet at $80/mo plus DirecTV Now at $70 I'm still at $150/mo total. Not a great option.
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LOL, sounds like you work for Apple.
Remember their blurb, "You are holding it wrong", for the iPhone 5 SNAFU they didn't won't to admit to? But seriously, trackpads are a royal PITA for many of us who are much more comfortable with a mouse are arrows. Laptops have used trackpads for years, but I'm still not able to navigate my Mac or Windows laptops that well with them, I much prefer a mouse. So saying a trackpad is good if you use it properly might be true for you, but never assume that statement applies to everyone else--it doesn't. And voice control of anything is not that great yet. I spend more time arguing with Alexa than it would take to pick up the remote to find and watch what I want on my Fire TV or Roku.
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The $15 is for the cable card, not the TV subscription package.
Check the rate card for your zip code. Here in FL it is only $2.00
https://www.spectrum.com/browse/content/ratecard.html
Unless his talking about the minimal Spectrum Choice: https://www.techhive.com/article/32...arte-tv-streaming-but-restrictions-apply.html
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I'm talking about sports and live events. Missed the Golden Globes? Missed the Oscars? Missed the Super Bowl? Out of luck. Missed a Roger Federer ATP Masters 1000 match? Now that ESPN doesn't pay for most ATP events that they used to provide over WatchESPN/ESPN3, you're out of luck. Sometimes people have other things planned and aren't going to be home to watch live.
Sure, if most of your TV watching is made up of network sitcoms, Hulu or cable VOD has you covered. I don't watch any network shows. In fact I can't stand any of them. HBO and AMC only. If sitcoms are network shows were all I watched, I really would not pay for cable TV.
So, this is good news -- but I thought I heard rumors last year that Comcast was about to do this? Charter beat them to it?
Not in NYC. It's Spectrum, FiOS or nothing and we just got FiOS on my block just over a year ago. Before then if you wanted internet you had no choice. Sure, there are some others offering "internet" via 1.5-3 Mbps DSL but that is really not a serious choice for anyone after 2003-2004.
Some people only use their wireless data as their sole connection but that is just not an option. I download ISOs like crazy, stream 4K Dolby Vision/HDR10 and upload a ton of stuff. Even an unlimited plan would throttle me like crazy not to mention not getting anywhere close to 200 Mbps.
UPDATE:
Just got off the phone with the Retention Dept.
You can now keep you cable TV subscription package without any cable boxes or cable cards.
You do not have to buy an Apple TV 4K from Spectrum.
NOTE: This policy became effective with release of the Apple TV app on Spectrum.
I have an order number to turn in all my Spectrum cable equipment and keep my triple play package.
It seems the people in Retention know the most about what plans are offered.
Just got off the phone with the Retention Dept.
You can now keep you cable TV subscription package without any cable boxes or cable cards.
You do not have to buy an Apple TV 4K from Spectrum.
NOTE: This policy became effective with release of the Apple TV app on Spectrum.
I have an order number to turn in all my Spectrum cable equipment and keep my triple play package.
It seems the people in Retention know the most about what plans are offered.
$7.50 is what they are charging existing customers for effectively renting an Apple TV. I assume that if you bring your own Appel TV, you don't pay the $7.50 but only the existing charges for Spectrum able and Internet packages, which are apparently both a pre-requisite. As someone implied earlier, Spectrum is not allowing new customers to subscribe to an internet based television package.
The main thing one of these internet based providers needs to accomplish is getting the NFL and Redzone channels to work (without being an overpriced and crappy service, like Fubo.)
The $7.50/mo is a payment on an interest free loan to pay off $180 retail price of an Apple TV 4K 32 GB.
If you do this deal the payment ends in 24 months.
You must have a Spectrum cable package (Basic, Sliver, Gold, etc.) and Spectrum Internet to use the app on Apple TV, ROKU, iOS etc.
They will know when you are on their network. Looking at the app, it looks like there is some content that is available anywhere and some that requires you to be on their network.
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It looks like you have to pay for a Spectrum TV subscription separately. I just tried to login with my Spectrum internet account and it says "Use of this app requires a Spectrum TV subscription."
"Looking at the app, it looks like there is some content that is available anywhere and some that requires you to be on their network."
Yes, but that was true with the iPad/iPhone app, prior to this, as well. Either way, you have to subscribe to cable and internet, to get this capability.
They are basically just allowing you to replace their crappy set top box with what is probably a less crappy Apple TV app. I wonder how the DVR portion works? (Does Spectrum have cloud DVR yet?)
Me too. Watched wild-card weekend on it. And I noticed that a lot of the apps for various programs, like History Channel, things like that, validated when they wouldn’t before. MSNBC wouldn’t, but seemed to imply that a newer version was coming. Single sign-in at last?
I called spectrum, they aren’t offering the Apple TV yet and have no idea when they’ll have it basically. Super annoying.