[April 05, 2009] Comcast out to educate customers about transition: Many cable subscribers need to add set-top box Tweet Apr 04, 2009 (The Olympian - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Some Comcast cable TV subscribers in Thurston County are receiving letters from the company this weekend, notifying them that they might need additional equipment because the company is about to switch more channels from analog to a digital-only format. Comcast has tentatively scheduled to switch some channels to digital as early as May 7. In the meantime, Comcast customers can expect to receive more letters and phone calls this month about the digital changes, and more information will be displayed on TV channels in the form of a "crawl" at the bottom of TV screens. Comcast spokesman Steve Kipp acknowledged the transition might be confusing for some customers, but not all will be affected by the change, he said. Here's how it works: --Limited basic channels: Service will not be affected for customers who subscribe to the lowest tier of service, channels 2 through 29 and 75 through 99. --Expanded basic customers: In addition to channels 2 through 29, expanded basic customers also get channels 30 through 74, including ESPN, Nickelodeon and Bravo. To continue to view those channels, customers will need a box that sits atop their primary TV and adapters for other TVs in their home. The set-top box and up to two adapters are free. If the customers need more than two adapters, it will cost $1.99 a month for each additional adapter. Expanded basic customers do get something in return for adding a set-top box, including access to 14 new channels, such as Bloomberg TV, Science Channel and Discovery Kids. --Digital subscribers: These customers already have a set-top box on their primary TV, but they, too, will need adapters for other TVs to view channels 30 through 74. Customers who don't want to install additional equipment will be able to view only the limited basic tier of channels. Longtime Comcast customer Bob Peck, a former expanded basic customer, had a set-top box and adapters installed on additional TVs in his Tumwater home Friday. Peck said that although he upgraded to a different tier of service and the installation went smoothly, he was confused by Comcast's earlier marketing campaign about the federal switch to a digital-only broadcast, which is unrelated to Comcast's digital conversion in May. "It gives you the clear impression that you didn't have to do anything," he said. "In point of fact, that is not exactly true." Residents of the Lacey retirement community Panorama started on the transition to digital TV two years ago, working with Comcast as a test site, director of operations Margie Martin said Friday. In the past two weeks, set-top boxes and adapters have been distributed to about 250 of Panorama's 1,250 residents, she said. When national news outlets began to discuss the broadcast transition, Panorama residents were ready, Martin said. "They didn't have the fright that some people did," she said. Rolf Boone covers business for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5403 or [email protected]. To see more of The Olympian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theolympian.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]