Comcast Cable Sucks Here’s Why – Part 2: The DVR

I have gone through three Comcast Cable DVRs since I have first had them and last night mine started acting up again! Last night’s problem had something to do with the hard drive or the software. I could watch TV, but god forbid I should try to pause or rewind. When I did that all I got was a black screen. From the black screen of nothingness I couldn’t get back to my show either. I had to go to another channel and back again to get anything.

But that wasn’t the only issue, I could not view any of the programs I had recorded to the DVR. They acted the same way. Hit play and all I got was a black screen nothing else, no picture. I was a bit distraught as I have the complete season of Heroes on there to watch and the last four episodes of the Terminator. Both shows I could probably get on DVD sometime soon, but why when I had them already?

Thank the fates that a complete shut down (unplugging and waiting 5-10 minutes) then rebooting seemed to do the trick. Although the box did not seem to want to come back from its complete shut down. It turned on, blinked and went right back off. Third time was a charm and I got a connection. First I tried to pause and it seemed okay, then I went to my recorded programs picked one that was recording while this whole problem was going on and I had picture and sound (at least for the first couple of minutes, I still need to fully test to be sure).

I have had quite a few issues with this box like the sound mysteriously disappearing for no reason. The picture freezes quite often. We get the lovely square digital pixels in the middle of the screen like there is a bad connection somewhere. With the first box we had the guy come out several times he finally put in some type of signal booster, although I don’t think it has truly helped us. That box completely died a long time ago.

Shows don’t always record. Setting a series up is easy enough as long as you want to tape every single show every time it is repeated. I have to manually set recordings for a every week because I can’t tell the DVR to record a show every Thursday at 10 pm only. I have to set it up to record all (because the guide doesn’t tell the system that the only NEW show is Thursday at 10pm and that all the others are repeats throughout the week). Having it record all shows screws with other shows I have series recordings for so I can’t make this easy on myself. The old Comcast software used to let you choose to record this show on the same day/time every week. I wish they would bring that back.

There is still an issue with no sound when you turn the box on. You have to go to the DVR and hit play then go back to whatever show you wanted to watch just so you can hear it. This was an issue early on that was only half way fixed. Either that or it came back.

Biggest problem I have with them is the fact that the DVR even with the problems wasn’t a bad deal, price wise, to begin with. I think I started out paying $10 a month for my box. Each (I have two – even though they kept trying to tell me I was not allowed to have two. That’s why the other one is still a single tuner as I am afraid to take it in an have them refuse to give me another one). Then the prices went up to $11 bucks a month, still cheaper than the Tivo service. Then they rose again and I saw that I had two different prices on my bills for the two different boxes (I really need to find out why) but they jumped to $12 and $16. Now I see by the latest Comcast Cable bill on my table the costs have gone up again to $12 and $18! Okay, now I am seriously going to be looking into a Tivo the Comcast prices have now exceeded the Tivo service fees and in my book the Tivo (an actual Tivo and not this non-working Tivo software crap from Comcast that I have been reading about online) is a much better product and service.

I can’t live without my DVR but no one says it has to be a buggy piece of crap from Comcast just because they are a monopoly and I don’t have any other cable options. Yes there is always Fios, DirectTV or Dish Network as alternatives (and some of these are cheaper and offer more channels too), but I have invested far too much time and money with Comcast to let them ignore me. If you are sick of the ever increasing prices, lack of services and failing equipment please do like me and call them about it. Their number is easy enough 1-800-COMCAST.