Comcast Tops Satellite in HD Picture Quality Survey.

[geopix]

The thing that impressed me about Comcast that satellite lacked was their free On-Demand service. It is so addictive that we didn’t even watch regular programming anymore since they had so may variety on their ON-demand service

A new user here. Actually, we don't think much of Comcast On Demand -- and Comcast cable bandwidrth varies widely with each local franchise.

Many communities served by Comcast have a very limited amount of cable bandwidth because nationwide, the company is transitioning from analog to digital. As a result, Comcast must carry both analog and digital versions of many SD channels during this period of change, which is expected to last at least through the end of 2007, and probably well into 2008 too. That means most Comcast franchises will continue to devote 2/3 of their 550 or 750 MHz of bandwidth to analog channels 2-99 for the forseeable future. (A few franchises are making plans to expand to 800 or 1000 MHZ of spectrum). All other Comcast digital Internet, Telephone, SDTV, HDTV, Music and On Demand channels are squeezed into whatever bandwidth is left over.

As Comcast's digital subscriber base grows beyond 50% (about where it is now), they probably will drop a few more analog channels along the way and free up more HD bandwidth, but little of this has happened here yet. In Sacramento, we have just 13 HD channels (including Premiums) and three of these were just added a couple of weeks ago (after two others were dropped). Comcast corporate executives (including the CEO) have repeatedly said (at industry trade shows) that adding "linear HD channels" is not their primary goal for the next couple of years or so (until the company completes the ADS conversion and finally can drop all the remaining analog channels to free up bandwidth for expansion). For the interim, Comcast is rebranding On Demand as "Channel 1" and plans to offer more HD content "On Demand".

So while DirecTV is planning to add 80 or more HD channels that are planned to go live in 2007, look for Comcast to fall behind in HD offerings later this year. In most markets, Comcast already has fewer than half the number of HD channels offered by DISH.

Comcast's few HD channels do look terrific (similar to Dish HD), and much better than DirecTV's fuzzy, downsampled 1080i HD). However, Comcast's digital SDTV and music channels are pretty heavily compressed and don't look or sound nearly as clean and crisp as they should. I have seen worse SDTV though (Comcast analog channels and SureWest Cable's digital SD channels in nearby Roseville/Sacramento, CA).

Some customers find Comcast's On Demand Service sorely lacking as well.

In the metro Sacramento area, On Demand seldom has more than 30 or so network shows and movies available in HD at any one time -- most On Demand content are SD programs, and many are terribly old and stale. So far, Comcast has only contracted and posted a few CBS prime time HD reruns to "On Demand." A few HD movies are free each month, but we've only watched one in the last few months (so far, we'd already seen all the other free offerings). I feel the latest (and most desirable) On Demand HD movies are overpriced at $5.99 each (a few, second-run B-movies are just $3.99). So, we use a $17.99 Blockbuster Online account to order, receive by mail and watch between 8 and about 15 extra DVD movies or video content each month. Like the cost of Comcast's Premium channels, On Demand's HD movies are just way too expensive compared to DVD competition.

I have been wondering if DirecTV will stick with their downsampled 1080i resolutions when all the new HD channels are launched between September and the end of the year. I've had DirectTV phone and store reps report conflicting messages on the satco's upcoming HD service enhancements. One told me the satellites are already in orbit -- and another told me that they aren't. DirecTV reps always deny that the company downsamples 1080i content, but anyone who has watched these channels can clearly see the company does this. Their programming Guide used to list resolutions and reveal when they did this, but then DirecTV changed their Guide so that it no longer reports this information. I think the 720p content is not being downsampled). I know for a fact that DirecTV does have two satellite launches scheduled for later this year, and one might have been delayed due to a recent accident on one of the launch platforms they contracted to use. So who knows if their satellites really are in orbit just yet.

So, all is not that "Comcastic" in Comcast land, and I haven't even touched on the terrible iGuide interface, the somewhat unreliable DVR, the Fast Forward/Reverse on the remote control that the company still doesn't have working properly after two years of bungled efforts or the ongoing problems with their (sometimes) high speed Internet service. Comcast does a better job marketing slogans than servicing customers, and so far, the company has not quite been ready for the HD revolution. They do roll trucks anytime you report a problem though. We've had them out about 15 times in two years, because the service and quality has been so unreliable. (To be fair, it has finally improved during the past four months).

Still, since we've been in a monopolized service area until recently, they've been the best option. Fortunately, the options are in the process of changing. Maybe Comcast will get it's act together along the way.

[Smokey]

In the metro Sacramento area, On Demand seldom has more than 30 or so network shows and movies available in HD at any one time -- most On Demand content are SD programs, and many are terribly old and stale. So far, Comcast has only contracted and posted a few CBS prime time HD reruns to "On Demand." A few HD movies are free each month, but we've only watched one in the last few months (so far, we'd already seen all the other free offerings).

Thanks for comprehensive post, and welcome to AR.

I agree with you that Comcast's On demand programming tend to be little older, and TV shows they mostly offer are from '70, '80 and 90s. But since tend to watch older movies and shows, I really liked their On-demand service.

I can't comment on Comcast HD services since didn't that service, but their SD digital packages was pretty decent. May be like their satellite counter part where currently adding satellite for better service, Comcast is also upgrading their service via fiber optic cables and newer switching capability.

Currently don’t have Comcast or satellite, but pretty happy with DVDs and local OTA digital channels.