I got kidnapped by Time Warner :-----(((

Dr. Personality writes:

As for me, I used a Rat Shack box to get basic cable on a '70s-era TV
until I eventually replaced the set. Everything worked fine, and
nobody at the two cable companies I dealt with back then ever had a
problem with me doing it. I saved $2/mo for ten or twelve years.

That's not a comparable situation. With analog TV, all the channels are
"in the clear" and you just need a cable-ready tuner to see them. If
you subscribe only to basic cable, the cable company generally filters
out channels you don't pay for using an analog trap in the signal line
before it enters your house. So the cable company doesn't care how you
receive the remaining channels - with a cable-ready TV, an auxiliary box
you bought from Radio Shack, or a box you rent from the cable company.

Digital TV is technologically different. All the channels are on the
cable that enters your house, and the decoder box in *your* house shows
you only the channels you pay for. So the box becomes part of the cable
company's delivery system, and they need to trust it. Requiring you to
rent the box from them is the easiest way for them to decide it is
trustworthy.

As I understand it, there is movement towards a system where customers
will be able to own most or all of the hardware needed for digital TV,
while still providing reasonable security to the cable operator.

Dave

catv tech wrote:
Zalek Bloom wrote:
I wanted to add new cable box for my cable TV - Time Warner wants
$10/month for a box. I bought a cable box on the street the same one I
have - for $30. After connecting to a cable it says "call operator" -
so I called.
They told me that they will not support this box - I have to buy a box
from them for a price of $10/month. The building I am living does not
allow satellite dishes - so I am stuck. Here is the fax I am sending
to my representative - if you are stuck with cable as me, please to
the same:

To representative?

I am a Time Warner Cable subscriber. I want to add cable service for
a new television that I just purchased. Time Warner Cable wants me to
pay $10 per month for another box. I just bought the same box that
Time Warner uses for $30. Time Warner refuses to recognize this box
even though it is in perfect condition.
I live in New York City and there is no competition for Time
Warner. I live in a building where management does not allow us to
have a Satelite Dish. Please pass a law that allows consumers to
purchase equipment from someone other than a company that has a
monopoly on a service. I plan to start a campaign on the internet
about this problem and I will publish your response - or lack of - on
the internet.

An Angry Citizen

I sent it to:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York City
780 Third Ave, Suite 2601
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 688-6262
Fax: (212) 688-7444

Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer
New York City
757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
Fax: 212-486-7693

Representative Gary L. Ackerman (D - 05)
Phone: 202-225-2601 fax: 202-225-1589
http://www.house.gov/ackerman/pages/contact.html
District Office:
218-14 Northern Boulevard
Bayside, NY 11361-3580
Voice: 718-423-2154 FAX: 718-423-5053


Representative Anthony Weiner (D - 09)
Phone: 202-225-6616 fax: 202-226-7253
Email:

#1). If the product offered is unacceptable, don't buy it ..... shop
around for something better.

Thank you for explaining me that I don't have to buy a product that I
don't like. It is totally new and exciting idea to me. I never
thought about it. You must be a genius! It is too bad you answered
without reading first my post - I stated there that I shopped for
other way to get signal to my TV - my only option is Time Warner
cable.


#2.) I doubt that I could convince chevrolet to put "fins" back on
their cars. If I REALLY want fins on my car, I'd have to buy an old
one. Likewise, I doubt that you can dictate to TW what they MUST do
with their product. They pay for it and it's theirs to distribute as
they please at whatever price they like. If that's unacceptable, refer
to # 1). or #3).

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to buy a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?


#3). Have you considered relocating to a single residence building
where you can get satellite or whatever you please instead of beating
your head against the beaurocratic (sp?) wall? I've never heard of such
an issue in rural America.

No, I didn't, but with the same way of thinking you could make huge
carear in a communist country. I love NYC, I want to live here and I
want choice of purchasing equipment for my TV. Do you see any problem
with this?

#4). Define "rights". Many sons and daughters of America have served /
died defending our "right" to be free, but I personally have never
heard of any of them doing that for the "right" to be able to watch tv
any damn way one pleases.

Mr. Genius - as want to have a right to have a CHOICE to CHOOSE
services - that all.
I am asking too much?


#5). Does the phrase "caveat emptor" mean anything to you?

I am talking not about warranty - I am talking about not having
choice to purchase the best/cheapest equipment.


No doubt some-one somewhere will feel that I'm full of crap for what I
just said, but the feeling is reciprocated. :-)

I don't think you are full of crap - I suspect you are paid
employee of a cable company that tries the best to protect a company
profit. But if I am wrong, if there are much more people like you that
think that the only protection American consumer have it to move to
rural America - this country is lost.

Zalek

David Moran wrote:
"Dr. Personality" wrote in message
[...]
No, it's not. No one is forcing you to get cable. By getting cable through
ABC cable company, you're basically saying "I accept the price that I'm
being charged". If you don't like the price, don't get it.

My point is: in NYC in appartment building (and there are thousands
New Yorkers like me) we have no other choice - Time Warner only. And
this is the reason I want to involve politicians (I didn't hear for
any of them).
[...]

It was stated that it was stolen earlier in the thread.

Dave

I have no idea is the box is stolen. I bought this box on ebay and Time
Warner can check it and to file a complain. I am not planning to hide
seller information. Nobody from Time Warner aked me for a cable box
serial number. After my complain Time Warner called me, I asked for
official answer of Time Warner - I sent them email, but got answer that
the person that is taken care of my case took vacation. I'll wait.

Zalek

Ed wrote:
[...]

The OP wants to whine because TWC won't activate his illegally gotten
box. He'd actually have something valid to say if he were angry at the
individual who sold it to him. It was obviously misrepresented by the
seller. Hell, I'd be turning the seller in to the cops just for ****ing
me off, never mind the money I was out. If someone sold you a car and
you found out after the fact that the title was forged and the car was
stolen, don't you think you'd be telling the cops about it instead of
getting ****ed because "your car" had been towed, processed and returned
to the owner?

Clarification - I purchased this box LEGALLY. There is no law (yet...)
that forbids selling or buyiny cable boxes. If this box is stolen, the
owner should complain. Meantime, Time Warner have all information about
this box and is not complaining that box is stolen, Time Warner is
complaining that I don't want to buy exactly the same box for a price
of $10/month.

Zalek

zalek wrote:

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to buy a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

I agree with you. I bought a vacuum that "fell off the truck" for a
real good price. Much less than I would have paid at Sears. Only
problem was the vacuum didn't work. I had the damnded time trying to
return it to Sears.

I also had a similar problem at Yankees Stadium. The tickets are so
expensive. So I bought a new set of crayons and printed one up for
myself. Would you believe they did not let me into the game? The
nerve. The utter nerve.

David Moran wrote:
[...]

As I've said all along. If you don't want to pay the price, don't get cable.
That's essentially saying "I want cable, but I don't want to pay the price,
though I pay it anyway". I have cable because I want it and I can afford it;
I don't NEED it. If I woke up tomorrow and found out I had a sudden drop in
income, cable would be the first to go. That's a good $90 back in my pocket
each month. Yes, I said $90; I have digital cable, the premium channels, and
the DVR. My internet and phone would be the last to go because I use them
for work and other things that I need to do. I could always use the internet
from school, but it is MUCH more convenient to have internet here at home.

Dave

Dave,

I appreciate your crappy work of defending cable companies, they
don't deserve more.
I don't give a damm about a cable or satelite - I want TV channels
I like. As I explained - in NYC I have no choice - the only
supplier of TV channels like CNN or Discovery is Time Warner - and
Time Warner charges me on top of service I pay - $10/month for each TV.
Time Warner even does not allow me to buy a cable box from other
sources. I want this admition in writing and to send it to FCC and
politicians that suppose to represent NY consumers. I think that as a
consumer I have a right to fight this irp-off - I am sure that after
work hours - you will agree me.

Zalek

zalek wrote:
Ed wrote:
[...]
The OP wants to whine because TWC won't activate his illegally gotten
box. He'd actually have something valid to say if he were angry at the
individual who sold it to him. It was obviously misrepresented by the
seller. Hell, I'd be turning the seller in to the cops just for ****ing
me off, never mind the money I was out. If someone sold you a car and
you found out after the fact that the title was forged and the car was
stolen, don't you think you'd be telling the cops about it instead of
getting ****ed because "your car" had been towed, processed and returned
to the owner?

Clarification - I purchased this box LEGALLY. There is no law (yet...)
that forbids selling or buyiny cable boxes. If this box is stolen, the
owner should complain. Meantime, Time Warner have all information about
this box and is not complaining that box is stolen, Time Warner is
complaining that I don't want to buy exactly the same box for a price
of $10/month.

Zalek


You may believe you purchased the box legally, but if it was the
property of TWC, you did not. There is a law that forbids selling
something which you do not own. It would apply equally to cable boxes
as well as cars, boats, televisions and chewing gum.

By the way, check the fine print... you can NOT "buy" a box from Time
Warner for $10/month. You can lease one for that price. You can not
"buy" the box from Time Warner at all.

Joe Collins wrote:
zalek wrote:

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to buy a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

I agree with you. I bought a vacuum that "fell off the truck" for a
real good price. Much less than I would have paid at Sears. Only
problem was the vacuum didn't work. I had the damnded time trying to
return it to Sears.

I also had a similar problem at Yankees Stadium. The tickets are so
expensive. So I bought a new set of crayons and printed one up for
myself. Would you believe they did not let me into the game? The
nerve. The utter nerve.

You are trying to be more religious than a Pope. Time Warner told me
that the reason they don't want to send me a signal is not because the
box I bought is stolen or dameged - the reason is because I DIDN'T BUY
IT FROM THEM.
Now do you understand?

Zalek

Ed wrote:
zalek wrote:
Ed wrote:
[...]
The OP wants to whine because TWC won't activate his illegally gotten
box. He'd actually have something valid to say if he were angry at the
individual who sold it to him. It was obviously misrepresented by the
seller. Hell, I'd be turning the seller in to the cops just for ****ing
me off, never mind the money I was out. If someone sold you a car and
you found out after the fact that the title was forged and the car was
stolen, don't you think you'd be telling the cops about it instead of
getting ****ed because "your car" had been towed, processed and returned
to the owner?

Clarification - I purchased this box LEGALLY. There is no law (yet...)
that forbids selling or buyiny cable boxes. If this box is stolen, the
owner should complain. Meantime, Time Warner have all information about
this box and is not complaining that box is stolen, Time Warner is
complaining that I don't want to buy exactly the same box for a price
of $10/month.

Zalek


You may believe you purchased the box legally, but if it was the
property of TWC, you did not. There is a law that forbids selling
something which you do not own. It would apply equally to cable boxes
as well as cars, boats, televisions and chewing gum.

Ed,

I bought this box LEGALLY and as long as the owner of the box is not
complaining, let's not argue about it. Let's talk about the real
issue. Does a coporation have the right to create de facto a monopoly
and force consumers to buy equipment from them only?



By the way, check the fine print... you can NOT "buy" a box from Time
Warner for $10/month. You can lease one for that price. You can not
"buy" the box from Time Warner at all.

I don't care how you call this rip-off - lease or purchase, the only
thing I want to prevent is consumer rip-off, it does not matter whether
it is called lease or purchase.

Zalek

In article , Elmo
P. Shagnasty wrote:

In article ,
"Dr. Personality" wrote:

Reproduce the quote where I said anything about me being "owed" cable
TV, or **** off.

Everything you say screams that.

Any rational person sees it--which explains why you don't see it.


In other words, you can't produce such a quote, because it doesn't
exist. Time for you to **** off now.