Strange Mediacom Channels

**MrPibroch** · 06-15-2009, 03:18 PM

After last Friday (when the digital TV transition went into effect) I decided to re-scan my channels and see if I had any new ones in digital. To my surprise, I now get 100 digital channels. I live in Ames and just have basic family cable that is included in my apartment rent (no set top box, just a digital tuner in my HDTV), and for quite a while I was getting ABC, NBC, IPTV, CBS, and a few others in HD (5-1, 5-2, 8-1,8-2, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 13-1, 13-2, 23-1, etc...). Now I additionally have 51 digital channels between 51-1 and 56-5 and 40 digital channels bettween 83-1 and 113-18. Almost all of these digital channels are broadcast in extremely low quality (480i SD) and are duplicates of standard definition channels I get (Discovery, TBS, etc...). One channel, though, 93-3 is HBO broadcast in 1080i HD!

I was curious what is going on, and why I can't find a channel guide for these channels, so I called mediacom and got someone in an office in Iowa City. They tried to tell me mediacom doesn't broadcast any channels with a "-" in them. The person I talked to said any digital channels I was getting were not from mediacom because they do not have an agreement to re-broadcast digital channels. Non of this makes any sense to me since I am not using an antenna to pick up any of these channels (which I made clear on the phone). Is anyone else seeing similar channels they now pick up, or does anyone know what could be going on?

**cmoneyr** · 06-15-2009, 03:20 PM

I get them too, didn't notice HBO I'll have to look for that, but I have no explanation for it either. It's really annoying though.

**bos** · 06-15-2009, 03:37 PM

Any Telemundo?

**A-town Cy** · 06-15-2009, 03:40 PM

Shhh...don't mention the HBO! keep it on the DL!

**jdoggivjc** · 06-15-2009, 03:45 PM

What - the Spice channel is now coming through where Spike was once located?

**bos** · 06-15-2009, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

What - the Spice channel is now coming through where Spike was once located?

That channel still exists?

**jdoggivjc** · 06-15-2009, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

That channel still exists?

It would make me consider switching back to Mediacom...

...Nah, I'm "firmly entrenched" with DirecTV!

**MrPibroch** · 06-15-2009, 03:52 PM

But is it really possible Mediacom isn't broadcasting these channels like I was told? And why broadcast the standard definition channels on digital channels, but only at 480i SD? It is pointless!

**Ms3r4ISU** · 06-15-2009, 03:52 PM

We noticed in the latest channel listing from Mediacom that there were no channels listed in the 50s.
Also, several news 800numbered channels in the "package" we buy, but we can't get them. Mediacom offers a digital tuner free for a year. I don't understand why they put channels on a tier in a package that not everyone who subscribes to that package can access.

**Stewo** · 06-15-2009, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

It would make me consider switching back to Mediacom...

...Nah, I'm "firmly entrenched" with DirecTV!

So, you'll be making the switch in about 3 weeks then?

**cmoneyr** · 06-15-2009, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by MrPibroch

But is it really possible Mediacom isn't broadcasting these channels like I was told? And why broadcast the standard definition channels on digital channels, but only at 480i SD? It is pointless!

I don't see how. I didn't have them before, then Mediacom made their changes to the lineup, and now I have them. It's obviously something they've done.

**jdoggivjc** · 06-15-2009, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Stewo

So, you'll be making the switch in about 3 weeks then?

Depends - will Mediacom take me despite my 5-19 record?

**Wesley** · 06-15-2009, 03:59 PM

Several local station have 2nd and 3rd channels broadcasting off their tower which I get through the air. Cox omaha has 20 or so "-" stations also.

**MrPibroch** · 06-15-2009, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by cmoneyr

I don't see how. I didn't have them before, then Mediacom made their changes to the lineup, and now I have them. It's obviously something they've done.

I am not sure what you are saying? I have never seen a channel listing that includes the digital broadcast channels (the ones with a hyphen in them). Have you found a channel listing somewhere that includes the digital broadcast channels? I haven't even seen one that includes ABC, NBC, etc... which I have had forever (5-1, 8-1, 13-1, etc...)