how do you watch your TV by?

[novabus726]

I have decided to create this thread to you people on how do you watch your TV? We all have different methods that we want to enjoy our television experience. Cable, Satellite, Wireless (i.e. Look TV), Free-to-air or rarely, but seldom used thesedays, Antenna.

Well for me, I always watch my TV on cable. I have Rogers cable and I really like the way the Personal TV package has offered me (I have the package for almost three years, which included a digital box).

My favourite channels to watch are MTV Canada, MuchMusic, Spike TV, The Comedy Network, YTV, Discovery Channel, Global (Toronto and BC affiliates), OMNI 1 & 2, CTV Toronto, CH (Hamilton and Montreal) and CBC (Toronto and Halifax).

MTV is got to be my favourite channel since its inception since March. It's now here to stay as part of the Ultimate TV Package (my channel for MTV is on 52 in my area) and this has resulted The Golf Channel being moved to a all-digital spot. The reason that the Golf Channel has moved to an all-digital spot is that there are not enough viewers watching that channel and therefore, Rogers has decided to give the boot to the Golf Channel into an all-digital spot (it's now on Channel 410 on Rogers). The other thing is for the Golf Channel is that it is a "niche" service.

As for MTV Canada, it is rebranded from the former TalkTV, which means MTV cannot (and will not) air any music videos as per their CRTC Licence as a youth-orirented, music-oritented and general-interest (music and music-related) programming.

This change has really upset for some Golf fans. I'm not a golf fan myself, but I like to read the views of some people on the internet explaining why the Golf Channel has been removed from the Analogue section of Rogers.

Anyway, how do you people watch your TV?

[novabus726]

I found some information that I had gathered on a google
search on why the Golf Channel has been removed from Rogers:

First I found this news article from the London Free Press Newspaper:

Source: London Free Press
Golf Channel, fans angry at move
By JOHN HERBERT -- London Free Press

Not everyone is convinced Rogers Cable pulled the plug on the Golf Channel because Madonna is more popular than Mike Weir.

Last Thursday, Rogers moved the Golf Channel to digital, requiring customers to upgrade with digital equipment to continue receiving it.

Last month, Rogers Cable spokesperson Taanta Gupta said the move was being made because MTV has broader market appeal. What Rogers didn't reveal was it knew the Golf Channel was picking up ratings-boosting live PGA Tour events in 2007.

London golfer Gord Hume, London golf pro Mike Kilkenny and the Golf Channel itself aren't satisfied.

Hume, a Sunningdale member, said he's calling Ted Rogers to complain.

In a letter to The Free Press, Kilkenny said he believed Rogers was being opportunistic, looking for a way to "raise the rates."

The Golf Channel said in an e-mail to The Free Press yesterday it is not pleased.

Rogers vice-president and general manager of television services Dave Purdy said the Golf Channel was getting very poor ratings -- among the lowest of the 64 channels -- and research showed most people interested in golf already had digital boxes.

"Our research indicated while golf has loyal fans, the ratings are quite low," Purdy said.

He said he was aware of the the Golf Channel's plans when Rogers made its decision.

"We are extremely disappointed by the Rogers Cable move," said Dan Higgins, managing director of public relations for the Golf Channel. "We are the exclusive cable home of the tour and will be for 15 years. The only other place you will be able to see the PGA Tour action is on CBS and NBC."

The Golf Channel will carry 48 tournaments in 2007. Most of those will be primarily the Thursday and Friday rounds.

Rogers will upgrade customers to digital at no cost for a year by calling 1-866-823-3426.

Complaints can be e-mailed to cablemedia.relations@rci.rogers.com.



Here are some links as told by the people themselves about the change:
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/May/New-Bob-Weeks-blog-post3.cfm
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/May/Rogers-and-The-Golf-Channel-II.cfm
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/May/Golf-Channel-says-its-still-talking.cfm
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/July/annika-thegolfchannel-and-virtually-gone.cfm
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/July/New-Bob-Weeks-blog-post3.cfm
http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/July/New-Bob-Weeks-blog-post4.cfm
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/286812455661182.php
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=8015&go=1&select=99415&dz=4F622975-5CBF-4FC9-B12D-FD22A1219072#10
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=8015&go=1&select=97245&select2=2241492&s=rogers&dz=4F622975-5CBF-4FC9-B12D-FD22A1219072#2241492
http://www.gatago.com/alt/video/digital-tv/23219203.html
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42437

Here's the official link about Rogers' change:
http://www.shoprogers.com/store/cable/ptv/programming/golfchannel.asp

Disclaimer: Please note that TCM does not maintain those links as posted on the page.
The opinions expressed are those by the participants and do not
necessarily reflect those of TCM.

As for other cable companies who carry The Golf Channel on their analogue dials (notably Cogeco), they are safe for now.

[Mouse]

I voted other, but I goofed.

I'm on LookTV, which is wireless.

If a Mod had nothing better to do, they have my permission to change my vote.

Thanks.

:hsh:

[Swordfish]

Satellite-Bell ExpressVu

[Mike]

I have Rogers Cable as well.

[justabitcrazee]

Rogers Digital Cable, through Windows Media Center 2005 :)

[Mouse]

Thank you, Phantom Mod. :)

[Tess]

Thank you, Phantom Mod. :)

You're welcome.

Bell ExpressVU

[Nave]

Basic Cable, i loved that MTV Canada was moved to an analog station, means i get to watch it. Now i make use of channel 52 as before i didnt know we got it in! lol

[Lesley]

Starchoice here and no complaints at all.

Never end a sentence with a preposition......

[novabus726]

Basic Cable, i loved that MTV Canada was moved to an analog station, means i get to watch it. Now i make use of channel 52 as before i didnt know we got it in! lol

MTV was launched since March of this year (after a major rebrand from the former TalkTV), however it's not the same MTV you expect from the US. Due to the restrictions imposed by the CRTC, the re-branded MTV Canada could not (and will not) air any music videos. This is the fact that it has to distance themselves from MuchMusic (another competitor).

When I watched MTV a couple months back (back then the preview was on Channel 69 in my area, I really enjoyed their TV shows on MTV. I'm too embarrassed to tell you what my favourite TV show(s) is on MTV, but I can tell you that, to my own experience, it has a greater appeal. This has resulted on making MTV part of the Ultimate TV Package and all the channel placements have been improved significantly.

Apart from that, there was used to be a "stock quotes" channel (it was on Channel 64 back then and now it is vacant), along with that, you can hear some broadcasts from an organization called "VoicePrint". The channel is now gone, but VoicePrint broadcasts can be heard on CBC Newsworld - only if your TV (or digital box) has an SAP (second audio programming) feature on it.

[Bogie]

LOL, Rogers Cable marketing called this afternoon trying to upgrade me. So as he was talking he checked to see what I already had with Rogers ... you could tell he was being challenged to come up with an interesting upsell. We already have Digital Cable TV, 3 Rogers cellphones, Cable Extreme Internet, and 1 Sprint/Rogers phone line (soon to be converted to Vonage as there is a $40 a month difference). So all he could was try to upsell some more "packages", which we don't need. No use having more channels where there is nothing to watch :d

If anything I'll be cutting back and just keeping a fews channels by themselves.

Had a good chuckle with a very good telemarketer ... he knew he was defeated, we had a good laugh. It's nice when you get somone knowledgeable at the other end and is a good salesperson ... I love good salespeople.

[T_Totler]

Rogers Cable...

No issues with reception quality here (Markham), although others here, from what I've read, have had reception problems with Rogers.

[BillD]

my favourite feature on Rogers is the ROgers on Demand, so I can watch movies when I want, pause, rewind, just like dvd or tape.

[T_Totler]

I don't subscribe to any of that extra Rogers stuff....

The "Ultimate TV Pak" serves my needs as I don't watch much TV. If I want to see a movie, I just go out and rent it, and it it's really good, I might buy it.

I don't want to give Ted any more money than he deserves.

[Exmortis]

I'm on Rogers Cable with a quad-tuner PVR server that feeds 3 TVs in the house.

[novabus726]

Sorry if this goes a little off-topic, but I was tuning in to my Rogers digital box (located down in my living room) and went into channel 410 - that's where the Golf Channel is (like I said, I'm not a golf fan), I realized that I had received a notice that the channel is "not authorized", meaning I have to call them if I want to see that channel. (Please refer to my earlier post located in this thread regarding the Golf Channel)

Meh, I don't bother watching the Golf Channel anyway, even though it's on a digital tier. I found this particular information from a golfer's blog of a golf magazine called "ScoreGolf". The full details can be founded here: http://www.scoregolf.com/blog/bob-weeks/2006/August/Rogers-illogical-Golf-Channel-move.cfm

[IntelCore2]

I have Rogers PVR High Definition on a high defintion TV (which is also great for my xbox360), plus I have the cable split to another room, where I can watch, pause and record live tv through my Media Centre PC!

[novabus726]

Sorry if this goes a little off-topic but, Just now, I found some "conspiracy" going on between Rogers and the Golf Channel. To my knowledge, one author posted about how golf fans are upset with Rogers cable because the Golf Channel has been removed from it's analog package and going into the digital tier.

I found from one source:
http://www.ontgolf.ca/blogs/2006/08/25/conspiracy-theory-about-rogersthe-golf-channel-g4g-readers-debate-developers-plans/

And another one like this. A full thread regarding this issue can be found here (please read disclaimer at the top of this thread):
http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?p=101180

[novabus726]

iirc, I was doing some google searching on this matter and people seem to have different views regarding that Rogers have removed the Golf Channel from it's analog dial into a digital tier. Some of the fans are quite angry, they decided to call and complain and eventually they get the channel free for one year (to my knowledge, some sources show two years). Here how and where I got those sources from:
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=17870
http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=9210
http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=8808
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=16536&highlight=golf+channel
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=15536&highlight=golf+channel
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=17304&highlight=golf+channel

The true reason that the Golf Channel got removed from the Rogers analog service is that the ratings are quite low and they have decided to replace it with MTV Canada, because it has a greater audience appeal than the Golf Channel.

From what I heard (to my knowledge and please correct me if i'm wrong), one area in Ottawa (where Rogers currently making it's presence) had spared the Digital switchover for the Golf Channel. TGC can be seen on Channel 71 in Ottawa, along with 410 on digital. It seems that the golf fans in Ottawa are quite happy about that news (for now at least). I'm not sure if that is either temporary or pernament. Rogers could change the channel line-up there at anytime.

It seems that golf fans are quite upset about the change, they have to complain to Rogers. Some of them got a free digital box for 1-year (that includes the Golf Channel), while others got the Golf Channel for 2-years. Others decided that they have brace the sacrifice on either getting digital to pay more or get satellite (or wireless, such as Look TV). I heard that the Golf Channel will air the PGA coverage next year, so to speak. I wonder if one of you golf fans know about the change or not.......