Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

[Ron Whitfield]

After many years of no cable TV and very little veiwing, I now have the pathetic Time-Warner cable service which 'provides' virtually nothing but total rubbish.
"57 channels and there's nothing on"...
The networks suck, movies suck, PBS = SOB, the cable news channels are all about anything BUT real news, and blah blah.

Is there anything MUCH better than T-W, or do they all have a life time subscription to the complete dumbing down of America?

I certainly have many things way more fun and constructive to do than zombie out on TV, but wasn't TV better when we just had the few networks in the day's of (semi) credibility, pre 1980? I always end up back on TV-Land or waiting for Hawaii 5-0 while trading off mostly between my guitars and the net when home locked.

[helen]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Without knowning what kind of programs you want to watch it will be hard to recommend where to go.

[Random]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

After many years of no cable TV and very little veiwing, I now have the pathetic Time-Warner cable service which 'provides' virtually nothing but total rubbish.
"57 channels and there's nothing on"...
The networks suck, movies suck, PBS = SOB, the cable news channels are all about anything BUT real news, and blah blah.

Other than better reception, do you expect cable PBS to be better than OTA PBS?

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Helen, I'd assume if there was a service somebody was happy with they'd chime in and I could check into it.
If the best we can do here is what Random offered, then I guess it all sucks.
No surprise.

[Konaguy]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

There is Satellite providers like Dish Network and DirecTV if you don't like TWC's offerings. Aside that, there is nothing else locally available until HawTel ramps up their IPTV service.

[pzarquon]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Aside that, there is nothing else locally available until HawTel ramps up their IPTV service.

Which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Seriously, though, I'm surprised no one has suggested online content. On our TV, we've got a TiVo (which can download movies and TV shows from Amazon.com's Unbox service), an Apple TV (which can download movies, TV shows, and podcasts from iTunes and the web), and a Vudu box (which downloads recent release movies and TV shows). In essence, we pick and choose what we want to watch, a large portion of it coming from outside Oceanic Time Warner Cable (since we have HiTel DSL).

We have Oceanic's analog cable service, and only reluctantly. We're a couple of favorite TV shows away from being able to eliminate them from our lives forever.

[mel]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

The problem with any subscription service whether it be Time Warner, satellite or even Hawaiian Tel, is that they will all offer, more or less the same networks and channels as the others. The best way if it were possible to get the kind of TV you like is to have any of those subscription services offer "Ala Carte" where the consumer could pick his/her own channels and only the ones they wanted and not have to pay for "the rubbish" like shopping channels, soap operas, informercial channels, etc.

The industry is reluctant to go there even though I believe the technology already exists to offer us "ala carte". They rather just sell you packages with networks and channels they think you want to watch.

Barring that your only other choices for TV that you want to watch is to go strictly on bought or rental DVDs, or some kind of rental by program model (like iTunes) through your computer or a device like Apple TV. There are others out there I am sure but not aware of, but all so far don't have the market saturation like Time Warner or any of the cable / satellite companies.

* OK sorry if some of my content is reptitive to PZ's post above. I must have been writing when PZ posted his.

[Random]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Helen, I'd assume if there was a service somebody was happy with they'd chime in and I could check into it.
If the best we can do here is what Random offered, then I guess it all sucks.
No surprise.

Well, your question is kind of broad and you seem biased about content that is already provided on OTA network.

There is no difference between a cable NBC programming to an OTA NBC programming (other than you have other cable-only NBC network affiliates like MSNBC and SCI-FI).

Until we know what kind of content or genre you're interested, it's hard to suggest what service works for you.

[Nords]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

We have Oceanic's analog cable service, and only reluctantly. We're a couple of favorite TV shows away from being able to eliminate them from our lives forever.

The best way if it were possible to get the kind of TV you like is to have any of those subscription services offer "Ala Carte" where the consumer could pick his/her own channels and only the ones they wanted and not have to pay for "the rubbish" like shopping channels, soap operas, informercial channels, etc.

Ala carte pricing would make a big difference in our budget. I can't imagine that spouse's HGTV would carry the same pricing demand as ESPN and the Disney Channel...

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Ala carte pricing would make a big difference in our budget. I can't imagine that spouse's HGTV would carry the same pricing demand as ESPN and the Disney Channel...

Careful what you wish for. Here's my prediction if Ala carte is implemented:

1) The end of analog cable. While it's possible, it's not really practical to ala carte analog TV. You might still get a analog signal, but it will be from a set top box that selects the channel.

2) Your cable bill is likely to go up. Yes, up. First of all, implementing ala cart will take money. The cable company will need to recover that.

Secondly, if analog goes away, all that's left is the more expensive digital offerings.

Third, all those networks won't suddenly get cheaper just because fewer households are watching, so the prices are going to go up. The bottom line is the cable company and the cable networks need to get at least the same amount of money. Three guesses where they are going to get that money from? That's right. You.

But what about all the channels that you don't watch? Wouldn't you save money? Like I said, the companies have to make the same amount of money. The only way your price is going down is if you watch fewer channels then the average viewer. I would guess the winners are single people - guys won't need the women's channels and the gals won't have to get the guy channels. The losers? Families: They'll need to subscribe to the guy, gal, kids and teen channels. $$$$

[bueller555]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

The OP could consider getting a Netflix subscription and queueing all the independent and foreign films that they want. Some might be available for instant viewing too.

[Konaguy]

Re: Is there a Hawaii provider of good TV?

Which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

HT has requested a 17th extension before the DCCA CATV renders a decision on their Oahu cable franchise application.

According to this Cable Advisory Committee meeting minutes a tentative franchise agreement is in place.

Status of Hawaiian Telcom Services Company, Inc. Application for Cable Franchise (island of Oahu) Mr. Sonobe reported DCCA granted Hawaiian Telcom Services Company,Inc. (HTSC) 15th request for an extension of time (to January 31, 2008) for final action. The parties have reached a tentative agreement and are working on draft wording to finalize the franchise order. He was hopeful that the granting of the franchise would be completed by the end of January 2008, or at the latest February 2008.