What would be your "perfect" CATV Setup?

[Tape Splicer]

Since catv is has gone digital, I would like to see Shaw, Telus, etc. provide "pick 'n' pay beyond the basic tv package. Perhaps in bundles of 5 channels per bundle at 50 cents to a dollar per channel, with out having to take the "junk". Even in the "basic" package there should be a way of opting our of a channel and substituting something else. The technology should be there so one can do this. But then again, there is the CRiTiC's regulations. Maybe someday.

[Mike Cleaver]

The technology is there.
Just look at pay per view.
It's the CRTC's fault.
They make you take a bunch of channels that only can survive by being bundled with a channel almost everyone wants.
I agree with tape splicer.
You should be able to choose on a channel by channel basis.
I can do without any sports channels, religious channels, children's channels, French channels and shopping channels, to name just a few.
I'd be willing to pay a dollar per channel for the ones I want.
If very few people subscribe to a channel, it should die a well deserved death.

[jon]

Is it just me or does this whole situation not remind you of the CRTC's regulations about CanCon on Radio?

Both, of course, are all about protecting Canadian Culture and Canadian Entertainment Businesses. CanCon on Radio has now been in place for over 40 years, longer on TV. The cable TV rules a little less. It is difficult to imagine anything entrenched for so long, without a lot of public outcry, ever getting to the point where the majority of Canadians would go out of their way to abolish it.

In fact, I'm betting that once Internet-delivered options become popular (and more practical) alternatives, the CRTC will find a way to regulate them, too. How? Who knows? Everybody said it was impossible when satellite dishes first came along, but here we are today with the vast majority of satellite dishes in Canada receiving their signal from a Canadian satellite service following CRTC regulations.

[Mike Cleaver]

Come to the Lower Mainland and look at all the grey market satellite dishes, particularly those in non-white households.
That's a lot of money the big Canadian carriers aren't getting.

[johnsykes]

What annoys me more than anything...me being forced to pay for basic channels even though I am paying more for HD. Why, as an example, do I have to pay for channel 3 CBC when I can get it in HD....for any of the other basic channels.
Mike, you mentioned you don't want sports channels....I do, but at the same time, I would willingly give up the ordinary ho-hum basic entertainment channels. We don't watch movies, so don't contribute. We don't watch a heck of a lot of other channels, but we do watch each and every HD channel except the U.S. college stuff....or that fight crap. Again, our choice...others love it and they should have the choice too

I'm all for allowing Sky Sports onto our cable coverage......if we can get all the ethnic channels, why not an English channel too. I'd be willing to pay for it.

CRTC is a pain you know where. I have said many times, I don't need protecting from other countries' channels.

I see more Direct TV satellites in Abbotsford than you can shake a stick at. I'd love to get ESPN & its 2 and 3 as well. No John you can't, you need protecting. Bull, I do! If Canadian channels can't stand on their own two feet, then good bye baby!

[Tape Splicer]

What I like about the Telus service is that Telus TV has AM & FM radio stations assigned to audio channel on their digital service - eg: CKNW is 700, CKST is 701 etc. The Telus service provides Victoria, Vancouver, and Alberta radio stations. There are no US radio stations on Telus.
I would like to see Shaw add audio channels for local AM & FM and US FM radio to replace the analog service.
When asking Shaw about this I was told that they had no plans to add audio channels as Telus has done. The comment along with the "Not in our Plans" was that if one wants these radio stations one could "get them online". Well, not every one who listens to radio uses the computer.
The reason I am interested in this is because listening to OTA radio in a cement apartment building is some what chancy. especially AM stations... It seems that New West is some what off to the side of some of the AM TX foot prints.

[pave]

I would love to be given the opportunity to treat TV stations the same way as we used to sort out bubblegum cards: "Got it. Want it. Don't want it. Lose it."

I'd trade all the ethnic channels, the shoddy, sales-channels, the dime-store, inserted "News" stations, the replicated sports stations, the Nascar gives me a woody-channel, the kiddie-channels and a few others including ABC, NBC and CBS for an Al-Jazeera, Faux News, Sun News, HBO and figure we're square.

I'd also keep the religious, Jesus and Mohammed Are Just Alright channel - just to keep track of where the circus is playing. I'd keep one CBC channel, as well - and for the same reason and, okay, for HNIC.

[CKNF]

Well, not every one who listens to radio uses the computer.

While I can certainly appreciate where you're coming from Tape Splicer, I just have a tough time with that argument in the year 2011. For me, the more relevant argument would be, not everyone who uses a computer listens to the radio. But that's just me, so anyways...

One does not need a computer to listen to online streams. Just as it may not seem practical to have to log on to a computer to listen to the radio, to me it is also as equally impractical to have to turn on the TV to listen to the radio.

The reason I am interested in this is because listening to OTA radio in a cement apartment building is some what chancy. especially AM stations... It seems that New West is some what off to the side of some of the AM TX foot prints.

Simple solution...Just use your Smartphone on Wi-Fi OR head on over to your local London Drugs or Wally World and pick-up a Wi-Fi radio...there are even some models that come bundled with a simple wireless router if you don't already have one. This will certainly alleviate any issues regarding reception of AM signals in concrete buildings This is the solution I use if I just want a small standalone radio for my listening pleasure. There are even some great clock radio type models out there. I prefer the Wi-Fi radios that also have both analog bands.

Also keep in mind, that if you live in an urban area, Wi-Fi will supposedly be everywhere thanks to Shaw, so the setup becomes that much more simpler for the end user.

[Tape Splicer]

WiFi radio is an interesting option and it may be one to seriously consider when the current stereo system has to be recycled. As for the smart phone; for me, the simpler the better - a cel phone is a phone, not a camcorder, still camera etc. There are visual limitations in our family that make the use of on screen digital equipment challenging.

[Tape Splicer]

...Oh, as for my statement about people not using computers for streaming audio. I have friends who must use their computers with a software program called JAWS which reads the screen to them. This makes navigating through prompts and on screen buttons and icons a challenge as JAWS does not read the FLaSH players used by many stations.
I do often stream audio for myself but in the house at large it is a stereo tuner because of easy use.
When we had Telus TV we had the box connected to the stereo and listened to the Telus audio channels via stereo. It worked very well.