Comcast SportsNet New England - What is going on here ???

[GaryJohn57]

Ok...maybe somebody can shed some light on this.  I have read a few forum posts from 2010 but they didn't make much sense.  AT&T can give me no answers.

I get ALL of the CSN NE programming on the Standard Definition channel, which is channel 714.  But the High Definition version of CSN NE is OFF AIR 24/7, that is channel 1714.

I understand that this may not be U-Verse's fault but U-Verse is still showing CSN NE as part of their current channel lineup.  I recently switched from Cox Cable to U-Verse and I was told that CSN NE in HD was in their channel lineup.  Clearly it is not.

I would like to know the reason why it's not part of the lineup and why U-Verse is still advertising it as part of it's current channel lineup in my area.

I now have no way to watch Celtics games in HD where I was able to do that when I had Cox Cable.  I just switched over to U-Verse a little less than 2 months ago.  I have called U-Verse countless times since I had it installed and nobody can give me an answer as to why CSN NE is sending only their SD feed and not their HD feed.  That makes zero sense to me.

Needless to say I am a bit ticked off about this.

Is there anything U-Verse customers can do about this ??

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Enter your zip code in the link below to see which RSN's are available in your market:

http://www.att.com/Common/iptv/files/dkpages/sportsnetworkinfo.html

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

GaryJohn57 - I see regular programming on 714 and off air on 1714. But, it is not a U-verse screen. It looks more like a CSNNE screen.

I searched for Celtics & the results were strange. It shows many games on 714 but only Fri at 7:30 on 1714.

I thought I used to see the Celtics on NESN - 1712. But, they do not appear to be there.

Is the CSNNE HD issue the same as the MSGHD issue - They would not provide HD chans to FIOS & U-verse & were ordered to in court & they are dragging their feet in compliance with court order? Search the forum for MSG HD & check it out. Google for it.

[GaryJohn57]

I checked that link and my zip code here in CT is listed as the home team market for the Celtics and should have both SD and HD for CSNNE (channels 714 and 1714).

Something is obviously amiss here.

[kryptonite]

http://www.uverseusers.com/index.php?option=com_openwiki&Itemid=36&id=david

I would contact David by using the information at that link.

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

I was thinking - maybe they only show the games in HD. We will have to see if the game is on tomorrow night.

I went to the CSNNE web site & it does not recognize at&t as a carrier.

[Bandit5160]

Once again, Comcast is railroading AT&T.  The fact that they own channels allows them to do this.  You know it is just a matter of time until NO Comcast channels will be left on U-Verse.  They will ask U-Verse for much higher carriage fees, and U-Verse won't pay them. 

[GaryJohn57]

Well try to figure this one out....

When you go to the CSNNE website, one of the site's corporate sponsors is AT&T...

[Dread Pirate Ro…]

I was talking with a friend, and this subject came up. He said he couldn't remember where he heard this, but he heard that the Home games were in HD but not the away games. Was it an away game that has the comcast off air notice?

DPR

[kryptonite]

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GaryJohn57 wrote:

Well try to figure this one out....

When you go to the CSNNE website, one of the site's corporate sponsors is AT&T...

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Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much. The San Francisco Giants play in AT&T Park, but it took U-Verse a long time to add MLB Network, and they still don't have Extra Innings.

Actually, if you click on that AT&T logo at www.csnne.com you'll find information about AT&T Wireless. Last I checked, they were two (mostly) seperate companies. Same name, but it's a different pool of money.

[That Don Guy]

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kryptonite wrote:

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GaryJohn57 wrote:

Well try to figure this one out....

When you go to the CSNNE website, one of the site's corporate sponsors is AT&T...

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Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much. The San Francisco Giants play in AT&T Park, but it took U-Verse a long time to add MLB Network, and they still don't have Extra Innings.

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Keep in mind that the only reason it is called "AT&T Park" is because the staduim sponsorship came for free with the rest of SBC when AT&T took it over.  (Apparently, the rights last until 2020, as Pacific Bell, which in turn merged with SBC, originally bought the naming rights until then.)  However, U-Verse does have northern California's two Comcast SportsNet RSNs (although because of the blackout rules, no one is allowed to receive both the Warriors and Kings games).

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

The Celtics game just came on on channel 1714 in 06410 land.

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

Looks like Dread Pirate had good info on home/away games - Last night was a home game on CSNNEHD. Sundays game is away & not scheduled on CSNNEHD. But, it is on ESPNHD. Looks like you have to search for alternate viewing options on away games.

[GaryJohn57]

This is still making no sense whatsoever.  Almost all the programming on CSNNE is in high def.  Celtics home and away, Sports Tonight, Sportsnet Central, Patriots Wednesday Live, etc.

But the only thing that U-Verse is allowing are home Celtic games.....what is up with that ?

The other night the Celtics home game was on and so was the Celtics post game show.  I left channel 1714 for awhile then flipped back.  Then for a fraction of a second I saw Sports Tonight being shown in HD before the "OFF AIR" screen came up.

So clearly CSNNE is sending the HD signal to U-Verse and U-Verse is blocking it out.

WHY is U-Verse blocking HD feed from CSNNE when it's not a Celtics home game ????

I have called U-Verse tech support and customer service and even tier 2 tech support until my ear is ready to fall off and NOBODY at U-Verse can give me an answer.

This is really getting annoying.

[kryptonite]

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GaryJohn57 wrote:

This is still making no sense whatsoever.  Almost all the programming on CSNNE is in high def.  Celtics home and away, Sports Tonight, Sportsnet Central, Patriots Wednesday Live, etc.

But the only thing that U-Verse is allowing are home Celtic games.....what is up with that ?

The other night the Celtics home game was on and so was the Celtics post game show.  I left channel 1714 for awhile then flipped back.  Then for a fraction of a second I saw Sports Tonight being shown in HD before the "OFF AIR" screen came up.

So clearly CSNNE is sending the HD signal to U-Verse and U-Verse is blocking it out.

WHY is U-Verse blocking HD feed from CSNNE when it's not a Celtics home game ????

I have called U-Verse tech support and customer service and even tier 2 tech support until my ear is ready to fall off and NOBODY at U-Verse can give me an answer.

This is really getting annoying.

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Maybe AT&T is forced to block it out? It's possible that if a game ended early, the automatic "blackout" computer system didn't kick in at the start of the program, but rather at the pre-determined time. I'm guessing that AT&T doesn't choose to black it out.

For example, when I had cable, my local system had TV channels from Columbus and one from Cleveland. Due to various restrictions, the channel from Cleveland usually showed infomercials in place of regular programming. However, the 6 PM ET syndicated howing of The Simpsons would usually start about 5:57. It was supposed to be blacked out, but the blackout didn't kick in until 6 PM, allowing Columbus viewers to view a very small portion of the episode.

Comcast owns the channel and a cable system which carries the channel. I may have missed this, but which providers have it in HD 24/7?

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

GaryJohn57 - Why do you think it is att that is blocking the programming? It appears to me the signal & wallpaper is coming from the Comcast network. You should contact them and ask them why they are doing it.

[GaryJohn57]

If AT&T is not blocking the other programming, they certainly should know why a provider is nor sending them programming.

I can't be the only person in north central CT who has called them about this.  You would think they would have an

answer.

[GaryJohn57]

How's this for relevant ?

99% of CSNNE's programming is not available in HD....does anyone know why this is the case ?

I posted a letter that is going to the Attorney General of CT about this since AT&T U-Verse tells customers that CSNNE is available in HD without any caveats.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

That really gives me a great deal of confidence in AT&T

[kryptonite]

I doubt AT&T U-Verse tells their customers about any channels. Independent contractors or employees of outside companies hired by AT&T to sell their products may say stuff in order to get the sale.

I do agree that such things reflect negatively on AT&T, but I'd wager that any other company also bends the truth a bit. If you want to buy NBA Miami Heat tickets, they may say "NBA Finalist" or "Eastern Conference Champion" at which point, someone may assume they won the title. However, it's putting some shine on it, in order to make the sale.

AT&T representatives or their agents may SAY they have CSN NE, which is technically true. To say they have it in HD is also technically true. To say its HD 24/7 is not true and they probably wouldn't admit such fact.

AT&T had Fox Sports Ohio in HD. However, due to the fact that the channel was HD only for some live events, they didn't say it was HD 24/7.