Speaking of Cablemas

[hodamayo]

Why not just go with all American Programming? I do Dish Network here and then you can have it all in English.........

hodamayo@hotmail.com

[T.J.]

Well, I actually have Sling Box so I have tons of stations in English. And it is free once you buy the equipment. No monthly fees other than the cost of cable where the box is installed in the US. The downside is that the upload speed from the cable provider is inconsistent. I am thinking of moving the box from FL to NYC when I next go to the states. I just have to be able to explain it to my daughter.

The issue with Cablemas is that they pretty much stole some of our channels from us when we traded in perfectly good digital boxes for perfectly crappy ones. Supposedly the ones we (their customers) had were going to become obsolete and would not function due to changes in their system. Seems like that is a complete lie as people I know have not exchanged their boxes, they still work find and they still have ABC and NBC English programming.

I have seen your posts for years. Can you please provide pricing and details on the programming packages available. I am sure many of us would find that info helpful in deciding where we want to end up with our TV viewing.

[CancunCanuck]

I changed from Sky to Cablemas last month (saving over 1000 pesos with phone/cable/internet), but they have NO boxes. Can't seem to get an answer as to when they will have them either. :S

Not as happy with the channels as I was with Sky, but you do what you must to save a few pesos. Happier with their internet service though.

[T.J.]

It is beyond stupid why they would start swapping out perfectly good boxes and giving the customers crap boxes, then run out of them.

I heard something that someone had acquired Cablemenos and is making changes all around. Supposedly the cheaper boxes were the bright idea of some genius executive.

[hodamayo]

There again why worry about those cable boxes? Sling box is good providing you have ample bandwidth. I can give you Networks out of New York and or San Francisco 99% English channels.
hodamayo@hotmail.com

[V]

Cablemas stories have an almost unbelievable quality to them, so bizarre are they, but those who deal with them know the stories are not often exaggerated.

We tired of the limited number of hours the international package was actually functioning, so we ditched it. We were also having trouble watching basic cable channels we liked, such as 61, during the hours we wanted. "Bizarrely" we could get it in the bedrooms, where all we had was access to the basic package, but not in the living room, where the digital converter was. I tried hooking the cable directly to the set and, there it was, channel 61, just fine, anytime.

I went to cablemas and told them I wanted the converter removed, and my service cut to basic, only. They said they couldn't do it, that the government had, like in the U.S., mandated a switch to digital and the elimination, over time, of transmission of analog signals. They said it was just a matter of time till we would lose the option of NOT using the converter. Oh well....

On the otherhand....

[T.J.]

V
Cablemas - Suggest you pay a visit to Roberto Rodriguez.

Sling Box - I love it. Have had mine for 3+ years. You need a host on the US end of the deal, where the Sling Box is installed. You need a dedicated cable box on that end if you want more than the very basic, over the lines, type of service. You do NOT need a TV on that end, but if the host does not have a wireless router where the cable comes into the house, you need a Sling Link. On this end, in order to watch on your TV, in addition to your computer, you need a Sling Catcher. There is NO monthly fee for using the Sling system, only the hardware cost. For the HD Pro model, my suggestion, you can expect to pay $450-$500, plus tax, depending on if you buy from a Best Buy type of retailer or from eBay. If you have more than one option for a host, choose the one with the highest/fastest upload speed. This is more important than the download speed on this end.

Just my humble opinion, which you know I am happy to discuss with you, as long as beer is involved.

[Cancun Fun]

Wow Tj...$450-500 usd? Do you want to buy some more of them?

Originally Posted by T.J.

V
Cablemas - Suggest you pay a visit to Roberto Rodriguez.

Sling Box - I love it. Have had mine for 3+ years. You need a host on the US end of the deal, where the Sling Box is installed. You need a dedicated cable box on that end if you want more than the very basic, over the lines, type of service. You do NOT need a TV on that end, but if the host does not have a wireless router where the cable comes into the house, you need a Sling Link. On this end, in order to watch on your TV, in addition to your computer, you need a Sling Catcher. There is NO monthly fee for using the Sling system, only the hardware cost. For the HD Pro model, my suggestion, you can expect to pay $450-$500, plus tax, depending on if you buy from a Best Buy type of retailer or from eBay. If you have more than one option for a host, choose the one with the highest/fastest upload speed. This is more important than the download speed on this end.

Just my humble opinion, which you know I am happy to discuss with you, as long as beer is involved.

[T.J.]

That is the total for the Sling Box, Sling Link and Sling Catcher. Can't be much less than $500 unless they have chopped their prices drastically. Remember we got the Sling Catchers at a killer Best Buy sale.
Sling Box Pro HD - $299.99 at Best Buy
Sling Link Turbo - $ 89.99 at Best Buy
Sling Catcher - Can't find at Best Buy but they are north of $300 on eBay. Not sure why. I think you found them on sale at Best Buy for $100 with the regular price of $149 or $179.

Do the math.

[V]

Perhaps three weeks ago, we lost channel 43, without explanation, from the cable package we had. Unfortunately, this meant we no longer had ABC News, of a morning. We were disappointed, but accepted it.

Then, our bill for October came, and with it, a thirty-four percent increase in rates for the same package!, without any notice, nor explanation included with the bill.

I'll ask for an explanation from Cablemas, but I think this latest move will prompt me to do as T.J. often does- pay a visit to Profeco....

[Gringation]

V - I believe Channel 43 for Cablemas is the American Network, right? I think that's a network issue, not a Cablemas one. Other Cablemas users on here complained awhile back about losing American Network. A friend in the state of Jalisco also lost it. I have SKY service, and they eliminated that network a month or so ago as well, with a note that it was a decision out of their control.

But yes, definitely go fight over your rate increase

[T.J.]

V,
I think I am off to visit Cablemas today. I got a bill for double what my normal bill is. I have auto-paid for years by a US credit card and rec'd a discount for paying that way and this time my bill does not indicate this.

Forget calling them. If you can get through to a human, they are generally useless if you have a problem and why else would you call for.

Getting ready to print last month's bill for comparison and then head on over.

Good luck with your mission. Profeco is good about getting results for consumers but it is not a fast and easy process. They close at 2 pm and later is better than earlier. Bring a book. I ran into our friend Rene there the other day and he went over to Subway and brought us back lunch, which we finished before our numbers came up.

[T.J.]

I am told by my Cablemas buddy, that the problems regarding programming, are the result of a new provider that they are dealing with. Not only have they killed the American Network that was part of the International Package, they have killed ABC and NBC English channels, 284 & 286, that some of us had enjoyed for years for a modest fee. For some reason, the group that rebroadasts all of the Cablemas channels, now only offers some channels only to Hotels in the Hotel Zone and not to Residential customers.

Their motto should be "To Hell With Our Customers - Who Cares What They Think or Want." This is not the case with many of their employees. It seems to be an upper management deal.