Skip to main content

Do I Really Need a TV?

I had turned my television on briefly on Monday night after coming home from the poetry workshop at the library.  I did not see anything that I wanted to watch so I turned it off and read until bedtime.

Tuesday rolled around and I had a meeting with my regular writing group.  I switched on the TV set before I headed off to the library once again to see if I could catch some of the news.

This was all I could see.

I called Comcast's automated service and pressed "1" for a refresh--"all that is usually needed" according to the non-person on the other end of the line.  When I got back, the same screen.  I called Comcast again and eventually got connected to a live person who assured me this was "a common problem that I can help you with right now."
  • Press the cable button, then the power button.
  • Try that again.
  • Again.
  • Read the cable box serial number to me.
  • Find the input button on the TV remote.  Press that.
  • Press that again.
  • Unplug the cable box for ten seconds.
  • Wait for me to resend the signal.
  • Press the cable button, then the power.
  • Is the box plugged in?
  • Is the cord connected correctly?
  • Press the input button on the TV remote.
Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat.  She told me that I would need to go to Comcast and switch out the cable box.

My son took me out for lunch on Wednesday.  After that I went to Comcast and swapped the cable box for a brand new one.  I went home and set it up then called the activation number, waited for things to load, turned on the television, and:

I called the number on the activation sheet and got an automated service again. "I see you have a new cable box.  Are you having trouble getting a picture?" Yes.  "I will resend the signal.  If you do not have a picture in five minutes call this number again.  No picture, call again.  Call three got me transferred to a live person.  The first thing I said was that I needed to schedule a service call, but noo-oo-o:


  • Press the cable button, then the power button.
  • Try that again.
  • Again.
  • Read the cable box serial number to me.
  • Find the input button on the TV remote.  Press that.
  • Press that again.
  • Unplug the cable box for ten seconds.
  • Wait for me to resend the signal.
  • Press the cable button, then the power.
  • Is the box plugged in?
  • Is the cord connected correctly?
  • Press the input button on the TV remote.
  • Repeat all.
"Well, I guess we will have to send a technician."  Right.

As I was going out the door for my new exercise class, Comcast calls to ask if I would do a costumer satisfaction survey.  Sorry, I don't have time, I am already late. (Lucky for you, Comcast!)

Thursday, I took my Prius to the dealer to have the two recall notices that I got over the winter taken care of.  I took the shuttle to the mall and did some shopping while that was being done.  Later in the day, Comcast called.  "We want to resolve this issue remotely."

  • Press the cable button, then the power button.
  • Try that again.
  • Again.
  • Read the cable box serial number to me.
  • Find the input button on the TV remote.  Press that.
  • Press that again.
  • Unplug the cable box for ten seconds.
  • Wait for me to resend the signal.
  • Press the cable button, then the power.
  • Is the box plugged in?
  • Is the cord connected correctly?
  • Press the input button on the TV remote.
  • Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And Repeat.
The voice on the other end of the line was getting quite cranky.  Look, I am not making this up.  I have unplugged and plugged, pressed buttons, checked and rechecked all the connections, nothing changes.  Big sigh,  "Well, we are going to have to send a technician."

I hate to be like this, but is the entire country on India going to be docked a days pay because my television continues to say NO SIGNAL?

Comments

  1. This all sounds very frustrating! I know many people who also are frustrated with Comcast. Recently we haven't had any problems with them. My new computer with the new windows is my problem!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a tragedy with the cable. I think you can spend your time in reading and blogging. Since i spend like that. I don't go near the tv.

    ReplyDelete
  3. As long as everything is working you don't notice what a pain Comcast is. I have the same company and find their customer service intolerable. I once called for support and actually got someone snoring on the other end of the line! Their rates have gone up on my every year. I also have them for email and that service has gotten slower in direct ratio to their expensive cost climbs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Any phone service is intolerable to me. Yes, sometimes a problem is easily fixed, but when it is not the "script" the phone techs are working from does not allow for unexpected contingencies and it is frustrating on both ends.

      Delete
  4. I'm lucky, I guess. My Comcast customer service is the next town over, and they're always friendly and knowledgeable and patient.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I go to the office, the people are generally helpful and friendly. It is those scripted problem solving routines that don't work that get to me. And it does seem as though the phone techs will do anything to avoid scheduling a service call. I just wonder why.

      Delete
  5. It is the nature of big conglomerates that could care less about the subscriber. They spend all their time looking for somebody to work for their call center and then replacing that person who leaves almost as quickly as they arrived. There is no time to take care of the customer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gee, I guess I am not missing anything, as I simply don't watch TV -- unless David tells me to glance at some wonderful shot during a basketball game.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love our Verizon FIOS. We never have trouble with it. We cancelled Comcast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had Verizon FIOS at a rental house one winter a few years ago and I did like it, but it is not an option here.

      Delete
  8. Bless your heart. I would be throwing things by now. I have Direct TV and love it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your tale makes me long for the days when we had three stations, an antennae rotor, and no monthly fee. I didn't watch much TV back in those days. Now we have some kind of box, close to a hundred stations, $50 a month fee and I still don't watch much TV. One hundred channels of crap is 97% more crap than three channels of crap.

    A young guy at work a few years ago was trying to sell me on the magic of satellite radio for my car. For 20 bucks a month I could get 17 bazzilion radio channels and so forth, plus uncensored Howard Stern. I asked him why should I pay 20 bucks a month to not listen to the radio, when I can not listen to it for free now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 50 bucks a month! Sounds like a deal to me.

      Delete
  10. We removed all things Comcast in Denver - phone, wireless Internet, TV. I have a small Verizon box for wireless. We read a lot and go for walks! Also, writing to the Better Business Bureau gets results (what I finally did in mts). I think Comcast was rated the second most hated company in US - I forget who took first place!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have two Comcast accounts--VT and FL. If I have a problem in FL it usually is resolved remotely. For some reason in VT I end up with a service call. That would be okay if I could only cut to the chase right away. If a routine doesn't work by the third try, schedule a service call. That's all I'm saying.

      Delete
  11. HI there! I am sorry to hear about the frustrating experience. I work for Comcast and I can reach out to my local colleagues to look into this for you.

    Please feel free to contact me. Provide your account info, best contact number and a link to this page as a point of reference.

    Thanks,

    ComcatsMark
    We_can_help@cable.comcast.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. The service tech came this morning and replaced the HDMI connection with all the color coded wires. The box and TV were not talking. I don't know why not since it worked for months before all of a sudden it didn't. But I can watch the news tonight.

      Delete
  12. I feel your pain! I am dealing with a very similar issue with Time Warner Cable and still haven't gotten them to actually send someone out. We have a picture, it is just that the cable box itself is insane. Being that Time Warner was just purchased by Comcast I'm even less optimistic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quite possibly it was Time Warner that was the most hated company (Barb's comment above). Good luck, BWAH-HA-HA.

      Delete
  13. The Comcast service tech must be a hundred miles away, considering how reluctant they are to send someone out. Good grief.
    Here in the city we get much better service from Comcast.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You're much more patient than I would be, especially by the third call. I'm glad it got sorted out. I don't think I could live without the television - it's almost always on here. I grew up in a house where it was background noise and I do the same.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I appreciate readers' comments so much. You don't even always have to agree with me.

Popular posts from this blog

Updates

 On September 29, I had the closing on my condo. Everything that was not going to the buyers was out and packed in the ABF moving truck which had by the been taken over to the storage units. Don thought it would take him until Wednesday to finish packing the truck with the help of his son. It took him until late Thursday with Chris' help and mine. Kevin was supposed to help load as well but he was in a mountain bike accident and wrecked his shoulder the week before. That added driving him to doctor appointments to my to do list and dong some shopping for him plus jobs around the house that might need two functioning upper limbs.  We stayed with Kevin on Friday night after the closing and then had a suite in an extended stay place for the coming week. This was the worst possible time to have to get a room because the prices balloon during leaf peeping season if you can even find a room at all. But it was close to the storage units where we were working and it was dog friendly. We ju

Wedding

 Don and I drove to South Carolina to attend the wedding of my step-grandson, Will. Will Will and Katie The wedding took place on Dataw Island, a beautiful outdoor ceremony followed by a reception in the country club. We stayed in a tiny cottage in the historic center of Beaufort, rented from Vrbo. Since the wedding was at 5 p.m., we had time to explore the area a bit. I really like the low country scenery and historical charm. Sitting quietly in the curtained gazebo I was visited by multiple cardinals. They came to visit the feeder, not me, but I can always pretend! How I will always remember Will!

Rest In Peace

 In a summer that has been so wet, Sunday was a reprieve. The humidity dropped and the sun came out. It was a day that could have been special ordered by the family of a friend's husband. It was the day they had arranged his celebration of life ceremony set on the shore of Lake Champlain. I was not looking forward to the gathering, even couched as a celebration. This is a family fraught with relationship tensions. It turned out to be a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony. A Catholic priest gave a brief but meaningful homily and two Air Force members played "Taps" and presented the American flag to my friend. I am not a Christian, but I do know about Christ Consciousness. That priest's word's filled me with such a sense of peace and love. I hope it did the same for the family members and neighbors who attended.