Cable installation

[NewRider]

Rogers charges $70-$80 to install basic cable. Occasionally an installer comes around offering to do it for free, does anyone know an installer in Hamilton?

[Douglas]

Aug/Sept is the prime time for free installs...

yah, I'm no help. booooo douglas..!

[mattm]

If the house you're in has already had cable at some point and there's a box on the outside wall then you can install it free yourself by sticking a butter knife in, jimmying it open and rejoining the wires. The box should have two or four wires in it that will be joined in pairs with a piece of metal. Replace the piece(s) of metal with a joiner(s) and you're set. Don't call the cable company after this and make damn sure you don't leave any really revealing marks on the box. If the cable comes from one of the green boxes that sit by the road this will not work.

If you want high speed internet or more than basic cable, don't do this.

Another thing is that if you get your cable from a green box by the street and get a rogers guy to come out and he/she looks cool, see if you can slip them $20 or something to hook up the slightly better cable. At some places it's all in the joiner they put on in the box. If it's the right one, you get more channels but the cable company can't tell, they go on what the installer says (I think blue is basic and gold is better). Some buddy's of mine got cable and the installer only had the gold joiners left but they only wanted basic cable. He said he'd go and grab one and that's when the $20 offer came out which was fine by him. he put a gold one on and marked it down as the blue one.

PS: That suggestion is for educational purposes only and I take no responsibility for it. Also, this stuff might only apply to old places as I don't know anyone who's tested it since around 2003.

[payce-ley]

I don't think it covers your area, but might as well try Mountain Cable

they have a good deal that covers your cable TV service (extra channels thrown in), phone service (finally, fuc you Bell) and high speed internet for $110 a month (installation was $30)

Edited February 15, 2006 by Guest

[Alexis]

so here's the deal with the cable. the cable has been installed to the house, but there is no cable box. my buddy came over in the summer with his fancy cable box opening screw driver and told me it was a no go. he traced the line back to the hydro pole it's attached to. he pointed out 3 little circley pull thingies and said the one either hanging down or sticking up was my house and that all someone had to do was either a) pull the circle thingy down or up so it was inline with the rest, or split the cable from the box at my neighbours house and hope that they don't notice the shiney new cable making the 20 ft crossing between our houses.

i was thinking about charming the CSR who takes me order. any tips for this here sitchiation i'm in?

thanks for the suggestion paisley, but i'm paying the 1957 rate for my phone from when it was installed, and cully has cable phone through his internet and he's got some complaints about it. maybe in 5 months when my sweet $25/month deal with bell DSL runs out. but we need cable now!!!

edit to add: i don't have an issue with paying for the actual cable....i just don't like having to pay $70 for some schmuck to come and pull that ringy thing when i can't even throw empty wine jugs at him to test his balance and intestinal fortitude

Edited February 15, 2006 by Guest

[Lazlo]

or b split the cable from the box at my neighbours house and hope that they don't notice the shiney new cable making the 20 ft crossing between our houses.

You supply the beer, about 100 feet of cable and Aaron, and we'll do a little late night creepin' and do a job they'll never notice.

[Hal Johnson]

Whatever you do, dont get the stupid box unless your willing to pay an arm and a leg for all the "normal" channels. They would've installed cable for like 70 bucks and I wouldve gotten everything important, ie Showcase, Comedy Network, CArtoon Net, The Score, etc...instead I cheaped out and got the box for no instillation fee. Now im stuck with channels 1 - 28 and a whole bunch of other Canadian feeds, that are basically the same thing. Its still basically $40. Now, I can order a "bundle" with TSN and Showcase for $15 but Id need to order another to get Comedy and Teletoon for an additional $15. So, if your cheap like me, its better to spend the money on installation and enjoy the GOOD T.V has to offer, rather than spend little, get crap, and get hosed for anything else.

[Alexis]

are you talking about the digital box? yeah. at my lst place i spent $100 on a receiver converter thingy and now no more satelite. i'm thinking of selling it and using those funds to fund the installation fee.

[Hal Johnson]

are you talking about the digital box? yeah. at my lst place i spent $100 on a receiver converter thingy and now no more satelite. i'm thinking of selling it and using those funds to fund the installation fee.

Trust me, its worth it. My folks have all the same channels I do (without the box), plus a shitload more, for only a couple bucks extra a month. But I have a nice box. I guess that counts for something.

[Alexis]

But I have a nice box. I guess that counts for something.

If you're cully it does.