I just noticed that they got rid of CMT here in Baltimore CIty. I know that they got rid of G4TV a few weeks ago.

G4TV's still around, but it might be under their 'preferred' digital plan (channels 100+) as opposed to regular digital (channels 2-99).

I don't have an suggestions for him, but I live in Baltimore County and I have noticed that as well. It seriously irritates me. My house have a TV with all the fancy channels, that TV still has CMT and all those other channels, but the TVs without those other channels no longer has it.

comcast was to leave the channels along for 3 year, that is what was in the sunpapers . I think camcast is pulling the rug over there eyes. When they started to take off the channel are they going to give the people free boxs so they can watch the show, or are they going to give th people a song and dance, like they do on the phone. the should be like gov. and give the people free boxs Right now they should do something to help the people and tell them what is going on. They should cut back on on what we are paying when they are taking off the channel insteady of takeing to cleaner.

I saw Bruce Voelker’s posting and wanted to respond to him and other readers who might have similar questions regarding some recent Comcast channel changes in Baltimore County. The channels Mr. Voelker references were in fact moved from our analog lineup to our digital channels over the past few months (ION and CMT in April, and AMC earlier this month), however, the level of service required to continue viewing them has not changed. In Greater Baltimore, almost three-quarters of our customers are already digital customers and do not need to do anything to continue receiving these channels. For analog customers, we are offering our Digital Starter service at the same price they’re paying now for Full Standard service, allowing them to continue viewing these channels and to experience our interactive program guide, Video On Demand Service, music channels, and the better picture and sound quality that only digital can provide.

Digital is the technology of today and with almost 75% of our customers already using digital, moving some channels allows us to provide them with more of the networks, high definition choices and video on demand offerings they want. For example, by moving a small number of channels to digital, in the past month alone we have been able to bring customers in Greater Baltimore five new popular HD networks, including ABC Family HD, Disney Channel HD, WGN HD, Science Channel HD and WUTB HD. At the same time, we understand that channel moves can cause some initial discomfort, and we work hard to reach potentially impacted customers well ahead of time through a variety of communications like newspaper ads, direct mail pieces and more, and to offer easy and inexpensive options to take advantage of digital technology. Should readers have any questions at all, I would encourage them to call us at 1-800-COMCAST or to reach out through our Web site, at www.comcast.com.

DD: Thanks for responding Brian.

Comcast stinks. Hopefully we'll soon get some decent competition in Baltimore County.

I have a hard time believing Brian's "75%" figure, btw. Sounds more like a way of forcing viewers into digital.

I am one of the 75% with digital, problem is that I only pay for one converter box, so my wife can't watch Game Show Network in the bedroom anymore and the kids can't watch G4 from their rooms. Of course for $9/month/TV (an extra $27/month) I could fix that.

I was very interested to read Brian's comment when he said, "For analog customers, we are offering our Digital Starter service at the same price they’re paying now for Full Standard service ..."

As a customer I did not know this, and his customer service representatives apparently do not know this. Earlier this year, when I noticed ION, CMT, and G4 were no longer working, I called Comcast, and they scheduled a technician to come to my house. The tech was the one who told these channnels had mighrated to Digitial. Weeks later I noticed AMC was gone, so I again called to complain. They said I had been notified, but nobody could tell me specifically how or when this was done. It was not until I cancelled my service a few weeks ago in place of FIOS that somebody offered me the free upgrade.

Remember when TV was free and all you had to do was endure the commercials? I recently downgraded by Comcast service to the cheapest possible (2 through 28) and now they've taken away DC channels 4 and 9.

I will soon be getting rid of Comcast completely and putting an antenna on the roof. I'll get more channels and better quality for free.

DD: Gary, I'm with you. I've been mulling over a move to get rid of my satellite TV. I'll miss watching The Closer, the Food Network, Fox News and CNN, but I used to be payTV-free so I'm thinking I might go back.

Over a year ago I lost Turner Classic Movies (TCM) because Comcast offered it in digital only. I started to have the digital box setup but the installer said it wouldn't work with my TIVO (which has a lifetime subscription) so I told him to stop since I valued TIVO over TCM - though that was the channel I recorded most often. Now they've done it to AMC and right in the middle of the season for Mad Men and Breaking Bad. This blows. I think they're trying to force us to upgrade to a monthly fee DVR service that they run. I'm gonna look at what the RCN channel lineup looks like and consider switching.

DD: Oh wow. I'd be so mad if I lost a channel while I was in the middle of watching a show's season. There has to be something Comcast can do to help you, Chris.

Some of these channels can be watched using a DTV box, or in my case
a DVD burner with a DTV tuner:

45.2 THIS(Fox-45's movie channel)
79.2 Cartoon Network
79.8 AMC
104.11 History International
108.4 CMT
108.7 G4
111.3 LMN

Thanks, Henry! That tip is worth checking out. --- lfk