Bell TV Pricing, themes and programming package discussion

07-30-2010, 11:24 AM

You would have to add the News and Learning 1 theme ($8), and like Pinza said only CNN SD is available.
But at that point with 2 SD themes, an extra $4 would get you 3 more SD themes.

**Jcm** · 07-30-2010, 11:50 AM

Low def (SD) may work but HD won't work about 200 miles south of the border due to the footprint of the new satelite.
While I was in Arizona last winter I checked with RVrs and 9 out of 10 are now using StarChoice as it's footprint covers north America with LD and HD and StarChoice dosn't shut down their Canadian customers that travel. In fact, they will even help their subscribers while traveling in the US or even Mexico.
StarChoice even delivered a system to me so that I could take it south for a friend who left home without having it installed in his new 5th wheel. When it was installed he just called in and had it turned on. He lives in Victoria during the summer.
Great service and programing. Bell has better PVRs though.

07-30-2010, 11:56 AM

Does anyone know if RDS is added once you subscribe to NHL Centre Ice?

That was the case with me...and then once hockey season ended, RDS disappeared.

Anyone?

07-30-2010, 12:12 PM

We will say we have cleared up that Raptors HD is linked to SD sports 2 not 1.
Now we find you will get RDS HD if you sub to the SD theme LE Monde EN Francais but you will not get RDS HD if you Sub to the RDS HD theme HD More Sports? As I pointed out in post #73
If you sub to HD more sports and want the RDS HD listed in this theme you have to sub to the linked SD theme.

07-30-2010, 12:22 PM

Well some good news on this.
I just got off the phone with Bell TV and it turns out only TSN and Sportsnet on SD are required to subscribe to the HD versions of the same channels.
Discovery HD, A&E HD, etc, can be subscribed to in HD on their own.

Checking it out vs. Rogers, Rogers charges $8.95 for their HD Specialty pack which pretty much gets you the same as 4 HD theme packs from Bell for $10.

So it's not as bad as I had originally made it out to be; with the $10 HD subscribtion, I droped News & Learning 2 which had National Geographic and Discovery Civilization that I cared about, which means a net loss of Dis. Civilization. That was an 8th theme pack costing an extra $5 a month, so netting $5 more per month I'm happy again with the HD channels.

07-30-2010, 12:27 PM

This is something I might have to try, spent some time on the phone arguing yesterday, then sent an email and got a response today:

"You have already subscribed Variety 1 theme pack and you will definitely get Showcase East and West channel....Regarding Showcase HD channel, I would like to inform you that free preview for showcase HD channel has been closed on January 29th, 2009. If you wish to get this channel now, you need to add More HD Variety theme pack on your current programming. I have verified your account. You have HD Value Pack on your current programming and we are charging $10.00 per month for the same."

Basically the same thing as on the phone. They agree I should be getting HD channels for the ones I have an SD subscription to, but I have to pay more for Showcase HD. It's like talking to a wall.

07-30-2010, 12:51 PM

Thanks everyone for the information (I love Digital Home). Gotta run though the Bell guy just showed up for my install

07-30-2010, 12:57 PM

I'm sure I read a year ago that these two stations were in free preview until February, 2009, so I knew this day was coming! I decided to bite the bullet and order the 5 HD theme packs, but I dropped the $3 Leafs television channel which I wasn't watching anyway. So the NET increase is $2.00.

-Mike

07-30-2010, 01:20 PM

I'm fairly certain these two channels were never intended to be grandfathered into the $10 HD package, same with TLC HD. They will probably be the first theme to go MPEG4 too, whenever that begins.

-Mike

07-30-2010, 01:33 PM

You might want to rethink that decision to switch. Unless digital access fees, no lifetime warranty on hardware without paying a surcharge, blanket simsubbing no matter where you live, more expensive pick n pay channels and sports packages excite you.

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