Cable, Dish, Fiber-optics

It is now 2009. Its been about at least 20 years, I want to say, since we've been cossetted in the lap of multi-channel luxury. Channel lineups have gone from 1 to 2 to 20 to 100 to 1000 in this period. It started with cable television which graduated to dish and now its fiber optics right to your doorstep to deliver the ultimate experience in couch-potato'ism. DVRs, TiVOs and other recording paraphernelia make it easy for one to never have to miss episodes of one's favorite reality shows, soaps, games and what-have-you. Sounds to me that life in the tube-watching era just gets more luxurious by the day.

Yet, till this day, we just can't seem to find a way to provide a restricted/subset of channels for those that know exactly what they want to watch. For a long time, I was subscribed to Cable Television. One of my bigger problems is the fact that I only watch Food Network, Home and Garden and Travel Channels extensively. These, almost always, belong in the extended channel lineup category, which- in lay man terms means, its not a cheap deal. For most part, I have sucked it up and paid the needful. Then some years ago, a friend decided he had to intervene and give this ignoramus that was squandering the money away(that would be me) some much needed gyaan. He advised me to switch to dish. They give a far better deal he surmised.

Thus I swung over to the other side. One day I had 3 workmen installing two dishes on my rooftop. There was already a previous satellite from some other vendor perched out there(which btw these workmen refused to have anything to do with- I had to call THAT particular company if I wanted to have it removed). Thus I was all set- after paying a significant portion of green moolah, activation fees, this that and the other- the two thingies on the rooftop provided all the channels I would ever need if I were to be stranded in a remote island and didn't have anything to do all my life. Life seemed good.

Until I decided to get myself a HDTV. The day I unpacked it and set it up, I realized I had to call the dish people. Uh oh! Ma'am, we'll need to get out there and replace your receiver, the one you have now doesn't do HD. And your monthly charges will go up since HD subscription rates are different and of course we'll have to get you a 2 year contract. You're roped in for the next two years....I could hear him laugh ominously.

Ok fine! Finally the new TV was beaming hi-def images of HGTV. What more could one ask for?

Until I decided to add some international channels. Uh oh! Ma'am, we'll need to come out there and install another dish on your rooftop, since this channel is on a separate satellite and is turned in a different direction. Oh btw, we'll have to sign you in for a two-year contract, or you'll have to pay full price for this new dish which costs 200$. No way Jose! (Imagine having 4 thingies perched on the rooftop, quite ruins the 'view' I must say).

My neighbor stopped by last night to advise me to switch to FIOS. "They are cheaper you know," she said, "and you can get an all-in-one package- TV, Phone and Internet for a very nominal price."

Deja Vu!