My cable provider (Cox) wants $10/month to rent a digital cable box. Can I
purchase one outright to use, rather than rent one?

"DCT Dictator" wrote in message
...
"Buck Turgidson" wrote:

My cable provider (Cox) wants $10/month to rent a digital cable box. Can
I
purchase one outright to use, rather than rent one?


In Motorola systems you can get a DCP501.

Stay away from the hot ones on eBay.

Will Cox activate the box if you buy it outright?
What fees would be associated (activation? monthly?)

you are better off renting the digital box from them. if you buy your own
(which I dont think they sell to just anyone who walks in not to mention the
cable company would frown on that) you would still have to pay the company
to activate it and program it for your service. plus you lose the benefit of
replacement in case of failure. at least if you rent it from them, anything
goes wrong they replace it free since they own it. and you get free upgrades
to new equipment when it becomes obsolete. I know some cable companies
allow you to purchase your own cable modems, provided they are compatible
with the system, but you lose the benefit of upgrades and replacement in
case of failure. anything happens 2 months from now say, the box gets hit by
a surge and dies. you have to shell out your own money and buy another. at
least the cable co would replace it as long as you had it properly protected
with a surge supressor, and it was their equipment.

it sucks that they "rent" the equipment, but its still better than paying
for new equipment yourself if anything happens.
ive had my cable modem replaced and my digital box once, because their idiot
installers had used bad splitters and no ground protection, which caused
spikes on the cable line and destroyed the modem and the cable box. so I
got a brand new modem, new cable box, plus they had to reinstall the cable
to specs. I didnt pay a dime!

things to consider when dealing with equipment like this.


"Buck Turgidson" wrote in message
news:57EUg.4406$eZ4.1253@dukeread06...
My cable provider (Cox) wants $10/month to rent a digital cable box. Can
I purchase one outright to use, rather than rent one?