The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Rogers Ignite 'surprise'

zed · August 4, 2021 8:28 am

I recently upgraded to Rogers Ignite TV and got the Premier package which includes 117 channels and 87 flex channels... more than anyone could possibly want. So imagine my surprise when I switched to ABC Detroit to watch World News Tonight and it says I need a subscription, it was the same with NBC and CBS!!!

It turns out the U.S. networks are not included unless you pay an additional $3 a month for them. How ironic since cable was originally intended to provide reliable reception of the border U.S. stations.

Yes, I took the $3. additional 'party pack' to get the 6 U.S. networks and find I've been watching them more than any of the others. Way to go Rogers, yah got me... ugh.

AMFM · August 4, 2021 8:47 am

I have heard that Rogers Ignite is having problems in Scarborough. It was in the Scarborough Mirror. Anyone in Scarborough having problems with Ignite as opposed to the classic Rogers.

tvguy · August 4, 2021 8:55 am

If I was a cynical person, I would speculate that there is little coincidence with the $3 per month billing surcharge and the loss of Rogers and other BDUs at the Federal Court of Appeal - around 2 weeks ago, of their appeal of the copyright Distant Retransmission Tariff. The tariff has been in effect for nearly 30 years, and there was a slight increase to potentially $1.25 per month (from around $1.17) for any and all distant signals (U.S. and Canadian) carried by Rogers, etc. The rate change is incremental - at worst. And it's a legacy rate - 30+ years - which they have always recouped. So why are they charging an addition $3.00? They will probably blame the Federal Court of Appeal, but that's a lot of garbage. The Federal Court tore a strip off the BDUs' (Rogers etc) expert witness. Rogers and the BDUs argued that they deserved a massive reduction of the copyright fee. The Copyright Board and now the Federal Court of Appeal disagreed. The profitability of the existing distant signals within cable packages was cited as being massive in the Court's findings. It will be interesting to see who becomes Rogers' scapegoat for the $3 surcharge. To my knowledge Bell Satellite has had a "distant U.S. signal" surcharge for many years. So it cannot be argued that the Copyright Board or the Gov't has imposed a "new" fee on the BDUs. For those who might not have been observing this fee for a long time, after the establishment of the original Free Trade Agreement (Mulroney Gov't), Canada was obligated to compensate "creators" for retransmission of programming by cable and satellite companies. The (copyright) Retransmission Tariff had been in place at the time in the USA since the 1970's. So the $1.17 per month charged to cable companies - and by extension their subscribers in Canada actually finds its way into the pockets of program rights holders, such as the sports leagues, TV production companies, "infomercial producers", even the Canadian and U.S. networks get a slice of the retransmission "pie" for their original programming content (i.e. news and current affairs) to the extent that those programs are on channels that are carried as distant (time-shifted) channels. Bottom line, there is no "new" economic impact on Rogers or others, as a result of the latest in a long line of Retransmission Tariff decisions/court battles. Incidentally, the retransmission tariff cases has made many lawfirms and lawyers very wealthy. It is a high stakes battle that takes place every few years. It's not unjust that the cable/satellite companies are required to pay for the interception and distribution of the programming content that they make their profits from.

Last edited by tvguy (August 4, 2021 9:26 am)

paterson1 · August 4, 2021 9:28 am

Scallywags....all of them!!

Radiowiz · August 4, 2021 12:12 pm

I am so glad I still have Rogers Legacy cable.
It's a lot cheaper than Ignite TV but
If you let go of it you can't ever get it back.

g121 · August 4, 2021 12:39 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
I am so glad I still have Rogers Legacy cable.
It's a lot cheaper than Ignite TV but
If you let go of it you can't ever get it back.

I was on Rogers Cable for decades .. their VIP package (~$60-70'ish/month but had to call in every year to get a discount .. painful)

but we only really watch News & Sports .. so i finally flipped to Teksavvy TV a year ago .. Basic+News+Sports = $20+$8+$20 =$48/month .. I'm a happy camper.

Radiowiz · August 4, 2021 1:29 pm

g121 wrote:
I was on Rogers Cable for decades .. their VIP package (~$60-70'ish/month but had to call in every year to get a discount .. painful)

but we only really watch News & Sports .. so i finally flipped to Teksavvy TV a year ago .. Basic+News+Sports = $20+$8+$20 =$48/month .. I'm a happy camper.

I will NEVER EVER let go of the freedom to rewind live TV. This is why I pay for Rogers cable.
I love my NextBox 3.0.

Leslieville Bill · August 4, 2021 2:34 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
I am so glad I still have Rogers Legacy cable.
It's a lot cheaper than Ignite TV but
If you let go of it you can't ever get it back.

I'm in Leslieville. The Bell truck is constantly on our street doing new installations. We switched over a number of months ago after being a Rogers TV customer since the 1980s (when my wife and I got married). Unplugging and replugging in the modem was becoming a daily task. Our neighbours also report less than acceptable service on our street Facebook Group. Rogers may have the most modern TV hardware technology but their backbone is Jurrasic.

Last edited by Leslieville Bill (August 4, 2021 2:35 pm)

radiokid · August 4, 2021 3:57 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
I am so glad I still have Rogers Legacy cable.
It's a lot cheaper than Ignite TV but
If you let go of it you can't ever get it back.

The TV part isn't much if at all cheaper... You just don't require internet to make it work with legacy. Sadly due to the rules, they can't offer IPTV without internet service... but most people have internet so it's not a huge issue.

Last edited by radiokid (August 4, 2021 5:25 pm)

Marsden · August 4, 2021 5:45 pm

OTA and Roku - it's all you will ever need. :-)

In Phase · August 4, 2021 6:10 pm

Leslieville Bill wrote:
Rogers may have the most modern TV hardware technology but their backbone is Jurrasic.

We also switched from Rogers to Bell FTTH after many, many years as a faithful Rogers customer. Rogers does have modern technology in the backroom (aka headend) provided through an agreement with Comcast however, they are still dependent on RF distribution over old coaxial cables. In our neighbourhood, those cable are 50 years old.

In Phase · August 4, 2021 6:28 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
I will NEVER EVER let go of the freedom to rewind live TV. This is why I pay for Rogers cable.
I love my NextBox 3.0.

I agree. Having pause, rewind & record capability simultaneously over multiple channels is sweet and would be very difficult to give up.

I certainly did not have a love affair with my NextBox3 when I was on Rogers. The SARA software left a lot to be desired and the box was temperamental with changing signal levels.

We still have the same functionality after switching to Bell fibre, including the ability to set recordings & watch content anywhere in Canada.

I'm definitely spoiled.

paterson1 · August 4, 2021 6:57 pm

I have Bell Fibe as well and generally like it. Sound and picture quality is excellent. I was a long time Rogers/Maclean Hunter customer and it was getting too expensive and the TV unreliable. The NextBox was always rebooting and updating and sometimes it would take half an hour. Bell gave me a much better price for three years and their Fibe system rarely goes down or needs to reboot. If it does, takes about 1-2 minutes. My only beef is the price went up a lot after the three years, so who knows maybe check out Rogers again. I agree with In Phase, love the recording, rewind, playback and storage with Fibe.

Last edited by paterson1 (August 4, 2021 6:58 pm)

cash · August 4, 2021 10:24 pm

They will have to pay me to get Ignite. I will stick with digital.

Radiowiz · August 5, 2021 3:52 am

paterson1 wrote:
The NextBox was always rebooting and updating and sometimes it would take half an hour.

That's what my older Nextbox 2.0 was always doing.
It DID drive me to threaten to cancel. They upgraded me to a 3.0 for free.
(I was on a promotional package that was not charging me a rental fee for the box at the time)
Funny thing is, they insist that I bought my 3.0 and it is no longer a rental.
(they say I paid the $1 fee to convert to ownership of the box)
I honestly do not recall consenting to ownership of the box, but hey? If it means no rental fees no matter what package I select, I suppose that's all good.
My fear is that once the box dies I won't be able to get another one...if so, for how much money?

Anyway, long story short, they also offered me $100 to trade in my box if I switch to Ignite TV. I still say no.
I LOVE my cable, and I'm glad I have not had any problems with the current Nextbox 3.0.

Tq345 · August 5, 2021 7:37 am

paterson1 wrote:
I have Bell Fibe as well and generally like it. Sound and picture quality is excellent. I was a long time Rogers/Maclean Hunter customer and it was getting too expensive and the TV unreliable. The NextBox was always rebooting and updating and sometimes it would take half an hour. Bell gave me a much better price for three years and their Fibe system rarely goes down or needs to reboot. If it does, takes about 1-2 minutes. My only beef is the price went up a lot after the three years, so who knows maybe check out Rogers again. I agree with In Phase, love the recording, rewind, playback and storage with Fibe.

I switched to Bell Fibe last summer (in part due to your recommendation Paterson). I'm very pleased with it. While it's not perfect, it's so far been very reliable, although my Fibe box seems to take a lot longer than 1-2 minutes to reboot. I've never actually timed it, but seems like 5 minutes plus. Still, the advantages, including being able to record 4 programs at once, far outweigh the disadvantages. I can't comment on Rogers cable as I gladly got rid of it in the 90s when I switched to satellite.

In Phase · August 5, 2021 8:37 am

Radiowiz wrote:
My fear is that once the box dies I won't be able to get another one...if so, for how much money?

I believe Rogers is no longer actively supporting their "digital" cable TV package. They want to move customers over to Ignite (which is really IPTV streaming). If your NextBox dies, you won't get another one unless you buy through Kijiji or other on-line platform.
This was the same problem Rogers had a number of years ago as they migrated customers off analog cable and over to digital (they provided small digital to TV channel 3/4 converters).
I still have a couple of Rogers STB's in storage. I'm holding those for my father that is still on Rogers digital cable (although he has no idea how to record or use the PVR functions).
If and when your NextBox dies, I would certainly recommend considering a move to [insert your local provider here] fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) if available. It truly is the best (current) state-of-the art technology.

mace · August 5, 2021 8:38 am

cash wrote:
They will have to pay me to get Ignite. I will stick with digital.

Unfortunately, you won't have a choice. Digital/Legacy will disappear the way analog did. I used to be able to negotiate a two year deal with Rogers. Now it is only one. I am good until March 2022. After that, we shall see. Since I live in an apartment, and I my lazyboy is 8' away from my modem. there should be zero reception problems with Ignite. However, I have read numerous comments from subcribers who have had issues watching recorded programs. That is a major concern for me. I fall asleep watching tv at night. As they say "I have seen Law, but I have never seen Order"

John D · August 5, 2021 11:28 am

The Scarborough Mirror reported the other day that Rogers Ignite has problems in Scarborough. Has anyone in Scarborough had problems. Getting ready to switch. Thank you.

Skywave · August 5, 2021 12:30 pm

If your existing digital cable box fails, it is likely the hard drive that needs to be replaced. My 4K pvr failed and I got it repaired for $105 including HST with a one year warranty. Google "cable box repair Toronto" and go to the place on Birchmount.

Last edited by Skywave (August 5, 2021 12:46 pm)

SpinningWheel · August 6, 2021 8:43 am

My SA8300HD set top DVR purchased December 2009 died last week and I instantly replaced it with a rental Nextbox 3.0 4K picked up at a Rogers Store on Yonge last Friday, rents for $18 a month or purchase $500. Since they're phasing out Nextbox tech to Ignite, I'm renting for the foreseeable future. It also removes any tie I'd have with Rogers over owning one of their boxes, so it's more flexible. So they are available at stores. Several I checked had them in stock.

Radiowiz · August 6, 2021 9:10 am

SpinningWheel wrote:
My SA8300HD set top DVR purchased December 2009 died last week and I instantly replaced it with a rental Nextbox 3.0 4K picked up at a Rogers Store on Yonge last Friday, rents for $18 a month or purchase $500. Since they're phasing out Nextbox tech to Ignite, I'm renting for the foreseeable future. It also removes any tie I'd have with Rogers over owning one of their boxes, so it's more flexible. So they are available at stores. Several I checked had them in stock.

You might be able to get out of the $18 fee, but you'll be committed to a certain cable package & internet bundle.
I've been told that on the package I'm on, there will never be an $18 fee no matter what, at least until February 2022.
(I have to renegotiate a new deal in January...wish me luck!)

John D · August 6, 2021 11:17 am

Nobody in Scarborough has Ignite???

Radiowiz · August 6, 2021 11:19 am

John D wrote:
Nobody in Scarborough has Ignite???

Don't switch. Stick with Rogers Legacy cable if you can!

SpinningWheel · August 6, 2021 12:23 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
You might be able to get out of the $18 fee, but you'll be committed to a certain cable package & internet bundle.
I've been told that on the package I'm on, there will never be an $18 fee no matter what, at least until February 2022.
(I have to renegotiate a new deal in January...wish me luck!)

That's worth investigating for sure but they are always pushing ignite instead of offering much in the way of deals on the old school PVRs. I literally swapped 3 HDD's in and out of the old model but the drives were hard to find because they don't use SATA tech, just the old 40 pin PATA and adapters won't work. The SARA software was actually more versatile in the old model too. No manual recording or setting it to record a activity later in the time slot in the Nextbox, which would be great for CBC Olympic coverage because it runs 6 hours at times.

Last edited by SpinningWheel (August 6, 2021 12:24 pm)

Media Observer · August 6, 2021 3:06 pm

I received a letter from Rogers in the summer 2018 directing me to turn in my new Goldstar PVR as it "may not work after the year ended". The Rogers tech who did my installation in '17 told me that it was a better model. He said that it was newer than the Nextbox versions and that he had only recently been issued them for new customer installations. I didn't know anything about the technology and the unit worked fine; however Rogers was nontheless recalling them.

As the unit was not giving me any problems, I waited until later that year to phone in and talk to a Customer Rep. who confirmed that I had to exchange the unit. While polite she could only repeat the reason given in the letter, for the recall.

When I took it in to the store there was another customer ahead of me who had purchased the same model and he had also been told to do the same. The strange thing was that no one including the manager of the Oshawa location back then, had heard anything about this. They had to phone Rogers to get instructions as to how to process our transactions; even though I had received my letter 3 months prior.

I'm now on my 4th Rogers Nextbox since, (package rental) in 3 1/2 years. It was always the mechanical hard drives that failed. If you start to hear a "clicking" sound, the PVR is getting ready to crash. Getting a replacement is easy, but you lose any recorded shows.

The Nextbox replacements are always (supposedly refurbished) used ones that have been returned by previous customers. You will know this as they are shrink-wrapped and not in a box; (the first one that I was issued still had a record of the previous user's Home-Phone calls!).

Rogers staff have told me that they only have used ones for exchanges as the company stopped providing new units when they made the decision to limit new TV subscribers to Ignite. Naturally, each time I had to get a new one they pitched that package. To borrow from Star Trek NG, I realize that resistance is (ultimately) futile...". Sooner or later I will have to give in and either upgrade to Ignite or consider some of the other options that you folks mention from time to time.

Last edited by Media Observer (August 6, 2021 8:10 pm)

Radiowiz · August 6, 2021 11:14 pm

Media Observer wrote:
To borrow from Star Trek NG, I realize that resistance is (ultimately) futile...". Sooner or later I will have to give in and either upgrade to Ignite or consider some of the other options that you folks mention from time to time.

I guess Disney fans are saying goodbye to cable, lol (or Bell Fibe, or whatever...)
One full year free when you switch to Ignite TV ($11.99/month after that, subject to change)
Nice, but for now I think I will still keep my Rogers Legacy Cable.
Disney/Rogers promotion: https://www.rogers.com/promotions/tv

*Edit-adding better link with more info: Rogers offers 1 year Disney+ free: https://www.rogers.com/iptv/disney-plus?icid=R_IGN_IGT_RBV1N6

Last edited by Radiowiz (August 7, 2021 6:11 am)

SpinningWheel · August 7, 2021 11:16 am

Media Observer wrote:
The Nextbox replacements are always (supposedly refurbished) used ones that have been returned by previous customers. You will know this as they are shrink-wrapped and not in a box; (the first one that I was issued still had a record of the previous user's Home-Phone calls!).

I can go one better with the phone calls. The one I received was getting notices on my screen when ever the old recipient was getting a call, I had their logs and the ability to send to voicemail, ect! I contacted Rogers, they reset the box and it only lasted 2 days before I got another call alert. I just turned off the notification setting on channel 975 and am done with it. I'll reset the box another time.

John D · August 7, 2021 11:54 am

Thank you Radiowiz. Much appreciated.

Media Observer · August 7, 2021 2:47 pm

SpinningWheel wrote:
Media Observer wrote:
The Nextbox replacements are always (supposedly refurbished) used ones that have been returned by previous customers. You will know this as they are shrink-wrapped and not in a box; (the first one that I was issued still had a record of the previous user's Home-Phone calls!).
I can go one better with the phone calls. The one I received was getting notices on my screen when ever the old recipient was getting a call, I had their logs and the ability to send to voicemail, ect! I contacted Rogers, they reset the box and it only lasted 2 days before I got another call alert. I just turned off the notification setting on channel 975 and am done with it. I'll reset the box another time.

Just when you think you've heard it all...LOL.
Thanks for sharing.

Last edited by Media Observer (August 7, 2021 2:49 pm)