Nearly two years ago, I went out with my dad and step-mom and picked up a high-definition TV at future shop. Of course, having a high-definition TV without any sort of high-definition feed is rather pointless, so the first thing I did is pick up a HD cable box from Shaw. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize at the time just how little TV I usually watch.
Between the HD cable option and my “high-speed” internet, I shell out around $110 a month, which is pretty stupid considering I watch only around one TV show a week if I’m lucky. So, I think tomorrow I’m going to call up shaw and finally cancel my cable for my TV. What I’m going to do with the HD box, I’m really not sure. Maybe I’ll throw it up on eBay and finance a HD DVD player (which I could see myself using far more, since I love movies and watch a few a week).
But to be honest, Shaw’s HD TV service is pretty shoddy. Sure, they advertise around ten HD channels or so, but most of those don’t show HD programs all the time. Half the time I tune into one, there’s a low-definition program that they’ve just upscaled, or even broadcasted it directly. I also paid money to have the movie package, which gives me access to four movie-central channels or something like that. Unfortunately, most of the time I tune into one of them, there’s only some crappy one-star or a two-star movie (not that the rating system is flawless, but you get the point). And despite having one of the premier packages with Shaw, it seems like whenever I want to actually watch something interesting (like a biography or some tech program), Shaw always complains that I don’t have access to that channel.
So, I think I’m going to say goodbye to Shaw pretty soon. Thanks for all the one-star memories.
I hope they don’t kill your Internet when you’re canceling your TV service. Then you’ll really question yourself about your own existence. 🙂
If that happens, I’ll be camping on your couch, or “borrowing” my neighbours..
Have you tried Novus, they’re much cheaper than Shaw but they provide services only to certain buildings in downtown.
http://www.novusnow.ca/services/hdtv.php
I also pay almost 130 between extreme internet and the full HD package. I wish I could cancel the non-HD..
Unfortunately there is no Novus in my building 🙁
In Winnipeg, some people may cancel Shaw Cable in Winnipeg and go to MTS TV or satellite because they change channels occasionally or its too expensive. When I came to Canada back in 2003, my aunt had Shaw (later went to MTS TV a year later and returned to Shaw for TFC-Filipino Channel 5 years after).
When I saw Shaw for the first time, MuchMusic was sitting on channel 46 now occupied by CTV News Channel. In November 2008 CTV News Channel moved to 46 as MuchMusic moved to 101 and 110 later in Summer 2009 when Shaw dropped Court TV, BBC Kids and now-defunct Discovery Kids (later renamed as Nickelodeon) on channels 133, 135 and 138 respectively. However, MTS TV stills offer these channels that Shaw dropped.
Some people may cancel Shaw to get a good deal on MTS.