The New Itty-Bitty Comcast Box Fiasco

By now, most folks in our area have installed their “upgrade” itty-bitty-Comcast boxes to TV sets which used to simply plug into the cable. That was too simple, so Comcast has now reinvented services to “Xfinity” which could simply indicate xfinity dollars they can charge customers.

My youngest darling daughter installed the two boxes Comcast grants with no additional cost to the bedroom televisions. Great job! That’s all we really need I figure. Not necessary to call for additional boxes (cost $1.99 per month) for the kitchen and basement sets. Right? Oh, no, my friend. It took about a month for Comcast to catch up to televisions not running off the itty-bitty. Once that happened, it was just like the old days, 40 years ago, with basic network programming. Okay, I give. I call and order two more itty-bittys for the kitchen and basement. This will be easy, yeah, right.

My first attempt to install the new itty-bitty was in the kitchen. My television in there is a tiny drop-down screen that mounts under the countertop. Hubby installed the unit and there’s a slight snag during installation. I only have about ¾” space to move to disconnect the old cable and install the new. The new-fangled cable is short and has some engineered blue plastic cover on the tip of each end which measure about one inch. Okay, Lucy, think….

I rip off the blue plastic cover in total frustration and contort my body in a way that is sending cramps up my legs while trying desperately to install the cable jack to the ¾” space on back of the mounted-under-the-cabinet tv. Are we having fun yet? After thinking I have succeeded, there’s a Comcast screen on my tv stating, “we have detected an interruption to your service…” Really? It’s go time. I dial 1-800-comcast and get the representative who helps me. We also try to sync the Comcast tv control to my television set. After several futile attempt, the tech concludes, “Okay, you’ll just have to turn the set on and off with your original control.” Isn’t technology great?

A week later I attempt installation of the itty-bitty box in the basement. The length of the cable cord is so tight, it barely reaches from the box to the tv set. Once installed, again, it’s a screen message to call Comcast. I comply. This time the tech asks for the serial number on the bottom of the itty-bitty box and let me inform you, the font is about 1.0 and virtually unable to read. When straining my vision doesn’t work, I run upstairs for the trusty magnifying glass and achieve success.

I don’t watch much television, but dang, does it have to be this difficult? Also, those little remote light thingies they gave along with the itty bitty box – are they secret cameras so that Comcast can watch our every move? They creep me out.

Just tossing this out for your consideration 