I don't "follow" that many people I wouldn't have actual conversations with, but I might have them on a list.

I don't "follow" that many people I wouldn't have actual conversations with, but I might have them on a list.

This. If I can imagine a scenario where a conversation, or even where I'd want to use DMs, then I follow. If not, they're on a list. I have fun lists like "Survivor" where I follow the CBS Survivor cast (past and present), as an example.

Sorry - wrong thread!

So, Comcast speed stuff:

I got a letter from Comcast saying they had increased their data speeds, and that I'd need to get a new cable modem with DOCSIS 3.0 to take advantage of it. So I did that. Using the old modem I got a speed of 24.5 Mbps, and with the new modem the speed went up to 27.5 Mbps. That's an increase of less than 10%.

Apparently, people on Comcast's Blast! plan saw their speeds increase from 25Mbps to 50 Mbps, and the Performance plan saw speeds go up 60%. Anybody use either of these plans? I didn't know they existed until now.

When I installed a new high-def cable box, Comcast had trouble activating it, as they said the signal was weak. I wonder if that's holding my speed back.

I doubt the cable box is causing the problem. More likely another symptom of the problem. Do you have any cable splitters? It could be it's an older one that doesn't have the bandwidth for modern devices. Or maybe too many splits. My sis had a new house that pre wired every room for cable. 10 splits and no amplifier made for crappy service. Or, your cable length from provider is so long, you are getting signal drop.

Yeah, when I was dealing with the new cable TV box, the Comcast person I was talking to said the problem was with the splitter, and that I should get an amplified one. But then we got the cable box working so I never did anything with the splitter.

Maybe I'll call Comcast and ask them to give me an amplifier. Are they separate from the splitter? Or are there amplified splitters?

ETA: OK, my boss says amplifiers are separate from splitters, and that different splitters have differing signal loss, which is printed on the splitter. Maybe just a better splitter would help.

How many splits do you have?

Just one in my apartment. Originally I was the only one with Comcast in the building, so there are few if any in the building outside of my apartment.

I would say, it's something that Comcast needs to look at. You don't want to buy an amplifier without being able to test what the signal strength is at the end of the line. If you boost it too much, you can have problems too. And if the signal is weak before the split, you would prefer the boost be done closer to the source. One of my digital cable boxes had a menu item for service or test or some such. And it showed the signal level of the cable line. Quite handy to call the cable provider and say, "um, my signal is -20db, and I'm having trouble tuning stations". If you can find that feature, call and ask "what is the acceptable signal strength I should be seeing at my cable box". Rather than saying "I have -20db" and they say, "oh, that's in the perfect range...blah blah blah".

(yes, I have a minor distrust for cable companies, sorry. Time Warner really did a number on me)