I live in Encino. While it's not listed above, or on the Time Warner search function, I do get MLB on 276.

(Apparently the powers that be think Encino is an annex to Tarzana...)

I think Encino falls under "East San Fernando Valley."

I spent about 20 minutes on the phone with TWC customer service again to ask my question again about all these channels.

I pulled out the big guns. I asked FOR A SUPERVISOR.

I was told February 11th. The first person said that the new channels would show up "when they showed up."

[2} Encino is part of the West San Fernando Valley group.

Odd of them to list East San Fernando Valley neighborhoods as one and try--and fail--to name the West San Fernando ones individually...

So what does Mission Halls fall under? Sepulveda goes through the middle of it. Is it east or west? Are there border skirmishes?

The place where I grew up, Granada Hills, isn't listed even though it's in TW territory also.

Well, really this is part and parcel of what you are rightfully complaining about re the MLB Channel: Time Warner doesn't know their coaxial/digital from a hole in the ground (and has trouble grasping ground maps.)

My sympathies, Bob, on their failure to get the MLB Cannel to you in any kind of a timely manner. This is no way to run a business.

For me, it isn't just that I think that geographically Encino should be part of the West SFV.
My phone inquiries and hard copy bill payments are, at TWC's instruction, actually directed to their West SFV office on Topanga Canyon Blvd.

It's amazing that I've lived my entire 33 years in seven different counties across northern and southern California, and I don't recognize half the places on that list.

What the heck is The Farm?

Maybe South Pasadena officials plan to hold the added channels hostage until new cable lines go in with the 710 completion.

Woah, I just checked and do indeed get the channel...but it is showing what appears to be the Larsen game while saying that it is showing "NL Championship Series Game 5: Dodgers vs Phillies"...hmm...

"What the heck is The Farm?"

I'm sure Jon or Daniel or Molly will be only too happy to answer that.

8
I congratulate you on spelling Larsen's name right. There have been a lot of people using the spelling "Larson" all over the web.

Research has turned up that "The Farm" is an unincorporated area of Riverside County near Lake Elsinore along Bundy Canyon Road.

11

I guess there is a couple of "The Farm" counties. Here is another [http://tinyurl.com/8ldskm]

I'm pretty sure they are referring to the Riverside County "The Farm" since TWC also serves the city of Lake Elsinore.

I'm sure "The Farm" is a good place to find a foreclosed home.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwest/stories/PE_News_Local_S_sgeese14.22eacd4.html

12 I don't think that would count for LA-region television. I'm impressed by Bob's research. I wonder how many people live there.

In Santa Barbara, Cox Cable is showing MLB Network, though not on the channel number that MLB claims. And it's 2008 World Series all day long, aside from 4:00 pm Hot Stove. But it is still just showing a blank space on its own Channel Guide on the TV, and "No Data Avilable: when you select for Info. The only way to find out what's going to be on is via the MLB website schedule. It's correct, however - the right programs turn up at the right time. Scheduling a DVR recording is rather kinky, but works, and is always called "Manual Recording".

14 It refers to "Shelly Atencio, officer manager for The Farm". It apparently has an office manager, a homeowners association, a corporate secretary, and 1,200 families, which seems a lot. An odd entity that has both a homeowners association and a corporate secretary. Evidently a developer's creation. It's odd that it wouldnt just be subsumed under Wildomar (a pretty cool name itself) for Time-Warner purposes. Except that Wildomar does not appear in the list above - do you think they have a different cable company, or are in the same situation as you are?

Time Warner seems to have a very odd way of labeling areas. There are many neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley that aren't listed, although TWC covers almost the whole area.

However, Wildomar appears to be a Comcast area.

Horsethief Canyon is another unincorporated area in Riverside County near Lake Elsinore.

I'm in West LA and the channel is there...except it says I'm not authorized. I thought it was part of the basic cable package?

19
It's should be part of the basic digital package.

If you want to take one for the team, you should call TWC Customer Support and see what they tell you. They say they're there to help 24/7.

Although they have a unique definition of "help."

I have three words for you Bob.

DirecTV

21
I don't have that as a viable option as a renter.

So, what are the chances that both The Farm and Spahn Ranch have mlb.tv before Bob does?

I believe my only other option is AT&T U-Verse. However, that carrier doesn't have an agreement for the MLB Network at all.

Verizon FIOS isn't available in my neighborhood.

Can you get anyone at TWC who knows and can explain why South Pasadena can't get MLB right now, just like virtually all the LA areas? Presumably Pasadena itself has a different cable provider. I wonder if TWC needs to license someone else's cables to get to South Pasadena. They obviously don't need to lay new cable just to add a new channel.

There is no one at TWC on the phone who knows anything about the South Pasadena situation. I have tried a couple times.

Historically, they have added features here very very very slowly.

Bob, reviewing Soth Pasadena's program, looks like you may have to wait until year 2011 before they get to your problem.

THREE-YEAR GOALS
(2007-2010 * Not in priority order)

Repair and/or replace infrastructure

Eliminate the 710 surface route

Increase sources of revenue to meet unmet needs

Retain and attract quality employees

Preserve and improve the environment

Did I say Sloth Pasadena!? I meant South.

However, South Pasadena's cable service is in the same boat as San Marino. So I don't think municipal politics has much to do with it.

Hey, I found an honest guy at TWC:

Thank you for your inquiry. I would be happy to try to satisfactorily
answer your questions.

You are correct in your observations that the expansion of HD in your
area has been slower. This is due in large part to the fact that much
of the equipment in the areas that surround you is remnant of the former
Adelphia. This must be greatly upgraded before we will be able to bring
the services that you desire to your area. While it is our plan to make
these improvements I cannot tell you when.

While I am sure that this explanation is not the answer that you would
have wanted, I hope that it is perceived as neither perfunctory nor
clueless as that is not my intent. I am indeed sorry that you have not
received satisfactory service before.

It's all the Rigases fault!

Yeah, they may be waiting until they can "Repair and/or replace infrastructure". Though they can surely give you MLB standard def now. I hope for your sake that they're not waiting until they "Increase sources of revenue to meet unmet needs" (I'm sure they're not talking bribes...), let alone "improve the environment" (!) That last one could take a while, whether they're planning to do it all by themselves or coordinate with others. ;-)

The goals in 27 refer to the South Pasadena municipal government, not to Time Warner Cable.

32 Ah, OK, then. Makes some sense now.

The South Pasadena municipal government is a pretty small bunch. 5-person city council and the mayor job rotates around. The city manager does much of the work. The city gets most of its money from a tax on things that look cute.

But "infrastructure" does still seem to be at the root of the lack of HD - that does seem plausible. Did Adelphia have cable long before other parts of what's now TWC, or did they just not upgrade when other parts did? I can't believe that Adelphia had such a small territory as just South Pasadena and San Marino - it must be more that they were smaller markets when the upgrading went on, or are somehow more difficult to upgrade.

I've lived in South Pasadena since 1992 and I've always had Time Warner as my cable carrier. I can't speak for San Marino.

There are even smaller areas that TWC handles, such as the no longer mysterious "The Farm."

South Pasadena is an old city and it's big on preservation, but it's not as old as Pasadena, which has managed to upgrade everything, albeit with a different company.

34 - They tax puppies!?

So my next play was to threaten to leave:

Thank you for your inquiry. I would be happy to be of assistance.

It would be foolish for me to suggest that there is any immediate
incentive as regards the level of Time Warner service now or in the
immediate future.

While your particular area did not receive services via adelphia,
those surrounding you did and it is not financially viable to plan for
the upgrade of small areas. Again I am sorry that I could not be of
further assistance.

Leave? Did you tell him about the rocket?

38 I have found that my landlord has been willing to split the cost with me of improvements to my place that I want (e.g. garage door automation). Maybe you could suggest splitting the cost of installing DirecTV? You could certainly tell TMC you were planning to, anyway - or maybe that's what you did already.

I just signed up for AT&T U-Verse. I'll be starting on 1/19. It won't have the MLB Network, but it will have far more HD channels available to me.

I actually think I can live without the MLB Network, but I think I will enjoy living without Time Warner more.

30 - One of my readers is a regional manager in charge of training at TWC. I'll drop you his e-mail.

42
Thanks, but I think my mind is made up.

However, it would be interesting to see what TWC's thought process is about how it doles out service.

41 Looks good - aside from no MLB. Not an option where I live, so I never heard of it until now. The fact that it sends down only what you ask for should indeed mean more HD channels available, if they're true to their word. It might be a while until the two-way interactive possibilities become interesting.