Bentley Status Report: December

Latest Word on Missing Channels:

• Fox News: I am still working with Fox News to get new equipment.
  
• HGTV: I spoke with HGTV’s representatives again on 12/5. They have two different databases – the database used by the accounting department, and the database used by the technical department. Accounting says “oh, yes, you’re a customer in good standing, and you are authorized to carry HGTV in Bentley. All you need to do is have the technical department send an “authorize” signal to your satellite receiver. The technical department, in turn, says “Sorry, nothing in the database for HGTV in Bentley. Call accounting.” As of late Friday, the two departments are finally talking to one another… so hopefully this is another light at the end of this particular tunnel.
  
• GAC (Great American Country) – Channel 9: This channel could be restored as soon as today. I will be in Bentley in a few hours to work on that system.

Internet service in Bentley seems to be going well. If you’re having any “issues,” please give me a heads-up. I still have a handful of “I wonder who this is” users on the system… probably people who gave up and switched away or just quit paying under the previous regime. Some of them even appear to have nothing but a cable modem connected – no computer. Go figure. If you happen to be a previous customer, please go ahead and turn off that cable modem and take it to Daylene at City Hall.

I am still creeping forward towards the “everything back to normal” destination.

Last weekend (11/30) was productive, in the sense of baby-steps, at least:

C-SPAN – Channel 22: the satellite receiver had rolled over and quit. It was still on, but making a nice squealing sound when I arrived, and, as several had reported, not cranking out any audio or video. I replaced the receiver and got the channel back online.

Showtime – Channel 26: this receiver was just “dark.” As it turns out, there was a problem with the power supply, which I was able to repair.

Access Bentley – Channel 2: the images on Channel 2, as you might guess, are generated by a computer. The computer’s power supply quit. Ironic, really… I tell you to “check Channel 2 for information” and then Channel 2 goes dark. Got that power supply in, and the computer is working again.