How to protect your HDTV screen from "burn-in."

Persistent viewing of programs with sidebars or letterboxing over long periods of time may degrade the picture quality of your HDTV by reducing your HDTV’s ability to display colors evenly across the screen.      

What are sidebars?

    * Sidebars Most TV screens and programming were designed using a 4:3 aspect ratio for standard-definition TV reception and viewing. However, most HDTVs are "widescreen," which use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
    * Therefore, when a standard-definition program is viewed on a widescreen HDTV, the HDTV may center the image on the screen with black or gray margins (known as sidebars) on either side in order to retain the 4:3 aspect ratio. The cable box uses this same process when 4:3 content is viewed on the high-definition, 16:9 wide-screen HDTV.

What is letterboxing?

    * Letterboxing When widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) content is transmitted to a 4:3 TV screen, the content provider may add black margins on the top and bottom of the screen to ensure that the entire width of the picture is visible. This is known as "letterboxing."

Avoiding Burn-In

    * Reduce the occurrence of sidebars by using the HD "stretch" or "zoom" settings whenever possible to fill the screen area with video. Because letterboxing is created by the content provider, letterboxed programs cannot always be completely zoomed to fill the screen.
    * Avoid pausing DVDs or videos for extended periods of time.
    * Turn down the screen contrast to 50 percent or less.

Charter Communications Bundle | Charter Communications High Speed Internet

Switching to Standard-Definition Channels
 
   1. On your TV’s remote, press the VIDEO INPUT MODE button (refer to your TV’s manual for clarification) as necessary until you reach the Standard TV Video Input from the INPUT SOURCE LIST on the first page.
   2. On the Charter Communications remote, press the CABLE button to set the remote in Cable mode.
   3. Use the Charter Communications remote to access the standard definition channels in any of the following ways:
          * Press the CHANNEL UP/DOWN buttons to scroll to a standard definition channel.
          * Press the applicable number keys to go to a specific channel number.
          * Browse, using the Interactive Program Guide (IPG).
   4. With your TV’s remote, press the FORMAT (aspect ratio) button (if available) as needed, stretching or zooming to adjust the picture display until any black (or gray) sidebars are eliminated.

Changing Charter Standard-Definition Channels

There is no need to switch the input source when changing from one standard-definition channel to another standard channel.

   1. On the Charter Communications remote, press the CABLE button to set the remote in Cable mode.
   2. Follow step 3 above.

On the back panel of today's HDTV sets, a number of video inputs are available. Depending on the model, the HDTV may have one video input for the Charter Communications receiver, another video input for a DVD player, another video input for a PlayStation or Xbox console, and so on.

To select the Charter Communications high-defrintion video input, follow these steps:

   1. Turn on the Charter Communications Com cable receiver and HDTV set.
   2. Press the TV button once on the remote control for the cable receiver.
   3. Press the VIDEO SOURCE (or may say INPUT) button to switch from one video input source to another.
   4. Keep pressing the VIDEO SOURCE or INPUT button until the phrase, HDTV Video Input, displays on the TV screen.

    Note: Some TVs use the phrasing,Video Input 1, Video Input 2, and so on. Refer to the TV owner's manual for assistance.

    Note: If you are unable to change the video input source with the Charter Communications remote control, use your HDTV's remote control. If necessary, refer to your HDTV owner's manual for instructions on changing the input source.

   5. Press the CBL (Cable) button once on the Charter Communications remote control and then use its channel buttons or GUIDE button to navigate to HDTV programs.

In the illustration below, the Camcorder is on Video Input 1, the Game Console in on Video Input 3, the VCR is on Video Input 4, the Charter Communications HD cable box is on Video Input 5, the DVD player in on Video Input 6, and the HDMI/DVI in on Video Input 7.

Summary his article provides information on how to connect a Charter cable modem with an Ethernet connection.

Manual Solution
There are two ways to connect a computer to a cable modem for Charter Communications High Speed Internet service: an Ethernet cable modem to an Ethernet port in a computer or a USB cable modem to a USB port in a computer.

Items needed for an Ethernet installation

    * Operating System CD
    * Cable Modem
    * Ethernet Cable
    * Coaxial Cable

Installation steps
1. Verify that the cable modem and computer are disconnected from the power source.
2. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the cable wall outlet.
3. Connect the other end of the coaxial cable to the cable modem.
4. Plug the cable modem power adapter into a wall outlet. Most cable modems are "on" all the time and do not have a switch. If the modem has a power switch, turn on the modem and wait for the modem to synch with the cable network. This may take up to 5 minutes.
5.  Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to the back of the modem.
6.  Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the back of the computer.
7.  Connect the power to the computer and turn the computer on.
8.  Check the modem lights for proper status. Most modem lights operate similarly. Some blink at start-up, then become steady, except for the “activity” light, which may blink continuously. If modem lights do not come on, turn off the computer, unplug the modem, wait 30 seconds, plug the modem back in, then restart the computer.

The modem is now connected and ready for Charter Communications High Speed Internet software installation.

Charter Communications Cable Modem Lights

External cable modems have front panel indicator lights that show the status of the cable Internet connection. The exact labels for these lights will vary between manufacturers, but all external cable modems have lights that indicate similar information. During installation you’ll need to use the information provided by these indications.

One light indicates when power is available and the modem is turned on. Another light indicates a connection (block sync or synchronization) with the cable network. One light will indicate a working connection to your PC. Another light (or two) will flash to indicate that data is being transferred—if there are two such lights, one light flashes when your modem sends data and the other flashes when your modem receives data. Some modems have a test light or one that indicates a modem error.

Plug your cable modem into a surge-protected 110-volt power strip. The cable modem must always be in an open, well-ventilated area. Do not put the cable modem in a confined space or place books, files or other desktop paraphernalia on or next to it.

After the completion of each installation step, you must check the modem lights for the proper indications (click here for a troubleshooting table of typical light indications). If, after any one of these steps, you don’t get the proper indication, do not proceed any further. Contact Charter Communications High Speed Internet Customer Support.

Now proceed to the appropriate section for the type of cable modem connection you will use: Ethernet card (below), or USB adapter.

Cable Modem Installation Ethernet

These instructions assume that your computer has a working Ethernet port. If not, then refer to the Ethernet Connection section.

   1. Begin installation by connecting the cable drop to the back of the cable modem.
   2. Attach one end of the power adapter into the power input on the modem. The other end plugs into a standard 110-volt outlet.
   3. Powering up the cable modem could take longer the first time (from 2 to 10 minutes) than on successive occasions because it must establish its initial connection (block sync or synchronization) to Charter Communications High Speed Internet.
   4. Connect one end of a standard network cable into the Ethernet port of the NIC that is installed in your computer. The Ethernet port looks like a large telephone jack.
   5. Insert the other end of the network cable into the Ethernet port on the back of the cable modem.

Once the modem has established its connection to Charter Communications High Speed Internet, you will usually have three lights on (power, cable and computer connection) showing that high-speed cable Internet access is available to your computer. If not, click here for cable modem troubleshooting. Next you’ll install the Charter Communications High Speed Internet software and your computer will be ready to go.

Cable Modem Installation - USB

These instructions assume that your computer has a working USB port and that you have an approved USB-Ethernet adapter. If not, then refer to Universal Serial Bus Connection.

   1. Begin installation by connecting the cable drop to the cable terminal on the back of the cable modem.
   2. Attach one end of the power adapter into the power input on the modem. The other end plugs into a standard 110-volt outlet.
   3. Powering up the cable modem could take longer the first time (from 2 to 10 minutes) than on successive occasions because it must establish its initial connection (block sync or synchronization) to Charter Communications High Speed Internet.
   4. NOTE: Turn on your computer, make sure it’s operating properly, then verify that the USB drivers provided support your operating system.
   5. Plug one end of the USB cable into the USB port on the back of the modem.
   6. Plug the other end of the USB cable into the USB port on your computer.
   7. Insert the USB Drive CD when prompted by the operating system and follow the on-screen instructions as the CD runs.

Once the modem has established its connection to Charter Communications High Speed Internet, you will usually have three lights on (power, cable and computer connection) showing that high-speed cable Internet access is available to your computer. If not, click here for cable modem troubleshooting. Next you’ll install the Charter Communications High Speed Internet software and your computer will be ready to go.

Applies to

    * Charter Communications High Speed Internet Personal Webspace.
    * Cable Modem overview.
    * Provides resources for USB, Ethernet, and Remote Dail Access

 The specifications that comprise basic Charter Communications HDTV are:

    * 720 or 1080 lines of resolution from both the channel broadcast and the HDTV monitor (Note: A 480i DVD is not high definition, even though the image quality is considerably higher than a standard definition TV broadcast on a standard defintion TV.)
    * Ability to display 16x9 aspect ratio pictures
    * Y Pb Pr video component connections from the cable receiver to the HDTV
    * Audio in the Dolby Digital (AC-3) format to support "5.1" surround sound

Lines of Resolution

charter communications High-definition TV displays pictures that contain significantly more detail, resulting in much 'crisper' pictures. Images viewed on TV screens are made up of small picture elements known as "pixels."

Each of these pixels is made up of three, closely spaced dots of color - red, blue and green. The pixels in HDTV sets are square, smaller, and spaced closer together than traditional TV, resulting in four to six times more visual detail than standard analog TV.

    Standard charter communications analog TV typically displays 480 lines of resolution (480i) with 720 pixels in each interlaced scan line. So, to determine total number of pixels displayed, multiply:

        * 480 scan lines x 720 pixels per line = 345,600 pixels displayed by standard analog TV.

    HDTV can display up to 1,080 lines of resolution (1080i) with 1,920 pixels in each interlaced scan line. So, to determine total number of pixels displayed, multiply:

        * 1,080 scan lines x 1,920 pixels per line = 2,073,600 pixels displayed by HDTV.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio describes the relationship of a screen's width to its height. HDTV uses a widescreen format of 16:9 -- just like in a movie theater (by comparison, the aspect ratio on a standard TV set is 4:3). Which means your HDTV picture captures everything the filmmakers intended Charter Communications TV Listings

Charter Communications Wireless Cable Gateway Features

Thank you for purchasing the DCW725 Wireless Cable Gateway. This device delivers the highest performance in data over cable technology. Ideal for home and small business users, this easyto-use communication device offers reliable connectivity as well as remarkable data transfer rates – up to 600 times faster than a 56K dial-up modem. Once the DCW725 is activated, you are online to enjoy real-time 3D animation, video conferencing, and perform other data intensive tasks.

The Charter Wireless Cable Gateway provides high-speed, reliable and secure transport capabilities and is designed with DOCSIS upgrade ability for both DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1, and 2.0. The gateway offers anti-spoofi ng functions, resulting in greater subscriber privacy and higher system availability. Advanced features such as WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g, NAT, Firewall, VPN pass through and CableHome are also available now and can be configured.

What the Charter Wireless Cable Gateway Does
The Digital Wireless Cable Gateway serves as a two-way high-speed bridge between your personal computer and a cable Internet Service Provider (ISP). It converts information that originates from the Internet or your computer into electronic messages that can be transported over the same wires your cable company uses to transport video signals.

What the Wireless Cable Gateway Needs to Do Its Job
• Charter The Right Cable Company: Make sure your cable company provides data services that use cable TV industry-standard DOCSIS technology.

• The Internet Service Provider (ISP): Your cable company provides you access to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP is your gateway to the Internet. It provides you with a pipeline to access Internet content on the World Wide Web (WWW).

Check with your cable company to make sure you have everything you need to begin; they’ll know if you need to install special software or re-confi gure your computer to make your cable Internet service work for you.

System Overview
The Wireless Cable Gateway is connected between your cable company and the PCs within your home, as pictured previously in the Wireless Cable Gateway Overview. The connection to the cable company is made by a coaxial cable, and is referred to as the WAN (Wide Area Network) side of your Wireless Cable Gateway. The connections to your PCs are made by your choice of several standard home networking methods: Ethernet, USB, or 802.11b Wireless, and are referred to as the LAN (Local Area Network) side of your Wireless Cable Gateway. Multiple PCs can use any or all of the LAN side connections simultaneously to share your single cable company connection, up to a maximum of 254 PCs total.

Unlike a simple hub or switch, the gateway’s setup consists of more than simply plugging hardware together. You’ll need to confi gure your networked PCs to accept the IP addresses the gateway assigns them (if applicable), and you will also need to confi gure the gateway with settings provided by your cable company.

Your PC: Installing a PC Network Card
If your PC does not already support Ethernet or USB, you must install a network interface card. Following is an example setup procedure:

1. Install an Ethernet card on your motherboard, following the card’s directions.
2. Power up your PC and follow the Add New Hardware Wizard’s instructions to install the
driver. When asked to restart your computer at the end of the installation, click Yes.
3. After restarting the system, right-click My Computer on the desktop, select Properties,
click the Device Manager tab, and then double-click Network adapters to confi rm that the
Ethernet driver is properly installed.

Your PC: Installing a TCP/IP Stack
Follow these instructions to install the TCP/IP protocol stack on one of your PCs only after a
network card has been successfully installed inside the PC. These instructions are for Windows Me.
For TCP/IP setup under Windows NT, 2000, and XP, refer to your Windows documentation.
1. Click the Start button. Choose Settings and then Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Network icon to bring up your Network window. Select the Confi guration tab.
3. Click the Add button.
4. Double-click on Protocol.
5. Highlight Microsoft under the list of manufacturers.
6. Find and double-click TCP/IP in the list to the right (see Figure 3).
7. After a few seconds, the main Network window will appear.

The TCP/IP Protocol should now be listed.
8. Click the OK button again. Windows may ask you for the original Windows installation disk or additional files. Supply them by pointing to the correct fi le location, e.g., D:\win9x, c:\windows\options\cabs, etc. (if “D” is the letter of your CD-ROM drive).
9. Windows will ask you to restart the PC. Click the Yes button.

The TCP/IP installation is now complete.

Charter Wireless Security Checklist

Charter Communications Wireless Network are convenient and easy to install, so homes with high-speed Internet access are adopting them at a rapid pace. Because wireless networking operates by sending information over radio waves, it can be more vulnerable to intruders than a traditional wired network. Like signals from your cellular or cordless phones, signals from your Charter Communications Wireless Network can also be intercepted. Since you cannot physically prevent someone from connecting to your wireless network, you need to take some additional steps to keep your network secure.

Change the default Charter Communications wireless network name or SSID

Charter Communications Wireless devices have a default wireless network name or Service Set Identifier (SSID) set by the factory. This is the name of your wireless network, and can be up to 32 characters in length. Linksys wireless products use linksys as the default wireless network name. You should change the wireless network name to something unique to distinguish your wireless network from other wireless networks that may exist around you, but do not use personal information (such as your Social Security
number) because this information may be available for anyone to see when browsing for wireless networks.

Change the default password

For wireless products such as access points and routers, you will be asked for a password when you want to change their settings. These devices have a default password set by the factory. The Linksys default password is admin. Hackers know these defaults and may try to use them to access your wireless device and change your network settings. To thwart any unauthorized changes, customize the device’s password so it will be hard to guess.

Enable MAC address filtering

Linksys routers give you the ability to enable Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering. The MAC address is a unique series of numbers and letters assigned to every networking device. With MAC address filtering enabled, wireless network access is provided solely for wireless devices with specific MAC addresses. For example, you can specify the MAC address of each computer in your home so that only those computers can access your wireless network.

Enable encryption

Encryption protects data transmitted over a wireless network. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) offer different levels of security for Charter Communications Wireless Network. A network encrypted with WPA/WPA2 is more secure than a network encrypted with WEP, because WPA/WPA2 uses dynamic key encryption. To protect the information as it passes over the airwaves, you should enable the  highest level of encryption supported by your network equipment. WEP is an older encryption standard and may be the only option available on some older devices that do not support WPA.

General Network Security Guidelines

Wireless network security is useless if the underlying network is not secure.
Password protect all computers on the network and individually password protect sensitive files.
Change passwords on a regular basis.
Install anti-virus software and personal firewall software.
Disable file sharing (peer-to-peer). Some applications may open file sharing without your consent and/or knowledge.

Additional Security Tips

Keep wireless routers, access points, or gateways away from exterior walls and windows.
Turn wireless routers, access points, or gateways off when they are not being used (at night, during vacations).
Use strong passphrases that are at least eight characters in length. Combine letters and numbers to avoid using standard words that can be found in the dictionary.

Simply put, the term 'broadband' refers to Charter Internet access that is faster than 56K dialup. The term broadband refers to any type of transmission technique that carries multiple voice, video or data channels simultaneously over a common wire. It is a large pipeline (much bigger than dial-up connection) that brings information to your home.  In this instance, broadband refers to Charter Communications high-speed Internet access using this transmission technique.

Is Charter Communications High Speed Internet broadband Internet service the same as high-speed Internet service?

Broadband and high speed are interchangeable terms used to refer to the power of the Internet connection you are using.

How does Charter Communications broadband work?

Broadband Internet connects your computer to the Internet via a high speed cable modem and a fiber-optic cable network. This can also bring you digital telephone and digital television services.

Why should I get Charter Communications High Speed Internet broadband service?

Broadband Internet allows you to receive more information quickly and do more on the Internet by giving you:

An always-on connection – no busy signals or dial-up frustrations

Blazing speed – up to three times faster than DSL and 90 times faster than dial-up

The ability to surf the web without tying up your phone line

Multiple e-mail accounts

Fast video and music downloads

What types of Charter Communications Com broadband service are there?

Cable or Cable Modem – The Internet service provided by Charter Communications Com. The Internet connection is provided on the same type of cable that you plug into your television for Cable TV service.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) – Transforms copper telephone lines into carriers of digital data. DSL uses the same copper wires that carry voice traffic to your telephone to carry high speed data.

Satellite – One-way high-speed Internet technology that uses satellites orbiting the Earth to transmit data downstream through a satellite dish attached to your home.

How long does it take to install a Charter Communications Com broadband connection in a home?

Installation timing varies by service provider and the specific service plan you order. After you sign up for service, there are instructions to contact the service provider so that you can schedule your installation date and time.

What is the difference between professional and self-installation?

With professional installation, the service provider will go to your residence to install the Internet service. Typically there is a one-time fee associated with professional installation. With self-installation, you can install the service on your own time rather than a technician going to your house to complete installation. Instructions are included in the self-installation kit that is mailed to you after you place your order. There is no fee for the self-installation kit, but you may incur a shipping and handling charge on your first bill.

What is the cost of professional installation?

There is a one-time fee for the service provider to go to your home and set up the service. This fee varies by service provider. Review each plan details for specific installation fees.

What is the cost of self-installation?

The self-installation kit is free, however, you may incur a shipping and handling charge on your first month's bill.

Can I choose self-installation if I am not currently a cable television customer?

As long as a self-installation plan is available at your address, you do not need to be a cable customer to choose self-installation. Some providers may charge a fee so that your home is cable ready.

What is the difference between the monthly fee and the special promotion pricing for service?

Providers may offer special deals on their service prices for a certain period of time when you sign up for their service. After that stated period of time, your service will move to a regular monthly fee.

Is the special promotion pricing for service available to non-cable television customers?

There may be different promotional offers from your service provider for current and non-cable subscribers. Review each plan details for specific promotional service pricing available to you.

Why are there different monthly fees?

Monthly fees may vary based on whether or not you are a current cable television customer of the provider you have selected. Non-cable customers typically receive a slightly higher rate.

Can I order other services from this site?

This site offers high-speed Internet service only.  Please contact your cable provider for information on other services that may be available to you.

How do I take advantage of the additional promotional offers?

After signing up for service, if there are any additional Charter Communications Com promotional offers available to you, you will be directed to a page to take advantage of them. 

Most wireless routers are provided with software on a CD that the manufacturer suggests you install before connecting the router to your cable modem and computer. The software usually installs a wizard that guides you through the installation process and helps detect an Charter Communications High Speed Internet connection after completing the installation.

If you do not wish to install the software, please follow these steps:

1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cable from your Charter Communications cable modem. Do not plug the power cable into the router.

2. Unplug the Ethernet cable that is connected into the computer. To make sure you are disconnecting the correct cable, it may be helpful to trace the Ethernet cord starting from the cable modem to the computer.

3. Securely insert the Ethernet Charter Communications Com cable you just disconnected into the port labeled “WAN” or “Internet” on the back of the router. The ends of the Ethernet cable have clips that you should feel or hear “click” when inserted. This helps verify that the Ethernet cable is securely fastened. Verify that the other end of the Ethernet cable is still securely fastened into the cable modem as well.

4. Securely insert one end of a second Ethernet cable into any of the remaining open ports on the router. Securely insert the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port of your computer; this is the same port you disconnected the Ethernet cable from in step 2. The ends of the Ethernet cable have clips that you should feel or hear “click” when inserted. This helps verify that the Ethernet cable is securely fastened.

5. Restart your network in this correct sequence:

   1. Plug the power cable into the Charter Communications cable modem and wait 2 minutes.
   2. Plug the power cable into the router.
   3. Turn on your computer.


6. Launch your Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc). Your homepage should appear. Try surfing to a different website to verify good connectivity to the Internet. If there is no connectivity to the Internet, please refer to the information that was provided with the router or visit the router manufacturer’s website for additional support.

7. If there is good connectivity to the Internet, perform the following steps outlined in Configuring the Security Settings of a Wireless Router. Its good to have the Charter Communications Bundle!

Some wired routers are provided with software on a CD that the manufacturer suggests you install before connecting the router to your cable modem and computer. The software usually installs a wizard that guides you through the installation process and helps detect an Charter Communications Internet connection after completing the installation.

If you do not wish to install the software, please follow these steps:

   1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cable from your cable modem. Do not plug the power cable into the router.

   2. Unplug the Ethernet cable that is connected into the computer. To make sure you are disconnecting the correct cable, it may be helpful to trace the Ethernet cord starting from the cable modem to the computer.

   3. Securely insert the Ethernet cable you just disconnected into the port labeled “WAN” or “Internet” on the back of the router. The ends of the Ethernet cable have clips that you should feel or hear “click” when inserted. This helps verify that the Ethernet cable is securely fastened. Verify that the other end of the Ethernet cable is still securely fastened into the Charter Communications Com cable modem as well.

Securely insert one end of a second Ethernet cable into any of the remaining open ports on the router. Securely insert the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port of your computer; this is the same port you disconnected the Ethernet cable from in step 2. The ends of the Ethernet cable have clips that you should feel or hear “click” when inserted. This helps verify that the Ethernet cable is securely fastened.

Securely insert one end of a second Ethernet cable into any of the remaining open ports on the router. Securely insert the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port of your computer; this is the same port you disconnected the Ethernet cable from in step 2. The ends of the Ethernet cable have clips that you should feel or hear “click” when inserted. This helps verify that the Ethernet cable is securely fastened.

   4.You can repeat step 4 when connecting other computers to the router, up until all open ports on the router are being used.
   5. Restart your network in this correct sequence:

      a. Plug the power cable into the Charter Communications Com cable modem and wait 2 minutes.

      b. Plug the power cable into the router.

      c. Turn on your computer.
   6. Launch your Internet browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Netscape, etc). Your homepage should appear. Try surfing to a different website to verify good connectivity to the Charter Communications Internet.

For further help, please refer to the information that was provided with the router or visit the router manufacturer’s website for support.

Setting up the Charter Communications Com Internet Connection

When making a wired connection to the Internet, you do not need to adjust any of the default settings. If you cannot use the default settings to connect, follow the instructions below to adjust the settings.

    * Select "Network Settings" under "Settings" in the home menu, and then press the button.
    * Select "Internet Connection Settings", and then press the button. When a message stating that the Internet connection will be terminated is displayed, select "Yes", and then press the button.
    * Select "Wired Connection", and then press the button.
    * Select "Easy" or "Custom" and adjust settings as necessary. (Easy is recommended)
    * Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the required settings.

Easy: Basic settings are set automatically.

Custom: You can manually enter detailed settings information.

If you have any questions regarding wired setup, contact Sony, the Access Point and/or router manufacturer.

Charter Communications Com Digital Cable
Now, with Charter Digital Cable®, you get more of the entertainment you love, and you can experience it in brilliant picture and sound quality. It's easy to access the wealth of excitement on hundreds of channels, including news, sports, comedy, kids' programming, and more. Use your remote control to find your favorite shows through our On-Screen Guide. Plus, get Charter OnDemand™, parental controls and over 45 channels of all-digital music to explore and enjoy at no additional charge! Charter Digital Cable® simply gives you more. More channels, more choices, more innovative ways to enjoy TV. It's easy. It's affordable. It's cable.

Charter Communications Cable TV® Limited Basic
Now, with Charter Cable TV® Limited Basic you can connect every TV in your house without buying any additional equipment. Watch your favorite local channels and more in crystal-clear quality. Entertain your entire household with affordable, reliable entertainment!

Charter Communications Com Cable TV® Expanded Basic
Now, with Charter Cable TV® Expanded Basic you can connect every TV in your home without buying any additional equipment. Get over 70+ crystal-clear channels. Watch your favorite local channels, plus great entertainment including new, sports and more. Entertain your entire household with affordable, reliable cable entertainment!

Charter Communications Com will only disclose personally identifiable information to others if: (a) Customer provides written or electronic consent in advance, or (b) it is permitted or required under federal or applicable state law.  Specifically, federal law allows Charter to disclose personally identifiable information to third parties:

• when it is necessary to provide Charter’s services or to carry out Charter’s business activities;

• as required by law or legal process; or

• for mailing list or other purposes, subject to Your ability to limit this last type of disclosure.

To provide services and carry out our business activities, certain authorized people have access to Your information, including our employees, entities affiliated through common ownership or control with Charter and third parties that provide and/or include: billing and collection services; installation, repair and customer service subcontractors or agents; program guide distributors; software vendors; program and other service suppliers for audit purposes; marketers of Charter Communications’s products and services; third party auditors; our attorneys and accountants; and/or strategic partners offering or providing products or services jointly or on behalf of Charter.  The frequency of disclosures varies according to business needs, and may involve access on a regular basis.  Charter Communications restricts third parties’ use of Your information to the purposes for which it is disclosed and prohibits third parties from further disclosure or use of Your personally identifiable information obtained from us, whether for that third party’s own marketing purposes or otherwise.  

Unless You object in advance, federal law also allows Charter Communications to disclose through “mailing lists,” personally identifiable information, such as Your name, address and the level of Your service subscription, to non-affiliated entities, including advertisers and marketing entities, for non-service related purposes, including product advertisement, direct marketing and research.    Under no circumstances will Charter disclose to these advertising entities the extent of Your viewing habits or the transactions You make over the system.  Charter, or our contractors or agents, may from time to time share non-personal and/or aggregate information such as the number of Service subscribers who match certain statistical profiles (for example, the number of subscribers in various parts of the country) with our advertisers, content providers, or other third parties with whom we have a relationship.

We may provide anonymous data to third parties who may combine it with other information to conduct more comprehensive audience analysis for us and for television advertisers. This data helps program networks and cable operators decide on which programs, channels, and advertising to carry.  Charter may also use that information to distribute targeted advertising to You without having disclosed any of Your personally identifiable information to the advertisers.  These advertisements may invite interactive or transactional follow-up from You.  By using any of Charter Communications’s interactive services, You consent to our collection of this additional information.  Unless You consent first or except as required by law, only anonymous information is disclosed to audience measurement services.

As part of its business activities, if Charter enters into a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, Charter may transfer Customers’ personally identifiable and non-personal information as part of the transaction.

If You subscribe to our telephone service, Your name, address and/or telephone number may be transmitted via Caller ID, published and distributed in affiliated or unaffiliated telephone directories, and available through affiliated or unaffiliated directory assistance operators.  We take reasonable precautions to ensure that non-published and non-listed numbers are not included in the telephone directories or directory assistance services, although we cannot guarantee that errors will never occur.  Please note that Caller ID blocking may not prevent the display of Your name and/or telephone number when You dial certain business numbers, 911, 900 numbers or toll-free 800, 866, 877 or 888 numbers.

If allowed by and after complying with any federal law requirements, Charter Communications may disclose personally identifiable information about Customer to representatives of government or to comply with valid legal process, except as provided below, disclosures shall not include records revealing Customer’s selection of video programming.  Disclosures to representatives of government may be made pursuant to an administrative subpoena, warrant, court order, our reasonable discretion in cases of emergency or serious physical injury, or other permitted means.  In these situations, Charter may be required to disclose personally identifiable information about a Customer without Customer’s consent and without notice to the Customer.  Law enforcement agencies may, by federal or state court order, and without notice to You, obtain the right to install a device that monitors Your Internet and e-mail use, including addresses of email sent and received and in some cases the content of those communications; and/or Your use of our telephone service, including listings of incoming and outgoing calls and in some cases the content of those calls.  In some instances where there are valid legal requests for or orders for disclosure of Your information, we may notify You of the requests or orders and then it may be up to You to object or take specific action to prevent any disclosures pursuant to those requests or orders.

Where a governmental entity is seeking personally identifiable information of a Customer who subscribes to Charter’s video services only or records revealing Customer’s selection of video programming, the Cable Act requires a court order and that the video subscriber be afforded the opportunity to appear and contest in a court proceeding relevant to the court order any claims made in support of the court order.  At such a proceeding, the Cable Act requires the governmental entity to offer clear and convincing evidence that the subject of the information is reasonably suspected of engaging in criminal activity and that the information sought would be material evidence in the prosecution of the case.  Except in certain situations (such as with respect to those who owe, or are owed, welfare or child support) state welfare agencies may obtain the names, addresses, and certain other Customer information as it appears in Charter’s subscriber records under the authority of an administrative subpoena. 

Charter Communications takes the protection of our subscribers’ (“You,” “Your” or “Customer(s)”) privacy seriously.  The following privacy policy (“Policy”) applies to those Charter commercial Customers who subscribe to Charter’s commercial video programming, high-speed Internet and/or telephone service (individually and collectively the “Service”) and describes the Customer information that Charter collects and retains, how Charter uses and protects it, the limited cases where Charter may disclose some or all of that information, and Your rights under the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 (“Cable Act”). 

Depending upon the Charter Communications Com Service to which You subscribe, parts of this Policy may not be applicable to You.  Charter values Your privacy and considers all personally identifiable information contained in our business records to be confidential.  Please review this Policy and, if You are a Charter telephone service subscriber, the attached Customer Proprietary Network Information (“CPNI”) Policy (the “CPNI Policy”), in conjunction with Your service agreement, terms of service and acceptable use policy (“Your Service Agreement”).  Charter will provide You copies of this Policy annually and the CPNI Policy at least once every two years, whether or not we have revised the policies.  We may modify this Policy at any time. The most current version of this Policy can be found on www.charter.com.  If You find the changes unacceptable and if those changes materially and adversely impact Your use of the Service, You may have the right to cancel Your Service under Your Service Agreement.  If You continue to use the Service following the posting of a revised Policy, we will consider that to be Your acceptance of and consent to the Policy as revised.

What type of information does Charter Communications High Speed Internet collect?
Charter Communications collects both personally identifiable information and non-personal information about You when You subscribe to our Service.  Charter uses its system to collect personally identifiable information about You:   (a) when it is necessary to provide our services to You; (b) to prevent unauthorized reception of our services; and (c) as otherwise provided in this Policy.  Charter will not use the system to collect Your personally identifiable information for other purposes without Your prior written or electronic consent.  Charter also collects personally identifiable and non-personal information about You when You voluntarily provide information to Charter, as may be required under applicable law, and from third parties, as described in this Policy.

Personally identifiable information is any information that identifies or can potentially be used to identify, contact, or locate You.  This includes information that is used in a way that is personally identifiable, including linking it with identifiable information from other sources, or from which other personally identifiable information can easily be derived, including, but not limited to, name, address, phone or fax number, email address, spouses or other relatives’ names, drivers license or state identification number, financial profiles, tax identification number, bank account information, and credit card information.  Personally identifiable information does not include information that is collected anonymously (i.e., without identification of the individual or business) or demographic information not connected to an identified individual or business.

Non-personal information, which may or may not be aggregated information about our Customers and may include information from third parties, does not identify individual Customers.  Charter may combine third party data with our business records as necessary to better serve our Customers.  Examples of non-personal information include IP addresses, MAC addresses or other equipment identifiers, among other data.  Our systems may automatically collect certain non-personal information when You use an interactive or transactional service.  This information is generally required to provide the service and is used to carry out requests a Customer makes through a remote control or set-top box.

Charter collects and uses personally identifiable information to:

properly deliver our Services to You;
provide You with accurate and high quality customer service;
perform billing, invoicing and collections;
provide updates, upgrades, repairs or replacements for any of our service-related devices or software used in providing or receiving services;
protect the security of the system, prevent fraud, detect unauthorized reception, use, and abuse of Charter’s Services or violations of our policies or terms of service;
keep You informed of new or available products and services;
better understand how the Service is being used and to improve the Service;
manage and configure our device(s), system(s) and network(s);
maintain our accounting, tax and other records; and
comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, as well as for the general administration of our business.