Cable TV Going 100% Digital :(

[MarkF48]

I was perfectly happy with the basic and extended basic programming I had that already was overpriced and now my cable company is switching to 100% digital that will require me to rent a box (more $$$ out the window ). I was already getting some HD programming (unencrypted) with the QAM tuner the TV has and I probably don't watch much more than 6-8 channels at most (mostly just news and weather). Now I'll have access to over 200 that I won't watch.
Supposedly the conversion will encrypt what ever is presently on QAM, so without a rented box you get nada. Kind of have to thank our governments FCC for a change in rules that allow cable companies to encrypt local programming. I'm beginning to believe the FCC is in bed with the media and cable companies. Tried the over the air HD when it first came out and I'm too far away from anything for the to work.

Probably stuck getting a box. Anyone know if there is a "generic" remote that can be used with a box, so my wife and I don't have to share one?

 

[KubotainNH]

My area has been 100% digital for awhile now. The cost of all of this stuff is why I no longer have it. It's just not worth the money to me. Roku, Netflix, DVD's and some broadcast channels are enough at my house. As for the remote, most cable box remotes will often control the TV and some TV remotes will control the cable box. Looks for the extra buttons on the remotes.

 

[MoKelly]

Same happened to me. I was just fine with what I had then I needed to get a box and all the wires for each TV.

I found nothing so I canceled.

Don't really miss much.

MoKelly

 

[Stimw]

All modern TV's are digital now and some have analog capability.
I have Dish Network and they wanted to charge me $10. a month for local channels. I told them NO!
I have a TV antenna and I pick up all the local channels, even HD with no problems. I get the local sub-channels like 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 which is the good thing about digital.
THE GOOD NEWS?? EVERY TIME it rains and Dish goes out I can still watch local channels!

 

[MossRoad]

I was perfectly happy with the basic and extended basic programming I had that already was overpriced and now my cable company is switching to 100% digital that will require me to rent a box (more $$$ out the window ). I was already getting some HD programming (unencrypted) with the QAM tuner the TV has and I probably don't watch much more than 6-8 channels at most (mostly just news and weather). Now I'll have access to over 200 that I won't watch.
Supposedly the conversion will encrypt what ever is presently on QAM, so without a rented box you get nada. Kind of have to thank our governments FCC for a change in rules that allow cable companies to encrypt local programming. I'm beginning to believe the FCC is in bed with the media and cable companies. Tried the over the air HD when it first came out and I'm too far away from anything for the to work.

Probably stuck getting a box. Anyone know if there is a "generic" remote that can be used with a box, so my wife and I don't have to share one?

Local cable company did the same thing here a few years back. They only do it so they can rent you a box. The good news is you can drop cable and read a book. :laughing:

As for a remote, look for a "learning" remote. You teach it the commands from all of your other remotes and then you only need one remote.

Heck, here's a deal on some cheapies; two for $20. I have similar, and while they are not high end, they are low end, cheap and they WORK! :laughing:

Buy ONE get ONE FREE IR19A His/Hers Universal Remote

For $20 its worth a shot.

 

[caver]

Charter did that here. Years ago they would not put filters on the line yet still try to sell you basic cable. So if you had cable internet you put a splitter on it and have basic cable on you TV. It was like a dirty secret that I'm sure they didn't want Joe Average to know about. A couple years ago a co-worker, who knew a guy that worked for Charter, had told him they wanted the techs to put filters
on new installations. I heard that and figured my days were numbered. That was a couple years ago. When I saw in the local paper about the boxes being required I thought, oh how convenient (sarcasm). Within a week of the TV being filtered out I got a letter saying we audited your account, blah blah, blah looked like a form letter..... but we would love to sell you a cable package.
Well I haven't missed it at all. There was so much reality garbage that wasn't reality if you had half a brain and paid attention to the show. Hey I still love Survivor but heck with the rest of it.
Seriously I havn't turned my TV on in months. Now I did buy an Amazon Prime subscription and have been streaming movies that are new and old for the cost of my subscription. Next step will be to get a smart TV or Rku etc. so I don't have to watch on the laptop.

 

[Member]

[...] They only do it so they can rent you a box. [...]

They do it so they can reclaim the spectrum on the cable occupied by the analog channels and the ClearQAM digital channels because these are usually duplicated elsewhere in the digital channel lineup. By freeing spectrum they can offer more channels and/or higher speed data service.

 

[MossRoad]

Someone PMd me to let me know that cable providers were required to go all digital within three years of the over the air conversion to cable....

According to this FCC document, that is not true.
DTV Transition Did Not Require Cable Systems to Switch to Digital | FCC.gov

A quote from the article...
"The decision to carry channels in analog, analog and digital (sometimes referred to as a “hybrid” system), or solely digital is left to the cable company’s discretion. There is no government requirement for the way cable companies transmit their signals."

I stand by my statement that cable companies require you to rent a tuner box so they can make more money per month!

 

[dmccarty]

Cut the cable and move on. Best thing we ever did and we should have done it years earlier.

We have bad Internet service, only 1.5 mbs down but we can stream video. I don't ever see us paying for subscription TV again. The price is too high and they have NOTHING worth watching.

Later,
Dan

 

[MoKelly]

I stand by my statement that cable companies require you to rent a tuner box so they can make more money per month!

I agree 100%. There is no doubt in my mind. With old cable, you could hook up as many TV's as you wanted at no additional charge. Now, you cannot. The cable companies give a bunch of bull about requirements, all digital is better, etc. etc. but its all a money grab.

MoKelly

 

[caver]

Many years ago when I switched to cable internet you had the option to rent a modem or buy your own. I thought, ehhh it's cheap I'll rent theirs that way if I have connectivity problems (and I have) they can't blame the modem since it's theirs. Now you have to use their modem and it's a $9 fee tacked on. Crooks!

 

[kennyd]

The best remotes IMHO at the Harmony ones from Logitech. They are super easy to program with the software they provide, and it's easy to create items like "Watch TV" or "Watch DVD" that with a single touch of a button will turn on and set proper input/outputs on all your devices, like I have the tv, satellite receiver, and surround sound amp all on to watch tv but the satellite is not on to watch a DVD.

 

[s219]

Have you tried an amplified HD antenna? My nearest stations are 45-60 miles away, and a regular antenna didn't pick them up well. But I put an amplified "Mohu" antenna on the roof and we now get about 20 HD channels. All the networks, PBS, plus a bunch of stations that show classic TV. I have been real happy with it, and really happy about not paying $80-100 per month for cable or satellite.

I want to put another Mohu antenna to run a TV in my office. I could tie into the existing antenna with a splitter, but I think it would end up being a lot more work running wire to that end of the house. So I'll probably just buy a second antenna and put it close to my office.

 

[MarkF48]

Have you tried an amplified HD antenna? My nearest stations are 45-60 miles away, and a regular antenna didn't pick them up well. But I put an amplified "Mohu" antenna on the roof and we now get about 20 HD channels. All the networks, PBS, plus a bunch of stations that show classic TV. I have been real happy with it, and really happy about not paying $80-100 per month for cable or satellite.

I want to put another Mohu antenna to run a TV in my office. I could tie into the existing antenna with a splitter, but I think it would end up being a lot more work running wire to that end of the house. So I'll probably just buy a second antenna and put it close to my office.

I was playing around with an old UHF antenna today. Got it up about 40' off the ground clamped to a chimney and had an inline signal booster. Looked up the headings for the stations I wanted to receive and pointed the antenna with a compass. Was able to get 11 stations, 3 of which were Hispanic, and one shopping channel. The terrain is somewhat hilly between me and the stations and I've trees in the line of sight in that direction. The two stations I want most (54 miles away) were breaking up every so often and it is a clear day. I'm sure bad weather would pretty much kill those two. I'm a bit encouraged and maybe a better antenna and more height might work. I'll give that Mohu antenna look.

 

[s219]

There are websites that can help figure out range and bearing to the stations, and determine how well antennas will work. I remember googling and finding 2-3 sites that were helpful enough that I took a gamble ordering that antenna.

 

[MarkF48]

There are websites that can help figure out range and bearing to the stations, and determine how well antennas will work. I remember googling and finding 2-3 sites that were helpful enough that I took a gamble ordering that antenna.

Yeah, had found a couple of those sites and that's where I got the compass headings for antenna direction. Pretty sensitive to direction, a couple degrees off and the picture breaks up or the signal is gone.

 

[dmccarty]

Yeah, had found a couple of those sites and that's where I got the compass headings for antenna direction. Pretty sensitive to direction, a couple degrees off and the picture breaks up or the signal is gone.

That is the problem with the new and improved, my fanny, digital over the air signals. On the over the air channels, we only watch a PBS channel or two, every now and then. The tower is close but we can have the signal drop even though there is not a cloud in the air or a breath of wind. The signal just drops for a second. If it was an analog signal no big deal but with digital we usually loose audio and then the picture.

Later,
Dan

 

[techman]

. Now you have to use their modem and it's a $9 fee tacked on. Crooks!

I guess I am lucky. This spring I switched from DSL to cable for internet. I was able to use my own model. I pay the same as before buy jumped from 1.5 mbps to 10 mbps.

Paul

 

[s219]

That is the problem with the new and improved, my fanny, digital over the air signals. On the over the air channels, we only watch a PBS channel or two, every now and then. The tower is close but we can have the signal drop even though there is not a cloud in the air or a breath of wind. The signal just drops for a second. If it was an analog signal no big deal but with digital we usually loose audio and then the picture.

Later,
Dan

What are you using for an antenna? A good one will have more leeway and a wider directivity.

 

[Bird]

We started with Charter cable in October of last year, and it was some time after that when they went 100% digital, but we didn't have to change anything or pay any more because what they delivered and installed in October was already digital stuff.