Heads up for Comcast analog cable users

[Gary-MM]

Thought you weren't going to need to do anything for the digital switchover for analog broadcast?

Well, this doesn't affect broadcast, but Comcast has something else up their sleeves apparently.

I have Comcast at home and will dish (cough) on what is required when I find out.

[geeklibrarian]

Well, no worries until April at the earliest. Nobody who follows cable/satellite TV "news" (ala http://dslreports.com for several TV forums or AVSForum) should NOT be surprised that Comcast is making this move sooner rather than later -- it was always going to happen, it was just a matter of when.

All those analog channels are taking up a lot of "room" -- digital takes up much less and when Verizon can offer 100+ HD channels (and 100s more of SD channels in digital format) to Comcast's measly 36 HD channels (in my market)... well, it's kind of a no-brainer. I believe satellite has similar offerings (100+) as far as the number of HD channels...

So every TV without a QAM tuner (different than the OTA ATSC tuner), that is, all the old analog TVs will minimally need a small digital tuner box to get anything about #30 or so. Comcast is offering three for free just as Verizon did as the made the move to all-digital.

I wonder what channels Comcast will provide over QAM that aren't encrypted -- that's the real question (any encrypted channels, HD or SD, will require a box).

Check out: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/tvcomcast if you have too much time on your hands

[lenmullen]

So, people who have analog sets plugged into comcast coax should get their DTV tuner cards and buy tuners now? Will the OTA converters work with Comcast digital?

[geeklibrarian]

Will the OTA converters work with Comcast digital?

I suspect not. At least on Verizon, digital cable is in QAM format while OTA is in ATSC format.

[Hugh]

In Canada, cable companies encrypt essentially all digital signals. That means that only analogue transmissions could be available to third party boxes like Hava.

In the US, I understand that the FCC requires cable to transmit local channels' signals in the clear.

(The FCC also mandates CableCard support. No such requirement in Canada.)

BTW, why is this in the GPL forum?

[geeklibrarian]

In Canada, cable companies encrypt essentially all digital signals. That means that only analogue transmissions could be available to third party boxes like Hava.

In the US, cable companies are starting to drop analog channels (e.g. Verizon FiOS hasn't distributed ANY analog signals for about six months or so and some of their markets never had analog) because of the amount of bandwidth they take up compared to analog channels.

As far as encryption goes, I just hook up my Hava-like box to a Verizon set-top box (via component) and I'm good to go for all channels.

BTW, why is this in the GPL forum?

I think it's "pinned" across multiple forums, actually.

[HavaLogic]

The other reason Comcast was so eager to make their transition to digital was to more tightly control the number of outlets you have in your home. Now that you must have a cable box connected to every outlet, all of them requiring authentication on Comcast's network (which they alone grant), Comcast can now control how many boxes you have. And they're thus able to charge you if you want more than one connection (unless it's one of those simple, basic standard definition boxes). So this is a way for them to rake in more money...

Ironic, in any event: In the early days of cable everyone had to have a cable box. Then TVs had built-in tuners, and you didn't need a box anymore. Now you have to have a box, again... Lather, rinse, repeat...

[geeklibrarian]

Well, you only HAVE to have a box if you want more than whatever is provide in clear QAM -- assuming you have a QAM tuner in your TV. With Verizon, we get all the locals/PEGs (both SD and HD versions) and the music-only channels unencrypted. Kind of like the old days

At any rate, it's not just Comcast -- most cable providers want to move to digital to be able to carry more channels like their competitors. Hopefully, once Tru2Way is implemented, we'll be less reliant on cable set-top boxes :p

[HAVA HOSTING]

Just a heads up COMCAST is running perfectly fine on the HAVA and no issues with bandwith or remote viewing streaming quality.


So no need to worry at all.

[geeklibrarian]

Just a heads up COMCAST is running perfectly fine on the HAVA and no issues with bandwith or remote viewing streaming quality.
So no need to worry at all.

I think you missed the point of the original post which is: once your Comcast market goes digital, you will no longer be able to hook up a HAVA box directly from the COAX and get channels; you will HAVE to use a set-top box.

But yeah, I've had my HAVA connected (via component) to a set-top box (Verizon) since I bought it and haven't had any problems. Didn't expect any either.

[Bryanod]

I would like to chime in and say that:

Comcast would like to remove the analog and use digital only, but the reason it varies market to market is that they by law must supply you with a Digital converter free of charge for all your analog devices. So I am sure its going to take a while but its free at the time of conversion

Why is this topic in announcements? I think the negative tone might turn away potential Hava customers in Comcast markets. Its only relevant to Hava's with a coax connection and limited to any "digital only" market anywhere not just Comcast.

A far more accurate post is what if you don't request boxes/pay for outlets

Any TV connected directly to Comcast service without a digital device will eventually lose access to some of the channels it currently receives. You’ll keep the 15-30 Comcast Basic Cable channels, (local broadcast TV stations, plus local government, education and public access channels) but you'll lose all Expanded Basic channels, like Disney, CNN, Lifetime and 30 to 50 others.

Full link

http://www.comcast.com/digitalnow/FAQs. ... &#faq_def1

[DakinAthon]

Is it just me or are there no IR Codes listed anywhere here for the TiVo TCD746320 Premiere DVR