digital tv

[Ed Pawlowski]

I wonder if they mean a cable box (not converter), as opposed to hooking directly to the TV? That would make sense.

[trader4]

Of course that's what they mean. You don't need the ATSC converters being provided with the $40 coupon for cable. Cable uses QAM for their digital channels. That QAM tuner can either be in the cable box, a cable card, or in the TV. If you use the one in the TV, you will only receive the basic channels that are not scrambled.

I'd be curious to know, what is on those channels that the msg come up on? Is it local stations or something else?

[Jon Danniken]

I read somewhere (likely here) that they were only required to provide the OTA channels in analog. No validation of that, however.

It seems pretty hard to actually pin down reliable information right now. Comcast, last year, ran a commercial for a few months telling people that as long as they were on cable, they didn't have to do anything.

Of course, this was innaccurate information, as evidenced by my previous post. Whether they were aware of this information being innaccurate at the time I do now know, but I would be surprised if they didn't. You don't just "upgrade" your entire analog infrastucture to digital on a few month's notice.

If that is the case, then they are most certainly "screwing people".

Jon

[AZ Nomad]

As long as you don't mind renting a cable box for every tv and don't mind losing the ability to record anything unless you have their crappy DVR.

[Jon Danniken]

Exactly. They said, "cable subscribers don't need to do anything". Now they say, "cable subscribers need to get our digital device".

My suspicions are that they knew the first bit was bullshit, and only said it to lull people into a false sense of security so that they would not consider jumping ship.

Jon

[Jon Danniken]

Try reading for comprehension.

Jon

[George]

They are only required to provide OTA channels unecrypted. They aren't required to do anything with analog regarding keeping it up or not.

They have to decide if turning off analog channels is a good business plan or not since it would require users to do something. In the case of cable the user would need to get a converter box or a new TV. So the user just might decide to move to a satellite provider since they are forced into doing something.

A nearby regional cable provider is doing extensive advertising right now to attract such users: "get local channels on our cable for $10/month, no converter box and everything will be the same"

[George]

No surprise with Comcast. They tried to completely turn off analog in Chicago last year claiming the "government required them to do it". We used to have Adelphia and Comcast bought the part that includes our area. The first thing they did was to drop existing analog channels and carry them as digital only. In some areas they are now dropping 1/2 of the analog to force people into getting converter boxes.

[Robert Neville]

"The 1992 Cable Act is very clear," said FCC spokeswoman Mary Diamond in a statement. "Cable operators must ensure that all local broadcast stations carried pursuant to this Act are 'viewable' by all cable subscribers.

But that requirement can be met by handing out cable boxes for free, transmitting in clear QAM, or transmitting analog clear.

[trader4]

Try reading what you posted. You said Comcast has pulled "analog stations" between 32 and 71. That is what lead to the confusion. They are not stations, which would imply that they were actual broadcast stations. They are cable channels. No need to start getting nasty.

[trader4]

What they mean is that cable subscribers don't need to do anything specific to the transition to DTV broadcasting of the local STATIONS. Which I believe is true. Cablevision has conveyed the same message. Cablevision like most other cable companies has been gradually shifting to digital transmission of more channels. And as they do that, channels that were transmitted as analog now need either a digital cable box or cable card to receive. That has been going on here for several years. And that is the message you are seeing regarding AMC, History Channel, etc. Those are cable channels and have nothing to do with the DTV broadcast transition. If you didn't have a digital cable box or cable card, you got that message on Cablevision a couple years ago.

[AZ Nomad]

Does that cable act say anything about handing out cable boxes for free?

[mkirsch1]

Once every half hour on every Time Warner Cable channel I watch, they put up a commercial that EXPLICITLY says you do NOT need a converter box if you have Time Warner Cable connected to your TV. I don't know how much clearer they need to be, or could possibly be.

[mkirsch1]

No.

Notice they call it a "digital device" not a "converter box."

Converter box is for ANTENNA. Digital device is for CABLE.

You get the converter box with your coupon. The cable company provides the digital device.

[AZ Nomad]

There's some stuff I record off of the history channel, comedy central, travel channel, TNT, etc. that I can't get off the air. That's about all I'm keeping cable for. If cox moves them to encrypted digital, then I'm dumping them.

[mkirsch1]

Amen.

[Robert Neville]

Of course not. It's up to the cable company to decide how to comply with the requirement.

[terry]

Or chip it into a rock or perhaps engrave it with a laser? Oh problem; how to read it when there are no more humans and or electrical civilizations on the earth? . And then when those 'other beings' arrive trying to read it; with expressions such as, "Wonder what these odd markings are?

And who was DESI or LUCEE (or maybe 'Lucy' a prehistoric African fossil)? And who was Schworzeneiger (big nose?), Roofelt (who had wheels for locomotion?), Obam Bam (a colourful speaker?) Martin Luter (perhaps a musician with a large following?).

A leading and well respected figure in one part of the planet appears to have been a male personage called "Big Abe'".

Other confusing partial translations, (possibly leaders?) being Church Hill, Put In, Net and you, Gandee or maybe Gandi?, Greesome (maybe a farmer?), Arm Strong (maybe an athlete?). Rebar and Win Free were apparently famous females, as also Munrow, and someone called Elizabeth One and Too?

Others; Choo en lay. Also, Chang K Shek (perhaps an Arab potentate?) and Sad Man Hussan (something Persian?). Also a Sam or (Sammy) heavily laden with a bin (completely incomprehensible and contradictory references to that individual?).

Other figures were Gengis Carn, Chung Dynasty? Marcus Polar (maybe an explorer?). And a Scott or Scottee so named by a leader called Shaftner or ...... ?

The so called 'h*mo, not so sapiens' appear to have been a late species of ape mutation, some tens (maybe 100,000?) thousands of years ago, who over-bred. Thereby so polluting, shortsightedly killing off other species, and using up the resources of their planet, that they died out. Signs of their destructive living style are still evident.

They employed primitive flying machines and also engaged in ground, water and aerial warfare, which wasted their energies and skills which could have been employed in reducing their numbers and saving their species so as to survive on a more limited basis.

There are also signs of some sort (or several sorts) of a belief in a mythical (godlike) being (or beings?) or some sort of supernatural force. However it is also evident that there was no agreement between the different factions. Apparently each group considered itself the only true faith or 'religion' and were highly intolerant of other groups. To the eventual demise of all beliefs following breakdown of the planets natural rhythms and systems.

There is a minor chance that a few 'h*mo sapiens' (Wise apes) as they ironically called themselves, escaped to another planet or system. But whether a small group would have survived with the limited intelligence and skills they displayed, is unlikely.

Anyway life moves on and one species more or less in the great scheme of things is of no consequence as we think headquarters will agree. We now move on to other planets in this immediate solar system and will report any further signs of 'humana vitae', if any!

[Jon Danniken]

So *that's* the deal; it just applies to the locals Thanks for the information, Robert, it is appreciated.

Jon

[Jon Danniken]

The more I understand Comcast, the more I am coming to understand that they are primarily a marketing company. The rest of their business, TV, cable internet, and phone, are nothing more than features to support the marketing.

Jon