Purchase Converter Box for Comcast Digital Cable

[kathy]

jherome

Your post is the very best I've seen so far. I have been trying to sort out what to do since the middle of last month. I thought I was ok since I have cable but now comcast is "enhancing" HAH! their service making all channels over 33 digital that will force us to have a cable box beginning on the 22nd. When I learned this I thought I would just go out and buy two new HDTVs. Problem solved? Not even close!

First, let me tell you about my current system. I live in a small apartment and have two analog TVs--one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Each is connected to a vcr. The living room tv is also connected to a dvd player and the tv in the bedroom has a built in dvd player. I don't have any cable boxes. The cable comes in, is on a splitter and the two cables that come off that are connected to the vcrs and the vcrs are connected to the tvs.

In doing some research, I have learned that my vcrs won't be able to be programmed to switch channels anymore when I'm away. I'm told that I will have to physically change the channel. I have two vcrs in the first place because when I'm away in the evening I sometimes have different shows that I record on different channels at the same time. I also record multiple different programs over several days on different channels if I'm away.

I had planned to buy a combination DVR/VCR with digital tuner to solve the problem but have learned that that even if that would be able to be programmed to switch channels for the near future, Comcast will be making changes so it can't.

I did pick up the boxes that Comcast says I will need for my analog sets to read their new digital transmission. I was excited about buying new HDTVs but I can't afford expensive monthly charges that Comcast will charge for DVRs for both tvs on top of the additional monthly costs for HD boxes. I never wanted cable boxes because I don't have any more space.

Is there any solution you can think of for me? I had also thought maybe Tivo but it looks like that would cost about $400 for the two boxes if I would need two plus an additional $12.99/month/box.

I'm desperate and would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have.

thanks so much--Kathy

 

[sandanie]

hey Kathy, I figured since I got the email that there was a new post and saw what you said, I'd let you know what happened to me. First, I didn't have to buy anything new for media center on my PC. I have the new small cable box hooked up there, as well as on the TV in the bedroom. What you do to record is, you set your channel to 3 on the TV's/VCR's and then you use the small remote that came with the small box to change the cable channels. Leave the device to record channel 3 and then put your cable remote to the channel you want to record and manually program the time. For example, set your VCR to Channel 3, use your cable remote to go to the actual channel you want to record, and say you want to record Price is Right off of CBS at 10am - program your VCR for 10am - 11am to record Channel 3, and then use your cable remote to set the channel to the CBS affiliate in your area.

I did find that in order to get the HDTV channels, you need the more expensive box. So we have that one in our living room and if you want the HDTV channels from Comcast, you might as well get the DVR box they offer since it doesn't cost any more to get the DVR box than it does to get the HDTV channels. We have that DVR/HDTV box ONLY on the "main TV" in the living room, and are using the smaller Comcast boxes on the Media Center computer (didn't need any other computer upgrades) and the TV in the bedroom.

jherome, thanks for your information - that definitely got me on the right track!

 

[kathy]

Thanks very much--this does help to clarify. I guess I will get the comcast dvr box. Appreciate the hel--Kathy

 

[drl]

I have one cable box and use a combination of an A-B switch and signal splitters. When I want each TV in my house to tune whatever stations are available, I use the "A" switch (which has a direct connection to the cable). When I want to watch a station available only with the cable box on the other TV's, I use the "B" switch (which has a direct connection from the cable box). Granted, when using the "B" switch every TV can only get the station to which the converter is tuned.

 

[theresamn]

One more point of view, and a question:

I am a comcast customer in MPLS. I have 3 tvs, but only one has a cable converter box. My other 2 TV's are hooked up to cable outlets directly and have continued to work just fine after the digital cutover. I think Comcast is 'interpreting' the digital signals, and still sending channels through. Neither of my old TV's go above channel 99, so I am not getting the 'digital' versions of the channels, but all the same channels that worked on these tvs still work after the digital cutover. I am on the extended basic level, so I don't have HBO or other premium channels anywhere. But I do have MTV, VH1, TLC, A&E, etc. on all my TV's.

My question is would I be able to use a DVR with a digital tuner to watch channels beyond 99 on my older TVs using Comcast's signal?

 

[Wolfshadw]

I don't think so. I'm in the same boat with an HD set-top box in the living room connected to my HTPC and the bedroom system hooked up directly using an ATI All-In-Wonder X1800XL. The bedroom HTPC only goes to channel 99, though the tuner card could accept up to channel 125.

Comcast in St. Paul, btw.

-Wolf sends

 

[blazinbear82]

i got an htpc my pc came built in with a tuner card im not sure the brand but its atsc and quam clear and fm tuner. ive got windows 7 running on it with activation just updated from vista sorry system.

i used a splitter from my cable to hook up to both tuners. although the tuner card is only considered one tuner by the pc.. meaning i cant use it as a dvr but i can use it as a pvr..it gets both digital and analog cable..

that dude who wouldnt cough up money for a box that his cable provider would give him got screwed he ended getting another box that wont work because cable boxes are pretty much area specific. plus the cable company would have to turn it on and there going to tell him its no good. haha what an idiot should of listened to the post. might as well hack that box now if possible maybe he would get some ppv. usbbdsm cable. he should of gone with an old vcr and pick up analog cable no one said analog cable was gonna go out.

as far as what quam clear tuner gets through most cable providers is the basic cable digital signals and it most often also picks up a lot of the video on demand that some of your neighbors might be watching. still dont know exactly how that works but i can tell you that if someone out there is fast forwarding you will see it and if they stop the vod show you wont be able to turn it on. so your screwed i dont like watching those channels i always get cut off.

defenetely the htpc is my best bet ever since dishnetwork implemented there nagravision 3 and my fta box is useless where i live and for the programming i watch. i would use a hacked cable box but its hard to find one for my area that i can hack. so now im using this htpc i can download tons of movies brand new. watch ppv fight through justin tv. unlimited porn haha. i use hulu desktop its awesome. i get the cable guide just like a real cable box. i get internet tv. hulu desktop offers like a million shows with like a whole lot less commercials and its more like video on demand. i can get youtube. its the way to go...

kathy your way behind the times still using a vcr i dindt even knwo they existed anymore. dont be cheap get one dvr box you can record two things at once theres a billion other ways to get a show.

sandanie your analog tuner card on your htpc will only pick up analog cable you need atsc clear quam tuner to pick up digital from the cable provider and that dont mean your going to get everything haha it will just be the basic digital and open vod. you wont be able to upgrade packages through your new quam tuner either because the cable company relys on the box to tell it to unscramble this and that. im still waiting however on some hacker to make an emulator for a cable box. they seem to emulate everything else why not a cable box. think about it you can emulate the box you might be able to unscramble all signals to your place that be awesome.

 

[Drogba]

great posts here. I want to review what others have said compared with my set up...I have a digital DVR box in one room where I pay for all the digital channels from Comcast and a cable in the other room straight into the back of the old-ish TV and we get expanded basic up to 99. The only way to see the digital channels I pay for in the second room is to rent another digital box, correct?

 

[blazinbear82]

Correct dont go buy your own box youll only get your self in the same predicament as the first post...

 

[Guest]

great posts here. I want to review what others have said compared with my set up...I have a digital DVR box in one room where I pay for all the digital channels from Comcast and a cable in the other room straight into the back of the old-ish TV and we get expanded basic up to 99. The only way to see the digital channels I pay for in the second room is to rent another digital box, correct?

If the TV is pretty old (like say 5 years or so) - and you plug it straight into the cable outlet - you will get all unscrambled signals coming from Comcast up to the channel number your set goes to (usually about 99 or so). I am a Comcast customer. I still have 2 TVs like that. And that's what happens.

I also have 2 newer sets with clear QAM tuners plugged directly into the cable outlet. They will also get unscrambled signals only - but the numbers of the stations will go higher than 99. One is a hi-def set. It will also get unscrambled hi-def broadcasts (basically the network hi-def programs but also - for some reason - stations like HGTV hi-def).

Finally - I have 2 other hi-def sets - one with a DVR box - another with a cablecard. They will get everything.

Note that I also had a super old (15+ years) portable TV that I used for emergencies (could run on batteries). After the "digital switch" - it was ready for the trash (could have worked with a converter box - but that hardly makes sense for a TV I only use when the power goes out <smile>).

So the issue comes down to what you want to watch - and the numbers of the channels your local Comcast is broadcasting on - and whether the signals on those stations are scrambled. For example - if you want to get digital station 153 - and it's not a scrambled signal - you will be able to get it with a new TV without a converter box. Comcast ought to be able to tell you whether or not a particular station is scrambled (but I wouldn't count on it).

Note that the answers to the last 2 questions are kind of a moving target these days. Where I live - channels are being moved all the time - mostly to make way for new hi-def stations.

Anyway - I don't know what size your second TV is. If it's a small one - I'd definitely replace it with a new hi-def TV with a clear QAM tuner. Picked up a nice 19" Sony like that for my kitchen a few months ago for about $250 at Costco. If and when the stations I usually watch on that TV (and the other TVs without boxes) get scrambled - I will be forced to go to a converter box. If it's a larger TV - you might pick up one at Costco - see exactly what you get without a converter box - and if those stations are enough for you. And - if you're not happy - you can return the TV (Costco has a liberal return policy) - and rent the converter box instead. Hope this helps. Robyn

 

[blazinbear82]

If the TV is pretty old (like say 5 years or so) - and you plug it straight into the cable outlet - you will get all unscrambled signals coming from Comcast up to the channel number your set goes to (usually about 99 or so). I am a Comcast customer. I still have 2 TVs like that. And that's what happens.

I also have 2 newer sets with clear QAM tuners plugged directly into the cable outlet. They will also get unscrambled signals only - but the numbers of the stations will go higher than 99. One is a hi-def set. It will also get unscrambled hi-def broadcasts (basically the network hi-def programs but also - for some reason - stations like HGTV hi-def).

Finally - I have 2 other hi-def sets - one with a DVR box - another with a cablecard. They will get everything.

Note that I also had a super old (15+ years) portable TV that I used for emergencies (could run on batteries). After the "digital switch" - it was ready for the trash (could have worked with a converter box - but that hardly makes sense for a TV I only use when the power goes out <smile>).

So the issue comes down to what you want to watch - and the numbers of the channels your local Comcast is broadcasting on - and whether the signals on those stations are scrambled. For example - if you want to get digital station 153 - and it's not a scrambled signal - you will be able to get it with a new TV without a converter box. Comcast ought to be able to tell you whether or not a particular station is scrambled (but I wouldn't count on it).

Note that the answers to the last 2 questions are kind of a moving target these days. Where I live - channels are being moved all the time - mostly to make way for new hi-def stations.

Anyway - I don't know what size your second TV is. If it's a small one - I'd definitely replace it with a new hi-def TV with a clear QAM tuner. Picked up a nice 19" Sony like that for my kitchen a few months ago for about $250 at Costco. If and when the stations I usually watch on that TV (and the other TVs without boxes) get scrambled - I will be forced to go to a converter box. If it's a larger TV - you might pick up one at Costco - see exactly what you get without a converter box - and if those stations are enough for you. And - if you're not happy - you can return the TV (Costco has a liberal return policy) - and rent the converter box instead. Hope this helps. Robyn

Channels 2-99 are not unscrambled signal well technically they are but they should not be thought of as digital... channels 2 trought 99 are still coming in to your tv sets as analog. cable is cable and thats the way they always have done business. so yes technically their unscrambled because if you look back in the old days when they would scramble their old ppv events you would get diagonal lines sometimes even sound but no picture or you would try to make it out by twitching your eyes.. well you needed a cable box to unscramble signal although there were many people who were able to unscramble scrambled analog signal by just using thin foil. so please dont think of 2-99 as digital in the clear. digital is digital and thin foil is not going to work so you must have a tuner with atsc tuner on it to receive digital even through cable.

 

[stjkatz]

Channels 2-99 are not unscrambled signal well technically they are but they should not be thought of as digital... channels 2 trought 99 are still coming in to your tv sets as analog. cable is cable and thats the way they always have done business. so yes technically their unscrambled because if you look back in the old days when they would scramble their old ppv events you would get diagonal lines sometimes even sound but no picture or you would try to make it out by twitching your eyes.. well you needed a cable box to unscramble signal although there were many people who were able to unscramble scrambled analog signal by just using thin foil. so please dont think of 2-99 as digital in the clear. digital is digital and thin foil is not going to work so you must have a tuner with atsc tuner on it to receive digital even through cable.

While everything you just said may have been true for the last several decades, it is not quite true anymore. Most major cities already have or are in the process of transitioning to only digital cable, which means you MUST have a digital reciever or QAM tuner on each TV, computer, etc. even in order to watch channels 20-99. So far channels 2-99 have generally been unencrypted so any clearQAM reciever could get them, but nobody knows if cable companies will leave them unencrypted or will start encrypting them, meaning only a qam with cablecard or a reciever from the company is possible.

The only analog channels left will be something like 2-20. Meaning the locals, HSN, and public access. If you plug the cable straight into the TV, these are the only ones you can get. If it hasnt happened in your city yet, it is probably only a matter of time.

 

[blazinbear82]

While everything you just said may have been true for the last several decades, it is not quite true anymore. Most major cities already have or are in the process of transitioning to only digital cable, which means you MUST have a digital reciever or QAM tuner on each TV, computer, etc. even in order to watch channels 20-99. So far channels 2-99 have generally been unencrypted so any clearQAM reciever could get them, but nobody knows if cable companies will leave them unencrypted or will start encrypting them, meaning only a qam with cablecard or a reciever from the company is possible.

The only analog channels left will be something like 2-20. Meaning the locals, HSN, and public access. If you plug the cable straight into the TV, these are the only ones you can get. If it hasnt happened in your city yet, it is probably only a matter of time.

I work for charter and have previously worked for time warner... cable companys biggest exploitation over direct tv and dish netwok and uverse and fios is the fact that you dont need cable boxes to run your tv.... its what sells a lot of customers especially in tough economic times. Cable companys will continue to run analog cable i would say for at least the next 5 to 10 years just enough time to give people the opportunity to get digital tvs ... i mean all that is sold now a days is flat screen tvs and those are all digital so the transition has been met. Now when those 5 to 10 years come and cable wants to shut analog for good so they have more room for hd programming they will leave their regular analog programming what was available open in the clear its my guess.

 

[swips]

We are also a Comcast subscriber. The big change that has us disgruntled is the fact that Comcast is now scrambling many channels even ones such as the Weather channel! We rent a dvr from them for our main viewing TV but I can't justify monthly fees for bedroom sets!
Comcast gives away at N/C, 2 additional digital converters for unscrambling signals on such "Premium" channels as the Weather Channel but these give away converters also degrade the signal to Low Definition - 480p on all channels!

So now any other Hi-Def tvs we own are all down converted to low def by Comcast unless we pay for additional hi-def converter boxes with monthly rental fees! Even channels that are normally broadcast for free in hi-def such as Major networks are now premium channels by comcast!!!!

 

[Guest]

Comcast is encrtyping a lot of channels, I really hate them, I don't want to have to put a box on the wall with my wall mounted digital tv. What a scam, I'm calling dish network maybe they can do something better.

 

[emailtogreg]

This post is very helpful.

I have basic cable, around $15-20/month and use Verizon DSL for another $20/mo.
I don't use a cable box but rather connect directly from the wall and use the TV's internal tuner.

2 days ago Comcast in the Philadelphia surburbs also started scrambling more analog channels such as the Food and Animal Channel. TVs that I have QAM tuners are still able to pick up unscrambled digital versions of these channels but my old analog tube TV in my bedroom didn't fair as well.

I think I was under the impression, maybe like some people, that if you are a cable customer you will not be affected by the DTV transition. I guess they're technically seperate issues but it sure can be confusing when you start to lose some of the channels you're used to getting.

 

[Kublai99]

Hey SWIPS question... I have same issue with Comcast they are "enhancing" the network and thus scrambling channels that used to be clear.

We lost TLC, History some others... of the channels that you lost and got that lovely you need a Comcast DTA or Cable-box message did the DTA box bring those back? (albeit at the low 480p)??? Don't want to pay the extra money for the cable-box (they say an extra $7 per..)

 

[Kublai99]

Hey SWIPS question... I have same issue with Comcast they are "enhancing" the network and thus scrambling channels that used to be clear.

We lost TLC, History some others... of the channels that you lost and got that lovely you need a Comcast DTA or Cable-box message did the DTA box bring those back? (albeit at the low 480p)??? Don't want to pay the extra money for the cable-box (they say an extra $7 per..)

Follow up on this - so for the two digital TV with internal digital tuners and the Pinnacle PC Card Tuner (clear QAM). I re-ran Channel Search. Found a good portion of the channels that disappeared up in the 106 to 108 range. With channel #'s like this 107.9, 107.11, etc.

Obviously the analog only tvs I have are SOL for getting the digitally "enchanced" channels still.

So try the auto-channel search on a Digital TV before you get sucked into Comcast's you need the DTA or cable-box mantra!!!

 

[bostongirl]

If I get my two free digital adapters (these are the ones for the analog TVs that are plugged directly into the cable in the wall) from Comcast and then borrow a couple from someone else who doesn't need them, will Comcast see that I am using more than my two free ones and charge me a monthly fee for other two? I'm pretty sure they can detect cable boxes, but I don't know if they can detect these new adapters. It does say that I have to have them all plugged in before I activate them so it does seem that they would see them.

 

[jherome]

Everyone,

Sorry been away for a while, just been busy.

Bostongirl,

They probably will NOT be able to detect how many you have. The purpose of that adapter is to allow for you to receive the digital signal. Meaning the signal is already on the line but you have nothing to allow the signal to be viewed. I myself dont have one yet so I cannot tell you the exact way this thing works. I have looked at what they look like online and they dont look like much of anything other than a way to actually receive signals.

A caveat to my response however is this, if there is some kind of activation that needs to be done on this digital converter, then my guess is they can track it. However if all you had to do is plug your cable into one end and plug your tv to the other end, I would say you have nothing to worry about.