digital cable TV

[mpvue]

lets imagine for a moment that someone is getting cable internet. then imagine that, because the TV signal comes in over the same cable, this person gets TV but w/o paying the cable/internet company for the TV signal. all well and good.
BUT, now that cable company switched to a digital signal and this person can no longer receive free TV.
his choices are:
a). live w/o TV
b). buy a digital converter box
c). suck it up and pay another $50/mo to get TV
what would YOU do?

 

[brianl703]

The digital signals are usually encrypted, the ones that aren't are the over-the-air broadcast channels you could get with an antenna anyway. A digital converter box must be capable of tuning QAM, most aren't. If you think you can buy one on Ebay that's the same make/model your cable company uses, that won't work either as they brick themselves unless they get an authorization signal every so often.

The cable company may have put a video filter on the line. Normally they do that when the data-only service is installed, but someone may have forgotten. They catch that when they do an audit, then one gets installed.

Finally, cable theft is a crime. A felony in some instances.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

What channels are you looking for? Some are simulcasted online such as TikiLive. Other sites exist to rebroadcast cable TV in your web browser.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

A big Yagi and 4 gang UHF on the roof if you are w/in 50 miles of the transmitter. Maybe a rotator too. Free gvmt sponsered converter box.
I was paying $80/mo for phone, $26/mo for AOL dialup and had free OTA tv. I got the evil Comcast triple play that for introductory 1 year was $78/ mo for TV + HBO, unlimited domestic phone and 1000MBS cable moden internet. AFter a year is up I may dump the phone and get one of those "magic jack" or similar VOIP - dont know much about them.

 

[SrDriver]

As I recall Best Buy and others sell a VOIP box that runs around $300.00 bucks. No other out of pocket expense or monthly fees.

You can use it without the computer being turned on.

We have basic phone service and DSL with 10+ MBs. There is a lot of Web TV too these days.

We use Skype or calls from computer to cell phones and land lines + from computer to computer.

If you must watch TV, there are some good buys now for some LCDs. That are cable ready.

 

[brandini]

They have BASIC cable plans and they do still use the analog signal (at least Comcast here does). The local basic plan runs about $14 a month.

 

[ctc]

Get satellite!

http://dishnetwork.com/packages/programming/default.aspx

https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/wizard/buildYourSystem1.jsp?footernavtype=-1

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: brandini
They have BASIC cable plans and they do still use the analog signal (at least Comcast here does). The local basic plan runs about $14 a month.

in the hypothetical case I described, the local provider is no longer sending an analog signal; they have been rolling out full digital across the area. also, an antenna is useless as it only picks up 2 stations.
this provider likes to sell 'bundles'; cable/phone/internet. the hypothetical person was/is paying them already for phone and internet. now, to get TV, you are forced to get a set top box to decode the digital signal.

 

[01rangerxl]

Paying for it would probably be the easiest thing to do. I hate paying my share of the $115 a month bill (internet + TV), but at least I know my TV will always have plentiful [censored] to watch.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: mpvue

also, an antenna is useless as it only picks up 2 stations.
Better aimable antenna and vhf/uhf amplifier. Again 50-70 miles clear to transmitter is required. OTA HD signal is pristine. You are stucjk with local brodcast though. BTW you should be lubing the car and mower, not watching tV!

 

[Samilcar]

www.tvfool.com

If you do go the antenna route, this site is very helpful. Plugging in your address (or just zip code) gives you a map of all the available over the air stations.

 

[rshaw125]

I was amazed at the number of stations I got with an antenna and converter box. The picture is excellent.
Last night I watched the Yankees/ Phillies over the air for free. Never even turned on my pricey Dish-network set up.

 

[mpvue]

my hypothetical situation has been resolved w/ a 1st year deal on digital cable/all inclusive phone/10meg modem internet bundle for $109.99/mo.

 

[Lurch]

I've gotten broadband cable for a few years now. I used to pay for expanded basic cable TV for about $50 a month, then downgraded to basic for $15 a month. I upgraded again a few weeks ago to basic + digital for only $15 a month more, $30 a month total + $45 for BB and I like it. Tons of interesting stations, plus 30 or 40 decent radio stations that are good enough so that I may cancel XM radio, which costs me $15 a month.