This would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
A survey from Scientific Atlanta, which makes cable decoder boxes, finds that HDTV is still a “Fuzzy” technology for consumers. The study says that nearly half of the people who own HDTV-capable TVs are not watching any high-definition programming. In fact, many of them think they’re watching HDTV even when they’re still viewing standard definition signals:
- Close to one in four (28%) of HDTV owners reported that they did not get any special equipment from their service provider to watch HDTV channels because the picture quality was already improved with the purchase of an HDTV.
- 23% of HDTV owners did not invest in special equipment to watch HDTV channels because a message at the beginning of the programs they watch tells them that those programs are being broadcast in HD.
- Nearly one in five (18%) reported that they believed the HD television would give them high-definition channels without additional equipment.
I completely believe this. Last month I visited a friend in Arizona who had recently installed a new DirecTV system with HD converter boxes. My friend complained that he was really unimpressed with HDTV. When I looked more carefully, I saw that his TV was set up strictly for “stretched” SD channels and that DirecTV had not actually enabled the HD service. I called DirecTV for him, and after about an hour on the phone, we got it all squared away.
This technology is still too complicated for mere mortals. Enthusiasts and home-theater pros are the only ones who have the time and motivation to learn how this stuff really works. We’ve got a long, long way to go.
(Via Lost Remote)
60 comments ↓
You don’t have to have “extra” equipment to get HDTV. I have Comcast cable and without any extra equipment I get the network (abc, nbc, cbs, etc) HDTV feed. I know this because I get three version of each 1) analog, 2) standard definition digital, and 3) high definition digital. My Samsung DLP will display the video format on request.
So just because you don’t have “extra” equipment doesn’t mean you are not getting and enjoying HDTV.
Bill, you need to have a Comcast box that decodes HDTV. Without that, you get nothing but SD.
I have a clear picture different between the HD and SD signal of say ABC. But lets assume you are correct, how could I prove to myself that I am not getting the HD feed to my box?
Bill, if you watch a program that’s broadcast in HD, you’ll see that it appears in widescreen (16:9) instead of the standard 4:3. That’s probably the easiest way to tell.
If you have a standard TV elsewhere in the house, tune in a program that you know is being broadcast in HD on that TV. You’ll see the SD version. Then go to the HDTV and look at the same channel. If the content is different (more data at left and right of screen), the HD signal is coming in. If not, you’re missing the boat.
Not to quibble, but unless you want to consider an antenna extra equipment, if you have an HDTV with an ATSC tuner and are within range of an station broadcasting HD content, you don’t need extra equipment.
Fair enough, Frank. Although I bet the percentage of people watching HDTV exclusively on OTA is in single digits!
I did as you suggested,
Yes the picture is in 16:9 format on a 46 DLP. And yes there is a dynamic difference between the HD 16:9 channel and the SD 4:3 channel in both aspect ration and clarity of picture.
So I do insist that you can get a HDTV format with nothing but a HDTV (Cable Card ready, but no card inserted) and a cable hookup (at least in my case here in Denver using Comcast).
Bill, you have a cable converter box, right? That’s the extra equipment.
No, the cable goes directly into the TV. No converter box.
Bill, see the Comcast FAQ:
I am not aware of any cable company - especially Comcast - that will send out an unencrypted HDTV signal. You have to have a converter box to decode it. I strongly suspect that you are seeing a “stretched” SD signal.
Do you actually see different content on the HDTV picture? Not just a different aspect ratio but more content on either side? Do you subscribe to any premium channels like ESPN HD or HDNet? Can you tune in those “exclusively high-def” channels?
Without seeing your picture, I can’t really say, but in my experience, it would be almost unheard of for you to see an HD signal using the configuration you describe. HD cable signals are encrypted. WIthout that converter or a CableCARD, you can’t decrypt the HD part of the digital signal and therefore you get SD.
The local NBC news station advertises that have a true HDTV format. So I spend a couple of minute and jump back and forth between the HD channel (91-1) and the SD analog channel (9). I couldn’t remember the channel of the SD digital. Anyway, I could clearly see addition content on the 16:9 format in the HD channel than on the 4:3 format in the SD channel. Plus the picture quility was significantly better.
I also check out the two PBS channels. PBS brodcast a dedicated HD signal, it is NOT simucast on HD and SD channels. And yes the programming was completly differnt on the HD PBS channel (91-2) verses the SD channel (6). The PBS HD qulity is truely amazing.
I can not tell you why I am getting all of the non premium channels (Analog, SD and HD), but I am. I don’t subscribe to any premium content.
And I know the difference between the three formats in question (Analog, SD and HD).
In Denver Colorado, or to be more actuate, in Paker Colorado you don’t need a cable box (converter) to receive HDT from Comcast.
Thanks for that report, Bill. I have no idea why it’s happening, but I do believe you. I’ll look into it…
I have MCE 2005 and would like to record HD content. So how would I know if any of the avaliable HD turner cards on the market work with my feed.
Bill, there are no HDTV tuners for MCE that work with cable signals. They’re all designed for over-the-air reception.
People are confused because of the many standards that are out there today; SD/HD, analog/digital, 720p/1080i, 4:3/16:9. Throw in an extra decoder box and it’s simply to much to take in unless you’re an enthusiast. you won’t believe how many people here in Holland have their widescreen TV’s set to stretch 4:3 broadcasts (we still don’t have many 16:9 content here) and think nothing of it, they simply don’t care.
Also, why should people care about HD? I think the prime reason so much HD capable TV’s are sold is because people want flat LCD/Plasma TV’s, not because they want higher definition TV. Why should they? Will they buy a new sound system when Dolby launches a new codec with higher fidelity? Some will, but the vast majority won’t. It’s the same with TV’s i think.
For me, it comes down to one thing: cabling.
In some areas of the country you had one cable — coax (RG6). It brought all of your channels in (and you often didn’t need a cable set-top box). Even adding a VCR was pretty easy for most people — run cable from wall to VCR and from VCR to TV. That’s it.
Now — count how many different ways you can route video / audo through your system. For Video you have RG6-Coax, RCA-Yellow-Patchcord, S-Video, Component Video, DVI, HDMI/HDCP and potentially FireWire. For Audio you have RG6-Analog-Coax, RCA-Patchcord-RedWhite, Toslink-Optical, RG6-Digital-Coax, and heck I think you can run audio over HDMI & FireWire too.
Oh and some are digital and some are analog, and some support DRM and some don’t.
For anything other than OTA HDTV, you’re screwed — you have to manage this cabling mess yourself — and a whole lot of it because of the DRM nonsense.
Enthusiast, masochist, call them what you will — but they are the only ones “enjoying” anything other than OTA HDTV.
I can confirm Bill is correct. I also get HDTV signals on a ’standard’ cable signal. But these are just the free channels: FOX, PBS, CBS, ABC, NBC. You need a digital tuner on your TV to decode them.
I too concur that there is some HD content channels coming through standard (COMCAST) non-digital cable. I’ve noticed these channels are sometimes the free channels, and sometimes other (premium?) channels–when I say sometimes, I mean that the content tends to drift around different channels and eventually disappear. Then I have to have my HDTV re-scan channels. For this reason, I believe it to be a bug in the provider’s delivery mechanisms. The content in question is unquestionably HD–which again leads to confusion for the consumers.
I personally don’t have any particular delusions about owning an HDTV and getting/not getting HD content. I specifically choose not to subscribe to HD content because Comcast requires me to get:
1. Additional equipment in the form of either a set top box, or a cable card (this is my preferred method since it is a cleaner install). My TV supports HD directly (tuner incl.). Why should I need yet another box + remote? Moreover, my only box I’m willing to commit to is my Media Center PC + remote. If the service provider cannot support this configuration (which they cannot), I’m not interested.
2. The choice of equipment (STB or Cable Card) results in very different experiences. I’ve even heard the channel guide for Comcast channels isn’t even supported via cable cards.
3. Channels (HD or otherwise) that I do not want (bundling) just to get digital cable service in the first place.
4. Introduces additional per-TV charges for something I can do right now for a single charge (e.g. you need STBs or equiv. per TV, and each is an additional rental charge).
All of these deployment requirements introduce an amazingly large combination of areas which add more confusion to the poor consumer who just wants things to work as they have been accustomed to for decades. From my ‘enthusiast’ point of view, if I cannot figure it out in a way that meet my needs, how can the service providers expect the population in general to figure it out?
Jim, can you tell me either what digital card works to decode the Comcast HD signal in a Media Center PC, or what protocol the card needs to support?
I concur with Bill and Jim who say they get HD from Comcast without an external box. I have a Samsung HD TV and also get the “free” HD channels as well as Digital channels. I also get Comcast’s Music channels with no Box or extra charges from Comcast. the true test is the NFL and PBS. There is a distinct difference between the Analog and digital channels. And the HD channel is far superior to the others.
I am in the Baltimore, MD area and for the past 18 months have had a Sony KD-34XBR960 set with an ATSC tuner and QAM. We have Comcast service as well. Without using a STB (i.e., cable connected directly to the cable side connection of the TV’s tuner), up until about two months ago I too received a number of “digital” stations (although none in HD). This included mostly the pay-per-view stations that appeared in the 80.01 - 90.99 channel range. Comcast has since closed this loophole in this area.
I must admit that I am getting fed up with the ever increasing prices that Comcast charges. Maybe you guys can explain this to me, but, about two years ago in this area Comcast claimed that they changed all of their equipment to “digital” format. Yet, I now only get an analog signal on all cable channels. I understand they want to squeeze every cent out me that they can. But, I would at least expect a digial signal to the house (although not necessarily HD). I know they can because, again, up until two months ago many of the cable side channels were broadcast in digital (and several of you confirm you’re getting digital signals). In your opinions, do you feel Comcast should at least be providing a digial feed? By the way, are there third party set top boxes or cablecards that you can buy that will descramble Comcasts feed and convert to a digital signal?
Finally, I must admit I am close to being within that “single digit” population Ed refers to that exclusively watch OTA programming (we only have cable because the kids watch it). But, the HD programming that OTA offers is awesome and is increasing by the day. Check out http://www.titanTV.com for HD broadcast programming schedules. If you have not explored OTA (over-the-air) programming, you should. Again, I’m in Baltimore and am able to pick up digital stations in Baltimore, DC, and Annapolis using a Channel Master 4228 antenna mounted in the attic and pointed toward DC (this antenna is directional). For those of you old enough to remember life before cable and satelite TV, you remember VHF and UHF bands. Well, most digital channels are broadcast over the UHF band. Hence, you only need a UHF antenna to draw those signals (that assumes you don’t care about the corresponding analog stations). The Channel Master 4228 antenna is a UHF antenna (some call these “HDTV” antennas and charge twice the price). Of course, you also need a ATSC tuner which my TV has. If your set doesn’t have the built in tuner, you can buy a tuner like the Samsung SIR-T451. Anyway, I like watching football and there’s nothing like watching OTA HD (especially on Fox and ABC; CBS HD is second rate). Best of all, it’s free.
Comcast’s web site is confusing (what’s new?)…here’s a post from their FAQ that appears to confirm what Bill has experienced, and contradicts the other Comcast FAQ post that Ed cited:
“Q: I have a digital-cable-ready HDTV set. Do I need a CableCARD or a special HD set-top box to view HD programming?
A: Digital-cable-ready HDTV sets have built-in HD capability so no special set-top box is required to receive HD signals for broadcast digital channels. You would need to use either a set-top box or a CableCARD to receive non-broadcast Comcast Digital Cable and/or HDTV channels that are not available on the basic service tier.”
This makes it sound like I can take my existing Comcast Standard cable service, wire it up to my new HD-ready TV, and receive the HD broadcasts on the “free” channels. Or am I missing something?
If you have a digital cable-ready tv (I have a new 42″ Sony Wega), you can receive some digital channels and the Over The Air HD channels (Fox, NBC, etc.) Cable companies can’t regulate those, but definitely aren’t advertising that you don’t have to pay for them. On mine the extra channels have decimals (example ABC HD is channel 89.1)
Same as Brian: I pay Time Warner only for BASIC cable. I recently got an HDTV LCD Projection TV (50″ Sony), and now I get my normal Basic channels, plus a couple of channels in 1080i (NBC, CBS, PBS), plus 40+ “Standard Cable” channels (ESPN, Comedy Central, etc), which come in as decimals (48.39).
Why am I getting those channels? Are they coming in OTA (I don’t have an antenna!) or am I getting these for free from Time Warner?
Today (April 29th), I have complained to Comcast that their $5 additional for HDTV service is misleading. Once you open up the details of that service on the web site, it clearly states that all you require is Standard Basic Service. When I called them up, two sales reps confirmed that I would need to sign up for Digitial services. We have standard basic service and watch TV for about 2 hours a week, and that too, all sports prorgamming. The sales rep confirmed that they will let the management know about the lack of information on the HDTV service page. I am posting this to remind others that I had requested an action today and hope that Comcast will not mislead people into signing up for HDTV.
This may turn out to be a classic case of intervention by federal agencies, and rightly so. Ideally, Comcast should be required to post BOLDLY that it is possible to receive OTA HDTV for those who have basic services, as long as the TV has the ATSC tuner (they may be able to rent those out for a profit).
Ed, Bill is right he is getting HD service simply from having a coax cable plugged into the wall. Any TV with a QAM tuner (includes TVs with CableCARD) can get Unscrambled Digital cable from their Cable provider.
Basically the “HD Digital Cable Box” from your cable provider is a QAM tuner. Cable Companies obviously don’t advertise that you can get HD channels without a Cable Box from them, because they want you to pay $10-15 a month for the box.
Now, without the cable box (or CableCARD) from the cable company, these free unscrambled Digital and HD channels will have weird numbers the following list is of Comcast Atlanta Unscrambled HD QAM channels.
92.21 fox
98.10 tbs
98.3 abc
101.2 wb
108.10 cbs
108.30 nbc
The Box from Comcast allows them to load a new channel map into the box. Basically they know most consumers won’t quite understand turing to Channel 92.21, but they would understand tuning to channel 804. So, when you enter channel 804 into the Cable Box, it is actually tuning to channel 92.21.
So, with QAM you will get access to unscrambled digital and HD channels from your cable company (varies by provider and location) A CableCARD will allow you to access all of the scrambled HD and Digital Channels from the Cable Company and have the “channel map” loaded correctly. That means that you will tune to regular channels, no “.”, and be able to access HBO etc.
The drawback with CableCARD is that you will not have the Cable Companies Guide (your TV may have a supplemental guide, although generally far less user friendly and accurate) and you will not have access to interactive content Video On Demand, Pay-per-View, premium extras…
But back to Ed’s original post, I think the general population needs to have Separate equipment to watch HD. Most will not understand or use the QAM tuner.
But, what’s not mentioned is how many people have the extra equipment and haven’t had it set up properly. I personally have seen 4 people in Atlanta who have had Comcast install an HD box, and who have not been watching HD. The box itself (in this case Motorola DCT-6412) has to be set to output HD. In this menu in all 4 of the above cases HD was set to be overridden to 480p resolution. In one case, the cable installer didn’t uderstand the TV didn’t have a flexible input (a whole other story) and got frustrated and connected the box via S-Video. The people thought they were getting HD because they could tune to channel 804 etc, but they did all tell me that HD wasn’t that great. After I properly set up the box, they were all stunned and very frustrated that they had been paying for HD and not been receiving it. A Couple tried to call and complain, but the Comcast reps couldn’t follow the conversation.
HD is all one big Mess!
Does a new ATSC-equipped set, for example the new Sony BRAVIA series, KDLxxS2000 (where xx is the screen size) include QAM? In other words, is QAM a subset of ATSC, or is it a different beast? Would the BRAVIA be able to do what ‘B’ says he does in post 26?
CAN ANYONE ELSE RECIEVE THE ON DEMAND VIEWINGS OF THIER NEIGHBORS. I HAVE a dcr tv without the card and I did a search anytime one of my neighbors watches ppv on demand i can watch it also.
For Howard R:
YES! I have a KDL40S2000 connected directly to Comcast cable (Howard County, MD) and am receiving local HD channels similar to B in post 26. The analogue and digital versions of the LIMITED BASIC channels are also available but the digital versions of the FULL STANDARD SERVICE appear to be encrypted.
You CAN view HD content without a cable box IF the HDTV set has a QAM tuner and its hooked up directly to the wall and you pay for the basic digital package. Or if the Tv set has an ATSC tuner for air signal with an outdoor antenna or rabit ears depending how strong the signal is in your neighborhood.
I live in Charles County MD, and my Comcast franchise is allowing for the HD pass though of the network affiliates. What is interesting is that I am able to get the Baltimore network affiliates here (WBAL, WJZ and WMAR) though my QAM tuner, despite the fact that the analog Baltimore stations are not offered at any price.
Cable providers are required to offer pass though of “non premium” stations offered under basic cable, in HD too. That’s where a QAM tuner comes into play.
I have a QAM tuner and I, too, recieve the unscrambled HD channels over cable from Comcast for NBC, ABC, FOX, and PBS. However, CBS and Comcast have no contract with each other for HD (according to the TV salesman) so I don’t receive cable HD for CBS. I have to switch to my ATSC input to get CBS.
Comcast will NOT give me service for these unscrambled channels. If the channels go out for some reason on cable, I simply switch to my antenna input and get them over the air. I have had lengthy arguments with the Comcast service people that they are exercising a loophole in the FCC regulation when not providing service. The FCC mandates that Comcast must provide HD unscrambled signals for any channel they carry that can be received for free over the air. But the FCC no where says that Comcast must provide SERVICE for those channels. Comcast always says to me “You have Basic Plus not Digital. We can only provide you service for channels 2-99.” Yet, when I dial up NBC HD, the channel appears on my cable set as 4-1. But because Comcast says it is channel 211, they will not provide me service when I lose reception of video or audio becuase I do not have DIGITAL service.
It is time for the FCC to catch up to todays technology! I remember back in 1988 telling the Jones Intercable guy not to set up the cable box. I made him desrcamble the signal at the street side post because I had a CABLE READY NTSC TUNER!!
The FCC should mandate SERVICE along with those unscrambled HD channels just like the old days with NTSC cable ready tuners.
I live in TN and contract sweep for a cable company in ND. I have worked in 20 states and the cable company in ND is one of the few I have ever known to encrypt anything. I have a Panasonic plasma tv at my home hooked to limited basic from Comcast and get most channels. I even pick up on-demand floating around and most premium channels though they come and go. I have only a coax in and have no intent of getting any “extra equipment” as it is not needed.
My LG tunes in HD from all the NYC ota channels simply with a direct cable connect. All else I need do is figure out the mapping of the channels, e.g. must tune into channel 99-16 to receive local channel 11 (WB) or 99-709 for WORHD. Haven’t yet figured out the mapping for HD from the non-ota HD channels Cablevision includes in its basic family package, e.g. ESPNHD, Yes Network (Yankees), INHD-SNY (Mets), MSGHD (Knicks), UHD (other sports) and TBSHD.. Can put me on to the maping or tell me that I shouldn’t bother, because those HD channels are indeed scrambled?
Another question. If the foregoing channels are scrambled, does Cablevision have any justification for doing so? I’m already paying for them, & fell that I shouldn’t have to obtain and pay extra for a set top cable box to view them.
Just got a new HDTV 1080 TV, wondering what the decimals were, made a search, found this blog.
If anyone does find or make a list of these decimal channels, please put something on this blog.
Easily amused and confused, Neo.
I live in Southern Illinois and have Charter Cable service. I recently purchased a new HDTV with a QAM tuner. I was curious how many digital cable channels I would receive in addition to the analog cable channels I typically recieve.
I haven’t bothered to yet order a cableCard and I don’t have a cable box. I’ve been getting local over the air (OTA) HD channels for years. (I purchased an HDTV back in 2000). So I get all the network HD for free.
When I hooked up the cable directly to the TV I started receiving some basic cable channels in digital along with the local channels. However, the vast majority of all of these are in Standard Definition. Even the local broadcasts are sent SD.
What surprised me is that I did receive the video for 3 HD channels. HDNet, HDNet Movies, TNT HD. However, none of these channels contained the audio track. I get the audio via an optical connection via my surround system. Which works via other digital cable channels and via OTA HD channels. But for some reason the audio is just not received. In addition due to the fact I had some problems with this new TV I confirmed that two different types of TVs (Samsung and Sharp 52 LCD models) exhibited the same behavior. No audio via HD Cable channels.
My question is has anyone ever heard of a cable company only encrypting the sound and not the video for HD channels? I’m wondering if I did get a CableCARD if the sound would still be lost.
Thanks
I have comcast and a philps 42 inch plasma HDTV
Live in Essex County Ma
I only have coax cable plugged in and receive the following channels, get a great quality picture with Audio.
84.1 -WHGB HD - PBS Boston
85.1 WHGB World non HD PBS Boston
85.2 wgbh KIDS non HD PBS Boston
85.3 WGBG Create non HD PBS Boston
85.5 CW HD
86.1 ABC HD
86.2 NBC HD
87.1 FOX HD
87.2 CBS HD
88.1 Style - Non HD
90.11 Seem to be some ones DVR
I just bought an Olevia 227V hd tv for my Mother. Its hooked up to standard Comcast Cable in So Jersey area. This set recieves BOTH analog and Digital signals without a converter Box. I plan to buy another of these sets for myself since I can bypass the rental fees that caomcastwould charge for their box.
By the way, does anyone know if a PCI-atsc tuner card might do the same thing?
You will need a PCI HDTV card that supports QAM such as the DVICO line of cards. I have one of the least expensive cards and it works well for recording the free channels to my computer. The downside is that there is not a good program guide for these “free” channels so you have to record time blocks instead of telling it a particualar show. This get frustrating when a show changes times or has a 2 hour final episode. If you go over the air (which all PCI HDTV cards will do) you can use TitanTV or an included guide to record by the show name.
Check out http://www.dvico.com/default.asp
I just bought a Ölevia™ 432V 32″ . What is the best way to switch between antenna channels and cable channels. Also is there a way to add 13.1 channel in the Add Channle area. Couldn’t figure out how to add a ‘dot’.
Ruth,
Are you talking about with Media Center? If so, you need to install an HD tuner and run through MCE setup again. At that point the channels will appear.
Hi Ed,
There is a lot of hub-bub lately about the new 120 hz refresh LCD TV’s.
Anybody witnessed a comparison of 120 vs 60 hz refresh?
Are they a bonafide improvement or just advertising sunshine?
Will 120 hz screw up the “visual feel” of 24 fps movie?
Thanks
Phil
I was really glad to find this discussion. I am a Comcast digital TV subscriber with a dvr, but I don’t have a widescreen TV and have not paid for their HD service. Just a few days ago, I was pleasantly surprised when I accidentally discovered that we are receiving the HD channels. I wasn’t about to call Comcast to ask about it – kind of like looking a gift horse in the mouth – but I was wondering if this was some unique fluke. And, obviously, it isn’t. It’s more of an unadvertised bonus. Two problems. We can record a program if we set it up ahead of time, but once we are tuned to any HD channel, we are unable to click on the program guide, info, dvr, or any other button, except channel and volume. Second, since we have a regular, some years old, non-wide screen Sharp 27” tv, there is no way to change the format when tuned to a 4:3 show. If we watch a non-widescreen show on one of those channels, the picture is boxed in on all four sides, and cannot be enlarged to fit the screen.
I’ve been noticing the same thing: I just got a Sharp 42″ LCD, QAM tuner, 1080p, and it is getting the “dot” channels from the mid 60s through 124. I do not have a set top box, and only have(from Charter cable) basic plus expanded basic, no premiums, analog only..
I now received some digital channels(reported by the Sharp) AS Well as a couple of movie channels, one that appears to be HD sometimes. I am also getting those “floating” on-demand channels occasionally.
I have been with Charter for 10 years plus and have never had any premiums to my knowledge. Weird.
jeff
Are there lists of all the “real” channel numbers, that is, the ones that a digital tv tuner can tune in without the use of a cable set top box, available from various COMCAST or other cable vendors, along with what they really are (such as a local metropolitan area NBC affiliate station)?
- Joe
i have a cable box from charter comm. and want to get a LCD tv however i am a college student who moves once a year so it will be a while before i can get HDtv. I was wondering if anyone know if I can hookup my cable box to a Olevia 227v via the coaxial. (my cable box only has coaxial connection). I saw some Olevia’s said they only got “air” through the coaxial.
I just got a dlp tv and I do get comcast cable. I only get the internet and the lower basic tv stations 1-30 about. I ran my tv auto scan for HD and it returned a list of aprox 400 channels. They have weird numbers like 78-3 and such. Maybe thats how hd channels are labled but I dont know. Today I am getting showtime and other premium channels without a box. LAstnight I was getting a ppv porn feed. The content and networks on the channels seems to be at random. One min. its Nick Sprout the next its hardcore porn. Also the channels seem to rewind and fast forward. Almost like a dvr. To answer the questions I know will come.. I have a coaxial cable coming out of the wall and plugged directly into my tv. No extra stuff at all.
i have been reading through this thread and I am beginning to understand the 3 different signals I saw when I purchased a new tv, but is there anywhere that these channels are documented? i.e. 93-5 is abc SD 97-8 is abc HD, etc It’s cumbersome to try to navigate around so many duplicate chanhels.
FYI - I have comcast basic cable and I see stange things such as Andy P. On the 75-* range I see ppv movies occasionally.
An HDTV with an OAM tuner is great! I picked up all my local HD channels plus ESPN, ESPN2, and Universal HD.
I have comcast basic cable (Savannah, GA) and I pick up three sets of programming as well. The Regular channels, the Digital channels, and the HD channels (main networks and sports channels). I also pick up the On-Demand movies that someone orders. I can watch them and see when people fast-forward or hit pause. Also, ESPN Gameplan comes in on Saturdays. I pick these up on both my Panasonic Plasma and my LG LCD. I’m not complaining, but it is weird.
This is to B:
I will move to Atlanta this month and I will probably end up getting the basic cable from comcast. The Question I had was if you had any other equipment with your TV b/c I have a QAM tuner in my TV and i currently get HD channels in 16:9 ratio in Statesboro, GA. Will i have any problems getting the same channels in HD in Atlanta?
It’s true. YOU CAN GET HD AND EVEN PREMIUM CHANNELS FREE sometimes. WHen I programmed the channels onto my new Samsung TV for direct access to the PIP, I was amazed when I discovered I was now getting unscrambled movie and porn channels. I’m not complaining. I have my cable box for normal use, but I would have never known if I didn’t program my PIP.
Hi Ed,
I’m also recieving HDTV without an antenna I know this because my new Panisonic 50 px77u scanned all channels analog and digital. Cable straight into tv abc, nbc fox, ect the analog ch4 digial 4.1 and at the top of the screen says ch4.1DTV, ch5 , ch5.1 HDTV ect..
The cristal clear pix and sound HD. But how ? I live in nothern MA
Did Ed ever admit to being wrong here? Obviously, the HDTV is “High Definition Tele Voodoo” to him. You can absolutely get HD without extra equipment. The cable companies are unable to offer Digital Cable at high rates AND encrypt/disable HD channels. So until they figure out how, as long as your TV has an HD Tuner in it, you can simply tune in to a real live HD broadcast.
A newbie question: gettign Comcast Digital Starter package for six months at $25; don’t care about HD. I’m charged an extra $7 for an additional box.
Can I use a tuner/receiver so I don’t need the box? I don’t know yet if the signal’s encrypted. My TV is a standard cable ready.
Or, can I purchase a Comcast box outright? I do see some for sale online.
Hello, I recently purchased a 42″ Samsung HDTV, it was plugged in through the wall to standard cable and it picked up quite a few HD channels without any other boxes or accessories. I am an expert when it comes to high definition content, and can confirm the channels really are in high definition. It sounds like what was happening with Bill Israel.
I am new to hdtv and I am about to buy an HD tv. So with a regular black comcast box, I can hook it up and continue to get the standard channels? I don’t need to get an HD box, that would only be if I wanted hd channels right?
Eric, that is correct. Your HDTV will show standard-def content just fine, albeit with big black strips at either side of the program.
Yeah, I just baught an RCA lcd hd 32 inch screen in my bedroom, do you have anyway of explaining why standard cable channels come in so grainy? What should I do? Because I would atleast like to see the standard channels in good quality. I have a few hd channels, like abc or nbc, and they come out almost perfect.
I’m in the Baltimore area, Comcast community MD0157, and have a similar experience with no converter box and a Dynex ATSC HD TV directly connected. I receive HD programs, additional channels above my sub-basic subscription, and network content moving from one atsc channel to another. The interesting observation I have is that when I have lousy reception on all channels and just the content to which I’ve subscribed, there is what looks like a filter component installed at the street service box. I’m remembering it as cylindrical, about 6″ x 3/4″ diameter, black with a red band at one end, and connected in series with the coax cable leading underground to my home. My neighbor’s full-service connection is in the same street access box with no filter. When I have lots of strong, noise-free, signals with extra channels, the filter is disconnected and lying loose in the street box. I wonder if Comcast is still prototyping a digital filter technology and we are suffering through the experiments. When I talk to Comcast people locally, on the help phone line, or read the web info, I get different stories about my service and none match my actual experience.
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