The end of the HTPC?

[dennit]

My Time Warner feed has never had anything but the big 4 networks and PBS in clear digital. We have several "tiers" with expanded and super expanded that you must have a STB for, analog or digital. I actually hope they convert to privacy mode since that would give me chance of recording what I pay for,(once it is broken). I doubt it will ever happen since they already seem to have the technology in place to force me to use a STB.

Without Privacy Mode, we'd be able to record these channels as clear QAM. With Privacy Mode, it needs to be cracked or we'll need to set up an IR blaster (assuming the blaster works with the DTA they give us). This only applies to extended basic channels, anyway - which are mostly the channels they used to send in analog.

[johnsonx42]

no, what soccerdad is saying is that on his cable system they already do full encryption on everything but broadcast, requiring a full STB. He'd like to see them transition the expanded basic channels to Privacy Mode with DTA's. That way once privacy mode is broken he'll be able to tune it directly with GB-PVR.

[dennit]

no, what soccerdad is saying is that on his cable system they already do full encryption on everything but broadcast, requiring a full STB. He'd like to see them transition the expanded basic channels to Privacy Mode with DTA's. That way once privacy mode is broken he'll be able to tune it directly with GB-PVR.

I misunderstood then. Do they do STB decryption of analog? I didn't think there were many analog encrypted systems still around.

[whurlston]

I misunderstood then. Do they do STB decryption of analog? I didn't think there were many analog encrypted systems still around.

He is talking about an all digital cable system. No analog.

[tuckster]

I don't think Multi-record is going to let you do that. Those channels are all on different broadcast frequencies - Multi-record lets you record multiple channels on the SAME frequency. For *most* people in the US, Multi-record is of limited or no use on ATSC (which is not to say it doesn't work, it works fine).
Unless I'm misunderstanding you, and what you actually mean is that you have basic broadcast cable service... in that case yes, many different channels are on the same frequency. But what you wrote certainly implies you have an antenna.

Sorry for the confusion.

I started using GBPVR because of OTA HD content and I was initially using antenna. I have since switched to QAM (using our cable internet feed) and use that for multi-record - which happens to broadcast CBS, ABC and NBC on the same frequency.

Even if the cable company were to cut the QAM or if I didn't have cable internet I could accomplish the same thing with OTA, but I would need more tuners

[imagn]

Right now i am one of the lucky ones who get most of the EB channels in the clear. This has been a relatively recent event, i think the last four months or so. I will say though i originally set up my HTPC to capture the QAM HD local channels and if comcast desided to encrypt my EB channels i will be just as happy to continue just recording the Local HD channels.

I will say having the EB channels in the clear is also one of the reasons i have stuck with Comcast for now. Their recent changes has effected more than just my TV. If things change in the near future i will probably be inclined to go to FIOS or as the Wife wants Direct TV.

I'm having faith that they will be keeping the EB channles in the clear although i have been receiving mailers from Comcast in the past few weeks telling me of changes and urging me to get DTA's, and i have no intentions of getting any.

[dennit]

He is talking about an all digital cable system. No analog.

He said: "We have several 'tiers' with expanded and super expanded that you must have a STB for, analog or digital."

I took that to be a typical mixed analog and digital system. Perhaps he just meant that he's only subscribing to the digital part.

[whurlston]

He said: "We have several 'tiers' with expanded and super expanded that you must have a STB for, analog or digital."

I took that to be a typical mixed analog and digital system. Perhaps he just meant that he's only subscribing to the digital part.

Ah right you are. My mistake.

[clevemire]

So I got a message scrolling over the top of my screen from a recording last night that Cartoon Network will be going digital on 9/29. This seems like extraordinarily short notice, first of all. They sent me a letter a long time back indicating that we were going digital, and then another letter that said "nevermind, though we probably will at some point in the future."

So from all this, my understanding is that despite having a number of perfectly good digital tuners (both cards and in TVs) in my home, I will only get broadcast channels without a box of some sort?

[nightwalker]

That was my experience when Comcast did the digital conversion here. Mostly only channels that are broadcast, a few junk channels and a few music channels were all that were in the clear. Seems to me we un the USA might as well just buy monitors and not TV's since the tuners in them are unused unless you get your signal OTA.