FCC to allow U.S. basic cable to be encrypted

[nitrogen_widget]

I cut the cord last yr & don't miss it.
I have netflix & Hulu Plus along with Playon.
And a nice big arial.

[ga_mueller]

Who knows how it will be implemented. Worst case a crappy cable box with it's own separate remote (I can vaguely remember the agonies of blasting with HIP) with only HDMI output, or maybe they'll just pass it through a "decrypter box" and we'll get the channels in the clear as the output (fat chance).

[mvallevand]

We have never really had clear QAM here in Canada but I am totally happy with ATSC and my HDPVR. I even have a new HDPVR2 to add to the mix. Now if they close the analog hole or enable HDCP that's another story.

Martin

[mian]

The lost revenue/theft excuse is almost as funny as the reduced service call excuse. I'll always look for the companies who are punishing their customers the least. I pay for what I use, and the people that don't aren't gonna suddenly pony up because of a little encryption. They certainly never have before. Beating me with a stick ain't gonna help the cable company get money from thieves, but it will piss me off.

[amadams]

How long do you think it will be before the "voluntary" OTA Spectrum auctions become mandatory. I may sound paranoid, but I think the big media companies are working towards killing ANY free content.

[mian]

It's starting: http://www.consumerworld.org/pages/rcnscramble.htm

Thousands of Boston-area RCN cable subscribers awoke today to find that their high definition televisions had become expensive doorstops. Overnight, the company encrypted the signals of all local basic TV channels rendering any televisions without a cable box completely inoperative. RCN is believed to be one of the first cable operators in the country to implement a little-known FCC ruling by encrypting basic channels, scheduled to start today in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.

Last October, the FCC ruled that any all-digital cable companies could scramble the signals of local TV channels which, up until that time, had been required to be transmitted "in the clear." That meant that basic channels could be picked up without the need for a set-top box by any subscriber with a high definition television equipped with a built-in QAM tuner.

In March, as required by FCC rules, RCN sent subscribers a 30-day advance notice indicating that as of April 10, all televisions connected to their service would be required to have a set-top box. [See: http://rcn.com/boxes ] To ease the transition, the FCC ordered that cable companies provide customers with one or two "devices" free to decrypt the new signals for a period of up to two years, depending on the customer's level of service.

Nothing in the FCC rule required that these free boxes transmit a high definition signal that customers were enjoying up until today without a box. Accordingly, RCN's website states that subscribers can only receive a standard definition cable box free. After the free period, subscribers will be forced to rent a box (currently about $10 a month for an HD box), buy a box if any come to market (but it will require the monthly rental of a CableCARD), or go back to using rabbit ears. Some RCN customers, however, have been able to negotiate a free HD box for one year.

The new rule is expected to primarily affect secondary televisions in many households - the ones in the den, kitchen, bedroom or guest room -- which are less likely to have a cable box or DVR already attached to them. According to Nielsen, 65.9 million households have three or more TVs. Dworsky himself has three HDTVs and a TV tuner in his PC that will each require a new cable box.

I'm sure this will save cable. I don't like sports, so my link to cable is kinda weak already. If the streamers ever strike serious sports distro deals, I don't see how cable could possibly survive. Certainly not acting like this. Seriously, you need a box for every set?

[johnsonx42]

Well I can certainly see why you're driving angry.

As for me, if this should happen here I'll just disconnect the cable feeding my HVR-2250 from the cable co's splitter, and reconnect it to my antenna. Done.

[mian]

Just trying to make it fun...

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/15/comca...sic-cable/

Welcome comcast to the party.

[roy]

My latest Comcast bill has the notice that they will start encrypting basic service in November. I guess it's time to see how many channels I can get OTA with my HVR-2250.

[ga_mueller]

My latest Comcast bill has the notice that they will start encrypting basic service in November. I guess it's time to see how many channels I can get OTA with my HVR-2250.

It's more than worth it for the $1.50/month I pay for a cable card, not to mention I have never had to remap channels since I've had it; those remapping marathons after Comcast moved channels around was a real PITA.