what happens to current generation of tv tuners when we switch to atsc?

[tunanugget]

once we go digital, are the current tv tuners like wintv pvr usb2 pretty much useless?

[pastro]

The digital switch is for broadcast TV, not cable.

[mpking]

For now, but cable is not too far behind.

This is for Chicago
http://consumerist.com/consumer/comcast/...250823.php

I got a letter last year that said I would lose it soon. I've since moved towns, so I don't know if my local franchise has plans on discontinuing.

[mian]

Some people will upgrade, other's will use their US digital to analog converter voucher to keep the old cards in service.

It's not just the upgrading to an hd card cost, it's an issue of hard drive space for me. Some people are obsessed with crazy high resolutions and picture quality, but I'd rather have more shows and not have to invest in a drive farm to keep up with them.

[martint123]

Dunring the changeover, in the UK STB's are used and can provide an analogue signal for old TV's. So long as some form of blaster is available then I guess an old analogue tuner would work fine with these.

[nitrogen_widget]

As long as I have a square TV with a glass tube I will be able to use the S-video input on my tuner card.

I am hoping that the card manufacturers will step up when we go digital & start producing tuner cards with component inputs so we can record HD resolutions from a setop box.

The technology is there.
I suspect DRM is too big of a headache to fight right now though.

[sub]

I am hoping that the card manufacturers will step up when we go digital & start producing tuner cards with component inputs so we can record HD resolutions from a setop box.

To be honest, I dont think thats ever going to happen in the mainstream consumer market.

With the exception of the CableCard, the move to digital has pretty much already happened now for capture cards. OTA ATSC device are already with us, and unlikely to change. Digital Cable ATSC are kind of with us, in the form of HDHomeRun, OnAir GT etc, but these only go half the way (unencrypted digital cable). I'm sure in the next year or two encrypted cable will also be sorted (ie devices with CableCard slots).

[pastro]

I hate the idea of having to rent a cable card for my pvr and another for my tv.

[nitrogen_widget]

I hate the idea of having to rent a cable card for my pvr and another for my tv.

I agree.
And lets not forget being forced to buy a pre-built Vista MCE system from an approved manufacturer.

[nitrogen_widget]

To be honest, I dont think thats ever going to happen in the mainstream consumer market.

With the exception of the CableCard, the move to digital has pretty much already happened now for capture cards. OTA ATSC device are already with us, and unlikely to change. Digital Cable ATSC are kind of with us, in the form of HDHomeRun, OnAir GT etc, but these only go half the way (unencrypted digital cable). I'm sure in the next year or two encrypted cable will also be sorted (ie devices with CableCard slots).

It's wishful thinking.
Right now I use directv & they would really have to do me a bad turn to get me to go back to my cable company.
But, i've only got an SDTV & am not ready to go to HDTV just yet.
So I guess i'll stop worrying about it.