HDTV Cable Service

[lostnfound]

Hi all,

We just purchased an HD LED-LCD TV today. In our house, we only have basic cable (roughly 70 channels)--we seem to be able to get a few HD channels (major networks, all hidden at the end of the regular channel lineup).

My question is: since we want to get more HD channels, is it really necessary to upgrade from basic cable to digital cable? I've noticed that they sell an HD converter box through the cable company, so can we just get the box? Do have to subscribe to anything? I'm afraid to ask the cable company, because I figured they're going to make-us pay more for digital. We don't need 1,000 channels, we just want more HD programming.

Thank you.

 

[Yooper]

I've got Comcrap, and they charge for EVERYTHING.

So my answer would be yes, there's an additional charge.

 

[jft245]

Call your cable company and ask. Most don't "charge extra" for the HD channels but the only way to get them is with the digital lineup and box, and those services they charge for.

 

[Lefty]

The way I understand it is they can't charge for the broadcast but they

can and do charge for 'their' equipment to translate it to you HD set.

Like Yooper, we have COMCRAP (no option in our area) and they charge

every penny they possibly can and provide the most pathetic "service"

of any home service agency of any kind that I am aware of.

 

[roadtripboy]

I have Charter and I had to trade in my old digital box and and get either an HD receiver or an HD DVR. Both of which cost $10 a month instead of $5 for the regular box. They did include their basic HD package with it, but they had a second HD teir that cost extra.

 

[seven2go]

I guess I'm one of the few who does not WANT a HD display.
I don't WANT to see every pore in a subject's face......or anywhere else as far as that goes.......

 

[Joshua_me]

The only way to get true HD through a cable source is through a converter box with an HDMI or composite cable outputs...

Regular coaxial cable does NOT carry HD images.

HDMI is highly preferred over composite cables, since both the audio and video signal runs through one small cable. However, not all cable companies in all areas offer HDMI cable capability.

Such as my Commiecast cable service.

Still, the picture is much improved, and shown in the correct 16:9 aspect ratio when applicable. But, one look at a Blu-ray disc and you'll be blown away by the difference in quality and realize how far digital cable still has to go...

 

[mike_n_herrin]

i also have comcast and basic cable, but i only get about 23-25 channels. the ones that are in HD also are free. But you have to run your TV's programing mode to make sure it picks them up. When i got my new LCD HD tv i had to run it a couple times, but that was right before the time of the HD switch i think last year. then i had to run it again a few months ago...power outage i think cleared my TV's memory or something and that third time i got even more HD channels. Mine are not all at the end of the channel line up. For example after i run the TV's program regular PBS might be channel 8 and the HD PBS is channel 8.1. Regular CBS might be channel 5 while HD CBS is 5.1. So the answer i think is no, you don't have to have a HD converter box if your TV already has a HD tuner built into it. This is my opinion i could be wrong, but it's how my TV is set up, i don't pay extra and I don't have a separate HD converter box.

 

[fhirinne]

To get down to the nitty gritty of it, digital is just a different way to transmit the signal. Comcast is ripping you off... there is no need for a second box or anything, the box they give you should do it all.

One caveat: All TVs should be going digital, so if you are trying to make an analog TV work with a digital reciever, you are costing yourself money. Invest in a digital television and tell comcast to stuff it.

 

[fhirinne]

bty.. fyi.. what have you.. digital costs THEM less so they should be charging YOU less

 

[fhirinne]

Joshua, actually that's not true, they do transmit HD through the regular coaxial, and how they do it is digitally. Digital allows them to send more bits over the same two conductors. They use QPSK which if you look that up it's a terribly big unecessary word, but it allows them to do just what I said.

HDMI is just a cable, in fact hdmi cannot transmit at the distances the cable company can. It is limited to 25 feet without an amplifier. The cable box decodes the signal from the cable plant and puts that into an hdmi cable that goes to your TV. In fact, most electronics I predict will have the HDMI port on them including your average PC.

Point is... don't waste your money on analog to digital conversion, and demand that the cable company gives you a tuner with an hdmi port on it

 

[Joshua_me]

HDMI is just a cable, in fact hdmi cannot transmit at the distances the cable company can. It is limited to 25 feet without an amplifier. The cable box decodes the signal from the cable plant and puts that into an hdmi cable that goes to your TV

demand that the cable company gives you a tuner with an hdmi port on it

Oh, I realize that HDMI is just a cable designed to go short distances.

My beef is with the cable company and the BS they feed me. According to them, NO cable boxes with HDMI ports are available in my area. Which is of course insane, but short of holding them at gunpoint I can demand all I want to with no results.

To wit, they scramble the digital signal so only their tuner can unscramble it again, and then provide only composite cable outputs.

For this pleasure, Sarasota is charged one of the highest cable rates in the nation....



FIOS can't get here soon enough...

 

[lostnfound]

Thanks folks.

I got an HD receiver from my cable company for an additional $14 a month, while keeping my basic cable.

I'm just happy they didn't rip me off...

yet.