bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | reply to andyross
Re: 2/17 & 6/12 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
Just to be clear, there definitely is a law against MSOs using privacy mode in DTAs, without a waiver. The law is known as the "separable security ban". |
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joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA | Thank-you (and Andy) for setting me straight. |
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andyross
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL
| reply to bicker
said by bicker  :Just to be clear, there definitely is a law against MSOs using privacy mode in DTAs, without a waiver. The law is known as the "separable security ban". Thanks, I forgot about that. I guess the waivers are being allowed at times since it's not considered true encryption? |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
4 edits | First, Comcast (the object of this specific thread) has not been granted any such waivers (yet).
Second, "not considered true encryption" would not be the reason that waivers are being granted. Waivers are being granted because it is determined to be in the public interest to make advanced (i.e., encrypted) services available to subscribers for less money (since DTAs cost less than STBs). Granting this waiver tends to be a win-win: The subscribers win because a couple of DTAs are already included in the price they pay, while having to upgrade to STBs could cost a few dollars each. The cable company wins because they can plan on a few extra subscribers being willing to upgrade to advanced (i.e., encrypted) services, since the box rentals cost less. |
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neufuse
join:2006-12-06
Indiana, PA | but they just were granted one...  |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | Yup.... late breaking news... |
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joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA
 ·Comcast
·Comcast Formerly ..
| said by bicker :Yup.... late breaking news... So all things that would receive QAM signals (e.g. TiVo, actual TV, little USB dongles that plug into computer, etc.) all rendered useless.
And if I want the extra TiVos to tune anything above analog, it's cards for me? Right? I assume that if they have this waiver, they'll jump on it and encrypt all QAM channels? |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| The TiVo HD already requires CableCARD to map digital services to its program guide. That's always been the case, with or without encryption. CableCARD has been, and remains, the federally-mandated way to ensure that your digital television equipment is compatible with cable television. It has been that way for years. This doesn't change that.
Local OTA channels will remain unencrypted. |
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joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA
·Comcast
·Comcast Formerly ..
| said by bicker :Local OTA channels will remain unencrypted. So, all manner of TV inputs to PCs are limited to local analog, the QAM tuner aspect becomes moot with encryption. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | Again, the federally-mandated means of connecting your personal host devices to digital cable is via a means of separable security, i.e., CableCARD. If your host equipment doesn't comply, then indeed it may not work. |
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hussle87
Premium
join:2008-01-06
Sykesville, MD | reply to sansri88
Any news for carroll county md. I know maryland is starting to migrate this fall but I havent heard specifics for carroll. |
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dean4z
join:2009-09-28
| reply to sansri88
Re: Does comcast also scramble digital channels now?
From CT, newington meriden area.
Just went throught the analog to dig conversion with the DTA's and cable box this Sept 2009.
It is crap!!!
I have a Sony XBR tv with QAM digital tuner-- i used to get NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, etc in high def. Plus cnn, espn, fx in 480i digital, as well as analog NTSC.
Comcast came out to set/fix the cable lines because the signal was weak and DTA would not work.
We tested the channels, picture in picture, before the guy left and I did receive NBC, CBS, Fox, etc in high def for a day or so.
But the next day I can't pick up any HD signals at all--I'm not talking about CNN or ESPN or CNBC. But the over-the-air channels that you can pick up with an antenna for free like CBS, NBC, etc. So I lost all HD stations.
Listen to this: I'm supposed to have "digital starter".
My Sony TV has Picture in Picture--when i split the screen I can only get a digital "atsc" station on the left screen, and on the right screen the TV can receive only analog "ntsc" channels--fine.
Now after this bullshi# comcast conversion I get only "NTSC" stations on both the left screen Picture-in-Picture as well as the right screen.
Basically this means my Sony TV is only picking up an analog signal- from the remote when you select "Display info" it even says "NTSC" analog for every supposed digital starter channel. And last month i could get any station in "480i" digital and some like NBC in high definition "1080i". The NTSC stations i now get even look slightly less clear or fuzzier than before the conversion.
It is complete shi# service. And how do you set up channel-skip for all these crap stations like qvc and telemundo??? it's like finding a needle in a hay stack!
I hate Comcast |
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joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA | Sounds like you need a full set top box. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| These changes are all outlined in great detail in the notifications that Comcast provides. The direction for the entire industry is to encrypt digital cable, so folks who want to make the most use of their QAM tuners should ensure that they are CableCARD-compatible. |
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jasg
join:2008-12-13
Seattle, WA
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| said by bicker :These changes are all outlined in great detail in the notifications that Comcast provides. The direction for the entire industry is to encrypt digital cable, so folks who want to make the most use of their QAM tuners should ensure that they are CableCARD-compatible. All true, but no one seems to sell new CableCard TVs these days. Searches at OneCall, J&R, Crutchfield and BestBuy show no hits for 'Cablecard'. A few DVRs and PC tuners are the only current devices that support Cablecard. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| Yup: Consumers dropped the ball in 2005-2006 when CE manufacturers offered CableCARD-compatible HDTVs -- failed to live up to their side of the deal. Until consumers are willing to make it worth CE manufacturers' while to put that circuitry back into their devices, our only choices are within DVRs (such as TiVo and Moxi) and tuners for computers. |
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stemper
join:2009-08-19
Schenectady, NY
| reply to dean4z
said by dean4z :Re: Does comcast also scramble digital channels now? If your report about getting HD channels for a day is correct, it looks like the answer is yes, but just to be sure - you do have a splitter on the cable to bring it around the DTA to the TV direct - correct? If not, then the DTA will strip the HD digital signal.
If you want to be certain, just plug the cable directly from the wall into your SONY and run a channel scan. If there are any HD unencrypted channels, that should find them.
I'd be interested, as I'm in CT, too, although we haven't gone digital yet. |
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Brett09
@comcast.net
| Comcast moved CMT from 70 to 146. On 2 of the tv's I have analog televisions with the standard comcast cable box. How come with my new Sony HDTV when it scans the stations, I don't get that channel at all when it is part of digital starter package? I was hoping I would't need another cable box and wanted to use the digital tv to get that channel. Thanks 4 answering! |
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joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA
·Comcast
·Comcast Formerly ..
1 edit | said by Brett09 :
How come with my new Sony HDTV when it scans the stations, I don't get that channel at all when it is part of digital starter package?
Because everything above 20 or so is encrypted. |
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neufuse
join:2006-12-06
Indiana, PA | reply to dean4z
you hate comcast for something that will happen on every other cable provider?.. wow thats nice to know.. |
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