Digital Cable (channel questions)

[snoopy]

I live in WacoTX and the local cable company has just started charging for a local channel called THE CW (formerly THE WB). They used to share air space with the local affiliate KXTX but now have thier own programming on local channel 10.2. The cable company wants me now not only to pay for thier programming but to rent the equipment necessary to get the channel. This takes SageTV out of the question but I like SageTV. How do I keep this from happening?

I notice when I tune to a digital line-up, I get programming but not the correct programming. I assume this has something to do with why I need thier box to get it.

Can someone shed some light on this subject for me? I miss the WB but I have to have SageTV too. An extra tuner, equip rental, extra svc charges for a single channel just don't make sense to me.

[malore]

Your CW channel is being broadcast in high definition, so in order to watch it through your cable, you need a Digital Cable Ready TV or a cable box. To record the channel on your computer you need an over the air HDTV tuner or the cable box and some way to record from it. If a QAM tuner card ever gets SageTV compatability you could probably use that also.

If you can get good over the air HDTV reception, a HDTV tuner card would also provide another tuner for major networks. Even if you don't have a HDTV, many prime time shows have 5.1 dolby digital sound tracks, and you'll get a DVD quality picture. The only downside is you need to have either a fast computer or fast graphics card and the storage requirement is much greater. SageTV lists some minimum requirements for HDTV support.

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by malore

Your CW channel is being broadcast in high definition, so in order to watch it through your cable, you need a Digital Cable Ready TV or a cable box.

I would prefer not to do it via antenna although that is how we have it currently (single channel over antenna to a single tuner). If I got a Hauppauge digital tuner card like http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_novas.html, would I be able to watch the local digital channel on my current "extended basic cable" plan?

[stanger89]

To view it without a cable box, you need a QAM tuner, and there's no QAM support in sage.

If you've already got an antenna, why not just get a Vbox card so you can get all your HD locals?

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by stanger89

To view it without a cable box, you need a QAM tuner, and there's no QAM support in sage.

If you've already got an antenna, why not just get a Vbox card so you can get all your HD locals?

Oh yeah? do tell.

[stanger89]

Tell what? Maybe I'm being thick today.

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Tell what? Maybe I'm being thick today.

I've never heard of a vbox card.

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by snoopy

I would prefer not to do it via antenna although that is how we have it currently (single channel over antenna to a single tuner). If I got a Hauppauge digital tuner card like http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_novas.html, would I be able to watch the local digital channel on my current "extended basic cable" plan?

1

[stanger89]

http://www.vboxcomm.com/product3.htm

The Nova-S is for satellite.

[bcjenkins]

2 things..

1) Waco, TX ~= USA != DVB. right? Meaning you can't use a Nova-S to tune your channels.

2) Check out the thread on the HD Home Run. Dual tuner ATSC which supports QAM and they're working on a SageTV plugin all for $169. It's next on my hit list as soon as I get out of the dog house from the last round of client upgrades without prior approval

B

[parkimar]

Hi,

long time away from the scene due to work, new children etc.
But have thinking about getting back into things and saw this thread.

I currrently have comcast limited basic service. (Gives me SD channels 1 - 70) + OTA HD Channels.

I have a Samsung DLR4667W TV, and If I just plug in the cable and tell it too tune, it spots all the OTA HD channels (on e.g. 71-5). However I pay 10 dollars a month so that I can use the Comcast TV guide.

So my question is (forgive me if it's a dumb one) does the above info. tell anyone whether or not I could use a USB VBOX to get the OTA HD, or If I need a card that allows me to capture unencrypted QAM? (I can't get an aerial that works at my address - it's right in a valley and I get almost no signals).

Any input appreciated.

Cheers

Mark

[stanger89]

If it's on cable, 99.999% of the time, it's QAM.

[parkimar]

Thanks - figured it would be.

I'll hold out until I finalise my future living arrangements - I don't want to invest in a QAM capable capture device only to be able to get OTA at next place. (I rent at the moment).

Cheers

Mark

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

2 things..

1) Waco, TX ~= USA != DVB. right? Meaning you can't use a Nova-S to tune your channels.

2) Check out the thread on the HD Home Run. Dual tuner ATSC which supports QAM and they're working on a SageTV plugin all for $169. It's next on my hit list as soon as I get out of the dog house from the last round of client upgrades without prior approval

B

That sounds great... can you provide more info? maybe a link?

[Jackal]

I just got Comcast caable here in Chicago and I just want to get the siganl to show up in Sage. I have Vista View Saber 2020 PCIe Dual Tuner card for analog and a VBox for OTA HD. The OTA HD is just fine, well, the signal is a little wek sometimes. But I can't get the cable signal to show up in Sage but it will in the Saber tuner software under channel 4.

Can anyone offer advise?