CBS and PBS gone on NYC Time Warner clear QAM

[gdippel]

I have been getting my local channels via clear QAM on Time Warner Cable in Queens NY. This week Time Warner has scrambled CBS and PBS but not the other local channels. (I re-scanned for changed channels, no go, so it's not just a change of physical channels) I know the FCC now allows cable cos. to scramble all their channels but I can still get NBC, Fox, ABC, PIX on clear QAM. You would think that Time Warner would scramble all the channels at once. Oh well, back to the rabbit ears!

[will]

Do you pay for cable TV or just internet access? I have a feeling TWC will start getting rid of ClearQAM because are lot of users pick up the channels with only having a cable internet subscription.

If you have a TV subscription you should be able to get a free/cheap converter box. However, you'll only be able to record one channel at a time...

[gdippel]

I have two STBs hooked up to 2 Hauppauge HDPVRs. I was using a Hauppauge PVR 1850 as a third encoder for clear QAM. Now I'll use the 1850 as a third encoder for OTA. Too many shows to get by with just two encoders!

[will]

Originally Posted by gdippel

Too many shows to get by with just two encoders!

Totally agree. That is a very similar setup as to what I have as well with TWC.

One solution could be to use SageDCT and a Cablecard to record the locals, I don't think TWC sets those as copy-once (but I don't know for sure).

[nycjoe]

Originally Posted by gdippel

I have two STBs hooked up to 2 Hauppauge HDPVRs. I was using a Hauppauge PVR 1850 as a third encoder for clear QAM. Now I'll use the 1850 as a third encoder for OTA. Too many shows to get by with just two encoders!

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good antenna to use in NYC? I'm not having much luck tuning reliably on the UWS.

[BobbyDing]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good antenna to use in NYC? I'm not having much luck tuning reliably on the UWS.

If you haven't tried already, this forum may be some help:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/275729/new-york-ny-ota

[gdippel]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good antenna to use in NYC? I'm not having much luck tuning reliably on the UWS.

I'm using this one with good results from northeast Queens. http://www.pcrichard.com/catalog/cat...FcdQOgodiywA_Q

[Clift]

Originally Posted by will

Totally agree. That is a very similar setup as to what I have as well with TWC.

One solution could be to use SageDCT and a Cablecard to record the locals, I don't think TWC sets those as copy-once (but I don't know for sure).

Time Warner cable has no copy freely channels, even the locals.

[will]

Originally Posted by Clift

Time Warner cable has no copy freely channels, even the locals.

Wow, I use TWC and I know most channels are copy-once but I didn't realize they locked down the locals.

[KryptoNyte]

TWC - My locals are still clear QAM, everything else is copy once, so no chance for cablecard + Sage usage.

[logan607]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good antenna to use in NYC? I'm not having much luck tuning reliably on the UWS.

NYCJoe - it looks like you and I are in the same hood. I've been using four HD Homerun tuners for years without issue then about a year ago, I lost about 50% of my channels but still had broadcast.

Yesterday, I lost everything but Fox. Have you found an UWS solution? I'm on the ground floor of a townhouse between two GINOURMOUS buildings so I'm not sure what to do.

I figure if I have to, maybe I'll get the HD HR prime and subscribe to a CableCard but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

[KryptoNyte]

With Time Warner service, the only options you have:

1) Cablecard - Windows Media Center, Sage will not work
2) Hauppauge HD-PVR and IR Blaster or USB-UIRT channel changes

Time Warner has indicated [erroneously] that they are required by their providers to flag all recordings as "copy-once," so there is no way to use SageTV with Time Warner's cablecard. Obviously, this is a blatant lie.

[nycjoe]

Originally Posted by logan607

NYCJoe - it looks like you and I are in the same hood. I've been using four HD Homerun tuners for years without issue then about a year ago, I lost about 50% of my channels but still had broadcast.

Yesterday, I lost everything but Fox. Have you found an UWS solution? I'm on the ground floor of a townhouse between two GINOURMOUS buildings so I'm not sure what to do.

I figure if I have to, maybe I'll get the HD HR prime and subscribe to a CableCard but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Unfortunately not. I'm trying out the antenna gdippel suggested above (http://bit.ly/1fXUIPI) but I'm not getting good results with it. I'm on the 5th floor here on the UWS currently but had similar issues last year a few blocks away on the 11th floor (with a an almost clear line of sight to ESB).

I had better results with this http://amzn.to/1fXUs35 a while ago but a couple of channels wouldn't tune well. Maybe the solution is multiple HDHR's with separate antennas? Still works out to be cheaper than cable.

I'm actually really happy with my HDPVR - I use Ethernet tuning so it's very fast and reliable, but I dislike TWC so much that I'm willing to give up cable just to no logner deal with them (even NY1).

Regarding cablecard - I believe KryptoNyte is correct, TWC cablecard is DRM only and so will not work with SageTV. I believe FIOS will work, at least for now.

[logan607]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Unfortunately not. I'm trying out the antenna gdippel suggested above (http://bit.ly/1fXUIPI) but I'm not getting good results with it. I'm on the 5th floor here on the UWS currently but had similar issues last year a few blocks away on the 11th floor (with a an almost clear line of sight to ESB).

I had better results with this http://amzn.to/1fXUs35 a while ago but a couple of channels wouldn't tune well. Maybe the solution is multiple HDHR's with separate antennas? Still works out to be cheaper than cable.

I'm actually really happy with my HDPVR - I use Ethernet tuning so it's very fast and reliable, but I dislike TWC so much that I'm willing to give up cable just to no logner deal with them (even NY1).

Regarding cablecard - I believe KryptoNyte is correct, TWC cablecard is DRM only and so will not work with SageTV. I believe FIOS will work, at least for now.

If you can't get good channels on the fifth floor, there's no way I'm getting anything here on the first floor.

I don't have Fios on my block; I call them so often they actually know my name. So I suppose it's Windows for me with a cablecard. It was good while it lasted!

[KryptoNyte]

Whoa, if you have FIOS available, I'd grab a cablecard from them and an HDHR Prime from Amazon and call it a day.

[nycjoe]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Whoa, if you have FIOS available, I'd grab a cablecard from them and an HDHR Prime from Amazon and call it a day.

Verizon has been pushing back installation date in my bldg for over a year now. They have given about 10 different commitment dates only to cancel at the last minute with some bogus excuse about "the landlord not cooperating," which is clearly nonsense - every coop shareholder meeting is spent discussing strategies to speed up installation because everyone wants it (damn you TWC).

I had fios at a previous apartment and it was great - i loved streaming place shifter to my office. It really got me caught up on Giants and walking dead (both were not an option at home with a newborn).

Wasn't verizon supposed to wire the entire city this year? What is this BS about passing every residence?

[Fuzzy]

If you've got a decent enough co-op, it may be possible to install a trunk from a properly configured/sized antenna on the roof, amplified, and tapped to each unit. Would get the antenna up above at least some of the reflections. A small, very directional antenna mounted up there should be able to focus in well enough on the Empire State Bldg. to get decent reception.

[dgeezer]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Maybe the solution is multiple HDHR's with separate antennas? Still works out to be cheaper than cable.

This is what I finally have done. It's working great for me. I did have to use the zip code from the next town for setting up the lineup on the second hdhomerun. When I tried to delete the channels that one antenna wouldn't pick up, SageTV would delete them from the HDHR that was attached to the other antenna.

I have a cheap yagi style antenna from RadioShack pointed North and a homemade Gray-Hoverman pointed southeast. My problem was that two of my stations were so close to my house that I was getting bad multipath and had constant dropouts on the strong signal. It was truly aggravating to look out my window and see the tower and not be able to get a clean signal. The gray-hoverman with an aluminum foil reflector solved my problems for the powerful stations.

I followed this guide for the Gray-Hoverman Link Mine is made from 5' of 10-2 Romex, an 8' 1x4, a piece of 1/8 masonite 24" x 36", 6' of regular aluminum foil taped to the masonite with clear packing tape and an RCA balun from Lowes.