[mythtv-users] digital cable vs OTA in Toronto
Tom Lichti
tom at redpepperracing.com
Fri Jun 1 17:56:07 UTC 2007
Cnudde, Paul wrote:
> So I went and got myself a pcHDTV5500 and with the plethora of valuable info on this list, managed to get it up and running in Myth with almost no difficulty. I am not a digital cable subscriber and therefore can only watch the unencrypted streams which come down my coax. Unfortunatley of the 25 or so such channels which I do get, I would probably only watch about...none of them. Mostly because the majority of stations are just time shifted versions of stations I already get with my analog setup, and the rest of them seem to be perpetually showing commercials or "so you think you can dance" (shudder).
I find my setup records quite a lot from these channels, since the
quality is far superior to the analog conversions I get from my PVRx50
cards, and the file size is smaller.
> I was really hoping for some decent HD content.
>
Not gonna happen.
> I live in Toronto (Yonge & St.Clair area) and am considering an OTA setup, If there is anyone on this list in the GTA with an OTA setup (using a digital tuner) my question to you is, are the channels you get any improvement over the unencrypted streams provided by rogers?
> My second question would be, is it be possible to receive them using an indoor antenna from the ground floor of a building?
>
Depends. Can you see the CN Tower from where your antenna would be?
That's where most of the channels are broadcast from. Some also come
from the roof of FCP. I'd suspect you could probably pick up CBC, OMNI
(when they get back on the air), and CTV. No chance of getting any of
the Buffalo stations unless you have a perfectly clear view towards
Buffalo, but from where you say you are, I doubt it will happen.
Couldn't hurt to try. I get about 12 HD channels OTA in Brampton, but
that is with a pole mounted exterior CM4228 antenna. As for the quality
of the channels OTA versus QAM? Uh, yeah, WAY better quality... :)
Tom
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