[mythtv-users] Analog and Digital Cable Confusion (HDHR, etc)

[John Drescher]

On 5/6/07, Matt Jordan <thehappyfunball at gmail.com> wrote:
> To date I have only really dealt with analog cable so he digital/HDTV
> realm is very much an unknown.
>
> I am building a new Myth setup and was hoping to jump into high def
> and use HDHR as the primary 'tuner'.  My thought was that I could get
> the digital channels I pay for but only the HDTV ones would be
> encrypted and if I were unable to record in HDTV I could just record
> in SD (but still digital).  I realize that this may not be the case
> because even the SD may be encrypted (correct?).
>
> Since analog will be going away  I want to avoid using an analog tuner
> in this system.  Is it possible to use an HDHR as the sole input and
> still get all channels I pay for?
>
Without a firewire connection to the cable box probably not. It is not
a matter of what you pay but what is encrypted on the cable as in most
cases all digital channels are on your cable line weather you pay for
them or not they are just encrypted so you can not watch them.  I have
analog cable only but I receive the 5 or so digital signals that are
not encrypted but I receive these only on my TV with the built in
tuner and not my cable box which tells me I need to call for
availability.

John