[mythtv-users] Question for Chicago Mythtv ers

George Rocklein grocklein at comcast.net
Wed Feb 13 14:42:55 UTC 2008


For the record, I'm on Comcast in the northern suburbs of Chicago and I 
get a full complement of analog channels over my cable w/o a cable box.  
I have the cable hooked directly into a PVR-250 and have never had a 
problem (so far).  The channels I'm talking about are ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, 
TBS, FX, TLC, etc... Basically all the non-OTA channels that are not 
considered "premium," like HBO.  In any event, with services like 
Netflix available, I have no reason to consider the "premium" channels 
anyway.  I'm pretty sure Comcast will be looking to pull the rug out 
from under me any day now, though, and switch to all encrypted digital.

Brad Fuller wrote:
> On Feb 12, 2008 8:21 PM, Dewey Smolka <dsmolka at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> On Feb 12, 2008 10:02 PM, Brad Fuller <bradallenfuller at gmail.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> On Feb 12, 2008 7:28 PM, Douglas Hitchcock <clarkaddison at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>       
>>> So, the OP does not want to purchase an HD card? that's all that would
>>> be needed, right? No STB needed for clear channels.
>>>       
>> That's the point, Brad. Traditionally cable networks have put all
>> their 'basic' tier channels in analog bands that are tunable by any
>> 'cable-ready' device, like a PVR-x50. For Comcast, and apparently RCN,
>> in Chicago this is no longer the case. As of the last time I checked,
>> which was about a year and a half ago, only the OTAs, public access,
>> shopping, and a handful of other useless channels come through in
>> analog. Everything else is digital.
>>
>> With an HD card you only get unencrypted digital channels -- meaning
>> the OTAs and their subchannels, public access, shopping, etc. I've got
>> an HDHomerun pulling directly off the Comcast feed, which works great
>> for the OTAs in HD. But this is not a solution if you want your
>> standard cable channels, nor is it a practical solution if you lack
>> the hardware to playback HD. So yes, the OP either need an STB or
>> needs to give up on ESPN, Discovery, History, TBS, and all the other
>> stations he's paying for.
>>     
>
> Hmmm... If I remember correctly,  in addition to OTA channels on the
> cable, I was receiving "cable" channels like TNT, CNN and WB in
> digital. Can't remember as I've since moved to a OTA antenna. At the
> time I hooked up my pcHDTV3000 to cable, I figured other "cable"
> channels would follow. I didn't expect the higher paid channels to be
> there, but I figured the TBSs and Life channels would.
>
> I see what you mean, though - why would they let you receive for free?
>
> Looks like someone is getting STARZ here:
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Working_QAM_cable_layout#downtown_Chicago.2C_IL_60610_-_RCN_.28Digital_Cable_Service_-_No_HD_Service.29
>
>   


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