clear qam?

[bshinkle]

I've seen this mentioned on other threads, without a definitive answer.

I'm about to plunge into HD. I currently only have analog cable, and don't plan to upgrade to hd over-the-wire anytime soon (most likely a bit after BTV supports QAM).

The prevailing wisdom is to get a hd tuner that not only supports OTA HD, but also clear (unencrypted) qam. My question is: is there any guarantee that the signal from the cable company will not be encrypted? This seems like quite a big issue, that one's ability to (in the future) record non-OTA HD using BTV (or any other product) is based on the whim of the cable company.

So many of these HD tuners advertise this ability, but it seems that it could largely be a moot point for a lot of people..

Or am I missing something?

[Kilrsat]

The only guarantee is that any must-carry channels (your locals) will be clear. Any other content (espn, discovery, etc) can go either way.

[RenegadeELEN]

I just recently purchased a FusionHDTV 5 USB Gold that supports clear QAM and hooked it up to my cable just to see what would happen. It found some unencrypted channels but none were my local channels (ABC, CBS....) in HD. So I think that with some cases you may not be able to guarantee even HD local channels though I am sure I will re-check several times when I have the time. Right now I am loving the fact I can get HD OTA with an old TV antenna I had from 5 years ago to bring in regular tv OTA.

[AncientOne]

I have Comcast cable in Reston, Virginia, and am using a Scientific Atlanta EXPLORER 3250HD set top box for their digital channels, though I haven't subscribed to any of their digital plans. With this tuner I get all the network digital channels, often in HD, and 9 or 10 public TV digital channels. There are also a lot of music channels farther up the channel ladder, but I don't use them, so I just barely know they're there. Anyway, my point is that with my Comcast provider I can receive all the clear QAM channels without any encryption decoding facilities (there's a cable card slot in the set top box, but it's empty). I expect, when I add a tuner with clear QAM reception, to get all these same channels on my 'extended basic' subscription. Hope this helps...

[tscales]

The only requirement is that they carry the local channels in the clear. They are NOT required to provide them in HD. My cable company happily provides unencrypted local channels -- in SD.

[Rich A]

All my cable clear QAM local channels are displayed in what-ever the originating station transmits. During the day usually digital standard def. Sometime during non-prime time, the shows are HD and during prime time almost everything is HD. I've enjoyed CBS, NBC, ABC, CW, PBS and a few others and I've watched HD at one time or another on all of them.

My Cable Provider is Cox in CT. And believe it or not, Cox is still telling me I won't be able to get any clear QAM digital content for at least another year or more. They claim I can only get digital now by renting their box. For the last few months I've been recording and watching their "non-existant" clear QAM digital channels with BTV.

They really don't have a clue how their own system is working.

[Mr.X]

Originally Posted by Kilrsat

The only guarantee is that any must-carry channels (your locals) will be clear. Any other content (espn, discovery, etc) can go either way.

...Except of course in Canada where nothing is clear.

[speedbump49]

For some Canadian users (Rogers) this link is useful about QAM (no HD).
http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/rogers.htm

From what I read on the above forum, Cogeco customer's are finding come HD clearQAM.
-mw

[Greg Caulder]

I just got my HVR-1600 this Thursday, 7-26-2007, and I have finally finally finally got it working on my system with using the QAM. It took multiple attempts to even get the damn thing working. The WinTV v6 just wasn't functioning so I couldn't even scan for channels.

Well let it be a huge surprise to me, that after scanning I have roughly 70 ClearQAM channels. A couple premium channels, a lot of digital channels and all of the local HD channels.

The only problem is that the WinTV version 6 software didn't do a very good job mapping them. I see the channels but it makes it so difficult to figure out what the channel number actual is.


My area is in Livermore California, and I'm on Comcast.

[Darkk]

Originally Posted by Greg Caulder

I just got my HVR-1600 this Thursday, 7-26-2007, and I have finally finally finally got it working on my system with using the QAM. It took multiple attempts to even get the damn thing working. The WinTV v6 just wasn't functioning so I couldn't even scan for channels.

Well let it be a huge surprise to me, that after scanning I have roughly 70 ClearQAM channels. A couple premium channels, a lot of digital channels and all of the local HD channels.

The only problem is that the WinTV version 6 software didn't do a very good job mapping them. I see the channels but it makes it so difficult to figure out what the channel number actual is.


My area is in Livermore California, and I'm on Comcast.

I recently moved from West Palm Beach Florida to Livermore California! LOL.. Small world. I don't have the new Happuage 1600 yet since I have the older one without QAM. For fun I hooked up the cable directly to my HDTV with does have QAM support and was surprised to the number of digital channels available. However, would be nice if Sci-Fi is unencrypted. AH well. Seems gonna have to get a standard digital converter so I can record shows from it.

Darkk

[kingdeuceoff]

Originally Posted by Greg Caulder

I just got my HVR-1600 this Thursday, 7-26-2007, and I have finally finally finally got it working on my system with using the QAM. It took multiple attempts to even get the damn thing working. The WinTV v6 just wasn't functioning so I couldn't even scan for channels.

Well let it be a huge surprise to me, that after scanning I have roughly 70 ClearQAM channels. A couple premium channels, a lot of digital channels and all of the local HD channels.

The only problem is that the WinTV version 6 software didn't do a very good job mapping them. I see the channels but it makes it so difficult to figure out what the channel number actual is.


My area is in Livermore California, and I'm on Comcast.

Please,Please, Please tell me how....I have a hvr-1800 and I can;t get any of my QAM's to register....even in wintv.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by kingdeuceoff

Please,Please, Please tell me how....I have a hvr-1800 and I can;t get any of my QAM's to register....even in wintv.

Can you get to the Suite Manager to attempt to scan for QAM channels?


G

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by Darkk

I recently moved from West Palm Beach Florida to Livermore California! LOL.. Small world. I don't have the new Happuage 1600 yet since I have the older one without QAM. For fun I hooked up the cable directly to my HDTV with does have QAM support and was surprised to the number of digital channels available. However, would be nice if Sci-Fi is unencrypted. AH well. Seems gonna have to get a standard digital converter so I can record shows from it.

Darkk

When you hooked it up to your TV did it tell you what channel was what?

In the WinTV software their just titled some lame names like qam3 (8) and I'm tired of trying to map these things.

You should come over to my house and check out my setup. It is pretty sweet. And I could show you some current projects that I'm working on.

G

[kingdeuceoff]

I got the suite manager to scan for QAM's for 8 hours. I did the total scan,not the country dependant....
AND NOTHING.

Think my card might be defective.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by kingdeuceoff

I got the suite manager to scan for QAM's for 8 hours. I did the total scan,not the country dependant....
AND NOTHING.

Think my card might be defective.

Scanning for 8 hours. That does not in no way sound right. It only took me 15-20 minutes to do my scan.


Was that only one scan that took the 8 hours? or multiple scans?

What cable provider are you on?


G