future for Cable and snapstream?

[rhendrix9]

I have two Pc's with Hauppauge 1600's using analog cable. And I'm wondering what to do, as I watch the cable co. put more and more stations on digital. I'd like to quit cable and get everything from the internet. I'd pay $1 a month to EACH station per month , to subscribe. I'm looking at Hulu real closely.

I'm probably not taking advantage of what is available,!


I wonder if Snapstream is looking at recording shows from the internet?

[mayhem70]

Well, the question is why aren't you able to use the Clear QAM tuner on the 1600 and record the digital stations that are unencrypted? BTV supports this now.

Secondly AFAIK, BTV's current interface prevents some sort of integration with Hulu or any other online video (albeit podcasts via the podcatcher, but that's a different animal). Now nothing prevents anyone including SS to come up with their own interface and incorporate a Hulu interface. Their meta/web services allow for that now.

[rhendrix9]

Originally Posted by mayhem70

Well, the question is why aren't you able to use the Clear QAM tuner on the 1600 and record the digital stations that are unencrypted? BTV supports this now.

I'll have to plead ignorance. When I set this up (newbie) They were just coming out with this BTV capability. I just wanted to record my shows and I didn't have a cable box or a modern tv.

I assume from what youu are saying; I don't need a digital box from the cable co., I can just switch my connection from analog to digital, rescan, and go from there.

sounds easy enough, i'll try it.

Thanks

[Zogg]

There is no consistency among the cable providers as to what channels they provide in analog vs. clear QAM. Some of us get very few channels in clear QAM except for the local stations, while others report getting a lot of their cable channels in the clear.

So before you start making massive changes to your system be sure and check to see what you can get. It would definitely be worth it to test with the 1600 and see what you can get. You could always record the locals in QAM and the other channels in analog. But it's a crapshoot as to what you'll get, and even then it will probably change periodically.

[rhendrix9]

Originally Posted by Zogg

So before you start making massive changes to your system be sure and check to see what you can get. It would definitely be worth it to test with the 1600 and see what you can get. You could always record the locals in QAM and the other channels in analog. But it's a crapshoot as to what you'll get, and even then it will probably change periodically.

To do both; that means I'd have to split the cable and make connections to both the analog and digital inputs on the card, right?

[Zogg]

That sounds right. I don't have that card but if it has both analog and digital inputs, then that's what you would do. I hope you find lots of channels!

[kandlg]

Originally Posted by rhendrix9

To do both; that means I'd have to split the cable and make connections to both the analog and digital inputs on the card, right?

Exactly right, but first I would just move the single connection to test and see if you can tune them (stronger signal since not split). Then go into set up and add a digital cable source and the digital tuner on the 1600 will show up as a choice. Do a scan and map. Good luck.