Cable TV question

[Phototone]

Well down here I have Cox Cable, and in one of my houses I have basic cable and I can get quite a number of stations direct over the cable connection to my older NTSC TV, and I have had no indication that this "basic" service is going away. Modern ATSC broadcasts over-the-air can be received from regular TV antennas, but you need an ATSC compatible TV to view them, or a converter box.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by Phototone

Well down here I have Cox Cable, and in one of my houses I have basic cable and I can get quite a number of stations direct over the cable connection to my older NTSC TV, and I have had no indication that this "basic" service is going away. Modern ATSC broadcasts over-the-air can be received from regular TV antennas, but you need an ATSC compatible TV to view them, or a converter box.

Ditto,

Cox is still putting QAM and analog stations out for direct connection, but not for much longer. As they drop channels from some packages, they add the basic analog channels to the digital-only lineup to keep the same number of stations in the package. Word is they will someday only have the "lighthouse" station on the analog side, along with their user-hookup channel.

With my setup, I use an attic antenna for local viewing - PBS is awesome OTA, with no compression or artifact garbage. My only problem is my antenna is looking right into a two story building, so I get dropouts on one station.

Cheers,

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

Ditto,

Cox is still putting QAM and analog stations out for direct connection, but not for much longer. As they drop channels from some packages, they add the basic analog channels to the digital-only lineup to keep the same number of stations in the package. Word is they will someday only have the "lighthouse" station on the analog side, along with their user-hookup channel.

With my setup, I use an attic antenna for local viewing - PBS is awesome OTA, with no compression or artifact garbage. My only problem is my antenna is looking right into a two story building, so I get dropouts on one station.

Cheers,

TW cable is furnishing a converter box for a buck a month. It's a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. Naturally, it comes with a remote, but the only outputs are an HDMI and a RF, channel 3 or 4 output.
The HD picture is OK, using the RF out, but not as good as the OTA converter using the component jacks.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

TW cable is furnishing a converter box for a buck a month. It's a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. Naturally, it comes with a remote, but the only outputs are an HDMI and a RF, channel 3 or 4 output.
The HD picture is OK, using the RF out, but not as good as the OTA converter using the component jacks.

Are they cutting analog service in your area? I have not heard any talk of the analog service ending here, but they may just not be talking about it if they are.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Are they cutting analog service in your area? I have not heard any talk of the analog service ending here, but they may just not be talking about it if they are.

I has been that way, for a year or so. My brother still lives in Milwaukee county and his service is about the same. There is still several channels, that are still analogue and I can tune them on cable ready TV's, as well as VCR's.
When you scan the cable channels, on the ones that require the converter, they come up as a blank screen, such as the weather channel.