Can someone answer some questions re. the digital TV switchover?

[rhett o rick]

I am not sure which discussion area to be in to discuss this. Let me know if this needs to be elsewhere.

I have Comcast Cable.
Do they currently broadcast in analog format via the cable in addition to the digital signal?

If so are they going to stop in Feb?

Will I need a conversion box for a TV connected to Comcast cable?

My brother in law installed a conversion box for his TV that gets reception via rabbit ears. My question is, does the box convert a digital signal on the airwaves into analog for his TV or does it permit his TV to see the digital signal?

Thanks, Rhett

[chucktaylor]

1. If you have cable, you don't have to do anything.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. If you have cable tv you will not need a converter box.

You will get the same channels as before and they won't look any different unless you have a hdtv. If you have an old tv that gets only broadcast signals, the converter box will allow the analog tv to see the digital signal.

[Uzybone]

3. If u currently have cable, you dont need to do anything

no matter what cable company. Same thing with satellite.


Comcast is broadcasting in both analog and digital. Almost all the non broadcast (the big 3 and Fox that is) channels are already in digital. They will stop analog in Feb. You will not need to do anything because your TV is already digital ready.

The converter box you brother-in-law has is converting the digital to analog for his old TV.

[Thor_MN]

4. Yes.No.No.Yes.Yes

They currently broadcast both.
They will not stop.
You do not need a convertor box.
What's the difference?

[dysfunctional press]

5. If you have cable, you don't have to do anything.

(sooner or later it's got to sink in.)

[rhett o rick]

7. That's not what comcast told me. They sent me a converter box free. nm

[alfredo]

21. then all you need to do is attach the box. When we upgraded to

digital cable we had to change to a digital box. No big thing.

[clbuck]

6. Actually, it's a little more complicated than "you don't have to do anything".

You may need to get a cable converter box eventually, but probably not for a while.

For example, here in Portland, Comcast will be eliminating all of its analog Expanded Basic channels (channels 32-71, where I live) in May, and making those channels digital-only. Any TV that has Expanded Basic service will need to get either a set-top box, or a small Digital Transport Adapter (DTA), in order for those channels to be received. They've already moved a few channels like MSNBC, and some of the home shopping channels, to the digital tier a year or so ago.

However, Comcast will provide one set-top box and two DTA dongles for free. Plus, customers with the cheap Limited Basic package (with just the local channels, plus public access channels; channels 2-31, where I live) won't be affected.

The reason this transition is happening is to make room for more HD cable channels, and faster cable Internet, since analog cable channels take up a LOT of room on the cable system.

Contact your local Comcast office to see if and/or when they are doing their own analog-to-digital cable transition.

[rhett o rick]

8. Thank you for the information. I am just trying to understand so bear with me.

Are basic cable channels broadcast in both analog and digital?

What does cable ready mean? Does that mean it will receive digital without a converter box?

My brother in law put a conversion box on his tv with antenna and got a very much improved reception. Does this mean that the signal received in digital and converted to analog is that much better than straight analog?

Thanks again

[clbuck]

11. Which "basic cable" do you have?

I see in your profile that you also live here Portland, so you might be affected by this upcoming transition.

You see, there are two levels of "basic cable" that Comcast has:

Limited Basic cable is about $10 per month, and just has the local channels, the public access channels, C-SPAN, and a few more channels (up to channel 31). Those channels will contine to be broadcast in both analog and digital, and will not be affected by Comcast's upcoming digital cable transition.

Expanded Basic cable is about $50 or so per month, and has a lot more channels, including ESPN, CNN, TBS, MTV, and Comedy Central (up to channel 71). If you have Expanded Basic, those additional channels (channels 32-71) that are currently broadcast in analog and digital will be digital only in the spring, and will only be available with a converter box.

By the way, TVs that say "cable ready" only means that it works with analog cable, so they will still need a box.

The Oregonian had an http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/01/comcast_switching_to_digital_s.html">article last Friday with more details, and it might clear things up a bit more.

[rhett o rick]

12. Thank you so much for the information. I have more questions if you are willing.

I am trying to get this schtuff thru my thick head.
An important point that the Oregonian pointed out was that there are two switches going on about the same time. This alone answers many questions.
One switch is for broadcast signals only, from analog to digital. In this case, those connected via cable are not affected.
However, Comcast is also making a switch on cable analog use, as you mentioned. Except for the info you gave me, I have not been able to find any info re. the when and what for Comcast.
I personally have HDTV with one set HD with a Comcast DVR (piece of schuff) and one tv (no HD) with Tivo and one set (no HD) with straight cable. When I was speaking to a Comcast technician he said I needed a converter box for my tv that didn't have either DVR or Tivo. But he couldn't explain why. I am curious why.
Weren't all TV's built after a certain year to be digital capable? If so what does the conversion box do? The Oregonian article said (so did the Comcast tech) you will need a conversion box regardless.

Although it doesn't matter, as pointed out by a responder above, is the converter box a digital reciever or does it convert the digital signal to analog for the older tv's?

I am also concerned for my mother-in-law in the Seattle area that subscribes to Comcast expanded basic.

Thanks so much for the help

[suffragette]

15. The AVS forum has some info

though much of what they discuss is too techie for me.

Here's a link in the Portland one where they discuss it.
There's also a link in there to a website Comcast has apparently set up which at some point should have more info.
At this point, no post I've seen has cited a date. I don't think Comcast has put a date out yet.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15522921

Since I currently have expanded basic, I looked at some of the posts in the Seattle forum after I saw this secondary switch Comcast is doing mentioned on a news cast.

I'm debating about whether I will want to keep expanded or just not get the box and ask them to reduce to the price for basic limited, especially since the price for expanded has now edged up to the price for digital.

[rhett o rick]

17. Comcast will send you up to two free converters. But watch your bill. They

"mistakenly" charged me for delivery. They quickly took it off when I called.

[suffragette]

19. I saw that they would send the converters

I'm just not so sure I want to convert - lol.

I have limited space where I would need to put the equipment and I am thinking of just rolling back to limited basic, which from all I've read should still work fine with cable instead of a box. And it would be quite a bit cheaper.

I think I'd rather get a Roku box and stream Netflix to the tv, especially if Roku ends up adding Hulu.

And yeah, those discussions gave me quite a headache as well. The people on those boards are willing to devote much more time than I am to figuring out how to make the various options work.

[rhett o rick]

20. Sounds like a good plan. However, I think eventually basic cable will go to only digital.

But you can cross that bridge another day.

peace

[rhett o rick]

18. Thanks for the link. I got a head-ache trying to understand the lingo. nm

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. With Comcast, they will send you a converter box

If you have more than 1 TV, you will need additional converter boxes and they will not be free.

[kirby]

10. You are not impacted at all...

The whole digital swithover is for over the air 'rabbit ear' reception. Only people who get their TV that old fashioned way are impacted. Cable TV users are not affected.

[rhett o rick]

13. Comcast Cable is also switching in addition to "broadcast" tv. So Comcast cable

subscribers will be affected.

[kirby]

14. I think you are confused...

See http://www.comcast.com/Customers/Faq/FaqCategory.ashx?CatId=520

If Comcast is telling you different they either are confused about the transition or there is something changing in the infrastructure locally to you that has nothing to do with the FCC Digital Transition.

What do I need to do to prepare for the end of analog television broadcasting?

If you are an existing Comcast customer, you don't need to worry - Comcast has you covered. If your television is connected to cable, you will not have any impact and your TV will continue to work.

If you are a Comcast customer but have some TVs in your house that use an antenna (rabbit ears), Comcast can connect those TVs to cable for you.

If you only use a rooftop antenna (rabbit ears) to get your TV signals, you will need to do one of the following:

* Buy digital-to-analog converters to use with your current TV(s) and antenna
* Buy a new digital TV (still requires an antenna)
* Subscribe to Comcast or another pay television service provider. Comcast has service options starting as low as $15 per month with no equipment required.

To learn more about the Broadcast Digital Transition, click here.

[rhett o rick]

16. I admit I don't know much. But I learned that there are two separate

analog switch-overs occurring. One pertains to "broadcast" thru the air, switch from analog to digital, and the other is that Comcast is also, in addition to the "broadcast" over the air, switching off some of it's "thru the cable" analog.

If one has a antenna tv, then they need a conversion box.

If one has Comcast cable, the "broadcast" switch will not affect them.

If one has Comcast cable, the Comcast switch over, WILL AFFECT THEM. When is a different story. They apparently are going to do it in phases. See the article in the Oregonian http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/01/comcast_switching_to_digital_s.html

In Portland Oregon after April, one will need a digital converter of some kind to get the digital Expanded Basic channels. Without the converter or DVR, you will no longer get Expanded Basic Channels.

If I got some of this wrong, please help me out.

[kirby]

22. Yep...

Comcast is a huge massive company all over the US. It sounds to me like the local Oregon Comcast is changing something. Googling around I found what you refer to about transitioning Expanded Basic channels.

Below is a link to a USA Today article from last June. Basically, Comcast hopes to switch (screw?) about 20% of its markets in 2009 and the remaining sometime in 2010. So your current understanding/summary seems correct now.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2008-06-12-cable-digital_N.htm

[rhett o rick]

23. Thanks very much for the link. nm

[Statistical]

24. Cable is NOT affected at all (not even 1%) by the analog shutoff on Feb 17th

Anyone saying otherwise is lying or misinformed.

The FCC ruling and Congressional approval on the shutoff of analog broadcast ONLY affects OTA "Over The Air" broadcasts.
Period. No ifs and or buts.


However some cable companies are slowly getting rid of analog. This is a PRIVATE BUSINESS decision. Nothing is forcing them to. They can stay 100% analog until the year 2382938293289 if they want.

Analog however "wastes" space. Digital is much more efficient. The cable companies have been slowly pushing more and more channels into digital cable to free up space. Now is select areas they are going digital only. Eventually we will see no more analog channels on cable.

Make no mistake this ia purely 100% private business decision and all about $$$. Anyone trying to convince you that cable "has to go digital because of Congress" is lying or misinformed.

[rhett o rick]

25. I agree and don't know anyone saying otherwise. However, Comcast and other cable companies

are also converting in some markets. My local Comcast told me so. They even sent me a free converter box.