I'm upgrading to an HDTV, I've got Cox basic cable now with no cable box or onscreen program guides. Do I HAVE to pay for a service upgrade or can I get my own box (if needed for the HD) or better yet just plug and play like a cable ready TV?
Sounds stupid, but I've been content with the regular service, now I'm ready for a big screen so I can be even more aggravated for NFL this year...

If you stick with the basic service and just plug the cable into your TV, you will be able to receive the local channels in HD if your new HDTV has a built-in TV tuner (atsc/qam).

their is an easy solution to this problem just get FIOS

ohz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you stick with the basic service and just plug
> the cable into your TV, you will be able to
> receive the local channels in HD if your new HDTV
> has a built-in TV tuner (atsc/qam).


Are you sure about that? I haven't tried it but I might if you've got that working. I have HD with the HD box...and I can get HD local with my antenna, using the built in tuner.

I'll tell you this about the Cox HD service, it kind of sucks because it's always getting choppy and the audio drops out all the freaking time. I have yet to get CBS to come in clear, if at all (hence the reason I bought the antenna). Cox sent two guys out to my house to look at my wiring. After an hour they left, after installing a line amp but guess what? Didn't fix the problem. CBS still rarely comes in.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2008 01:59AM by trogdor!.

You can get over the air HD local channels with an HD antenna (free, over the airwaves), and hook it up to another set of inputs on your HD TV (separate from your coax cable feed). You have to pay for an extra service to get COX HD channels, which means you have to get the digital TIER, but you do not need a box, if your HD TV has a cable tuner card slot. This cable 'card' is programmed by COX - I'm assuming they charge you like they would charge you for a converter box, but not sure.

So basically you have to upgrade your basic or basic extended service to digital, and pay more, to get HiDef thru cox.

Although I abhor Verizon, once you have decided to pay extra for HD thru your cable company, just go with FIOS - they have virtually unlimited bandwidth...

ohz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you stick with the basic service and just plug
> the cable into your TV, you will be able to
> receive the local channels in HD if your new HDTV
> has a built-in TV tuner (atsc/qam).


Well, Cox just took away ABC-HD (7-1 and 7-2) and NBC-HD (4-1 and 4-2) over the weekend.

I upgraded to the digital first, for 10 bucks more a month, when i got my hdtv and I get a boatload more channels plus pay per view and stuff. But no HD channels. I saw an ad that said the fone company makes you pay for the HD channels so I call up and say hey I gots digital cable, give me HD NOW!! and they said It cots 1.75 more per month to rent a HD cable box. And 20 bucks to "install" it. I said well ill just come pick it up from the office in herndon, so i didnt have to pay an install fee for the dude to plug in 3 wires. Its a component HD output, but the guy said that they have some HDMI ones but you cant pick.

trogdor! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are you sure about that? I haven't tried it but I
> might if you've got that working. I have HD with
> the HD box...and I can get HD local with my
> antenna, using the built in tuner.

Yeah, we have basic cable and no box. We get NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, PBS, TheCW, and MyTV just fine.


JC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, Cox just took away ABC-HD (7-1 and 7-2) and
> NBC-HD (4-1 and 4-2) over the weekend.

That would suck if that were true, but I can't verify because I'm down in Blacksburg.

I have basic cable but am able to receive the local stations in HD. Over the weekend ABC and NBC were not working, but this has happened in the past and they came back after a few days. I hope they didn't take them away for good.

Still no sign of ABC and NBC in HD...

i'm on ANTENNA and i'm getting NBC,FOX,ABC,CBS,PBS,Spanish,MyTV,ION,IONLife (basically QVC), Jesus channel, and CW in full HD, and its lovely.

And if anyone is imagining grain and lines all over the picture, that's NOT how it is, because with digital signal, you either GET IT or DONT GET IT. all or nothing. so if you have decent reception, you get a lovely picture, and if you have really crappy reception, you get nothing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2008 07:04PM by Awakened.

HD - w00t!

Can one get the Cox cable TV signal by splitting the Cox High Speed Internet cable between the wall and the cable modem? I heard that the basic TV signal is on the same line, and since the cost for HS Internet is about $40, I figure the TV signal is there too. I am wondering because I have a HDTV tuner card (QAM Capable) in my PC and would love to be able to watch and record tv to my pc.

It is true that if you get high speed internet, and basic cable, you get the expanded basic for free. No cable box of course Or it was true 2 years ago. I did not have an HDTv then but I doubt you'd get the HD channels. but expanded basic for free is nice.

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is true that if you get high speed internet,
> and basic cable, you get the expanded basic for
> free. No cable box of course Or it was true 2
> years ago. I did not have an HDTv then but I doubt
> you'd get the HD channels. but expanded basic for
> free is nice.


if you get internet access from cox, you get all the channels under 103 or so. the only reason you dont get them is because they install "notch filters" which actually end up fucking with your internet access and making it slower.

they look like these:


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."
Attachments:

I know you can get over the air HD with an antenna, but don't have personal experience with it. The HD channels come free with the basic cable package as long as you get the HD cable box, which is $5.90 a month. If you spent the money to get an HDTV, you might as well put out the $6 a month. Standard definition (SD) picture looks like ass on a large LCD/Plasma.

Read this shit http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-06-28-cable-boxes-usat_N.htm

I used to get bootleg filters that looked like that when I lived in Arlington in the late 80's. I think they were $30 or $40 but what a bargain- HBO, Skinamax,Showtime,Playboy Channel.

I imagine all that fun is behind us with digital and all.

hdguru Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know you can get over the air HD with an
> antenna, but don't have personal experience with
> it. The HD channels come free with the basic cable
> package as long as you get the HD cable box, which
> is $5.90 a month. If you spent the money to get an
> HDTV, you might as well put out the $6 a month.
> Standard definition (SD) picture looks like ass on
> a large LCD/Plasma.

You don't need a cable box to get network HD (4,5,7,9,PBS) channels on Cox Cable if the TV has a QAM tuner.

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> if you get internet access from cox, you get all
> the channels under 103 or so. the only reason you
> dont get them is because they install "notch
> filters" which actually end up fucking with your
> internet access and making it slower.
>

Don't know about those devices, but if you don't subscribe to at least basic cable, then your internet bill is $10/month more, which just about covers the rate for basic cable.

I know, SBS. I guess me and you have different views on high definition programming. What i meant was that if you get the cable box, you get the REAL hd channels. How can a man have an HDTV without having ESPNHD? As I said, SD programming looks terrible on LCD/Plasma. I wouldn't be satisfied after dropping big money on a TV for 4-5 channels.

fuck this website

dsafsdfsdfsa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fuck this website


And fuck you as well. Have a nice day!

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > if you get internet access from cox, you get
> all
> > the channels under 103 or so. the only reason
> you
> > dont get them is because they install "notch
> > filters" which actually end up fucking with
> your
> > internet access and making it slower.
> >
>
> Don't know about those devices, but if you don't
> subscribe to at least basic cable, then your
> internet bill is $10/month more, which just about
> covers the rate for basic cable.


Yep, that is how they do it. I paid 35 a month, and had been doing so for the past 5 years, until I got the HD service as well, and now my bill is about 40 a month for TV and high speed internet, 20 down/2 up. What does Verizon charge for that?

hdguru Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know, SBS. I guess me and you have different
> views on high definition programming. What i meant
> was that if you get the cable box, you get the
> REAL hd channels. How can a man have an HDTV
> without having ESPNHD? As I said, SD programming
> looks terrible on LCD/Plasma. I wouldn't be
> satisfied after dropping big money on a TV for 4-5
> channels.

Fair enough. I actually agree with that. I have an HDTV in the basement, which is used mainly for my kids' playing XBOX360, and it gets the HD network channels. I just upgraded my cable to include expanded basic, HD, and DVR for the main floor HDTV, which I don't actually have yet, but it's coming.

By the way Cable companies push you hard to get a box. They will lie to you and tell you you need to upgrade because of the switch to digital - its not true. Also they are moving some channels from basic to their digital package so you will get fewer channels on basic than on the digital package. If you just want simple local TV like the good old days basic is fine and you do not need a box on a newer 'cable-ready' tv.

TV sucks your life away anyhoo

Is it true that if you have cable you will have internet because they are on the same line?

leasee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it true that if you have cable you will have
> internet because they are on the same line?

Yes. You need to go to RadioShack or someplace like that and buy a converter piece that goes from PS2 to Video Input (you know, the red, white, and yellow plugs on your TV). It only costs a couple bucks. You plug your keyboard into your TV, and you can surf the internet in a limited fashion.

Cox keeps this on the down-low to sell more services to people.

Trust me.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

leasee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it true that if you have cable you will have
> internet because they are on the same line?

No, you can't get internet service w/o subscribing to it. You have to have a cable modem, obviously, and it has to be registered in their system before it will work.

Lol, and here's how to get longer range on your wireless internets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY8Wi7XRXCA

Seriously though, if you have internet, then you get extended basic cable free from cox. Not the other way, becuase your TV doesnt have a MAC address and is not connected to the CMTS

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Seriously though, if you have internet, then you
> get extended basic cable free from cox. Not the
> other way, becuase your TV doesnt have a MAC
> address and is not connected to the CMTS

That's not true, either, unless you tamper with the cable filters, etc. yourself.

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Seriously though, if you have internet, then
> you
> > get extended basic cable free from cox. Not the
> > other way, becuase your TV doesnt have a MAC
> > address and is not connected to the CMTS
>
> That's not true, either, unless you tamper with
> the cable filters, etc. yourself.

Well sure, there might be a few scrambled channels, but hey its free so I don't complain about them. All cox would have to do to prevent this freeloading would be to scramble all the channels, which they currently don't.

Ok, just to clear up the confusion -- You're talking about Cox BASIC cable, which is little more than the network feeds, TBS for example, right? That is available just by having the internet connection. You originally used the term "expanded", which refers to the next step up, and includes ESPN, e.g. and various other cable channels. The extra channels this gives you will not be available from just an internet connection.

OTOH, if you subscribe to nothing but internet, Cox charges you around $10 more per month than if you also got basic cable. Basic cable is around $15 a month, so you're not making out all that great if you decide to "freeload".

leasee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it true that if you have cable you will have
> internet because they are on the same line?

no, but if you have internet service, you do have basic and the "analog tier" (all the good channel that people actually want to watch) which you "can't" get without paying for the "digital tier" which ends up raping you for the tune of $100 a month: http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/118315.html#msg-159911

$85.98 gets you basic cable and "Preferred High Speed Internet"

it is _technically_ possible to get internet service for free but it's not easy and requires a lot of technical finesse.

you are best off getting "Preferred High Speed Internet" for ~$40 a month and then removing the filters and you get all the analog channels.

---

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Basic cable is around $15 a month, so you're not making
> out all that great if you decide to "freeload".

no, it's $46.99 a month where as "Preferred High Speed Internet" access is $38.99. if you are really a cheap bastard, you can opt for "Value High Speed Internet" access for $29.99 a month or super cheap "Economy High Speed Internet" for $19.95 a month.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2009 02:21PM by Gravis.

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> leasee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> SBS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> no, it's $46.99 a month where as "Preferred High
> Speed Internet" access is $38.99. if you are
> really a cheap bastard, you can opt for "Value
> High Speed Internet" access for $29.99 a month or
> super cheap "Economy High Speed Internet" for
> $19.95 a month.

Wrong again. Although it's not listed on their website, you CAN get a very basic cable TV deal that is just the network channels, TBS, and that's about it. It costs about $15.00 / month. Trust me, I had it, along with internet, until just recently.

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wrong again. Although it's not listed on their
> website, you CAN get a very basic cable TV deal
> that is just the network channels, TBS, and that's
> about it. It costs about $15.00 / month. Trust
> me, I had it, along with internet, until just
> recently.

joke's on you because you can get it for free if you pay for internet access. ;)


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> joke's on you because you can get it for free if
> you pay for internet access. ;)

True enough, but I had the cable first, and like I said earlier, without the cable, the internet costs $10 more per month, so I guess I could have saved a whopping $5 / month.

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> leasee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is it true that if you have cable you will have
> > internet because they are on the same line?
>
> no, but if you have internet service, you do have
> basic and the "analog tier" (all the good channel
> that people actually want to watch) which you
> "can't" get without paying for the "digital tier"
> which ends up raping you for the tune of $100 a
> month:
> http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/118
> 315.html#msg-159911
>
> $85.98 gets you basic cable and "Preferred High
> Speed Internet"
>
> it is _technically_ possible to get internet
> service for free but it's not easy and requires a
> lot of technical finesse.
>
> you are best off getting "Preferred High Speed
> Internet" for ~$40 a month and then removing the
> filters and you get all the analog channels.
>
>
>
> SBS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Basic cable is around $15 a month, so you're not
> making
> > out all that great if you decide to "freeload".
>
> no, it's $46.99 a month where as "Preferred High
> Speed Internet" access is $38.99. if you are
> really a cheap bastard, you can opt for "Value
> High Speed Internet" access for $29.99 a month or
> super cheap "Economy High Speed Internet" for
> $19.95 a month.

This is what I have been attempign to articulate in every post i make on the subject.

Sorry for the dumb question, but how do you remove the filters?

Cletus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry for the dumb question, but how do you remove
> the filters?

they unscrew from the connecting cable. for a normal house, they are in a gray box that is attached to the side of your house. they are screwed in tightly so you will need tools. also, if you have a "signal booster" inside your house, the line leading into your house is energized so when you get it unscrewed and you are touching the cable, you will get a nice shock. it's not deadly or anything, just uncomfortable to touch, so use gloves too. i think they still use two different filters, a smaller one with a blue stripe that blocks channels 54-110 and a larger one (like the image above) with a purple stripe that blocks channels 2-60.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> leasee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is it true that if you have cable you will have
> > internet because they are on the same line?
>
> No, you can't get internet service w/o subscribing
> to it. You have to have a cable modem, obviously,
> and it has to be registered in their system before
> it will work.

That is correct. The internet service is probably technically available on the same line, though. A fun, undocumented, service to try is to buy cable internet service, register your cable modem and get it working, and then--guess what??

Move the box to other people's houses who live near you (like in the same apartment community) who subscribe to cable TV and not internet. Your internet service is likely to work the same as in your house (except without the professional installation that sometimes removes noise). It has to be a registered MAC addresss, and it also has to be on the same branch that it is registered for (but not necessarily in the same house). This may not have any real utility for most people, but interesting nonetheless!

We found out about it the hard way. We moved to a new apartment, but got to keep the old apartment for a few days to make the move. We called Cox to set up new service at the new apartment. We moved the modem and got the new service working. Seeing that we had reliable internet service, we called Cox to cancel service at the old apartment. Internet died instantly. Cox said it would take 2 days to register our MAC address on the new account because their computers were down. So as careful as we were, we still lost internet service for 2 days.

Cox had tried to warn us, but their procedure for moving to a new apartment was faulty. Their only warning had been, "You may have to call us after you hook up the cable modem to register the MAC address." (Gee, seeing that we were on the same branch, they should have just changed our address on the account and left it at tha--but that would give away too many of their secrets, wouldn't it?)

David Jess Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It has to be a registered MAC addresss, and it also has
> to be on the same branch that it is registered for
> (but not necessarily in the same house). This may
> not have any real utility for most people, but
> interesting nonetheless!

last i heard COX's network design puts people on a hub, so you can listen to the line and spoof the MAC of one that is already registered. this of course means you have to know what the fuck you are doing.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> David Jess Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It has to be a registered MAC addresss, and it
> also has
> > to be on the same branch that it is registered
> for
> > (but not necessarily in the same house). This
> may
> > not have any real utility for most people, but
> > interesting nonetheless!
>
> last i heard COX's network design puts people on a
> hub, so you can listen to the line and spoof the
> MAC of one that is already registered. this of
> course means you have to know what the fuck you
> are doing.


woudlnt you need a register MAC to get on the line in order to listen?

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > last i heard COX's network design puts people on a
> > hub, so you can listen to the line and spoof the
> > MAC of one that is already registered. this of
> > course means you have to know what the fuck you
> > are doing.
>
>
> woudlnt you need a register MAC to get on the line
> in order to listen?

Short answer, no. You do not need to have your MAC registered to sniff the collision domain.

SRE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Gravis Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > >
> > > last i heard COX's network design puts people
> on a
> > > hub, so you can listen to the line and spoof
> the
> > > MAC of one that is already registered. this
> of
> > > course means you have to know what the fuck
> you
> > > are doing.
> >
> >
> > woudlnt you need a register MAC to get on the
> line
> > in order to listen?
>
> Short answer, no. You do not need to have your
> MAC registered to sniff the collision domain.



"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> David Jess Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It has to be a registered MAC addresss, and it
> also has
> > to be on the same branch that it is registered
> for
> > (but not necessarily in the same house). This
> may
> > not have any real utility for most people, but
> > interesting nonetheless!
>
> last i heard COX's network design puts people on a
> hub, so you can listen to the line and spoof the
> MAC of one that is already registered. this of
> course means you have to know what the fuck you
> are doing.

Would the owner of the 'real' MAC address be affected? This reminds me of senior year of college, every room on my floor bar my suitemates had free Cinemax and HBO for the entire year. So my roommate and I got a splitter, they got a long cord, and they too got Cinemax and HBO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2009 10:16AM by formerhick76.

formerhick76 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Would the owner of the 'real' MAC address be
> affected?

it's been forever since ive done really low level networking stuff but im pretty sure this is (mostly) correct:

would they be effected? yes and no, mostly no. like your senior year, sub sections of the cable system is already on a big splitter called a hub (last i heard). this means that everyone gets the same information to their cable modem. the cable modem rejects everything not labeled as being for it's MAC and the accepted stuff is passed to your router which has an IP (you have to spoof it's MAC and IP as well). the router than knows what IP to send it to in your personal network (intranet). so if you were to change the base intranet IP (gateway) address (192.168.10.1 instead of say 192.168.0.1) the other router would ignore it. essentially you would be sharing the same connection but you are already doing that at the cable modem level, this would just increase traffic to your router.

i think it's a lot of effort to save a few bucks but hey, go for it. :)


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

I went to a birthday party yesterday for one of my daughter's classmates, and one of said suitemates was present @ the party. Small world.

And yes it'd be quite a bit of effort but if you have more time/smarts than $$$, so be it. ;)

I have internet connection, am looking for basic cable.

am getting scramble channels when i kept splitter

is there any way to increase my signal strength ?

Usually cable companies will install a filter when the customer only purchases
the Internet service and not video.

There is a picture in the beginning of the thread... You have two traps,
a positive trap and a negative trap.

The positive trap was used mostly in the 80's and early 90's before the converter
boxes were widespread. The positive trap actually induced an unreadable frequency
into the cable line so that you could not get certain services (skinamax, hbo, disney... etc)

The converter boxes today are addressable, meaning that they can be controlled
and authorized through the cable company's office. All modern cable boxes have
mac addresses.

The negative trap is what they use today for some subscribers. It takes out a certain range of frequencies, such as the frequencies that the provider has
their video feed (basic cable). They do not slow the internetz down as one
said above... The negative traps block out the basic tier services for
internet customers only.

There are different types of negative traps... When a customer orders a very
basic package (such as only 15 channels or so) we use a trap that only allows
certain channels to come through..

As one poster stated earlier, everyone is connected to a hub (its actually a node).
There can be 100's of nodes depending on the size of the cable infrastructre and
how many neighborhoods it needs to serve.

Here is how the "signal" flows, the cable office or "headend" recieves programming (TV, Internet, Phone), then it leaves the headend, via fiber optic then
it hits the NODE which transfers the signal from Fiber to coax.

Verizon fios is very similar. They actually run the fiber to your house and
mount the node on the side of the house then converts the fiber signal to
coax...

TheMoreYouKnow.jpg
Attachments:

Can the CW Network call me does cox cable know exactly what i did i can't even tell my parents about this i am scared what will happen but why does the CW Facebook have contact us by a email
Attachments:

Please Read My Comment
Attachments:

CoxCableQuestion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm upgrading to an HDTV, I've got Cox basic cable
> now with no cable box or onscreen program guides.
> Do I HAVE to pay for a service upgrade or can I
> get my own box (if needed for the HD) or better
> yet just plug and play like a cable ready TV?
> Sounds stupid, but I've been content with the
> regular service, now I'm ready for a big screen so
> I can be even more aggravated for NFL this year...


pay for cable internet only... you'll still get basic TV w/ HD channels.

Erin Thompson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please Read My Comment


nope.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Re: Free internet on the cable TV line?
Posted by: Erin Thompson ()
Date: March 03, 2010 07:23PM
Can You send me a different information about this
Can the CW Network call me does cox cable know exactly what i did i can't even tell my parents about this i am scared what will happen but why does the CW Facebook have contact us by a email
Attachments:
One Tree Hill Episodes Guides.doc
One Tree Hill Seasons Episodes.ppt
Attachments:

oh yea.. cox also automatically includes you on spam lists when you get their email service.

you can turn it off if as described on their website:
http://ww2.cox.com/residential/northernvirginia/support/internet/article.cox?articleId={5ed12880-12d3-11e0-cf95-000000000000}

when you auto search channel on you new tv you will get digital channels after all your basic channel

I've tried auto-searching on my TV. I have Cox internet service and figured I should be able to get local channels for free. I used a splitter so that cable modem and TV are going to the same wall outlet, hit the auto program on my TV, and...nothing. Didn't the FCC mandate that channels which can be picked up for free OTA should also be carried for free on the cable? I'm confused, and wondering what I should be doing differently. Any answers that *don't* involve buying some sort of attachment?

I have Cox and I still get the local stations in HD over QAM for free. You could have a signal issue. I've had issues over the past few years where signal dropped out, and it was usually due to a bad wire. (E.g., the couch butted against the cable outlet and caused the wire to come free from the crimper. Another time, the splitter outside was overcome by the elements and needed to be replaced.) Currently I have my cable split multiple times -- once outside to get upstairs and downstairs, then again to go my cable modem, TV, and another splitter, which splits between the ATSC/QAM and NTSC inputs of my HTPC (DVR) tuner card. It's set up to provide max signal to the HTPC, since we DVR a lot of shows.

I *am* having one problem right now where my TV is unable to find NBC (WRC - 4.1), but it is able to find the one-off NBC stations (4.2, 4.3). The other networks come in fine (FOX 5.1, ABC 7.1, CBS 9.1). Also, the NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner card is able to find 4.1. I just don't understand why my Sharp Aquos TV can't. It lost it a month or two ago one day for some reason. Thoughts?

Cable thiefing

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COX will not provide HD TV even on an HD compatible TV unless you purchase the cable box from them. . I have two HD TVs and basic cable without the box and no HD reception. If you happen to see HD channels then it's a fluke and I bet they disappear or switch channels in about a month. COX recently posted that they are moving all HD channels to 100 and above.

I only have Cox high-speed internet but after hearing about this I decided to test it. I hooked the RF cable directly into my TV from the wall, did an auto channel search and found that it detected all basic cable channels as well as all local air channels. Is this shortsightedness on Cox's part or did they fail to shut off cable for a previous tennant at my apartment? I'm thinking the former.

Joshua

I had that same deal. I was able to get history and discovery channel and the basics. not much more, but your only saving $20 a month, that's how much it cost for the extra box.

scrtchmstj Wrote:
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> I only have Cox high-speed internet but after
> hearing about this I decided to test it. I hooked
> the RF cable directly into my TV from the wall,
> did an auto channel search and found that it
> detected all basic cable channels as well as all
> local air channels. Is this shortsightedness on
> Cox's part or did they fail to shut off cable for
> a previous tennant at my apartment? I'm thinking
> the former.

Nah, it apparently actually was the law!

Until Friday.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/14/fcc-to-allow-encryption-of-basic-cable-with-a-few-strings-that/

No more stealing cable you lazy cunts.

http://news.yahoo.com/fcc-lets-cable-cos-encrypt-signals-foil-theft-164814792--finance.html

cox provides your local stations hdtv (abc, nbc, cbs,pbs,fox) free for all subscribers who have a digital hdtv's. in order to recieve the signal, you must have a qam tuner in addition to the ntsc tuner built in to your tv. in our area you tune in at 114.3 up to 116 or so. you use the space key or decimal key to enter the decimal. cox provides this to all customers intentionally. in order to get more hdtv channels you must rent a tuner and subscribe to the digital service. starting dec 10th however they have the right to encrypt the signal, making it necessary to rent a tuner for EACH tv to get ANY signal, analog or digital. this helps decrease cable theft. getting free hdtv through a qam tuner is NOT cable theft. unfortunately costs will go up because if you have three tv's even a small set say in the kitchen, they will all need a rented tuner. they of course will save money by reducing cable theft and i doubt they will pass the savings on to the consumer. time will tell when they will start encryption.

dabbindan Wrote:
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> subscribe to the digital service. starting dec
> 10th however they have the right to encrypt the
> signal, making it necessary to rent a tuner for
> EACH tv to get ANY signal, analog or digital. this
> helps decrease cable theft. getting free hdtv
> through a qam tuner is NOT cable theft.

So far there are a few channels that are encrypted. Nat Geo is one, and there are a few others. But I didn't know it was eventually going to be done on all channels.


> unfortunately costs will go up because if you have
> three tv's even a small set say in the kitchen,
> they will all need a rented tuner. they of course
> will save money by reducing cable theft and i
> doubt they will pass the savings on to the
> consumer. time will tell when they will start
> encryption.

It isn't a cost savings. Cable theft doesn't actually cost cable companies money. It is lost revenue, but not an expense.

Just be careful with wording. They don't save money by preventing cable theft. They just protect their product and ensure greater revenue. But they want you to think that way, so it's easier for them to pass more laws restricting access to content so they can grow their revenue.

If they're like Comcast, there's a separate plan for HD and for digital. Without the subscription upgrade, you can only view over-the-air local HD channels.