I am embarrassed to ask this but I could not find the answer anywhere. To receive the QAM channels do you have to be a basic cable service subscriber. In other words the HD QAM channels are comming through the cable but are they always being sent regardless if you pay for cable or not.

Thanks

You should have basic service at a minimum, hooking up without paying is considered cable theft. Technically they should cap your line off if your not paying for service but that doesn't always happen.

I'm not sure I understand. Either way you are getting something that you are not paying for. If you can receive ABC, CBS, NBC OTA what would be the advantage in pursuing QAM channels. My cable bill last month was 200.00so I'm am trying to get away from cable completely. What channels are QAM?

Thanks

Usually, the "clear QAM" channels are the local broadcast HD channels. Sometimes not all of them. For example, Charter in my area doesn't carry the local CW or MyNetwork stations in HD. Sometimes you get a few cable-only HD channels, too. It varies from place to place. Check the thread for your area in the local HDTV reception forum here.

For the locals at least, all you need is a "limited basic" or "lifeline basic" subscription in order to get them via clear QAM. For any other channels available via clear QAM, you probably have to subscribe to the package that normally contains them.

If you get good OTA reception, IMO there's no advantage to getting the locals via cable. It wouldn't make any sense for me to do it because I can get all my locals OTA, plus several out-of-market stations that Charter doesn't carry here at all.