I have basic cable (no box) from Oceanic Time Warner 96730. I own a Sony KDL-V32XBR2 and recently did a digital channel scan and picked up like 20 channels digital and all my local channels in HDTV. How is this? TW claims you need a box to receive their HDTV.

I get: ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOOD, a few others. I even get a few channels I don't get in analog mode. What is going on? Can someone explain....

It only leads me to more questions:

How many people waste their $ for Digital (box) cable because they want HDTV? Especially when they're only interested in the local channels ie: the big time sporting event channels. I mean, how many people would turn in their box and cancel D service if they knew they didn't have to pay more to get the Super Bowl in HD??

Signed,

Could have watched the Super Bowl in HD and didn't.

Howzit,

I also found the same thing you did when I recently got a new TV. I was very pleased to find all these digital and HD stations. I can finally watch LOST in HD and House...

The main reason to get an HD box is so you can get ESPN and other channels in HD and most people like their HBO etc so they are stuck with a box anyway.

Daniel

Basically, the FCC requires cable companies to make HD local channels available on their lowest tier of service, if they offer them at all. But the FCC doesn't require them to promote this availability to their customers. So they don't, because they prefer to have you pay for a digital package.