i have the Samsung DTB-H260F hooked up to my analog cable from the wall, i cannot get any cable channels now just wondering if i will in June since all broadcasting will be digital?
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/detail.do?group=audiovideo&type=digitalsettopbox&subtype=hdtvtuners&model_cd=DTB-H260F/XAA

Who is your cable provider? And where are you?

Keep in mind that mandate to go all digital only applies to over-the-air signals; the old rabbit ears. Your cable company may be on a different timetable, and at any rate could be sending digital right now. Have you run a scan with the tuner yet?

oh i have Comcast and in Chicago to my knowledge the signal still analog, yes i have tried scanning both Air+Cable and nothing, i was told i need a switch?

You should probably check or post in the local thread.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=255885

My understanding was that Comcast in Chicago went all-digital in July 2007, however. Is this a new connection? Did you try another TV? (or even a VCR) to see if there is a live analog signal?

thats weird cause im almost certain im only getting analong signal

Most cable companies have been sending digital/HD locals at least through broadcast basic along with the analog. If you can't pick those up, something might be FUBAR'ed on your end.

i can get the local channels in hd/digital but not channels like espn, history, channel at all!

That's because you have to "pay" (subscribe) for a digital tier of service to get them digitally (HD). Typically, only HD locals are "free". The rest are of the digital channels are encrypted. All of the "analog" counterparts should still be available (with a basic or expanded basic subscription).

If you desire the additional HD capable channels, you will need to either rent a cableco provided box or Cablecard (if your TV has that interface/provision).

Your cable company probably encrypted them.

Without a cable box or cableCARD (and something that can use a cableCARD), you can't receive those. Locals are about the only thing your cable company will send to you on the digital band that won't require renting something. Anything else you get is a bonus, and you may not get that.

edit: Or what Ratman said.


BTW, bond_007, your posts are kind of confusing. First you said you can't get anything, then you said only analog, and now you say you can get local HDs (which are digital.) You need to be clearer if you want accurate info.

You need to be clearer if you want accurate info.

Bingo! :D

what i mean is i can get LOCAL hd channels like 5,7,9,32 ect but no cable channels, with this tuner, yet on my other tv with the same basic cable but different tuner i can get not only my local HD channels but also my cable channels

Okay, it would have helped to have known that so you could get the right advice (you are the one asking, after all), but water under the bridge and all...

Anyway, I think that Samsung box is only for QAM. I don't think it receives analog. If it doesn't, then all you will get are your local HD channels and whatever else your cable company decides to send in the clear, which could be nothing else if they're stingy.

The other TV must have an NTSC tuner that can pick up the cable analogs. Your cable company most likely encrypted the digital equivalents. If they did, there is no way to get those without renting something from them. With your current setup, you're getting all you can get.

If they do away with the analogs (probably won't be in June but most likely will happen at some point), then the HD locals on a QAM tuner will be all you'll get.