I just recently bought a tv with an integrated "NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM." Currently, I have regular Directtv. I was wondering if I will be able to get HD channels off the air, through the direct tv satellite. Or maybe somehow get some HD channels by plugging in the comcast cable cord in my wall. Note that I don't have any comcast cable service.

Yeah...So I hope someone can clarify or elaborate on this for me. Thanks!

I just recently bought a tv with an integrated "NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM." Currently, I have regular Directtv. I was wondering if I will be able to get HD channels off the air, through the direct tv satellite. Or maybe somehow get some HD channels by plugging in the comcast cable cord in my wall. Note that I don't have any comcast cable service.

Yeah...So I hope someone can clarify or elaborate on this for me. Thanks!


No and No, but plug in an antenna and you'll be in luck.

I just recently bought a tv with an integrated "NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM." Currently, I have regular Directtv. I was wondering if I will be able to get HD channels off the air, through the direct tv satellite. Or maybe somehow get some HD channels by plugging in the comcast cable cord in my wall. Note that I don't have any comcast cable service.
Just to clarify the terms:
NTSC = over the air analog broadcast standard (around since the 1940s)
ATSC = over the air digital broadcast standard for receiving your local digital broadcast stations.
QAM = digital cable standard. Clear QAM means that the tuner can only get unscrambled digital cable channels, which are typically only the local broadcast stations and the local government & public access channels. Without Comcast cable service, all the channels are presumably blocked.

If you want to get HD from DirecTV, you will have to get their HD STB or DVR and have the newer antenna to get their new HD satellite.

If you want to get your local broadcast stations in HD, you need a TV antenna. If you want help with selecting an antenna and where to mount it, post your zip code and your circumstances - house or condo/apartment, surrounded by tall trees, down in a valley or on a hill - here. If you are way out in the boonies, your broadcast TV options may be limited. You should check antennaweb.org and the OTA TV Reception FAQ sticky at the top of this forum.

DirecTV does carry the HD local stations (at least ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and maybe PBS) via satellite in some areas. They've been rolling this out over the last year or so, starting with the largest metro areas and working their way down. Check the thread for your area in the local HDTV reception forum.

Or just enter your zip code in the local channel lookup page on D*'s site, it'll tell you if and what is available.

http://directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp?assetId=900018

Thanks for the responses!

I checked the link mjones gave me and there are no local channels that are in HD. -_-. I will most likely get an indoor hdtv antenna. Thanks again for the help!

[QUOTE=afiggatt]Just to clarify the terms:
NTSC = over the air analog broadcast standard (around since the 1940s)
ATSC = over the air digital broadcast standard for receiving your local digital broadcast stations.
QAM = digital cable standard. Clear QAM means that the tuner can only get unscrambled digital cable channels, which are typically only the local broadcast stations and the local government & public access channels. Without Comcast cable service, all the channels are presumably blocked.

I picked up the Phillips DVDR 3575H and plugged in my Comcast cable and received 12 "high quality" digital channels including ESPN and ESPN2 in HD. It prompted me to run out and get an Sharp Aquios 32 with the same type of tuner and got the same result except no PBS channel in HD.

My problem is that this was in May 07 and all of a sudden my 2 ESPN's are no longer showing up, did I do something or Comcast? Anyone with any idea will a booster help? BTW the tuner stops at these channels like many other but no picture can be seen, is it me or them/

I picked up the Phillips DVDR 3575H and plugged in my Comcast cable and received 12 "high quality" digital channels including ESPN and ESPN2 in HD. It prompted me to run out and get an Sharp Aquios 32 with the same type of tuner and got the same result except no PBS channel in HD.

My problem is that this was in May 07 and all of a sudden my 2 ESPN's are no longer showing up, did I do something or Comcast? Anyone with any idea will a booster help? BTW the tuner stops at these channels like many other but no picture can be seen, is it me or them/


Your cable company realized those channels were unencrypted and of course has started encrypting them.

My problem is that this was in May 07 and all of a sudden my 2 ESPN's are no longer showing up, did I do something or Comcast? Anyone with any idea will a booster help? BTW the tuner stops at these channels like many other but no picture can be seen, is it me or them/
jimp is probably correct, but another (more optimistic) possibility is that they moved the channel assignment for ESPN-HD and ESPN2-HD.

Try doing a rescan on one of the devices and go through the painstaking effort of channel surfing all of the digital channels again.

In my area, Comcast used to remap the QAM channels every couple of weeks. Although, they haven't done it in months.

Good Luck!

jimp is probably correct, but another (more optimistic) possibility is that they moved the channel assignment for ESPN-HD and ESPN2-HD.

Try doing a rescan on one of the devices and go through the painstaking effort of channel surfing all of the digital channels again.

In my area, Comcast used to remap the QAM channels every couple of weeks. Although, they haven't done it in months.

Good Luck!


Thanks for the replies, I have rescanned a few times since with no luck. I have checked channel by channel to no avail. Why encrypt ESPN and not CBS, NBC and ABC. I'm happy to have these local channels for football but really need ESPN for tennis.

I'm in CT btw, anyone else resolve a similiar problem?

Thanks for the replies, I have rescanned a few times since with no luck. I have checked channel by channel to no avail. Why encrypt ESPN and not CBS, NBC and ABC. I'm happy to have these local channels for football but really need ESPN for tennis.

I'm in CT btw, anyone else resolve a similiar problem?

they wouldn't encrypt NBC, CBS, et. al. because those are your local network affiliates & doing so would probably violate the terms of their cable franchise, royally PO the local stations, & maybe get them in trouble with the FCC.

HD chs are still relatively new territory & every cableco seems to have different policies. when I lived in NYC Time-Warner didn't put DiscHD or TNT-HD on an HD tier that cost extra. and if you had an HDTV with QAM tuner, you could get these chs in the clear along with the HD locals.

in your case i think you're stuck-only way to get ESPN-HD is order digital cable & rent their HD box.

Try doing a rescan on one of the devices and go through the painstaking effort of channel surfing all of the digital channels again.

My LG TV's tuner does a good job of only adding the unencrypted channels to the channel list, so there is only a dozen or so channels to identify.

they wouldn't encrypt NBC, CBS, et. al. because those are your local network affiliates & doing so would probably violate the terms of their cable franchise, royally PO the local stations, & maybe get them in trouble with the FCC.No, not really.

Comcast policy is to pass all local HD in the clear.
The FCC does not get involved with this issue, at least to this point in time.
Local cable franchise agreements do not cover HD.
Local HD stations do not control what cable does with HD.

I'll take your word for it Ken-but local stations DO own their signal. and I'm guessing they wouldn't be very happy if the local cable franchise holder was encrypting it & thus restricting access

I remember back when WABC was dark on TWC for an entire day in the NYC area because of a squabble between then-ABC owner Capital Cities & Time-Warner- and that was before digital signals were an issue.

I'll take your word for it Ken-but local stations DO own their signal. and I'm guessing they wouldn't be very happy if the local cable franchise holder was encrypting it & thus restricting accessLots of cableco's have encrypted local HD in the past, and there are still a few that do.

Digital carriage contracts between local stations and cableco's do not restrict the cableco from encrypting.

Digital carriage contracts between local stations and cableco's do not restrict the cableco from encrypting.

just our luck!!:(