So, my Tivo died a month or so back and I decided to go with a MythTV box. After weeks of craziness patching kernel modules to get my capture cards working and upgrading mythtv to support the new schedules direct stuff I've finally got a box that can record both analog and digital cable on dual tuners. I'm really happy with the way it's working. But I have some concerns.

Comcast doesn't seem to offer much on clear QAM. I get all the broadcast channels in SD and HD, and a smattering of religious, weather and shopping channels. None of the popular basic cable channels at all. So for now, most of my recording still comes from analog cable.

Analog cable will eventually go away. I know that the FCC has said it will require cable companies to keep transmitting broadcast channels in analog or provide free converters. But that doesn't apply to any of the cable channels I know and love. There's been nothing official from Comcast or the FCC about how basic cable will be provided. Will it be sent clear QAM? Will I need to purchase a converter box or cable card? (This would suck because MythTV will never support cable cards and I’ve heard lots of horror stories about people trying to get external channel changes working.)

Is there someone out there trying to fight for clear QAM access to non-premium content? Because I feel like soon I'll be forced to abandon my lovely mythTV box if I want to watch anything but broadcast TV.

There's been nothing official from Comcast or the FCC about how basic cable will be provided. Will it be sent clear QAM? Locals should always be available clear QAM. But I wouldn't expect much more than that.

Is there someone out there trying to fight for clear QAM access to non-premium content? Because I feel like soon I'll be forced to abandon my lovely mythTV box if I want to watch anything but broadcast TV.If by non-premium content, you mean cable channels, then yes. A lot of content providers don't like their cable channels (or some specific programs shown on their cable channels) distributed without any form of copy protection.

So, now I have to choose my crusade. Cable card for linux? Or clear QAM for basic cable? Probably would have more luck with cable card. I'm off to write my representative...

So, now I have to choose my crusade. Cable card for linux? Or clear QAM for basic cable? Probably would have more luck with cable card. I'm off to write my representative...

ClearQAM for basic/extended cable is the better fight. CableCard costs money whereas ClearQAM is free. ClearQAM is more equal to the cable-ready tuners of today.

I'm fighting for ClearQAM.

ft

Good luck on your quixotic voyage, but CableCard will never come to Linux. You'd be better off trying to find a hacked STB with firewire that can be provisioned by your cableCo.

And unlimited clear QAM for the analog equivalent of expanded basic is just as dead. Face it, the content providers have bought and paid for what they want to restrict.