Can someone please help me with this. I have the Sony XBR4 with the ATSC/Clear QAM tuner. I get bad reception at my aparment so I can only pick up several Over the air HD local channels with an HD atenna. My friend told me that I can subscribe to the most basic cable package and since my TV has an ATSC/QAM tuner, that I can pick up the local channels because they are unscrambled?. Is this true. Please explain because I'm frustrated that I can't even get all of my local HD. Please advise

Thanks

Can someone please help me with this. I have the Sony XBR4 with the ATSC/Clear QAM tuner. I get bad reception at my aparment so I can only pick up several Over the air HD local channels with an HD atenna. My friend told me that I can subscribe to the most basic cable package and since my TV has an ATSC/QAM tuner, that I can pick up the local channels because they are unscrambled?. Is this true. Please explain because I'm frustrated that I can't even get all of my local HD. Please advise

Thanks

For me it doesn't works. I live in Montreal and Videotron (my cable provider) scramble all QAM channels. Even the locally broadcasted ones. All I can watch it commercial for their Digital Cable Service.

The only way I can get local HD is by the Digital Cable Box provided by my provider or by OTA. (I get both of these options)

Maybe your cable provider don't scramble local channels, I don't know about others providers.

By the way, what is your provider? Maybe someone have tried on your provider and help you more than me?

I believe the FCC requires US cable companies to transmit the local stations in the clear (i.e. unencrypted) so you may use the QAM tuner in your TV to watch them. I know Time-Warner here in NC does that and I receive the same locals with the TV tuner as folks using a cable box.

If you are in the USA the FCC has mandated that your cable company send the local channels unencrypted. So, if you are in the USA, you will be able to see the local channels in HD with your QAM tuner.

If you are in the USA the FCC has mandated that your cable company send the local channels unencrypted. So, if you are in the USA, you will be able to see the local channels in HD with your QAM tuner.



This is not entirely true. The HD locals must be unencrypted, but many times they are not carried at all, due to $$$ disputes between the Local Stations/Networks and the Cable Company. The FCC does not force the Cable Companies and Local Stations to agree on terms. Where I live, there is no FOX and no CBS in HD on cable.


To the OP, be sure you are using a suitable antenna.

This is not entirely true. The HD locals must be unencrypted...
Wrong.

OP:

See the FAQ at the top of this forum.

Topic moved.

Originally Posted by WS65711
This is not entirely true. The HD locals must be unencrypted...Wrong.Ken, just where is his statement wrong. The FCC does not allow cable systems to encrypt regular power local stations:

Per Part 76.56 (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/09nov20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/octqtr/pdf/47cfr76.56.pdf) of the FCC regulations:
(d) Availability of signals.
(1) Local commercial television stations carried in fulfillment of the requirements of this section shall be provided to every subscriber of a cable system. Such signals shall be viewable via cable on all television receivers of a subscriber which are connected to a cable system by a cable operator or for which a cable operator provides a connection.
(2) Qualified local NCE television stations carried in fulfillment of the carriage obligations of a cable operator under this section shall be available to every subscriber as part of the cable system’s lowest priced service tier that includes the retransmission of local commercial television broadcast signals.

I don't want to speak for him but, reading those regulations it doesn't say anything about having to carry the locals in HD or, leaving them unencrypted.

I don't want to speak for him but, reading those regulations it doesn't say anything about having to carry the locals in HD or, leaving them unencrypted.They say IF they are carried then they MUST be available to ALL cable customers:

Such signals shall be viewable via cable on all television receivers of a subscriber which are connected to a cable system by a cable operator or for which a cable operator provides a connection As other's have pointed out, this does not mandate that they be carried (that is another matter), but IF they are carried then they must be available to all customers. In addition, there are FCC rulings that make clear that this applies to digital (HD) as well as analog. Again, if a broadcaster has denied permission for cable to carry it's station (analog or digital), then if won't be on cable in any form.

Perhaps thats (being on cable at all) the point of confusion, but WS65711 pointed that out and Ken H said WS65711 was wrong.

I'm just guessing that Ken is saying the locals in HD do not have to be unencrypted. They are available to all customers if they want to pay for them. Maybe Ken will come along to clear that up. If you have basic cable service and a HD tv such as the Pioneer 5080 then if the locals in HD were unencrypted wouldn't you be able to scan and pick them up? The tv does have a QAM tuner built in

If you have basic cable service and a HD tv such as the Pioneer 5080 then if the locals in HD were unencrypted wouldn't you be able to scan and pick them up? The tv does have a QAM tuner built inYes - you should. The only "fly in the ointment" is that cable may still have legacy filters* installed (they shouldn't) which filters out the QAM channels. To comply with the rules, they need to change those filters (they recently did in our area) to allow the QAM channels to come through.

*NOTE: A common method of limiting the channels received for the lowest cost basic cable has been to use low pass filters that passed signals only below 220MHz or so. Most of the QAM channels are above 550 MHz, so where these filters are in place no QAM channels get through. Where this problem exists (and it will as these legacy filters were installed on an individual home tap basis, and even a wholesale cable replacement program will leave a few overlooked) it is a matter of convincing cable to replace the filter (tap) with a new one.

Regardless of what the FCC regs say, there are a number of cableco's that encrypt local HD. For reasons unknown the FCC does not seem to want to get involved with this issue at this time.

The FCC rules prohibit the cable companies from encrypting any local channels, including local HD channels. It seems that some cable companies are violating these rules.

47CFR76.630: (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/47cfr76.630.htm) Cable system operators shall not scramble or otherwise encrypt signals carried on the basic service tier.

47CFR76.901: (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/05dec20031700/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/octqtr/47cfr76.901.htm) The basic service tier shall, at a minimum, include all signals of domestic television broadcast stations provided to any subscriber ...

Regardless of what the FCC regs say, there are a number of cableco's that encrypt local HD. For reasons unknown the FCC does not seem to want to get involved with this issue at this time.Ken, what cable systems are ENCRYPTING local HD? I strongly suspect that where people "think" there is encryption going on, it is actually something much more benign than that.

You say that "For reasons unknown the FCC does not seem to want to get involved with this issue at this time." Is it that they don't want to get involved, or that no one has actually followed the complaint procedure?

The actions and regulations of the FCC are fairly clear, my original question of what is "WRONG" with WS65711's question is still unanswered.