QAM Tuner & Cablevision

[bob_jr]

Is anyone successfully receiving non-scrambled HD channels from Cablevision using an internal QAM tuner and not a digital cable box they provide? Local affiliates or ESPNHD?

I emailed Cablevision but got the usual inconclusive answer stating QAM was not supported but did not definitively say it would not function.

Thanks

[jagfan]

Yes, I can get all the local HD channels without a STB. I also get INHD, MHD and UHD. Can't get TNT and ESPN - says "not authorized". I live in the Jacksonville, FL area.

[Kolchak]

The QAM tuner can also pick up your neighbors' VOD movies, several of which are in HD.

[MasterB]

Hi Jagfan, what tuner are using to get these channels? Is it a set top box or a card in your computer?

[jagfan]

Originally Posted by MasterB

Hi Jagfan, what tuner are using to get these channels? Is it a set top box or a card in your computer?

My TV has 2 internal tuners - analog and digital (ATSC). The ATSC pulls in unencrypted channels. Neither a cablecard nor a STB are needed to get those channels.

[bob_jr]

I seem to able to pick up the locals but not any others - ie ESPN or TNT. The tuner just doesn't find them during the channel search process.

[Rammitinski]

Originally Posted by bob_jr

I seem to able to pick up the locals but not any others - ie ESPN or TNT. The tuner just doesn't find them during the channel search process.

What you're getting is the norm. Just the locals and a few others.

Getting your neighbor's VOD's like Kolchak mentioned is fairly common, too.

If anyone is getting more than that, it's a fluke or mistake on the cable company's part.

[biker19]

Originally Posted by jagfan

My TV has 2 internal tuners - analog and digital (ATSC). The ATSC pulls in unencrypted channels. Neither a cablecard nor a STB are needed to get those channels.

I think you meant QAM tuner - ATSC is for OTA reception and as far I as know none of those are ever encyrpted.

[jagfan]

[quote=biker19]I think you meant QAM tuner - ATSC is for OTA reception and as far I as know none of those are ever encyrpted. [/QUOTE

You're right Biker....

[FranksPlace2]

[quote=jagfan]

Originally Posted by biker19

I think you meant QAM tuner - ATSC is for OTA reception and as far I as know none of those are ever encyrpted. [/QUOTE

You're right Biker....

According to Wikipedia it is an ATSC signal which uses 8VSB modulation for OTA and 256QAM modulation for cable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC

I kept getting confused so I looked it up.

Frank

[Pring4]

Is there any option to get a really cheap QAM tuner? I recently purchased a 40" samsung with no QAM tuner, and am kind of regretting it. I have no plans to get digital cable anytime soon. And when I take this back to college, I know there is only one over-the-air HDTV signal that I can receive. I'm hoping that I would be able to get the rest of the Network channels through QAM

[STEELERSRULE]

Originally Posted by Pring4

Is there any option to get a really cheap QAM tuner? I recently purchased a 40" samsung with no QAM tuner, and am kind of regretting it. I have no plans to get digital cable anytime soon. And when I take this back to college, I know there is only one over-the-air HDTV signal that I can receive. I'm hoping that I would be able to get the rest of the Network channels through QAM

You could look for an Open Box Samsung T-451 found at Circuit City for $149+tax(maybe less). They have a built in QAM tuner, as well as a ATSC/OTA tuner, like your tv.

Or look for the newer Samsung 260 for $179+tax, but they are hard to find because the stock just has not arrived yet.

The best reason for doing it this way is as long as you keep the receipt(and the box if you go brand new) from Circuit City/Best Buy, they have a 30 day return policy. No questions asked.

Try it out. You don't like it, or it doesn't work for you, simply return it for a full refund.

[Pring4]

That sounds like a pretty good option on the new Samsung.

Are all cable signals required by the FCC to include the digital versions of channels if they exist? The reason I ask is because I would be taking this TV and Tuner down to college, in the middle of nowhere VA. Currently the cable delivers the signals from the DC and Richmond network affiliates, but I'm not sure about the digital signals. The company is NTC Communications, and they sounded pretty confused when I asked them about QAM capabilities.

Edit:
The only OTA digital signal the area gets is the local PBS station.

[Thatguy2112]

Originally Posted by Rammitinski

What you're getting is the norm. Just the locals and a few others.

Getting your neighbor's VOD's like Kolchak mentioned is fairly common, too.

If anyone is getting more than that, it's a fluke or mistake on the cable company's part.

I get my local stations HD channels, the digital music channels as well as a couple HBO and cinemax channels, although not that great looking. They keep going on and off. I'm wondering if a signal amplifier would help since the cable company had installed one when I was subcribing to digital cable. What do you guys think?

[Rammitinski]

Originally Posted by Thatguy2112

I get my local stations HD channels....as well as a couple HBO and cinemax channels....They keep going on and off.

The HD channels they usually give you.

As far as HBO & Cinemax, are you sure you're not getting a neighbor's VOD? That would certainly explain them going on and off. Otherwise, you normally shouldn't even be getting those channels if you're not paying for them. Some people get subscription channels for awhile when they first get cable, but they usually cut them off before long.

[Thatguy2112]

I'm pretty sure its not vod. movies and shows are playing all day. What I meant by going on and off is, every few seconds the movie freezes, becomes pixelated maybe the picture goes black then it come back perfectly or a bit pixelated for a few seconds , like a weak digital signal.

edit: the channels themselves have the logos on the bottom right : Thrillermax, HBOcomedy, HBOZone....

They also have those "commercials" between movies where they say what shows or movies they will show in the upcoming months. Which is why I don't think It's VOD.

[pan50hdtv]

As far as HBO & Cinemax, are you sure you're not getting a neighbor's VOD? That would certainly explain them going on and off. Otherwise, you normally shouldn't even be getting those channels if you're not paying for them. Some people get subscription channels for awhile when they first get cable, but they usually cut them off before long.

Anybody else experience the above? I am hesitant to admit it but now and then when I rescan AUTO on my HDTV ATSC tuner these channels show up. Furthermore, it is definatly Showtime and Starz on demand and the movies will stop, start again, freeze and blink off without any ryme or reason. I am doing nothing illegal as I just have the cable straight thru to my TV with HDTV tuner on board. No converter boxes.

[Rammitinski]

Originally Posted by pan50hdtv

As far as HBO & Cinemax, are you sure you're not getting a neighbor's VOD? That would certainly explain them going on and off. Otherwise, you normally shouldn't even be getting those channels if you're not paying for them. Some people get subscription channels for awhile when they first get cable, but they usually cut them off before long.

Anybody else experience the above? I am hesitant to admit it but now and then when I rescan AUTO on my HDTV ATSC tuner these channels show up. Furthermore, it is definatly Showtime and Starz on demand and the movies will stop, start again, freeze and blink off without any ryme or reason. I am doing nothing illegal as I just have the cable straight thru to my TV with HDTV tuner on board. No converter boxes.

It's a very common occurance to get your neighbor's V.O.D. with QAM tuners.

Don't worry - you're definitely not doing anything illegal.

[CAPY]

Just got a new Sony LCD with all the tuners inside and for about a week or so I was receiving all the comcast digital channels including all the music choice channels. Then one day all but one or two channels were left? Was It just a fluke that I was receiving all these without digital cable service? I can still pull in local OTA channels on my Terk 55.

[MIKERIESEN]

I am having the same type of experience with my new sony lcd. I am getting starz on demand flawlessly, and others that sometimes are there and sometimes not. I also get playboy tv and club jenna consistently, but the quality is not consistent. Sometimes the feed is perfect and other times it is "choppy"-- works well for a minute or two and then freezes for a few seconds and then works again. Doing a channel search, the tv found like 90 or so digital cable "stations", but I only pay for expanded basic cable. I get all the digital music channels too. Any ideas why the adult channels are inconsistent and the on demand are not? I am hoping the reason is a low signal, maybe an amp will improve the situation. ANY THOUGHTS ANYONE?

[vetorama]

I also have the same problem,the qam tunes stations freeze,pixilate and turn black. I can't even watch the stations. I have an Olevia 432v.Any ideas?

[whoaru99]

Originally Posted by Rammitinski

It's a very common occurance to get your neighbor's V.O.D. with QAM tuners.

Don't worry - you're definitely not doing anything illegal.

Yup, no need to pay for any "skinflicks" on my block if you have a QAM tuner. The neighbors keep that pipline pretty active - if you are into that type of sporting event.

[pan50hdtv]

could anyone explain the 'shift' I experience? I get these channels just like the above, freeze, stop etc... however, like I explained my tuner seems to shift whereas all these Starz VOD will be in a block from 102.1 - 107.11. However, just recently I thought we lost them all for a week or so. What I would do was RESCAN completly all channels and they might move from 107.1 to 104.1 or so YET 102.1 was the sort of anchor. Now 102.1 completly went blank and I assumed it was done with. Nope, after a few rescans I found them around 93.3 and lower and even found a true 108i broadcast of War of the worlds. Anyway to harness this as I seem to be missing somehting when rescanning???

[kulsnubbe]

Originally Posted by pan50hdtv

...What I would do was RESCAN completly all channels and they might move from 107.1 to 104.1 or so...

It sounds like your cable company has implemented switched digital video. If so, your cable company will only transmit channels that its subscribers are currently watching. It knows what channels are being watched by talking to the set-top boxes in subscribers' homes. The cable company transmits the channels over any channel numbers it chooses, and your STB "moves" the channels to the channel numbers you are familiar with.

When you tune to a channel that is not currently being transmitted, your STB requests it from the cable co, the cable co selects an unused cannnel number and transmits the new channel there, your STB receives the new channel and moves it to the channel number you are accustomed to.

Here is a description of switched digital video from howstuffworks.com.

[StudioTech]

^^^ You just replied to a year old post.

[FTJoe]

As long as this thread is somewhat active again...is there anyplace I can find out what channels my Oakland NJ Cablevision provider is using for the digital channels? I'm lost with the 30 or so I have. Nothing seems to be HD but I'm wondering if my connection is substandard...

[kulsnubbe]

FTJoe, have you been over to the New York, NY - Cablevision avs thread yet? I searched it and found quite a few posts from/about Oakland, NJ. Maybe your answer is already there, else you can probably ask there.

[AZFats]

You could look for an Open Box Samsung T-451 found at Circuit City for $149+tax(maybe less). They have a built in QAM tuner, as well as a ATSC/OTA tuner, like your tv.

Or look for the newer Samsung 260 for $179+tax, but they are hard to find because the stock just has not arrived yet.

The best reason for doing it this way is as long as you keep the receipt(and the box if you go brand new) from Circuit City/Best Buy, they have a 30 day return policy. No questions asked.

Try it out. You don't like it, or it doesn't work for you, simply return it for a full refund.

I know this Q&A is a couple of years old, but I'd really like to find an external QAM tuner to use with my Samsung 32". Any news on this front? Is the Samsung box still the only QAM capable set top box in the US?

[billroddy]

I've watched HBO2, Starz on my Sony KDL-40V 3000. Occasionally a funny thing happens. The movie I am watching will stop and then rewind. Weird. Would that be my neighbor doing it?
Also I was watching NBC HD on channel 4.1. It disappeared then showed up on another channel.
Bill

[Quadricept]

As long as we're resurrecting the topic.
HOW do you guys receive signals with your built in QAM tuner if you don't have a cable subscription?
Don't you have the drop disabled at the street/plant ??
T