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Digital Simulcast Information - Comcast

13K views 79 replies 18 participants last post by  nightowl 
#1 ·
Comcast NJ - Union/Verona


In my area they have started to test Digital Simulcasting. Channel 24 which is ShopNBC is being Digitally Simulcast.


General Information on DS.


No STB or an Analog STB = 24 is analog


Digital STB = 24 is Digital. The signal comes in QAM (in this case 64 QAM) and you see it Digitally on 24.


Since the signal (from the originator) 24 is sending is still analog, a Headend conversion needs to take place to convert it to digital. It won't be as good as a digital signal, of course. But, should, and I say should, be better than its analog counter part. Since the HE receives the signal analog it will never be better than how they receive it. Only true digital from the originator will look the best.


It probably won't look as good as most all digital channels and even some analog channels will still look better. It all depends on the A to D conversion.


In my area they have some bugs to work out. Hopefully the Digital Simulcast will happen soon after.


One other note... I am able to buffer about 65 minutes of the Digitally Simulcast channel 24 on my 6412 DVR.


For those that want to see if a channel is analog or digital on a 6412 you can do the following:


Tune the 6412 to any channel. Turn the box off. Within 2 seconds hit "OK Select". You will be presented with a diagnostic screen. From this screen arrow to the following:


"IN-BAND STATUS" will indicate xxx QAM (Digital) otherwise it will indicate ANALOG


Also you can check "CURRENT CHANNEL STATUS" That will indicate DIGITAL and the higher frequency. Typically above 550 MHz.
 
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#54 ·
Comcast of NJ (Union/Verona) currently Digital Simulcasted (QAM256):


2 WCBS

4 WNBC

5 WNYW

6 WXTV

7 WABC

8 CN8

9 WWOR

10 WLNY

11 WPIX

12 QVC

13 WNET

15 WNJU

16 WFUT

17 WPXN

18 TVGC

19 WRNN

20 WMBC

21 WLIW

22 HSN

23 WNJN

24 SNBC

25 WNYE

28 PIN

30 CSPAN

31 WGN

33 EWTN

73 CMT

77 TCM

101 WTHRSCN


Updated: 29 of 78 (37%) Analog channels now Digitally Simulcasted.
 
#55 ·
Not progressing too quickly, are they? There's a block of about 30 channels here that they haven't touched yet, along with a few others. (South Jersey).
 
#57 ·
Comcast of Hershey PA is now simulcasting 67 of 68 Ch in the Analog Tier.


Analog Ch now Simulcast in Digital:


02 WGAL - NBC 8

03 WLYH - UPN 15

04 WPMT - FOX 43

05 TBS

06 WPVI - ABC 6 (philadelphia)

07 WITF - PBS 33

08 CN8 - CN 8

09 WHP - CBS 21

10 WPHL - WB 17 (philadelphia)

11 QVC

12 WHTM - ABC 27

13 WGCB - IND 49

14 HBO 1E - HBO East

19 C-SPAN 1

20 PCN

21 SNBC

23 BET

24 CNN2 HN

25 AMC

26 CNBC

27 MTV

28 HGTV

29 CNN

30 ESPN

31 ESPN2

32 ESPN-C

33 TNT

34 SPIKE

35 CSN-P

36 TWC

37 A&E

38 DISC

39 DIS

40 NICK

41 VH1

42 Life

43 HIST

44 FAM

45 TLC

46 MSNBC

49 MTV2

51 SCI-FI

52 COM

53 FX

54 FNC

55 CMT

56 EWTN

57 E!

58 USA

59 HLMRK

61 HSN

62 PAXTV

63 ANIMP

64 TCM

66 GOLF

67 TOON

68 TVLND

69 SPEED

70 COURT

71 DHLTH

72 C-SPAN 2

73 GSN

74 Bravo

75 OLN

76 STYLE

77 Food

78 INFO


The only Ch not in Simulcast Digital is CH-50 TV Guide Ch.


:)
 
#58 ·
You're way ahead of us - no recent progress here (South Jersey).
 
#59 ·
The other Comcast systems are following the progress of the Philly and Eastern PA local systems.


The hold up is mostly the DPI or Digitally inserting programs, otherwise know as Ads. Here on the Comcast of NJ system they are weeks, if not days away from full completion.
 
#60 ·
Of interest:
Quote:
http://www.cableworld.com/cgi/cw/sho...tthesystem.htm


August 29, 2005


Meet the System: Northern New Jersey

(...)

Digital Simulcasting: A Taste of Digital Cable


Digital simulcasting of all analog signals is a key part of Comcast's video strategy.

(...)

In Northern New Jersey, the move to digital simulcast will take place throughout September.


"We need more bandwidth," field operations VP Adams says. "We're looking to add HD channels, and the only way we can get the bandwidth to do that is to be doing this all-digital simulcast, eventually having a digital platform."
 
#61 ·
Motorola's DTC700...


"The DCT700 is an all-digital set-top that provides operators with a quick and cost-effective means of realizing the benefits of an all-digital network. These benefits include increased bandwidth for high-definition and video-on-demand (VOD) content, on-demand information and entertainment services, as well as a reduction in theft of video services."

http://broadband.motorola.com/noflash/DCT700.html


BTW, all analogs except the TV Guide Channel are now being DS'ed here in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
 
#63 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ssetta
Well, I know of some areas in the Boston area that have been completed, but my area hasn't. I was also told that channels like the local access channels WILL NOT change. Have they changed for you, scanpa?


Yes all 69 Analog CH are now simulcast in Digital.
 
#65 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by blitzen102
Comcast here in Minneapolis/St. Paul is now deploying the DCT700 and DCT6412 (digital-only) STBs and DVRs.
I am sure you ment 3412......
 
#66 ·
I just had Comcast St. Paul install the DCT6412. The HD Channels are great. The digital channels are fine. They told be they switched the 1-100 channels to digital - the reason I switched to Comcast. The 1-100 channels aren't clear, especially the when watching Football and Basketball - ghost images. The box is connected via the YpbPr component ports. I tried this switch in the past when the 1-100 channels were analog and was told that the DCT6412 doesn't convert analog channels. If have a Mitsubishi WS-65713 Platinum TV. Any idea's on how to clear up the picture?
 
#70 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcodey
What is the capacity of the DCT-700 harddrive?
The DCT-700 does not have a hard Drive.


It is the plain jane Digital cable box.


The 3412 is the All digital Cable Box with 120gb HD, duel tuner, HD.
 
#71 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by markjrenna
We have 3412's and 700's here too. I still have a 6412 and swapped my 22xx for a 700. Comcast has done a terrific job with ADS. Congrats are in order.
Mark -


I am trying to prognosticate the future when ADS comes to my locale (COMCAST as well). Are most of the ADS channels besides the locals=OTA encrypted in your area? Someone in SF mentioned quite a few were in the clear - which would make my MyHD QAM tuner capablity much enhanced if there were quite a bit in the clear.
 
#72 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by RalphArch
Mark -


I am trying to prognosticate the future when ADS comes to my locale (COMCAST as well). Are most of the ADS channels besides the locals=OTA encrypted in your area? Someone in SF mentioned quite a few were in the clear - which would make my MyHD QAM tuner capablity much enhanced if there were quite a bit in the clear.
Most channels are not encrypted. You will be pleased to know that many channels (at this point in time) are "In the Clear".
 
#73 ·
The easiest way to tell if a channel is digital it to look for the Dolby digital double D. It only appears on the digital channels on my Moto 6200. The only channel that is simulcast in digital is HBO channel 38 so far in Montgomery County, MD. The reason for this is the 6200 cannot descramble an analog signal. Hopefully most of the analog channels will be replace by digital soon.
 
#74 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulGo
The easiest way to tell if a channel is digital it to look for the Dolby digital double D. It only appears on the digital channels on my Moto 6200. The only channel that is simulcast in digital is HBO channel 38 so far in Montgomery County, MD. The reason for this is the 6200 cannot descramble an analog signal. Hopefully most of the analog channels will be replace by digital soon.
The DCT-6200 STB is a Combo Analog / Digital Cable Box.


The DCT-700 & DCT-34xx are the only Motorola Cable Box that Do Not Do Analog..... They are strictly for Digital Cable systems.
 
#75 ·
Well, 2005 is done. So when is the rollout of DS to other areas going to happen? Comcast here out of Greensburg PA appears to be still all ANALOG in the lower channels (I didn't check them all - is there a way to go through the channels while in the diagnostic screen?). The poor PQ would indicate the same. Lots of video noise on the analog channels. I'd love to have TCM and a few others in digital.
 
#76 ·
I sure know that feeling. My area is the same way. They did a few channels back in April, and promised to add more quite awhile back, but they NEVER did. And they DID plan to have all areas done by the end of this year, and for "this year" we have less than 6 hours left, and still no ADS. NOW they plan to have everything done by the beginning of Spring, but the question is:

WILL THEY???
 
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