Portland, ME - HDTV - Page 157

Originally Posted by MisterEEE

Broadcasting and Cable News reported on October 3rd that a new FCC proposal has been released. If this proposal is adopted, and it seems likely, then even local broadcast stations on cable will be encrypted. This proposal opens the door for cable to encrypt all content with no FCC waiver required. That spells the end of any clear QAM.

Originally Posted by kevin120

I could see it being challenged in court by CPE manufacturors like silicondust and Slingbox as it would put them out of business as well as harm the consumer by making them pay extra for what they already subscribe to. I actually see clear QAM staying put.

Originally Posted by beekeeper

... I agree with kevin120 but not so much because of law suits but political pressure.

Originally Posted by Stan54

I just connected my wife's hd with the adapter. The picture is considerably better than before because the channels are digital rather than analog. As we have discussed, there is no HD until the new adapters arrive.

At first, I thought I could split the signal and use one connection with the adapter and the other without to provide access to local broadcast channels in HD. No luck.

There are 2 cable connections on the set. One is for cable service and the other is for over the air using a cable - type connection. All of the others are the new technology - type plug - ins. I found that the latter do not permit a pass - thru of the raw signal from the Sony video / dvd recorder / player. I seem to recall reading a long time ago that the pass - thru of signal by the recorder / player only occurs with the primary connection. I watch tv using the player / recorder's tv tuner, but when I turn off that tuner, there is no pass - thru. Naturally, the connection with the adapter is unaffected by all of this.

Probably, this all makes no sense to anyone reading it, but the net result is that I can't think of a way to have the raw signal available on one input and adapter signal available on the other input.

Guess I'll have to wait for the HD capable adapters to have HD on the wife's set.

NORWAY A long delay in a franchise agreement between Norway/ Paris and Time Warner Cable appears to have held up local access studio improvements, officials said...

... the studio is operated off 5 percent of Time Warner's net income through the town, which equates to about $80,000 each year. ...

Originally Posted by icerabbit

Agreed, an A/B switch would be the solution. Also what the TWC contact said in that call last week to get HD.

I'm going to hold off till the 18/19 before I do anything further. I'm not getting any extra DCA boxes - currently have two which are unplugged - I'm not buying switches, ...

I will rescan the channels on our various TVs. I assume I will end up with 10 channels, ... and will then call TWC to complain and ask to see my bill reduced and/or for them to create a local ( basic basic basic ) package at $9.99/month.

It is one thing to cut off analog, another to shove encryption down our throat, mandate digital cable adapters and effectively raise the price while taking away any conveniences in your house.

Of course my wife will want to dump cable and get satellite; but that would mean many receivers at significant cost. Guess I have some reading up to do as far as distributing the dish signal throughout a house and getting two different signals in a few rooms. I fear it would end up being some elaborate A/V distribution system (and then you still have boxes, remotes, ...).

For all my life we've had cable TV. It could not have been simpler. Cable comes in, you split it, amplify it if needed, let the TV or other device do the tuning.

... one more week ...

@ TWC ... and other cable companies.

Originally Posted by icerabbit

...
Of course my wife will want to dump cable and get satellite; but that would mean many receivers at significant cost. Guess I have some reading up to do as far as distributing the dish signal throughout a house and getting two different signals in a few rooms. I fear it would end up being some elaborate A/V distribution system (and then you still have boxes, remotes, ...).

Originally Posted by drbonbi

Based on my experience with DirecTV, satellite isn't complicated. Dealing in generalities, the signal enters the house nowadays on a single cable from a dish attached to your house (usually) instead of a cable attached to a pole on the street. From that point the signal is distributed just the same as cable TV. It is split into separate lines, one running to each room with a TV. If you're already wired for cable inside the house with Cat 6 coax, the sat installer can make use of it. In each room with a TV there needs to be a HD satellite receiver/DVR to which the coax is connected. The receiver is then connected to your TV. Each STB is controlled with a remote supplied by the company.

After all the intro offers expire and ignoring minor details, HD satellite rates are comparable to HD cable service and the channels available are about the same. That's because the two services - satellite and cable - compete with each other for subscribers.

A big advantage of cable is the availability of internet and phone service in some locations regardless of whether you get cable TV service. Cable internet is faster than any other alternative and cable phone service is comparable in quality to land line (Fairpoint).

You can easily get a quote from Dish or DirecTV with no obligation.

All the above is based on my experience. YMMV.

Dana

Originally Posted by slow ride

hey dana

do you know how the " whole home dvr's are wired to the receivers ? they are hard wired in some way, right?

I have a install quote both with direct & dish. they are very close in price monthly. the main difference being directs " whole home ' with one dvr & five receivers. dish has the 3 dual receivers .

just trying to get as much advice / opinions as I can before I pull the trigger.

Originally Posted by loudo38

One new thing is that you no longer need your home wired with Cat 5 or 6 wiring to network your receivers together, with DirecTV. They now use DECA equipment and utilize the coaxial cable to network your receivers together. They did that here at my house.

Originally Posted by drbonbi

You might explain what DECA means for those who don't know.

Dana

Originally Posted by drbonbi

Typically these days the STBs are connected via HDMI cable or component (red, blue, green) cable to the TV. Presuming HD TV.

Dana

Originally Posted by slow ride

I mean how does each receiver get the recording off the main dvr like directs " whole home dvr?

Originally Posted by slow ride

I mean how does each receiver get the recording off the main dvr like directs " whole home dvr?

Originally Posted by Stan54

I just finished trying to use the over the air connection on the back of the set for a raw cable signal and, hopefully, clear QAM of local broadcast stations in HD. Guess what?! No luck.

The over the air connection only showed basic cable. As you know basic cable has the normal channels 2 - 13, but 14 - 20 are a few extra channels aimed, primarily, at children. The point is that they are not the same channels on regular 14 - 20.

Apparently, the OTA connection will not pass the raw cable signal beyond these channels.

Originally Posted by icerabbit

I know next week concessions have to be made as far as DCA or satellite boxes, remotes, ditch analog gear ... but a box / receiver per TV gives me the shivers. There is a TV in every bedroom, two in the media room, two at the mini gym ... no way I can support that many receivers. It would have to be something with dual tuners (one receiver, tuner 1 > tv 2, tuner 2 > tv 2 ???) in the media room.

Maybe one receiver can get its signal redistributed within the house; channel change through RF remote or other means ... or those less important TVs just have to get by with locals only and netflix, hulu, ...

Originally Posted by MisterEEE

The two coax cables from the splitter should be reversed. The digital adapter outputs on VHF 3 or 4 and can be connected to the over the air coax input on the TV. The other cable that will allow you to tune the clear QAM should be connected to the cable tv coax input on the TV.

Originally Posted by loudo38

If you mean with DirecTV, here is a photo of a standard DECA hookup.
http://www.weaknees.com/images/deca/...v-internet.jpg

Originally Posted by slow ride

ok, so the routers are only needed if you want internet ?

Originally Posted by slow ride

and the dvr feed to the non dvr receivers goes back to the dish splitter & then out to the receiver of choice?

Originally Posted by slow ride

anyone have a link to a installer in southern maine ( wells area ) so that i can find out what type of equipment they have on the truck?

Originally Posted by loudo38

That doesn't do much good. It changes from day to day. They do all carry DECA equipment but the receivers vary from day to day.

Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2011) -- What is America's favorite TV provider? Well, it depends upon where you live, according to a new J.D. Power and Associates study. But the study clearly shows that AT&T's u-Verse is making a lot of people happy while the nation's major cable TV operators are not.

The study, based on a consumer satisfaction survey, ranked the nation's TV providers in the four regions of the country. AT&T captured the top spot for consumer satisfaction in three of the four regions while Bright House Networks and WOW! were the only cable TV operators to finish in the top three in any region.

Comcast did not finish higher than sixth in any of the four regions; Cablevision, which is based in the East, finished only fifth there. DIRECTV finished first in the East and third in the North Central Region and Western regions.

The satisfaction numbers somewhat reflect how TV providers are faring in the battle to acquire new subscribers and keep old ones. The telcos have been able to add subscribers in the past year while cable operators have reported significant losses. (For example, AT&T added 202,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2011, bringing its overall total to 3.4 million.)

DIRECTV has also added subs in the past year, albeit at a slower pace than in previous year. Dish Network's sub growth numbers have gone up and down over the last year.

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the rankings, which was based on telephone surveys with nearly 24,000 consumers nationwide.

Eastern Region
Satcaster DIRECTV finished first with 686 points out of a possible 1,000; telco Verizon's FiOS service was second with 677; satcaster Dish Network was third with 664; and Cox was the highest cable scorer, finishing fourth with 634 points. Cablevision was fifth with 617 points.