Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 - Page 586

Originally Posted by artwire

Regarding waivers, just saw this from Dec 1


For many years, consumers were able to save some money on their cable bills by simply subscribing to a basic tier of programming. For additional programming, subscribers had to pay for a set-top box provided by the cable company. This worked fine when cable companies transmitted the programming in an analog format. But times, and technology, are changing. Now even the basic tier, like the more expensive ones, is going digital, and that means consumers will have to pay for a box even if they didn't have one before. In response to these events, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a new rule. Public Knowledge applauds the FCC for proposing the rule in response to digital cable technology and protecting subscribers from being hit too hard as a result of the digital transition.

Read More:
http://www.publicknowledge.org/blog/...llo-new-rule-d


FCC ruling (PDF)

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Rele...C-11-153A1.pdf

"Furthermore, they contend, encrypting the basic service tier in an all-digital system will eliminate the need for many service appointments because it will allow cable operators to enable and disable cable service remotely by activating and deactivating the encryption capability of set-top boxes and CableCARDs from the headend. In order to remotely activate and deactivate service, cable operators must leave every home connected to the cable plant rather than manually disconnect the cable that runs to a home, which is how many cable operators disconnect service today. If the cable operator is allowed to encrypt every signal, the operator can keep every home connected to the cable plant regardless of whether the home subscribes to cable service. The operator can ensure that only paid subscribers are able to access the service by authorizing and deauthorizing CableCARDs as people subscribe or cancel cable service."

Originally Posted by gastrof

Do you by any chance have cable or FiOS?

If so, it may be that more than one channel on your system has the virtual ID "5.1". One of these is scrambled, the other isn't, but when scanning the recorder apparently ID'd the scrambled one first, so when the useable 5.1 was also ID'd, it listed it after the scrambled one, and made it unavailable for directly tuning by channel number.

This usually happens when an OTA channel carried by a cable system has a virtual ID that the cable company foolishly also gives to an entirely different channel.

There is no fix, except for the cable company changing the ID of the "offending" channel, which they're not at all likely to do.

The only solution for recording the useable 5.1 is to leave the recorder on that channel, set the recording for that channel, and leave the recorder on.

If the machine gets turned off, it'll turn on and try to tune 5.1, and it'll get the unuseable scrambled one, since that'll come up first.

Your recording will be blank.

Again, the solution is to leave the machine turned on and tuned to that channel.

We've found no other fix, except to stop using cable for locals, and hope an antenna gets you a good signal on the recorder.

Originally Posted by wajo



FWIW: Re: HDMI- and Component-to-Composite/-Video Converters discussed in this help file, I've wondered why some people don't seem to get the good to excellent results I do. One reason I've thought of is "counterfeiting" of Lenkeng's design and even their logo... naw, they wouldn't do THAT, would they?

Well, lo and behold, here's a news release by Lenkeng discussing such counterfeiting.

Monoprice, the only seller I linked to in the help file, is one of AVS's most respected sponsors of our AV accessories and cables. Here's hoping they only stock the original?

Originally Posted by wajo



FWIW: Re: HDMI- and Component-to-Composite/-Video Converters discussed in this help file, I've wondered why some people don't seem to get the good to excellent results I do. One reason I've thought of is "counterfeiting" of Lenkeng's design and even their logo... naw, they wouldn't do THAT, would they?

Well, lo and behold, here's a news release by Lenkeng discussing such counterfeiting.

Monoprice, the only seller I linked to in the help file, is one of AVS's most respected sponsors of our AV accessories and cables. Here's hoping they only stock the original?

Originally Posted by Desert Hawk

The article says that the rule prohibiting encryption of basic service is "outdated". It is not outdated! Almost every tv sold since 2007 has a QAM tuner. The percentage of sets in use with a QAM tuner is growing every day. A large number of subscribers would be able to aviod using a box if digital cable channels were left in the clear. Claiming that only a few subscribers would be affected is totally wrong.

Originally Posted by Ken.F

If FCC 11-153 passes, watch for a spike in antenna and CableCARD device sales. Big businesses are going to make money on this. I expect some delays but it will likely pass sometime in 2012.

Originally Posted by JoeKustra

I'll split my money. Half on dish, half on IP TV. My ISP launched 50mps last month.

Originally Posted by Ken.F

I've been looking into FTA satellite systems. It's more of a curiosity/hobby interest than a replacement for cable. I'm satisfied with my antenna for local broadcasts but sports programming is keeping me tethered for now.

Be sure to check your ISP for bandwidth caps.

Originally Posted by L David Matheny

If cable operators are allowed to encrypt everything to prevent real or imagined theft of service, they should be required to provide free CableCARDS for those who can use them and free decrypting tuning adapters (or equivalent) for others who need them. And if truck rolls are eliminated because they can "enable and disable cable service remotely by activating and deactivating ... from the headend", then activating or canceling service should cost no more than (say) $5, with no early termination fees unless subsidized full-featured set-top boxes or DVRs are involved.

Originally Posted by Desert Hawk

1. There are no cable card devices that consumers can buy except for Tivo and PC tuners. If you are going to pay a monthly fee, you might as well rent a cable company DVR rather than pay for Tivo service ($600 for so-called lifetime service is unrealistic for most people).

2. I would like to have a free to air satellite system, but nobody around here sells them or installs them. I am not going to buy something that complicated over the internet and try to install it myself.

Originally Posted by rdgcss

DirecTv and Dish are free to encrypt everthing so why should cable be restricted. Of course with Sat. you get a box for every TV, but you are charged for each and every one past the 1st box.

Originally Posted by rdgcss

DirecTv and Dish are free to encrypt everthing so why should cable be restricted. Of course with Sat. you get a box for every TV, but you are charged for each and every one past the 1st box.

Originally Posted by JoeKustra

I use it during power failures. So far, none this year.

Originally Posted by JoeKustra

You missed a feature. You buy satellite and that box can travel. You then can call for a new dish (cheap or free) and if you have coverage, you have TV service. Cable is very very local. There are multiple satellites also, so it's not seamless, but getting service in a new location is a simple support (USA) call. I've done it for my sister who is a snow bird.

Moxi is not in it for the long run (so they told me). Actually, nobody makes any long term predictions for the 515 either.

Originally Posted by L David Matheny

Cable originated as a communal antenna system whose output could be shared to keep everyone from having to put up a separate antenna. Satellite started life as a more independent distribution system. If cable operators expect to sweet talk people into giving up their antennas like they're performing a public service, they should freely provide to their subscribers anything that's free over the air. Actually, satellite operators should be required to do that, too. Licensed operations "in the public interest" should be required for anyone allowed to utilize a limited resource like the airwaves.

Cable companies and other special interests are currently trying to get Congress to cut back or kill over-the-air broadcasting. If legislators have enough integrity (and enough sense) to resist that, then broadcast TV as an alternative puts a limit on outrageous actions and pricing by cable and satellite operators. If legislators succumb to industry pressure and money, then we may all be at the mercy of those operators, which is what they want, of course.

Originally Posted by rdgcss

As the law now stands: when cable is availble to 70% of homes & 70% of homes have cable the FCC gets complete control, down to censorship of content.

So cable needs satellite & OTA in order to stay under the 70% or some long standing laws (not FCC regulations) will need to be changed

BTW: CATV stands for "community antenna television"

Originally Posted by wajo

One-half of a whole DAY!?

Originally Posted by JoeKustra

To be precise:

http://www.secv.com/community_history.html

That's my provider. It was done, of course, to sell televisions.

Originally Posted by BIGA$$TV

Does channel scanning another input source erase timer programs?

Originally Posted by Ken.F

Mine loses the timer programs if I run a channel scan switching from OTA to cable channels. It does not lose timer programs if I run the channel scan when switching from cable to OTA channels.