[steveklein]

Hey guys... I have extended cable that runs from like channel 2 to ~79 and want to upgrade to my provider's (Brighthouse) digital cable service for an extra $11/month so I get all the digital tier channels and so I can view all the local HD channels without an over the air antenna.


My question is this... where and what cable box do I buy? Will my cable company likely just give me a box? I need to make sure it has HDMI out, right?

 

[Tulpa]

You don't buy them, you rent/lease them from your cable provider. It'll probably be a Scientific Atlanta or a Motorola. They may tack on a small fee for the box, or it might be included in the upgrade fee. It depends on the company.



If it's an HD box, it'll probably have component and either HDMI or DVI outs (and you can get a DVI to HDMI cable if you need it.) They'll probably give you a component cable with the box, but in my experience, you're on your own with the HDMI ones (but Monoprice.com has them.)


edit: Looks like Brighthouse uses SA equipment, so it'll probably be a SA3250HD like mine (DVI out) or a DVR like a 8300HD (which uses HDMI, IIRC.)

 

[Rammitinski]

If all you really wanted were the local digitals, then you could get by with buying your own box (with a QAM tuner), because those are usually sent in the clear, with extended basic analog and even with the absolute lowest, $10.00 - $16.00 "limited basic analog" tier. Something like the Samsung DTB-H260F, QAM/ATSC tuner should pick them up. You don't even need to pay anything extra for the local HD's.


But, if you also desire the (non-local) digital tier channels, you will need to use their cable box (unless you buy a box which also includes a CableCARD slot, in which case you'd still need to get the card from them in order for the box to decode the non-local digitals).


Just make sure to ask for their HD cable box, so you can receive those local HD's.