[whoopadeedoo]

I have recently installed a new Sharp Aquos LCD that has a built in QAM decoder. I am using Time Warner cable for my TV input. I don't seem to be getting many digital stations (and most of the ones I get are oddly all assigned to channel "0") and am getting no HDTV stations. Do I need more equipment to make my TV run properly?

 

[whoopadeedoo]

BTW, I get all the analog cable channels just fine.

 

[biker19]

Ask this in your local thread. It could be that that's what TWC sends out in clear QAM in that area.

 

[walford]

Did you get a cable card from your cable company so that you can get the encrypted digital channels using your QAM tuner?

 

[whoopadeedoo]

Thanks Biker. It seems TWC customers should be able to use QAM.


Walford, I did not get a cable card. I do not intend to watch encrypted digital channels, but maybe some of them are encrypted (?). I just want the basic digital that I am paying for plus the broadcast HDTV. I am able to get some standard digital channels (though the channels are arranged in strange order) but I get no HDTV. I am thinking I might have to use their STB to get channels arranged sensibly. Otherwise, my TV just doesn't manage the digital channels with any logical order.


I really hate this digital wild wild west. I remember the days you plugged in your TV and it worked without any issues.

 

[bfoster]

The channels you are not getting are encrypted. A Cablecard will fix that and the channel mapping.

 

[whoopadeedoo]

My TV does not have a cable card slot (seems fewer and fewer new models have this anymore) so it looks like I'll have to get a STB then.


Do you think some day in the near future, TV's with QAM will work fine without a STB like the old channels did? I really don't get why a STB/CC is necessary and figure it's TWC's way of controlling consumers and making them rent more gear

 

[bfoster]

Security.

 

[whoopadeedoo]

Ah. So from now on, should I expect to *have* to use a STB to receive digital cable? What's the point of the QAM then? I didn't get a CC-ready tv because 1) I wasn't planning on watching encrypted digital and 2) people kept telling me that the current CC card is soon to be obsoleted. I thought a built-in QAM would be all I need, but apparently I was wrong

I have a HDTV getting OTA HD in my bedroom. That was so much easier and cheaper to get going

 

[walford]

Allmost all digital is encrypted. The only exception is the network "HD" channels that you are also able to receive in your area with an antenna and an ATSC tuner are required by the FCC to be unencrypted and can be received with basic digital cable and a QAM tuner.

What specific model Sharp do you have?

 

[Ron Jones]



Quote:
Originally Posted by walford /forum/post/0


Allmost all digital is encrypted. The only exception is the network "HD" channels that you are also able to receive in your area with an antenna and an ATSC tuner are required by the FCC to be unencrypted and can be received with basic digital cable and a QAM tuner.

What specific model Sharp do you have?

While it is correct that the FCC regulations do not allow cable companies to encrypt the local channels, many cable systems either are not aware of this regulation or have elected to violate it by going ahead and encrypting the local HD channels they are carrying.


Ron Jones

 

[bfoster]



Quote:
Originally Posted by whoopadeedoo /forum/post/0


Ah. So from now on, should I expect to *have* to use a STB to receive digital cable? What's the point of the QAM then? I didn't get a CC-ready tv because 1) I wasn't planning on watching encrypted digital and 2) people kept telling me that the current CC card is soon to be obsoleted. I thought a built-in QAM would be all I need, but apparently I was wrong

I have a HDTV getting OTA HD in my bedroom. That was so much easier and cheaper to get going

Should have come here first.

 

[whoopadeedoo]

Hehe. But it's not like I have a choice. I have to do what TWC wants me to do. Unless you guys can manhandle TWC into doing what I want, I'm kinda stuck either way

 

[biker19]

Like I said - ask this stuff in your local thread. Folks in your area have all of the TWC specifics. It could very well be that there's a glitch in your setup and you are supposed to get the locals in HD. BTW, how do you know you don't have HD?


On most cable systems clear QAM chs work the same as the analogs and in the future it will be just as simple as today - just in a QAM world.

 

[whoopadeedoo]

I've posted the question in TWC LA. I'm not seeing any HD channels, even if I manually input channels people say they get HD on. And nearly all my digital channels I can get are incorrected channel mapped.


Oh, I own the Sharp LC37D42U.

 

[biker19]

Again, how do you know the chs are digital and not HD? The mapping might be different - that's not an issue. Most folks get the locals, not much more.

 

[sfhub]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Jones /forum/post/0


While it is correct that the FCC regulations do not allow cable companies to encrypt the local channels, many cable systems either are not aware of this regulation or have elected to violate it by going ahead and encrypting the local HD channels they are carrying.

It isn't because they are unaware. There is (was?) a point of contention on whether the FCC must-carry rules apply to:


1) analog only

2) analog *and* digital

3) analog *or* digital, but not necessarily both


Some cable companies (for example Comcast) interpret as #2.


Other cable companies interpret as #1 or #3


There may have been updated FCC regulations that clarify this issue, but I haven't been following, so please correct me if this has been resolved.

 

[sfhub]



Quote:
Originally Posted by whoopadeedoo /forum/post/0


I've posted the question in TWC LA. I'm not seeing any HD channels, even if I manually input channels people say they get HD on. And nearly all my digital channels I can get are incorrected channel mapped.


Oh, I own the Sharp LC37D42U.

On your Sharp, what does it say about the incoming signal for the channels that "should be" HD. Does it say 720p or 1080i or 480i?


The channel mappings will not match the cable company's mapping unless you use CableCARD, which you are incapable of doing on your set, so you just need to learn the new locations. If you are fortunate you may be able to convince TWC to forward the PSIP info, so they can get mapped to the same locations as the OTA HD channels.


Without the CableCARD-enabled channel mappings and without the PSIP info, you will likely need to enter the real RF channel. These will *look like* 119.x 123.x, etc. Your RF channel frequencies will be different than these since they are cable operator dependent.


Charter in LA does have some HD locals unencrypted, so I would be surprised if TWC has no HD locals unencrypted, but anything is possible.

 

[whoopadeedoo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by biker19 /forum/post/0


Again, how do you know the chs are digital and not HD? The mapping might be different - that's not an issue. Most folks get the locals, not much more.

I know their digital because my TV set tells me when a signal is digital or analog. I know they aren't HD because I know what HD looks like (have another HD set). And their broadcast resolution (which my monitor also informs me of) is not 720p or 1080i. I'd be happy getting local HD, but I am not even getting that right now . Hopefully it's a known bug with my monitor or with TWC (have asked in the TWC-LA forum).

 

[whoopadeedoo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sfhub /forum/post/0


On your Sharp, what does it say about the incoming signal for the channels that "should be" HD. Does it say 720p or 1080i or 480i?


The channel mappings will not match the cable company's mapping unless you use CableCARD, which you are incapable of doing on your set, so you just need to learn the new locations. If you are fortunate you may be able to convince TWC to forward the PSIP info, so they can get mapped to the same locations as the OTA HD channels.


Without the CableCARD-enabled channel mappings and without the PSIP info, you will likely need to enter the real RF channel. These will *look like* 119.x 123.x, etc. Your RF channel frequencies will be different than these since they are cable operator dependent.


Charter in LA does have some HD locals unencrypted, so I would be surprised if TWC has no HD locals unencrypted, but anything is possible.

Thanks. My TV does tell me if it's 480i, 720p, or 1080i, as well as the audio stream (mono, st, or dd). Maybe I just haven't found the HD channels yet, but I've looked extensively. Nearly all my digital channels are mapped to channel 0 right now, so I can't even quickly access any specific channel with the number keypad.


How does PSIP work?


It seems without the CC, I will need the STB, right?