[dedwards]

My HTPC setup has VMC with an OTA antenna connected to a VBox ATSC tuner card. My basic cable service is connected to a Hauppauge dual NTSC tuner card. This setup has worked well for a long time.


When the DTV Transition takes place, will the NTSC cards stop working?


I would also like to take advantage of the ClearQAM channels available in my area. HD Homerun looks like a good option. If I connect my OTA antenna to one port, and my cable to the other port on the HDHR, will I still be able to record NTSC channels from cable? Or is HDHR ATSC-only? What about after the transition?


Thanks,


DE

 

[captain_video]

The NTSC tuners will only stop working with direct analog reception from the OTA antrenna. You will need to get digital converter boxes to interface with the new digital transmissions and the analog tuners. I'm niot 100% certain, but I believe the HDHR will work with either ATSC or QAM signals, just not both at the same time. It's only one or the other.

 

[walford]

dedwards,

Since you can already receivce OTA digital with your tuner card you have no need for a converter box.

Your NTSC tuners are fine since the digital cutover does not effect cable NTSC analog service just OTA high powered NTSC analog broadcast service.

There is no benefit to you to get clear QAM stations from your cable company since the number you will get is a subset of the ones available to you OTA because the cable companies are only required to broadcast on sub-channel from each OTA broadcaster unencrypted.