? about Cable HDTV

[WileyKyle]

I read somewhere that cable companies are required to provide HDTV locals along with standard def locals. I have a plasma with an integrated ATSC tuner. Can I just attach the coax and get the HDTV channels? Do I need additional equipment from the cable company or can I buy the equipment somwhere? Thanx in advance!!

 

[rad]

I read somewhere that cable companies are required to provide HDTV locals along with standard def locals. I have a plasma with an integrated ATSC tuner. Can I just attach the coax and get the HDTV channels? Do I need additional equipment from the cable company or can I buy the equipment somwhere? Thanx in advance!!

Cable systems usually use QAM as the modulation system so unless your built in tuner can handle that you're out of luck and would need a box from the cable company.

 

[SatinKzo]

Or you could buy a STB that does QAM modulation. LG makes some good ones.

 

[angel35]

You need a QAM tuner. I think most HDTVs have them??. The SONY34XBR-960 has one

 

[korsjs]

just about all newer model lcd/dlp/plasma have the qam tuners.

 

[ats7627]

The QAM signal also has to be unencrypted. Some cable companies scramble the HD local channels, others do not.

 

[WileyKyle]

I got the Viore at walmart for $997 dollars. It doesn't say whether or not it has a QAM tuner. Documentation is sparse.

 

[SatinKzo]

The QAM signal also has to be unencrypted. Some cable companies scramble the HD local channels, others do not.

Well, according to the laws and the way they were explained to me, unless there is significant competition in the area, they can't scramble the locals.

Excerpt from this document
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Or...01/fcc01022.pdf

102. We believe that in the context of the new digital carriage requirements, it is consistent with the statutory language to require that a broadcaster's digital signal must be available on a basic tier such that all broadcast signals are available to all cable subscribers at the lowest priced tier of service, as Congress envisioned. The basic service tier, including any broadcast signals carried, will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the local franchising authority, and as such, will be rate regulated if the local franchising authority has been certified under Section 623 of the Act. 309 We note, however, that if a cable system faces effective competition under one of the four statutory tests, and is deregulated pursuant to a Commission order, the cable operator is free to place a broadcaster's digital signal on upper tiers of service or on a separate digital service tier."