Using analog cable as OTA input??

[1080iBeVuMin]

My VOOM install is coming up on Friday, 5/21. I am 60 miles north of San Francisco. The installer already told me I am too far to get OTA except 2 crummy local channels. I am tempted to tell the installer when he gets here not to bother with the OTA install.

My question is this... Right now I am getting a bunch of SF analog channels on my local analog cable. Would it be possible to connect my local analog cable to the VOOM box at the OTA antenna input? The analog cable signal would act as an "amplified 100 ft OTA antenna", and the VOOM box would do its thing with the incoming "OTA" signal. Am I right?

I know just enough to be dangerous. :dev Is this going to work or not??

Thanks,
- 1080iWannabe, Santa Rosa, CA

 

[jmartinacevedo]

No, it won't work.

Welcome,
I believe your question was addressed at some point in this forum and, unfortunately, it does not appear it can be done.

Good luck with the install.
Martin-

 

[cameron119]

Coax is well-shielded. It is not a large antenna.

The only way this would work is if the local cableco passes the 8VSB versions of the channels and does so on the same frequencies as are mapped to your Voom IRD. Most large cable systems with HD lineups and HD locals pass the 8VSB for HDReady (integrated tuner or STB OTA-only tuner) owners that only want to subscribe to the basic analog lineup. For the typical digital cable customer with HD, you also get the locals via QAM for the cable company's DCT.

Most customers probably think they need the digital STB from their cableco to receive the HD locals, etc and must subscribe to the HD lineup. Not true in many cases if you have an integrated 8VSB tuner or a STB 8VSB tuner (such as contained in the Voom IRD). The thing that will put you out of luck is whether or not your cableco (assuming it passes the 8VSB locals) keeps the stations' frequency intact, since Voom doesn't allow scanning to pick-up non listed or channels from another market.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

So, sounds like we should keep cable long enough to try this after VOOM releases the OTA scanning update. Then, it might work, might not. Worth a try!

Thanks for your help.

- 1080iWannabe, Santa Rosa, CA