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How does digital cable work?

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danmand

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2003
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I have had analog cable TV from Cogeco for a while, even as I have had a digital TV. (lazy I am). The digital TV picks up a bunch of digital channels, like 86.112 , 53.35 etc.
Now I ordered a digital package from Cogeco, and the lady told me that I need a digital receiver. Why is that, when my TV already has the ability to tune digital signals.

I appreciate any explanations and advice.
 
channels in the clear you should be able to see on yoru TV if you have a QAM tuner. Most of the "good" channels will be encrypted and need a receiver supplied and activated by your provider.
 
danmand said:
I need a digital receiver.
Click to expand...

Maybe she is referring to the HD cable box that the incoming cable connects to and that the outgoing cable connects to your TV. This box can be rented or you can buy it at Wal-Mart for something like $300.
 
Basically the cable guy pushes more information down the same cable to give you a better picture but only a special digital receiver will know what to do with it. Along with better picture they push other info too like a built tv guide, 5.1 surround sound, program info and updates etc.
 
it is all1's and zeros
 
danmand said:
Now I ordered a digital package from Cogeco, and the lady told me that I need a digital receiver. Why is that
Click to expand...
A digital receiver is needed for HD and does far more than the old standard cable boxes. If you want HDTV you need one.
 
Thanks for the responses. I am still a bit confused: The lady at Cogeco said that she is sending a receiver to me for "basic" (non HD) cable.

It also looks to me that my TV already picks up HD channels as 53.35, 53.43 off the analog cable.
 
hairyfucker said:
channels in the clear you should be able to see on yoru TV if you have a QAM tuner. Most of the "good" channels will be encrypted and need a receiver supplied and activated by your provider.
Click to expand...

that's it

...try an over the air antenna...cost is minimal and if you are already picking up free digital signals...the 4 bay antenna MAY (depends on your location and how the antenna is directed) supply you with an additional 14 channels...all free...
 
danmand said:
The lady at Cogeco said that she is sending a receiver to me for "basic" (non HD) cable.
Click to expand...

She is probably sending over a "non-HD cable box". There are at least 3 different boxes.
1) HD cable box.
2) Non-HD cable box.
3) Analog to digital conversion box.
 
One of the issues muddying the waters is that many folks—even cableco employees—use the words 'HD' and 'digital' as if they were the same thing.

OTA broadcasts are now (pretty much) all digital, and that digital signal carries an HD amount of picture info. Assuming the broadcaster sent all that HD info out from their antenna into the world and it managed to arrive at yours. What the cableco chooses to pump down their wires is a part of the deal you make, but if all they're doing is relaying the OTA signals, they should arrive as digital, and your TV should turn the digits into pix w/o an additional box. But there's nothing to stop them from encoding those signals to foil cable-tappers and then supplying a decoder box, while misrepresenting your true cost by charging separately for it. That's the only way you'll get the cable-only channels anyway, and for all anyone knows they could still be low-def analog.

But apart from the encoding issue, your TV shouldn't need any external boxes to display the digital signals delivered to it. What's being delivered is the question, which gets you back to how much the customer service person a) knows, and b) is able to communicate.
 
End the Rogers-Bell scam now! Put a 50 buck uhf antenna on your roof and get 20 hd channels free! If you need more, use the internet.
 
wigglee said:
End the Rogers-Bell scam now! Put a 50 buck uhf antenna on your roof and get 20 hd channels free! If you need more, use the internet.
Click to expand...
That's what I do, although in the full knowledge of the irony of getting my internet over Bell's wires.
 
wigglee said:
End the Rogers-Bell scam now! Put a 50 buck uhf antenna on your roof and get 20 hd channels free! If you need more, use the internet.
Click to expand...

not to hijack this discussion but how much of a techie do ya have to be to install one of these things? also can ya get HD over the internet? I got rid of my premium cable awhile back but being a huge sports fan it's a problem, I have to resort to sites that show games but sometimes they look like video from 1983.
 
danmand said:
Thanks for the responses. I am still a bit confused: The lady at Cogeco said that she is sending a receiver to me for "basic" (non HD) cable.

It also looks to me that my TV already picks up HD channels as 53.35, 53.43 off the analog cable.
Click to expand...

that basic digital box is not HD. It just decodes the digital signal so it can be displayed on the tv. the picture is suppose to be a bit better but not a heck of a lot of difference in my opinion but you get all additional digital features I mentioned.
 
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