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Don't quote me on this, but I believe you should be able to pick up any channel that doesn't require their cable box or a cablecard to pick it up. I tried my ISP's cable box and thought it was crap (except for the built in DVR) Never had a tuner card but always wanted one.
I hope that might point you in a better direction.
Pretty much everything except local stations will be encrypted. That's how they control what stations you get, especially based on the channels you paid for. I believe the only common way to use a computer for encrypted stations is to get a cablecard device.
I use a HDHomerun, which is pretty cool, as it is a networked device. All systems on the network can use it.
On our cable system there's like 60 or 70 channels over analog, no box required. You need the box for the digital channels, special services etc. Since it's legal in our state to split cable in your own household you can use the box on one TV and still run cable to other TV's for the analog channels. Easiest way to find out if you have analog is plug the cable right into the TV and see what it finds.
Otherwise you'll need to use the output from the cable box to whatever inputs on PC tuner. AFAIK there is no PC tuners compatible with digital cable systems, it has to be run through the cable box first just like you would run it to the TV.
On our cable system there's like 60 or 70 channels over analog, no box required. You need the box for the digital channels, special services etc. Since it's legal in our state to split cable in your own household you can use the box on one TV and still run cable to other TV's for the analog channels. Easiest way to find out if you have analog is plug the cable right into the TV and see what it finds.
Otherwise you'll need to use the output from the cable box to whatever inputs on PC tuner. AFAIK there is no PC tuners compatible with digital cable systems, it has to be run through the cable box first just like you would run it to the TV.
So the cable box decrypts the signal for the tuner which allows the tuner to display the decrypted channels?
This is what I keep hoping for, but can't seem to find the answer. I didn't think it was a tough question, so either it is or it's such a dumb question that no one thinks to add the info to their sites.
Sometimes these things do get complicated. I think what I would do is test to see if the channels I want come in when the cable is connected directly to a common TV set. The tuner in a TV card should be able to find a similar set of stations. It obviously can't unscramble or anything like that, so I'd test for likelihood of success with a TV.
So the cable box decrypts the signal for the tuner which allows the tuner to display the decrypted channels?
This is what I keep hoping for, but can't seem to find the answer. I didn't think it was a tough question, so either it is or it's such a dumb question that no one thinks to add the info to their sites.
The easiest way to find out what channels on your service are available unencrypted? Hook your cable line directly to your TV, no cable box, do a channel scan, then see what you have, you usually will end up with your locals, plus the analog channels for TBS, USA, TNT, maybe discovery, TLC, the history channel, etc, I have about 40-50 channels I can get without an STB.
No matter what you have today, it could well change in 2011, when cable companies are freed to stop sending any analog channels. When that happens, your little tuner will be stuck with whatever's on Clear QAM.
The Time-Warner cable system here only sends local broadcasters in Clear QAM, which amounts to about 10 channels, in addition to 50-60 analog channels and hundreds of encrypted digital channels. IMO, the cable company would love to go back to making customers pay for a set-top box on every TV and most of them will drop analog as soon as it's legally possible to do so.
The easiest way to find out what channels on your service are available unencrypted? Hook your cable line directly to your TV, no cable box, do a channel scan, then see what you have, you usually will end up with your locals, plus the analog channels for TBS, USA, TNT, maybe discovery, TLC, the history channel, etc, I have about 40-50 channels I can get without an STB.
We have a TV set up like this and are satisfied that we will be able to record enough channels to be happy. This is what I thought would happen, but wanted to be sure before spending any money on a card. I know I wasn't asking the questions in a very clear manner, but some things just seem to throw me.
^^^^^^^^^ 2011 sounds like it might throw a monkey wrench into things.
I forgot about the 2011 thing, What Bowie said will likely happen, any way they can squeeze another dime out of their customers.
The other 2 tuner options right now are to feed the STB to the PC tuner and have it control channel changing, or purchase a certified Media Center PC which includes a cable card tuner (you can't purchase them standalone), then you have to rent a cable card from your provider.
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