Time Warner question regarding internet-only plans (Charlotte, Welcome: power lines, house, rooftop)
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I currently live in the Bay Area, but I'm moving to Charlotte this summer. We use comcast out here, and I'm an internet-only subscriber. However, even though I don't pay for any cable channels, if I plug my tv into the cable outlet I can still get basic channels in HD quality. From what I heard, when they run the data into the house for cable internet, they can't 'shut off' the cable (or maybe they can, but they'd have to go house to house to do it, and it's not worth it for them).
Has anybody had success with this if they're internet-only with Time Warner? If not, I'll likely stick with an antenna - but it's easier and more attractive to just have it plugged into the wall.
With an antenna you will be able to get all the locals in HD. If the signal is not blocked by TWC, it will be their broadcast cable which is the lowest tier and is not in HD.
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Has anybody had success with this if they're internet-only with Time Warner? If not, I'll likely stick with an antenna - but it's easier and more attractive to just have it plugged into the wall.
Keep in mind that last November, the FCC changed the rules where cable companies no longer have to provide local broadcast channels in the clear. So most likely they will all move towards requiring set top boxes for even their basic broadcast subscribers. People leeching these channels off their Internet only plans will lose them.
TWC is running full DOCSIS 3.0 here along with SDV so your ability to pick up unencrypted QAM, my guess, will vary depending upon where you live in the county.
Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware that the FCC did that. I'll likely just stick with the antenna then.
When I looked at pricing options, I thought it was odd that Time Warner required a box for every tv even if I subscribed to basic tv. Their broadcast tv package is only $10 extra if you get turbo internet ($65/month bundle instead of $55/month internet-only), which I thought was reasonable. Then I realized it's an extra ~$10/month for each box, and $25 one-time fee for each box over 2. So if I have 4 tv's, it'd be $50 up front plus $50/month just for broadcast tv without a dvr.
Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware that the FCC did that. I'll likely just stick with the antenna then.
When I looked at pricing options, I thought it was odd that Time Warner required a box for every tv even if I subscribed to basic tv. Their broadcast tv package is only $10 extra if you get turbo internet ($65/month bundle instead of $55/month internet-only), which I thought was reasonable. Then I realized it's an extra ~$10/month for each box, and $25 one-time fee for each box over 2. So if I have 4 tv's, it'd be $50 up front plus $50/month just for broadcast tv without a dvr.
That pricing seems off. I just signed up for Turbo last month and the total monthly bill is 49 and change. This is internet only as I have Directv.
Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware that the FCC did that. I'll likely just stick with the antenna then....:
Indeed. I'm a cord cutter myself and find their internet only product to be excellent. If you are streaming Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, have a Roku, etc, it's more than enough. No caps.
If you put up an antenna you will get somewhere between 25 to 32 channels. Some of these channels are not available on cable anyway (and certainly not satellite).
We do this with our basement TV. We get no signal down there and have yet to put our antenna on the rooftop (huge deal as we need an amplifier and there is no plug where we need it so we will have to run power lines too.....ugh)
So, we plugged in that TV to the cable line and got every OTA channel BUT NBC. There is no NBC to be had. When the Olympics were on we had to go to a TV with an antenna.
Just be aware.
It is still working so far. If the FCC changes things we may finally get our rooftop antenna put up! ;-) Meanwhile we have 2 TVs hooked up to indoor antennas and the 3rd in the basement.
BTW: Welcome to Charlotte. We moved from SoCal several years ago now.
We do this with our basement TV. We get no signal down there and have yet to put our antenna on the rooftop (huge deal as we need an amplifier and there is no plug where we need it so we will have to run power lines too.....ugh)
So, we plugged in that TV to the cable line and got every OTA channel BUT NBC. There is no NBC to be had. When the Olympics were on we had to go to a TV with an antenna.
Just be aware.
It is still working so far. If the FCC changes things we may finally get our rooftop antenna put up! ;-) Meanwhile we have 2 TVs hooked up to indoor antennas and the 3rd in the basement.
BTW: Welcome to Charlotte. We moved from SoCal several years ago now.
If you are actually receiving OTA channels on your basement TV by using the cable wiring in your home as an antenna, then the cable company has nothing to do with it. If you are receiving cable channels on that TV, that may be because you have cable based internet, or the cable company hasn't trapped your line. In that case it has nothing to do with OTA.
Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant to say that we get every channel that can be had over the air except NBC, not that it was indeed OTA reception.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vmaxnc
If you are actually receiving OTA channels on your basement TV by using the cable wiring in your home as an antenna, then the cable company has nothing to do with it. If you are receiving cable channels on that TV, that may be because you have cable based internet, or the cable company hasn't trapped your line. In that case it has nothing to do with OTA.
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