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How do you know the signal you're watching via basic cable is HD?
All I know is that the channels I have that come in HD look just as good (if not better) as my friends HD stations that they get on their more expensive TWC package with the cable box. Of course they get more stations and more of those are in HD, but the ones we both have look exactly the same in terms of picture quality. Sorry I can't explain it any better, like I said I am not a techie, but I am positive I am getting HD stations.
On my last family visit my dad "demonstrated" the HD channels he got without a cable box. It looked pretty much HD to me. I know there are also some people who get cable for free (including HD channels) because they get high speed internet and there wasn't a "trap" put on the line. I'm not in that category though.
If I didn't detest TWC I'd sign up for the $12 package and report back - but they're not going to get any more of my money than absolutely necessary! :-)
How do you know the signal you're watching via basic cable is HD? I'm still a little stumped as to how an analog cable signal (basic cable) is delivering a digital HD picture without a set-top box. Just because you're getting the channel doesn't mean you're getting an actual HD signal.
You're looking at this the wrong way -- there's nothing special about a digital signal that prevents it from being delivered over coaxial cables. After all, the coaxial cable is delivering the (scrambled) digital signal to your set-top box, and the set-top box is merely unscrambling it. Many HDTVs (mine included) have a built-in QAM tuner that allows them to receive the unscrambled digital signals, which includes all the local digital signals, hi-def included.
Look at it another way...I'm getting channels 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, etc. This is proof positive that I'm getting at least standard-definition digital (if not hi-def) signal reception, since analog channels don't use the decimal point protocol.
And how do I know they're hi-def versus standard-def digital? That's easily determined just by comparing the standard definition picture to the hi-def picture of the same broadcast (e.g. channel 5.1 versus 5.2) -- the difference is huge. And, failing that, my TV displays a readout of the signal type, whether its 480P or 720P.
You CAN get HD channels over cable without a set top box. This is achieved by a QAM tuner. A QAM tuner is built in most HDTV's sold today and can receive unencrypted HD content over cable. I believe there is a law that forces cable companies to deliver certain hd channels (such as the national major networks) over cable unencrypted. This probably has to due with the fact that you can also receive these channels via an ATSC tuner over a regular antenna. Hopefully this clears it up.
Cool. I'm going to have to play around with my one HDTV that has no cable box and figure out how to get HD signals on it with cable. I'm stumped as to how to tune into them using something other than TWC's assigned SD channel (e.g. Channel 3 for WRAL instead of 5.1). Any tips?
Cool. I'm going to have to play around with my one HDTV that has no cable box and figure out how to get HD signals on it with cable. I'm stumped as to how to tune into them using something other than TWC's assigned SD channel (e.g. Channel 3 for WRAL instead of 5.1). Any tips?
I believe you run the TV's "scan" capability - it should find the extra channels.
If you take the coax and hook it into a new TV with an ASTC tuner it will pick up digital unencrypted HDTV stations.
The way the channel lineup works without a box is stupid and hard to use, since the same channels shows up 3 times, analog, digital, Think 14, 14-1 and 76-2, but it's there.
If you want the pay for HDTV you need to have a cable card or the TWC box.
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