Dropping ALL analog signal

[DJ Rob]

They did their conversion in my area a couple of weeks ago. I was getting channels 2-78 in analog subscribing to basic cable. We got about a month advance notice that we needed to pick up converter boxes and then only channels 2-22 are now left in analog. So they can do it pretty quickly. Only our local OTA channels are unencrypted QAM and the rest require a converter box from Comcast.

[yaz96]

What is the point of Comcast encrypting non-premium channels? The huge PR cost would seem to far outweigh the possible extra profits from forcing people to rent STBs.

The main reason is to increase bandwidth. By switching analog channels to digital they are increasing bandwidth for other channels, internet speed, etc. The digital channels require a box that can convert them for your TV.

And of course, to help prevent cable theft.

[DanLee]

Does anyone know why they cannot provide HD feeds through these converter boxes? Or is it that they don't want to?

[meinename]

Does anyone know why they cannot provide HD feeds through these converter boxes? Or is it that they don't want to?

The DTAs only have an RF. Ch 3-4 analog output on them.

The why of Comcast not providing a unencrypted digital feed breaks down to these points:
Clear QAM are considered unsecure. Hollywood channel contracts demands and require the channels be transmitted securely. Hollywood won't agree to an HD channel being carried without encryption. Comcast prides itself (to Hollywood) as having the most secure cable network. The head office where I live flags every non-OTA channel to be copyprotected (thereby locking the recording to the unit that recorded it) on the analog outs of every cable box.

QAM channel encoders are not cheap, nor are they small. If you want one as a consumer ZeeVee is the only company who will talk to you. Zpro 250 starts at $900.
The Zpro unit is the size of a 1U network switch.

EDIT: thanks for reminding me. Apparently Engadget missed the release of the Zbox 170. But It can only do one source and is limited to 720p60, no 1080i/p
The Zbox 150 was $700 at release I believe. However all the 150 did was put your PC monitor on a QAM channel.

The supposed good news:
The compromise the FCC and the cable co. Along with Dish and DirecTV are working on a standard to replace CableCard and tru2way with will be a server that outputs the channels over Ethernet unencrypted.
The bad news is like CableCard and tru2way (the naysayer in me says) it will take 10 years before anything will make it to demostrations like CES let alone go into production.

[daveh505@comcast.net]

As I understand it the Local affiliate's HD signal is not provided by Comcast, the HD signal somehow "piggy-backs" on the cable so that any LCD TV that has a 'QAM' tuner can pick up the signal from your cable and display it in HD. Comcast Tech support says that Comcast has nothing to do with the affliate's HD signal and did not appear to be concerned about its use.
I have two LCD TVs with DTAs and am able to display the affiliate's HD signal by using a antenna/cable switch and a duplex splitter.
The signal first goes through a duplex splitter and is split between the DTA and the antenna side of a antenna/cable switch. The signal that goes through the DTA is then routed into the cable side of the antenna/cable switch. If I want to watch the affiliates in HD all I do is switch the antenna/cable switch to 'antenna' and make sure I have auto searched all of the HD signals. Since your TV is set to channel "3 or 4" to use the DTA you never have to auto search more than once. If I want to use the DTA to watch TV I switch the antenna/cable switch to cable and am ready to go.
I hope this is clear as mud.

[jayn_j]

As I understand it the Local affiliate's HD signal is not provided by Comcast, the HD signal somehow "piggy-backs" on the cable so that any LCD TV that has a 'QAM' tuner can pick up the signal from your cable and display it in HD. Comcast Tech support says that Comcast has nothing to do with the affliate's HD signal and did not appear to be concerned about its use.
I have two LCD TVs with DTAs and am able to display the affiliate's HD signal by using a antenna/cable switch and a duplex splitter.
The signal first goes through a duplex splitter and is split between the DTA and the antenna side of a antenna/cable switch. The signal that goes through the DTA is then routed into the cable side of the antenna/cable switch. If I want to watch the affiliates in HD all I do is switch the antenna/cable switch to 'antenna' and make sure I have auto searched all of the HD signals. Since your TV is set to channel "3 or 4" to use the DTA you never have to auto search more than once. If I want to use the DTA to watch TV I switch the antenna/cable switch to cable and am ready to go.
I hope this is clear as mud.

Well, that's the theory. In reality, cable operators change the mapping of the QAM pass through channels every few months in order to meet their bandwidth needs. In addition, several members have reported that their local systems have totally removed the QAM feeds and now require a box to receive locals.

I didn't think the latter case was legal, but the operators seem to be getting away with it.

[berck]

As I understand it the Local affiliate's HD signal is not provided by Comcast, the HD signal somehow "piggy-backs" on the cable so that any LCD TV that has a 'QAM' tuner can pick up the signal from your cable and display it in HD. Comcast Tech support says that Comcast has nothing to do with the affliate's HD signal and did not appear to be concerned about its use.

Yes and no. The Local's provide a more raw digital feed to the Cable company. The Cable company still puts the QAM modulation on it to put it up on a cable channel. They can easily encrypt it if they wanted too.