Seeking an EXPERT in Cable-QAM-channels

[levibluewa]

Recently Comcast (Seattle area) shuffled a bunch of the clear QAM channels and 10 are missing. They've done this numerous times in the past but this is the first time that "Add Digital Channels" or "Auto Program" hasn't been able to locate them. I know where they should be and you can input the channel number directily and the set displays the channel, but they're not in the tables...there is no way to label or save them.

Flickr: wetlevis1's Photostream

Comcast customer service is no help. They just want to sell you a set-top box...they have no interest in problem solving. If there is anyone at Comcast that has an inkling what the problem is I haven't been able to find him/her.

Bruce

 

[mike123abc]

I believe the only thing the cable company is required to keep in clear QAM is the local channels. Are these missing channels locals? Or have they started to encrypt their digital tier?

 

[levibluewa]

These are the channels...locals...the channels at 79.+ were missing for a couple of days, then a scan found them, not so with the 80.s ...

As noted above, the scan Add Digital Channels at 1145AM on 8-24-11 found the missing 79. channels: (480i, 4:3)
79.101 KWPX
79.102 KOMO
79.103 KING
79.104 KONG
79.105 CBUT
79.106 KCTS
79.107 KZJO
79.108 KSTW
79.114 KBCB
79.115 KUNS

Still missing are the channels at 80. which are:
80.201 KCPQ
80.202 KIRO
80.203 KFFV
80.204 KWDK
80.205 NWCN
80.206 KBTC
80.207 TVW
80.208 KCTS +
80.209 KTBW
80.215 WEATHERSCAN

 

[The Insider]

Could be a couple things. Either A. They started encrypting the channels. B. They have moved the channels to switched digital format which you will not be able to see without a box. C. They are using a device that us laymans call a "cherry picker" and its designed to constantly move channels around to available bandwidth as needed.

 

[petergmauro@gmail.com]

A little off topic , but, in the same area, :
Why does TiVo require a cable card, but, not ordinary TV's?
I'm wondering.

 

[jayn_j]

Because the cable TV box has a cablecard built in. Otherwise, you are only receiving the few analog channels that are left on your system, and which are being phased out over the next couple of years.

FWIW, the TIVO CAN receive the analog channels without a cablecard.

 

[classicsat]

TiVo uses the cablecard to map QAM channels to VCT numbers for the guide, and to decrypt encrypted channels. An HD model TiVo can work without a cablecard, but only get celar QAM digital channels (in addition to analog and OTA), and record with manual timers.) You can, or at least used to be able to get, TVs which can use a cablecard for the same.