cableric
join:2008-12-03
Castle Rock, CO
| reply to AVonGauss
Re: Digital Transport Adapter Unboxing Photos
Yep. If they don't get the go ahead for P.M. expect trapping on a fairly large scale. |
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luckystreich
join:2005-11-05
Hartford, CT
 ·NETPLEX
| reply to ViRGEdx
So if someone had the new Digital Economy package....where you get Basic channels + select Expanded channels (ex. USA, CNN, Fox News, Disney) simulcast digitally....
could you use the DTA for a 2nd or 3rd TV?
Would you be able to receive the Music Choice channels too? |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| said by luckystreich  :So if someone had the new Digital Economy package....where you get Basic channels + select Expanded channels (ex. USA, CNN, Fox News, Disney) simulcast digitally.... could you use the DTA for a 2nd or 3rd TV? Would you be able to receive the Music Choice channels too? I have no idea as to what the "Digital Economy" package is. Our lowest package is Digital Starter, which is effectively expanded basic + about a dozen more channels. Anyhow, the DTA would be able to receive the Digital Starter lineup, it does not get the music channels however. |
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Travelfan1
RIP Analog Go Digital
join:2005-08-23
Iselin, NJ | VIRGEdx, that's what the package is in NJ:
»NJ: Digital Economy Package - 12/01/08 |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| Nah, that's a good deal smaller than our Digital Starter package. Excluding the Limited Basic channels, I get something like 50 additional channels. Your economy package is much smaller. |
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sansri88
Go digtal you analog laggards
Premium
join:2005-12-17
New York, NY
clubs:  | No, those are two different tiers.
We also have Digital Starter, but they started offering the Digital Economy as well. |
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luckystreich
join:2005-11-05
Hartford, CT
·NETPLEX
| reply to ViRGEdx
said by ViRGEdx :Nah, that's a good deal smaller than our Digital Starter package. Excluding the Limited Basic channels, I get something like 50 additional channels. Your economy package is much smaller. So minus the Music choice, could the DTA tune in the other channels in the Digital Economy pkg? |
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narunetto
@comcast.net | reply to ViRGEdx
Do you know when Seattle will be going to do this? Also, since everything is supposedly going to be put in the clearQAM then doesnt that mean if you have the lowest package, you might be able to get some of the channels if you have limited basic? |
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cableric
join:2008-12-03
Castle Rock, CO
| said by narunetto :
Do you know when Seattle will be going to do this? Also, since everything is supposedly going to be put in the clearQAM then doesnt that mean if you have the lowest package, you might be able to get some of the channels if you have limited basic?
Dec. 15th |
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lupus
join:2001-08-01
Bellevue, WA | reply to ViRGEdx
Currently, I have only expanded basic. I'm also using MythTV with two analog capture cards and an HDHomerun for recording in the clear HD broadcasts on my Mac.
Anyone know if these will still work? |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | The DTA doesn't support encryption yet so it those channels will be in Clear QAM. Thats if the FCC grants them a waiver that allows them to turn on the privacy mode. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs: | reply to ViRGEdx
When Kevin Martin is out of the FCC, they will probably allow Privacy Mode encryption.
 |
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sansri88
Go digtal you analog laggards
Premium
join:2005-12-17
New York, NY
clubs: | Kevin Martin needs to gtfo and let these cable companies do what they need to remove analog, add more HD, and keep it not that expensive.
removable security compliance was the worst thing i've seen. |
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AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL
| In fairness, it wasn't Kevin Martin's decision - it goes back over a decade ago. The original intent was to create an open market for the STB that would allow consumers to purchase affordable boxes and not pay monthly rental fees. Which, ironically, is one of the challenges cable companies are now facing attempting to go digital - all those customers without a cable box. |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| reply to ViRGEdx
I have some more hidden diagnostics pages. The following pages are accessed by pressing 1-2-3 once you're already in the diagnostic menu.
The first page, the channel table, could be very interesting as an alternative to needing to hunt for channels whenever Comcast moves something. However I have no idea how to get to the additional pages of it; the channel buttons instead go to the next diagnostic page. |
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Chaldo
join:2008-03-18
West Bloomfield, MI
1 edit | reply to ViRGEdx
Ok a couple questions, I live in Michigan and they are doing this pretty soon, first what is privacy mode? Second I have a honest question I will prob get a answer that I will expect, but If you pay for a digital preferred or a premier (higher) packages, and pay the higher price, Why do they have to charge your min 6.95 for every tv you want to watch it on. I thought you pay the higher price, you should get the extra channels you pay for on every tv maybe a 1-2 dollar charge on the boxes, but why 7? Why not let us buy are own digital boxes like they do HSI modems. To me its all a money game. I also want to know these DTA's ( I will have to get ) so I get 2 free, and pay 1.99 for the extra other tv I have and Im set? So they actually have to activate these (lol) Im going to laugh when I go to work at the liquor store one day in detroit and watch all the customers walk in "YO MAN I WOKE UP TODAY AND MY STOLEN CABLE DON'T WORK NO MORE THEY F'ED US OVER MY MAN" Can't wait.
So yeah Wanted to know why?
edit: one more question, do newer tvs have the power to switch from digital to analog while just plugging in the cable wire? Like do they have DTA's built in or some sort of thing that does this. I would think so, or are they planning in the near future to do this, It would just make things like it is now with no worries. I can also see the cable companies getting greedy and tvs not doing this because now they have a new thing to make money off of, RENT BOXES LOL! |
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miscDude
join:2005-03-24
Hendersonville, NC
| There are currently a number of TV's on the market currently with QAM tuners built in to allow them to tune clear-qam stations. Currently, that is what the DTA's are doing, tuning the clear qam stations.
Privacy mode encryption is a really basic encryption method. while I don't know the specifics, think of it as almost a rot-13 type of encryption where things are scrambled just enough to prevent someone from just picking it up, but it's not as tight and secure as the regular encryption used on your current cable box. (currently it's used on things like porn VOD to keep someone from getting porn in the clear)
One of the primary reasons encryption is used is because of demands by content companies that an MSO "protect" their content. As things go digital, there is the fear by the content companies that people would be able to steal too-high a quality copy of thier content. It is also used by the MSO's as a way of creating different service levels without the need for old-school RF traps on a line.
The FCC mandated that cable-co's seperate the security functions of their boxes from the tuning aspects. This is what brought us the cablecard. Today because of the cost, and low adoption rates of cablecards by consumers purchasing cable-card enabled devices, there are very few options available on the market for devices you can purchase and decrypt encrypted cable channels. These days your options are limited to TiVO's and usually higher-end TV's. The biggest problem with the cablecard spec is it did not address the 2-way capabilities of the modern cable plant. As a result, all current cablecard devices are one-way only, which prevents you from getting things like VoD or other interactive services. Tru2Way which is starting to be deployed should remedy this by allowing you to purchase 2-way capable cablecard devices. I've heard of the first DVR's coming sometime during the first quarter 09.
In many ways, the MSO's would like to get rid of (or at least, scale down massively) the need for customers to rent a full-fledge cable box from them. The overhead required in maintaining, repairing, stocking, and staffing the internal support structure for those boxes mean that it is not as large a profit generator as many people may think. Something I like to point out to people is that with a standard def box you tend to pay $6-$9/mo for the box rental fee. That includes your guide information. With a Tivo you pay around $7/mo for their guide. The guide isn't free and there are licensing costs involved to provide it (as well as the macrovision and other royalties that are paid). The monthly costs you pay for the guide to either an MSO or a 3rd party like TiVO tend to be pretty comperable. (And that doesn't get into the attempts to recoup the cost of the equiptment or it's back-end overhead in MSO box rental)
Does this answer some of your questions? |
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Chaldo
join:2008-03-18
West Bloomfield, MI | Yea thanks, just was wondering if you where saying that companies would most likely have you not have a box for every tv because its a hassle or they would? |
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miscDude
join:2005-03-24
Hendersonville, NC
| Ultimately you will probably end up needing some type of box for each TV to receive the full lineup of your cable plan, the form that box takes however may be different than what we see today.
Analog is going away. That's pretty much a given. Cable is also the only pay-tv provider that does not currently require a seperate box for each TV. As the Analog goes away, you will need some type of box.
The current plan is the DTA's will help replace the analog "expanded basic" functionality of your "extra" sets currently in a much cheaper format. Think of this as Comcast equivalent of the OTA boxes you can get coupons for.
Now the box you will need for each TV could be a comcast provided box, a tru2way device, a DTA, A clear-QAM TV, and a current-gen Cablecard device. MSO's are attempting to get away from the RF Traps because they require a truck-roll anytime a service change is made, and they can also cause problems with your service. (Trap goes bad, or gets forgotten about, and you all of a sudden have MAJOR RF issues in your home). RF Traps also aren't precise. While they block completely the channels they are designed to block, they will also have an effect on adjacent channels. In the analog world this wasn't that big a deal because at worst you might see a slightly snowy-er picture on the advancent channel. In the digital systems it could cause major macro-blocking or no picture at all problems on any channel being carried on that RF channel. Plus, RF traps are expensive since they have to be custom ordered by the MSO based off their frequency plan and needs. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| Well as of today, you can now own a new 500GB MOXI DVR.
That is if you want to spend $799 for it's award winning interface and know that you *own* it.
»www.amazon.com/Digeo-Interactive···1GQ8MT8/
Product Description
You've just bought a brand-new HD TV to go with a digital cable subscription. Now it's time to get the most out of it. The Moxi HD DVR is the perfect companion, bringing together content from your digital cable provider, your PC, and the Internet for display on your TV. You'll access it all through the Moxi Menu, the only user interface with HD graphics and an Emmy® Award. Designed to work with a Multi-Stream CableCARD, the Moxi HD DVR goes beyond a 500 GB HD DVR to deliver a music jukebox, photo display, game arcade and news browser, all with no monthly fees. The Moxi Menu gives you the power features you want with an interface that feels familiar after just a few minutes. The one-level menu, with the addition of turbo scroll, makes it easy to find content, and the Mini TV let's you keep an eye on your current show. TV 'Filters' such as HD, News, Kids, Movies, Sports, and Music let you browse just the types of programs you're interested in, and a preview panel makes it easy to see what's on next. In full screen TV, the Flip Bar gives you a mini program guide to browse your other options. The Moxi HD DVR lets you search by Title, by Category, or by Keyword. You can record one show while watching another, or record two shows while playing back a third. Record individual shows or entire series, or first run shows only. You'll find all of your recorded shows in one list for easy access and management. The Moxi HD DVR also turns your TV into an HD photo display and music jukebox. Enjoy photos and music from your PC or access content from Flickr® or Finetune. Associating your PC's playlists with a photo slideshow creates a truly multimedia experience. With SuperTickerTM and MoxiNet, you'll have two ways to browse Internet content like news, sports, financial and entertainment info, weather, and local listings like movie times. You've got your HD TV; now, unleash your HD life with a Moxi HD DVR. For more information, please visit www.moxi.com. |
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