skydiver38 on 22 Jan 2009 13:50:06 -0800


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Re: [PLUG] Verizon FiOS?

I think some of the confusion stems from the fact that while ideally you don't need to do anything if you have cable, the cable companies are using the switch-over to move their "analog" channels to digital.  You need their converter box to view their digital channels (although Alex mentioning that he uses cablecards and no boxes for FIOS confuses me - I'm not aware that that's even an option in my area).
 
The cable companies moving their analog channels to digital has nothing to do with the federal mandate - it's just a "convenient" time for them to do it.
 
I'm not aware of which channels Comcast is or is not "moving", but when they move enough for me to need converters on my non-HD TVs, then the decision to switch to FIOS will be that much easier...
 
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Eric Hidle <eric.hidle@gmail.com>
The digital switch has nothing to do with cable networks. Cable networks are not required to transmit all-digital - only over-the-air broadcasters are.

If you have cable, there is nothing you need to do.
E


On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 4:08 PM, Art Alexion <art.alexion@gmail.com> wrote:
On Thursday 22 January 2009 03:26:54 pm Michael Schultheiss wrote:
> Art Alexion wrote:
> > On Thursday 22 January 2009 02:06:38 pm skydiver38@comcast.net wrote:
> > > I've been considering the switch myself, and the only real drawback is
> > > needing multiple decoder boxes.
> >
> > It is my understanding that after the digital switch (which may or may
> > not have been postponed) that you will need multiple decoder boxes for
> > Comcast as well.  From what a friend at Comcast tells me the signal that
> > is passed through a splitter is analog only.
>
> The digital switch only affects over the air (broadcast) signals.  Cable
> (whether analog or digital) or satellite is not affected.

Partly right.  I don't understand completely, mostly because, being cable-
free, it didn't affect me and I only partly paid attention.  In my
understanding, Comcast will also make some sort of switch. Listening to the
questions of other friends when he was explaining this, those with digital
cable who used splitters to feed some of their TVs were getting an analog
signal past that splitter.  Perhaps what he meant was that digital subscribers
would no longer be able to use a splitter.  Where you are correct is probably
that analog subscribers will still be OK.

I really don't want to pretend to speak authoritatively on this for the
foregoing reason, but I would check this out if you are using splitters for
multiple TVs.

I had rabbit ears before, and will probably invest in a new bow tie, though my
converter boxes are working fine with my rickety rabbit ears.
 
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