Analog Cable

[dorfd1]

How come cable does not have to go all digital in june?

[Koz]

Because the law only applies to publicly owned airwaves, and thus, only broadcast television.

[dorfd1]

Because the law only applies to publicly owned airwaves, and thus, only broadcast television.

I also thought hte law required that cell phones be digital only.

[tcusta00]

It's only for a certain parts of the analog spectrum. More information here:

http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html

[BattleZone]

Because cable isn't OTA. Though we wouldn't be able to have HD OTA without going to digital (there isn't enough bandwidth to provide analog HD with the existing channel frequency blocks), that's not the only reason for the move to digital. Other parts included the selling off of the frequencies used by channels over UHF 51 (52-69) to be used for state and federal emergency radio services and for commercial use to phone companies to provide wireless broadband Internet access.

Cable is its own system, and doesn't have to worry about any of that. What they DO have to worry about is all of their customers with analog TVs who don't want to pay for cable boxes at each TV. But... they also at some point need to reclaim that analog bandwidth, as they can provide 3-5 digital HD stations for every analog channel they eliminate. Most cable franchises have been slowly moving stations into their "digital tiers", requiring cable boxes, over the last few years, and many will move to all-digital systems over the next couple of years.

[dorfd1]

I know someone with cable who get hd locals and sub stations and on demand preview station without a box.

[machavez00]

In Phoenix, Cox is slowly moving channels into the "digital tier" and soon there will be nothing left but the locals.

[jpl]

I know someone with cable who get hd locals and sub stations and on demand preview station without a box.

Yes, most cable companies offer their local channels 'in the clear' - that is unencrypted. As a result, if you have a TV with a QAM tuner you can get in those channels without the need for a set top box or cable card. For example, I have FiOS, and I get locals (sd and hd), local access channels, local digital subchannels, Weatherscan Local, TV Guide channel, and all my digital music channels (they carry both Music Choice and Urge Radio) in the clear - I can get them all in on a TV with a QAM tuner.

As others have said, cable companies are moving more and more to digital because of space - analog takes up alot of it. Although there are some cable companies that WERE required to eliminate all analogs by yesterday, but the reason has nothing to do with the analog OTA shut-off. On 7/1/07 a new FCC regulation went into effect governing cable boxes. The FCC now requires that all cable boxes have separable security - that is, the security mechanism, which does things like decodes the encrypted channels, has to be removable from the box. Smaller cable outfits who requested it were granted a temporary waiver - 1 year for advanced boxes (e.g. HD DVRs) and 2 years for basic boxes (e.g. SD STBs). In exchange for that waiver, however, the FCC required that said companies eliminate all analogs prior to 2/17/09. Verizon is one such company which requested, and was granted, that waiver, which is one reason they got rid of all their analogs this past fall.

[dorfd1]

did time warner cable cincinnati have to eliminate all analogs?

[Cholly]

did time warner cable cincinnati have to eliminate all analogs?

Quick answer: NO. If all locals in your market have gone to digital, then Time Warner will be converting those channels to analog. It is possible that they will require you to rent a cable box to receive some content. Check their web site.