Clear QAM DVR recomendations

GordonThree wrote:
Hauppage WinTV USB comes to mind, along with an old Windows 7 laptop or desktop. Should be cheap on eBay. Following instructions to get the WinTV working and then open up Windows Media Center. Very nice DVR and it's free with Windows 7.

I've been using their device for years, it works, it works with QAM, it works with NTSC, it works with ATSC...

Plus it has scheduling software.

I've loved it... until midnight tonight when my local cable-co encodes all QAM and also discontinues all NTSC content. Then it will need one of their "boxes".

This iView box will do clearQAM, under $50.

Hauppage WinTV USB comes to mind, along with an old Windows 7 laptop or desktop. Should be cheap on eBay. Following instructions to get the WinTV working and then open up Windows Media Center. Very nice DVR and it's free with Windows 7.

That settles it
We don't need any more discussion about what right or wrong

Geeze what a firestorm. Sorry when the cable guy was here and I signed my contract for the internet he told me that since they have clear qam just do a channel scan and you should be able to pick up about 80 channels. Thats what I did

Just for clarity
If you 'cut the cable'
You turn off service and disconnect from the cable outlet
QAM is not broadcast, and broadcast does not have QAM
Yes they are a lot of digital channels, most broadcasters are running several digital sub carriers

Please state if you are using an Antenna or a cable line

This will either justify all the stealing comments
Or stop them

Actually it looks like you are committing a "crime". You say you "cut the cable" and are only paying for Internet.

It appears WOW is your cable company, looking at their pricing structure they charge extra for getting basic channels (which they actually pay a fee to the stations they carry). If you are not paying that fee, you are defrauding them.

just because they provide them to cable subscribers doesn't mean they are free to non-subscribers. when I dropped cable and went Internet only they left them open for a few months then came out and added a filter at the pole to block them

I guess I should have mentioned that currently my provider still has these channels in the clear and I know they can go away which is why I was looking for a low cost dvr for this. I dont plan on sinking a lot of money into this. I already have a Tivo OTA dvr which works great but thought since I am currently getting these other channels that I could also take advantage of it.

Sounds great... We just got the cable boxes here from our cable provider being METROCAST. We use to get all of our channels in the clear before the boxes came out... When they changed over all of those channels went bye bye.... The gave us the first BOX for free and we have to pay a monthly charge for the additional TV we have here. None of my late model TV sets pick up anything here without using the cable boxes...

I suspect they have installed different filters all over the area here to just support the channels their cable boxes look for...

I would almost bet money if I called them saying I was wanting to get the CLEAR QAM signals over their cable network they would have some way to charge me for that...

I did read this online a few minutes ago about the FCC decision in late 2012 on this subject...

"The FCC Decision

Unfortunately for those who rely on ClearQAM for viewing digital cable, the FCC reversed course and ruled in late 2012 that Cable companies can encrypt their Limited Basic offerings. They cited a reduction in CATV theft and reduced onsite support calls as part of their reasoning. The decision will supposedly allow Cable companies to increase their bandwidth allocation for high speed Internet by eliminating the analog transmissions over their cables.

Part of deal requires the Cable companies to make the Limited Basic channels available by Internet Protocol (IP) address so 3rd party devices can still access them. The details of how this will be done are not known yet but will most likely require CableCard use in the devices to decrypt the signal. The Cable companies will also have a moratorium before they can start charging customers for equipment to unencrypt the Limited Basic channels. "

I guess the cable companies can do almost any encryption they want to do now to keep folks from getting the CLEAR QAM signals over their RF cables...

Its their Cable System I reckon...

I think we both know what the local cable TV provider is going to say if you called to ask about using their transmitted CLEAR QAM signals over their RF Cable system.

I just saw the head cable guy driving through our neighborhood a couple of days ago... He knows where we Ham Radio guys live hehe... My neighbor has a home job business going and the company he working for was paying for his top high speed Internet connection. Then he changes companies but the high speed line connection is still up and going.

Roy Ken