[CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

[CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.
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Burnout01 @ 23rd Sep 09:12PM:
[CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

In Evansville, I can get the Local HD Channels on my TV's without the HD-DVR box. I was talking to a sales rep last night about it and asking if it was possible to receive all HD channels over Coax. He told me that I was actually getting those channels over air and my Coax cable was acting as a antenna. He said any channel on my TV that has a number with a -number (04-1), was not coming from Insight. Can anyone confirm this for me? My question is if this is true, then why am I getting CNBC , QVC, and other non-local channels in the 100-** range? I'm wishful thinking that I would love to get all the HD channels on all the TV's in my house.
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Burns11 @ 23rd Sep 11:51PM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

The short answer is that the CSR was lying about the cable acting as an antenna.

The long answer is that cable companies can either send these HD channels down the line unencrypted or encrypt them, most don't seem to bother encrypting local broadcast HD channels, and it seems in this case they didn't bother encrypting CNBC, QVC, etc. Any HD channels you currently cannot get are likely encrypted and can't be opened up or read without a box or cable card.
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Burnout01 @ 24th Sep 09:42AM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

That's what I figured. Thanks for the info.
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anon @ 24th Sep 11:05AM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

said by Burns11 :

The long answer is that cable companies can either send these HD channels down the line unencrypted or encrypt them, most don't seem to bother encrypting local broadcast HD channels.

That isn't exactly correct. The cable companies are required (by the FCC) to send the local broadcast HD channels unencrypted. Any other channels are usually encrypted although I've seen lots of stuff (PPV, including adult stuff) that wasn't encrypted but should have been.

And for the OP's information, Insight uses a piece of equipment called a cherry picker (no, not the basket truck) that extracts the broadcast PSIP information from the over the air channel and reinserts it (along with the mapped channel number) so that the cable subscriber with a TV with a digital tuner sees it with the some information as it shows for an OTA viewer.

I have no idea of why Insight does not give that information to their CSRs. Most CSRs will tell you that your need their box to get the local HD stations which is not true.
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dishrich @ 24th Sep 03:17PM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

said by John_H :

And for the OP's information, Insight uses a piece of equipment called a cherry picker (no, not the basket truck) that extracts the broadcast PSIP information from the over the air channel and reinserts it (along with the mapped channel number) so that the cable subscriber with a TV with a digital tuner sees it with the some information as it shows for an OTA viewer.

Are they FINALLY doing that now - they sure weren't when we had them before cc.

I have no idea of why Insight does not give that information to their CSRs. Most CSRs will tell you that your need their box to get the local HD stations which is not true.

Uh, because Insight makes MORE $$$ to rent you THEIR box. ;)
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Burnout01 @ 25th Sep 12:44PM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

Thanks for the info. I sure wish they would send all their HD Channels unencrypted. But I know they would lose money on the DVR rentals.
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dishrich @ 25th Sep 05:49PM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

said by Burnout01 :

But I know they would lose money on the DVR rentals.

But that is NOT the only reason - if they did NOT encrypt HD channels above limited basic, how do you think they would be able to "tier" all those other HD channels? Even if they only had ONE tier of HD channels above limited, there's really no practical way to prevent limited subs from getting ALL the HD's. (they could trap, but that gets complicated trying to keep all those HD channels within a trapped range) But the fact is, since they also have the HD's in different tiers, their is just no other way to do this.
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Bleeeargh @ 25th Sep 11:17PM:
Re: [CATV] Local HD Channels over Coax.

The actual reason for the encryption revolves around the legal requirement to protect the copyright of the owner of the programming. This is the same reason for the HDCP (High Definition Copyright Protection) built into all HDMI connections. If you were able to take a High Definition, low loss movie and recieve it with a simple tuner with no need to unencrypt the signal, what would stop you from recording the same signal onto a DVD? It is not the cable companies driving this need for encryption, it is the large movie studios and the RIAA. I wont argue that the cable companies benefit in some ways from the ability to limit who gets their signal, but that is also their right. They pay the fees to receive and rebroadcast those signals. They pay to install thousands of miles of cable and fiber to get it to your neighborhood. They pay many of your neighbors to sell, maintain and service that cable. Without encryption the incidence of theft of service would be much worse than it already is. It is a necessary evil required to protect their investment.
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