Comcast signal

I have an analog tuner in my one computer and now (within the past couple months) I am require to use the Comcast DTA box.... I was thinking about upgrading to a digital tuner but I can't find if Comcast's signal is scrambled or if a QAM tuner would work without the box... any ideas?

You'll only get channels that make up Comcast's "basic cable" tier for your area with a digital QAM tuner, although the local broadcast channels should be in HD. Everything not on the basic tier will be scrambled (or will be very soon if your area just switched to DTAs). You can find a listing of the clear channels here that a digital tuner will be able to get. Take a look at the upcoming CableCard tuners from Ceton or SiliconDust for an option to capture from a single PCIe card. Unfortunately, neither is on the market yet.

thanks glorp... that was kind of what i thought... guess i will just have to make due with the box.

Have you considered netflix/blockbuster in combination with say a digital antenna and hulu desktop? I'm don't have comcast, I have Cox but going this route will give me damn near everything I watch now, unless you are a sports person then you would miss out quite drastically.

or you could get a cableCARD tuner and record ALL channels, even the encrypted ones, without a STB (and without all the BS of IR blasters)

glorp said:

You'll only get channels that make up Comcast's "basic cable" tier for your area with a digital QAM tuner, although the local broadcast channels should be in HD. Everything not on the basic tier will be scrambled (or will be very soon if your area just switched to DTAs). You can find a listing of the clear channels here that a digital tuner will be able to get. Take a look at the upcoming CableCard tuners from Ceton or SiliconDust for an option to capture from a single PCIe card. Unfortunately, neither is on the market yet.

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I looked at the lineup and am a little confused. So the type is the tuner I would need to recieve those channels without the box they send me right? My current tv has a built in digital tuner and so I can recieve some channels. I am confused about which channels I would recieve if I canceled my Comcast subscription and how to recieve those channels. Any help would be greatly appreciate. I would love to get rid of Comcast tv even to save a few bucks a month. Unfortunately I am stuck with them for my internet as there are really no other providers in my area and I am not too sure about Clearwire yet.

This is a little tricky to answer and I'm not 100% sure I understand the question.

In general what you can get on your TV when it is connected directly to the cable (no STB in between) is also what a digital (QAM) tuner from the likes of SiliconDust, Avermedia, Hauppauge would be able to pick up. That channel list should mirror what you also see listed at the SiliconDust channel list for your cable provider in your zip code area.

However, if you cancel your Comcast TV service entirely and become an Internet-only customer they will probably install a filter on your drop that is intended to restrict TV channels 1-70. That could interfere with your ability to receive some of the digital channels that would otherwise be in the clear. They have the right to do that since you aren't paying for any TV service at all. If you keep the "Basic" service tier then you should receive all the channels that your TV can pick up now (w/o the STB). The Basic tier may be considerably less than you are currently paying so it might be well worth it if that's all you need/want.

You would need a digital tuner to get any of those clear QAM channels from Comcast. I'd suggest something like a Hauppauge HVR-2250 (dual channel) for a PCIe, inside-the-case card or a SiliconDust HDHomeRun if you want a sharable network tuner that sits on your network and can be used by more than one media center/TV.

Hope I'm answering the question you asked. If not maybe clarify what you mean.