Cox digital question

erndog105

I have Cox cable analog only, no digital and no box. Signal out of wall cable only. How am I able to receive digital music stations along with CBS, PBS and FOX digital? I thought I needed a digital box of some kind.

robertva

May be a combination of cable provider not bothering to encrypt those channels and not having a filter to block them where your household feed connects to the system. At some point that filter may have been removed to permit cable broadband internet services.

Even though technicaly feasable, you might not be legaly entitled to view or listen to channels you don't subscribe to, particularly those TV and commercial free music services that are originating out of your local area. If your TV has such features you should use the parental controls to lock those channels off.

Does your TV have a digital QAM tuner? In Hampton Roads Virginia, local digital programs, satelitte HD chanels and Music Choice are ALL on channels with numbers above 700, which is well above the numbers mere NTSC cable ready tuners will accept.

Satillite HD and local digital services:
Where programming duplicates analog channels in Hampton Roads they are assigned to analog channel assignments plus 700. There are different converter models for SD and HD digital service with higher rental fee for the HD model. SD converter produces audio with a blank screen when tuned to 7xx block channels. Current quantity of Hampton Roads local digital channels available over cable is significantly smaller than the quantity available with an antenna.

Music Choice:

SD still images describing the playing track with stereo over sound track in Hampton Roads channels in 900s.

FranksPlace2

There is requirement that Cable providers provide local SD channels "free." Some claim it also applies to local HD channels but others say no. In any case, the general practice is HD local channels are provide unencrypted.

I believe you have every right to watch (or listen to) any signal the cable supplier delivers unencrypted to your home. It is up to the cable company to restrict supply (by encryption) if they want people to pay extra.

robertva

After buying an HD TV are you so tapped out you can't afford Cox's modest monthly fee for digital service and monthly converter/remote rental? Even if having the converter gives you On Demand service?

Gee, Cox Hampton Roads doesn't provice the secondary SD channel for WAVY (24/7 weather radar display) free. Actually you can only view it through an antenna.

And among the digital signals of the local TV broadcasters, more are NOT available in ANY Cox Hampton Roads programming tier than are avilable. Amoung all the local broadcasters, only the CBS and PBS affiliate's HD signals are currently available through the cable.

Must Carry channels aren't really free, they are just required to be part of the basic service tier. And since WAVY and WVBT (two Hampton Roads broadcasters with the same owners) both breifly disapeared from Cox's cable lineup over a cable channel assignment disagreement a few years ago, the local broadcasters apparently have an optional "Can't Carry" privledge as well.

Note that Cox did bring local news reporters along when they visited some Chesapeake residents with police officers bearing search warrants. Some of those residents were ticketed for viewing channels they weren't subscribing to. Apparently the channel playing on their TVs destroyed any credability in their claim that they didn't know the filters had disapeared from their coax drops. But if you like risks...

erndog105

I am not too cheap to sign up for HD. First, I just got the TV and am researching whether or not to stay with Cox ( which I do not like because they are old technology compared to Time Werner) or go with a dish providor. Second, I have contacted Cox tech. support asking how this is happening, so they are on notice, third, they are sending the signal into my house, without me doing anything so I see this as mine to use as I see fit and lastly, I have a son who is a lawyer who would love to fight them in court if they come after me.
I am just trying to learn as much as I can after investing what I have so I can get the best return for my investment. Thanks for eveyones response.