QAM tuner Charter Madison Wi

greenhead882 · 12-31-2006, 06:29 PM

Hi All,
Please help. Big Time newbie here!!!
I am looking at Samsung LNS-3251D or LNS-3296D TV's. Neither has a QAM tuner. What is a QAM tuner and what will it do for me? I live in Evansville WI (zip 53536) and have charter basic cable. My plan was to get an HD TV and just use an antenna for the occasional OTA football game and stick with basic cable for everything else. Then I heard about QAM. Will this allow me to get HD on my regular cable? The guy at American TV said I should have QAM in any TV I buy and the guy at Best Buy said I don't need it. Should I reconsider my choice of TV's and find one with QAM?
Thanks for the help!

tigerbangs · 12-31-2006, 08:06 PM

If your cable TV company sends down unencrypted QAM HDTV signals, a QAM-equipped tuner will allow you to watch them. Most Cable TV companies encrypt every digital signal EXCEPT the basic HD local stations ( and the Music Choice audio signals) Anyone who is contemplating purchasing an HDTV set should buy one with an ATSC/QAM tuner, and strongly consider a set with a cablecard slot in it. Although the cable TV companies don't seem to like cablecards, they are a much cheaper way to get digital cable than renting a separate cable TV box from your cable TV company.

Here's what Charted offers in your Zip Code:
780 WMTV-DT - NBC Hi-Def Lifeline
782 WKOW-DT - ABC Hi-Def Lifeline
784 WISC-DT - CBS Hi-Def Lifeline
786 WHA-DT - PBS Hi-Def Lifeline

They may also offer other stations, but that is what the website says...these are the stations that should be unencrypted. You would need a way to get FOX if you are looking for NFL

12-31-2006, 06:29 PM	#1
greenhead882 What is HD? Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2	QAM tuner Charter Madison Wi Hi All, Please help. Big Time newbie here!!! I am looking at Samsung LNS-3251D or LNS-3296D TV's. Neither has a QAM tuner. What is a QAM tuner and what will it do for me? I live in Evansville WI (zip 53536) and have charter basic cable. My plan was to get an HD TV and just use an antenna for the occasional OTA football game and stick with basic cable for everything else. Then I heard about QAM. Will this allow me to get HD on my regular cable? The guy at American TV said I should have QAM in any TV I buy and the guy at Best Buy said I don't need it. Should I reconsider my choice of TV's and find one with QAM? Thanks for the help!

12-31-2006, 08:06 PM	#2
tigerbangs Antenna Maven Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Springfield, MA Age: 54 Posts: 2,116	If your cable TV company sends down unencrypted QAM HDTV signals, a QAM-equipped tuner will allow you to watch them. Most Cable TV companies encrypt every digital signal EXCEPT the basic HD local stations ( and the Music Choice audio signals) Anyone who is contemplating purchasing an HDTV set should buy one with an ATSC/QAM tuner, and strongly consider a set with a cablecard slot in it. Although the cable TV companies don't seem to like cablecards, they are a much cheaper way to get digital cable than renting a separate cable TV box from your cable TV company. Here's what Charted offers in your Zip Code: 780 WMTV-DT - NBC Hi-Def Lifeline 782 WKOW-DT - ABC Hi-Def Lifeline 784 WISC-DT - CBS Hi-Def Lifeline 786 WHA-DT - PBS Hi-Def Lifeline They may also offer other stations, but that is what the website says...these are the stations that should be unencrypted. You would need a way to get FOX if you are looking for NFL __________________ Real men don't use indoor antennas; neither do real women!