Can i buy a cable box and get cable card for local tv channels

[JackMDS]

I am Not sure but, what you are trying to do might be illegal.

 

[Jaques]

You may have misunderstood me if im already paying for cable and wanted to buy my own box to just watch local channels in a different room your saying thats illegal

 

[paperfist]

Usually depends on the provider.

You might not even need a card if your provider offers an ap to watch over the internet you can then just get a something like a Roku box and plug it into your TV and stream the channels with that.

 

[sdifox]

You may have misunderstood me if im already paying for cable and wanted to buy my own box to just watch local channels in a different room your saying thats illegal

all digital cable box have to be activated from provider end, they will charge you extra for it.

 

[Kartajan]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZHp4d1HnIuop88C27YsqJoyr7lMfX3e

https://www.silicondust.com/product/hdhomerun-prime/

 

[shaved?]

Why not go buy an antenna and get free over the air?

 

[Kartajan]

Why not go buy an antenna and get free over the air?

OP may be in an area where OTA isn't a viable option, or is renting and cannot get good signal without punching holes in walls/ ceiling/ roof/ etc...

And some renters have basic cable included in/ discounted with the rent, so the cable option may be the more sensible choice.

 

[Elixer]

There isn't a cable company that I am aware of that would "activate" a 3rd party box if it isn't one of their own cable boxes, even if it is the exact same unit that they are using. It is BS, but, you can't really do anything about that, besides voting the bums out that passed this crap.

You can get a cablecard device, and use that, (tivo or HDprime) and they will charge you a few bucks for the cablecard, and deal with it that way.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Wasn't the FCC going to propose a rule that would open up the market for "Digital Boxes", to consumers, by allowing them to PURCHASE, and activate / use them on provider's networks? I seem to recall that they were leaning in that direction, probably until Trump took office.

 

[WhiteNoise]

Some TV's have the card slot built into them. EDTV comes to mind. In these cases you just need the card from your cable company and to read off the card number over the phone to activate it. Back when I was a Cable TV/web installer for Time Warner I used to do this for customers all the time. This was....14 years ago though.