Haven't subscribed to cable tv in years....

[KlokWyze]

... hooked up my HDTV earlier just too see if I got the free local channels for the DTV switch yet & I get all the channels for the basic cable tv package. :laugh:

Is it just a matter of time before this gets shut off or could they theoretically start charging me for it? 😕

 

[Newbian]

Well if you never signed up for anything it's your until they press the button. 😉

 

[Jules]

sure

 

[Cheeseplug]

the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

 

[KlokWyze]

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

REALLY? That's funny because we do have cable internet & that's what we pay for, for $40/month. We get a few of the HDTV channels as well... the thing is they want to charge us $50/month extra just for a basic cable tv package. I can't see myself paying for something riddles with ads, or with that astronomical price, when 98% of it shit programming anyways.

Guess it doesn't matter when they have to send it over the lines anyways. :laugh:

 

[Baked]

Why are there always people out there like you? You just can't keep your mouth shut about the free stuff, making it public and ruin it for everybody else who just keep their mouth shut and enjoy the freebie. Thanks. :roll:

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

Because it'll be nice to finally see the airwaves cleared up so they can be used for something useful.

 

[Blayze]

Originally posted by: KlokWyze

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

REALLY? That's funny because we do have cable internet & that's what we pay for, for $40/month. We get a few of the HDTV channels as well... the thing is they want to charge us $50/month extra just for a basic cable tv package. I can't see myself paying for something riddles with ads, or with that astronomical price, when 98% of it shit programming anyways.

Guess it doesn't matter when they have to send it over the lines anyways. :laugh:

I remember reading somewhere that cable companies have to keep the local HD channels unencrypted.

 

[johnjohn320]

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

Because it'll be nice to finally see the airwaves cleared up so they can be used for something useful.

Such as?

 

[KlokWyze]

Originally posted by: johnjohn320

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

Because it'll be nice to finally see the airwaves cleared up so they can be used for something useful.

Such as?

Kickbacks?

 

[Cheeseplug]

I'm pissed off about the delay because I cannot receive my media market's NBC station, it was scheduled to switch from channel 2 to channel 17 to eliminate interference. But now there will be four more months of some religious nutjob channel because they aren't going to vacate 17 where their analog is until they have to.

A lot of the spectrum is going towards emergency services communications. I guess you could consider that a useful service, to have all the agencies able to talk with each other, right?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: KlokWyze

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

REALLY? That's funny because we do have cable internet & that's what we pay for, for $40/month. We get a few of the HDTV channels as well... the thing is they want to charge us $50/month extra just for a basic cable tv package. I can't see myself paying for something riddles with ads, or with that astronomical price, when 98% of it shit programming anyways.

Guess it doesn't matter when they have to send it over the lines anyways. :laugh:

No no no, you misunderstand.

"Basic cable TV package" = local broadcast stations, a couple cable stations (TBS and CNN in my case), and a bunch of worthless community access stations. In my particular case, I get TBS and CNN in SD and local broadcasts in HD. But that's it.

Most $50/mo cable packages are a step above basic cable. They have tons more channels - things like Comedy Central, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, all the cable news networks (not just CNN), USA, Bravo, Lifetime, ESPN, all of that. Then you can get more expensive packages from there that add premium channels.

With Comcast, at least, they also send you all those cable-only channels in SD unless you buy an "HD converter box" or some bullshit from them. They charge something like $7/mo extra to get those channels in HD, which is ridiculous of course.

True "basic cable" is essentially only to help with your reception. If you get poor reception with an antenna (as I do), $15/mo for basic is a nice thing to have. Now that football season's over, though, I'm canceling mine. I wonder if and when they'll actually pull the plug... I called a few days ago and I've still got TV!

 

[Fayd]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

because it costs those companies who were ready for the switch extra money to keep the extra equipment around to continue transmitting in both digital and analog.

the government failed those companies imo.

i think PBS said something about how the delay is gonna cost them 22 million in total.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

because it costs those companies who were ready for the switch extra money to keep the extra equipment around to continue transmitting in both digital and analog.

the government failed those companies imo.

i think PBS said something about how the delay is gonna cost them 22 million in total.

A lot of the local stations here are switching ahead of time so maybe they should do that also instead of wasting good money but then again who the hell watches PBS?

 

[I Saw OJ]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

because it costs those companies who were ready for the switch extra money to keep the extra equipment around to continue transmitting in both digital and analog.

the government failed those companies imo.

i think PBS said something about how the delay is gonna cost them 22 million in total.

A lot of the local stations here are switching ahead of time so maybe they should do that also instead of wasting good money but then again who the hell watches PBS?

PBS has a lot of great programming.

 

[Blayze]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

Why are people getting so uptight about it being pushed back? It doesn't really effect those who are already ready for it, and it gives those who aren't extra time.

because it costs those companies who were ready for the switch extra money to keep the extra equipment around to continue transmitting in both digital and analog.

the government failed those companies imo.

i think PBS said something about how the delay is gonna cost them 22 million in total.

A lot of the local stations here are switching ahead of time so maybe they should do that also instead of wasting good money but then again who the hell watches PBS?

I watch it sometimes. It does have some good programming.

2 of our locals (ABC, and MyTV) are going to switch on the 17th. The rest have said they will wait until June.

 

[Newbian]

Well if they want to waste money and delay it then that's their fault.

If they were smart they would had done it asap.

 

[KlokWyze]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca

Originally posted by: KlokWyze

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

REALLY? That's funny because we do have cable internet & that's what we pay for, for $40/month. We get a few of the HDTV channels as well... the thing is they want to charge us $50/month extra just for a basic cable tv package. I can't see myself paying for something riddles with ads, or with that astronomical price, when 98% of it shit programming anyways.

Guess it doesn't matter when they have to send it over the lines anyways. :laugh:

No no no, you misunderstand.

"Basic cable TV package" = local broadcast stations, a couple cable stations (TBS and CNN in my case), and a bunch of worthless community access stations. In my particular case, I get TBS and CNN in SD and local broadcasts in HD. But that's it.

Most $50/mo cable packages are a step above basic cable. They have tons more channels - things like Comedy Central, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, all the cable news networks (not just CNN), USA, Bravo, Lifetime, ESPN, all of that. Then you can get more expensive packages from there that add premium channels.

With Comcast, at least, they also send you all those cable-only channels in SD unless you buy an "HD converter box" or some bullshit from them. They charge something like $7/mo extra to get those channels in HD, which is ridiculous of course.

True "basic cable" is essentially only to help with your reception. If you get poor reception with an antenna (as I do), $15/mo for basic is a nice thing to have. Now that football season's over, though, I'm canceling mine. I wonder if and when they'll actually pull the plug... I called a few days ago and I've still got TV!

What's bolded is what I meant I was getting. I was checking to see if my cable company switched the local channels over yet (ie the dtv switch), but I'm getting the basic premium cable package (ie all local channels, espn, spike, mtv, comedy central, cartoon network, bravo, etc.).

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: KlokWyze
... hooked up my HDTV earlier just too see if I got the free local channels for the DTV switch yet & I get all the channels for the basic cable tv package. :laugh:

Is it just a matter of time before this gets shut off or could they theoretically start charging me for it? 😕

I did this about a decade ago. 2-3 years goes by, and out of the blue I get a letter from my cable company billing me for like 4 years of cable, threatening to refer it to collections.

That was fun to deal with.

 

[Deviant Grasshopper]

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: KlokWyze
... hooked up my HDTV earlier just too see if I got the free local channels for the DTV switch yet & I get all the channels for the basic cable tv package. :laugh:

Is it just a matter of time before this gets shut off or could they theoretically start charging me for it? 😕

I did this about a decade ago. 2-3 years goes by, and out of the blue I get a letter from my cable company billing me for like 4 years of cable, threatening to refer it to collections.

That was fun to deal with.

I call total BS with that one. You called and canceled, and if they left it on then it's their problem. I've seen it happen twice, and they aren't going to try and send that to collections.


I smell a nasty troll.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: KlokWyze
REALLY? That's funny because we do have cable internet & that's what we pay for, for $40/month. We get a few of the HDTV channels as well... the thing is they want to charge us $50/month extra just for a basic cable tv package. I can't see myself paying for something riddles with ads, or with that astronomical price, when 98% of it shit programming anyways.

Isn't that the Internet???? 😕

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: Cheeseplug
the DTV switch is for over the air broadcasts. And it just got pushed back to June 12, because the whole country needs to wait around while 6 million people try to pull their heads out of their asses.

If you have cable internet, you will also get local channels because it is impossible to block them out and still send internet. If you have a QAM tuner, you might even be able to get HD local channels, depending on what your cable company sends through.

The best part is the extension did nothing. At least in my area every single station switched yesterday to DTV only.

So it was just to appease the fans, not to change anything.