QAM tuner with Time Warner

[Homerboy]

doing some research on a new HDTV for the bedroom before I buy.

It's to my understanding that a QAM Tuner will allow me to directly plug my cable line into the TV and it will decode local HD content without the need for a cable box from my cable company...trick being as long as those signals are not scrambled. Much like I do now with my SDTV in the bedroom, just plug the coax from outside into the TV and I generally get "basic cable" with no box like I need on the family room TV to get everything TW offers.

Correct?

If so, how do I find out if TW scrambles the local HDTV content? I'm trying to circumvent a OTA antennae if I can.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

AFAIK, ALL services that you have to pay for are scrambled. The only ones that are not are OTA.

 

[Homerboy]

so QAM tuner isnt really going to do me any good then w/ TW to pick up local HD content via the coax

 

[spacejamz]

have TWC here in the N Dallas area...

have a Toshiba 62HM116 (rebadged HM196 from Costco) and it receives the HD channels (except for ESPN) through the QAM tuner...they are at channel 107-1 through 115...

after having the TV automatically pick up all the stations, I spent about 30 minutes removing channels that were picked up but could not be displayed.

IIRC, some of the channels i remember are:

107-1 CBS
107-2 TNT
108-1 ABC
110-1 Fox
112-1 INHD
112-2 HDNET

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
so QAM tuner isnt really going to do me any good then w/ TW to pick up local HD content via the coax

I think that will be true for any cable company. Cable card is what you need if you want to get the scrambled content.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: spacejamz
have TWC here in the N Dallas area...

have a Toshiba 62HM116 (rebadged HM196 from Costco) and it receives the HD channels (except for ESPN) through the QAM tuner...they are at channel 107-1 through 115...

after having the TV automatically pick up all the stations, I spent about 30 minutes removing channels that were picked up but could not be displayed.

IIRC, some of the channels i remember are:

107-1 CBS
107-2 TNT
108-1 ABC
110-1 Fox
112-1 INHD
112-2 HDNET

EXCELLENT! SO no need for a OTA antannae

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: Homerboy
so QAM tuner isnt really going to do me any good then w/ TW to pick up local HD content via the coax

I think that will be true for any cable company. Cable card is what you need if you want to get the scrambled content.

this is regularly available OTA content though... I'm not asking to pick up pay channels and the like. Just stuff that I COULD get with an antennae, but I'd rather get via the coax

 

[hehatedme]

In most areas you can get the channels that are OTA over QAM. There is a chance that one or two of the HD OTA channels aren't passed through.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
so QAM tuner isnt really going to do me any good then w/ TW to pick up local HD content via the coax

Incorrect. You WILL be able to get local channels in HD, as well as some others depending on your area. My Uncle gets local channels, ESPNHD, TNTHD, INHD, HDNET, and a few others with the QAM tuners in his samsung DLP's. He lives in mid-cities, DFW. I haven't checked for all those channels in a while but I know I do get local channels at the very least. So if that is what you want, go for it.

 

[Homerboy]

SOLD!

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Where do you go to check what local channels you get? I tried OTA once, but didn't get ANY signal except for a sporadic Letterman show. I want Discovery or PBS.

 

[ivol07]

For the people who are getting HD channels over basic cable, are you getting both the regular and HD channels? For instance are you seeing channel 11 and channel 11-1, or does it just default to HD?

 

[ivol07]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Where do you go to check what local channels you get? I tried OTA once, but didn't get ANY signal except for a sporadic Letterman show. I want Discovery or PBS.

antennaweb

You'll be able to get PBS OTA, but not Discovery. That is a pay channel.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: thepd7

Originally posted by: Homerboy
so QAM tuner isnt really going to do me any good then w/ TW to pick up local HD content via the coax

Incorrect. You WILL be able to get local channels in HD, as well as some others depending on your area. My Uncle gets local channels, ESPNHD, TNTHD, INHD, HDNET, and a few others with the QAM tuners in his samsung DLP's. He lives in mid-cities, DFW. I haven't checked for all those channels in a while but I know I do get local channels at the very least. So if that is what you want, go for it.

Yupyup, I get all my local channels in HD and a few others using my TV's QAM tuner. No, it's not OTA. It's thru the coaxial cable.

I hate how people throw wrong information out like how you need a cable box. If you have a QAM tuner, you're set.

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Where do you go to check what local channels you get? I tried OTA once, but didn't get ANY signal except for a sporadic Letterman show. I want Discovery or PBS.

OTA is ok. Maybe you need a good antenna, but I think going through your coax cable is the best way unless you got a good antenna, then OTA might be some good because cable companies do strip some stuff out of the broadcast..

 

[Homerboy]

ok so I got my TV now with QAM tuner, but all my HD channels are in the 500+ range. But my TV wont go past 99?

 

[Shawn]

With Comcast I am able to get Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS with QAM.