Using tv tuner with digital cable line.

[Heifetz]

We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He is paying for the cable service. Get off your high horse. He just wants to use what he is paying for.

 

[cjchaps]

Most digital cable systems are not 100% digital cable. THe lower channels, like 1 through 10, are usually not digital, they are analog, so you will be able to receive them with a regular tuner. The higher up channels are digital, so you won't be able to get them without a digital cable box.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He is paying for the cable service. Get off your high horse. He just wants to use what he is paying for.

WRONG, he's getting what he paid for thru his digital cable box. I have no problems with him leaching OFF the main cable line to his PC, but when he asks about clearing up content that Time Warner has CLEARLY set to not be viewable, then he crosses the line.

get off your low horse.

 

[Praetor]

The cable you are using from the jack to your computer is probably sub-standard and is causing the problem. Try a different cable jumper.

 

[Kevin]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

Sheesh, he's not asking how to steal cable, he already pays for it!

Anyways, I'd like to know which channels are analog on TWC in Manhattan too, as I don't feel like paying rent on another digital box for the bedroom tv if it's a good enough selection.

 

[Praetor]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He is paying for the cable service. Get off your high horse. He just wants to use what he is paying for.

WRONG, he's getting what he paid for thru his digital cable box. I have no problems with him leaching OFF the main cable line to his PC, but when he asks about clearing up content that Time Warner has CLEARLY set to not be viewable, then he crosses the line.

get off your low horse.

Dude, chill. Unless he is running a new line from the main trunk line on his own, he should be well within his rights to run a splitter from the apt feed. Especially if there are multiple cable jacks in the apartment. unless TW-Manh. charges per outlet, if that's the case then stop stealing cable!! 😛

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Kevin

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

again, can you people NOT read. I have no problems with him using the FULL range of services time warner offers THRU his digital box. EVEN the leaching of signal off the main line to his PC is fine tho perhaps iffy. BUT now he's asking about clearing up the signal that ISN'T viewable, how does he think this can be done? well, he can either get time warner to send him ANOTHER digital box (which they will charge for) OR he can try and hack it somehow, the first is LEGIT, the 2nd is STEALING.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Kevin

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

again, can you people NOT read. I have no problems with him using the FULL range of services time warner offers THRU his digital box. EVEN the leaching of signal off the main line to his PC is fine tho perhaps iffy. BUT now he's asking about clearing up the signal that ISN'T viewable, how does he think this can be done? well, he can either get time warner to send him ANOTHER digital box (which they will charge for) OR he can try and hack it somehow, the first is LEGIT, the 2nd is STEALING.

From what I read, he is trying to view channels he is PAYING for. Yes, he is paying for it THROUGH the digital system. He is just trying to acquire the exact same signal via analog. Same channel that he pays for in an analog feed. He is not trying to get anything he isn't paying for.

If he is asking how to get channels he does not get on digital then I have a problem with it. Otherwise, he is just trying to find an easier way to use his TV tuner because on analog he can change the channel via computer. On Digital he has to use the receiver to change the channel

 

[Kevin]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Kevin

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

again, can you people NOT read. I have no problems with him using the FULL range of services time warner offers THRU his digital box. EVEN the leaching of signal off the main line to his PC is fine tho perhaps iffy. BUT now he's asking about clearing up the signal that ISN'T viewable, how does he think this can be done? well, he can either get time warner to send him ANOTHER digital box (which they will charge for) OR he can try and hack it somehow, the first is LEGIT, the 2nd is STEALING.

You have NO IDEA how TWC works. With Digital Cable, you pay per box. With Analog Cable, you pay for the service, there is no duplication fee. ESPN is an analog channel which he is paying for...

 

[KrustyVT]

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?

Any channel you received before you subscribed to digital cable is analog, and should be available on any TV that does not have a digital cable box. Any channels that you only started to receive after adding the box are digital only (Typically channels over 100, but not always) and can only be viewed on a TV with the digital cable box attached.

That being said, ESPN and ESPN2 are most likely analog channels, while ESPN Classic is most likely a digital channel. It sounds like bad wiring is at fault - replace with better coax, and you should get a clean signal. There is no reason the analog channels should look any different then they did before adding digital cable.

And for anyone who claims this is "stealing" cable - that is ridiculous. Digital cable is an enhancement to your cable package, and usually requires an additional monthly fee per box used. It is perfectly acceptable to only rent one digital cable box in a multi-TV household, and only view enhanced digital content on that TV while continuing to watch your normal analog channels on all other sets.

-=K=-

 

[Codewiz]

I also know that with Charter, you pay for the digital box to pick up the digital channels but all the lower channels(less than 70) are still analog so you aren't going anything illegal by using the analog signal without the digital box.

 

[bunker]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Kevin

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

again, can you people NOT read. I have no problems with him using the FULL range of services time warner offers THRU his digital box. EVEN the leaching of signal off the main line to his PC is fine tho perhaps iffy. BUT now he's asking about clearing up the signal that ISN'T viewable, how does he think this can be done? well, he can either get time warner to send him ANOTHER digital box (which they will charge for) OR he can try and hack it somehow, the first is LEGIT, the 2nd is STEALING.

I have digital cable on 3 tv's at home. I pay for 3 digital boxes. I have 2 other outlets in my home that are connected to tv's where I get analog cable. It is not stealing, the cable company couldn't care less how many tv's I have hooked up without a cable box.

 

[Praetor]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Kevin

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Heifetz
We recently started subscribing to digital cable (time warner dtv in manhattan) in our apt. A friend told me that I can actually still view regular cable through my wintv card in my computer if I connect it through a coax cable to the cable jack in my room. It works, but only some channels come thorugh cleanly, other channels are a little fuzzy, and the rest, mostly higher channels are completely distorted and scrambled. Did time warner scamble the channels to prevent people from doing this? If so, is there anything I can do to get all the channels (esp espn) cleanly?


Heifetz

so you're asking for help in stealing from time warner?

you know this thread will be locked right?

He's not stealing. He said in the first line, "started subscribing to digital cable".

You'll only be able to get local channels and some limited cable ones if you don't use a cable box. Even if it did work, you wouldn't recieve any digital channels though...

again, can you people NOT read. I have no problems with him using the FULL range of services time warner offers THRU his digital box. EVEN the leaching of signal off the main line to his PC is fine tho perhaps iffy. BUT now he's asking about clearing up the signal that ISN'T viewable, how does he think this can be done? well, he can either get time warner to send him ANOTHER digital box (which they will charge for) OR he can try and hack it somehow, the first is LEGIT, the 2nd is STEALING.

Channel lineup for TWC-Manhattan Just in case you miss the print at top, the channels in BOLD are Digital channels, available only with a box. Pink channels are PREMIUM content which he has to pay extra for and the regular text (channels 1-80) are ANALOG channels.

Others have pointed out that with TWC you get your analog service free on other outlets and you are allowed to split the signal itself.

Heifetz is having problems with getting some of the analog channels on the same apartment feed line that feeds his digital box on another splitter.

He is well within his rights to ask how to clean up the picture. So chill.

 

[Heifetz]

Well I just checked all the channels again, looks like all I'm getting clearly (2 - 14 plus some useless shopping channels, and some random channels) are the local channels that you can get with an antenna, except its better reception. So does that mean that all the other channels are digital? (not likely) or that I need a cable box to descramble the analog channels?

Btw, we already have two receivers in the apt for two tvs, I just wanted to try this out since I have the tv tuner on my pc, and for late nights when I don't want to bother my roomates.

Heifetz

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Heifetz
Well I just checked all the channels again, looks like all I'm getting clearly (2 - 14 plus some useless shopping channels, and some random channels) are the local channels that you can get with an antenna, except its better reception. So does that mean that all the other channels are digital? (not likely) or that I need a cable box to descramble the analog channels?

Heifetz

Is your tv tuner set to CATV input? Sounds like it's set to ANTENNA input.

 

[KrustyVT]

Originally posted by: Heifetz
Well I just checked all the channels again, looks like all I'm getting clearly (2 - 14 plus some useless shopping channels, and some random channels) are the local channels that you can get with an antenna, except its better reception. So does that mean that all the other channels are digital? (not likely) or that I need a cable box to descramble the analog channels?

Btw, we already have two receivers in the apt for two tvs, I just wanted to try this out since I have the tv tuner on my pc, and for late nights when I don't want to bother my roomates.

No and no. If you have a TV you can use, hook it up to your jack in your room and see if the TV displays the same crappy signal. If it does, and my guess is it will, it's gotta be wiring.

-=K=-

 

[Praetor]

Originally posted by: Heifetz
Well I just checked all the channels again, looks like all I'm getting clearly (2 - 14 plus some useless shopping channels, and some random channels) are the local channels that you can get with an antenna, except its better reception. So does that mean that all the other channels are digital? (not likely) or that I need a cable box to descramble the analog channels?

Btw, we already have two receivers in the apt for two tvs, I just wanted to try this out since I have the tv tuner on my pc, and for late nights when I don't want to bother my roomates.

Heifetz

Doubtful. But just as a test, unhook your digital box from where it is, plug it into that line and the output to your tv-tuner and see what happens. Odds are that line may not be connected or damaged. I'm unfamiliar how TWC does their digital cable, so it could be possible that they put a trap at the junction to "encourage" digital adoption. Let us know how it looks.

 

[LeeTJ]

I may have misread his OP.

HOWEVER, i did post on about 3 different occasions, i had NO problem with him using it for the analog stations.

i just missed the espn part of his OP.

 

[technogeeky]

Wow. Tense in here.

Another option you have to receive the full lineup is to buy another box and hook it up to your tuner. Switch channels on the box.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: technogeeky
Wow. Tense in here.

Another option you have to receive the full lineup is to buy another box and hook it up to your tuner. Switch channels on the box.

You can't buy a digital cable box. You have to rent. Some cableco's may offer purchasing their boxes (from them only, of course), but you'll probably pay a pretty penny for it.

 

[Heifetz]

I just tried connecting the cable directly to a tv at another location in the apt, and it gets the same signals as the tv tuner. I guess time warner scrambles some of the analog channels?


Heifetz

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ
I may have misread his OP.

HOWEVER, i did post on about 3 different occasions, i had NO problem with him using it for the analog stations.

i just missed the espn part of his OP.

May have?? 😀