DTA stands for Digital Transport Adapter. It's a very cheap and basic cable box that allows you to watch, with digital quality picture and sound, in Comcast words, all Limited Basic and Expanded Service channels, as well as "certain" Digital Starter channels. In other words, a DTA is a unencrypted QAM receiver for an analog TV. Comcast can remotely program the DTA with the correct channel lineup up until Expanded Basic. (Usually the first 99 channels). Consult your local Comcast center for an applicable channel lineup card for details.

Currently Comcast is offering in many markets the first 2 DTAs for free and it's charging 1.99(plus taxes and fees) per DTA after the first 2 ones. You should keep in mind that usually Comcast doesn't charge anything for the first digital box if you subscribe to a Digital Starter and above package.

The main reason Comcast is offering the DTAs is to allow Comcast to push as many analog channels to digital as possible, freeing up bandwidth for faster Internet speeds, more HD channels, etc.

Special credit to SND2005 for taking pictures of the DTA and allowing us to post them in the FAQ.

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by Travelfan1 edited by cypherstream
last modified: 2009-05-22 15:21:07