US Cable Support > Cox HSI > [CT] Can I buy a cable box on ebay and use it ?

[CT] Can I buy a cable box on ebay and use it ?

No. It wont work.

Why

Cox won't activate it. Also generally, cable boxes sold on eBay are stolen equipment, because Motorola doesn't sell to the public directly in the US.

reply to Sue K
Thanks very much. I've seen retailers selling them too online and they say you have to have your cable provider activate it.

reply to Sue K
In canada you can buy your own box but not in america(too much $$$ in rental fees)
--
When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee

I don't being taken for a ride. If I buy a new tv with a Digital tuner and plug in coaxial cable from my main line will it work or do I need a stinking box. lol

reply to Sue K
You will still need to rent the box has most if not all cable companies are encrypting there digital signals. This is of course IF your area is loosing the analog channels.

So here's this question:
I have main line in the living room
1 in the kids room
1 I want for my room

You can't use splitters and eliminate renting boxes in the future if you have a cable ready or digital tuner tv ?

no, they scramble most channels if not all.
you can only RENT the box not buy it
the cable boxes cost about $500 or so to buy.
i agree the rental price is a rip off.

forget the term "cable ready tv" ALL tv's sold today MUST have a QAM tuner. most cable systems will be going digital possibly around 2010 or so. (comcast chicago is already digital)

call them up and talk to them about going digital and find out what they offer.

your confusing digital with analog.

-rob
--
»www.cband.info - unique radio you won't find elsewhere. join the chat and join our growing family.

I have analog I know, But later you still have to have boxes for every extra tv like analog. OR will it be hooked up with a cable to the back of the tv? What I mean is there any tv that would eliminate buying an extra box when the change happens.

Every TV will need a box unless it has Cablecard technology.

Here is information on Cablecard: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD

reply to Sue K
Nope, no way around having to rent the cable box from the cable company. Like everyone has said, most if not all cable companies are going all digital and on top of that the digital signals are scrambled and will require there digital boxes to unscramble that signal. It hooks into the tv just like your box in the living room does.

Thank you I appreciate the info.

reply to CCNnorthcali
Thanks for your trouble, I now finally understand some things.

reply to Sue K
Here's what I found thank God.lol
Are "Digital Cable Ready" and "integrated digital tuner" the same thing?

No. Although many TVs today will offer one or both of these features, it is important to know that they allow access to different forms of digital content:

* "Digital Cable Ready" means the set has built-in technology that, when combined with a CableCARD, allows reception of encrypted digital programming from the cable company without the need for a set-top box.
* An "integrated digital tuner," when combined with a sufficiently sized and properly positioned antenna, allows reception of unencrypted digital signals provided by local "over-the-air" broadcasters.

reply to Sue K
This article may prove interesting to you but unfortunately, it'll probably have no impact on the TV's of today.

»www.networkworld.com/community/node/28183

reply to robertfl
I thought that all TV's presently sold must have an ATSC (over-the-air digital) tuner. So far as I have heard, there is no government requirement that any TV have a QAM tuner for digital cable signals.

reply to CCNnorthcali