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dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich to ak3883

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to ak3883

Re: Digital Transport Adapter Unboxing Photos

said by ak3883:

Limited basic subs will get these economy channels w/o paying for them. Not my problem, I'm just saying..
Oh, I guess I confused your "economy ch" w/my "limited" ch - I forgot, because our system JUST got this pkg. Good point, maybe cc will have another type of trap for these instances - considering that they probably do not sell a lot of the "economy pkg", might not be a big deal to get a few "special" traps for these purposes.
ak3883
join:2005-08-20
Marlton, NJ

1 edit

ak3883

Member

I agree, probably not worth it in the long run. Most people are clueless when it comes to finding channels via clearQAM anyway.

I might downgrade to limited basic again this summer, although I do hesitate to a bit more since they have now twice given me 12 months on my promo instead of 6. Currently i just have Digital Classic and 1 HD-DVR for 50/month, which is pretty good. Regular rates that would probably be close to 75,80/month. Once sweeps are over in May, I'll probably just turn in the DVR and downgrade, I just don't watch much during summertime. The way the channels are on my system now, I would still get digital starter channels with a limited basic trap on... they haven't moved them yet to frequencies blocked by the traps. I know they will do that when they remove analongs, which is probably sometime this summer.
RyC
join:2007-08-18
San Luis Obispo, CA

RyC to ViRGE

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I just picked up a few of these for my TV's. I just want to ask, will this affect the Clear QAM channels in HD that are broadcast over the air? I have a Clear QAM TV tuner in my computer that pretty much exclusively tunes to NBC, FOX, CBS, and CW and I do not want to lose these channels that I can tune to without a box of any sort.

cableric
join:2008-12-03
Castle Rock, CO

cableric

Member

Only if you're trying to connect the DTA to your PC.

ce

ticked off in wa to ViRGE

Anon

to ViRGE
What nobody is telling us, is do we in Washington State need this Digital Transport adapter; if we have digital TV that is less than a year old? This is so frustrating; Comcast sent us a box call "on demand" the only thing it demanded was my temper; the VCR doesn't work, you can't watch anther channel if you do happen to get the VCR to work, and help is out of the question; they are over whelmed and not well trained. They also sent us two small boxes called Digital Transport Adapter boxes; they are for our analog TV's; after fighting with the box for over 12 hours we can use our VCR however, if you chose to tape a show you can forget watching something else. What a mess.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

To be fair, your frustration comes mostly from not understanding the situation, and your difficulties come mostly from ramifications of intention, not a "mess".

The fact of the matter is that terrestrial cable companies are switching from analog to digital, so that they can hope to compete with fiber-line and satellite services. This should not be a surprise: Every company wants to compete well in the marketplace, and in the subscription television space, that means having new and better services all the time. Given that there is only one wire going into your home, that means that, over time, services will come, stay for a while, and then be retired. It is now analog cable's time to be retired.

It is very simple unless you make it difficult: Plug the coax into the input of the DTA, and then connect one of the outputs of the DTA to your television (analog or digital).

It only gets complicated if you choose to add other devices to your set-up, and in that case it is your decision to do so, and your responsibility to either have or obtain the knowledge necessary. Tech support can help introduce a VCR or DVR into the mix, but only to the extent that you are willing and capable of understanding what they're telling you. If it sounds too complicated, then you either need to learn more, or call on a friend to help you -- or borrow some friends-in-abstentia by presenting your need on an Internet forum, and let the folks there help you understand how to do what you need to. That's why many of us are here in this forum.

It would be great if they did have people standing by at all times to rush out to our homes and hand-hold us through everything. However, we simply don't pay any mass-market supplier enough for any of them to offer that, in any industry. And I don't want to pay one penny extra to support that level of service, since I don't need it. And evidently most customers are like me: They prefer lower prices over lots of extra hand-holding.

One thing that it is very important you understand about DTAs: They take in the multi-channel cable signal, and put out one channel's audio and video. Basically, you lose any features that are provide by your VCR, DVR or television by way of it's tuner. That's not a conspiracy or a crime. There is a federal regulation that specified precisely how to have cable service and still enjoy such features provided by your VCR's, DVR's or television's tuner -- that federal regulation is satisfied by CableCARD. If your VCR, DVR or television doesn't support CableCARD, then you have made a decision to not pay the extra amount necessary to comply with your obligations relevant to the federal regulation, so you won't reap the benefits of the features your VCR's, DVR's or television's tuner offers you, such as watch one channel while recording another. If you have a problem with the law, talk to your Members of Congress. Until the law is changed, however, cable companies have to comply with it, and you have to do your part as well, in order to gain the benefits of the law.
Nate650
join:2009-04-04

Nate650 to ViRGE

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Purpose of this?

Hello all, will this work with an antenna or does it have to be hooked up to Comcast service? I tried to use this with an antenna instead of a digital converter box but didn't get any signal, so I'm guessing it's tied to Comcast service? Thanks a lot.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

2 edits

dishrich

Member

said by Nate650:

Hello all, will this work with an antenna
No, & why WOULD you want it to anyway, if you have cc cable anyway???
If you want a box for an antenna, get 2 for next to nothing from www.dtv2009.gov

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU to Nate650

Member

to Nate650
DTAs are QAM tuners. Antennas need ATSC tuners.
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

1 edit

gpatrick900 to ViRGE

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Re: Digital Transport Adapter Unboxing Photos

Talking to the local offices in Indiana they have no idea about these DTA. It seems like it is over their head. All they want to do is give you a converter box.

What I want to know if this is against the FCC must carry rule or the agreement that Comcast Made with the FCC.

I am on Limited service (Sometimes called very basic)
They moved an over the air channel to digital. Took it off analog cable. To keep getting that station. I would have to get a converter box for each tv. I thought they had to keep analog broadcast stations on for three years from Feb 2009. According to local office it is a must carry station. Unless, they are allowed to drop one PBS stations. The one they dropped is closer to me.

If I understand the agreement, they must drop all analog channels including channels in a higher package before moving any broadcast stations that has a must carry rule in place and provide a simple DTA.

I did read this thread, I was not clear on one point.
Is there a one time or a monthly charge for the DTA?

Also, I was told by a higher up. It is not available for my area yet but will be. I am considering my options.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Must Carry has nothing to do with this. There is a requirement that MSOs offer some way of getting local broadcast channels on analog televisions. However, the FCC regulation specifically allows them to require you to rent a converter box for that.
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

gpatrick900

Member

said by bUU:

Must Carry has nothing to do with this. There is a requirement that MSOs offer some way of getting local broadcast channels on analog televisions. However, the FCC regulation specifically allows them to require you to rent a converter box for that.
Here we go again. Comcast made an agreement with the FCC not to move an analog broadcast station to digital that have the Must carry rule in place. However, the fcc said if they move all the analog channels to digital, then yes they can move the local broadcast station to digital as well if they provide a simple dta at low or no cost.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

1 edit

bUU

Member

Or a cable converter box, at low or no cost. And "low" cost is not based on a consumer's personal preference, but based on other factors. Figure that they can charge $3-$5 and still be in compliance.
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

gpatrick900

Member

said by bUU:

Or a cable converter box, at low or no cost. And "low" cost is not based on a consumer's personal preference, but based on other factors. Figure that they can charge $3-$5 and still be in compliance.
I did find out I was partially correct. That comcast can not move a broadcast station to digital unless they move all analog channels to digital and provide a simple dta at low cost. The local over the air broadcast station must stay in clear qam at least for 3 years. Regardless if the station is moved to digital.

There was one other exception. If they have two PBS stations, they can move one to digital. Which I am not sure is correct.

The reason for the 3 year delay is to give time for technology to catch up.

I dont know why they dont move a stations like HSN or QVC. If you think about it, it shouldn't be on the limited service pacakage.

I might as well disconnect cable if I am going to have to get a box, qam tv. qam dvr. At least until technology catches up where you will not need a box. I am thinking of going the antenna route. Yes, I know I will need a box there as well but it is smaller.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

said by gpatrick900:

I did find out I was partially correct. That comcast can not move a broadcast station to digital unless they move all analog channels to digital and provide a simple dta
Or converter box
said by gpatrick900:

at low cost. The local over the air broadcast station must stay in clear qam at least for 3 years. Regardless if the station is moved to digital.
Correct.
said by gpatrick900:

There was one other exception. If they have two PBS stations, they can move one to digital. Which I am not sure is correct.
What it is is that each station gets to designate one and only one signal as its Must Carry signal. The other sub-channels are carried at the MSO's discretion.
said by gpatrick900:

The reason for the 3 year delay is to give time for technology to catch up.
Correct.
said by gpatrick900:

I dont know why they dont move a stations like HSN or QVC.
Because those networks are paying MSOs big bucks to stay analog.
said by gpatrick900:

I might as well disconnect cable if I am going to have to get a box, qam tv. qam dvr. At least until technology catches up where you will not need a box.
Your prerogative. As I've said many times, either accept what is offered or communicate your dissatisfaction with the offering in the most effective way possible: By doing without it.
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

gpatrick900

Member

Actually, I am not doing without that station. I hooked up my rabbit ears and an over the air converter box, I got last year. Hooked the box up through the vcr. Get that station without any problems over the air. That station they moved to digital is not far away. I can also record it as well.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Even better.
canalking
join:2009-05-15
Scotch Plains, NJ

canalking to ViRGE

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to ViRGE
Having problems with the installation of our dta's. One can only get a few channels, the other one gets none. We have called comcast numerous times to report problem. We even returned orignal dta's to their office and got two new ones. Still cannot receive cable picture. Diagnostic review (Thank you for your code info) shows download has failed, and cannot find dsmcc pid whatever that is. We have asked for technician to come to house and they will come in 3 days. In the meantime we have no cable service on these tv's (although we can take the boxes off and have cable service). Dealing with customer service has been horrible. Basically they can only send a signal to the box which does nothing. Can you tell us if you think the problem is with the box, the wiring in the house, or with Comcast's servers/computers? Our cable is working just fine without the boxes. So sorry we ordered these but we have no choice for the older tv's. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Signed, Frustrated.

owlyn
MVM
join:2004-06-05
Newtown, PA
Netgear CM2050V
Netgear RBRE960
Netgear RBSE960

owlyn

MVM

said by canalking:

Having problems with the installation of our dta's. One can only get a few channels, the other one gets none. We have called comcast numerous times to report problem. We even returned orignal dta's to their office and got two new ones. Still cannot receive cable picture. Diagnostic review (Thank you for your code info) shows download has failed, and cannot find dsmcc pid whatever that is. We have asked for technician to come to house and they will come in 3 days. In the meantime we have no cable service on these tv's (although we can take the boxes off and have cable service). Dealing with customer service has been horrible. Basically they can only send a signal to the box which does nothing. Can you tell us if you think the problem is with the box, the wiring in the house, or with Comcast's servers/computers? Our cable is working just fine without the boxes. So sorry we ordered these but we have no choice for the older tv's. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Signed, Frustrated.
Sounds like a signal problem. The cause could be almost anything, but I would suspect the wiring in your house first.
Paul F
join:2009-05-15
Portland, OR

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Paul F to ViRGE

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Does the DTA allow you to turn on CC's on your analog TV when watching the SD channels? I am curious because I can not find the CCs in the transport stream user data using CCExtract when I record a show.
ClearToLand
join:2002-12-20
South Plainfield, NJ

ClearToLand to bUU

Member

to bUU
said by bUU:

...It only gets complicated if you choose to add other devices to your set-up, and in that case it is your decision to do so, and your responsibility to either have or obtain the knowledge necessary. Tech support can help introduce a VCR or DVR into the mix, but only to the extent that you are willing and capable of understanding what they're telling you. If it sounds too complicated, then you either need to learn more, or call on a friend to help you -- or borrow some friends-in-abstentia by presenting your need on an Internet forum, and let the folks there help you understand how to do what you need to. That's why many of us are here in this forum.

It would be great if they did have people standing by at all times to rush out to our homes and hand-hold us through everything. However, we simply don't pay any mass-market supplier enough for any of them to offer that, in any industry. And I don't want to pay one penny extra to support that level of service, since I don't need it. And evidently most customers are like me: They prefer lower prices over lots of extra hand-holding.

One thing that it is very important you understand about DTAs: They take in the multi-channel cable signal, and put out one channel's audio and video. Basically, you lose any features that are provide by your VCR, DVR or television by way of it's tuner. That's not a conspiracy or a crime. There is a federal regulation that specified precisely how to have cable service and still enjoy such features provided by your VCR's, DVR's or television's tuner -- that federal regulation is satisfied by CableCARD. If your VCR, DVR or television doesn't support CableCARD, then you have made a decision to not pay the extra amount necessary to comply with your obligations relevant to the federal regulation, so you won't reap the benefits of the features your VCR's, DVR's or television's tuner offers you, such as watch one channel while recording another. If you have a problem with the law, talk to your Members of Congress. Until the law is changed, however, cable companies have to comply with it, and you have to do your part as well, in order to gain the benefits of the law.
Good explanation bicker.

I'd like to add the following to hopefullly make the last paragraph even clearer for the 'non-techies'.



Technology continues to evolve. Take music. When I was a child, the adults in my family had collections of 78RPM Mono records. As a teen, 45RPM 'Singles' and 33RPM Stereo 'Albums' took over. Then, 8-Tracks, Cassettes, CDs and finally today 'electronic-only' MP3s. You may have a perfectly operating 8-Track in your car, but, it's tough to buy current songs for it.

Onto television. In the USA, television has been using NTSC tuners. When I was a child, our console television tuned only VHF 2-13 and was black & white. When UHF 14-83 came along, you needed to buy an 'adapter' for your VHF-only set - same deal as today - tune the new UHF channel on the adapter and then route it to the old television on VHF Ch 3.

Then came cable. To ease it into our households, the industry came out with 'Cable-Ready' tuners BUILT INTO televisions and VCRs. Maybe the numbers looked the same, but Ch 33 OTA (UHF) was certainly a different frequency than Ch 33 Cable. These 'Cable-Ready' tuners, Ch 2-125, served us a LONG time but now there's DIGITAL and the technology has changed once again.

Only this time, instead of a 'few' VHF-only sets needing to be either 'adapted' or replaced, there are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of NTSC OTA and 'Cable-Ready' tuners in televisions, VCRs, DVDRs, etc... that (suddenly) have become OBSOLETE! Everything that you knew PRIOR to ATSC/QAM is now 'out-dated'. And your choices are the same as they were when UHF first appeared - buy an adapter or replace the device. But, due to the advances in technology, what the adapter can accomplish is limited to what the original device anticipated.

My knowledge is limited to ReplayTV and TiVo Series 1, so, that's what I'll explain. Both of those devices came with 'IR Blasters' - simply, the OUTPUT portion of the handheld remote control we've all gotten used to. The BUTTONs are handled by electronics inside the ReplayTV and TiVo. Thus, if I upgrade to Digital Cable and get a Motorola DCT-700 STB, I can tell my ReplayTV 'control the DCT-700 for me'. If your existing NTSC-tuner-equipped device didn't anticipate controlling another SPECIFIC device, YOU have to do it manually (tune your old device to NTSC Ch 3; select the ATSC/QAM channel with the DTA/STB remote control). For example, my ReplayTV DOES NOT know how to control the DC-50X (at this time). Very sad indeed.

If that's not satisfactory, well... time to buy a new television, DVDR, etc...
ClearToLand

ClearToLand to canalking

Member

to canalking

Divide and Conquer!

said by canalking:

Having problems with the installation of our dta's. One can only get a few channels, the other one gets none. We have called comcast numerous times to report problem. We even returned orignal dta's to their office and got two new ones. Still cannot receive cable picture...
Divide and Conquer!
  • Go to the point where the cable initially enters your home from the pole. DISCONNECT IT from everything else in your home.
  • CONNECT your DTA to your cable at this entry point. You may have to ask Comcast to re-send the 'activate' signal and you may have to wait for the info to download.
  • Does either DTA work now?
  • If yes, add ONE piece of your existing cabling back, move the DTA to the end of the new piece and TEST again.
  • REPEAT until the DTA stops working. You may have a bad cable, a bad splitter, too many splitters, etc...
  • If no, wait until the service tech arrives.
Good Luck! Let us know what you discover.
canalking
join:2009-05-15
Scotch Plains, NJ

canalking

Member

Thank you for your advice. I will let you know what happens after the technician shows up on Sunday. If the technician cannot resolve the problem, then we will look into Fios. Mybe a new service provider will help us out.
patspub
join:2005-02-10
Philadelphia, PA

patspub to ViRGE

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Re: Digital Transport Adapter Unboxing Photos

Anyone in Northeast Philly get one of these "DTA's" yet???

owlyn
MVM
join:2004-06-05
Newtown, PA
Netgear CM2050V
Netgear RBRE960
Netgear RBSE960

owlyn

MVM

said by patspub:

Anyone in Northeast Philly get one of these "DTA's" yet???
I have one (in Bucks).
PhillyJim
join:2008-05-13
Philadelphia, PA

PhillyJim to patspub

Member

to patspub
said by patspub:

Anyone in Northeast Philly get one of these "DTA's" yet???
I don't think Philly is getting them any time soon.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to ViRGE

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Hmm, well at least I know what exactly Comcast's letter on the payment center door about these boxes not being available until the fall is referring too. Though I have to wonder what these boxes will allow me to do? Will it allow a customer with digital service the abilty to watch those high channels, 100 - 999 without a digital set top box? Like I said they arent out in my area and this is the first I've heard of this, and I'm an installer....so make of it what you will

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Generally, "those high channels" are encrypted, and DTAs aren't allowed to be used for those channels at this time (due to government [over-]regulation).

For now, think of DTAs as QAM tuners, that can be enabled or disabled en masse, nothing more.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

Then whats the point of it again?

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

1 edit

bUU

Member

To allow folks to tune in unencrypted digital cable channels (figure, channel 30 to 60 or so, on average), so they can watch them on their analog televisions.