Cableman32
join:2007-10-05
Florida, NY | reply to wth
Re: Channel Lineup Changes & Additions
Yes, next month they will begin putting all of the family cable tier in the clear. |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | As long as they don't change the no support policy about QAM tuners I have no problems with going clear QAM. |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
 ·Mediacom
| reply to Cableman32
said by Cableman32  :Yes, next month they will begin putting all of the family cable tier in the clear. Reading this would indicate to me that all the family cable channels & HD channels will be "clear" and viewable with a HDTV with qam tuner, and no box. |
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Bierboy
join:2008-08-07
East Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| said by wth :said by Cableman32 :Yes, next month they will begin putting all of the family cable tier in the clear. Reading this would indicate to me that all the family cable channels & HD channels will be "clear" and viewable with a HDTV with qam tuner, and no box. And that would be patently wrong. |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
said by wth :said by Cableman32 :Yes, next month they will begin putting all of the family cable tier in the clear. Reading this would indicate to me that all the family cable channels & HD channels will be "clear" and viewable with a HDTV with qam tuner, and no box. Let me restate the part "& HD channels" to read "Family cable HD channels", as there's really no reason to scramble the "family cable" digital channels, inculding the family cable HD channels. Ask your self this question: Mediacom didn't scramble the analog family cable channels, so why scramble the digital family cable channels? |
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basenji
join:2006-11-02
Waconia, MN
| They scramble the digital because traps can't take out all the family cable digital. HSD only customers could have the HSD trap on and still hook a QAM tv and get most of the channels. As I have said before, it is a control tool.
Unless things change with where the channels are located or the traps we have, family will always be scrambled. This is only my opinion, not a company policy or any inside knowledge, so take it for what it is worth. |
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k9iua6
join:2004-05-23
Dubuque, IA
| reply to wth
Let me restate the part "& HD channels" to read "Family cable HD channels", as there's really no reason to scramble the "family cable" digital channels, inculding the family cable HD channels. Ask your self this question: Mediacom didn't scramble the analog family cable channels, so why scramble the digital family cable channels?
Well, maybe they want to make more money with the value-added service of providing HD? Or maybe technically they can't do it yet due to lack of bandwidth in the clear (non-trapped) spectrum?
I'm sure it costs money for Mediacom to receive both the HD and SD versions of programming. Or money to convert the HD signal to the SD version for Family cable. Mediacom is entitled to get that paid for by subscribers.
Also, you mustn't forget that we are also dealing with franchise agreements with communities about what goes into program tiers. The FCC only dictates what must happen with the basic tier, and the "must carry" declaration by a local broadcaster only applies, IIRC, to the primary "channel". As the digital conversion continues, I expect to see franchise agreements, as they get renegotiated, to try to include more HD and clearQAM as they can. That will all take time, and Mediacom will stage it in a way that hopefully doesn't have them loose customers along the way or quality of service. |
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IowaStudent
Premium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA | reply to basenji
Before I got broadcast basic (cause I wanted everything to go through the house) I hooked up a TV and I recieved the 60's 70's on analog but now that I have a proper setup I only get the 70's channels. Why? |
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k9iua6
join:2004-05-23
Dubuque, IA
| As was mentioned in another discussion thread, the trap that Mediacom puts on your line for basic broadcast only, which is a low-pass filter, does not entirely trap effectively the frequencies above the cutoff. The effectiveness drops for a range of frequencies that correspond to that range of channels, with the signal strength getting through sufficient for some reception. |
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Bierboy
join:2008-08-07
East Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
said by wth :said by wth :said by Cableman32 :Yes, next month they will begin putting all of the family cable tier in the clear. Reading this would indicate to me that all the family cable channels & HD channels will be "clear" and viewable with a HDTV with qam tuner, and no box. Let me restate the part "& HD channels" to read "Family cable HD channels", as there's really no reason to scramble the "family cable" digital channels, inculding the family cable HD channels. Ask your self this question: Mediacom didn't scramble the analog family cable channels, so why scramble the digital family cable channels? Umm...because they can? And they want to make money off them? |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| said by Bierboy :Umm...because they can? And they want to make money off them? Mediacom can also make money by having the channels in clear qam, as it would be a selling point vs dish & direct. With sat, I think you need some kind of box for each tv. With clear qam you would only need a hdtv w/qam tuner, you wouldn't need any boxes. |
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nicheplayer
join:2008-02-15
Iowa City, IA
| said by wth :said by Bierboy :Umm...because they can? And they want to make money off them? Mediacom can also make money by having the channels in clear qam, as it would be a selling point vs dish & direct. With sat, I think you need some kind of box for each tv. With clear qam you would only need a hdtv w/qam tuner, you wouldn't need any boxes. Hear, hear! Aside from the marketing angle, it's just the right thing to do, for Christ's sake. How do you think their customers feel when they see a non-Mediacom ad telling them to get ready for HDTV with the purchase of a new TV, only to find out Mediacom has made the decision to STILL require a box rental for certain channels? I know how I feel about it, and it seems unlikely I'm alone. |
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