Charter Spectrum → [CATV] Digital Box Required?

Just got my notice of a rate increase. I am off my bundle and paying too much. Plan to drop telephone for Ooma and digital down to expanded basic.

Rep told me that the government is going to mandate that all cable companies will be required to use digital boxes in the near future. By BS detector went off big time, but I thought I would check here.

My box has been broken and unhooked from my TV for weeks. I only got it because it was free with my bundle. Unbundled, it's expensive.

I've always hated that they charge me rent for the privilege of allowing me to purchase their PPV and lame music channels.

well rep was partly right the cable company can and will drop all analog channels this means your need a qam tuner or cable box etc (the fcc requirment that cable carry analog expires soon unless they renew it)

its in the cable company's interest to drop analog because they get more bandwith for more hd or faster internet whatever they may need it for

I have qam built into my hdtv. Are they talking about anyone still using analog TV's hooked up to cable via box?

your get the channels atleast untill charter starts encrypting them

Grrr. Sounds like cable box extortion. I would switch to OTA if I could get any channels. Used to get plenty before the Feds decided to "improve" things.

Thanks for the info.

well cablebox/cablecard extoration

You should/will be able to buy your own STB box if needed once basic channels start getting encrypted.

Right now you can buy a box that can take a cable card to get paid channels and work like a DVR so you can save 25 dollars a month in FEEs per DVR.

»www.silicondust.com/prod ··· n/prime/

If there was no encryption then one could receive more than was being paid for. If you went to the telcos or dish, you would need a box for all tvs.