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LordKronos
join:2002-01-02
Dearborn Heights, MI

LordKronos

Member

is WOW ending analog and/or clear QAM?

I don't have WOW TV service anymore, but my mom and brother do. She told me that he told her that WOW is changing something soon and she's going to need a DTA for every TV. Right now she has an HDTV with digital tuner, and several older TVs with analog tuners. The HDTV is hooked up directly and just gets the clear QAM channels. A few of the analogs are hooked up to DTAs, but I think she still has one hooked up directly and just get the local stations via analog (the 8 or so analog channels that WOW didn't discontinue a few years back).

I'm trying to figure out whats really happening so I can inform her to make the right choice. Has anyone heard anything about this?

Just_Dan
Premium Member
join:2011-03-24
Denver, CO

Just_Dan

Premium Member

All analog channels will be dropped over the next few months in Ohio, Illinois and the Southeast Michigan area. Last I heard, ClearQAM would remain as is for now.
alan92rttt
join:2012-02-27

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Dan, In another thread someone was told by a rep that WOW was talking to BBC America about getting the channel back. Is there any truth to this?

tmcb82
Premium Member
join:2002-04-16
Hilliard, OH

1 recommendation

tmcb82

Premium Member

Way to go insanely off topic!

Just_Dan
Premium Member
join:2011-03-24
Denver, CO

Just_Dan to alan92rttt

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to alan92rttt
said by alan92rttt:

Dan, In another thread someone was told by a rep that WOW was talking to BBC America about getting the channel back. Is there any truth to this?

I am not able to answer questions of this nature.

mix
join:2002-03-19
Romeo, MI

mix to LordKronos

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I've honestly thought for the last couple years that I needed the DTA's to get any channel at all...
baess
join:2011-01-28

baess to LordKronos

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to LordKronos
said by LordKronos:

Right now she has an HDTV with digital tuner, and several older TVs with analog tuners. The HDTV is hooked up directly and just gets the clear QAM channels. A few of the analogs are hooked up to DTAs, but I think she still has one hooked up directly and just get the local stations via analog (the 8 or so analog channels that WOW didn't discontinue a few years back).

Shouldn't she get a Receiver as part of her service?
adam1991
join:2012-06-16
united state

adam1991 to mix

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to mix
said by mix:

I've honestly thought for the last couple years that I needed the DTA's to get any channel at all...

That's a nonsense statement in and of itself in a vacuum.

WOW has been dumping analog for at least 4 years now; right about this date 4 years ago is when they dumped in in Columbus. So, any hookups straight from the wall into an analog TV tuner stopped working except for the locals.

Those analog TV tuners required a DTA to translate the WOW digital into analog channel 3 for them.

In the middle of all of this, WOW implemented--very well, I might add--clear QAM. So instead of keeping your analog TV and requiring a DTA to translate the digital to analog channel 3, you could replace that TV with a new one that has a digital tuner. Now you can simply plug the cable straight from the wall into said digital TV tuner, and--voila--get the same channels you used to get over analog, all without a DTA or a cable box. And they managed it such that the (virtual) channel numbers stayed the same, too. Well done, WOW.

So, YOU (and your analog TV tuner) may have needed a DTA, but others like myself can tune directly the clear QAM signal straight out of the cable.

Want HD? Get a box. Want premiums or a higher tier of channels? Get a box. (Or get a cableCARD and build your own box.)

mix
join:2002-03-19
Romeo, MI

mix

Member

Let me clarify. If I own a TV without a clear qam tuner, I need a cable box of some type to tune channels.
baess
join:2011-01-28

baess to adam1991

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to adam1991
said by adam1991:

WOW has been dumping analog for at least 4 years now; right about this date 4 years ago is when they dumped in in Columbus. So, any hookups straight from the wall into an analog TV tuner stopped working except for the locals.

WOW! got rid of analog 4 years ago in Columbus but kept it in other Ohio markets? Meaning Cleveland.

According to WOW_Dan Illinois, Ohio and SE Michigan will lose analog this year. But according to you they got rid of it in Columbus four years ago. If so I wonder why other markets got a four year reprieve?
sportscubs30
join:2009-06-10

sportscubs30

Member

I received a WOW letter that says I need a digital adapter for my television to work beginning next month and how come WOW! didn't say a word about that when they got rid of the subdigital channels several days ago? I have a VIZIO ECO HD TV with no WOW equipment currently installed. So I guess I will need to order an adapter? Will all of the channels be in high definition quality or just the local channels currently available?

I have another question about the TV service. I can't use my channel go back button without using my up or down button. I basically get an annoying blue screen with a no signal! message going back and forth across my screen.

bdnhsv
join:2012-01-20
Huntsville, AL

bdnhsv

Member

TV service without some sort of an adapter is going to go away - it's all going to end up being IPTV. We all will have to get used to having some "cable box" connected to all "TV's" until they are all IP based. As for current behavior of your WOW equipment you should call them or go visit them at their local office.

aes128
join:2003-12-19
Warren, MI

aes128

Member

I got this same letter today. I believe that this means they are discontinuing all analog channels but NOT clear QAM. For me, this means nothing as all my TVs have a QAM tuner and I wondered why WOW bothered to have any analog at all. The point is this is still not encrypted.

If WOW had said clear QAM was gone and you needed a DTA to get anything, I would have dropped TV altogether from WOW and put up an antenna.

I will do nothing till after the date. I am hoping all will be OK for me as I only get basic cable in the clear. If they kill that, WOW will be my Internet provider only. I have little use for cable channels as do many these days.

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI

Bill_MI to LordKronos

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Just got it today, too. I'm glad for this thread because the wording in the letter is flat wrong (check out the underlined sentence). Looks like the change is the day before tax day.
gene32
join:2004-05-03
Reynoldsburg, OH

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I cut the cord a while back and every NOW AND THEN will switch over to free OTA as background noise or to watch something as I drift off to sleep. Our main TV is using a MoHu leaf so no problem there. The TV in our bedroom USE to get 10 or so analog channels from WOW via co-ax from the wall and I just noticed that the bedroom TV wasn't getting squat. So, went and got a (roughly) foot long piece of RG6 co-ax, measured back about 2 inches from the plug and stripped everything else down to the bare copper. The bedroom TV is now getting all the locals again but now in crystal clear HD!

Matt
@wideopenwest.com

Matt to sportscubs30

Anon

to sportscubs30
The letter was misleading at best. I called just to confirm my suspicion. I read the gal the riot act for the letter. I know many people are going to interpret this letter to mean every TV needs a DTA or some piece of WOW equipment, because it flat out tells you that. But based on my call to WOW, that just isn't the case. They are switching the last of the analog channels to digital. If you have a newer tv with a digital tuner, you will be fine. If you are not using a DTA now and can get all the basic digital channels, you will not need one after the date on the letter.
jim_mi6
join:2011-04-13
Saint Clair Shores, MI

jim_mi6

Member

"misleading at best" is a good way to put it. The more suspicious amongst us might think that the wording is deliberate (especially the underlined paragraph) and designed to get as many people as possible to order a DTA. The more clear QAM folks who do that, the easier it will be for WOW to end clear QAM. And if they order a DTA and then discover they really don't need it, WOW can say it was all a misunderstanding.

It's probably worthwhile to spread the word via social media, and call WOW for clarification if only to show a large response to the letter.

Jim

Inflex
join:2002-09-05

Inflex to Matt

Member

to Matt
said by Matt :

I read the gal the riot act for the letter.

Don't understand why you would do that to CSR.
mikmax11
join:2002-12-01
Naperville, IL

mikmax11 to aes128

Member

to aes128
I second that thought. We went thru this a few years back and WOW kept clear QAM. Many of of have occasionally used TV's and don't want a full fledged box. Let's remember, the government and cable companies forced us to go buy new flat screens with digital tuners.

Also, if the DTA was HD, not a cabling mess, and not so slow; it could be within some reason. But it hooks up like a 1985 VCR! Coax, channel 3, IR relay, extra power wart, etc. Who wants that on their kitchen counter? Give us something as easy as an HDMI stick, like Chromecast.

Also, I like to move a TV to my deck in the summer. To carry the DTA with cables, power, etc, is ludicrous. It's easier to use rabbit ears and OTA signals.