By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff | June 14, 2008

Cable companies battling for television customers are increasing their high-definition offerings and scaling back analog channels, in a move that means some customers will need additional hardware to tune in.

Next month, RCN Corp. begins a nine-month shift to all-digital, dropping its lineup of analog channels in the Boston market to make room for more digital channels. Verizon Communications Inc. began to go all-digital in May, with plans to offer 150 HD channels by year-end. Comcast Corp. said it will continue to offer analog service to customers as it pushes toward digital offerings. But in Boston and Brookline, the company increased its capacity by offering only basic analog channels, and next week, it will launch five new HD channels in both places.

Depending on the provider, that means subscribers used to plugging a TV directly into coaxial cable may now need a digital converter box for every TV in their house, or else the sets will go dark. Verizon provides up to three free digital converter boxes to analog customers. RCN will offer a free converter box for each customer without one and charge $2.95 per month for each additional box. Because Comcast will continue to transmit analog channels, a cable box is not required.

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