[TelstraClear] Remove 'T' for Free to air channels before tech arrives?

Topic # 10010 30-Oct-2006 13:46

OK so Telstra are coming out to switch us to Digital TV and install a second (analogue) decoder on Friday.

My question is, I have set-up a splitter on the current decoder so that i can feed the unencrypted FTA channels to our DVD recorder and TV as well as the normal cable channels. I am not absolutely sure if Telstra have a problem with this practice or not.

So.. Should I remove the splitter before the tech arrives or leave it in?

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Reply # 50271 30-Oct-2006 14:33

TCL do not support signal splitting so it might be a good idea to just incase and put it back when he leaves.

JAMMAN2110

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Reply # 50283 30-Oct-2006 15:45

They have a 2-way splitter at the front of our house, one line goes to our cable modem, the other goes to another 2-way splitter and services the Digital TV decoder and its Modem...

sbiddle

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Reply # 50294 30-Oct-2006 16:05

Splitting your signal into a FTA device such as a TV is not something TCL condone but lots of people do it anyway. I don't know whether an installer will care but it could possible help to remove it! :-)

The problem is that you're basically plugging your TV set straight into the TCL network. Any dodgy RF output from the TV then gets a direct path back into the network and can cause all sorts of problems. In 99% of cases it won't cause any problems but the small chance it could is their reasoning behind not offically supporting this type of hack.

lchiu7

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Reply # 50500 31-Oct-2006 17:55

Interesting thought about feeding signal back into the TCL network. I am currently visiting friends in the SF Bay area. Their cable provider is Comcast. They just have their TV plugged directly into the cable and can receive about 80 channels using the TV as a tuner, There is no cable box. So I guess Comcast don't care.

Interesting the cable signal is very good, even though it's analogue and I am watching it on a 50"HD LCD RPTV, the PQ is way better than TCL's analogue or digital signal. Plus for $5/month more they could rent a digital STB and receive about 6 channels in HiDef. Not sure why they haven't done that yet - I know I would :-) There are more channels available in HD but they would require subscribing to premium services which I know they would not.

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cyril7

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Reply # 50736 2-Nov-2006 08:09

lchui7 are you sure you are not watching a digital service. Due to the FCC requirement of some years ago that all TV's over a certain size (around 29" I think?) had to have a ATSC tuner (US equivalent of DVB-T) built in then manufacturers added digital cable decoders aswell as its not a lot extra, and added to the fact that some 60odd% of US homes get their TV via cable then it makes sense for TV's to have built in cable decoders. So to recieve digital cable service most folk no longer have a STB, just the TV, they normally have a CA card to gain access to the providers services. Some of these TV's dont have a CA card, thus will only get FTA services (including HD ones) in which case you would require a Comcast STB to get all the other channels, more upmarket TV's have a CA card slot so you can get all channels.

Services such as Comcast will have both SD digital and HD channels, ..all of the FTA HD network channels are rebroadcast as well due to "local must carry" rules.

Only a small number of US homes (estimated less than 8%) recieve their TV via off air, and even less than that the ATSC DTV services. The rest get TV reception via cable (60odd%) and satellite (20odd%), the two satellite providers being DirectTV and EchoStar.

Cyril

sbbaxter

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Reply # 50868 3-Nov-2006 08:25

I'm a comcast subscriber in the Seattle area - and only have an analog subscription. I could upgrade to the digital, and would need either a comcast STB or ATSC device of some sort, but can't justify the cost.

So I have the analog signal (direct from the cable via an F-Connector) split into my TV/VCR and into a Linux based DVR with a Hauppauge PVR-150 - and the signal quality is excellent (although the MPEG2 encoder on the PVR-150 lacks somewhat). I get the FTA channels (1-10 or so) plus the 10-99 basic package channels (of which about 4 are worth watching) - all for the measly sum of $US45 a month (!!). Adding movies (or a news channel !!!) bumps that up another $20 or so.

cyril7

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Reply # 50870 3-Nov-2006 08:39

Hi SBBaxter, so for your $45bucks you get the cable connected, and unencrypted access to 40-50 analog channels both the area FTA and basic package, I take it to gain access to the movie channels for the extra $20 you would also require an STB to gain access to these, correct?.

Does comcast also provide cable broadband, if so, whats the cost?

Cyril

sbbaxter

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Reply # 50871 3-Nov-2006 08:53

Internet connection cost was in addition. I bought a Comcast DIY kit for $30, and paid $14 to have an extra 'jack' installed in the office (which I thought was very reasonable). My Comcast cable internet costs another $45 a month - and has just been upgraded to 12Meg.

Verizon are also offering a 16Meg fibre-to-the-house service at the mo for $35 a month, but they want a contract commitment - and I'm heading home to NZ soon. (to work for TCL, as it happens

)

There's all sorts of packages, as usual. You can get access to the 100-199 channels (some - depending on package) without getting an STB. Some HD channels are also available, but need the STB

Note again - on top of all charges are state and federal taxes. Cable + internet costs me just on $100 a month.

Comcast (and LOADS of others) are also now offering VoIP services. I guess that TNZ has now unbundled we'll start seeing these in NZ soon too?

lchiu7

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Reply # 50872 3-Nov-2006 09:02

cyril7: lchui7 are you sure you are not watching a digital service. Due to the FCC requirement of some years ago that all TV's over a certain size (around 29" I think?) had to have a ATSC tuner (US equivalent of DVB-T) built in then manufacturers added digital cable decoders aswell as its not a lot extra, and added to the fact that some 60odd% of US homes get their TV via cable then it makes sense for TV's to have built in cable decoders. So to recieve digital cable service most folk no longer have a STB, just the TV, they normally have a CA card to gain access to the providers services. Some of these TV's dont have a CA card, thus will only get FTA services (including HD ones) in which case you would require a Comcast STB to get all the other channels, more upmarket TV's have a CA card slot so you can get all channels.

Services such as Comcast will have both SD digital and HD channels, ..all of the FTA HD network channels are rebroadcast as well due to "local must carry" rules.

Only a small number of US homes (estimated less than 8%) recieve their TV via off air, and even less than that the ATSC DTV services. The rest get TV reception via cable (60odd%) and satellite (20odd%), the two satellite providers being DirectTV and EchoStar.

Cyril

110% sure. The TV does not have a ATSC tuner in it. It is pure analogue. And there is no STB. I have confirmed this by seeing my friend capture TV using a standard Hauppauge video card

lchiu7

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Reply # 50874 3-Nov-2006 09:07

My friend has AT&T DSL internet service. No idea how much he pays for it since his work pays for it. He tells me the speed is only about 2Mbs down and 384Kb up but of course no data charges. He is thinking of moving to Comcast cable modem service also since he would get better speed and probably a better deal on the entire package.

He cannot receive OTA digital because of where he is - would need a fairly high mounted aerial and that would violate the homeowners CC&R's. And I am not sure he is interested in satellite service either.

If I were him I would upgrade to digital service, get HDTV over cable and probably get the Comcast DVR.

My friend doesn't bother since he gets most of programming via bittorrents (!) and can watch the shows on his 50" TV using a Pinnacle Media Extender box.

sbbaxter

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Reply # 50875 3-Nov-2006 09:14

I didn't go down the OTA digital route, as there's only the FTA channels and they're pretty limited. Also, the aerial on the roof is crap. As was said, most people in the US eat cable.

I have some DVB-T hardware from living in the UK - but it don't work here! DVB-T in the UK, which NZ is getting in '07, was really good. Lots of good channels and material - US material is poor by comparison IMHO.

K123

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Reply # 50881 3-Nov-2006 10:03

This might help...

During the install of my cable internet I was (un)fortunate enough to be visited by 6 technicians. The majority look at you sideways when you tell them that FTA analogue is still transmitted down the cable, one was very happy to offer to split the cable for me and one was particularly annoyed when I asked. The less than impressed technician (who actually did my install) told be that I would have to arrange for a powered splitter to be installed to maintain the signal strength. So be careful when you split cable and make sure you do a good job of it.

I say remove the splitter before the upgrade.

Nety

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Reply # 50884 3-Nov-2006 10:12

I have removed the T..

lchiu7

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Reply # 50946 3-Nov-2006 16:26

The analogue box would filter out all the FTA channels once you fed the signal into it. So you had to split the signal before it went into the cable box if you wanted to tune into the FTA channels. However the digital box does not. So you can actually split the signal after it comes out of the digital STB and feed one lead into your TV and one into your PVR if you want. Then the TV can receive the one unscrambled channel the STB is tuned to, plus any of the unscrambled FTA channels. When I had my analogue box switched out, the tech saw my splitter and said I didn't need it in that part of the path and reconnected it after the STB

Nety

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