Quote:
Originally Posted by radiotvnut
Comcast finally moved the last few analog channels to digital.
Up until about a year ago, we had cable channels 2-67 still available via analog delivery and could be received on a traditional cable ready TV without the need for a cable box. Channels 2-13 could be received on any set with a mechanical tuner.
Tonight, I turned on the kitchen TV to watch the evening news while eating supper. I was greeted with snow on all channels. I then checked the bedroom TV and got the same results; so, it's obvious they have moved everything to digital.
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I thought you said a while back that you can still get channels 2-13 without a cable box. If so, why are you not getting anything on your TVs? I don't know how the channels are arranged on your cable, but if your local network stations are still on channels from 2 to 13 you should still be seeing them. Time Warner Cable in my area downconverts UHF channels to VHF channel positions; for example, CBS channel 19 is on VHF channel 4, MyTV 43 is on channel 6, PBS channel 25 is on channel ten, etc.
Your area's cable system must be set up differently if you have lost everything, including broadcast channels; this doesn't seem right to me. Even if they switch everything else to digital channels, the broadcast channels should still be available without a box, as FCC rules do not permit cable companies to scramble or otherwise make unviewable broadcast channels. Do you have standard CRT NTSC televisions or flat screens? If the latter, you should still be getting most channels your cable delivers, since all flat screens made in the last few years have NTSC/ATSC/clear QAM tuners.
Most newer sets can also receive clear QAM channels, but some older flat screens cannot. If your TVs are flat screens older than about five years, their tuners probably cannot receive clear QAM; this could explain why you are not receiving anything since the cable company decided to put all channels on digital tiers.
BTW, depending on your cable provider, your local network affiliates may already be on VHF channels. I looked at the TV Guide listings (Comcast Cable) for Meridian and found that the network stations in your area are all on channels from 2 to 13 (UHF stations downconverted to VHF channels), so you should still get these stations regardless of where the others are.