Digital channels on analog basic?

[Jeffhs]

I have Time Warner expanded basic service, no cable box. Most of the channels are analog, but the local broadcast channels are digital, with the stations' analog (NTSC) feeds along side them (e. g. 3.0, 3.1, the first channel being the analog signal). My best guess is the cable operator is keeping the analog feeds, which can still be viewed without a box simply by connecting the cable directly to the set, for those few folks with older TVs; however, the goal is to eventually do away with all analog service, so don't be surprised if, some day in the not too distant future, you get a letter in your mail from the cable service saying that, from this moment on (or soon after you receive the notice), you will need a cable box on your TV (even flat screens) to receive anything, even local TV channels. Comcast has eliminated analog service as of 2012 or '13, with other cable operators sure to follow suit, if they haven't already. Too bad for VK members with old knob-tuned TVs, but that's the way it is. There are other ways you can use your old sets without bothering with cable, such as with DVD players, Roku, et al. streaming video boxes, VCRs (!), OTA digital-to-analog converter boxes, and so on, but as far as cable goes, it will eventually be down to two choices: either use a box or go without TV.