QAM vs Firewire channel/quality clarification

[impro]

I get everything but hbo/showtime/cinemax with firewire.
Will I get the same amount of channels with a qam tumer?

Also will upgrading from 3250hd to 8300hd improve my firewire cnnection?
It looks and runs fine with the 3250hd except having to stop and start so many times when changing channels plus 2-3 second frame freze every 5 minutes.

[impro]

Simply my question is:
Is QAM unencrypted channels the same as firewire unencrypted channels?
Thanks

[ke6guj]

NO, they are not the same. Open QAM is different than non-5C'ed Firewire. Your cable company can encrypt different channels on QAM than then do for firewire.

FOr instance, I only get my digital locals and a couple other digital channels, like discoveryHD and ESPNHD, on open QAM, but I get EVERY channel I pay for on my firewire including my premium HBO/Showtime channels.