What will I need for my analog tuners in 2009?

[btrcp2000]

I can't find a clear answer here. Two things are triggering the question:

My HVR-1600 doing OTA will not stay installed in sage (works fine using its own interface, but disappears from sage), and my analog PQ sucks. I am kicking around the idea of picking up one of the ATI Theater 650 cards to solve both issues, but I am hesitant to throw more money at something that may go away. Will I need an STB for each analog tuner when they throw the switch in 2009, or will all channels be available via QAM like the local HD's are now? If that's the case, then I'll just get more HDHRs.

[Protoman]

I am pretty sure there was another thread that covered this, but all of the answers regarding February 2009 can be answered here: http://www.dtvanswers.com/

Essentially, this will ONLY affect people using Free-To-Air analog signals, aka using an antennafor the SD channels. The analog connection will still work for cable companies, satellite, etc. and I do believe you do not need to have a cable box as long as you have cable.

Hope this helps,
Protoman

p.s. feel free to move to proper location.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

I can't find a clear answer here. Two things are triggering the question:

My HVR-1600 doing OTA will not stay installed in sage (works fine using its own interface, but disappears from sage), and my analog PQ sucks. I am kicking around the idea of picking up one of the ATI Theater 650 cards to solve both issues, but I am hesitant to throw more money at something that may go away. Will I need an STB for each analog tuner when they throw the switch in 2009, or will all channels be available via QAM like the local HD's are now? If that's the case, then I'll just get more HDHRs.

You've got quite a collection of tuners connected to your rig. Sage will temporarily drop a tuner if it can't connect, or fails to initialize it, especially if another process has control of the device. If Sage is actually erasing the settings then you need to enable logging and contact Sage for technical advice.

Also, if you are pulling 'analog channels' Over-The-Air, then those broadcasters that stay in business will begin broadcasting ATSC (Over-The-Air-Digital broadcasts), analog transmitters are taken down and replaced with digital transmitters. Cable companies can then acquire that signal by antenna or by some more direct method from the studio and convert it to QAM for cable distribution.

Your analog tuner devices will still tune channels on the basic cable lineup (Channels 2-125) for as long as the cable companies continue to offer that service, though (eventually) that will go away, too. When? I'd say when the mob against, who is threatening to overturn the cable trucks, only consists of people who can't overturn a cable truck.

Question: Why are you pulling Over-The-Air if you have cable?

[btrcp2000]

Excellent question, sorry my post wasn't more clear. I live right between Cincinnati and Dayton, so my QAM channels are from Cincy, but I can receive both OTA. Dayton's network affiliates seem to have a slightly better picture OTA vs Cincy's QAM, and there is different HD programming on Dayton's OTA PBS stations. But let's be honest, the real answer to your question is, "Because I can."

I think I have my answer, though. No guarantees, but it sounds like I will still be able to plug a cable line directly into my PC tuners for the time being regardless of what happens in 2009, unless the cable providers want to provide a converter box to absolutely every subscriber. Is it a logical step to think that my HDHR *might* one day be able to tune formerly analog channels (0-125) if they become QAM?

And you're right, I do have a bunch of crap in my sage server! Mostly stuff that I have had laying around for years, but it's all stable. Just the brand new 1600 is giving me trouble. I will check tonight to see if there is some hauppauge program running in the background stealing it.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

"Because I can."

Is it a logical step to think that my HDHR *might* one day be able to tune formerly analog channels (0-125) if they become QAM?

The 'optimistic me' (and totally naive) would say, YES! They're not doing it now because there aren't enough HD sets out there to support it.

Yet the 'totally sarcastic and experienced me' laughs in my face and says that datamining (Nelson ratings gone overboard) through the two-way cable box is something the cable companies won't want to give up. That's worth a LOT of money! Clear QAM, are you serious? Maybe a channel or three, just to give you that 'sense of freedom'.

My grandmother, in the 60's, used to think the broadcasters could know what she was watching on her TV. I thought she was a loon. She was a loon, but I wouldn't have known that in today's world.

Really, though, only time will tell. (probably in some exposé on page 15 saying what went wrong and that it's too late to do anything about it)