New (and much easier) way to map clear QAM channels

[mikesm]

If you are in a market where DTA's are being deployed (the MSO's are giving them away to users as part of their move to full digital), you can use the DTA's diagnostics to find the frequency and program number for the various SD and music channels on the cable plant.

Look here: http://picasaweb.google.com/virgegx/ComcastDTAUnboxing#

Look at the the page labeled hidden diagnostics. The DTA's have OOB tunders that can decode the VCT frames sent by the cable operator to the STB's to enable them to map logical channel numbers to physical QAM carriers and program numbers. This works for music too. A lot easier than trying to figure out what the channel is by watching it.

Even better since the DTA can't decode encrypted video, the MSO's are turning off encryption for expanded basic channels, at least the SD versions of them.

In my market (SF bay area), Comcast is deploying the pace boxes which are shown in the photo album.

And the channel mappings work great for QAM capable TV's too.

[hemicuda]

I've noticed the extra channels popped up again in the Chattanooga area. I haven't bothered to map them in again because they didn't stay clear but for maybe a month last fall.

[MattHelm]

Would there be any way to automate this??? Grab the data somehow and then parse it with a program?

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

Would there be any way to automate this??? Grab the data somehow and then parse it with a program?

The DTA has no network or USB port, so you can't get it from it. To receive the VCT info you need a special OOB QPSK tuner that receives info at 75 Mhz. The Clear QAM tuner cards don't have this, so it's not possible to automatically do the mapping.

You need special hardware.