Sage outdated with DTV switch?

[joey3002]

I just got sage running about 3 months ago.. I love it. However, my question is this.. With all this talk of digital transition and such, will sage be outdated or unusable? I do not want to "rent" cable boxes (3 inputs) as that will just get ridiculous.

I have a 1600 and a 2250 currently, I live in PA, and have RCN. As of right now, I get up to channel 80 or so.. I am not sure if I am using digital or not, my channels are labeled as 2,3,4.... not 2401-2 2401-1 etc..

My concern is, is sage a long term viable solution or will I be at the mercy of the cable company in June. I really do love sage and hope it will be, but I am asking you guys because this is something I think you guys will know more than me about..

Thanks

[pknowles]

Most cable markets will still send out analog signals, it's only the Over The Air (OTA) transmissions that will be effected. Some cable markets are starting to switch over to 100% digital and they broadcast the previously analog signals in clear QAM, so you won't need to rent a box. If you want premium channels or non-local HD channels then you will need a box like you always have, the switch won't change this. There really is not much of a change other then needing QAM tuners.

For you, you already have QAM tuners. So when the switch on cable happens you will be set. The biggest change for you will be that all your channel numbers will probably change.

[pknowles]

Just to add to the original comment. The switch really only effects tuning hardware, really has nothing to do with Sage.

[joey3002]

thanks guys, I feel a little better now bout my expense I put out to build this kick ass system..

[david1234]

I set up Sage 2 years ago, and I have never pulled anything but a digital signal OTA. The only reason I even set up an analog tuner, was to copy some VHS tapes we had laying around... of course the VCR died before I had a chance to re-record them.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by pknowles

Some cable markets are starting to switch over to 100% digital and they broadcast the previously analog signals in clear QAM, so you won't need to rent a box. If you want premium channels or non-local HD channels then you will need a box like you always have, the switch won't change this. There really is not much of a change other then needing QAM tuners.

This is the case with Comcast, but I haven't heard anything definitive about RCN. I know RCN had a waiver for a while that let them continue to use DCT700 cable boxes that lacked a cable card slot. So, they didn't need to go the DTA route like Comcast, and thus were able to keep using encryption. It's my understanding that RCN is using encryption in the Chicago market (which is now all-digital), but I can't find a definitive source of information on that.

[joey3002]

Originally Posted by reggie14

This is the case with Comcast, but I haven't heard anything definitive about RCN. I know RCN had a waiver for a while that let them continue to use DCT700 cable boxes that lacked a cable card slot. So, they didn't need to go the DTA route like Comcast, and thus were able to keep using encryption. It's my understanding that RCN is using encryption in the Chicago market (which is now all-digital), but I can't find a definitive source of information on that.

this is the kind of garbage that sets me off.. i do not nor will i pay the cable co more money for a converter box.. but this post hits the nail on the head about my main question.. if that happens, i will be required to buy the converter boxes then right?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by joey3002

I just got sage running about 3 months ago.. I love it. However, my question is this.. With all this talk of digital transition and such, will sage be outdated or unusable? I do not want to "rent" cable boxes (3 inputs) as that will just get ridiculous.

We should be 100% clear, the "Digital Transition" has nothing to do with cable. It's about OTA only. All that's mandated to go away is over the air NTSC signals.

About half our stations did the conversion already and I didn't have to do anything in Sage but a rescan (one of them moved frequencies).

I have a 1600 and a 2250 currently, I live in PA, and have RCN. As of right now, I get up to channel 80 or so.. I am not sure if I am using digital or not, my channels are labeled as 2,3,4.... not 2401-2 2401-1 etc..

The (now June) transition date has nothing to do with you, there's no reason you can't keep recieving those channels after the date as they are not OTA.

My concern is, is sage a long term viable solution or will I be at the mercy of the cable company in June. I really do love sage and hope it will be, but I am asking you guys because this is something I think you guys will know more than me about..

"Long term" is really a different question though. Since "long term" everyone is going all digital since it's much more bandwidth efficient. Everyone here using satellite has been living in this all digital world for years already.

[BrianDC]

Realize that a lot of providers are moving from analog stations to digital stations as it takes a lot less bandwidth. I'm trying to remember what market it was, but there was a provider that changed all of their channels to digital already (for cable customers)

With Sage, you will be able to get the OTA, or the clear QAM without cable boxes, but for the other encrypted QAM stations, you may need to get a converter box.