Will HDHomerun Tuner Work with Comcast Digital?

[Greg]

Currently, I have Comcast Extended Basic (analog). In the near future Comcast will be going all digital with exception (I think) of the local channels. Comcast will require a DTA box (Digital to Analog convertor) to be used for an analog TV. If I upgrade to a digital TV or to the HDHR will I be able to receive the Comcast digital signal or is this signal encrypted?

I read some threads back in June mentioning that you would not need the DTA box, just an HDHR. This would indicate that the signal is not encrypted; but, what is Comcast long term goal: to encrypt everything?

Thanks,
Greg

[Fuzzy]

Your guess would be as good as everyone else's. Previous experience would point towards variances between different markets, mostly it seems the differences would be tied to whether the local techs decided to turn the switch on or off...

Either way, I wouldn't EXPECT anything but locally broadcast channels in the clear.. anything more than that is a bonus.

[GKusnick]

It's not a question of "the signal" being encrypted or not. Each digital channel is a separate signal that's encrypted (or not) independently. So what you're really asking is what channels are unencrypted ("clear QAM") in your market. The best way to figure that out is here:

http://www.silicondust.com/hdhomerun/channels_us

Unencrypted channels can be recorded directly by your HDHR. To record encrypted channels in Sage, you will need either a DTA box and an analog capture card (which will record them in SD), or an HD cable box and an HD-PVR.

[loonsailor]

I have comcast digital in Berkeley, CA. My hdhr gets >100 unencrypted channels, including basic cable, broadcast, and a few broadcast hd channels. It replaces the DTA, for your sage box.

[nyplayer]

I have Comcast and they recently encrypted all the channels above basic service channel 32 and above.... eventually according to Comcast this will happen in all areas.

So I get 2-31 in clear Qam.

[Greg]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I have Comcast and they recently encrypted all the channels above basic service channel 32 and above.... eventually according to Comcast this will happen in all areas.

So I get 2-31 in clear Qam.

I'm in the western suburbs of Chicago, and I believe that's the direction Comcast is taking here, but not sure to what extent. The thread I referred to in the June time frame indicated that no DTA would be required.......just the HDHR, but as that was June, I figured that was probably not reliable information for today. I had to ask............that would have been great!

Part of the June discussion (sorry, I don't remember the thread title) was discussing the DTA box not being very smart......no decoding. If some channels are encrypted the box would have to have some decoding circuitry. Maybe it's not elaborate.......just detect some flag and let in.

If all I could get with Comcast was 2 - 31, then I would just go OTA.

Greg