Cable Question...

[atlantadude1972]

I've been using sage media center and place shifter for awhile now and am very happy with both...I'm running with an antenna in my attic right now...But I'm thinking about adding cable...I'm curious how that works in terms of needing their cable box? Do I need a box? I would assume I would to get some of the channels like hbo etc...? I want to keep everything the way it is but instead of pumping the antenna into the pc I can just pump cable in...?

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

[wrems]

Hey neighbor! I have Comcast and as of right now I am receiving 86 stations via clearqam, a combination of digital and HD broadcasts with my HDHR and Avermedia HD Duet. No cable boxes, you may want to start with QAM before getting a STB. Unless premium stations are a priority for you. What tuner(s) are you currently using to tune OTA?

[atlantadude1972]

That's so funny...Small world eh?

I appreciate your response...

I'm using the haugepauge 2250 daul tuner now...

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/produc...a_hvr2250.html


I guess I don't know the difference between QAMand STB...

I really wasn't planning on getting hbo etc...But I do want cnn and fox news...Do I need a boox for that package?

Thanks again!

Jeff

[wrems]

Are you already paying for a basic cable subscription or internet through comcast? Can your HDTV tune any cable stations sans SageTV (so long as your TV is capable…).

ClearQAM are stations that are not encrypted and thus as long as you have a tuner capable of tuning QAM (which you do) you don’t necessarily need a STB (set top box). The STB gives you more access to programming and their encrypted lineups (HBO etc). If you are fine without those additional broadcasts than tuning QAM can be a way for you to cheaply gain access to an overall descent lineup. The longevity of maintaining access to clearqam is unknown. It sounds as though many are losing those stations all the time, but in the interim why not just tap into it?

More info about QAM: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...592#post308592

I do not have a cable box (STB) and don’t pay for any kind of premium subscriptions and am happy to receive this lineup:

    
0	WXIADT3
2	WATC
3	WSB
4	WAGA
5	AIB
6	WXIA
7	WPCH
8	WGTV
9	WGCL
10	WUPADT
11	WHSG
12	WPXA
14	WUVG
15	WGNAMER
16	WPBA
19	HSN
20	QVC
27	TVGN
30	CSPAN
32	TWC
33	TLC
34	CNN
35	HLN
37	FNC
38	AETV
39	TBS
40	DSC
41	TNT
42	USA
43	FX
44	VERSUS
45	CSS
46	ESPN
47	ESPN2
48	FSSO1G
49	GOLF
50	MTV
51	VH1
52	HISTORY
53	SPSOUTH
54	ABCF
55	LIFE
56	E
57	FOOD
59	HGTV
60	TRAV
61	APL
62	TOON
63	NIK
64	DISN
65	TVLAND
66	AMC
68	COMEDY
69	TCM
71	TVONE
72	BET
73	TELE
74	SYFY
75	SPEED
78	SPIKETV
79	OXYGEN
104	CSPAN2
120	MSNBC
125	CSPAN3
134	G4
137	HALMRK
168	CMTV
202	LMN
207	BLOOM
211	WXIADT2
218	HI
219	BIO
246	WGTVDT3
247	WGTVDT2
248	WSBDT2
263	WDTALP
271	SPROUT
532	AZTECAE
803	WSBDT
804	WAGADT
806	WXIADT
808	WGTVDT
809	WGCLDT
812	WPXADT
813	WATLDT
816	WPBADT

I don’t see why you would not be able to receive these stations too without doing anything different than disconnecting your OTA antenna and hooking up your 2250 to your coax input. Provided you use Comcast for your internet/basic cable service already… Check the SageTV manual for more info on doing a channel scan on your QAM stations.

[atlantadude1972]

That lineup would be perfect for me...What do they call that package? & what are you paying for it?

It's funny you mention internet/basic cable...I remember I used to split the comcast cable from my internet and I would get basic...That still the same?

I just ordered comcast internet for a 2/6 install...Said I can save the 50 bucks on the cable install if I do it after I've got internet..We'll see...

Do you use placeshifter? Part of the reason for my switching things around is the uploads now available through comcast...12/2 vs 6/300k through bell south...That upload is going to make all the difference in world when traveling I would have to assume...

Thanks again!

Jeff

[wrems]

I’ve had Comcast for years, even before Sage and only have ever subscribed to their basic, basic package and internet of course, no STB. I just bought the cheapest programming they offered <$20 per month… That was really back in the analog days and the days prior to SageTV… The lineup above is from my HDHR and Avermedia Duet via QAM.

Now that I am thinking about it I don’t think that one needs to buy any cable programming… If I understand the whole QAM thing correctly one only needs internet and the QAM stations follow by default. So long as one has a tuner capable tuning it and luckily for us SageTV for capturing it, and providing the EPG… I suspect that I can just go ahead and cancel my basic cable package, because I pay for internet service already…
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can confirm this?

I think you’re golden without actually buying any programming and only going with their internet package and allowing Sage and your 2250 to tune and record the same QAM lineup as I have above.
I used to use placeshifter and since rebuilding my server (quad 4 now) I haven’t gone through and set it back up… Regardless, I had no problems placeshifting at all on my old system via Comcast cable. I would surmise my PS experience would actually be improved with my quad… Someday I will get it set up.

[atlantadude1972]

Sooo...I went with Comcast internet and tried to hook it up to the tv and no go...I mean you get a couple of channels but it's unwatchable...So I called Comcast today and asked them about cable tv and was told I'd only get like 1-24 just plugging the cable into the tv...more than that you need a cable card...Are you still getting all those channels without a box?

[PiX64]

Hey Guys,
The QAM will only work on the TV if you have a QAM tuner in your TV. Try plugging the cable from the wall into your 2200 tuner and do a QAM scan on it. You will be able to see you can get QAM without having cable subscription. For me in Illinois it didn't work that way. Comcast blocked all QAM channels until i got their intro cable package. After subscribing to that and paying like 40 or something a month (would have to look at my bill) I was then able to get all of the channels listed in this post as well as a few more.

[wrems]

Like Pix said, hook your cable feed into your QAM tuner and you should be good. I do not have a cable box only an HDHR and the Avermedia HD Duet. Both pull those channels listed above fine.