Cable analog after 2008?

I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008 or
2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels 1-100
and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above 100 is
really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even worse
then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.

Break the old TV first.

Second let your wife pick out the replacement. You go with her to guide her
and provide the necessary info when she has a question.

Third since she made the decision wives typically don't complain.

"trs80" wrote in message
...
I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008 or
2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels 1-100
and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above 100 is
really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even
worse then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.


My cable system (Comcast) just finished with an ADS implementation
(Analog/Digital Simulcast) so those with their cable boxes, or those with
TV's that have QAM tuners get all the stations digitally. Initially the
quality wasn't obviously better and there was some pixelation, but after a
couple of weeks of tuning the whole system, I will say that the ADS has
improved the overall viewing experience. I will say that the 1-100 stations
definintely appear crisper, not only to me but to my wife.

trs80 wrote:
I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008 or
2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels 1-100
and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above 100 is
really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even worse
then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.

The current cutoff date for analog over the air broadcasts is Feb. 17,
2009. The cutoff date does not apply to cable, but it will have an
impact as the local station will then only have a digital HD or SD
signal to provide to the cable systems. The regulatory and technical
issues are still being hashed out in Congress, the FCC and the industry.

It can get complicated. But what is expected to occur is that the
cable franchises will generate an analog version of the digital signal
and send that out to the remaining analog channels. How they handle 16:9
to 4:3 issues remains to be seen. But the cable companies want to do
away with the analog channels entirely because they hog much of
available bandwidth. They can typically squeeze 2 HD channels + 2
digital SD channels or around 10 to 12 digital SD channels into the 6
MHz bandwidth taken up by one analog channel. 2012 has been tossed
around as the earliest shutdown date for the remaining analog cable
channels. What the cable companies are aiming to do is to start cutting
down the number of analog channels. Probably cut down in stages from 70
or 80 analog channels to 60, then to 40 or 50 to a core set of analog
channels for the holdouts who refuse to get a digital STB or new TV with
a built-in QAM tuner.

What Comcast has been doing for many of their cable systems is
converting to Digital Simulcast of the analog channels. That is they are
working towards to sending out digital SD versions of all the channels
on the analog tier. Subscribers with digital STBs (either SD or HD
versions) then get the digital version of the channel, not the analog,
when they select one of the channels on the analog tier.

Digital simulcast should, in theory, make for better picture quality
on your HD set for the "analog" tier channels. But SD blown up to a big
screen is going to look crappier compared to the SD picture on a smaller
27" or 32" 4:3 set, period. BTW, if your current analog channels
currently look that bad, you may want to ask for a service call. May be
a weak signal line.

I hope this post helps more than it confuses!

Alan F

thats was a great input. thanks!

I see no mention by COx of any impending conversion of the analog channels.
So its probably a couple years away for them.

"Alan Figgatt" wrote in message
...
trs80 wrote:
I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008
or 2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels
1-100 and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above
100 is really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even
worse then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.

The current cutoff date for analog over the air broadcasts is Feb. 17,
2009. The cutoff date does not apply to cable, but it will have an
impact as the local station will then only have a digital HD or SD
signal to provide to the cable systems. The regulatory and technical
issues are still being hashed out in Congress, the FCC and the industry.

It can get complicated. But what is expected to occur is that the
cable franchises will generate an analog version of the digital signal
and send that out to the remaining analog channels. How they handle 16:9
to 4:3 issues remains to be seen. But the cable companies want to do
away with the analog channels entirely because they hog much of
available bandwidth. They can typically squeeze 2 HD channels + 2
digital SD channels or around 10 to 12 digital SD channels into the 6
MHz bandwidth taken up by one analog channel. 2012 has been tossed
around as the earliest shutdown date for the remaining analog cable
channels. What the cable companies are aiming to do is to start cutting
down the number of analog channels. Probably cut down in stages from 70
or 80 analog channels to 60, then to 40 or 50 to a core set of analog
channels for the holdouts who refuse to get a digital STB or new TV with
a built-in QAM tuner.

What Comcast has been doing for many of their cable systems is
converting to Digital Simulcast of the analog channels. That is they are
working towards to sending out digital SD versions of all the channels
on the analog tier. Subscribers with digital STBs (either SD or HD
versions) then get the digital version of the channel, not the analog,
when they select one of the channels on the analog tier.

Digital simulcast should, in theory, make for better picture quality
on your HD set for the "analog" tier channels. But SD blown up to a big
screen is going to look crappier compared to the SD picture on a smaller
27" or 32" 4:3 set, period. BTW, if your current analog channels
currently look that bad, you may want to ask for a service call. May be
a weak signal line.

I hope this post helps more than it confuses!

Alan F

In article ,
"Gomer Jones" I am wrote:

"trs80" wrote in message
...
I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008 or
2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels 1-100
and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above 100 is
really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even
worse then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.


My cable system (Comcast) just finished with an ADS implementation
(Analog/Digital Simulcast) so those with their cable boxes, or those with
TV's that have QAM tuners get all the stations digitally. Initially the
quality wasn't obviously better and there was some pixelation, but after a
couple of weeks of tuning the whole system, I will say that the ADS has
improved the overall viewing experience. I will say that the 1-100 stations
definintely appear crisper, not only to me but to my wife.

That's what they did in my area too. However, they recently began
encrypting all the channels except for local station ADS, thus requiring
one to pay the extra fee for the digital service and install a STB or
live with the analog channels.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article ,
says...


trs80 wrote:
I understand that broadcast TV will be going all digital by law in 2008 or
2009. But what about cable channels? My cable is analog on channels 1-100
and pretty poor pictures. The digital standard definition above 100 is
really nice.

Im a bit worred about getting a nice new HDTV bigsreen that looks even worse
then my old TV on channels 1-100. My wife will have a field day.

The current cutoff date for analog over the air broadcasts is Feb. 17,
2009. The cutoff date does not apply to cable, but it will have an
impact as the local station will then only have a digital HD or SD
signal to provide to the cable systems. The regulatory and technical
issues are still being hashed out in Congress, the FCC and the industry.

It can get complicated. But what is expected to occur is that the
cable franchises will generate an analog version of the digital signal
and send that out to the remaining analog channels. How they handle 16:9
to 4:3 issues remains to be seen. But the cable companies want to do
away with the analog channels entirely because they hog much of
available bandwidth. They can typically squeeze 2 HD channels + 2
digital SD channels or around 10 to 12 digital SD channels into the 6
MHz bandwidth taken up by one analog channel. 2012 has been tossed
around as the earliest shutdown date for the remaining analog cable
channels. What the cable companies are aiming to do is to start cutting
down the number of analog channels. Probably cut down in stages from 70
or 80 analog channels to 60, then to 40 or 50 to a core set of analog
channels for the holdouts who refuse to get a digital STB or new TV with
a built-in QAM tuner.

Congress and/or the FCC should require the cable systems to continue to carry a
lifeline tier at a regulated cost of at least the few local channels and public
service channels in analog for many years. This will help mimimize the need to
buy millions of TVs or STBs in 2009. There are cost and environmental
considerations when you look at replacing millions of analog sets that are
perfectly good for many more years. The subsidy for STBs for OTA only TVs will
also be woefully inadequate and limited per household. Some of these people
might be willing to continue to use older sets with lifeline cable.

What Comcast has been doing for many of their cable systems is
converting to Digital Simulcast of the analog channels. That is they are
working towards to sending out digital SD versions of all the channels
on the analog tier. Subscribers with digital STBs (either SD or HD
versions) then get the digital version of the channel, not the analog,
when they select one of the channels on the analog tier.

Digital simulcast should, in theory, make for better picture quality
on your HD set for the "analog" tier channels. But SD blown up to a big
screen is going to look crappier compared to the SD picture on a smaller
27" or 32" 4:3 set, period. BTW, if your current analog channels
currently look that bad, you may want to ask for a service call. May be
a weak signal line.

Our cable system has been doing this for years. The digital versions of the
analog stations look poorer to me on a HD set than the analog versions. The
color and sound are fine, but the detail isn't there. The picture lacks fine
details and edges as compared to analog. And this is via a component cable.

whosbest54
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whosbest54 wrote:

In article ,
says...


The current cutoff date for analog over the air broadcasts is Feb. 17,
2009. The cutoff date does not apply to cable, but it will have an
impact as the local station will then only have a digital HD or SD
signal to provide to the cable systems. The regulatory and technical
issues are still being hashed out in Congress, the FCC and the industry.

It can get complicated. But what is expected to occur is that the
cable franchises will generate an analog version of the digital signal
and send that out to the remaining analog channels. How they handle 16:9
to 4:3 issues remains to be seen. But the cable companies want to do
away with the analog channels entirely because they hog much of
available bandwidth. They can typically squeeze 2 HD channels + 2
digital SD channels or around 10 to 12 digital SD channels into the 6
MHz bandwidth taken up by one analog channel. 2012 has been tossed
around as the earliest shutdown date for the remaining analog cable
channels. What the cable companies are aiming to do is to start cutting
down the number of analog channels. Probably cut down in stages from 70
or 80 analog channels to 60, then to 40 or 50 to a core set of analog
channels for the holdouts who refuse to get a digital STB or new TV with
a built-in QAM tuner.


Congress and/or the FCC should require the cable systems to continue to carry a
lifeline tier at a regulated cost of at least the few local channels and public
service channels in analog for many years. This will help mimimize the need to
buy millions of TVs or STBs in 2009. There are cost and environmental
considerations when you look at replacing millions of analog sets that are
perfectly good for many more years. The subsidy for STBs for OTA only TVs will
also be woefully inadequate and limited per household. Some of these people
might be willing to continue to use older sets with lifeline cable.

I expect that we will see a reduced core set of analog only channels
on most cable systems for well past the 2012 cutoff for the customers
who stick with their older analog cable-ready TVs. But the analog only
TVs will be fading fast from the stores after March 1, 2007. So by 2012,
all of those sets will be at least 5 years old.

What goes into the core set besides the local broadcast stations will
be a hard-fought issue. Personally I think the local public service
channels should be among the first channels taken off the analog tier as
hardly anybody ever watches them.

What Comcast has been doing for many of their cable systems is
converting to Digital Simulcast of the analog channels. That is they are
working towards to sending out digital SD versions of all the channels
on the analog tier. Subscribers with digital STBs (either SD or HD
versions) then get the digital version of the channel, not the analog,
when they select one of the channels on the analog tier.

Digital simulcast should, in theory, make for better picture quality
on your HD set for the "analog" tier channels. But SD blown up to a big
screen is going to look crappier compared to the SD picture on a smaller
27" or 32" 4:3 set, period. BTW, if your current analog channels
currently look that bad, you may want to ask for a service call. May be
a weak signal line.


Our cable system has been doing this for years. The digital versions of the
analog stations look poorer to me on a HD set than the analog versions. The
color and sound are fine, but the detail isn't there. The picture lacks fine
details and edges as compared to analog. And this is via a component cable.

whosbest54

Many postings that I have seen from people with HD TVs and cable
systems (almost all Comcast) that have switched to ADS have reported
improvements in the picture quality. But if a local system really cranks
on the digital compression to squeeze more channels into the digital
line-up, you can get poorer picture quality. But if the cable system can
free up bandwidth by shutting down some of the analog channels and
implementing local switching, they might cut back on the too-aggressive
compression. If I were, I would complain to your cable company. If
people don't complain, they will think no one cares if they compress the
hell of the digital channels.

Alan F

On 2 Jun 2006 02:40:25 +0200, whosbest54 wrote:

Congress and/or the FCC should require the cable systems to continue to carry a
lifeline tier at a regulated cost of at least the few local channels and public
service channels in analog for many years. This will help mimimize the need to
buy millions of TVs or STBs in 2009. There are cost and environmental
considerations when you look at replacing millions of analog sets that are
perfectly good for many more years. The subsidy for STBs for OTA only TVs will
also be woefully inadequate and limited per household. Some of these people
might be willing to continue to use older sets with lifeline cable.

Why should congress be requiring cable companies to do anything? For
that matter, why should congress/the FCC be requiring broadcast
stations to switch to digital modulation? I understand that there
isn't perfect competition at this time, but if congress (which should
be doing better things with their time) decides to mandate an analog
tier, they should also mandate an analog tier for DirectTV and Dish,
as well as the phone companies who are starting to run fiber to the
home (but only in the affluent neighborhoods, and without franchise
agreements). How about free set top boxes? Free HBO?

Congress is already doing everything they can to keep the broadcasters
from having to change their way of doing things, lest they end up
looking bad in an election year (broadcaster to congressman: "Gee,
that mole looks really ugly. I'd hate to have to set up my camera on
that side of you all the time...")

"Rick" wrote in message
...
Break the old TV first.

Second let your wife pick out the replacement. You go with her to guide
her and provide the necessary info when she has a question.

Third since she made the decision wives typically don't complain.




These simple laws hold true for most anything. Great advice.