For many years my cable provider, Wideopenwest, has provided an analog converter box feeding the televisions in our house. There was no restriction on the number of TVs you could hook up. After the supposed switch from analog to digital, we disconnected the converter boxes and hooked our digital TVs directly to the cable. All worked well. Now we have got a notice that WOW is converting to a "new" digital format, which will require a "digital converter" for each TV. The letter warns that the "new converted channels" require the box to be received. Of course, each box is $1.99 per month. It seems that any digital TV should be capable of receiving a digital signal without a converter box. Trying to call to ask technical questions is useless, as wait times exceed 20 minutes, and the people answering the calls are sale oriented and technically clueless. Is this a gimmick to squeeze more revenue? Have they adopted a proprietary digital signal that will in fact require a converter box?
Question for Cable Heads
- Thread starter harry gilbert
- Start date
Negative. Previously, you've been receiving unencrypted QAM stations. Most cable providers have been moving away from this to squeeze more channels into their limited bandwidth. The only stations you'll be able to receive without a box will be your local affiliates like ABC, NBC, CBS, etc. The "new" standard is SDV. Switched Digital Video.
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_video]Switched video - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
You will need a converter box to receive SDV signals.
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_video]Switched video - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
You will need a converter box to receive SDV signals.
Thanks, I'll order the boxes today.
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