Cable TV (Analog/Digital format) Tech Question

[douglas9]

Time-Warner is my cable provider that recently dropped a couple of my favorite TV statiions to include CSpan 2 with the excuse that a "cable box" was required to receive those stations since they were digital signals. Yet the cable provider is providing two local stations that transmit in digital format and that are received without the "box". Those local stations can be received on TW cable with either digital or older analog TVs. Am i right is assuming this is another ploy by Time Warner to jack the rates by charging about $10.00 month for that "box" that also includes a remote that enables the subscriber to order "on demand movies" . Any input appreciated

[HopeHoops]

1. What is this TV of which you speak?

[surrealAmerican]

2. Depending on where you live ...

... they might be legally required to provide the broadcast channels as part of their lower-cost service.

[From The Ashes]

5. They are required by the FCC

to broadcast local stations and some public access channels. That's it.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Cablevision has been doing the same thing. Part of it is the usual greed, but...

most of it is bandwidth. Shit, they even made E! and VH1 digital!

High speed internet (what with Hulu, Netflix and torrents) phone service, and all the new services they provide are stretching things to the limit, and digital takes much less bandwidth than analog. Some people I know dumped Time-Warner internet for Verizon's DSL a while back because it was getting so slow with all the usage.

[From The Ashes]

4. Of Course...

Of course they want you to 'upgrade' to digital. They can make more money from you.

[MicaelS]

6. Yes, but... here's the story...

Cable companies don't want ANYONE not have a box. With the box they can turn your service on and off, add or delete tiers or premium channels with a few keystrokes on a workstation. No box and they have to physically send someone out to disconnect you if you don't pay. And as others have stated it depends on your local agreement. If all they have to provide is local channels and some local public access stations that is all they will provide. I'm truly surprised they let you not have a box. Some places don't, and analog cable is going away. Savor what you have for now, because as sure as the sun rises, at some point if you don't rent the box, you won't be able to get cable, at all.

[PotatoChip]

7. This happened to me too with Time Warner.

Lost my CSpan2 about 3 or 4 weeks ago. When I called about it, I got the same info you received about 'the box' thing. I have an older tv (about 5+ yrs old). It was one of the last of the non-flat screen tv's I believe, but I do get both digital and analog on it.

I tried rescanning and still no luck. It's a huge bummer. I have just TW's bottom level basic cable so PBN's 'The World' (on digital) and CSpan2's weekend 'BookTv'(on analog) were my pretty much all I watched with the exception of my local news.

It appears as if I'm out CSpan2 for good unless I buy that damn box. They better not take my PBN 'World' away!!! :mad:

[douglas9]

8. TW Cable

Thanks for the thoughts and experiences. Hopefully, sooner than later will be able to cut the cable cord....