Broadcast HD channels over cable

[Barb Bowman]

as I said, and you REMOVED
"but if you want
to watch HD in HD using cable as opposed to OTA"

OTA being the operative word (over the air)

Barb,

This is absolutely not true. I currently have a linux/myth box with a
pcHDTV tuner that receives QAM HD just fine. This is possible with a number
of different tuners under linux and is also possible with an HD Homerun tuner
in MCE 05.

This applies only to free (i.e. unscrambled) HD channels, which for most of
us means local broadcast networks. In my area, I can get the 4 major
networks plus PBS. I have not tried to tune QAM channels with Vista yet, but
from the discussion here it seems that Vista prevents me using a HD tuner to
receive free HD programming. Not to start my previous complaint again, but
this makes even less sense than the cablecard tuners being only available in
new PC's.

IMHO, these are the types of issues that will prevent mediacenter gaining
wider acceptance.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Guest]

Barb & All,

The biggest problem in this situation is that the issues involved are hard
to understand.

 

[JW]

Coax/RF output from STBs is also in analog RF NTSC 480i SD format,

 

[Barb Bowman]

http://www.opencable.com/specifications/ocur.html documents most of
this. at least it should be obvious as to where the requirements
originate for DRM and certification.

Barb & All,

The biggest problem in this situation is that the issues involved are hard
to understand.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Guest]

Hi Barb,

Yup, all the information is available, but a lot of that is imbued with
technical details and jargon to an extent that confuses many consumers. For
example, I've had people tell me that they're viewing their 480i DVD content
in high definition on their PCs. They believe they're doing that because
they're watching it in high resolution on the monitor (like set at 1280 X
1066, or whatever). They think high resolution is high definition. When I
try to explain the difference, they think I don't know what I'm talking
about. Just try explaining that to some people. This stuff in confusing,
and that example is just a small part of it.

 

[Barb Bowman]

Who would you suggest as the authoritative source to clarify this in
easier to understand lanaguage? It's obvious that this needs to be
authoritative..

Hi Barb,

Yup, all the information is available, but a lot of that is imbued with
technical details and jargon to an extent that confuses many consumers. For
example, I've had people tell me that they're viewing their 480i DVD content
in high definition on their PCs. They believe they're doing that because
they're watching it in high resolution on the monitor (like set at 1280 X
1066, or whatever). They think high resolution is high definition. When I
try to explain the difference, they think I don't know what I'm talking
about. Just try explaining that to some people. This stuff in confusing,
and that example is just a small part of it.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Guest]

Barb,

Nobody knows the answer to that question. There is no one authoritative
source. It's like that with a lot of other things in the consumer world. A
lot of people stumble bum around and take their lumps. That's the way it is.
Take a look at some of the comments in this thread.

 

[Guest]

O.K. Someone's confused here, and I'm starting to think it's me, but here
goes anyway...

When I hear "OTA", I actually think over the air, i.e. using an antenna. I
did not believe this was what the whole thread was about. The discussion was
recieving free unscrambled HD through the cable. Unless I misunderstood,
this is what Xiowan's original post concerns. Forget premium channels, just
the unscrambled HD channels currently on cable. Granted, these are generally
the same ones you can recieve OTA, but from my reading of the thread, Xiowan
seemed to be saying that tuning HD cable was not possible under Vista without
a certified PC period (and Barb confirmed). In your response, you were
careful to continue using the OTA label.

So, easy question - Can we tune free unscrambled HD channels THROUGH THE
CABLE under VISTA? If the answer is yes, my apologies, I have misunderstood
Barb's original response. If the answer is no, see previous post....

Chris

 

[Guest]

I just noticed that JW actually already addressed this in an earlier post
that I missed. I guess the answer is no. Hopefully that will change.