Community Forums

**NLOVNIT** · 05-11-2018, 04:30 PM

After years & years of hearing our cable company was going full digital & we wouldn't be able to watch cable TV on just the coax cable connected to the back of the set, it finally happened. Spectrum turned off the cable only signal & now requires a cable box in order to be able to view cable TV. They've "graciously" (said sarcastically) offered the cable box free for 1yr. As if I'm not already paying enough for cable.

I guess it's time to cut the cord & see what I can find for OTA antennas. I'm sure they've progressed since the era of "rabbit ears" & tin foil.

I'm wondering, if this is the wave of the future, how will this impact parks with cable TV. Will site rentals have to come with cable boxes?

Lori-

powerboatr · 05-11-2018, 04:33 PM

well direct tv (AT&T) is no longer putting birds in the sky
they want to drive customers to stream direct tv programing via AT&T internet

docj · 05-11-2018, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerboatr

well direct tv (AT&T) is no longer putting birds in the sky
they want to drive customers to stream direct tv programing via AT&T internet

With all due respect, this is a misunderstanding of a statement made a couple of years ago by the CEO of AT&T. He said that the future of DirecTV is streaming but there is no indication that the satellite service will end anytime soon.

There has been a lot of misinformation about a change that DirecTV will make in 2019. All that has been confirmed is that MPEG2 SD channels will be discontinued and some cities will have local channels on HD only.

Satellites service millions of viewers and it is highly unlikely that DirectTV/AT&T will want to lose those customers.

rk911 · 05-11-2018, 05:41 PM

the law that required the OTA broadcasters to switch from analog to digital also permitted but did not require cable providers to encrypt their product so as to make a set top box necessary. the OP is lucky it took this long. btw, if the antenna the OP was using to receive analog OTA signals will receive the new digital signals just fine. ain’t no such thing as a digital tv antenna.

WinnieView · 05-11-2018, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

After years & years of hearing our cable company was going full digital & we wouldn't be able to watch cable TV on just the coax cable connected to the back of the set, it finally happened. Spectrum turned off the cable only signal & now requires a cable box in order to be able to view cable TV. They've "graciously" (said sarcastically) offered the cable box free for 1yr. As if I'm not already paying enough for cable.

I guess it's time to cut the cord & see what I can find for OTA antennas. I'm sure they've progressed since the era of "rabbit ears" & tin foil.

I'm wondering, if this is the wave of the future, how will this impact parks with cable TV. Will site rentals have to come with cable boxes?

Lori-

For $30 and in 30 minutes with two-day shipping and Prime we put up an OTA antenna using the existing Dish TV mount and wiring.
No more monthly bill for TV and Prime includes movies.

We have helped others 'cut the cord' and everyone is happy!

TechWriter · 05-11-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

I'm wondering, if this is the wave of the future, how will this impact parks with cable TV. Will site rentals have to come with cable boxes?

I work at a park with suddenlink cable which went digital a few years ago. The park used to lend out cable set top boxes, but campers ran off with them until none were left.

In suddenlink's case, a TV just has to have a QAM (digital cable) tuner to receive digital cable programming. However, not all TVs (even brand new ones) have built-in QAM tuners. We spent hours trying to explain this to campers.

So if your TV has a QAM tuner, you may be able to get Spectrum digital programs. You can also buy your own QAM tuner.

**NLOVNIT** · 05-11-2018, 09:35 PM

Thanks, Techwriter. I don't think either of my TV's (Vizio & LG) have QAM tuners. They're probably 5-8 years old. As soon as Spectrum made the switch, all I got was snow. Re-scanning for channels did nothing.

I was reading cnet's reviews of OTA antennas & considering the Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse/Amplified (want one with a detachable coax so I can supply my own RG6). But not to thrilled with sticking something in my window & where one of the TV's is (basement) it'd be a long run to get it to a window.

That IVIEW is a much smaller unit, plus it has recording capabilities....for a much smaller price than the Eclipse.

Lori-

rk911 · 05-11-2018, 09:57 PM

lori, is tghe OTA antenna for the house or RV? and how far away from the transmitting towers are you located? if you're in the primary or secondary service zone...up to abt 30-miles out....any roof top vhf/uhf antenna will do. amplify it if you like but run one good length of rg-6 to a splitter and then to each set.

Old-Biscuit · 05-11-2018, 10:17 PM

Cable Box.......hummm
Back in the 1980s had cable. Had to have a set top box with a 'card' in order to have cable TV

SO cable box is nothing new.

Have been to couple of CGs that one needed a cable box.......they were included in the cable service fee ($4/night) PLUS a CC number on file.

1980s and Now---------200+ channels and still nothing is ON

**NLOVNIT** · 05-11-2018, 10:19 PM

House (but could be an issue for RV at a park with all digital cable, since those LED TV's are even older than the house ones - hence my musing starting this thread). We're only about 12 mi away from local network towers. I don't own a ladder big enough to get on my 2nd story roof, plus I don't want to put anything on our roof.

Lori-

RRR · 05-12-2018, 09:08 AM

Actually the rabbit ears might be fine for you. I am about four (air) miles from the major towers and when we cut the cord went with rabbit ears on three sets. I can't remember the last time we had to fiddle with them for reception. Between the Roku and Tubio things work good enough for us.

Still the same problem of finding something that is worth watching.

Rvlegaleagle · 05-13-2018, 10:15 PM

Cable v Cell companies.....it should get interesting for us all

wa8yxm · 05-14-2018, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

A
I'm wondering, if this is the wave of the future, how will this impact parks with cable TV. Will site rentals have to come with cable boxes?

Lori-

Sadly I believe it is. Here is some history
In the early days of CATV adn Cable TV (Community Antenna TeleVision) the companies charged you for every set.

For example it might be 20/month plus 5.00 for each additional TV.

Then they upped the monthly price 30,40,50 people now often pay 100 or more a month, but you could put in your own splitters and run as many TV's as you wanted.

Now the greedy Cable (And Satellite) providers want more more more so they have once again found a way to charge you for every TV in the house. So much per set top box.

Meanwhile on the Cut the cable side of life.....

By Federal Decree Television broadcasters went to DIGITAL TV by the way it was the broadcasters themselves who requested this decree.. now they send commercials to your house (That's how they get paid) but in between commercials they send shows (For which they pay) you pay nothing.

Back in the days of Analog, Channel 2, broadcast on 56 Mhz. and only one stream And the signal was subjhect to degradation as you got farther and farther from the tower. Interference from all sorts of interfering things and so forth. THey often had many thousands of watts of power (Big electric bill)

Now in the digital world.. Well Channel 2 may still be 56 Mhz but is likely higher (Channel 2 Detroit uses the old Channel 7) They now use 1/4 or less the electricity (Much smaller bill) the signal remains studio quality till you get to the very edge of reception and they run 2, or 3 or up to six streams (Sub carriers)

THis means more commercials are sent out so more profit, way more profit, but you still pay... NOTHING.

The result is I'm sitting in a park with next to no television reception I get basically 3 stations (About a dozen sub channels) including DECADES which just ran one of my favorite old time shows for 2 days straight, COZI lotss more old time TV. ME-TV, Still more 70/80s shows and more. All the great shows from 20-30 or so years ago some 40 or 50 years ago So much I am in danger of running out of space on my DVR"s. (both are over half full) I get to the othe campground and I can hit 20 or 30 or more "Services' (Sub carriers) I had to add a 3rd DVR

CWSWine · 05-14-2018, 09:09 AM

You might check out YouTube since they have rolled out a nice package of stations including the networks (FOX,ABC,NBC,CBS) and it 40 bucks a month with up to 6 TVs.