TV Geeks

AVSFORUM

With all the hoopla over the DTV transition, there's some updating needs done. All I want to do is point out some interesting aspects of the switch to DTV and HD.

1. If you have even basic cable service, you can watch your local channels on any TV connected to the cable, there's no real effect. Most of us know that by now.

1a. Depending on your cable provider, you get 'free access' to local HD and additional local DTV 'channels' without a cable box. AS LONG as your TV has QAM tuner. Of course, HD is NOT converted to SD {480} but you'll probably find your local PBS station now has 4 additonal 'channels'

2. The 'channel #' is no longer associated with a particular broadcast 'frequency' it is now 'virtual' and may actually transmit anywhere in the tv band allocation. Thus when you look at a technical map of stations there is 'real channel' vs the associated channel.

3 I havent seen this much interest in tv antennas since the sixties. The vastly favored types are the 'Bowtie' which use the genic type DB2 thru DB8 - higher the number, the more sensitve. Also known as CM 4222 thru 4228.
- none of those above are 'new' design. Design been around since the sixties.
WARNING: There is not really any 'new' tech breakthrough in antennas. All there is is more DIY research in how to perfect them and build them for yourself, cheap. DONT FALL FOR Miracle HD antennas esp those you find on ebay. They may work - so does a bent coathanger on a broomstick- but you aint really getting more than you pay for.

Also real prices for the bowtie types from reputable mfrs is dropping due to market forces.
- an antenna in the attic, unless it's aimed through glass, gets roughly half the signal it would on the other side of the roof. UNLESS your house has slate roofing.

Terms:
Tuners NTSC - 'old style' now only good for low power and basic tier cable
ATSC - Broadcast Digital, only used with antennas. The 'converter boxes' have ATSC, only, and convert to NTSC for legacy tv's.
QAM - Cable Digital, only usable {currently} with UNENCRYPTED digital both SD and HD SD in this sense means Std Def.

Cable tech: {NOTE - I'm generalizing here, some may be 'in effect' rather than de facto.}

SDV - Switched Digital Video. Opposed to 'cable broadcast video'. This is the equivalent to Internet video streaming. Previously mainly used with PPV.
- Almost all new additions to the cable lineups are SDV. This means, for instance on my carrier, I cant get a Tivo HD and set it up to record SCIFiHD as it was added in SDV {not occupying a slot in the cable Bandwidth}. No not even with current editions of 'cable cards' which simply unencrypt broadcast cable.
The only way to know for sure which cable digital channels are broadcast, and which are SDV {streaming} is to call the provider.. and good luck with that.
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