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May 1, 2009

Mitch- Most people don't know that they don't need a cable box to get HD channels if they have or even don't have Comcast. This is not to address over the air channels (OTA).

Comcast charges $0 for the first box and nearly $14 per month for the second and every other box in a house and the need for that second box, for some, is limited. Comcast is mandated to carry ALL LOCAL CHANNELS, in HD (if so broadcast) on their cable system. They are apparently NOT required to tell anyone what channels these are. So this would apply to anyone who:

1. Subscribes to ANY level of Comcast service for TV.

2. Does not want to or does not have a cable tuner box - and has their cable plugged directly into their television.

and here's the important part

3. Has a QAM tuner built into their television.

Televisions have had NSTC tuners (analog) which in a couple of months are going to be worthless. In the past few years, they have been sold with NSTC and ATSC tuners (analog and OTA digital). In the past year or more, they have been sold with NSTC, ATSC and QAM tuners. A QAM tuner is for DIGITAL CABLE ONLY.
Comcast is mandated to carry, unscrambled, all local channels on their cable. If you have a QAM TUNER, YOU CAN JUST PLUG IN, scan for channels and you have them. But you won't know what they are. No to mention that their channel numbering on a QAM tuner is odd. Below you will find a spreadsheet, updated as of last night of QAM tuner channels. If you think this is worth posting on the web site, perhaps along with this note, please feel free to do so.

Note, to 'get' these channels, even if you have a QAM tuner, it's best to re-run a channel scan. Then, it's good to find out where the - button is on the remote. Sometimes, it's a bit difficult to find and most people never looked for it. My TV's require inserting that dash as the channels are listed to get to the right channel.

John