What are the Differences? Free Over air and Free over Cable

Gcannon · Post by **Gcannon** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 9:59 am

I have an unusual question. I am looking to purchase a HDTV tuner card for my PC. I understand that most tuners can receive and demodulate ATSC (Free over-the-air) HDTV broadcast signals. My cable company (Time Warner) has some HDTV signals that are free that is sends across it standard cable package.

Here is my question... I here everyone talking about HDTV tuners for PC that will pick up Broadcast or Free ATSC signals with an HDTV antenna but NOT FREE cable HDTV channels..... WHY? if they are both free, is the signal differnet coming across the cable wire? I understand that encrypted HD "pay per view" channels would not be accessable but free over cable HDTV should be...

Can anyone provide some clarity....?

Thanks
Gregg

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:30 am

Main difference is two different technologies. OTA broadcast uses DTV and cable uses different variations of QAM. Even the new receivers from the major manufacturers that support both do not work with all QAM systems.

Bottom line is you don't know without hooking up one of these receivers to the cable system and checking the results unless somebody else already has. I would suggest doing a search for a local group if you can't find one here...

viewforum.php?f=81

In the end you are looking for a PC card that handles both DTV and QAM. Might be a tough combo to find...

raff · Post by **raff** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 11:54 am

The Fusion HDTV3 Gold is the only card that I know of, supporting both 8VSB(Over the Air) and in-the-clear QAM (Cable)

Fusion HDTV3 Gold