This part in the series discusses the implementation of tuner integration, its timing within the DTV Transition, and its impact on existing and future DTVs. I will talk about over-the-air (OTA) and cable reception, integrated tuners and set-top-boxes (STBs), and satellite STBs.

This is an analysis of the facts related to tuner integration as implemented over the past 6 years within the 10-year DTV transition, and how those facts affect consumers depending on the service they use (broadcast, cable, satellite, or Telco).

At closing I will also identify...

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We can argue about digital OTA tuners and one-way QAM tuners, but a major problem to me is the failure of the FCC to care about millions of clear-QAM tuners that are rendered useless by poorly writen and completely unenforced regulations about cable systems population of PSIP streams. Failure to address this will result in tens of millions of analog cable ready TV sets being replaced with millions of digital TV sets whose owners do not want anything above basic cable, but will be required to use a cable box anyway.

Hi vstone -

Your "logic" is too deep for me to comprehend, please ? How does "renting" a standand digital set top box @ about $9 - $12 / monthly begin to compare to buying ... millions of new digital HDTVs?"

At about $1,000 on up for most Top Tier HDTVs, the "pay back" would consume Years - i.e.- minimum of 9 - 10 !

eli

I saying that these clear QAM tuners would be useable and acceptable by some, not close to a majority, but some, if the FCC paid attention to what the cable companies were doing. As it is they appear to be useable to a small percentage of those who may want to use it. On some TV sets on some systems one could find virtual channel 7.1 at 7.1, as the CFR seems to imply. On others it may end up as 104.1. This is legal because apparently some cable systems receive their signal directly (vs OTA), apparently with no PSIP string. Locally this wasn't true until last week. The cable companies refuse to publish clear QAM channel listings and change clear QAM channels at will.

CFR requires OTA 7.1 to show up as 7.1, although it would make more sernse to show up as 212, which is what the channel listing says. My bedroom TV set receives analog channels and clear QAM channels. It has no cable box. I would prefer to enter either 7.1 or 212 to get 7.1. Entering 212 in thge family room and 104.1 in the bedroom is not logical. Enabling users to use 7.1 or 212 would not cost the cable company any hardware and would only cost probably about 5 minutes of one time configuration effort.

As far as I know all clear QAM TV tuners work, with this exception of the Tivo S3/HD tuners. The issue is the extra barriers placed in front of customers to use their equipment as designed. Their are words in the CFR about va\cable companies making it easy for customers to use their equipment.

I think we are making what should be a relatively simple procedure for the average...no, most watching analog TV far too complicated.
Again I'm going to say most, not the average, who need to convert a digital signal, be it SD or HD into an analog as they just want to continue watching their regular network or affiliate shows and they don't care if they are Digital or analog. IOW they have no interest in the technical aspects or equipment that most of us on here find fascinating, they just want to continue using the old TV set. That being the case all the rest of the discussion becomes superfluousness and meaningless to them.
If they have an analog set they need a converter. If they already have a digital TV and are watching OTA in digital they don't.

Cable: The cable company if they are going digital will supply the box to convert to analog. Whether they charge for it or not is something else. The cable companies are supposed to include the new digital broadcast station in the basic package although some have been fighting that.

If they've been watching OTA digital on a digital monitor already they don't need a new box either.
It wouldn't make sense to be watching analog if they already have a digital monitor (IOW the old "Digital Ready" misleading lables) although there probably are a few, but if it's digital and they already had to purchase an external tuner why purchase one for analog.

We can break this down and beat it to death, but in the end the first paragraph covers the vast majority of situations.
If we went into the detail I've seen so far applied to driving cars, most would be taking the buss. Incidentally they do that sort of thing with airplanes which is why there are so few pilots.