Comcast Goes Digital For HDTV
The cable operator hopes to eliminate analog channels.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (June 27, 2008) -- Comcast is expected to order up to six million digital converter boxes this year in an effort to create more space for High-Definition channels.

That's according to an article by Multichannel News.

The publication reports that Comcast will use the digital converter boxes to eliminate the need to transmit analog signals. With the converter boxes, the digital signals, which require less system space, can be displayed on analog sets.

With fewer analog channels, Comcast will have more space for services in greater demand, such as High-Definition TV.

Multichannel News reports that Comcast hopes to switch over 20 percent of its entire subscriber base to all-digital in 2008. Next year, the cable operator will likely order another 12 million converter boxes to further its elimination of analog signals.

Like other cable operators, Comcast is desperately seeking more system space to add more High-Definition channels to keep pace with satcasters DIRECTV and Dish Network. In some Comcast markets, the satcasters offer three times as many national HD channels, putting the cable operator at a major disadvantage.

Multichannel News writes that Comcast analog reclamation project might indicate that it's leaning to using it to create more system space rather than resorting to a new technology called Switched Digital Video.

The publication said Comcast declined to comment for the article.

But Comcast COO Steve Burke said recently that the cable operator wants to eliminate analog channels to “clear more capacity for high-def...Right now even though we say we have 1,000 high-def options on demand, the fact that DIRECTV can say, ‘We have 100 HD channels and no one else does’ -- that’s not a place we want to stay in,” Burke said.

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So the question is, how much will Comcast charge you now for this box?

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Just downgraded my Comcrap service to limited basic because of the anemic HD lineup and outrageous pricing. With the tuner in my television, I'm still able to pick up all of the locals in HD, MOJO, and some free pay-per-view movies here in the Nashville market. I'm saving about $100 per month. With the money saved, I will invest in a Blu-Ray player and rent discs from Netflix this holiday season.

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IMHO the more linear HD channels of quality the better. :)

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So now I'm realy confused. I have a 12 year old sony TV in my bedroom hooked up to basic cable in the wall. Am I going to need a converter box after Feb 2009 for this TV?

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RHM (masonaries<at>msn.com)
Friday, June 27, 2008, 08:41 AM
So now I'm realy confused. I have a 12 year old sony TV in my bedroom hooked up to basic cable in the wall. Am I going to need a converter box after Feb 2009 for this TV?

Yes, if you have Comcast and if they turn off all of their analog channels, you will need a converter box.

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RHM, You need a DTA box from Comcast. It is a converter box, but not the DTV converter box you can walk in the electronics store and buy.

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If you have cable now you will be all set for next year unless... Like Guest and PTB said, they send their signals all digital then you would need the box. The box that the cable company has.


"Comcast will have more space for services in greater demand, such as High-Definition TV. (High-def channels take up as much seven times the amount of space as an analog channel.)"

Since when does a HD channel take up 7 times the space of an analog channel? roughly speaking we can fit...
1 analog channel or 10 digital channels or 3 HD channels. So analog takes up much more space then HD

I think its the way companies will go eventually. All digital or HD and no analog. It frees up alot more room and gives people more choices. We however here will still broadcast 78 channels in analog even after the transition date so all you need to watch is a tv.

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Says who that Comcast is requiring a BOX??? That's the famous DAC that Comcast has been talking about for a long time... a cheap alternative, that, theoretically, Comcast will be giving for free to the users.

What I am really glad to hear is the fact that Comcast finally came to their senses about the 1000 HD "Choices" BS. Linear Channels is what people care!

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Thanks too all for the info. I have comcast. I have a HDTV in my lvingroom with an HDTV box. Bedroom in the wall and all the ad's say if you get your TV from cable your OK, but now I need a converter box in the bedroom. Guess I'll buy an HDTV for the bedroom and get an HDTV box.

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"but now I need a converter box in the bedroom. Guess I'll buy an HDTV for the bedroom and get an HDTV box."

Only 20% this year.

Get a QAM tuner TV for your bedroom after COMCAST goes all digital at your house and get your locals without having to rent a box.

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Consumers kill me.

Get out of the dark ages people. HDTV's are so damn cheap- there is no excuse for every TV in your house not to be an HD.

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I'm a news junkie!! If my wife didn't care for HDTV-HD and the FOOD network-HD I would drop cable and listen to all my news via XM radio. It's my understanding Comcast has already started to drop analog for 100% digital in some selected cities, which would require a digital cable box in every room. The over the air analog to digital switchover in Feb will probably put a lot of people in the dark and cause them to switch over to cable or satellite. The FCC recently granted stations to increase their output power to help people receive the new digital signals in outlying areas as well as those who use indoor antennas. Also, right now, some stations are operating with a digital transmitter on low to median power on a temp antenna system until they can switchover to their higher analog antenna system come Feb.

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Consumers kill me.

Get out of the dark ages people. HDTV's are so damn cheap- there is no excuse for every TV in your house not to be an HD."

I have three 15" tv's in my house that cost <$90 each. Replacing these with HDTVs would cost >$1000. That's not cheap to me, especially since one is outside on an open air porch & I'm not sure if LCD or plasma would be as temperature-resistant (cheap tube has been out there for 5+ years in temps from 10-105 degrees & still works like new). It would be cool to switch these TVs to HD but talk to me when HDTVs cost $100.

Seems like someone should come out with a simple, affordable QAM tuner box but I haven't seen one yet.

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CB, you're an idiot. HDTVs are anything but cheap. Yes, they're cheaper than they used to be, but they still cost a lot. The ones that are cheap are made like shit and will die in 5-6 years whereas a tube TV could last decades. Why would you want to replace something that works perfectly fine for something that has no lifespan and is inferior quality just because it looks a little better? It's going to end up in a landfill - way to give a shit about the environment - and the electromagnetic waves from the poorly insulated monitor will probably give your toddler brain cancer.

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