Receiving local HD channels via TW-how to?

[hurnik]

Okay, this is probably a dumb question.

What does one need for equipment (not packages) to receive the LOCAL HD channels on TW? I know a cable card or digital cable box (HD version) are needed.

but I thought I'd seen somewhere (can't remember if it was here or on AVS forum) that the FCC required that local HD's had to be "transmitted" unencrypted? If so, in theory, would a DCR tv be able to use the QAM tuner to receive those channels on TW?

but maybe I'm imagining things.


What I'm trying to figure out is if my Toshiba HD Plasma can receive the channels without having to fork out another $2/month for cable card (and an appointment). From what I can tell, it "sees" lots of channels (they're oddly numbered like: 117-13 and whatnot) but it states it an encrypted digital channel.

[Skaggs]

Ebo answered a similar question from you previously when TWC made Universal HD available:

ebo said:

hurnik said:

For $9.95 (basic cable) can I receive ALL the non-HD Tier HD channels?

Locals, TNT HD, INHD-1, INHD-2, and Discovery HD

Sorry to extend an off-topic post, but I can't create new threads and this is off-topic for the new CableCard thread as well.

I have TWC Basic ($12/month). Hurnik is apparently in a different area and might have a slightly different lineup. I don't have a cable STB or CableCard, or a subscription to anything other than Basic. I have two receivers that handle clear (unscrambled) QAM: LG LST-3410A and MyHD MDP-130 PCI card. I get the following locals:

WRGB-HD
WTEN-HD
WNYT-HD
WMHT-HD
WXXA-HD

WNYT-SD
WRNN-SD
WRGB Doppler Radar
WTEN Weather Loop

WEWB-HD and WNYA-SD are not available on TWC. Also, WXXA-HD is available only on cable, not OTA, although that should change soon.

I also get several advertising channels, mostly for various On-Demand services. Occasionally I see other channels in the clear, but never anything to get excited about. Lately they include NBA-TV, Discovery Health and Boomerang. The LG can tune Discovery Health but the MyHD cannot. There's no audio on Boomerang on the LG, but it's there on the MyHD. But any of those extra channels may go away at any time.

When I read that Universal HD had been added I looked for it in hopes it wasn't scrambled yet, but no such luck. TWC doesn't even unscramble the premium movie channels like HBO and Showtime during free promotional periods; apparently they just authorize them on all their STBs.

Most of the locals are on two major channels: WRGB-HD, WMHT-HD and WNYT-SD on 104 and WXXA-HD, WNYT-HD and WTEN-HD on 105. Since the MyHD card can optionally record the entire transport stream, I could record simultaneous shows on Fox, NBC and ABC, and choose the show to watch on playback. Same with CBS and PBS, with the SD version of NBC coming along for the ride.

[hurnik]

Thanks!

Now all I have to do is figure out what channels they are.

(or is that the "105" and "104" he was referring to?

[hurnik]

Got it.

Not sure why the first time around, the "channel scan" did not find ANY digital channels, but the 2nd time around it did.

Anyway, on this particular Toshiba (42HP95), you have to hook up the cable to ANT1 or ANT2, and set that input to be "cable" (as opposed to antenna).

Then go into the Installation menu and have it program channels. Takes about 3 minutes or so.

When it's done, it finds the HD channels on:

18-06, 18-08, 18-10, 18-11, 18-13 (basically I'm assuming this is how it's interpreting 1806 on the TW digital cable box).

So I guess this means that TW does send the local HD via QAM unencrypted.

Which, IMO, is a good thing.