New Gen TV's 101

[Agee]

A couple of weeks ago, gave in and bought a new TV (40" Samsung, LED 1080p), good deal!

Besides the usual comparing prices, brands, etc., needed to determine the "digital tuning" capability of my narrowed down selections... Through discussion with the sales people and MetroCast, discovered that only the low-end (budget) units don't employ the QAM tuners that can be connected to your cable without the need for interface boxes. The majority of the TV's on the market do employ the "digital tuning" functionality.

What I ran into when hooked-up straight to the cable, you would receive just the lower end channels (2-9) in HD whereas the rest of the 90 some channels you did not. Another call to Metro Cast, explained to me that you need a "special HD tuner box" for an extra 3.95/month. Okay, hook it up and now you have to use the "700" series of channel numbers to get HD

Well a couple of the low end channels now are not processed (Fox5, WETA) with the box. You could view them in standard mode, with the reduced screen size (black borders). Another call to MetroCast, "sounds like you have a bad HD box", you need to swap it out. Go to MetroCast, swap the units, then find out from the person helping me that "MetroCast has always has had issues with HD from those channels, it is the feed we get from Comcast". You can have a tech come out and check your signal strength and see if its your cable feed. (I get 98 out of 100 channels)

You can also for an extra $10.00/month you can have this premium cable box that should help the issue and you can even get the TV guide channel and pay-per-view...

Sorry about the long post, but can someone please help a brother out? What the hell?

TIA

 

[Hodr]

Sounds like a few different issues here.

First, if you are looking at a modern TV it will have a digital tuner (otherwise it would be called a monitor). That tuner at a minimum should support over the air standards (ATSC), but will almost certainly work with basic cable standards as well (QAM 64 & QAM 256). It's important to note these will only work with unencrypted channels.

Some (mostly more expensive) TVs include CableCard standard hardware (or other DCAS standards) to allow you to view encrypted channels with a soft-key provided by your cable company. I don't know if Metrocast supports these devices.

It used to be the case that all cable providers had to send the basic networks (anything you could get OTA) unencrypted, however several years ago the FCC was pressured to change this, and so most companies now encrypt all channels.

I had extended basic Metrocast service when they switched over to full encryption (around 2010), so no more free HD/Digital channels with your basic subscription (except for the TV-Guide style channel listing, which they leave so you know what you are missing).

The end result is that if you want digital cable, you need a Metrocast box. And since Metrocast (at least in my experience) always insists on delivering/installing this stuff in person (and charging a connection fee), the installer would be able to tell quite easily if your line has sufficient signal strength to get all of the channels.

So the fault almost certainly lies with their equipment. I wouldn't pay for their premium box if I were you, and I wouldn't go to them to have it swapped. Insist they come out and diagnose/fix your issue.

 

[vraiblonde]

What the hell?

What the hell, indeed. When did watching TV get so freaking complicated?

Insist they come out and diagnose/fix your issue.

^This^ And if they don't, the DirecTV guy will happily come out and hook you up, make sure you're hooked up, and teach you to navigate the craziness that is now "modern" television viewing.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Without a settop box you can only get the network channels in HD, but you dont have to pay extra for that.

With a settop box and the HD package you should get a bunch of channels in the 700's that are HD. Ever since I have had HD from Metrocast I have had trouble with TNT and TBS, and occasionally FX and I am not the only one but they refuse to believe it is anything other than my TV.

If your TV has a slot for a cable card they will provide you with one free of charge, this takes the place of a set top box.

 

[Agee]

Sounds like a few different issues here.

First, if you are looking at a modern TV it will have a digital tuner (otherwise it would be called a monitor). That tuner at a minimum should support over the air standards (ATSC), but will almost certainly work with basic cable standards as well (QAM 64 & QAM 256). It's important to note these will only work with unencrypted channels.

Some (mostly more expensive) TVs include CableCard standard hardware (or other DCAS standards) to allow you to view encrypted channels with a soft-key provided by your cable company. I don't know if Metrocast supports these devices.

It used to be the case that all cable providers had to send the basic networks (anything you could get OTA) unencrypted, however several years ago the FCC was pressured to change this, and so most companies now encrypt all channels.

I had extended basic Metrocast service when they switched over to full encryption (around 2010), so no more free HD/Digital channels with your basic subscription (except for the TV-Guide style channel listing, which they leave so you know what you are missing).

The end result is that if you want digital cable, you need a Metrocast box. And since Metrocast (at least in my experience) always insists on delivering/installing this stuff in person (and charging a connection fee), the installer would be able to tell quite easily if your line has sufficient signal strength to get all of the channels.

So the fault almost certainly lies with their equipment. I wouldn't pay for their premium box if I were you, and I wouldn't go to them to have it swapped. Insist they come out and diagnose/fix your issue.

Thanks so much for the technical info (actually understood what you posted ) and insight! "Soft key", doubt Metrocast is this progressive, but what the hay worth a try!

What the hell, indeed. When did watching TV get so freaking complicated?

^This^ And if they don't, the DirecTV guy will happily come out and hook you up, make sure you're hooked up, and teach you to navigate the craziness that is now "modern" television viewing.

"complicated" indeed ! you have to be an EE to cipher it all. oh snap, I am an EE ! I only watch a small % of the channels offered.

Without a settop box you can only get the network channels in HD, but you dont have to pay extra for that.

With a settop box and the HD package you should get a bunch of channels in the 700's that are HD. Ever since I have had HD from Metrocast I have had trouble with TNT and TBS, and occasionally FX and I am not the only one but they refuse to believe it is anything other than my TV.

If your TV has a slot for a cable card they will provide you with one free of charge, this takes the place of a set top box.

Thank-you for another avenue to check into.

 

[Agee]

On another note, also learned with the LED TV's, continual viewing of channels that utilize scrolls (sport scores, stock quotes) or channel logos always on in some part of the screen will eventually burn a "ghost image" on your screen where they happen to be located. The manufacturers recommends keeping your viewing time of these type of channels to "5%" of your total viewing time...

 

[Hodr]

Without a settop box you can only get the network channels in HD, but you dont have to pay extra for that.

This hasn't been the case for my residence since 2010. If you are getting those channels unencrypted then you are lucky, but I wouldn't tell Airgasm to count on receiving them.

 

[Hodr]

On another note, also learned with the LED TV's, continual viewing of channels that utilize scrolls (sport scores, stock quotes) or channel logos always on in some part of the screen will eventually burn a "ghost image" on your screen where they happen to be located. The manufacturers recommends keeping your viewing time of these type of channels to "5%" of your total viewing time...

Clarification (unless you really do mean OLED TV's, which I guarantee Airgasm isn't looking to buy), LED just refers to the back-lit/side-lit lighting source for an LCD TV and to the best of my knowledge really has no particular bearing on screen-burn or ghosting. The LED isn't a brighter light, its just a more efficient light. Generally speaking, projection TVs (which may also use an LED) suffer the worst from screen burn, then plasmas, with LCD being the best. But there are several different LCD technologies (TFT, TFT-TN, MVA, PVA, IPS, PLS, etc. etc.) and each has a different tolerance to screen burn.

So I guess what I am getting at is don't let the word LED scare you, and if you are worried about screen burn (which isn't a huge issue in most modern TVs) make sure you do a quick google search to check for reviews when you find a TV that you like. If the TV is known to have issues with screen burn, the reviews will note it.

 

[TWL]

Sounds like a few different issues here.

First, if you are looking at a modern TV it will have a digital tuner (otherwise it would be called a monitor). That tuner at a minimum should support over the air standards (ATSC), but will almost certainly work with basic cable standards as well (QAM 64 & QAM 256). It's important to note these will only work with unencrypted channels.

Some (mostly more expensive) TVs include CableCard standard hardware (or other DCAS standards) to allow you to view encrypted channels with a soft-key provided by your cable company. I don't know if Metrocast supports these devices.

It used to be the case that all cable providers had to send the basic networks (anything you could get OTA) unencrypted, however several years ago the FCC was pressured to change this, and so most companies now encrypt all channels.

I had extended basic Metrocast service when they switched over to full encryption (around 2010), so no more free HD/Digital channels with your basic subscription (except for the TV-Guide style channel listing, which they leave so you know what you are missing).

The end result is that if you want digital cable, you need a Metrocast box. And since Metrocast (at least in my experience) always insists on delivering/installing this stuff in person (and charging a connection fee), the installer would be able to tell quite easily if your line has sufficient signal strength to get all of the channels.

So the fault almost certainly lies with their equipment. I wouldn't pay for their premium box if I were you, and I wouldn't go to them to have it swapped. Insist they come out and diagnose/fix your issue.

Are you sure you're talking about Metrocast? In St. Mary's County? I guarantee you that all of the broadcast channels and sub-channels Metrocast provides are not encrypted (including HD broadcast channels). In fact, the SD channels in the Basic (2-22 plus 95-98 and some between 107 and 133) and Expanded Basic (Basic channels plus 23-84) packages are also not encrypted. If you subscribe to Expanded Basic any device with a QAM tuner will be able to view these channels.

 

[kwillia]

Are you sure you're talking about Metrocast? In St. Mary's County? I guarantee you that all of the broadcast channels and sub-channels Metrocast provides are not encrypted (including HD broadcast channels). In fact, the SD channels in the Basic (2-22 plus 95-98 and some between 107 and 133) and Expanded Basic (Basic channels plus 23-84) packages are also not encrypted. If you subscribe to Expanded Basic any device with a QAM tuner will be able to view these channels.

Trying to find these channels is hell.

 

[DoWhat]

Are you sure you're talking about Metrocast? In St. Mary's County? I guarantee you that all of the broadcast channels and sub-channels Metrocast provides are not encrypted (including HD broadcast channels). In fact, the SD channels in the Basic (2-22 plus 95-98 and some between 107 and 133) and Expanded Basic (Basic channels plus 23-84) packages are also not encrypted. If you subscribe to Expanded Basic any device with a QAM tuner will be able to view these channels.

Also if you only have Metrocast internet you can install a splitter and get the basic cable channels.

 

[kwillia]

Also if you only have Metrocast internet you can install a splitter and get the basic cable channels.

I haven't rented a decoder-ring box for the man-cave's HDTV. He was trying to find the NASCAR race on it so he could watch while shooting pool and all we could stumble upon was a few dippy-ding-wad channels.

 

[TWL]

Also if you only have Metrocast internet you can install a splitter and get the basic cable channels.

Shh...I left that out on purpose.

 

[TWL]

Trying to find these channels is hell.

After scanning for channels on the TV use http://www.metrocast.com/services/video/channel-lineup/lineup82 to find channel you're looking for. I won't go into how to input the channel in to your remote as it is different among brands. Read your TV owners manual.

 

[Hodr]

If you subscribe to Expanded Basic any device with a QAM tuner will be able to view these channels.

Perhaps times have changed. When I moved to the area in '09 I was living in the Abberly Crest apartments, which provide expanded basic cable and the mid-tier internet connection (through Metrocast) as part of the cost of the apartment.

I watched the unencrypted QAM channels with my main TV, and recorded them with my HTPC using a HDHomerun tuner. Sometime around 2010 all of the digital channels stopped working on both devices except for the TV guide channel.

It's possible that they installed a notch-filter for my residence (but unlikely), or they started encrypting the channels (much more likely given the 2009 FCC decision to allow for this).

Since then they may have reversed this situation, or perhaps those apartments had a unique arrangement and head-end configuration with Metrocast.

 

[TWL]

Perhaps times have changed. When I moved to the area in '09 I was living in the Abberly Crest apartments, which provide expanded basic cable and the mid-tier internet connection (through Metrocast) as part of the cost of the apartment.

I watched the unencrypted QAM channels with my main TV, and recorded them with my HTPC using a HDHomerun tuner. Sometime around 2010 all of the digital channels stopped working on both devices except for the TV guide channel.

It's possible that they installed a notch-filter for my residence (but unlikely), or they started encrypting the channels (much more likely given the 2009 FCC decision to allow for this).

Since then they may have reversed this situation, or perhaps those apartments had a unique arrangement and head-end configuration with Metrocast.

The bolded part of your post is likely. It's called an MDU. Even though Metrocast provided the feed, it would be considered separate from Metrocast because the head-end would be located on the Abberly Crest premises.

 

[Agee]

A If you subscribe to Expanded Basic any device with a QAM tuner will be able to view these channels.

New Samsung with QAM, me...

Able to view yes, able to view in HD, less the standard "network" channels, no. Hence the "HD" box. If I disconnect the box with straight cable, I can receive channels "3 & 5" in full screen and get the channels 3-1, 3-2, 3-4, 5-1, 5-2, etc.

The bottom line is Metrocast blames the Fox/Weta issue on Comcast and their broadcast signal of which metrocast uses.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

This hasn't been the case for my residence since 2010. If you are getting those channels unencrypted then you are lucky, but I wouldn't tell Airgasm to count on receiving them.

I do believe it is law that they have to provide the networks in HD if you pay for basic cable. For example channel 2-001 is in HD on my TV that does not have a box of any kind on it. That is on a TV that is about 8-9 years old but had a QAM tuner in it.