Comments on: Vikings Clinch a Playoff Spot, Lions Stay Perfect

By: kwatt

kwatt — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:42:23 +0000

I’ve done the roundabout with Comcast telling me I can’t get 5.1 and 5.2 b/c of a KSTP problem and KSTP telling me they have no problems with their signal. I can see the KSTP radio tower from my porch, but pick up 0 zignal. Very frustrating. This all has to be resolved by the time LOST comes back next month, so I may just bite the bullet and get an HD box, which I found out you can do even if you have analog cable service. I’d rather pay the $10/month or whatever than have to wait until the next day to watch LOST online. Yes, I know.

By: Dougie_D

Dougie_D — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:43:31 +0000

I think we need to clarify terms. I believe people are mistaking analog for SDTV or Standard Definition Digital. After February there will be no more analog over the airwaves because the government will be selling those frequencies to other providers raising huge bucks in the process.

By: noodleman

noodleman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:31:16 +0000

@kwatt: P.S. “Basic cable” costs to subscribe. “Basic-basic” cable — the ultra-slim package with just the local over-the-air channels — will be free beginning in 2009 … but it does NOT include any digital channels; just the analog VHF/UHF channels.

By: kurtis

kurtis — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:17:49 +0000

Kwatt had the right idea at first, trying to indulge in a little smack talk. Then things got derailed by all this techie gibberish.

By: noodleman

noodleman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:15:23 +0000

@kwatt: Where do you live? A half-decent indoor Radio Shack antenna attached to my DTV brings in all of the local HD channels. Might upgrade to a roof-top antenna, though, because I do get periodic drop-outs.

Just make sure you’re pointing the antenna in the right direction, i.e. toward Shoreview for every station but KSTP/KSTC.

By: kwatt

kwatt — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:39:41 +0000

They practically do already. The analgo backage with ESPN and stuff costs a litte bie more than the comparable digital package, so it would be kind silly to have analog at that level.

Sorry about the bad typeing. It’s hard to typ[e with gloves on.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:24:11 +0000

I was under the impression that current FCC regs prevent cable companies from killing analog completely, for the time being.

But, Comcast supposedly has plans to kill the analog signal in certain markets as soon as they are allowed.

By: kwatt

kwatt — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:10:49 +0000

I get local HD channels from Comcast as part of my basic analog cable. I always thought they came over the air, but a Comcast guy who came to my house to get channels 5.1 and 5.2 working (he failed to) said they are part of basic cable. So if you hve any Comcast servie at all, you shoulnd’t have to get them OTA>

By: noodleman

noodleman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:51:19 +0000

@champs: Maybe things have recently changed but satellite TV was notorious for squeezing HD channels into their limited bandwidth.

Re: cable set-top boxes. As of 2009, Comcast will be offering their set-top boxes and the basic-basic channels (i.e. local non-HD) for free.

By: champs

champs — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:38:07 +0000

noodleman, the broadcast channels come in HD for free if you have a ClearQAM TV tuner (we only have a Basic+ package). Working the way it does, there is no incentive for cable companies to compress those channels.

Although the cable company would love you to be a digital subscriber, where they can squeeze more channels into less bandwidth with compression and switching, apparently they don’t want to find a model that kills analog altogether by making every subscriber a potential PPV and/or premium channel customer with a free set-top box.