S3 will be able to access in-the clear digital cable channels

[theone]

On the tivo com vip site under the faqs it has the following info listed:

Will the Series3 HD DVR work without CableCARD(s)?
Yes. Without CableCARD(s) the Series3 HD DVR will still be able to access in-the clear digital cable channels (generally local channels), basic cable channels, ATSC digital over the air channels (available in high definition in most areas) and analog antenna channels.

I had been looking for specific evidence of this. I would still have liked them to say that they will provide guide data and be able to record in-the clear digital cable channels.

[rainwater]

It doesn't have channel mapping though. Tivo apparently told some people that they would look into adding mapping in the future. So its not clear if they are going to add it or not.

[megazone]

I had been looking for specific evidence of this. I would still have liked them to say that they will provide guide data and be able to record in-the clear digital cable channels.Read the FAQ thread at the top of this forum.

[theone]

the video from the pcmag review shows a channel editor and channel scan so unfortunately we will have to wait and see how it works.

[megazone]

the video from the pcmag review shows a channel editor and channel scan so unfortunately we will have to wait and see how it works.Or you could just ask what you want to know, some of us have one.

[ah30k]

Or you could just ask what you want to know, some of us have one.Oh, sure, rub it in :)

[theone]

Ok megazone first hook yours up to basic cable without a digital cable pkg or cablecard. Do the autoscan and find the in-the clear local hd channels and let me know how they show up when you press the guide button. Also let me know what happens when you press the record button when viewing one of the in-the clear channels.

Thanks.

[megazone]

Ok megazone first hook yours up to basic cable without a digital cable pkg or cablecard. Do the autoscan and find the in-the clear local hd channels and let me know how they show up when you press the guide button. Also let me know what happens when you press the record button when viewing one of the in-the clear channels.I did set it up and run the autoscan when I first got it, no cards. It did find a bunch of high numbered channels. I also tuned one of them and it worked.

I didn't record, but TiVo told me that you CAN record from them by time and channel, or just recording from LiveTV.

And if you know the channel you can tune it in directly by entering the numbers.

EDIT: Oh, I do have digital cable - but that doesn't matter, because different cable providers handle it completely differently. So digital simulcast may or may not be present on analog or digital packages. Without a cable card anything the S3 receives is not digital tier since it isn't authorized. The way charter works around here everything is on the cable at all times.

[jfh3]

megazone,

Can you go to the cablecards screen and tell us if there are single or multiple pairing ids? (e.g. does each cablecard think its' in a unique box?) Or is there one id per card?

It appears my local Comcast system isn't set up (yet) to handle a setup that uses a single pairing id for multiple cards (as I presume an M-stream card would). Right now, they see one ID = one outlet = one card.

[megazone]

IIRC the IDs are different - I vaguely remember that from the install. I'll have to check when I get home.

[tivolocity]

95% of what I record is from the major networks. If I understand the above correctly, It will find my clear QAM channels, aka the major networks. But, without the ability to remap the channels, I won't be able to setup season passes? Which would mean I would have to subscibe to a digital package and have a cablecard, or get my locals OTA?

[jfh3]

95% of what I record is from the major networks. If I understand the above correctly, It will find my clear QAM channels, aka the major networks. But, without the ability to remap the channels, I won't be able to setup season passes?


Yes, if you want to use the QAM/cable signal


Which would mean I would have to subscibe to a digital package and have a cablecard, or get my locals OTA?

Not exactly. Since the broadcast stations are in the clear, all you need is a cable card, not the whole digital package. Some cable companies want to tie the two together though.

No reason you shouldn't be able to get basic cable + cable cards if pretty much all you want is the 4 major networks over cable.

[tivolocity]

Not exactly. Since the broadcast stations are in the clear, all you need is a cable card, not the whole digital package. Some cable companies want to tie the two together though.

No reason you shouldn't be able to get basic cable + cable cards if pretty much all you want is the 4 major networks over cable.

Yeah, I got the impression from Comcast that they wanted to tie the two together. Guess I won't know for sure until I make a phone call.

Thx for the info.

[jrm01]

Gee. This thread has been dormant for almost 2 1/2 years.:D

Surely this problem has been resolved by now.:rolleyes:

Why don't we have channel mapping for clear-QAM.:D

Maybe we need to start a new thread.:rolleyes:

[JWThiers]

maybe there is a reason it was dormant

[lew]

Gee. This thread has been dormant for almost 2 1/2 years.:D

Surely this problem has been resolved by now.:rolleyes:

Why don't we have channel mapping for clear-QAM.:D

Maybe we need to start a new thread.:rolleyes:

The problem was solved. Tivo updated the language on most of the website to remove confusion
Requires a
CableCARD decoder from
your cable company to
receive digital and HDTV