Digital OTA and Series 2

[refried]

Two things got me thinking about this.

1. I checked over my season passes and the vast majority of programs are on the local network stations. I don't see the point of spending over $50 a month to Charter Cable when I can get the same programming for free over the air.

2. News of the FCC Coupon program to get digital tuners for analog TV's. If I switch to analog OTA, that's only going to last for two more years. After that I need to have a digital solution. All of the stations around me are already broadcasting DTV so I could make the switch now. In my brief search I haven't been able to find any digital STB's on the market yet. I get hits talking about the need for one or DirecTV topics.

What are people planning to do with their TiVo Series 2's when the analog OTA transmissions stop? Or when cable discontinues analog signals? My Series 2 is already paid for (lifetime subscription) and is working perfectly. I don't feel the need to go HD or buy a Series 3.

[gastrof]

There's no evidence I know of that all cable carriers will discontinue analog.

Many seem to think they'll keep customers happy by leaving things as they are. If you have an older set and analog cable, you'll still be fine. Not even a cable box.

Of course, then there's Time Warner cable, which has been discontinuing their analog service in a lot of areas, and making people start using a cable box in order to get the only service they now offer...digital cable.

I've heard rumblings along the lines that Series 2 owners are hoping TiVo will keep giving the Series 2 upgrades so's to handle any new (digital) cable boxes that come along, and might also include codes to control OTA digital boxes.

If they do that, Series 2 owners will be all set.

Of course, considering what's just happened with the Series 1 machines and the Daylight Savings Time situation, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[bigsky]

I think it'll be rare to find cable providers who won't eventually go digital-only because they would no longer be obligated to simulcast analog and digital signals for the same programming after the OTA analog shutoff. Simulcasting after the shutoff would also be an inefficient use of their plant spectrum since a set-top box can receive up to 10-12 (compressed) digital subchannels in the same 6MHz of bandwidth consumed by a single-channel analog NTSC signal.

I predict that the IR interfaces in new and upcoming digital cable/OTA tuners will still be compatible with Series 2 units, but users may have to deal with a lot of trial-and-error IR code setup if the vendor databases aren't kept current. Also, new televisions will contain built-in ATSC receivers, so they can receive programming OTA or via unscrambled digital cable (let's all hope that providers don't get overzealous and encrypt the basic tiers) without needing an external tuner. Users could set their TiVos to control those TVs directly.

As for consumers who are unwilling to part with their current analog TVs but still want cable service after the shutoff, I hope their providers choose to be nice when it comes to obtaining a tuner. Perhaps some providers will offer a rebate program similar to the NTIA coupons that were recently announced, but I don't expect that will be common in non-competitive markets. A budget tuner like Motorola's DCT700 would cost providers less than HD and/or PVR tuners, but that model has RF or baseband AV outputs only.

I'll continue to use the DCT2500 tuner that my provider, Bresnan Communications, includes with my subscription because my lifetime-enabled S2 standalone can control it via the serial interface and because Bresnan has already started simulcasting in preparation for the analog shutoff. The video signal doesn't seem very different to me, but that's probably because I'm limited to using S-Video. :D

[ZeoTiVo]

Time Warner in Charlotte and my S2 DTs are working great on my extended basic cable package. No plans I have heard of at all to change off of analog.

I am sure it will eventually happen but I get to watch others deal with cable cards at first and can now await the lower end HD TiVo and make a choice then on which to get. I think worries about going to digital only anytime soon on cable are premature at this point.

[mick66]

I think it'll be rare to find cable providers who won't eventually go digital-onlyD

'eventually' can be a very long time.

[TydalForce]

I think Cable Co's will keep analog for a while. When Analog broadcast ends, we'll probably see a decent chunk of people pick up basic cable rather than deal with the ATSC converter boxes

I'd also expect that the Cable Co's would prefer to wait-and-see what the fallout is on the analog shutoff, before implementing their own completely. If public reaction is relatively calm, they'll proceed quickly. If there's a lot of public backlash against it, they'll probably wait (and become the heroes, as more people pick up basic cable).

I could see them keeping a basic lifeline cable service for a very long time -- your locals in analog, maybe a few extras just for kicks -- while pushing more and more "expanded" channels to digital.

Back on topic, with Digital OTA -- all of the Series 2 TiVo boxes are capable of controlling a set top box. It would be very easy for TiVo to add extra IR Codes to the software to control the ATSC converter boxes once they hit the market. There's no proof that they will, and no requirement that they do, but I would expect them to do so.

[atmuscarella]

Got to love these speculation threads - this topic has had more speculation than any other I can think of. I bet every possible out come has been support by some and called crazy by others.

Anyways my favorite outcome is that TiVo builds an external OTA/Cable Digital tuner box for Series 2 units that is connected through USB and allows me to still connect my Series 2 unit to my satellite STB at the same time.

Thanks,

PS: Of course if they would just build a Series 3 that can due OTA digital and control an STB I would be just has happy and yes I know the TV being recorded from the STB would only be in SD.

[snathanb]

In my brief search I haven't been able to find any digital STB's on the market yet.

I've been using them for 4 years and have owned several different models. Google "ATSC STB".

[classicsat]

Anyways my favorite outcome is that TiVo builds an external OTA/Cable Digital tuner box for Series 2 units that is connected through USB and allows me to still connect my Series 2 unit to my satellite STB at the same time.

I think that is less likely to happen than TiVo changing their software to support 3rd party ATSC tuners.

[refried]

Anyways my favorite outcome is that TiVo builds an external OTA/Cable Digital tuner box for Series 2 units that is connected through USB and allows me to still connect my Series 2 unit to my satellite STB at the same time.

I would love to see a digital to analog tuner that can be controlled via USB. I've dealt with the serial interface to a STB before and it was really painful to channel surf. I guess that would be my most desired solution. I've seen USB TV tuners in my searches, but I think they all push video through USB. Since my Humax DVD Burner only has USB 1.1 ports, that's not going to work that well.

[classicsat]

USB would be no quicker than the best seriel connection, since at most, they would have to do USB<>RS232 serial conversion. For the processor in the digital STB, if it has USB, they would be hosts like ther TiVo has, and regor no direct USB-USB connection.