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View Full Version : Cox Tempe Series2 Solution/Workaround


xoclipse
06-09-2007, 07:38 PM
Hi,

I recently purchased my first Tivo, an 80-hour Series2. I got home, hooked everything up, and after everything was setup I realized that Cox Communications in Tempe does not have any analog channels above 22(their "expanded" service). This made me really upset because I have lived in other areas in Phoenix and analog service above 22 was always available. I came to find out that in Tempe they are still using 550Mhz lines, which means they don't have the bandwidth to put all of their services on so they took away the expanded channels from analog.

I decided I needed to find a solution because having a dual tuner DVR with only one tuner usable kinda sucks. (I don't watch much TV below 22, mostly 22 - 60). I ended up hooking up a second digital cable box to the Tivo. Obviously you can't have tivo IR blast two digital boxes, but with a little workaround I can at least watch a show while another is recording.

The digital cable box modulates channel 4 for the RF out on the back, so I ran a coaxial from the second digital cable box OUT to the Tivo's coaxial in. I then told my Tivo in Channel List Settings that only channel 4 was available on 'cbl'. This allows me to let my Tivo use one tuner to record shows from my primary digital cable box and while it is doing that I can switch to channel 4 on my tivo and use my digital cable remote(for second box) to watch TV.

It is a little bit of an inconvenience to use 2 remotes, but often I don't watch TV while its recording something also, so its not that big of a deal. Hopefully this gives people that are in Tempe or other places where they have stripped analog channels a little workaround until your cable provider adds analog(or if they never do).

gastrof
06-10-2007, 06:35 PM
Cable providers might delete analog, but I'm pretty certain they won't be ADDING it.

Digital allows a greater number of channels in the bandwidth available. This is likely why all channels above 22 are gone on the analog side of things.

Why you'd think they'd make it possible to increase the number of analog channels after decreasing them, I don't understand.

So long as digital cable boxes are able to output a signal usable by older TVs, the cable companies won't be inclined to make easier for you to go without renting one of their boxes.

Harder, almost certainly, but not easier.

xoclipse
06-10-2007, 06:50 PM
Cable providers might delete analog, but I'm pretty certain they won't be ADDING it.

Digital allows a greater number of channels in the bandwidth available. This is likely why all channels above 22 are gone on the analog side of things.

Why you'd think they'd make it possible to increase the number of analog channels after decreasing them, I don't understand.

So long as digital cable boxes are able to output a signal usable by older TVs, the cable companies won't be inclined to make easier for you to go without renting one of their boxes.

Harder, almost certainly, but not easier.

Well from what I heard from Cox is that they removed the analog channels because they needed the bandwidth to provision other services, digital telephone, HSI, etc,. But they also said that when fiber optics does come they will be able to add the analog channels back. Do I believe them? Probably not, but it would be nice for me as a Tivo user wanting to use the analog tuner.

gastrof
06-10-2007, 07:01 PM
Oh, I hear you.

I gave up my cable boxes when the last scrambled channel on my basic package got moved to the digital side. I HATE renting stuff.

I'm totally happy being able to use my TiVos by feeding the cable directly into their built-in tuners, and hope our cable company NEVER gets rid of the analog channels.

I'm just a realist, tho', and suspect it may not last forever.

One thing in my favor, tho'....

We have THREE cable options in our town, including FiOS. The cable services have to be VERY nice to us, and ask politely on a regular basis if the town will renew their contract.

I enjoy knowing they're in that position. :D