Premiere support for Unencrypted QAM?

[NPWoodTX]

Does anyone know if the Premiere will offer better support for unencrypted QAM than the current series 3 do? Also is the idea that Premiere will be able to support tru2way? Future proofing gives me a reason to upgrade because it does not seem to offer a lot of extra features over my current Series 3 HD / XBOX 360 combination.

[gweempose]

Better QAM support - unlikely
tru2way - negative

[dswallow]

There's no cable modem built into the Premiere, so any possible tru2way support will require additional hardware. I suppose in theory it could be implemented over Ethernet, to some extent like RCN is doing with TiVo... but I wouldn't really hold my breath for just any cable system being that accommodating.

I don't think anything has been said one way or the other about any changes in unencrypted QAM support, so I doubt there is any special provision for it. In that regard I did recently do a full digital cable scan on a Series3 with no CableCARDs and it picked up a number of over-the-air unencrypted QAM channels and a tiny number of cable-delivered channels where it seems to have connected the channel to guide data and/or channel names, so there could be a certain level of support there now that simply has required the cable company to provide some encoded data in the video stream to support.

[wmcbrine]

QAM is going to be the same as always. There's no reason for it to change; it's not a hardware issue. If it ever did change, it would change for S3/HD, too. But it won't change.

[MmmmJoel]

Do the QAM channels get mapped if I have a CableCard (but *don't* subscribe to HD service)?


I asked tech support, but I trust everyone here better. They said "yes."


Roderick: Thank you for verifying your information, Joel. How may I assist you today?
MJ: i was considering upgrading to premier
MJ: and wanted to know if it supported qam
MJ: my set up would be -- digital cable (no hd package), qam for the broadcast channels
MJ: will tivo recognize my qam channels?
Roderick: Yes
MJ: will it have guide data associated with the qam channels?
Roderick: Absolutely
MJ: so tivo remaps qam channels if you get a cablecard (even though i won't but subscribing to their hd package), but it does not remap channels if you don't have a cablecard?
Roderick: Correct, there really was no problem, it's just that it needs a cablecard for digital channels or rebroadcast channels.
MJ: i just want to be clear -- i understand it will work if i subscribe to HD service with my cablecard, but i will *not* be doing that -- instead want to pick up the free QAM channels separately, and have them mapped to the guide data tivo has

...

Roderick: I can answer that for you: cable companies choose which frequency the send the rebroadcast channels at random. Without a cablecard to map them, you will be able to view the rebroadcast channel but it simply won't be mapped properly.

...

MJ: so if i get a cablecard, even without hd service, i should be able to map the qam channels?
Roderick: Correct
MJ: ok thanks
Roderick: (The cable company would need to pair the cablecard of course.)
MJ: okay

[BigJimOutlaw]

In a nutshell, Cablecards map all digital QAM channels available to you, whether they're HD or not. No CC, no mapping or guide data.