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will I need a cable card??

Discussion in 'TiVo Series3 HDTV DVRs' started by Good Ol Gal, Sep 1, 2007.

  1. Sep 1, 2007 #1 of 3
    Good Ol Gal

    Good Ol Gal TiVo-licious

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    Jul 28, 2004

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    We just purchased a new HDtv and our tv does not need a cable card to receive the HD channels.

    Now DH wants to get an HD tv b/c the channels we get OTA in HD are so beautiful! We are back to watching "regular" tv :eek: after being spoiled with our TiVos for over 6 years!!

    So... would we need to get cable cards eventhough the tv does not need them? Or are they b/c the TiVo needs them??

    I am so confused :p How much are they? Do we buy them or rent them??? :confused:

    FYI: we have WOW in Ohio and right now have digital cable with a Humax hooked up to the new tv.
     
  2. Sep 2, 2007 #2 of 3
    bdlucas

    bdlucas Right side up again.

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    Feb 15, 2004
    Exurbia
    If your TV can receive it without cable cards so can the TiVo. Both can receive digital OTA, and unencrypted digital over the cable. However, the caveat is that TiVo does not provide guide data for the unencrypted digital cable channels, for some reason.

    There's a whole thread on that topic: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=362736.
     
  3. Sep 2, 2007 #3 of 3
    smbaker

    smbaker Well-Known Member

    25,868
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    May 24, 2003
    As bdlucas pointed out, the Tivo will not associate guide data with unencrypted HD channels that you receive via cable without a cablecard.

    However, if you are watching OTA via an antenna, then the Tivo will associate guide data with the channels. That's what I'm doing in my case, because I am stubborn and refuse to pay the cable co money for channels that I already pay them for and am entitled by FCC mandate to receive.

    If you do in fact have digital cable already, then much of your battle should already be won -- you just need to figure out from the cable co how much the cablecards will cost to rent (sometimes 1 cablecard is provided as part of your digital package, but you may have to pay extra for a second), and how much it will cost to install them (yes, you need to pay a guy to physically come out to your house and stick the card in the Tivo).
     

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