[ibryant04]

My cable company, Suddenlink, has some local HD channels available for free over the air. Will I have to use a cable card to be able to record them on a HD or S3 HD box?

 

[mattack]

If you really mean "over the air channels rebroadcast on cable", then yes, you need cablecards, unfortunately.

 

[ibryant04]

thats crazy! Not sure if i should get a HD Tivo or just go with the cable company box.

 

[Ilene]

You get what you pay for. The Season Pass, Wishlist, the Home Media option (soon to include TiVo to Go) make it worth it purchase the TiVo HD or Series 3.
If you look, many of us are truly hooked on TiVo. We have more than one, we post our problems and we help provide solutions when others need help. You won't get that with your cable company DVR.

You also have the option with these 2 TiVo boxes to ditch your cable company entirely. If all you want to watch is over the air (OTA) channels that are available via the good old fashion rabbit ears, those channels are truly free if you are located in an area with good reception. There is a web site that you can find if you are close to the towers.

 

[ibryant04]

You get what you pay for. The Season Pass, Wishlist, the Home Media option (soon to include TiVo to Go) make it worth it purchase the TiVo HD or Series 3.
If you look, many of us are truly hooked on TiVo. We have more than one, we post our problems and we help provide solutions when others need help. You won't get that with your cable company DVR.

You also have the option with these 2 TiVo boxes to ditch your cable company entirely. If all you want to watch is over the air (OTA) channels that are available via the good old fashion rabbit ears, those channels are truly free if you are located in an area with good reception. There is a web site that you can find if you are close to the towers.

Yeah i love my s2 tivo/toshiba dvd player. It has been super reliable unlink my parents Suddenlink Dvr. They have gone though like 4 of them. I will probably go ahed and get a tivo hd and find out how much the cablecards cost. I know a guy that works for Suddenlink so manybe i can get a better deal.

 

[gastrof]

If you really mean "over the air channels rebroadcast on cable", then yes, you need cablecards, unfortunately.

That's not entirely true.

As I understand it, by law they can't scramble any over-the-air digital channel. They have to carry it "in the clear".

The digital-tuner TiVos should be able to get such channels without cable cards, using only the built-in digital tuners.

Now, how those channels end up mapped, that's another story...

 

[jfh3]

That's not entirely true.

As I understand it, by law they can't scramble any over-the-air digital channel. They have to carry it "in the clear".

The digital-tuner TiVos should be able to get such channels without cable cards, using only the built-in digital tuners.

Now, how those channels end up mapped, that's another story...

You are correct, but unless/until there is QAM mapping, the OP will need CableCARDs to use the Tivo guide/scheduling. Without CableCARDs, the best you can do with a digital channel is record it like a VCR.

 

[Dr_Diablo]

Only reason I still have my cable box HD receiver is for PPV ...

Without the cablecards aren't you limited to the analog 2-99 channels?

 

[jfh3]

Without the cablecards aren't you limited to the analog 2-99 channels?

Yes, and QAM channels (manually).