Have you tried it with an amplified antenna?Sorry if this has already been asked, but I couldn't find anything by searching.
My cable bill is out of control. I am on the verge of canceling my cable altogether. I have a Tivo Series3 so what I wanted to know is:
Without a cable subscription, when I plug my coax directly into my TV I still get some channels. Will I be able to plug the coax into my Series3 and have it recognize these channels and be able to set season passes and recordings using the guide? Or will the channels be mapped in way that the Tivo won't know which channel is which? I figure in that case, I should still be able to set timers based on time and channel. Or will absolutely nothing work?
I have tried an antenna but where I live I get absolutely nothing over that. That is not what I'm interested in.
If it makes any difference in your answer, I'm in Manhattan, and the cable service I'm planning on cutting off is Time Warner.
If anyone has any experience with this I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks.
TWC without using cable cards
Sorry if this has already been asked, but I couldn't find anything by searching.
My cable bill is out of control. I am on the verge of canceling my cable altogether. I have a Tivo Series3 so what I wanted to know is:
Without a cable subscription, when I plug my coax directly into my TV I still get some channels. Will I be able to plug the coax into my Series3 and have it recognize these channels and be able to set season passes and recordings using the guide? Or will the channels be mapped in way that the Tivo won't know which channel is which? I figure in that case, I should still be able to set timers based on time and channel. Or will absolutely nothing work?
I have tried an antenna but where I live I get absolutely nothing over that. That is not what I'm interested in.
If it makes any difference in your answer, I'm in Manhattan, and the cable service I'm planning on cutting off is Time Warner.
If anyone has any experience with this I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks.
My cable bill is out of control. I am on the verge of canceling my cable altogether. I have a Tivo Series3 so what I wanted to know is:
Without a cable subscription, when I plug my coax directly into my TV I still get some channels. Will I be able to plug the coax into my Series3 and have it recognize these channels and be able to set season passes and recordings using the guide? Or will the channels be mapped in way that the Tivo won't know which channel is which? I figure in that case, I should still be able to set timers based on time and channel. Or will absolutely nothing work?
I have tried an antenna but where I live I get absolutely nothing over that. That is not what I'm interested in.
If it makes any difference in your answer, I'm in Manhattan, and the cable service I'm planning on cutting off is Time Warner.
If anyone has any experience with this I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Have you tried it with an amplified antenna?
Nope, but let's just assume I can't get any OTA reception.
Has anyone just run the coax into their Tivo box without cable cards? If so, what happens?
I would test this myself, but I'm afraid I would lose all of my current settings, including season passes and the settings for the channels I currently have set up. So I want to know if anyone else has tried it.
Has anyone just run the coax into their Tivo box without cable cards? If so, what happens?
I would test this myself, but I'm afraid I would lose all of my current settings, including season passes and the settings for the channels I currently have set up. So I want to know if anyone else has tried it.
You may be able to view the channels on your TiVo, but without guide data. I personally just cancelled my Cable last month and I was still able to receive quite a few "in the clear" channels.
I quickly realized not having any guide data completely ruined the experience and made it nearly impossible to manage my season passes etc.
I live in a low signal area as far as OTA is concerned, so I ended up shelling out for a nice roof mounted antenna (ClearStream2) and now I get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, 3 PBS channels and MyTV. Plus a movie channel and a music channel. I'm actually happier now than I was with cable, as about 90% of what we watched were on the basic network channels anyway.
I quickly realized not having any guide data completely ruined the experience and made it nearly impossible to manage my season passes etc.
I live in a low signal area as far as OTA is concerned, so I ended up shelling out for a nice roof mounted antenna (ClearStream2) and now I get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, 3 PBS channels and MyTV. Plus a movie channel and a music channel. I'm actually happier now than I was with cable, as about 90% of what we watched were on the basic network channels anyway.
You will get basic, non-HD channels. Basically, channels 2-99. Those channels will work just like always, full guide functionality and TiVo recording... everything. One plus is that since it'll be running via analog, you'll be able to use TiVo-To-Go on all those channels, unlike when you use Cable Card with Time Warner.
You will not get any digital cable channels (usually anything above 100), subscription channels (HBO) or HD channels.
The ONLY exception to that is channels that Time Warner doesn't encrypt which - most likely - is just your local stations' (ABC, CBS, etc) HD channels. So you can watch those. HOWEVER, those stations will be on incorrect channels numbers which are a) a pain to find and b) means the only way you can record on them is with Manual Recordings. And sometimes the channels move and you'll have to find them again.
I have Time Warner and used to run just this way. Now I have Cable Cards.
You will not get any digital cable channels (usually anything above 100), subscription channels (HBO) or HD channels.
The ONLY exception to that is channels that Time Warner doesn't encrypt which - most likely - is just your local stations' (ABC, CBS, etc) HD channels. So you can watch those. HOWEVER, those stations will be on incorrect channels numbers which are a) a pain to find and b) means the only way you can record on them is with Manual Recordings. And sometimes the channels move and you'll have to find them again.
I have Time Warner and used to run just this way. Now I have Cable Cards.
Also, you can go ahead and test it. You won't lose anything.
Or, just plug it into your TV. Any channel you get there, you'll get on the TiVo without Cable Cards. But your HD may not be able to get those unencrypted local HD stations.
Or, just plug it into your TV. Any channel you get there, you'll get on the TiVo without Cable Cards. But your HD may not be able to get those unencrypted local HD stations.
Am I missing something here? How do you get ANY channels off of your cable if you completely cancel your cable subscription? Doesn't work that way where I live but then I don't have Time Warner. FYI, the cable card is for decrypting the digital (including HD) signals so you could probably cut down to "limited basic" or whatever they call it there and still get most of your desired channels in SD. The Tivo would still know about them for programming purposes.
Hey, thanks for the info. That's pretty much the way I figured it. Bummer about the HD networks being on funky channels though.
As for lillevig's comment, it depends on how your cable company runs things. I live in an apartment building, and I'll still be getting high speed internet so that can't physically cut my cable. And some things they just don't encrypt, not sure why, although I guess for the people who don't want to use cable boxes. But some channels just still come through over the cable, even if you don't have a cable subscription.
Anyway, probably going to end up doing this. Sounds like it won't be the same experience, but in addition to saving money the idea is to get myself to watch less TV so maybe it's a good thing. But there's a few network shows that I still like to see, and it sounds like I'll still have access to them one way or another.
Love the Tivo experience, hate my outrageous cable bill, especially with Hulu being available and Netflix being so affordable.
Anyway, thanks for the info.
As for lillevig's comment, it depends on how your cable company runs things. I live in an apartment building, and I'll still be getting high speed internet so that can't physically cut my cable. And some things they just don't encrypt, not sure why, although I guess for the people who don't want to use cable boxes. But some channels just still come through over the cable, even if you don't have a cable subscription.
Anyway, probably going to end up doing this. Sounds like it won't be the same experience, but in addition to saving money the idea is to get myself to watch less TV so maybe it's a good thing. But there's a few network shows that I still like to see, and it sounds like I'll still have access to them one way or another.
Love the Tivo experience, hate my outrageous cable bill, especially with Hulu being available and Netflix being so affordable.
Anyway, thanks for the info.
They can still block TV without cutting the cable. One place I lived, they would put a filter on the line for people who got internet and not TV. Almost every channel was blocked. The funny part was, they installed the filters in a place everyone had access to, so people would just remove the filters.
It's a felony in most states to receive cable service without paying for it. I wouldn't do it.
Your cable company might offer a reduced rate basic service, where you can pick up some extra unencrypted channels.
Your cable company might offer a reduced rate basic service, where you can pick up some extra unencrypted channels.
You would get just the analog channels. You may be able to get the OTA channels plus the analog tier, your mileage may vary. Can you sign up for basic cable and get a cable card? That would get you the analog tier, plus the local OTA channels via the cable card.Nope, but let's just assume I can't get any OTA reception.
Has anyone just run the coax into their Tivo box without cable cards? If so, what happens?
I would test this myself, but I'm afraid I would lose all of my current settings, including season passes and the settings for the channels I currently have set up. So I want to know if anyone else has tried it.
This. I would like to add that as a user of TWC's analog service there are channels in the 2-99 range that are on a SDV channel and the S3/THD TiVo's won't get these without a tuning adapter and cable cards. In my area at least these channels are fluff ones anyway and not missed, YMMV.You will get basic, non-HD channels. Basically, channels 2-99. Those channels will work just like always, full guide functionality and TiVo recording... everything. One plus is that since it'll be running via analog, you'll be able to use TiVo-To-Go on all those channels, unlike when you use Cable Card with Time Warner.
You will not get any digital cable channels (usually anything above 100), subscription channels (HBO) or HD channels.
The ONLY exception to that is channels that Time Warner doesn't encrypt which - most likely - is just your local stations' (ABC, CBS, etc) HD channels. So you can watch those. HOWEVER, those stations will be on incorrect channels numbers which are a) a pain to find and b) means the only way you can record on them is with Manual Recordings. And sometimes the channels move and you'll have to find them again.
I have Time Warner and used to run just this way. Now I have Cable Cards.
That's funny. I've been in areas several times where the cable company failed to disconnect service and the cable still had a signal. So, is it theft if you did nothing other than pick the cable up off the floor and plug it in? Seems that the cable company might have some liability in that as well.It's a felony in most states to receive cable service without paying for it. I wouldn't do it.
Your cable company might offer a reduced rate basic service, where you can pick up some extra unencrypted channels.
Yes, in most states.That's funny. I've been in areas several times where the cable company failed to disconnect service and the cable still had a signal. So, is it theft if you did nothing other than pick the cable up off the floor and plug it in? Seems that the cable company might have some liability in that as well.
The burden is on the customer to report the desire to use cable service to the cable company and then to receive authorization from the cable company before using the service.That's funny. I've been in areas several times where the cable company failed to disconnect service and the cable still had a signal. So, is it theft if you did nothing other than pick the cable up off the floor and plug it in? Seems that the cable company might have some liability in that as well.
"The existence on property in the actual possession of the accused, of any connection, wire, conductor, or any device whatsoever, which permits the use of cable television service without the same being reported for payment to and specifically authorized by the operator of the cable television service shall be prima facie evidence of intent to violate and of the violation of this section by the accused."
I am guessing that if someone called and requested their cable be turned off that they have met any legal requirements and could not be charge with a crime if the cable company continue to feed cable to them. But who knows.The burden is on the customer to report the desire to use cable service to the cable company and then to receive authorization from the cable company before using the service.
"The existence on property in the actual possession of the accused, of any connection, wire, conductor, or any device whatsoever, which permits the use of cable television service without the same being reported for payment to and specifically authorized by the operator of the cable television service shall be prima facie evidence of intent to violate and of the violation of this section by the accused."
Analog Cable program package access used to be controlled by filters (and still can be). However with the increasing penetration of digital cable, I think at least my cable co. doesn't really bother with the filters much. I have digital cable and cable Internet. I predict if I cancelled all my cable TV service (but kept the Internet service), no truck would be rolled to install a filter. Rather they would just disable my digital cable devices (CableCARD and Tuning Adapter) with signals. This would leave the analog channels (which are simulcast on my system) still active.That's funny. I've been in areas several times where the cable company failed to disconnect service and the cable still had a signal. So, is it theft if you did nothing other than pick the cable up off the floor and plug it in? Seems that the cable company might have some liability in that as well.
Certainly in this case, the ethics demand that I not use the signals that I'm not paying for. However this is somewhat akin to encountering a stop sign in the middle of the desert at 2 am. As long as I don't do something to call attention to my ethical lapse, I can get away with it. Even if discovered I find it very hard to believe the cable co would find it worth their time to pursue legal action for just this offense. For starters, how would they prove I actually viewed analog cable?
Though you still might be able to use a cablecard you bought on eBay for the OTA rebroadcasts on cable too.
I consider myself a very ethical person (I have gone back into stores when they gave me too much change), but I think them not turning off the cable (and you still using it) is very different from running a stop sign. Running the stop sign is clearly illegal and still potentially dangerous. As long as you cancelled cable, and aren't purposely breaking encryption or anything, using the signal that is already there seems to me to be analogous (even if not *legally* the same) to getting mailed something you didn't order -- you can keep it.
I consider myself a very ethical person (I have gone back into stores when they gave me too much change), but I think them not turning off the cable (and you still using it) is very different from running a stop sign. Running the stop sign is clearly illegal and still potentially dangerous. As long as you cancelled cable, and aren't purposely breaking encryption or anything, using the signal that is already there seems to me to be analogous (even if not *legally* the same) to getting mailed something you didn't order -- you can keep it.
That's good logic. It's only the same as the stop-sign-in-desert if there actually is a law making it illegal to use the signal if you aren't paying for it. An earlier poster said that is the law -- I'm not so sure about that. Without such a law, it's just a matter of personal ethics. It's not quite the same as receiving un-ordered mechandise. In that case your ethics might mean you would want to return the mechandise -- and that can't be done without trouble and expense to you. In the cable case, there is nothing to return -- you would just not use it and the cable co is not out anythiing as a result.........I think them not turning off the cable (and you still using it) is very different from running a stop sign. Running the stop sign is clearly illegal and still potentially dangerous. As long as you cancelled cable, and aren't purposely breaking encryption or anything, using the signal that is already there seems to me to be analogous (even if not *legally* the same) to getting mailed something you didn't order -- you can keep it.
Pragmatically, I believe you can both use the cable and use the mechandise and no harm will come to you.
Personally, if I ever do turn off cable, I will be be very tempted to use the analog signals if they remain. I'm so pissed at TWC's copy protection and poor support of Tuning Adapters......
But that's not logical, and probably not ethical.
I cancelled cable over a year ago in favor of OTA and a roku. I called and called for them to disconnect at the pole, but they treat this part of customer service just like any other in their organization (ie we don't really know or care). In the past few months, I cancelled at my in-laws house as it became vacant. Both signals are still live. I can get analog and unencrypted QAM. Concerned that TWC may come back at me years later and try to bill me for the signal they were supposed to disconnect at the pole, I contacted customer service. After back and forthing with them a bit, I was told that there is some signal coming to my home, but I would not be charged for it ever as I told them to cancel. I rarely use it, but on occasion I'll set up a manual record on TCM or Comedy Central. Since TWC told me I'm not charged for it and I actually don't want it, I'm under the impression that they're giving it away for free.That's good logic. It's only the same as the stop-sign-in-desert if there actually is a law making it illegal to use the signal if you aren't paying for it. An earlier poster said that is the law -- I'm not so sure about that. Without such a law, it's just a matter of personal ethics. It's not quite the same as receiving un-ordered mechandise. In that case your ethics might mean you would want to return the mechandise -- and that can't be done without trouble and expense to you. In the cable case, there is nothing to return -- you would just not use it and the cable co is not out anythiing as a result.
Pragmatically, I believe you can both use the cable and use the mechandise and no harm will come to you.
Personally, if I ever do turn off cable, I will be be very tempted to use the analog signals if they remain. I'm so pissed at TWC's copy protection and poor support of Tuning Adapters......
But that's not logical, and probably not ethical.
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