[mythtv-users] QAM vs. Firewire

Jerry Rubinow jerrymr at gmail.com
Fri Mar 16 19:26:13 UTC 2007


On 3/16/07, George Galt <george.galt at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Jerry:
>
> Can you elaborate a little on FiOS TV.  I'm looking at it to replace
> Comcast (Washington, DC area).
>
> Can you get all of the channels (approximately 200) in the lineup over
> QAM?  Is anything encrypted (obviously the premium channels like HBO
> would be, but are any of the others like Food Network, Comedy Central,
> etc.)?  I thought that some of the SD channels (like local ones) were
> transported on an analog signal.  Is this correct or is QAM only?


Hi George,

The way FIOS works, all the information comes in on fiber, which is
connected to an ONT (optical network terminal) on the side of your house or
in your basement).  This box takes all the information and splits out the
phone, the internet, and the tv onto POTS copper, ethernet, and coax,
respectively.  For the tv, it encodes all the local channels and some
superstations/religious channels as analog in the 1-49 range.  This makes it
possible to connect the coax to a tv without a set top box and get _only_
those channels.  All those channels are also available QAM encoded.  Also on
QAM are the HD OTA channels (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/PBS/CW/a few others). I believe
the music-only channels are also available on QAM but I've never bothered
with those.  Everything else is only available through the set top box -
it's all encrypted on QAM and thru firewire.  Only the locals are available
in the clear.

-Jerry
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