[mythtv-users] Cablecos and QAM

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 6:24 PM, Jay Ashworth <jra at baylink.com> wrote:
....
> I'm sure it does.  Not having moved to digital tuners yet, though,
> that answer is insufficiently informative for me.

While some MSOs have only performed a PAR (Partial
Analog Reclamation), almost all are planning to eliminate
all analog channels (well, leaving, usually an analog
"barker" channel (channel 2) which says "You need a STB").
There are many MSOs that now only provide digital
channels.  I think WOW is among those only offering
digital (I know Comcast only offers digital at this point,
and Time Warner is in the process of their conversion,
which, being a top-6 MSO, is a requirement for their
encryption of basic on a franchise by franchise basis,
which is why the TWC roll-out is taking a bit longer than
Comcast, who completed the digital transition previously).

As of Dec 2012, there is no longer even the requirement
to offer all the "must carry" limited basic channels on
analog if any channels are offered on analog.  It is now
acceptable to require subscribers obtain a DTA (or
equivalent).  Ref: FCC 12-59.

The schedules to complete the all digital transition is
a business decision (which usually means when the
MSO decides to commit to providing DTAs to those
(often few) customers still on "limited basic" and
using analog TV).  But the writing is on the wall.

Gary