QAM channels

[scottc98]

Has anyone done a scan for unencrypted QAM channels on WOW, TW, or insight? I believe that they have to pass our local stations this way but curious if there are others.

[dhausman]

interesting. I have th samsung t-151 I wonder what will happen if I hook it to the cable.....

[scottc98]

i don't believe the samsung t-151 decodes QAM channels, just ATSC.

I alot of new tvs come with built in QAM tuners. Just wondering if anyone has tried. I've heard that WOW locks everything (including locals) and insight doesn't at all (too bad its not offered in my area). Just want to confirm that and check on tw too

[dhausman]

Yeah, I just looked it up. You are right.

[phsu]

I've had my Panny plasma for a few months now. Using TWC. Until now, I've been watching SD channels thru coax straight into the plasma (bypassing the cable box, SD picture quality is so much better). In order to view HD I've had to switch inputs on the TV to switch over to the cable box. Too complicated and annoying for my other half. Last night, I did an analog/digital channel scan thru the coax cable feed. Voila! I guess this is how the built-in QAM tuner works! Now I can watch HD without having to switch inputs. I get quite a few:
NBC-DT 4-1
WxP-DT (Weather Plus) 4-2
CBS-DT 10-1
WWHO-DT 53-1
PBS-DT 11-1
2 WOSU stations

[Ronald Long]

I am using a Fusion Gold PCI card which has one RF input. It is supposed to decode ATSC, NTSC and QAM. If I use OTA I get all the local HD channels ok.
When I connect TWC I get all the analog channels. Most Digital channels are encrypted as expected. I get a few of the pay-per-view channels running teaser ads. Now the mysterious thing. Sometimes one of the local HD channels (WOSU and WBNS have been seen) appears in the list and then disapears. I am unable to manually add one of these channels.

Now the question. If I try to add using the TWC channel number, for example, 721 for WBNS, it doesn't work for either ATSC, QAM 64Q or 256Q. Ditto for Channel 10. It says in use which figures since analog cable has a channel there.

Does anyone know another channel number to try for these HD channels?
Is anyone else here using the Fusion TV card?

[bgarr]

i don't believe the samsung t-151 decodes QAM channels, just ATSC.

I alot of new tvs come with built in QAM tuners. Just wondering if anyone has tried. I've heard that WOW locks everything (including locals) and insight doesn't at all (too bad its not offered in my area). Just want to confirm that and check on tw too

Has anyone confirmed that locals are scrambled/locked on WOW. I was thinking of switching from TW since WOW now has a deal with Sinclair for ABC and FOX. TW is unlocked for locals.

[salreus]

well, the use to be anyway. that is my prob. I can now only find NBC and WOSU. I can not find the other channels which I was able to before.

phsu, can you tell us what actual channels these are? not the virtual channels.

[phsu]

salreus:

4-1, 4-2, 10-1, 53-1, 53-2, 53-3 are the channels I get with my built-in tuner. Are these the virtual channels you're referring to? I don't get HD on any "actual" channels, only on channels with the dashes after it.

So, are these QAM channels, ATSC channels, or both that I am receiving? I'm still in the dark with some of these terminologies.

[TvPat]

Time Warner unencrypted QAM channels

79-7 NBA League Pass Preview Channel
84-1 WBNS-DT (PSIP 10-1)
84-2 WOSU-HD (34-1)
84-3 WOSU Ohio (34-2)
84-5 WOSU Plus (34-3)
90-1 WCMH-DT (4-1)
90-2 WCMH Weather (4-2)
90-3 WWHO-DT (53-1)
111-9 Movies on Demand Previews
113-19 Pay-Per-View Previews

[bgarr]

phsu - Are you talking about Time Warner or WOW.
I'm still unclear as to whether or not WOW is unencrypted.

Thanks.

[salreus]

thank you, thank you, thank you. I knew I wasn't going crazy. i will have to check out channel 90. but I know I have check that station out several times. hmmmm.... Is it there all times. or do they just turn it on for prime time? maybe that is my problem. maybe I need to scan during prime time. but now I know the other channel. at leat I can look during prime time.

[TvPat]

The channels with PSIP will show up on their PSIP channels. For example, WCMH-DT is actually on physical channel 90-1, but if you do a channel search it will put it on 4-1, between channel 4 and channel 5. By the way, channel 4 on Time Warner is the TV Guide Channel. Analog WCMH is on channel 7.

I believe all of the HD broadcast channels on cable are on 24-7, or at least all day.

[salreus]

I can't seem to get the channel 90 to come in. Can you verifify that you are still viewing channel 90.

[scottc98]

Time Warner unencrypted QAM channels

79-7 NBA League Pass Preview Channel
84-1 WBNS-DT (PSIP 10-1)
84-2 WOSU-HD (34-1)
84-3 WOSU Ohio (34-2)
84-5 WOSU Plus (34-3)
90-1 WCMH-DT (4-1)
90-2 WCMH Weather (4-2)
90-3 WWHO-DT (53-1)
111-9 Movies on Demand Previews
113-19 Pay-Per-View Previews

Thanks TVPAT for the list!. That cleanly breaks it down. I am curious that there are no audio channels being recieved (Music Choice).

Can anyone provide a similar list for Insight and WOW?
Most new TV's come built in with QAM tuners. If you have one, can you connect the coax straigh to the TV and do a full channel scan and report your results?
Remember that the channel results will most likely not reflect the channel #'s that we are use to (as Tvpat's post shows) and will most likely not have any guide or info. THis will require you to tune to each channel after the scan and try to figure out what it is.

I recently installed a new tv for my parents (Sony Bravia 40 LCD) in San Jose, CA. They have Comcast there and you'd be suprised the # of QAM channels that they pick up. Some are random (on-demand feeds, pay-per-view) and others were stable (HD pak channesl, networks, Music Choice).
Never know what is out there :)

[offlinejam]

Sorry if this is considered a double post, But I have a Samsung Sir-T451 and I have Insight cable and thought that the result would be helpful in this thread also.


On the STD scan It locked in 6 channels:
86-1(10tv)
86-2(NBC 4)
86-3(NBC 4 weather)
124-1(WOSU HD)
124-2(WOSU Ohio)
124-3(WOSU plus)

On the HRC scan it didn't lock on any channels.

On the IRC scan it locked in 8 channels:
86-1(10tv)
86-2(NBC 4)
86-3(NBC 4 weather)
87-1(ABC 6)
87-2 Fox 28
124-1(WOSU HD)
124-2(WOSU Ohio)
124-3(WOSU plus)

[scottc98]

Well...that is very interesting. I checked the manual for your receiver and it doesn't do QAM, just 8VSB (OTA style).
So, its either one of 3 things:

1) I am missing something with your receiver and it indeed uses QAM
(Got manual here :http://media-server.amazon.com/exec/drm/digital/moleproxy.cgi?name=U0FNU1VORyBTSVItVDQ1MSBIaWdoIER lZmluaXRpb24gVGVycmVzdHJpYWwgVHVuZXIgTWFudWFs&file=TUFOVUFMMDAwMDYwNDE2LnBkZg==)

2) You've got a OTA antenna hooked up and that is where you are getting the channels (not likely since the locals would map to its actual digital channel)

3) Insight is broadcasting their locals via 8VSB which would be awsome!
Use can use existing/legacy equip (OTA, HD PC cards, etc) to get your locals without having to use an antenna.

Now, if I am right about this receiver and the lack of QAM, anyone have a updated list for Insight or WOW?

[offlinejam]

Picked this unit up for the price $165.00 and was reading up on the specs on the avs forum and it was stated that it does, but just don't admit it in the user manual. Here are a couple of threads on it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=452164&highlight=QAM

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=627894&highlight=QAM

The only drawback is what another member stated in the other forum:

" The Samsung SIR-T451 only can receive QAM channels up to 125 while some cable companies have QAM channels up to 135.

The user's manual doesn't even mention QAM at all. But if someone sees here that the SIR-T451 supports QAM and wants to buy it because of that feature, I think we ought to be telling them about the limitation somehow. "

[MSC]

I think perhaps I don't understand what you all are talking about.

When I do a digital scan, I pick up 82 digital channels - they are mostly in the 70's and 80's, and use multiple subs. For instance, Animal planet is on 81.38 and CourtTV is on 81.39, etc. etc. (I don't remember if those are the actual numbers). This is in addition to their normal place down on the analog channels. The one concrete example I can think of is ESPN2 - it is on 32 and 88.6.

Are these actually digital versions of the analog channels, or what?

[aenea]

I think perhaps I don't understand what you all are talking about.

When I do a digital scan, I pick up 82 digital channels - they are mostly in the 70's and 80's, and use multiple subs. For instance, Animal planet is on 81.38 and CourtTV is on 81.39, etc. etc. (I don't remember if those are the actual numbers). This is in addition to their normal place down on the analog channels. The one concrete example I can think of is ESPN2 - it is on 32 and 88.6.

Are these actually digital versions of the analog channels, or what?

Yes, they are actually digital versions of the analog channels. It's almost certainly a sign that TW is getting ready to roll out digital simulcast. The first people to benefit will probably be digital cable subscribers; their boxes will be reprogrammed so that when they tune to an analog channel, the cable box will remap to the digital simulcast channel behind the scenes and display the digital channel instead.

The Master Plan, of course, is to get all but the most basic tier of channels into a digital only format and reclaim the bandwidth the analog channels are using, and get some other benefits, but TW is going have to start handing out cheap-o digital converters like candy before that happens, so it's going to be a while.

Last time I checked the digital simulcast channels were all in the clear, but I'm sure they will turn on the encryption soon enough.

[DublinDoodah]

I think perhaps I don't understand what you all are talking about.

When I do a digital scan, I pick up 82 digital channels - they are mostly in the 70's and 80's, and use multiple subs. For instance, Animal planet is on 81.38 and CourtTV is on 81.39, etc. etc. (I don't remember if those are the actual numbers). This is in addition to their normal place down on the analog channels. The one concrete example I can think of is ESPN2 - it is on 32 and 88.6.

Are these actually digital versions of the analog channels, or what?
I don't get the same results that you did. When I scan, my tuner recognizes many digital channels in the channel range you mention, but when I try to tune to any of them, my TV tells me I'm not authorized to receive them. I assume that this is because the tuner is seeing the TW digital service channels, and thus would require a cable card. But I don't see the digital version of their analog channels like you do. Maybe you're in an area where they're doing something different.

[MSC]

Hmmm... Don't know why that is. I'm in UA, if that helps. Since it's not going through the box, I don't think it matters what plans I subscribe to but I have every digital package available.

[rossl]

I just did a complete scan on a digital cable ready TV and compared the results to the analog channels.

These are unscrambled QAM channels available without a cable box.

The Time Warner analog channel lineup is mostly all there.
Disney Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Weather Channel and FitTV are not in digital. At least, my scan didn't pick them up.

Can someone else check this list and see if I missed any, or made a mistake.

74-24 Sports Time Ohio (HDTV)
74-28 WXCB / Prayer
74-29 Access
74-30 Access
74-31 Access
74-32 Access
74-33 Access
74-37 Access
76-13 WSFJ PAX
76-14 WOSU PBS (SD)
76-15 WTTE FOX (SD)
76-16 AZN
76-17 WWHO UPN (SD)
76-18 WUAB
76-19 Hallmark
76-20 Science
76-27 T-W TV Guide
76-28 Access
76-29 Access
77-28 WCMH NBC (SD)
77-29 WSYX ABC (SD)
77-30 WBNS CBS (SD)
77-31 TLC
77-33 Spanish
77-34 CSPAN2
77-35 WGN
77-36 QVC
77-37 Shop NBC
77-38 History
77-39 CSPAN
79-7 T-W PPV Advertisment
80-28 T-W Weather Radar
80-29 CNN Headline
80-30 FSN Ohio
80-31 Golf
80-33 Cartoon Net
80-34 TV Land
80-35 ABC Family
80-36 E!
80-39 CMT
81-28 VH1
81-29 BET
81-30 Comedy
81-31 Sci-Fi
81-32 Bravo
81-33 AMC
81-34 TCM
81-35 CNBC
81-36 MSNBC
81-37 Travel
81-38 Animal Planet
81-39 Court TV
84-1 WBNS CBS (HDTV)
84-2 WOSU PBS (HDTV)
84-3 WOSU Ohio
84-5 WOSU Plus
88-1 TBS
88-2 CNN
88-3 USA
88-4 TNT
88-5 ESPN
88-6 ESPN2
88-7 Nickelodeon
88-8 Discovery
88-9 A+E
88-10 Lifetime
88-11 Spike
88-12 MTV
90-1 WCMH NBC (HDTV)
90-2 WCMH Weather +
90-3 WWHO UPN (HDTV)
94-28 Sports Time Ohio (SD)
94-29 FOX News
94-30 FX
94-31 Lifetime Movie
94-32 WE
94-33 Oxygen
94-34 National Geo
94-35 Jewelry Shop
94-36 Outdoor Life
94-37 BBC
94-38 Discovery Health
94-39 MTV2
111-9 T-W PPV Advertisment
113-19 T-W PPV Advertisment

[DublinDoodah]

That doesn't work for me in Dublin. The basic network channels work, but none of the others. It could be my TV, but since I can tune to the network HD channels (sans ABC and FOX of course), I suspect the service in Dublin may be different.

[rossl]

I edited post #23 now that Sports Time Ohio just showed the Indians game in HD on 74-24 unscrambled.

[rossl]

Post #23 is incorrect now. Time-Warner now has changed all QAM channel numbers except for the HDTV channel assignments.

[soundmix]

Post #23 is incorrect now. Time-Warner now has changed all QAM channel numbers except for the HDTV channel assignments.

Quick question on Time-Warner Columbus and QAM channels...

Does the quote above mean that TW has removed all of the channels listed (aside from HDTV) from clear QAM transmission, or only that the channels were renumbered?

I have a clear QAM receiver and being able to watch/record all those channels would definitely get me to drop WOW now.

Thanks.

[SinclairSucks]

There are different tuners; If you have a cable card ready tuner you can pick up all unencrypted digital channels. If you have a HD tuner you just pick up local HD.

[bigtiger]

Quick question on Time-Warner Columbus and QAM channels...

Does the quote above mean that TW has removed all of the channels listed (aside from HDTV) from clear QAM transmission, or only that the channels were renumbered?

I have a clear QAM receiver and being able to watch/record all those channels would definitely get me to drop WOW now.

Thanks.

I am using TW basic in Dublin ($14/month). Using QAM MyHD card, I can only watch the locals channels (4,10,WOSU,53). I can tune to the other channels, but only a black screen is shown.

[rossl]

Quick question on Time-Warner Columbus and QAM channels...

Does the quote above mean that TW has removed all of the channels listed (aside from HDTV) from clear QAM transmission, or only that the channels were renumbered?

I have a clear QAM receiver and being able to watch/record all those channels would definitely get me to drop WOW now.

Thanks.

They have scrambled most of them except 84-x and 90-x

[soundmix]

I am using TW basic in Dublin ($14/month). Using QAM MyHD card, I can only watch the locals channels (4,10,WOSU,53). I can tune to the other channels, but only a black screen is shown.

Thanks for the feedback. Since this went a few days without a reply, I packed up my EyeTV 500 and my laptop and took a field trip to my in-laws in Worthington who have TW. The channel scan I did confirms what you report from Dublin. Too bad - I was hoping to get something for nothing - foiled again.

[TvPat]

My Time Warner Scientifc Atlanta is now tuning almost all of the basic channels to their digital counterparts. I'm not sure when this happened. It's easy to see what's digital and what's not. Most notably it takes about 2 to 3 seconds to tune a digital channel. Also, the digital channels are running on about 6 second delay from the analog channel. My cable card and cable ready TV still pick up the analog signals.

Many of the test channels in the 1300's while in diagnostic mode are now gone, but all of the channels that have not been converted remain. 1303 is now GTC-3 digital without being in diagnostic mode.

I assume the DVR's are also tuning the new digital channels, which would be good news for them because you can record about 2 to 3 times the hours when you record a digital channel.

I'm not sure what this means. You can fit 5 to 6 digital channels for every analog channel, so I assume they want to get rid of many of the analog channels to free up spectrum for more digital channels. That would be a bummer for people with cable ready TV's.

Here are the channels that still remain analog on my cable box:
2 WSFJ
3 GTC-3
4 WCMH
6 WSYX
7 WOSU
8 WTTE
10 WBNS
13 WWHO
17 TBS
20 The History Channel
23 The Hallmark Channel
30 TNT
31 ESPN
33 Fox Sports Net Ohio
34 SportsTime Ohio
35 The Disney Channel
36 Cartoon Network
37 Nickelodeon
39 ABC Family
42 Lifetime
46 Spike TV
49 MTV
52 The SciFi Channel
63 Fox News Channel
64 fX

[kevinbuckeye]

Right now the channels that are digital channels are not working on my box, but the analog ones are the only one's coming through. When they were working you could notice a big improvement on some channels such as WUAB and WGN that used to be terrible as analog but now look much better digital.

[one-of-seven]

Greetings.....

I believe I read on this thread some time ago that WOW encrypts the HD channels, thus rendering a QAM tuner useless. I am considering a second panel for the bedroom with either a regular WOW digital (non-HD) cable box or just cable. If I can get the HD signals without the box, I will buy a QAM equipped TV.

Thanks for your help.
:)

[rossl]

Greetings.....

I believe I read on this thread some time ago that WOW encrypts the HD channels, thus rendering a QAM tuner useless. I am considering a second panel for the bedroom with either a regular WOW digital (non-HD) cable box or just cable. If I can get the HD signals without the box, I will buy a QAM equipped TV.

Thanks for your help.
:)

I am getting channels 201 thru 208 in unencrypted QAM. Definately buy a TV with QAM capability.

[one-of-seven]

Thanks for your reply rossl.
So WOW HD channels 209 through 217 are not received without an HD cable box?
These channels include TNTHD, DISHD, ESPHD, HDNET and others.

[rossl]

Thanks for your reply rossl.
So WOW HD channels 209 through 217 are not received without an HD cable box?
These channels include TNTHD, DISHD, ESPHD, HDNET and others.

That's right, you need a box for those above 208. Unless you buy a TV with a cablecard slot. A cablecard is cheaper than renting a box from WOW, it doesn't use up an input on your TV, and doesn't use another remote.

[hainersa]

Update:

Time Warner Cable QAM Channel:
114-14 ESPN2

No signs of ESPN though.

[Mike4824]

Around the Christmas season, I purchased a TV tuner (the HVR 1600 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116010)) for myself.

When I initially set up the QAM, I recieved most of the local, such as NBC, FOX, CBS, NBC Weather, ESPN 2, and a few others I believe. (I'm on TWC by the way.) The picture was simply amazing, the best picture I had ever seen on any TV or a TV Tuner. (I would have loved to see a sporting event on that, especially had I bought that new monitor I wanted.)

Anyways, about a week later, most of the pictures became extremely fuzzy. So after I rescanned, I wasn't able to view any channels. When I first view the station, the sound is there. However, after a few seconds, the only thing that remains is a blank picture.

Basically I'm wondering, did TWC lock the basic channels on QAM, or is this an issue I have with the tuner?

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4940/pictureyn9.th.png (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pictureyn9.png)

Thanks.

[rossl]

Anyways, about a week later, most of the pictures became extremely fuzzy. So after I rescanned, I wasn't able to view any channels. When I first view the station, the sound is there. However, after a few seconds, the only thing that remains is a blank picture.

Basically I'm wondering, did TWC lock the basic channels on QAM, or is this an issue I have with the tuner?


You might have a bad section of coax cable or a bad splitter.

You should still be getting the locals. ESPN2 doesn't show up unencrypted any more.

[Mike4824]

Ok, thanks. Actually, less then an hour ago I dowloaded SageTV trial, and the QAM signals picked right up. So I e-mailed Hauppauge about the issue.

ESPN 2 doesn't show up anymore? Darn... I was looking forward to that. I was planning on using that and FOX a lot. FOX was going to be mostly House, but then the writers strike hit full force... but thats another story.

[johnwashere]

Any updates on this? Do we still just get the local hd chanels and thats it?

[MeleeDave]

On Time Warner, I get the HD locals and their subchannels plus a few extra. I was getting Universal HD for awhile, but I think it went away. It seems like there are always a few floaters that come through, but not consistently. Not sure what else I get now. Since my media center PC is just my overflow device (when I need to record more than 2 shows at once), I don't really need access to anything but the locals. I use my Tivo 3 for most shows (and certainly for all non-local channels).

--Dave