I just got an HDTV with a QAM tuner built in. I get the local channels in digital and HD thru my standard (non-digital) service. I called TWC (Raleigh)and told them I wanted the digital tier without renting a STB from them. they acted like I was crazy when I told her what I had on the tv and that I was watching HD & local digital channels thru the cable. She was very rude and insisted I needed a STB or a card. Now don't they just have to come out and remove a trap/filter from the cable box? Can I just get a box and not subscribe to digital? UGH!
Ok, I found on here that I do need the STB. Well, what about the HD channels I'm now getting over cable. Will the STB keep the Tv from getting the HD channels I have now and force me to pay more or disconnect to get htem OTA?
Alex, all you need to do is install a simple cable splitter on the cable. One cable would go into your TV's antenna input and the other cable would be connected to the STB. The STB should be connected to the TV by the best means available, which usually is the S-video output (and the R/L analog audio outputs) on non-HD boxes.
When you want to watch your local HD channels, you switch to the Ant. input on the TV, and when watching the STB you switch to the S-video input.
The TV even tells me the signal is digital and I just have the coaxil attached. I spoke with another person and asked about the box. i'm paying $50 or so now and it would add ~$10 for digital and ~$17 for HD. Then I see there are only like 2 HD channels that I'm not getting now. Doesn't seem worth it. Also the digital signal doesn't seem that much better than analog, but I guess it depends on how they filmed the show.
Another thing is--if i had 300+ channels, I'd never decide on what to watch. I'm OK for now. And I'm not paying $7 a month for something I get free now. (I do understand the splitter thing.)That's just WRONG!
¬clueless