What happens to "basic" cable service Feb 17, 2009? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Walter Dnes · 2007-02-03, 07:36 PM

As of Feb 17, 2009, all US NTSC TV channels go dark (unless the US chickens out again

). Most people who get "basic" service do so because...
a) they can't afford better, and
b) they want the American channels, and
c) they don't have digital TVs

Rogers currently charges approx $40/month for basic service. A high-def STB is $12.95/month plus $2.99/month "digital service fee". So, Rogers "basic" customers in Toronto will be looking at a 40% increase, plus the purchase of either an ATSC-NTSC converter or a new digital TV, simply to continue receiving Buffalo stations.

I don't think that a "basic service" that provides only local Canadian channels is going to fly. Any comments?

jvincent · 2007-02-03, 07:41 PM

Rogers could conceivably receive the digital broadcast and re-transmit it as an analog signal. They may already in fact be doing this.

Also, the switch to digital doesn't require an HD box so the increase should be lower.

IIRC in the US they are going to be distributing very basic set top boxes to those that don't have digital ready TVs.

rob50312 · 2007-02-03, 09:29 PM

I am sure cable companies will just down convert the signal to analog leaving it wide screen.Most cable companies already receive their American signals via satellite anyway.

Walter Dnes · 2007-02-04, 12:50 AM

Downconverting to 480 (either WS or chopped to 4:3) is an option I hadn't considered. This would be an opportunity to move everybody over to digital, freeing up a whack of bandwidth. The basic subscribers will need to upgrade to a digital box, which is only $2.99/month.

Rogers' Thornhill / Richmond Hill "basic" lineup shows 39 (presumably NTSC) channels. Assuming they can pack 3 digitized NTSC channels into 6 mhz, that'll free up 26 * 6 = 156 mhz of bandwidth.

Another aspect of the switchover is that WNED can drop the duplicate of their SDTV channel, and get decent 1080i on 43-1 as well as widescreen 480 for Thinkbright. Has anybody heard anything about the multicast channels? Is the FCC persisting with their hard-nosed interpretation of regulations?

57 · 2007-02-04, 11:14 AM

Firstly, this is a US issue and it only affects OTA customers. They will need to get a digital STB and the government has already set aside a fund to pay for boxes for poor people. People who subscribe to satellite will not notice any difference since satellite is already all digital.

People who subscribe to cable may also notice no difference if the cable company continues to supply an analogue signal (lots of the channels you see on the analogue band do not "broadcast" at all). If the cable company goes all digital, then they may give out digital STBs - lots already do for free with certain packages. Worst case people would need to purchase a digital STB, which costs at most $100 and by then may be $50 (or free).

lajohn27 · 2007-02-04, 02:42 PM

57 .. as usual -- has this right.

This only affects OTA NTSC broadcasts in the US.

NTSC on cable is unaffected.. and neither OTA or Cable NTSC is affected in Canada.

2007-02-03, 07:36 PM	#1
Walter Dnes Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vaughan, Ontario (near Dufferin and Steeles) Posts: 1,894	What happens to "basic" cable service Feb 17, 2009? As of Feb 17, 2009, all US NTSC TV channels go dark (unless the US chickens out again ). Most people who get "basic" service do so because... a) they can't afford better, and b) they want the American channels, and c) they don't have digital TVs Rogers currently charges approx $40/month for basic service. A high-def STB is $12.95/month plus $2.99/month "digital service fee". So, Rogers "basic" customers in Toronto will be looking at a 40% increase, plus the purchase of either an ATSC-NTSC converter or a new digital TV, simply to continue receiving Buffalo stations. I don't think that a "basic service" that provides only local Canadian channels is going to fly. Any comments?

2007-02-03, 09:29 PM	#3
rob50312 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: derry + winston Mississauga Posts: 1,300	I am sure cable companies will just down convert the signal to analog leaving it wide screen.Most cable companies already receive their American signals via satellite anyway. __________________ CM 4248 at Buffalo,XG43 at Toronto,M4 at Buffalo,CH 11 yagi at Ham.

2007-02-04, 11:14 AM	#5
57 Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Toronto, Rogers, 8300HD, eHDD, Panasonic TCP65S1, Denon AVR4310Ci; 8300HD, eHDD & Sony KDL40W3000 Posts: 50,301	Firstly, this is a US issue and it only affects OTA customers. They will need to get a digital STB and the government has already set aside a fund to pay for boxes for poor people. People who subscribe to satellite will not notice any difference since satellite is already all digital. People who subscribe to cable may also notice no difference if the cable company continues to supply an analogue signal (lots of the channels you see on the analogue band do not "broadcast" at all). If the cable company goes all digital, then they may give out digital STBs - lots already do for free with certain packages. Worst case people would need to purchase a digital STB, which costs at most $100 and by then may be $50 (or free). __________________ 57's Home Theatre (Latest equipment & photos) 57's Optimization Services (Home Theatre Optimization)

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2007-02-03, 07:41 PM	#2
jvincent Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ottawa Posts: 5,370	Rogers could conceivably receive the digital broadcast and re-transmit it as an analog signal. They may already in fact be doing this. Also, the switch to digital doesn't require an HD box so the increase should be lower. IIRC in the US they are going to be distributing very basic set top boxes to those that don't have digital ready TVs.

2007-02-04, 12:50 AM	#4
Walter Dnes Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vaughan, Ontario (near Dufferin and Steeles) Posts: 1,894	Downconverting to 480 (either WS or chopped to 4:3) is an option I hadn't considered. This would be an opportunity to move everybody over to digital, freeing up a whack of bandwidth. The basic subscribers will need to upgrade to a digital box, which is only $2.99/month. Rogers' Thornhill / Richmond Hill "basic" lineup shows 39 (presumably NTSC) channels. Assuming they can pack 3 digitized NTSC channels into 6 mhz, that'll free up 26 * 6 = 156 mhz of bandwidth. Another aspect of the switchover is that WNED can drop the duplicate of their SDTV channel, and get decent 1080i on 43-1 as well as widescreen 480 for Thinkbright. Has anybody heard anything about the multicast channels? Is the FCC persisting with their hard-nosed interpretation of regulations?

2007-02-04, 02:42 PM	#6
lajohn27 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Fredericton, NB Posts: 619	57 .. as usual -- has this right. This only affects OTA NTSC broadcasts in the US. NTSC on cable is unaffected.. and neither OTA or Cable NTSC is affected in Canada.