barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (04/17/85)
In response to Mr. Video's inquiry which so kindly implied that I didn't realized that scrambled channels couldn't be received without passing through a decoding box by a cable-ready TV... *FLAME* Ah, that feels better. Now that I'm calmer, I shall be happy to oblige with the facts. I have Communicom Cable, which codes its channels as 02-47. Scrambled channels are in the 37-41 range. My RCA VCR cannot tune in any cable channel over 40. I didn't expect it to tune in scrambled channels. But I had hoped to get CBN (non-scrambled, channel 42), CSPAN (non-scrambled, channel 44), BET (non-scrambled channel 47). I don't much care about channels 43, 45, and 46. I am somewhat bothered by the fact that Communicom has recently added two new channels--at the top end of the scale. This implied that all further channels will also be unreceivable by the VCR. In spite of that--and in spite of the fact that I have heard that some other cable-ready VCRs have a wider range than the RCA, I am happy with the VCR. I just wish my old RCA VCR hadn't buzzed so badly on cable. In practice, MOST of the shows I record are on SHOWTIME so the new VCR's cable-readiness is only occasionally useful. --Lee Gold
brown@nic_vax.UUCP (04/22/85)
> In response to Mr. Video's inquiry which so kindly implied that I didn't > realized that scrambled channels couldn't be received without passing > through a decoding box by a cable-ready TV... > > *FLAME* > > > Ah, that feels better. Now that I'm calmer, I shall be happy to oblige > with the facts. I didn't mean to make you get hot under the collar! Its just that when talking about cable systems, one should describe what the cable system does or has for its channels. It is hard to find a cable system the same from city to city. It sounds like your cable company is a 54 channel system (400 MHz), but only uses part of it. Our system here in Madison is only a 36 channel system (300 MHz). Tho, there are plans for future expansion to a 54 channel system. The problem you experience with having to use a cable box for scrambled pay services while having a cable ready device (TV, VCR) is a problem all cable users have. As for only being able to receive a portion of the cable band on your VCR, a few years ago some TVs and VCR's couldn't receive any cable channels. And when they started to, some of them could only tune in the mid-band. Now, it is hard to find a unit that doesn't receive all the way thru the 400 MHz cable system. Unfortunately there isn't a standard as far as cable scrambling in concerned, so manufactures can't put decoders inside of there units that can be addressed by the local cable company. Who knows, maybe someday. I have been lucky in that I only get HBO and it is filtered if you don't receive it. But, if you get any of the other pay channels, one must have their decoder box. So much for cable ready then. Sorry about rambling on. All of this doesn't fix your problem. The only fix is to replace the unit. That, I realize, may not be possible in the near future. Mr. Video