Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffhs
What exactly is the difference between clear and non-clear QAM cable TV signals?  My flat-screen TV gets 50 digital cable channels and 64 analog ones without a cable box; I guess the 50 digital channels I'm getting must be clear QAM. |
YES! the 50 or so digital channels that you are seeing are indeed "clear QAM" ... the hundreds of digital channels that you are not seeing are "scrambled QAM". This Wikipedia quote perhaps explains it better than I can:
Quote:
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In North American digital video, a QAM tuner is a device present in some digital televisions and similar devices which enables direct reception of digital cable channels without the use of a set-top box. An integrated QAM tuner allows the free reception of unscrambled digital programming sent "in the clear" by cable providers, usually local broadcast stations, cable radio channels, or in the case of providers which have transitioned to do so, Public-access television cable TV channels. Which channels are scrambled varies greatly from location to location and can change over time; the majority of digital channels are scrambled because the providers consider them to be extra-cost options and not part of the "basic cable" package.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM_%28television%29
BTW, In general QAM is the only modulation scheme used on cable for digital channels (scrambled or not) ... ATSC is used for Over The Air transmission. ATSC is more robust for OTA, while QAM allows more channels in a given bandwidth, which cable providers like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffhs
BTW, if tomorrow's cable boxes will be made without RF output ports to connect to the antenna input of the television, how on earth would one connect such a box to the set, or would the box be physically connected to the television at all? I'm thinking that if the RF connector is done away with, the box will get its signal input either wirelessly or through a hard-wired Internet connection, but that still leaves the question of how the box would connect to the TV. I am not presently aware of any way to wirelessly connect a television set to today's cable or satellite services, particularly the former.
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Most modern sets have a variety of inputs that provide higher quality viewing than the old fashioned ch3/4 NTSC connection. In order of increasing quality; Composite Video, Component Video and HDMI inputs are usually provided . Check the back of your set... should be lots of inputs.
ADD: WIFI TVs
do exist for wireless connection to the internet and other hosts, such as this example:
http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-XVT323SV...9861357&sr=8-2
Not affiliated,
jr