KellBerry

How much is this going to cost me?

EscapeVelocity

Hello KB...

What is a DTA?

bicker

DTAs (or STBs, or CableCARD) will only be required for cable networks. You will not need DTAs to tune in analog signals for local over-the-air broadcast channels carried by cable. Cable has committed to carrying those channels in analog until at least 2012.

With regard to digital cable networks, as all their competitors already do, Comcast will likely require either DTA, STB or CableCARD for each television or DVR that wishes to receive cable networks.

One STB is included in every digital package fee, so if you're already getting digital cable you're already paying what you need to to service one television. In addition, Comcast is providing two DTAs included in the digital package fee, at least for now, for use on analog televisions.

Do you have more than three televisions?

NYCLA*

So, umm, what is a DTA then?

bicker

It stands for "digital terminal adapter" -- it is basically a QAM tuner with analog outputs (only). It doesn't have CableCARD-level encryption but rather a much weaker form of encryption, called "privacy mode", which until now has been disabled (but last week the FCC granted a waiver allowing use of "privacy mode").

DTAs are essentially a low cost way of giving customers with less sophisticated needs access to encrypted services, i.e., expanded basic cable service. The cost of a DTA is pegged at roughly 1/3 that of a STB (set-top box, with CableCARD slot) and that's before you factor in the cost of a CableCARD for each STB -- so overall a very substantially lower cost, providing a significantly lower level of service, of course.