Using the $40 coupon Digital to analog converter with cable service?

julren2008 · 11-15-2008, 11:21 PM

Hi,

I have 2 TV's. One is new with a digital tuner. The other is an older analog TV. They are both hooked directly to the cable service with no converter boxes at all, or antenna. The new TV gets many digital and digital sub-channels that the analog one doesn’t.

My question is, If I run my cable service through one of the $40 coupon digital to analog converters to my analog TV, does it turn my analog TV into a digital TV? Or, will I be able to get all the channels on the older TV that I am getting on my new TV that came with a built in digital tuner?

Everything I’ve read so far says I wont need a digital to analog converter if I have cable service, but why am I getting many more channels on my digital TV versus my analog TV if that is the case?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Julie

Jay · 11-16-2008, 12:49 PM

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum,
You will not be able to use a digital-to-analog converter box with your TV and cable service.

Quote:

It's also important to note that digital-to-analog converter boxes sold for over-the-air reception of dtv signals can not be used with basic cable service. Why? The signal sent by cable companies for digital television services is a proprietary signal that can only be received by a set-top box provided by your cable company. Cable companies usually charge for rental of a set-top box because digital television services that are offered with a set-top box include more channels, electronic program guide, and other special features not found on basic cable service.

From: http://www.dtvusaforum.com/everythin...s-answers.html

Hope this helped, you can call your cable service provider to see what kind of rental deals they're offering on their set-top boxes, but generally they run around $5 to $15 a month (depending on what options you want like DVR, Tivo, etc.).

julren2008 · 11-16-2008, 04:46 PM

Hi Jay,

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum, and thanks for your help.

The quote you posted says I wont be able to use the digital to analog converter because ""The signal sent by cable companies for digital television services is a proprietary signal that can only be received by a set-top box provided by your cable company."" but, I am receiving digital channels on my new TV with the built in digital tuner without a set-top box from the cable company. The cable goes directly into the TV, and I get at least 20 digital channels. So, I'm still wondering if the digital to analog converter would work for my analog TV because the signal I am receiving from the cable company is not requiring a set-top box from the cable company to receive digital channels.

Thanks

Julie

cowboyup4christ · 11-16-2008, 04:52 PM

the cable is a QAM signal which your digital tv tuner will recieve the converter box does not have this type tuner.


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