Is there a converter box that is compatible with Comcast?

[MJohnson]

I've seen a bunch of posts that say that we don't need any kind of converter box until 2012 for cable, but my question is are there any converter boxes at this time available on the market that are compatible with Comcast cable? My fear is that Comcast will charge a premium in 2012 for their set-top box after the mandated date goes by.

Are there any options for cable customers?

 

[Jason Fritz]

It's doubtful that any manufacture will be able to produce a converter box capable of receiving digital cable signals. Most cable company's that rent set-top boxes to customers, provide a completely seperate tier of service (more expensive) when you receive their cable channels with their set-top box.

Here's a small bit of info from the Government's DTV Info site: The Digital TV Transition: FAQs - Consumer Corner

Can my cable company make me get a box to receive the cable channels I receive today without a box?

Some cable companies have decided to switch to digital service. This is a business decision made by the cable companies and is not required by the federal government. Your cable company may decide to move certain cable channels off of its analog service tier and onto a digital service tier, or it may decide to switch to all-digital service at once, so that there is no analog service tier for any subscribers. If your cable company decides to move some or all of the channels it provides onto a digital service tier, it may notify you that you need to get “digital cable” equipment to continue receiving that cable service. This may include renting or purchasing a digital cable set-top box or purchasing a digital cable ready TV equipped with a “CableCARD” slot. The digital cable equipment is different from the digital-to-analog converter boxes that are used to receive over-the-air broadcast signals.