TV

[phmphotography]

With the change to digital cable, I understand than an older TV or VCR or Hard Drive Recorder with an analog tuner will not work without a digital adapter. Does it HAVE to be a rogers adapter or will any digital adapter work, i.e. the adapters required for OTA TV reception?

Will an new HDTV with a digital tuner work without an adapter? I understand that it would not receive HD but will it receive the SD VIP package, without an adapter?

 

[Pauly]

Just to further clarification, an older CRT TV, or a newer Flatscreen HDTV, or even a computer monitor, will all require a STB or a DTA to watch TV.

Your flatscreen may have a snazy ATSC digital tuner, but Rogers uses encrypted signals which are decrypted by a receiver based on your tv subscription package, thus the need for a digital SET Top box. The tuner alone in  your TV has no idea what cable packages you are entitled to, plus its only one way, rogers uses Tru2Way and SDV also, which is why the need for the STB.

And lastly, you NEED the converter box from rogers,  it has the proper encryption keys to decode the signals for rogers.  another providers stb or the ATSC t uner you use for antenna tv will NOT work.  hope this helps.

[Brucemartin2010]

Just picking a few nits here, as what Pauly wrote is mostly true.

Rogers doesn't really need to encrypt the basic channels, and issue little digital adapters to decrypt them, because those channels are available to every Rogers customer. And Rogers already controls access to all tiers of paid channels through the larger set-top boxes and PVRs.

(In fact, Rogers may be in violation of CRTC rules that they carry many of the basic channels in the clear. But good luck getting the CRTC to notice, let alone care.)

Regardless of whether this is practical or legal, it seems that when Rogers throws the switch later this year, you will not be able to get any channel on any TV screen or other device that doesn't first go through a Rogers box of some kind. This includes your newest all-digital ATSC/QAM television and your fanciest Home Theatre PC as well as your old CRT.

[Cap07]

Okay then. By year's end Rogers will dictate to us how we view what we used to call free TV. The CRTC sits on its collective hands and does nothing, in spite of its mandate to protect consumers' rights. So, I have to take their digital adaptor after going some 20 years without anything except a cable hooked to the back of the television or later, the VCR/DVD. This digital adaptor machine or DAM will prevent me from setting my VCR the way I want to, forcing me to use the DAM thing to programme my recorder. Right now, by some miracle or the graciousness of the almighty Cable Company, we receive a bunch of channels on top of the ones from 2-30 that I rarely watch. We get TCM, AMC, the History channel, OLN, and Space amongst others. So, at some point in the not too distant future, I'll need to scrap my TV and VCR and buy a new set and PVR and hook up this stupid DAM box just to watchmost of  the same stuff I already watch now and pay too much for. Lovely. Makes you proud to be a Canadian.

Remember this note from Rogers?:

"...You’ve likely started to see public service announcements (PSAs) about the upcoming Digital TV (DTV) transition taking place on August 31, 2011. Rogers TV customers will not be impacted by the DTV transition.

What is the DTV transition?

The Digital TV (DTV) transition is when over-the-air (OTA) television broadcasters in most Canadian cities will make the change from analog broadcast signals to digital signals. OTA television are those stations that viewers can watch via antenna (like Citytv, OMNI and CBC).

How will this impact me?

If you are a Rogers TV customer – whether analog or digital – the DTV transition will not affect you. You will retain your current channels and you will not require any new hardware due to the transition.

The only situation where you might be impacted is if you have multiple TVs and not all are connected to cable. For instance, if you are using an antenna or rabbit ears to receive TV programming on one of your televisions, you could lose the ability to watch TV the way you are used to on that one television set. One easy option is to add extra outlets on the set that was previously using antenna. This feature is available with your Rogers cable TV service.

Alternatively, to continue to receive OTA programming, you can purchase a digital-to-analog (DTA) converter box and combined VHF/UHF antenna or you can purchase a TV with a digital tuner and combined VHF/UHF antenna.

If all your TV’s are on antennas or rabbit ears, you can either purchase a DTA converter box or subscribe to a TV service provider like Rogers in order to receive analog or digital cable TV.

Why the switch?

The transition is a government mandate. The government’s DTV transition site states: “Digital signals provide better picture and sound and take up less airwave space. The freed up space will be used for other purposes like advanced wireless and public safety services, such as those used by police and fire departments.”

[Pauly]

last I checked, when the Broadcast industry flipped off ANALOGUE TV signals from the ANTENNA Transmitters, my CABLE TV continued to work the same. No point egging the Digital OVER THE AIR transition, it already complete, it did not affect cable.

rogers can shut off analog, they are in no breac of this crtc thing you speak of. crtc said they CAN, did not say they must, but if you pay rogers, they can do what ever they want, they happen to want to shut it down, good for them.

[fumed]

I agree this is a pain.  Moreover, they gave no thought to those of us who have wall mounted a TV, where there is no room for their BOX.  More Cables reminds me of the early days of cable where we all needed the extra box.  I see no technical reason for this change.  Time to consider Bell or Satalite.

[Pauly]

Good luck with that.  if u dont like the tiny cisco box that you believe can not be hidden, when you can easily get a velcro stick it to the back of your tv, and hide the box out of site, out of mind, and simply put the ir receiver on the corner, then you will realy love the competition bell or satellite, guess what not only do they use a box, but its a BIGGER box, and its not easy to hide, you WILL need a stand for it.

Sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side, people act like they hate rogers and using a STB, yet they wanna go to the competition where they use STB too.

[Gdkitty]

I have to agree 100% with Paulys comment.

While i understand that someone can be frustrated at rogers, etc.. there is ALOT to consider going to a competitor.. speicaly when it is satalite.

A) Look around the neibourhood, where is everyone elses dishes?  At my previous place were i had bell for a bit.. they dish HAD to be right smack in the middle of the front of the house.. an EYESORE.

B)  While it has got better.. depending on the layout, etc, and number of TVs hopefuly wouldnt need a 2nd dish.. but often sometimes need to run specific lines from the dish to the room.. rather than to a central point and than out like cable, you just cant split it.

Fibe is not as bad for this.. its across phone line cable.. but that can have its own inherrant properties as well.. and hopefuly have an extra phone jack near your TV then.

C) As pauly said.. EVERY form of TV pretty much needs a set top box of some form.  Fibe, Satalite, etc... rogers has actualy been the LAST ones with someone that didnt need it, till now.

[violet]

I installed the DTA last night.It took a while before it worked.I now have lost channel 31 to 69 .I will be calling Rogers to find out why.If this is all I will get then I might as well switch to a full bell satellite package for the same price I pay now.Without the digital box I get channel 2-70 .I am paying for a second outlet but was only allowed 1 DTA .I am not at all impressed !

[Gdkitty]

Violet,

Which TV package are you paying for?

Do you have a digital box (Pvr, regular, etc.. not a DTA) installed anywhere else in the house?

With bell, you will have to have a box one way or the other, with each tv as well.  (just the same as rogers).
You might be able to get a box (maybe 2) for free  for the first year with bell, but will be paying for the rental (or buy) after that... just the same as with rogers you can rent a second digital box.