I am still using Comcast analog cable and I just bought an HDTV-ready
large screen TV. If I were to buy a Comcast-compatible Motorola
DCT5100/1000 cable box from EBay, and install it myself without having
to call Comcast, will the HDTV work? In other words, is the HDTV signal
already in the coax cable feeding analog signals to my home, and all I
need is something to decode the signal? The reason I don't want to call
Comcast is because they insist on a hefty installation fee and have a
long waitlisted installation schedule. This is on top of a monthly
rental for the HDTV box itself which runs till infinity. Thanks for any
help.

franzen_torres@yahoo.com wrote:
You should be able to go to your local ComCast "store" and pick up the
box for the rental fee and install it yourself. HDTV is free (AFIK)
with the box rental. You will likely have to call customer service to
have them activate the box and that can take 15-20 minutes.

Q

In article <1136067749.983584.71580@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups. com>,
franzen_torres@yahoo.com wrote:

Why not let your new TV autotune to discover what's available on the
cable. You may find that you don't need the HDTV box.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

[This followup was posted to comp.dcom.modems.cable and a copy was sent
to the cited author.]

In article <1136067749.983584.71580@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups. com>,
franzen_torres@yahoo.com says...
Technically, you can buy the box, but it's extremely unlikely Comcast
will support it or allow it to be used on their system.

Your only real choice is to upgrade to digital cable with HD. If you
don't want to spend the money, then you are out of luck. If you had
bought a TV with a digital tuner, you might have been able to pick up
unscrambled analogs channel, unencrypted digital channels, (which are
usually limited to SD and HD broadcast channels, and some public service
and music (audio) channels.

Threaten to cancel and go to satellite, and they'll probably waive the
fees and maybe even give you a reduced price deal for a few months.

--
If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law!!
http://home.att.net/~andyross

Tom Stiller wrote:
As long as his tuner is also QAM compatible, this will work. Mitsubishi
tuners are QAM compatible. Not sure of the others....

franzen_torres@yahoo.com wrote:
This can be a problem. I purchased a DCP 501 for a bedroom, and it took
awhile.

this unit has a non-HD DCT 2000 cable box built in.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=172282

The 800 service number was not very helpful. First, it was "You cannot use
your own box", and "where did you get this from, it may be stolen". Trying
to explain that it is a retail available low end HT unit was a useless
exercise. They were completely lost as to what to do. "That GI number does
not show up in our database"...so I explained that well, it is a database,
so you could enter data, or else, how would you get new shipments of boxes
in....

I finally called the local service, and they came out, called the warehouse
and had them enter the GI number into the database and I finally got it up
and running....

L Alpert wrote:
He will likely have to call customer service in any event to have the
HDTV authorization added to the account before anything HDTV will work.

L Alpert wrote:
So do you have the iGuide, OnDemand, etc. with your own box?

Q

"Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote:

A DCP501 will get everything a DCT2000 will get, except for a rental
fee.


--
"From spongecake to satellites, it's gotta be Krebstar"

Justice Gustine wrote:
Or free upgrades when technology changes, or free support from the cable
company.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

Spend your Amazon.com Gift Certificates here:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/

Quaoar wrote:
Yes....

Quaoar wrote:
Not needed if the tuner is QAM compatible. The signals are already available
on the line. It should be "plug 'n play". Plug it in and do a channel
scan......

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
He could always purchase a QAM compatible tuner, if he so chooses. Comcast
is a pain in the ass about consumer purchased digital boxes.
It took about 3 weeks for them to finally get my DCP 501 into their system,
only after I finally was able to convince them that it was not a pirated
box, but a consumer available low end HT receiver/DCT2000/DVD combo.

"L Alpert" <alpertl@xxgmail.com> wrote in message
newsfydnWVTPpXz_STeRVn-tg@comcast.com...
QAM's only half the story. The channels might be encrypted. Many MSOs
encrypt all digital channels to reduce theft of service. If this is the
case, then the internal tuner is almost worthless. A Cable Card can solve
this problem, if the TV has the slot and if the MSO supports it. Otherwise,
a cable box is needed.

-Gary

Gary wrote:
Comcast, at this time, does not scramble the HD locals. Not sure if this is
the case system wide, but many have been successful at getting them without
a converter box with QAM compatible tuners (mostly those with Mitsubishi
sets with ATSC tuners, as all of theirs are QAM compatible).

Is the Motorola DCT5100 QAM compatible?

franzen_torres@yahoo.com wrote:
Er, yes, that is usually what Comcast offers it's customers. If you plan on
buying one, check with them first, as they will need to put the GI number in
their database and then activate and program the box from the head end (if
you can find someone that will do this).