Re: Comcast STANDARD cable, What type of boxes do they use?

On 2 Dec 2003 18:50:19 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Heck) wrote:

>I don't know if anybody is going to be to help, but I'm basically
>curious what type of cable boxes are compatible with Comcast's
>standard cable service. I called Comcast at the 1-800-COMCAST number
>and they basically jerked me around for fear that I might be trying to
>avoid having to rent a cable box directly from them. The last time I
>checked owning your own cable equipment wasn't illeagal, but it
>certainly doesn't look like Comcast is going to assist me in the hunt
>for a box. If anybody could help it'd be much appreciated.

I'm assuming what you want to do is own your own FUNCTIONING converter
which will work in your local Comcast system. 

What do you mean by "standard cable service?"

Standard cable service to most means the lower-numbered analog
channels which, on most rebuilt cable systems, requires no converter
whatsoever.

Whether it is legal or not to own one's own converter has been made
moot with the introduction of digital cable. While anyone may PURCHASE
a digital converter, practically no one can purchase a digital
converter which will FUNCTION on US cable systems. (The only
exceptions are those very limited number of local systems which are in
the process of testing subscriber-owned converters.)  

A digital converter must first be provisioned by the LOCAL cable
system to function in THAT LOCAL system. Thus, just buying a converter
somewhere and plugging it in is NEVER going to work, even if the
converter is an exact repllica of the make and model used in the local
system. It must first be programmed by the local system to function in
the local system.

Since Comcast purchased a great many cable systems (AT&T, Garden
State, Greater Media, Suburban, et al) there is no single converter in
use throughout all Comcast systems. Each of these systems still uses
the converters purchased by the former ownership. For that reason, no
Comcast Representative could have answered your question without
knowing what area and local system you're referring to; and even then
it would have been difficult to impossible.

f




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