TV Tuners (NTSC, ATSC, AQM)

[Ace H]

If a TV set has built-in NTSC and ATSC tuners, will I be able to connect analog cable TV WITHOUT the use of a cable box directly into the TV and and view analog cable channels?

I would need a TV with an AQM tuner to view (unscrambled) DIGITAL Cable WITHOUT a cable box?

[markw]

If a TV set has built-in NTSC and ATSC tuners, will I be able to connect analog cable TV WITHOUT the use of a cable box directly into the TV and and view analog cable channels?

I would need a TV with an AQM tuner to view (unscrambled) DIGITAL Cable WITHOUT a cable box?You should be able to view unencrypted analog channels. You can do this with an NTSC tuner, which is what your grandpa used to watch the Brooklyn Dodgers with.

Theoretically, a QAM tuner should allow you to watch digital cable channels if they are not encrypted but more and more cable companies are getting wise to this and encrypt all digital channels. You'll need to contact them for what's needed, usually a set-top-box and a subscription. Sometimes if your TV accepts a "cabla card", you can get by with just a subscription but you will lose some interactive features such as a cable guide and on-demand programming.

If you can put up an outside antenna, you might see what's available OTA with that ATSC tuner. I get seven HD stations and over thirty digital stations for free OTA. Virtually any decent UHF antenna will work fine. I use a 40 year old RCA VHF/UHF/FM antenna

[Ace H]

Thanks.

[markw]

If you can get enough satisfactory HT stations from OTA digital, fine. that might mitigate the cost of a set with the tuner(s) built in.

If not, you might want to inquire as to your cable company's policy towards cable-delivered digital signals. Our comcast encrypts all of 'em. I got no more stations on my new set (wit hthree tuners) than I did on my old NTSC only set.

If you can't get it without a STB, and you want more stations than OTA can deliver (and I certainly did), then you might be able to save more than a few shekles by purchasing a set without a built in tuner.