[Discuss] encrypted basic cable

[dbarrett at blazemonger.com (Daniel Barrett)]

>Daniel Barrett wrote:
>> I found a similar no-set-top-box plan on FIOS for even less money,
>> $10/month, switched, and never had a problem again.

On April 25, 2013, Tom Metro wrote:
>You're referring to a plan that only covers the retransmission of local
>broadcast stations (and probably public access stations), right?
>Are you using it with digital or analog tuners?

We have FIOS connected to the QAM tuner in our TVs. This yields about 100
channels: PBS, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Weather Channel, etc.  No specialty
channels like HBO.

I watch TV only a few times a year (presidential election returns,
emergencies like last week, and Downtown Abbey), so this kind of minimal
plan works well.

>Now that the FCC has ruled that cable companies have no obligation to
>provide the basic tier as unencrypted digital, I wonder how long you'll
>be able to continue using this service without a converter box. (A
>converter box the FCC says you can be charged for, after 2 years.)

Oh joy. If it gets unwieldy/expensive, we'll probably just drop TV and use
the web. Or maybe by the time the two free years are up, a better solution
will exist.

--
Dan Barrett
dbarrett at blazemonger.com