FYI: Comcast digital TV in Cambridge

[Bill Bogstad]

So after last weeks discussions of Comcast, digital TV, and MythTV; I
saw a digital tuner (HDHomerun) on sale on Black Friday and splurged.
It arrived today
and although I haven't yet setup MythTV, I have done a channel scan.
These results are for Comcast cable in North Cambridge.

A channel scan finds a total of 47 unencrypted 'programs' (essentially
digital channels) using the hdhomerun_config tool.  I also used the
tool to stream various programs to VLC for test viewing.

The following entries actually have call signs which the config tool outputs.

PROGRAM 1: 2.2 WGBH HD
PROGRAM 2: 56.1 WLVI HD
PROGRAM 1: 44.2 WGBH WO
PROGRAM 2: 44.4 WGBH KI
PROGRAM 3: 44.3 WGBH CR
PROGRAM 5: 38.1 WSBK HD
PROGRAM 1: 5.1 WCVB HD
PROGRAM 2: 7.1 WHDH HD
PROGRAM 3: 7.2 NBC WEA
PROGRAM 1: 25.1 WFXT HD
PROGRAM 2: 4.1 WBZ HD

I browsed the other unencrypted programs and except for one or two
they are all viewable video sources.  The ones that aren't identified
appear for the most part to be digitized versions of over the air TV
channels, shopping networks, public access channels, a few foreign
language channels, and weather reports.  No free digital HBO or
anything like that.  It's clear that some channels which I receive in
analog (say Sci-Fi, ESPN) either aren't also sent in digital (or are
sent encrypted).

Oh, there were 294 encrypted 'programs' for which I have no other
information.  Hopefully this is of some interest to a few of you.

Bill Bogstad

P.S. I also did a scan for over the air (ATSC) digital channels and I
think I need a better antenna/amp to get much of anything there.  Even
the stuff I did pick up
was somewhat intermittent.