Navigation Menu+

Digital cable ready TVS

Cable-ready TVs may need to adapt


LG earns Cablelabs
Charter will require adapter for encrypted digital signal service

By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs

Photo: Matt Rourke

** FILE ** A cable box is seen on top of a television in Philadelphia in this May 30, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)

Photo: Matt Rourke

Cable box from Time Warner Cable on Wednesday, July 20, 2016, in Malta, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Cable customers in the Capital Region who connect their cable wire directly to their TV will soon be required to get an adapter as Charter Communications converts all channels to an encrypted digital signal.

The adapters will be free for the first year for residential customers, but after that, they will be charged a monthly fee. Charter's current plans are to lease the adapters to customers for $3.25 a month, the same fee Time Warner planned to charge customers starting in July 2017.

The conversion will have its advantages, providing a clearer picture and transmission of more high-definition channels, while also making possible faster internet speeds.

Many customers are already connecting to cable channels using digital technology, either via a cable box or digital converter.

"A large majority of customers in the Capital Region have at least one piece of digital equipment in their homes, " Russell said.

There is no specific timeline for the local transition to digital-only, but Russell said the change will occur "in the coming months" and that customers will be alerted of the deadline well in advance.

Digital adapters will be free for residential customers for one year, Russell said. After the conversion to digital, customers will not be able to access the channels without an adapter, set-top box or a streaming application.

Before being acquired by Charter, Time Warner Cable began to roll out Maxx, its all-digital effort that was intended to reach 75 percent of its customers by the end of 2016, according to the Federal Communications Commission order that approved Charter's acquisition of Time Warner Cable. But Time Warner Cable suspended the Maxx upgrade process on May 26, about a week after the company was acquired by Charter, according to an internal Time Warner Cable memo obtained by Stop the Cap!, a group opposing usage caps by broadband companies.

The Maxx service, which also increased internet speeds, provided digital adapters to customers for free until June 2017, after which they would pay $3.25 a month to lease a converter box.

Rob Marcus, CEO of Time Warner Cable, said in a Jan. 28 conference call that it is "an interesting question, as to whether or not there is a real aversion to leasing a set-top box, and how much demand there will be for an alternative."

Possible alternatives include streaming television channels on a Samsung Smart TV, Xbox or Roku using the TWC TV app.

In the May order that approved the acquisition of Time Warner Cable, Charter committed to convert "Time Warner Cable and Bright House cable systems to all-digital within 30 months after the close of the transaction."

Charter will be rolling out new Spectrum packages in the coming months as part of the company's conversion to all-digital.



Mohu Leaf 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110584
Speakers (Mohu)
  • 50-mile range to access Over-the-Air TV channels without a cable or satellite subscription (NOTE: Enables access to free channels only - does not enable access to...
  • CleanPeak Filter technology filters out cellular and FM signals, resulting in a clearer picture and allowing access to more channels
  • Multi-directional and Reversible: No pointing needed and comes with included 16 ft. high performance cable
  • DISCLAIMER: Channel reception varies based on what is broadcast in your area, your distance from broadcast towers, and any geographical obstructions between you...
  • Comes with 1 Year warranty. Email us at support@gomohu.com for help setting up your product. You can also visit .gomohu.com or call 1-855-4GOMOHU (855-446-6648).
Mohu Leaf 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110584
Speakers (Mohu)
  • 50-mile range to access Over-the-Air TV channels without a cable or satellite subscription (NOTE: Enables access to free channels only - does not enable access to...
  • CleanPeak Filter technology filters out cellular and FM signals, resulting in a clearer picture and allowing access to more channels
  • Multi-directional and Reversible: No pointing needed and comes with included 16 ft. high performance cable
  • DISCLAIMER: Channel reception varies based on what is broadcast in your area, your distance from broadcast towers, and any geographical obstructions between you...
  • Comes with 1 Year warranty. Email us at support@gomohu.com for help setting up your product. You can also visit .gomohu.com or call 1-855-4GOMOHU (855-446-6648).
ANTOP Paper Thin AT-100B Smartpass Amplified TV Antenna with High Gain and Built-in 4G LTE Filter-40/55 Mile Long Range 360 Degree Digital TV Antenna - Black and White -10ft Cable - 4K UHD Ready
Speakers (Antop Antenna Inc)
  • ◆ FREE TV FOR LIFE!No monthly bill for watching TV! AT-100B HDTV Antenna receives free broadcast High Definition Over-To-Air (OTA) TV signals, including ABC, CBS...
  • ◆ Super slim, less than an inch thick (0.02 ) but still delivers on the ANTOP promise of a quality HDTV viewing experience with a 360 DEGREE Omnidirectional reception...
  • ◆ Engineered and designed in the USA by ANTOP, the antenna specialists. The SMARTPASS AMPLIFIER, an exclusive technology offered only by ANTOP, uses an all-in-one...
  • ◆ Antenna effectiveness is influenced by the distance from signal origination point, station signal strength level, building construction, antenna positioning, reflections...
  • ◆ All ANTOP products come with 24-hour access to ON-LINE CUSTOMER SUPPORT and INSTALLATION ASSISTANCE. ANTOP products include a 12-month warranty and 30-day money...
ANTOP AT-413B Flat-Panel Smartpass Amplified Outdoor/Indoor (Attic) TV Antenna with Built-in 4G LTE Filter 55 to 65 Miles Range 360 Degree Reception 16' Detachable Coaxial Cable, HD/4K UHD Ready
CE (Antop Antenna Inc)
  • ★FREE TV FOR LIFE! No monthly bill for watching TV! AT-413B HDTV Antenna receives free broadcast High Definition Over-To-Air (OTA) TV signals, such as ABC, CBS...
  • ★ENGINEERED AND DESIGNED IN THE USA by ANTOP, the antenna specialists, the flat-panel AT-413B over-the-air digital TV antenna features a 55 to 65- MILE reception...
  • ★Its UV coating, weather resistant finish and compact design make the AT-413B perfect for easy home exterior installation: wall, roof, balcony.Or, even in an attic...
  • ★Antenna effectiveness is influenced by the distance from signal origination point, station signal strength, antenna positioning, reflections from nearby structures...
  • ★All ANTOP products come with 24-hour access to ON-LINE CUSTOMER SUPPORT and INSTALLATION ASSISTANCE. ANTOP products include a 12-month warranty and 30-day money...
UN24H4000 - 24-inch 720p HD Slim LED TV CMR 120 Plus Hook-Up Bundle. Bundle Includes TV, 3 Outlet Surge protector with 2 USB Ports, 2 -6 ft High Speed 3D Ready 1080p HDMI Cable, Performance TV/LCD Screen Cleaning Kit, and Cleaning Cloth.
CE (Samsung)
  • UN24H4 - 24-inch 720p HD Slim LED TV CMR 120 Plus Hook-Up Bundle
  • 3 Outlet Surge Protector with 2 USB Ports
  • 2 -6 ft High Speed 3D Ready 1080p HDMI Cables
  • Performance TV/LCD Screen Cleaning Kit
  • Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloth



Related Posts