The FCC requires the cable companies to pass on the digital broadcast channels unecrypted, so you will be able to continue to record them with a MythTV or a 2005 MCE, provided you have a QAM tuner. Also any TV with a built in QAM tuner can also watch these channels without a STB or CableCARD.
But the FCC only requires the broadcast channels be unecrypted and in most areas, all the rest of the digital channels are encrypted, even though the analog equivalents are not. While this might make sense when the cable co charges extra for "digital" cable, when basic becomes digital we all hope this will change.
The only way to know what QAM channels are in the clear for sure is to do a channel scan and see what shows up, in some forums users share their results, so it may be worth looking into before you buy a QAM tuner, especially if you already have a ATSC tuner and can't get any channels in addition to what you already get OTA.
While its tablet world topping pixel density, Tegra 2 silicon, and fresh to death OS certainly sound awesome, we had to get our grubby mitts on one to see if it's as good as its spec sheet would have us believe.
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The FCC requires the cable companies to pass on the digital broadcast channels unecrypted, so you will be able to continue to record them with a MythTV or a 2005 MCE, provided you have a QAM tuner. Also any TV with a built in QAM tuner can also watch these channels without a STB or CableCARD.
But the FCC only requires the broadcast channels be unecrypted and in most areas, all the rest of the digital channels are encrypted, even though the analog equivalents are not. While this might make sense when the cable co charges extra for "digital" cable, when basic becomes digital we all hope this will change.
The only way to know what QAM channels are in the clear for sure is to do a channel scan and see what shows up, in some forums users share their results, so it may be worth looking into before you buy a QAM tuner, especially if you already have a ATSC tuner and can't get any channels in addition to what you already get OTA.