CABLE TV CHANGEOVER TO DIGITAL - RESPONSE

Hi Lannie Et-Al
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This question has arisen before on this BLOG, and clearly is somewhat confusing. Let’s look at it again.
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Digital Transition involves BROADCAST over the air transmission; it will mean a change in Broadcast frequencies and Modulation of the signal from mixed AM/FM to QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation).
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This means that if you receive your TV on old style Yagi roof top or set top Rabbit ear antennae, using an old style Analog TV set, you will no longer be able to receive or demodulate the new TV signals.
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We receive our TV signals, here in CV via a cable system which puts a Coaxial cable into every unit. Therefore, the entire issue of Digital Transition is obviated by the fact that COMCAST must do all of the conversion of the new digital signals before we ever see the signals. In other words; Digital Transition will not affect us at this level. In yet other words, we will continue to receive all signals provided by COMCAST in our Special Enhanced Basic Cable (SEBC) package.
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Herein lies the rub; as a sequelae to Digital Transition, COMCAST will continue to move certain channels out of our SEBC package; careful observers will note that they have already moved a number of our original channels to higher tiers of service, out of the range of our cable ready TV tuners; this is termed Realignment, it results from a COMCAST business decision, not from any technical requirement of Digital Transition. Believe it or not, our contract with COMCAST allows for some Realignment. However, one must ask how many channels can COMCAST take away, before their action is viewed as tantamount to Breach of Contract. This issue will of course be raised with COMCAST from the point of view that reduced service should bring reduce rates.
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This brings us to the issue of the Set-Top-Box (STB). The STB is a multifunction TV receiver which happens to contain a TV Tuner, Demodulator and a Computer MODEM all in one.
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Do not confuse the STB with the Government sponsored Converter Box (CB) which only deals with Broadcast over the air TV signals, you might consider a CB if you have a battery powered TV for emergency use during a power failure, in which case you will use a Rabbit ear antenna.
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COMCAST wants to rent to each Unit Owner in CV a STB at a cost which they consider “nominal”. There is much concern on our part as to multi-TV unit owners and what the total cost would be for additional boxes for each additional TV set.
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These STB’s are, according to COMCAST, the only route to recovering the Realigned channels that we are losing. The attitude of your Cable Committee is that the contract does not allow for such a change, and we shall be most vigorous in our talks with COMCAST on this issue.
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So, what is the “bottom line” on the matter of Digital Transition (DT);
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1) Do nothing now; DT will not preclude your receiving the COMCAST SEBC channels on your Cable Ready TV.
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2) The SEBC Channel lineup will slowly change due to Realignment; we will make every effort to enforce the contract and slow this Realignment to a stop.
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3) The issues of the STB and the need and cost thereof will not go away; but may safely be explored in the context of other possible content providers; such as Satellite TV and TELCO services such as FIOS. As we approach the time for renegotiation of our contract, your Cable Committee will be vigorous in pursuing the best mix of content and cost.
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Your input and involvement is desired, attend meetings of the Cable committee and bring ideas.
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Dave Israel