Is Comcast Cable box really necessary?
Question:
Is "Digital Cable" simply a bundling of extra features (ONDemand, on screen programming Guide, Music Channels, etc) ? (I don't need those features and don't want to pay for them.)
Or is it actually a different stream of data they feed which delivers a higher quality signal into my tv? Does the cable box do the work of converting the analog standard cable into digital signal, or would Comcast be sending me a different stream of data? If the data stream is digital - why the cable box?
Comcast tells me that I need to get their box for "digital cable" for the best quality signal into a new tv - but what happens if I plug my current signal into a new HD tv? i know i wont' get High Def channels, but will i still get the sharper picture on a higher resolution tv?
Answer:
In short- no and no
You do not need a box or digital to have an hd tv. Analog (chnls 2-98) will go to almost any tv without any modifying.
That said, your new high tech tv will not appreciate the analog signal. The new hd tv's really appreciate digital and hd better. We run several lcd tv's here at the house: two are just running on analog without a problem, three have digital and digital boxes on them, and one has digital and hd. You can tell the difference in quality, but it's not a big bother.
The tech info: analog is a low quality signal, digital is a larger signal that has more picture information in it and needs a box to translate for the tv, high definition has tons of picture information (split into red, green, and blue color spectrum) that you have to have the translator (box) and special tv for it.
I have a comcast box and the features such as the on screen guide, being able to record shows, and if you have any premium channels (because they offer a lot of their content there for free), on demand is great.
to me. thats worth it alone
For digital features, yes. It does feed a different stream of data in the digital channels, and converts MPEG video to analog for your TV when you play the Video On Demand items. The average television is analog, and not capable of the conversions on its own. Your basic channels, however, remain analog, and don't need the converter. I believe anything over channel 100 on Comcast requires a digital converter.
As for your current signal, give it a try! There's no harm done, and only you can tell if the picture is what you want. A reminder--just because it's an HDTV doesn't mean it's inherently digital. The only thing that makes HDTV different is the amount of scan lines. The average TV in the US has 525 of them, but HDTVs come anywhere from 720 to 1080 scan lines. I'm willing to bet that because your current signal is analog and intended for the average TV, you won't get any better of a picture, but I could be wrong. It's worth a shot:)
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