Verizon FIOS Basic TV Channels Unencrypted?

**maee** · 08-15-2010, 11:07 AM

I don't want or watch any regular Cable TV channels. Besides, paying for internet and cable these days is paying for the same thing twice...all TV is going TCP/IP soon anyway (Hulu, etc).

If you call any Comcast or Verizon FIOS TV sales rep, they will always tell you that you have to rent their set top box to get the basic digital HD channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, etc.). However, this has never been the case with Comcast, as I can personally verify.

However, with Verizon FIOS basic TV ($12.95/month, includes only public access and over-the-air broadcast channels), do they provide the unencrypted digital HD broadcast channels? In tech speak, this means do they provide the "clear" or unencrypted QAM HD feeds? That way, I just plug in my HDTV and get the local channels in HD without renting the box.

**pdm** · 08-15-2010, 11:52 AM

Interesting. I hadn't tried it. Give me a minute...

**pdm** · 08-15-2010, 12:10 PM

Did not work for me, but then again, I have an HD+DVR package, so it might be dependent on what kind of service you get or your TV. You might be able to get a cable card from them and put that into your TV, if your TV supports it.

**AppleSeeds** · 08-15-2010, 12:12 PM

Once you plugged in the cable straight into the TV, did you make the TV rescan for channels?

**maee** · 08-15-2010, 12:13 PM

From poking around on the Google, I found that the FCC has a regulation stating that the cable companies can't encrypt the local channels. I think the FCC did this because they also have required all new TVs in the past few years to include digital cable (QAM) tuners. So otherwise, if the cable companies encrypted the local channels, it would render worthless the FCC's own expensive decision to require every TV sold in America to include a digital cable tuner.

But guess what? I found more recent articles stating that the FCC is now granting waivers to that rule for many cable companies, provided they go all digital. So that digital cable tuner you paid probably $25-50 extra for in your HDTV you bought two years ago because the FCC required it?? Well, sorry, you got ripped off, its now officially useless

!!

FCC hasn't had any balls for a decade now.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/...ur_Vendors.php

**pdm** · 08-15-2010, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by AppleSeeds

Once you plugged in the cable straight into the TV, did you make the TV rescan for channels?

It found three channels (2, 3 and 14) and all were static. I think because of the package (DVR) I have, everything is encrypted.

**maee** · 08-15-2010, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by pdm

Did not work for me, but then again, I have an HD+DVR package, so it might be dependent on what kind of service you get or your TV. You might be able to get a cable card from them and put that into your TV, if your TV supports it.

Hum, basically all you do is set your HDTV to cable mode in the setup options. Then you plug in the coax directly to the TV's coax connection. Then you do a channel scan. You're saying you got nothing??? wow.

Your experience would seem to comport with my post above that says the FCC is granting waivers for operators that have all digital service.

Thanks for checking by the way.

**pdm** · 08-15-2010, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by maee

Hum, basically all you do is set your HDTV to cable mode in the setup options. Then you plug in the coax directly to the TV's coax connection. Then you do a channel scan. You're saying you got nothing??? wow.

thanks for checking by the way.

I can try it again. I switched the TV between "air" and "cable" but that didn't get me anything. I need to clean out behind my TV anyway. It's a goddamn dustbowl back there, poor farmers and everything.

**AppleSeeds** · 08-15-2010, 12:16 PM

/\/\ Ah I see. I think most providers are getting away from providing anything unencrypted.

A good HD antenna + an HDTV = good network TV.

**Rob Boudrie** · 08-15-2010, 12:21 PM

FCC hasn't had any balls for a decade now.

Not only that, but the federal courts had to reign in the FCC from imposing equipment limitations to the detriment of consumers based upon a request from the industry.

Remember the "broadcast bit" fiasco? The FCC issued a regulation that prohibited the selling of any television, recorder, or computer tuner that did not prevent access to the digital data stream (in a tamperproof manner) if the broadcaster set the "recording not allowed" bit in the signal? Only federal court action saved consumers from that equipment constraint.

Verizon FIOS Basic TV Channels Unencrypted?

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