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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Art & Graphic Design > EyeTV 500 : Clear QAM channels?

EyeTV 500 : Clear QAM channels?
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badtz
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Aug 23, 2005, 07:23 PM
 
Greetings,

On El Gato's site for the EyeTV 500, it states that it can receive "free/unencrypted channels digital cable (Clear QAM) television" .....

Are these channels usually offered for free by your cable provider via the cable that comes into the apt/house?

Or is this something you need to order? [I'm not exactly sure]

Also, what happens if you have these channels, along with the over the air channels? [how do you control which one you see from EyeTV 500]


any help would be great
     
MoparSteve
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Aug 24, 2005, 03:10 PM
 
You need to subscribe to your cable providers digital service. I have Cox Cable here in the Phoenix area, and I can only get the WB channel on my EyeTV 500. I do get a few other channels, but its only a couple of PPV preview channels and the Cox self promotion channel. All the other channels seem to be scrambled. So, I mostly use the 500 with the rabbit ears antenna that came with one of my TV's. It does pick up the over the air HD signals for the major network channels (NBC, ABS, CBS, Fox, ...). To select the signal source (over the air vs cable) theres a setting in the EyeTV software settings (preferences, I think).

Steve
     
SVass
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Aug 24, 2005, 04:02 PM
 
According to these people
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hlight=seattle
the cards work for all local channels in Seattle without any special subscription. Encryption of local channels may be a violation of federal law. sam
     
zwiebel_
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Aug 25, 2005, 03:52 PM
 
I get all the local digital channels over antenna where I live (I do not have cable). In order to recieve those QAM/over the air channels you do need a special antenna (I have this one and it works flawlessly).
     
msuper69
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Aug 26, 2005, 07:31 AM
 
Originally Posted by zwiebel_
I get all the local digital channels over antenna where I live (I do not have cable). In order to recieve those QAM/over the air channels you do need a special antenna (I have this one and it works flawlessly).
BS! You can receive ANY type of broadcast signal using just lead-in wire. You certainly don't need to spend money on a fancy-dancy 'HDTV' antenna. That's just a marketing ploy to reel in the uninformed masses.
     
SVass
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Aug 26, 2005, 10:43 AM
 
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

is a site that will tell you how good of an antenna you need. Distance from the transmitter (and intervening buildings/mountains) is the determiner of antenna type. The site also lists available channels for your area. sam
     
badtz  (op)
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Aug 26, 2005, 06:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by MoparSteve
You need to subscribe to your cable providers digital service. I have Cox Cable here in the Phoenix area, and I can only get the WB channel on my EyeTV 500. I do get a few other channels, but its only a couple of PPV preview channels and the Cox self promotion channel. All the other channels seem to be scrambled.

Steve
Interesting!

So does that mean that Clear QAM channels are not free? as in, no subscription to the provider, and plug in the cable from the jack.
     
badtz  (op)
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Aug 26, 2005, 06:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by SVass
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

is a site that will tell you how good of an antenna you need. Distance from the transmitter (and intervening buildings/mountains) is the determiner of antenna type. The site also lists available channels for your area. sam

does the site actually recommend antenna units?

From what I've seen [I haven't went really deep into the site] it shows how far transmitters are away from your location.

Any advice on a very good antenna?
     
SVass
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Aug 27, 2005, 11:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by badtz
Interesting! So does that mean that Clear QAM channels are not free? as in, no subscription to the provider, and plug in the cable from the jack.
In Seattle urban area, they are "free" with a basic cable subscription, about $15 per month.

Originally Posted by badtz
does the site actually recommend antenna units?
They tell you the generic type-indoor, near, or deep fringe. Radio Shack or whomever will sell you the something in the category you desire. sam
     
badtz  (op)
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Sep 30, 2005, 07:51 AM
 
let's say I use the antenna to get over-the-air HD signals, what happens when a show is not broadcasted in HD? Will I still get the show? Will the EyeTV 500 automatically know that it's standard definition, so it's properly displayed on the screen? [will it upsample?]
     
zwiebel_
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Sep 30, 2005, 09:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by badtz
let's say I use the antenna to get over-the-air HD signals, what happens when a show is not broadcasted in HD? Will I still get the show? Will the EyeTV 500 automatically know that it's standard definition, so it's properly displayed on the screen? [will it upsample?]
First off, you can only receive digital tv channels. Depending on the broadcaster, they send either 720 or 1080 formats (somtimes a mix of both, including 480 for commercials). The 500 will automatically resize the window to fit the broadcast resolution (if you are running in windowed mode), unless you run it full screen, whereby the 500 will resize the broadcast as well, albeit with black borders around the broadcast image.

It is fully automated.
     
badtz  (op)
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Oct 1, 2005, 05:23 AM
 
Would a dual 1.8ghz G5 be powerful enough to playback the HD feed?

I've read you need a VERY powerful machine to render back the recorded HD.

[thanks for the help]
     
zwiebel_
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Oct 2, 2005, 08:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by badtz
Would a dual 1.8ghz G5 be powerful enough to playback the HD feed?

I've read you need a VERY powerful machine to render back the recorded HD.

[thanks for the help]
Most definitely.
My setup runs on a QS G4/933 quite well.
     
badtz  (op)
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Oct 2, 2005, 10:09 PM
 
how does it run on the 933?

do you think it can be ran on 667mhz powerbook?
     
zwiebel_
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Oct 2, 2005, 11:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by badtz
how does it run on the 933?

do you think it can be ran on 667mhz powerbook?
Some channels I have issues with, from time to time, i.e it looses the signal. I am not sure why or how, but I have the sneaking suspicion that some broadcasters are fudging around with the DVT standard.
For example, HDTV shows broadcasted by my local PBS stations run like silk on my setup, while some other channels stutter and drop frames. Nothing too disturbing, since I believe that the broadcasters themeselves have to iron out some of the issues they are having.

As to running it on you PB, I would take a look at this and make up my mind. Also consider that my 933 is driving a 23" HD Cinema display.

Good luck.
     
badtz  (op)
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Oct 3, 2005, 07:49 AM
 
are you using an OTA? if so, do you get any type of static in the HD feed?
     
zwiebel_
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Oct 3, 2005, 08:41 AM
 
Originally Posted by badtz
are you using an OTA? if so, do you get any type of static in the HD feed?
Yes, indeed, I do use the OTA programing. There is no static in the feed at all, the picture is crystal clear. I just had to position my antena towards the transmitter, and off I went. There is also a built-in signal strenght display (in EyeTV) that let you see signal strength and quality.

RadioShack sells signal amplifiers that supposedly work very well to boost your reception if you live in an area with a lot of tall buildings and such.

Another benefit I discovered was that each broadcaster in my area has multiple channels. For example, I used to get PBS on channel 6 over analog. Now, I've got PBS programing on 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4. I did not know they were broadcasting over so many channels.
     
badtz  (op)
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Oct 12, 2005, 06:41 PM
 
can you tune EyeTV to only grab the PBS from one of the sub-channels instead?

For instance, if channel 6.2 is for the SD feed, can you have EyeTV view/record only from that channel, instead of the HD feed on channel 6.1?

I'm wondering because sometimes, I may not want to record in HD to save space .....

?
     
ralfsmith
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Oct 20, 2005, 02:33 PM
 
Tell every one about my email

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[email protected]
     
Reddog99
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Nov 4, 2005, 08:34 PM
 
can you tune EyeTV to only grab the PBS from one of the sub-channels instead?
Even though they're called sub-channels, they're still seperate channels, and can be watched or recorded just as any other channel.

Pat
     
   
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