Public Broadcast TV Channels

9 years ago

I'm behind with the technologies so here I need some help.

We had Comcast TV before. Since we do not watch TV much and cable TV costs a bunch, we cancelled it.

Our flat panel TV is HD digital, with UHF/VHF and CATV 1-135. No separate antenna.

On my computer, I have a NTSC/ATSC Combo TV tuner, with a small antenna. I believe it can also receive QAM.

So what do I need to receive public broadcasting TV channels, like CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox?

Right now when I connect my digital TV or computer tuner card to the Comcast cable connection, nothing comes out. I think all channels are scrambled. Should the QAM channels be carried by Comcast? Do I need a set top box for this? Or any box would not be legal?

Other than the existing Comcast connection, is a separate antenna the only way to go to receive the public TV channels?

I'm a noob now with the digital TV....

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Comments (7)

jeff-1010
9 years ago
all tv is now has a digital format and your tv is set up to receive it. i think you're confusing hd programs with standard digital programs. hd tv, you pay extra. so if you didn't subscribe to hd. then no show. look in the tv listings or go to your program guide for local stations to locate the channels not listed as hd. also, some locations don't carry local channels. and if they do sometimes you have to pay extra.

the antenna on your pc i think is the wireless router for wy fy.

your cable box is your antenna , so to speak. so you don't need an antenna. if comcast doesn't carry network tv, i think you can hook up a set of rabbit ears, i think.
btw, the guy that installed your cable should have made all the required connections and showed you how to drive it.
don't feel like a noob(?) technology changes faster than most people can keep up. i hope this helps, if not, you can go to any elementary school for advice.
RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
Original Author
9 years ago
Well, I was asking about public TV channel, not HD channels....

The antenna is for my computer TV tuner. I do not use wireless.

I do not use cable box. I said clearly I cancelled my cable TV. I was asking on how to access the over-the-air digital TV channels.

Well, maybe I need to buy an antenna, a real and good antenna....
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
what you need to do.. is get over PUBLIC broadcast tv ...

its all propaganda anyway ...

if you are asking about LOCAL tv.. thats not what you said ..

ken
jeff-1010
9 years ago
you should buy the antenna and forget my input.
btw, the elementary school advice means kids have a better grasp of tech. than adults.
mtvhike
9 years ago
You don't say where you live, but I think most commercial and PBS channels are now in HD, which your TV should be able to pick up (if it is fairly recent).
peegee
9 years ago
Consider buying and installing an antenna for your attic. Use TV fool or similar to enter your location to determine direction and strength of signal and distance of desired transmitters. For my new house, I bought a larger unit for my LR tv, a smaller for bedroom, and will likely use my moho leafs for the DR. I did not want to degrade any signal off the main antenna with splitters as I'm in a dicey area for reception. So far only the small bedroom one is up and I am pleased with the handful of stations it appears that I'll get. Good luck!
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
9 years ago
To receive over the air broadcasts, you will need to buy an antenna, just like in the 60's. Visit antennaweb.org for advice about which antenna is best for your location -- you may need one with an amplifier. My TV can get only one local station with its internal antenna -- to see more I would have to buy an external one too.

You can also visit the major networks' websites and watch many of their shows for free. For example, I am always at work when my favorite shows are on and I don't have a DVR so I watch later on PBS's and TNT's websites. It is possible to connect your computer to your TV, either with an HDMI cable or RCA cables, to see the video on the TV screen instead of your computer's monitor.

Another option that costs $ is to subscribe to a service like Netflix, where you can see many (but not all) TV shows as well as movies.

And, if you want to see the local station's news shows, they also have websites where you can usually see the broadcast live, or watch segments later.

The TV tuner that hooks to your computer can't unscramble a scrambled signal from your cable outlet. I have used one to try to record a program with my laptop and was able to see most of my basic cable channels by hooking the cable/internet outlet to the tuner which then plugged into my laptop. As I recall I had to really search to find the active channels, the channel numbers for the tuner didn't correspond to the channel numbers of the cable company.

The difference may be that I was still paying for cable -- so I could receive the channels -- while you are not. I don't know if cable TV content is still accessible via the cable if you have a Comcast internet access subscription but not cable TV-- I doubt it.