Why are digital TV sets not 'cable-ready' in this age of digital cable, despite later analog TV models being 'cable-ready'?

Question

This is a question that just vexes me in a way, as a fan of television. Why is it that modern digital TVs require a set-top box to receive digital cable, which was the case for analog cable TV during the 1970s-80s, until VCRs (now obsolete) and TVs were programmed to receive ALL cable channels without the need of a set-top box?

Answer 1

All HDTV's conform to the new digital standard setup a few years ago. And all HDTV broadcasts now follow this standard. This includes all possible 'cable channels'.



So all modern digital televisions are 'cable ready'.



But the cable & sat companies want to offer you more services such as DVR features (wonderful), on-demand replay of recent shows for free (wonderful) and on-demand and pay-per-view services (not so wonderful).



These extra services are NOT part of the HDTV standard so the cable/sat companies want to put a small 'vending machine' in your home to let you use or see what else is available. So many of them require a set-top-box.



And it is not uniform. In 1 city - you have to have a cable box to even have cable service (I suspect this is the case in your town). In other cities - they send about 30 channels that mimic what you might get from an antenna down the coax so you can simply plug into the antenna input without a cable box. These are usually older cable systems.



Personally - I love the DVR services. I never have to remember an 'appointment' and schedule my life around the broadcast schedule.



Example: My wife and I like the TV show "Castle". We did not get to watch it 'live' on ... Sunday? but we watched the recording last night. At the end they mentioned there was a 2-night event with a second show. I checked and my DVR was in the middle of recording it for me. The 'vending machine' which I pay extra for takes care of special events like this.



It's wonderful - but I do pay extra for this service.



If money is dear to you - ask about 'Basic' service. They don't like to talk about this - but all cable companies offer this. During an Olympics I was paying about $29 for Time warner Basic service but it included a DVR box, all local channels and a bunch of other crap.



Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The cable channels are scrambled or otherwise encrypted, and you need the cable company's box to unscramble them. You also need the cable company's box to stream content.



Some cable providers support a standard that uses a card that they provide that goes into your TV without an external box, but the majority of cable providers prefer to control the box.

Answer 3

No TV is "cable ready" anymore because the cable companies encrypt their signal, forcing you to rent one of their cable boxes.



There's a proposal before the Congress to change this but the cable companies paid a LOT of money to convince Congress to let them encrypt their signals in the first place, so....

Answer 4

Under the rules of the FCC...."The airwaves belong to the people!" With cable companies now making so called "cable ready" TVs no more than "monitors".....there will be millions of cable customers placed on the outs by a government regulated business...who actually operate at the pleasure of the public...under the auspices of the Federal Communications Commission. Cable companies have , for now, circumvented the rulings of the FCC thru their lobby on capitol hill. It will take a class action law suit in federal court...and possibly a SCOTUS interpretation of FCC rules to bring basic cable signals back to citizens who...up to franchise fees being discontinued...were able to receive not only local TV broadcasts...but retransmitted satellite generated "cable network" programming as well. This change by the huge national cable companies could make for the resurgence of how cable TV started in the first place....by local neighborhoods erecting communal TV high def antennas....known way back in the day as "CATV" or "community antenna television"....where a singular receiving antenna could be places on a high tower or utility pole with each residence connecting their homes thru multiple cables that attach to their TV receivers thru a small amplification unit that would boost the cable signal to each residence. With the evolution of smart TV's...so called satellite generated channels could be accessed thru the internet...hence making the need for a cable provider unnecessary. This fight for the freedom of the public to receive and view television channels unobstructed with no need for a "cable provider" may soon come to be. It could happen in your neighborhood today by contacting a TV reception technician company who would install a neighborhood community antenna and use the existing cable wire hookups that exist on the exterior of most homes...which is the property of the home/property owner.

Answer 5

Because cable companies encrypt their signals to prevent people from tapping in illegally, and the set-top boxes are what you need to decrypt them. It also gives cable companies one more thing to shaft you for - rent on the box.

Answer 6

I would read a booklet but I want silence and I watch television set for Big Bang theory family person spongebob humor or movies in general put me a good publication and I will read it I'm not old a teacher or a nerd

Answer 7

Typically I read 4 -5 books weekly. But when there is something really good on TV then I will watch it