why does my hdtv ask for an activation code?

Question

So today I plugged my Westinghouse HDTV directly into the cable because the box sucks. And in order to search/scan for channels it told me I had to call customer service and ask for an activation code in order to be able to start the Search. Does anyone know why I needed to do all this? Its very dumb to have to call CService to be able to look for channels. I have tried researching it but only stuff with Netflix come out.... please help.. thanks

Answer 1

This sounds like it is the CABLE company's restriction not something to do with your TV. The cable company wants you to rent their box and/or has some proprietary decoding software in it to allow encrypting certain premium channels that is 'built into' their boxes.



The 'solution' to this is to dump the cable company. Hook up an antenna, and get TV for free. What you can't get over the air, you can get on-line (again usually for free if you don't mind watching ads and dealing with restrictions the networks set up). If more people stopped paying the cable companies would perhaps get more reasonable? Hey, we can dream, can't we?



If you REALLY want to pay for something like TV, you have to play by the rules of the satellite/cable company!

Answer 2

Westinghouse is one of the cheap "import" brands.



With that, I think they went even cheaper, by not including the licences to use the digital tuner in the initial sale price of the set. The sell it as an add-on after the fact, or give it away, and take a hit from a minority of TVs used on antenna or analog cable. On AVS forum, they say it is a "gateway" to keep idiots for using the low quality RF in from a set-top box and complaining about picture quality, when HDMI is available.

Answer 3

usually tvs menu code is SIX ZEROS .