[GTALUG] ot: sort of, is it really impossible to get real cable anymore?

Don Tai dontai.canada at gmail.com
Wed Nov 29 15:37:23 EST 2023 

you may, of course, buy an antenna and try it. Of all your tech issues, the
antenna will be, by far the easiest to do. It will either work or not. You
will get channels to watch or not. It is also reversible,  so there is very
little risk.

On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 15:34, Karen Lewellen <klewellen at shellworld.net>
wrote:

> Don,
> Let me be forthright,
> between not being able to use a phone in my house in spite of paying for
> it, losing access to my main gmail account,   fighting bell for an
> accessible phone, not being able to work fully because I have no land
> line,
> falling behind on rent, as a result,  and fighting Canada post... I
> need solid
> solutions.
> 1. can such an Antenna be bought, instead of constructed, and if so where?
> Evan referenced a loop.
> 2, if that is not possible, before I lose time awaiting sighted help to
> construct an Antenna,  can that be made clear?
> I would rather buy a solution  that gives me many choices then construct
> one  if I can.
> Especially since hook up a temporary antenna is where I am lost.
> Kare
>
>
>
> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Don Tai wrote:
>
> > first hook up a temporary antenna, put it near your window, scan your TV
> > and see how many channels you can get.
> >
> > On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 15:20, Karen Lewellen <klewellen at shellworld.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> I still have the box, but have not been a rogers customer since  2017 or
> >> so.
> >> you are suggesting that I can use the box for the digitization process?
> >> plugging things into the rogers  box?
> >> or use the port for cox to plug in this antenna?
> >> if so that will be magical, as I have both cable, and know where that
> port
> >> is!
> >> and the antenna, if I  want to buy one is in the walmart.ca link?
> >> that referenced HDMI, will check that..this is becoming quite
> >> sensational!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Don Tai wrote:
> >>
> >>> There should be a specific port just for "antenna" or "ANT", a coax
> cable
> >>> port, or the port that you plug in your Rogers cable. Unplug your
> Rogers
> >>> cable and plug in your antenna. It should not affect your other ports.
> >> You
> >>> should not need to change anything else.
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 13:13, Karen Lewellen <klewellen at shellworld.net
> >
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Don,
> >>>> Can you be more specific about the digital TV side?
> >>>> My Toshiba is quite fancy,  however I have a number of converter units
> >>>> that may bridge the gap.
> >>>> have wondered if I connected an antenna to a spot for one on the set
> if
> >>>> that
> >>>> would do the trick.
> >>>> or if I reconnected one of the existing digital converter units I
> have,
> >>>> got them from both radio shack  and the source years back, if that
> might
> >>>> do the trick..
> >>>> Going to check my TV manual, as well.
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks!
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Don Tai via talk wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> I've been using Over the Air OTA TV for 10 years now, and have been
> >> happy
> >>>>> with the free service. The digital signals are uncompressed,
> providing
> >>>>> visibly higher quality images than Rogers (My Mum's service). I
> receive
> >>>> 17
> >>>>> digital channels, Southern Ontario and Buffalo, despite my
> neighbour's
> >>>>> large evergreen. OTA works well during clear, rain and snow storms,
> but
> >>>> may
> >>>>> go out during foggy weather.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> You will need a digital TV (slim width one), and an antenna. The
> >> antenna
> >>>>> can be as simple as a coat hanger, but a better one will get you more
> >>>>> stations. Simply attach the antenna to your TV, place the antenna
> near
> >> a
> >>>>> window and rescan your TV with the antenna option and presto, free
> >>>>> digital uncompressed TV stations will magically appear. There is no
> >> cost.
> >>>>> If you dislike it you just rescan your TV to cable.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> tvfool.com will generally tell you in which direction to point your
> >>>>> antenna, though downtown there may be signal bouncing off nearby
> >>>> buildings,
> >>>>> so you might need to experiment. A free TV guide is available at
> >>>>> https://tvlistings.zap2it.com/ just put in your postal code,
> antenna,
> >>>>> "Local Over the Air Broadcast" and a schedule appears.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 04:07, Evan Leibovitch via talk <
> >> talk at gtalug.org>
> >>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> One option available to some cord cutters is going back to the
> >> antenna.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I have one on my rooftop and it does quite a good job of picking up
> >>>>>> Toronto and Buffalo channels, which I find preferable to the
> Robellus
> >>>>>> options for two reasons:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>    - The off-air signal is not compressed so it can be noticeably
> >>>> sharper
> >>>>>>    than cable or satellite
> >>>>>>    - The cable/dish options usually get their US feeds from Detroit
> or
> >>>>>>    Boston or some such; Buffalo local news and weather will be more
> >>>> relevant
> >>>>>>    to me
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> This isn't just limited to people with their own houses. A good
> small
> >>>> UHF
> >>>>>> antenna can also work well from an apartment building, especially if
> >>>> you're
> >>>>>> south-facing. I once lived on an upper floor in a St. Jamestown
> tower
> >>>>>> (Wellesley/Parliament) and my reception was outstanding with just a
> >>>> simple
> >>>>>> loop. A really good website for determining what you can get at your
> >>>>>> location is tvfool.com.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I use these channels mainly for local news, sports and weather. Most
> >>>>>> actual programming can be found on the web, either through a
> >>>> subscription
> >>>>>> to a service like Crave or ... there are other paths
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>
> >>
> https://www.howtogeek.com/71315/the-how-to-geek-guide-to-getting-started-with-usenet/
> >>>>> .
> >>>>>> I also have a tuner called an HDHomerun that takes antenna input and
> >>>>>> provides it through your home network (ie, accessible to your PCs
> and
> >>>>>> phones) so you don't even need a coax-input TV.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Of course you can in theory receive over the air channels using an
> >>>> antenna
> >>>>>>> and an ATSC tuner, but if you are in a basement that seems unlikely
> >> to
> >>>> work.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> For the expense of a simple loop
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>
> >>
> https://www.amazon.ca/Antenna-Indoor-Amplified-Digital-Miles-Support/dp/B0BWDSXVLG/ref=sr_1_20
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> -- some are available for under $25, and you can return it if it
> >> doesn't
> >>>>>> work -- if you're close enough to the CN Tower you might be
> surprised.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> - Evan
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 12:23 AM Karen Lewellen via talk <
> >>>> talk at gtalug.org>
> >>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hi,
> >>>>>>> If I could get the digital box, without having to use a modem, I
> >> would
> >>>>>>> likely  be fine, because the digital box would tap into the
> existing
> >>>>>>> blanket internet  wireless wise would it not?
> >>>>>>> In fact that was my landlord's idea adding an extra receiver to his
> >>>>>>> account, for which I would pay the rental, as it is just on another
> >>>> floor.
> >>>>>>> I am curious how the antenna idea works, I am above ground for the
> >> area
> >>>>>>> where   my television sits, so perhaps?  what do I need?
> >>>>>>> Oh  boy does my television have optical outs..in spades
> >>>>>>> The DVD player  has an HDMI port, I imagined connecting the cable
> box
> >>>> to
> >>>>>>> this, and since the set is connected to the  player it would be
> >> enough.
> >>>>>>> I still have my old Roger's  digital cable box, the one they
> provided
> >>>> for
> >>>>>>> older televisions as well.
> >>>>>>> wish I had fewer trees, not only is satellite less complex, from
> bell
> >>>>>>> there
> >>>>>>> are   channels automatically provided with audio description for
> the
> >>>>>>> blind
> >>>>>>> enabled..they do not provide this for Fibe.
> >>>>>>> Kare
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Lennart Sorensen wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 08:09:47PM -0500, Karen Lewellen via talk
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>> Hi folks,
> >>>>>>>>> before simply saying you avoid television, Part of what I do
> >>>>>>> professionally
> >>>>>>>>> means accessing  a great deal, news channels and other things for
> >>>>>>> example.
> >>>>>>>>> And for me, the, I will just watch it on my computer is a nailed
> >> shut
> >>>>>>> door.
> >>>>>>>>> This entire property is Bell fibe saturated which  while it might
> >>>>>>> translate
> >>>>>>>>> to one of their fibe TV boxes working for me, its almost December
> >> and
> >>>>>>> I am
> >>>>>>>>> no closer to my land line solution..even with photographs of the
> >>>>>>> existing
> >>>>>>>>> jacks.
> >>>>>>>>> So,I am wondering if at all, it is still possible from anyone to
> >>>>>>> simply find
> >>>>>>>>> old fashioned cable box cable.
> >>>>>>>>> I have all the rest of the equipment, and it all works..even my
> >> VCR.
> >>>>>>>>> I am even wondering if, since the place is so saturated for
> >> wireless,
> >>>>>>> if I
> >>>>>>>>> got an older apple TV, third gen still had optical connectors,
> or a
> >>>>>>> rocku, I
> >>>>>>>>> could come up with something. not as good as regular cable, but I
> >> am
> >>>>>>>>> grasping for ideas.
> >>>>>>>>> thoughts?
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Bell's Fibe service has only ever worked with their boxes.  Rogers
> >>>> cable
> >>>>>>>> has been moving to all digital over the last quite a few years,
> and
> >>>>>>>> analog cable (that a VCR could directly tune) has been gone for a
> >>>> while,
> >>>>>>>> with everything going digital.  They even gave people free little
> >>>> boxes
> >>>>>>>> for a while to connect to older TVs that could tune the basic
> >> digital
> >>>>>>>> channels but I don't think they even do that anymore.  I think
> >>>>>>> everything
> >>>>>>>> now involves a digital cable box.  On top of that they have been
> >>>> moving
> >>>>>>>> to IP based systems (Rogers Ignite) for a number of years and I
> >> doubt
> >>>>>>>> they would install the legacy digital cable anymore for new
> >> accounts.
> >>>>>>>> Definitely no analog cable left anymore.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Of course you can in theory receive over the air channels using an
> >>>>>>>> attenna and an ATSC tuner, but if you are in a basement that seems
> >>>>>>>> unlikely to work.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> So unfortunately as far as I can see, the only things you can get
> >>>> these
> >>>>>>>> days is Bell Fibe or Rogers Ignite, both of which require using a
> >> box
> >>>>>>>> from the respective company and only outputs HDMI.  VCRs won't do
> >>>>>>> anything
> >>>>>>>> with that, and older TVs won't either.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> The streaming method might work, although if you were looking to
> get
> >>>>>>>> access to local TV stations, I have no idea if any of the
> streaming
> >>>>>>>> services offer that.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> As far as I can find, some of the Bell Fibe boxes have optical
> audio
> >>>>>>> out.
> >>>>>>>> The Rogers Ignite boxes do not appear to have it.  Of course some
> >> TVs
> >>>>>>>> also have optical audio out, so it might not have to be optical
> out
> >> on
> >>>>>>>> the box you are receiving with, if the TV has that.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> --
> >>>>>>>> Len Sorensen
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> ---
> >>>>>>> Post to this mailing list talk at gtalug.org
> >>>>>>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list
> >>>>>>> https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> --
> >>>>>> Evan Leibovitch, Toronto Canada
> >>>>>> @evanleibovitch / @el56
> >>>>>> ---
> >>>>>> Post to this mailing list talk at gtalug.org
> >>>>>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list
> >>>>>> https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>
> >
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