Question on a cable box?

Question

I could not seem to reach time warner about their cable boxes, but I have a question: Do we simply rent the cable boxes for a monthly fee? We have two, but we're getting a new HDTV, so we're getting a new cable box (we have HD service on the other two tv's as well). Would our monthly fee go up if we were to get another box, or are there places where we could buy one for a one-time fee?

Answer 1

Typically cable subscribers lease digital (or analog) cable set-tops, aka cable set-top boxes, cable boxes, addressable converter boxes, etc., from their cable MSO (Multiple System/Service Operator) for a monthly fee. According to the FCC data I read not long ago the average monthly fee is approximately $4.80 per month for a single cable set-top box. It’s also worth noting that a few cable MSOs offer special promotions as well as quantity price discounts for those subscribers who require the use of cable set-tops. In virtually every case if you require additional set-tops from your provider you will pay an additional monthly fee for each additional unit.



If your HDTVs are digital cable-ready (DCR), i.e., CableCARD enabled along with an integrated ATSC-compliant QAM tuner, then you should not need to lease a cable set-top from your cable provider. If any of your HDTVs are not digital cable-ready then you will need to lease a digital cable set-top box for use with those that aren’t if you want to take advantage of premium cable (programming) services from Time Warner.



There are a new generation of advanced OpenCable™, tru2way™, set-top boxes that you can purchase in lieu of leasing a cable set-top from your cable provider. Below I’ve listed a few of the new Samsung cable set-tops of which I’m familiar. (I don’t have any pricing as of yet but you may want to search the Internet for current pricing and availability on the Samsung models listed below.)



Samsung OpenCable™ tru2way™ Set-Top Boxes

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/type/...

Samsung IP STBs and OpenCable™ STBs

http://www.samsung.com/sec/business/netw...



Samsung SMT-H3090 tru2way™ DVR Set-Top Box

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detai...

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...

Photo - SMT-H3090 Front Panel

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...

Photo - SMT-H3090 Rear Panel

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...

Samsung SMT-H3050 tru2way™ HD Set-Top Box

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detai...

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...

Photo - SMT-H3050 Front Panel

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...

Photo - SMT-H3050 Rear Panel

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consume...



######## RESOURCES AND REFERENCES ########



CableLabs OpenCable™ Initiative

http://www.opencable.com

CableLabs® Tru2way™ Technology

http://www.cablelabs.com

http://www.tru2way.com



Two-Way Plug & Play/tru2way

http://www.ncta.com/IssueBrief.aspx?cont...

“The tru2way Platform – Bringing Interactive TV to Consumers”

http://www.ncta.com/PublicationType/Misc...



Digital Cable Ready (DCR) Equipment / CableCARDs

http://www.ncta.com/IssueBrief.aspx?cont...



Myths v. Realities About the FCC Integration Ban

http://www.ncta.com/PublicationType/Misc...

Integration Ban

http://www.ncta.com/IssueBrief.aspx?cont...



Cable TV firms, Sony end dispute

http://www.latimes.com/business/printedi...



Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin...



HD enthusiasts crying foul over cable TV’s compressed signals

http://www.siliconvalley.com/latestheadl...

________________________



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