TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
classacts
Newbie

I'm having trouble finding TVs without a CableCard slot and had to buy one without.  I really dont' like the STB nor its remote.  I have a Sony HDTV that has beautiful menus and a great remote and prefer to use it.

What options exist so I can watch all my subscribed TV channels on FiOS without the STB?  I have the cable plugged directly in my TV and I'm scanning for channels now.  So far it has found 93 digital channels.  I would imagine I have many more than this.

Is there a pass-through STB of some kind where it can decrypt the signal so I can hook it up to my TV and use my TV's QAM tuner?  The TV in question is in my bedroom and honestly, that STB is ugly and sticks out like a sore thumb.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
prisaz
Legend

You will need a STB or cable card to get subscribed channels. There is a smaller digital adaptor that can get subscribed channels, but it will not have a channel guide or interactive features.

If you have a QAM tuner and ATSC (Digital broadcast), you may be getting ATSC in addition to the Verizon QAM channels, it there is an antenna connected.

Normally you would get only your local channels with QAM and no STB. I would not think there would be 91. The channels may be seen but not show up.

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
matcarl
Master - Level 1

Your title and message are confusing. You said you are having trouble finding a TV "without" a cable card slot so you had to settle for one "without" one. Isn't that the same thing? You mean you "want" a TV "with" a cable card slot right?

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

Unfortunately, if you want access to all the subscribed channels, you only have two choices

1. Have a TV with a cable card

2. Have a STB (Verizon or third party like Tivo or Moxie)

There are no other choices.

Now you will have a lot of options within those choices, but those are the ONLY two that will give you access to all your subscribed channels.

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
classacts
Newbie

Sorry for the confusion with my wording.  I meant that I had trouble finding a good TV I liked that included a CableCard and therefore I settled for one without.

I have read that the "adapter" which is a smaller STB will decrypt the channels and allow my Sony TV's QAM to take over.  As expected from Verizon on 14th and 1st Ave, they told me that adapter won't work and I will only get local channels and not any of the subscribed channels.  Instead of helping she chose to stuff her face with whatever she was eating instead of doing her job.  Must be a **bleep** strong union for people like that to keep their job.

Hopefully someone here can provide a better way to approach this issue so I can finally get rid of the massive STB off my floor in my bedroom, the ugly remote and help me stop leasing that **bleep** STB furthering Verizon's profit of supplying me with a unit for which I have no need for as my TV has a QAM module anyway.

Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Kind regards

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
Hubrisnxs
Legend

@classacts wrote:

Sorry for the confusion with my wording.  I meant that I had trouble finding a good TV I liked that included a CableCard and therefore I settled for one without.

I have read that the "adapter" which is a smaller STB will decrypt the channels and allow my Sony TV's QAM to take over.  As expected from Verizon on 14th and 1st Ave, they told me that adapter won't work and I will only get local channels and not any of the subscribed channels.  Instead of helping she chose to stuff her face with whatever she was eating instead of doing her job.  Must be a **bleep** strong union for people like that to keep their job.

Hopefully someone here can provide a better way to approach this issue so I can finally get rid of the massive STB off my floor in my bedroom, the ugly remote and help me stop leasing that **bleep** STB furthering Verizon's profit of supplying me with a unit for which I have no need for as my TV has a QAM module anyway.

Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Kind regards


If you picked up a TV With a QAM tuner built in (most new tv's have this) then you can plug the cable straight from the wall into the tv, and then do the channel add thing, and have it scan for channels.  What you will find is upon completion you will get unencrypted programming only, meaning local SD and local HD and Public access channels.

In order to get encrypted programming (i.e. spike, fx, tnt, usa, tbs etc etc.) then you NEED to have either a cable card or a verizon STB in some fashion, whether it is the converter box, or a hd stb. you'll need something.

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Re: TV without CableCard but don't want STB!
Keyboards
Master - Level 3

@classacts wrote:

Sorry for the confusion with my wording.  I meant that I had trouble finding a good TV I liked that included a CableCard and therefore I settled for one without.

I have read that the "adapter" which is a smaller STB will decrypt the channels and allow my Sony TV's QAM to take over.


The adapter (DCT-700) will allow you to receive all your subscribed channels (including premiums) in SD ONLY, and doesn't support VOD, guide, or widgets.  Your QAM tuner plays no part in this.  The output of the DCT-700 is either composite (yellow, red, and white RCA connections for 480i video and stereo) or old analog channel 3 or 4 (old NTSC standard - no stereo audio).
If you want other than the locals in HD (since your TV does not have cablecard capability) you will need an HD box from Verizon, a TIVO with cablecard, or MOXI with cablecard.
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