I want the cheapest cable tv setup available and I'm wondering since Time Warner Cable wants to rent me a set-top HD box for $11.25/month for the rest of my life, is there a less expensive method to see my handful of channels in HD?

 

Can you actually buy a box that does the same thing TWC's box is doing? See I'm not clear if it's actually converting SD to HD or if it's just unlocking the HD channels that are already streaming via the cable that's coming out of the wall.

 

So am I just stuck paying TWC to rent that freaking box forever?

I want the cheapest cable tv setup available and I'm wondering since Time Warner Cable wants to rent me a set-top HD box for $11.25/month for the rest of my life, is there a less expensive method to see my handful of channels in HD?

 

Can you actually buy a box that does the same thing TWC's box is doing? See I'm not clear if it's actually converting SD to HD or if it's just unlocking the HD channels that are already streaming via the cable that's coming out of the wall.

 

So am I just stuck paying TWC to rent that freaking box forever?

 

Their box unlocks all of the HD programming. That said in most cases you can get most HD channels without the box by connecting cable straight to your TV and allowing your TV to autosearch for channels, it will find most of the HD duplicates on its own. The downside is you lose your on screen programming and DVR capabilities. Most companies will let you buy their box outright, but they price them so high its not really cost effective and any failure of the unit becomes your problem, rather than theirs. So yeah, your more less stuck renting it from them if you want the full capabilities of their box.

Does the other TV have a slot for TWCs CableCARD? According to their website, the CableCARD is $2.50 a month. Two-way interactive services are not available with this option.

I want the cheapest cable tv setup available and I'm wondering since Time Warner Cable wants to rent me a set-top HD box for $11.25/month for the rest of my life, is there a less expensive method to see my handful of channels in HD?

 

Can you actually buy a box that does the same thing TWC's box is doing? See I'm not clear if it's actually converting SD to HD or if it's just unlocking the HD channels that are already streaming via the cable that's coming out of the wall.

 

So am I just stuck paying TWC to rent that freaking box forever?

 

I feel you pain. Deregulating cable TV was one of the dumbest moves Congress has made regarding the middle class in 30 years. It didn't create any real competition, only allows the company that basically owns your area to charge whatever they want and come up with as many add ons as they want with no one to answer to.

 

From a gouging standpoint, what the cable companies do doesn't so much ring to me as unfair, it's more like sinister.

 

Short answer to your question is I think the cable companies rig everything to make sure you have to use their equipment.

 

I never had one, but didn't there used to be a box you could buy to record and pause live TV (TEVO). Is it still out there? Can you still record TV via a VCR or DVD recorder? Or have the cable companies made that impossible?

What makes you special that you think you should get your HD channels for free? Pay for it like the rest of us. :lol2:

Looks like that's what I'll be doing