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From: smeier@ihuxt.UUCP (S. Meier)
Newsgroups: net.video,net.tv
Subject: Re: Cable Ready TV/VCR
Message-ID: <283@ihuxt.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Jan-84 18:22:27 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxt.283
Posted: Thu Jan 26 18:22:27 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Jan-84 05:35:09 EST
References: <667@eisx.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 27



<>
"Normal" TVs are set up to receive 12 VHF and a bunch (~69) of UHF channels.
Cable television uses the regular VHF frequencies for the first 12
channels, which they may number 1 through 12, or 2 through 13.
IF they have more than 12 channels, they then use a couple of other
frequency bands which are not the same as UHF for channels 13..n (or
14..n+1) (I think n is 36 or so)

"Cable ready" means the TV set has inside it a tuner which is capable of
tuning in cable channels 13..36, in addition to the normal VHF and UHF
channels.  Usually there is a switch so that you can select either
VHF/UHF, or cable (which includes VHF).

The box which you get from the cable company is simply a tuner which
tunes in the VHF and cable frequencies.  You can actually buy your own
cable tuner which works just like the "real" ones.  

So if a television set has such a tuner in it, you can simply hook up
the cable directly, without going through any box.

As far as pay channels such as HBO goes, you still have to pay the cable
company for those.

S Meier           ihnp4!ihuxt!smeier