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From: fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: Cable Ready ... What does it Mean?
Message-ID: <768@ihu1g.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Feb-86 18:16:26 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1g.768
Posted: Fri Feb  7 18:16:26 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Feb-86 01:48:36 EST
References: <506@eneevax.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 32


> My question is a follows. I own a "cable-ready" Toshiba FST "monitor", and a
> base panasonic "cable-ready" VCR. Will I still need to have an A/B selection
> box? Will I need to have anything other than a down converter? Since the TV
> can tune only channels 2-8? in both cable/non-cable modes, where do the
> extra channels go? WHAT does CABLE-READY mean?
> 
"Cable Ready" means that the TV/VCR/Whatever is equipped with an infinitely
variable electronic tuner what is cabable of receiving all channels between
2 and 83, including the midband and superband VHF channels used by cable
companies.  

The most common of these are the varactor tuners, which are set with a 
little twiddle-stick that selects the band (usually VHF Low, VHF High,
Superband VHF, and UHF), and a thumbwheel pot that tunes in stations
within the band selected.  You are usually provided with 12 of these,
which limits your channel selections, but allows you to choose any 12
channels that are available on your cable system.

Better TVs and VCRs have quartz-synthesized, random-access tuners that
you don't have to adjust.  Instead, you just punch up a channel on
a 10-digit keypad, and fine-tune it in as needed.  The latter type
gives you virtually unlimited channel selection.

In either case, you can plug the cable directly into the device, without
using the down-converter provided by the cable company, hence the term,
"cable ready."
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\__/			Bob Fishell
			ihnp4!ihu1g!fish