Xref: utzoo rec.video:6256 sci.electronics:6039
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!rochester!rutgers!uwvax!astroatc!brown
From: brown@astroatc.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: *** CABLE TV + VCR + TV ***
Message-ID: <1825@astroatc.UUCP>
Date: 1 May 89 02:44:25 GMT
References: <1796@ubu.warwick.UUCP>
Reply-To: brown@astroatc.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout
Lines: 36

In article <1796@ubu.warwick.UUCP> geoff@cs.warwick.ac.uk (Geoff Rimmer) writes:
<
<This is a question about CABLE TV and how it interfaces with a VCR and TV.
<
< [...]
<Now, the thing I can't get straight in my head is: if there are 20
<channels coming in on different frequencies, why can't the damn box
<give me those 20 channels (or maybe 15, if I haven't paid for the
<movie channels) out also on *different* frequencies???  Is a box that
<meets these specifications particularly difficult or expensive to make?
<
<Is such a box in existence?

No, such boxes don't exist, as they are too expensive to build.  Here in the
States, anyone who buys a pay channel (that is scrambled) also has the 
programmability of their equipment shot-to-hell.  I get the impression that
you don't get any of the pay channels.

Since I am not in the UK, I don't know the frequencies that are used on the
cable system.  I do know that over-the-air channels are in what is known
as the UHF band.  These frequencies are very though to put through cable over
any distance.  I wouldn't be surprised if UK cable companies use the VHF band
like we do.  If they do you are SOL.

But, if they are using the same channels that are used over-the-air, then
you can check that out by plugging the incoming cable directly into your VCR.
Tune the VCR through all of the available UHF channels.  If you can get what
you want, just remove the cable box.  If you can't get anything, then the
VHF frequencies are used.

I realize this may not help too much, but hopefully it will give you a clue.
-- 
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