InfiniTV without CableCard

[docmattman]

I am currently not paying for cable service. I can tune several QAM channels in my area with my HDHomerun Dual tuner. However, the wife is getting into a lot more shows these days and I need more tuners. I'd like to upgrade to an InfiniTV 4. Can this be used without cable card service to just tune the clear QAM channels? The reason I want the InfiniTV is that I will probably be paying for full cable from Comcast soon, so I want to buy tuners that will work with a cable card when I need it in the future.

Anyone know if it's possible to use the InfiniTV to tune in clear QAM channels without cable card service?

[foxwood]

Q: Does InfiniTV tune Clear QAM, ATSC and/or Analog TV channels?
A: Clear QAM (e.g. unencrypted digital cable): Yes, InfiniTV supports Clear QAM channels; however, Windows Media Center requires that you have a CableCARD inserted in your InfiniTV device in order to configure the tuners in Media Center. Once your InfiniTV is paired and activated with your local cable system, then you can remove the CableCARD if you wish to receive ClearQAM channels only.

http://cetoncorp.com/infinitv_support/faq/

[docmattman]

Ok, I just found installation instructions pdf file that mentioned it cannot be used without a cable card...

What if I have a cable card, but I don't have the cable card service from Comcast, can I make it work that way? A friend of mine was ditching cable and I took the cable card out of his STB. So I have an actual cable card that I can REPLACE INTO the tuner. But will this work, or do I need to have the service available to get it running?

[foxwood]

According to this post you might be able to get it to work without a cable-card with more up-to-date firmware.

You might want to PM erkotz (he works for Ceton) for conformation.

[richard1980]

This is f'ing awesome. First the guy admits to stealing cable, then he admits to stealing cable equipment. In a public forum.

[docmattman]

I'm not stealing anything. I pay for Comcast internet service, not tv. So I have an active cable line. I can plug in any tv with a digital tuner and get basic digital channels. Mostly just the ones from major networs (ABC, NBC, CBS, etc). It's no different from using an over the air antenna.

Also, the cable card was given to me by someone who purchased a STB for Comcast, but doesn't use it anymore.

So again, I'm not stealing anything!

[richard1980]

Try explaining that to your cable company and see what they say. Or you could ask an attorney.

On a side note, it's always nice to receive the same response from a cable thief. Every time a cable thief gets called out, it's the same story: "I'm not stealing anything." It's amusing. How about I steal that person's car? I'll use the excuse "I didn't steal anything."

[docmattman]

Try explaining that to your cable company and see what they say. Or you could ask an attorney.

On a side note, it's always nice to receive the same response from a cable thief. Every time a cable thief gets called out, it's the same story: "I'm not stealing anything." It's amusing. How about I steal that person's car? I'll use the excuse "I didn't steal anything."

So you're telling me it's illegal to plug a cable wire that I own into a cable jack in a house that I own and turn the TV on that I own??? Tell me, what part of that sounds illegal to you?

[staknhalo]

Try explaining that to your cable company and see what they say. Or you could ask an attorney.

On a side note, it's always nice to receive the same response from a cable thief. Every time a cable thief gets called out, it's the same story: "I'm not stealing anything." It's amusing. How about I steal that person's car? I'll use the excuse "I didn't steal anything."

So you're telling me it's illegal to plug a cable wire that I own into a cable jack in a house that I own and turn the TV on that I own??? Tell me, what part of that sounds illegal to you?

You're paying them for only internet. Even if you can receive ANY TV over that line, you do not pay them for any TV service; therefore it's theft plain and simple. Some people say "well it's not their fault x cable company didn't encrypt the signal" which is equivalent to saying if you steal a car, and the door wasn't locked, it's not considered grand theft auto. Like the door being unlocked gave you a right to take the car. It doesn't. The same way being able to get a cable signal without paying for it doesn't give you the right to do so.

What you are doing is illegal. I don't care what you do; but don't delude yourself.

[erkotz]

As others have mentioned, using the cable TV wire for television if you are not paying for cable TV service is considered Theft of Service by cable operators.

From a technical aspect, the InfiniTV works fine for ClearQAM programming without a CableCARD.