Cable internet question

[Tullphan]

I presently have DSL, however it's $59.95/month + my normal phone charges (~$45/month). The only other DSL option is thru another company that is $10/month cheaper, however they have a 10mb limit on downloads (don't know if it's a week or a month).
Cable internet is now being offered here. It's $40.95/month + $5/month for the modem (this is assuming one is already subscribing to cable TV, otherwise it's $10/month more). I'm already paying $47/month for their services after a recent $5/month increase. I know these rates are high, but what's the saying?? "Supply & demand"?
My question is, suppose one doesn't want the cable TV but does want the cable internet (which IS possible). Can one hook an amplified splitter to the line & perhaps get a cable signal on their television? Would the cable company in all their glory & technologically advanced gadgets be able to recognize this?
TIA!

 

[glowninja]

It's usually more money to get cable internet only, primarily because you get tv signal too, so yes, you can run a splitter off (did this myself for awhile). If you can get a deal, like 3 mos internet for 20 bux, go for it, you should be able to hook up the TV too. If you're going to go cable internet for the long run, you're better off paying for television service as well as net access. Buy rather than rent the modem too, they're pretty cheap now.

 

[Links4me]

I have cable internet and it costs $7.50/month for basic cable, but then you get a $5 discount off cable internet for having the cable. Someone was telling me that they got a letter and the cable company is going to start charging like $15 more for people who have cable internet and no cable tv.....so for me it was worth it to pay for the cable tv as well....

 

[Links4me]

oops, I didn't mention that I pay $41.95 for cable internet....

 

[Tullphan]

I guess what I needed to know is, assuming one doesn't subscribe to cable TV, but does subscribe to cable internet. Could one use an amplified splitter & get both internet & TV?

 

[FracturedSoul]

Probably not I would think.... an issue off the top of my head would be SNR. You amplify a signal, that's great.. but any noise gets amplicated along with it, may end up being more noise then a decent connection will allow. I guess you could try, just no gaurentees.

 

[Bglad]

My cable company set mine up that way when they did the install. Of course I pay for both and not doing so would be dishonest.

 

[onemo]

Since you mention that your local cable company offers broadband, they are probably using those addressable digital cable boxes. So you would only get the channels that you subscribe to (in your case none since you don't have a box or subsciption).

However, in my area if you go into a home (with no cable box) and connect to the cable you get the basic free channels (abc, nbc, fox, pbs, etc...) regardless. If you have at least 1 cable box in the home, the other outlets in the home will have the free channels plus a couple of the expanded tier (scifi, pax, etc..). Of course that's just my area, I have no idea about other locations.

 

[Praetor]

Okay, speaking from my position as a cable guy ....

What you're asking is this: "Is it possible to only have cable internet, and add on a signal amplifier to the television to receive regular cable television without subscribing to it?"

The answer in a nutshell is no.

The long answer is most cable systems that offer high speed internet (HSI) over cable lines now have specific filters that they install at the service tap that block out the signal ranges that carry the video feed but still allow the forward/reverse paths for data. Specifically HSI but occasionally digital video cable feeds as well, depending on the system and/or filter used. The success rate of the latter is incredibly low due to a number of factors including the fact that all digital cable boxes are addressable and can be shut off remotely from the office.

A signal amplifier only amplifies the existing signal. And since the signal range for video is being blocked before the feed to the house and the amplifier, there would be no video feed for your amplifier to, well, amplify. You'd be increasing your amount of static if anything.

Also keep in mind that you do not want to have an amplifier before the cable modem, if you get that idea. (should go feed to house to a 2-way splitter. one leg going to HSI the other to other splitters/amplifier)

Anyway. Have any other questions?

 

[Workin']

I pay for cable internet but not cable TV. However, the cable company never put the filter on the line, so I get free basic cable. I don't feel bad about it, I called them twice about it because I don't want to be accused of stealing their signal. But they can really just kiss my a$$ if they think I am going to call them repeatedly, each time spending more than an hour on hold, to fix their mistake that doesn't affect me.

I also have satellite TV so I don't even look at the cable TV signal, but it's there if I want it.

 

[mastertech01]

My Cable Internet REQUIRES Expanded basic to even get it.