Comcast confirms: Yes, we’re encrypting basic cable now

[Pardus]

Source

Comcast customers, get ready for yet another TV transition: The cable provider has started to alert its customers in some markets that it is about to encrypt their basic cable signals, forcing them to order a digital adapter if they want to continue to receive basic programming through the service. Comcast is making adapters available for free in select markets, and the company even has a model that works with third-party set-top boxes — but some users could still be left in the dark.

Consumers who already use a Comcast-provided set-top box on all of their TV sets don’t have to worry, their service will continue to work as before. But if you have a TV in your den that’s hooked up to your cable outlet without a set-top box, then you’re going to have to get an adapter to keep it working.

Comcast is contacting consumers ahead of the transition, offering them up to two digital TV adapters for free for two years. These adapters are small boxes that come with their own remote control and are connected to a TV set with a coaxial (antenna) cable. Remember the converter boxes that consumers had to buy to receive over-the-air digital TV on old TV sets? It kind of works like that, except the sole purpose of this device is to descramble Comcast’s cable signals.

Comcast confirmed the move towards encrypted basic cable when contacted by GigaOM, and a spokesperson sent us the following statement via email:

“We are beginning to proactively notify customers in select markets that we will begin to encrypt limited basic channels as now permitted by last year’s FCC B1 Encryption Order. While the vast majority of our customers won’t be impacted because they already have digital equipment connected to their TVs, we understand this will be a change for a small number of customers and will be making it as convenient as possible for them to get the digital equipment they may need to continue watching limited basic channels.”
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The company is also making a help page available online that goes into some of the details of the offering.

Cable companies have long lobbied for the right to encrypt basic cable channels, arguing that this will prevent cable theft and simplify remote management of their equipment. They succeeded last year when the FCC ruled that they could start to encrypt basic cable, as long as they provide consumers with some help during the transition.

The company also struck a separate agreement with Boxee to provide owners of the Boxee Cloud DVR with access to its encrypted basic feeds — and the new Boxee device also happens to be the first one that’s compatible with a new DLNA-based adapter that streams TV signals via an Ethernet connection.

However, Comcast’s adapters won’t work with Boxee’s old live TV dongle, which the company introduced a little over a year ago to bring live TV to the original Boxee Box. Also left in the dark are customers who use any other kind of digital TV adapter for their PC that are based on coaxial inputs, like the Elgato EyeTV. The last resort for many of these consumers may just be to invest in an antenna.

 

[shortylickens]

I coulda sworn all digital cable was encrypted, premium or not.

Shows what I know.

 

[irishScott]

As long as I can watch what I want on the internet, as I currently can (one way or another) I have zero use for cable. Broadcast for sports/important stuff, internet for everything else. Fuck cable.

 

[dbk]

I didn't realize that you can still get SD set top boxes from comcast.. wow! Even the local channels are shit quality..

 

[gorcorps]

I coulda sworn all digital cable was encrypted, premium or not.

Shows what I know.

I don't know about encrypted, but comcast already made my parents get little boxes for any TV they wanted cable on so I'm not sure what's different. They haven't been able to plug directly into the wall for a year or so now

 

[thedarkwolf]

Well this could be a problem for my HTPC

 

[Gooberlx2]

I don't know about encrypted, but comcast already made my parents get little boxes for any TV they wanted cable on so I'm not sure what's different. They haven't been able to plug directly into the wall for a year or so now

Two years now I'm pretty sure, for our household anyway (until we went with Dish some months ago). Yeah, this doesn't seem like new news.

Well this could be a problem for my HTPC

Don't most HTPC software provide some sort of IR blaster feature to be able to use STBs?

 

[SlitheryDee]

Don't most HTPC software provide some sort of IR blaster feature to be able to use STBs?

Yes, but I wonder if cards with multiple tuners will still be able to simultaneously record more than one channel.

 

[Aikouka]

I don't know about encrypted, but comcast already made my parents get little boxes for any TV they wanted cable on so I'm not sure what's different. They haven't been able to plug directly into the wall for a year or so now

They made me do the same, but it sure as hell wasn't a "little box" ... damn thing was big like XBOX!

...mm that joke might be a bit too old.

Yes, but I wonder if cards with multiple tuners will still be able to simultaneously record more than one channel.

You mean like the Ceton card? I use it now with Comcast without any problems. Although, I do notice weird black lines randomly appearing on my encrypted channels such as HBO.

 

[Markbnj]

Two years now I'm pretty sure, for our household anyway (until we went with Dish some months ago). Yeah, this doesn't seem like new news.


Don't most HTPC software provide some sort of IR blaster feature to be able to use STBs?

There are two different layers involved here. The transition you guys are thinking of was the switch from analog to digital signals. The coax that the cableco runs from the pole to your house is a conduit for RF. In the early days of cable the RF coming over the pipe represented analog television signals. Over time as cable added additional channels and services they began to transition from analog to digital signals. The big switch a couple of years ago is when they stopped transmitting analog signals for the "basic" (lower 23 or so) channels. At that point if you still wanted to receive analog TV (to feed an older set, or whatever) you had to buy a box that received the digital signal and output an analog signal.

Encryption is concerned with how the digital signals are transmitted (there was "encryption" for the old analog signals, too, it was called scrambling). All the premium cable channels have been sent in encrypted digital encoding for years now. The set top box (or a cable card) was required to decode the encrypted stream. But most of the "standard" channels were not encrypted. They were "clear" signals. Four or five years ago I could get around 123 channels of "clear" digital TV from Comcast here in NJ. I used an HD Homerun to pipe it to Media Center. But over time Comcast has been encrypting more and more of those "standard" digital channels. A year or so ago I was down to the bottom 23. This recent news is to inform everyone that they're going to encrypt those channels too.

 

[GT1999]

Please bear with me, since this is VOD-centric, but I think many of you might find this benifical...

VOD has been encrypted to stop people from tuning into certain RF frequencies to view content being viewed by other subscribers on the same node. It did not always used to be this way up until maybe 3-4 years ago.

Comcast uses a vendor called Harmonic for Edge delivery on VOD, which is basically an EdgeQAM device that transfers IP MPEG data to RF and dispurses it to the home. Each of these EdgeQAMs are (usually) a Linux driven 2U rackmount device, usually with 6 1Gbps Ethernet connections tied into Cisco 7609s, all coming from Cisco "content pumps", also running Linux.

Each Harmonic EdgeQAM syncs up with an MCT server (Windows Server) that handles the encrypted license keys obtained by Motorola. To the last of my knowledge, they switched over to 2048-bit keys that update every hour. The MCTs, or Mass Configuration Tools are basically a config repository for the EdgeQAMs that can allow a single user to make configuration changes to hundreds of EdgeQAMs feeling millions of customers on the fly with ease. This along with the Cisco side of this is basically just what you would call network capacity augmentation. Each QAM that is configured on a Harmonic EdgeQAM costs money, just like all the content does (why do you think they bought out NBC Universal with a majority share?)

I refuse to admit to how I know all of this, but this is just part of how the VOD side works.

In most Comcast markets, 8 QAMs are used on a specific node feeding thousands of customers. 8 QAMs equates to 80 SD streams. HD streams take up more bandwidth, or more QAMs. Each QAM is exactly 3.8Mbps. So your "crappy" SD streams are 3.8Mbps. HD streams I believe are approximately 12Mbps. Comcast is also in the works of rolling out nDVR, which will eliminate the need for a local HDD at your house. They plan to use an additional 4 QAMs per node for this, bringing it to 12 QAMs total using 12 separate frequencies just for VOD alone. Each time you order a piece of VOD content, or even just use your box in general, it is given sets of TSID values. In most markets, if you divide this number by 8, you will get your "Service Group" number which is basically just a numeric representation of the node you are on, and so that the IP MPEG content knows where to stream. You can actually check these with the Comcast remote.

HSI is a completely different animal but soon may be transitioned to EdgeQAMs as well. This is how Comcast was able to demonstrate 1Gbps speeds with a DOCSIS modem. I know for a fact, because ... well ... I'd rather not say.

Due to the ever increasing needs of HD content, the entire content system was overhauled a couple of years ago to the Cisco pumps I mentioned previously, which tie directly into the Comcast Corporate network through a regional CRAN network, basically composed of Cisco 7609's with 3BXL 720 sups to support higher bandwidth and jumbo frames for multicast. Also surprisingly, all of these "regional core" routers are tied together with 10 or 40Gig fiber links using mere static routing.

There my mini-rant on my Engineering knowledge of the Comcast VOD network.

If you'd like to know more, PM me. When I presented this to my current employer (plus more), everybody's jaws in the room dropped. I had to draw the entire network topology over two white boards and it took me half a day to explain how it all worked.

EDIT: And just to stay on topic, if they are going to implement true encryption, not just digital everywhere, it would not take much to have the Edge linear video devices to do the same thing with keys. A matter of fact, I'm pretty sure they do in digital markets. Unfortunately my knowledge of linear video isn't that strong. But you're most likely in a Motorola or Scientific Atlanta (now Cisco) market, where they would distribute the keys in a similar fashion as to how the MCT sends keys to the VOD EdgeQAMs I would imagine. This is probably why they are requiring the converter box, something that can handle encryption, along with the obvious reason -- the be able to receive a digital stream.

 

[Sukhoi]

I assume this is going to also affect clear HD of the "broadcast" channels? Most of the information seems to be regarding people with 25 yr old TVs watching SD.

The area I live in is in a valley so I cannot get any signal over antenna. :'(

 

[kamikazekyle]

I assume this is going to also affect clear HD of the "broadcast" channels? Most of the information seems to be regarding people with 25 yr old TVs watching SD.

The area I live in is in a valley so I cannot get any signal over antenna. :'(

Over the air (OTA) broadcasts received via antenna are unaffected. But standard "broadcast" channels that you refer to coming over a cable connection are now going to be encrypted. So, in your case, you'll now need to use a company-provided or company-approved cable box or CableCARD to get any TV service at all (beyond internet streaming or physical media, of course).

I believe reading on Ars indicated that the companies are legally obliged to off an individual a free SD set top box, but they can charge rental fees for HD boxes (or DVRs, etc) or other SD boxes beyond the first.

Mark already covered the two different changes -- the first you're referring to as "people with 25 year old TVs" is the analog -> digital conversion. This one is new, outright encrypting ALL channels.

Some TVs actually have support for CableCARDs built-in, so renting a CableCARD from the provider would be all these people would need. There's also CableCARD devices/expansion cards for media center PCs, though it'd probably be cheaper to pay the rental fee and use an IR blaster while routing the cable box's output to the PC. Most PC-centric CableCARD stuff is kinda expensive, but YMMV dpending on your provider and equipment, of course.

 

[Colt45]

Dying industry is going to die regardless.

 

[bruceb]

Can't speak directly to Comcast, but last summer Cablevision turned off the Analog Channels and forced the need for a set top box for each tv set. Needless to say, I was not happy, since with the analog channels, I could easily do Picture In Picture using the cable box and my VCR or TV Tuner. Can't do that anymore. And I can't set the cable box to switch channels when it needs to, in order to be able to record (for that, they want me to go to a DVR box at an additional $10 per month)

 

[Mixolydian]

Comcast eliminated analog/non-encrypted cable here back in 2010, all TV's must have a box whether it's an STB or a DTA.

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah, this is nothing new where I live. We've had to use those obnoxious Comcast digital adapter boxes in my area since 2011. If you just try to plug the TV directly into the cable, I think that I get about 3 channels now. Most of the unscrambled channels (both HD and SD) are gone.

The thing that really sucks is that the digital adapter boxes are SD only. If you want an HD cable box (and most people do), those are extra.

 

[Mixolydian]

The thing that really sucks is that the digital adapter boxes are SD only. If you want an HD cable box (and most people do), those are extra.

It's interesting: I found out a few months ago that, at least in my area, an HD DVR box is cheaper than an HD box without DVR. :hmm:

 

[sze5003]

They charge an extra 10 bucks for an hd box. I just have their digital preferred package which is crap anyway. My bill was about 90 a month with the hd box. I returned it for an sd box as I don't watch much tv and on the size of my tv it doesn't bother me. Then I called and complained and I think they took some money off because every now and then they like to hike up the bill for no reason. I've had to exchange the boxes 4 times before I got a working one.

 

[JTsyo]

One of the reasons I was looking to move from cable to Aereo (Basic channels over IP). The other of course being cost. Cablevision had done this months ago.

 

[sze5003]

I'm going to look into that see if it's available in my area.

 

[Exterous]

Comcast eliminated analog/non-encrypted cable here back in 2010, all TV's must have a box whether it's an STB or a DTA.

I lost mine last year around this time. Want anything other than OTA? Get a box/card

 

[mmntech]

Record numbers of people are ditching cable in favour of IP based, on demand television. They're willing to pay for it too. The only downside with this is the lack of live content. Live streaming is still a bit wonky but it'll get better. Cable is starting to bleed subscribers and they're trying to patch the damage with data caps but it's not working. It's not what people want. Capitalism: adapt or die.

Problem with the entertainment industry is they're very slow to adapt to new consumer trends. It was almost a decade before we had a legal music download service that was as good as Napster.

 

[SlitheryDee]

You mean like the Ceton card? I use it now with Comcast without any problems. Although, I do notice weird black lines randomly appearing on my encrypted channels such as HBO.

No. I was assuming an analog cable signal. That's what we still get here. In fact, I'm not even sure digital cable is an option yet from my provider. I use a Hauppauge card to get it to my HTPC. If it required a box to descramble an analog signal then there wouldn't be an internal card for it and all you'd have access to is the signal coming out of the box.

 

[lord_emperor]

Comcast is contacting consumers ahead of the transition, offering them up to two digital TV adapters for free for two years.

So basically this will have no impact on anyone except service thieves. Only issue is why only two years and not lifetime? It costs more to recover these boxes than they are worth.