Will a Analogue Box (jerrald) Work on a Digital line?

phully · 01-07-2004, 08:30

Hey all

We all know that the digital line sends down a number of analogue signals, i believe there is a thread somewhere that shows u how to get channel 1-5 by splitting your digi cable and going into the TV.

My question is that if you have a old analogue box will that work on the line, is there such thing as a digital line and an analogue on?

Any ideas are appriciated.

bob_builder · 01-07-2004, 09:24

No differenence between anlogue cable and digital cable. The question is, however, what would an analogue box decode without a valid card that you could not get in any case?

quadplay · 01-07-2004, 09:38

Some channels (BBC 1 & 2, ITV1 & 2, and channels 4 & 5 in most areas) are broadcast unencrypted in analogue, but (Terms & Conditions aside) there's no advantage of using an analogue box over just plugging the cable into a TV.

dilligaf1701 · 01-07-2004, 09:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo

Some channels (BBC 1 & 2, ITV1 & 2, and channels 4 & 5 in most areas) are broadcast unencrypted in analogue, but (Terms & Conditions aside) there's no advantage of using an analogue box over just plugging the cable into a TV.

Well I never knew that!!!

So - what you're saying is - I could just plug the cable I've got upstairs (that used to be in my cable modem - assuming I can get some sort of converter) and get some TV stations?

MMMmmm - I may have to do that.

phully · 01-07-2004, 10:00

Hey guys cheers for the info, was just seeking some information. A friend on mine just moved into his new place, just got NTL broadband and i have an old jerrold box (unused since my upgrade to digital) what i wanted to know is would it give him more channels (free ones and that) than what he can have by just plugging the coax into his TV using an adapter?

Oh so what your saying is the line into my house is both analogue and digital, or it carries both signals right?

ian@huth · 01-07-2004, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Well I never knew that!!!

So - what you're saying is - I could just plug the cable I've got upstairs (that used to be in my cable modem - assuming I can get some sort of converter) and get some TV stations?

MMMmmm - I may have to do that.

Depends on whether the cable has been disconnected at the cab.

**Chris** · 01-07-2004, 10:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Well I never knew that!!!

So - what you're saying is - I could just plug the cable I've got upstairs (that used to be in my cable modem - assuming I can get some sort of converter) and get some TV stations?

MMMmmm - I may have to do that.

Yup, we did this for a couple of years before getting ntl digital. Our TV was tuned into all five free analogue channels just as if the wire plugged into it was running down from a rooftop aerial. At the very beginning it was also picking up L!ve TV as well, although we never bothered with it. And for the last three months, for some reason it was picking up E4 unencrypted as well. The engineer who installed our digital service wasn't surprised at this - he said it is common for analogue subscription channels to appear and disappear unencrypted at random and he had rolled up at more than one house to find it tuned in to free p0rn (a la Joey and Chandler in Friends!).

AFAIK, it is a condition of any cableco's franchise licence that they must continue to serve any house that has ever had an active cable service with the free-to-air analogue channels.

bob_builder · 01-07-2004, 10:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Well I never knew that!!!

So - what you're saying is - I could just plug the cable I've got upstairs (that used to be in my cable modem - assuming I can get some sort of converter) and get some TV stations?

MMMmmm - I may have to do that.

Assuming there is no filter in the modem cable that would remove the relevant UHF frequencies, yes.

dilligaf1701 · 01-07-2004, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

Yup, we did this for a couple of years before getting ntl digital. Our TV was tuned into all five free analogue channels just as if the wire plugged into it was running down from a rooftop aerial. At the very beginning it was also picking up L!ve TV as well, although we never bothered with it. And for the last three months, for some reason it was picking up E4 unencrypted as well. The engineer who installed our digital service wasn't surprised at this - he said it is common for analogue subscription channels to appear and disappear unencrypted at random and he had rolled up at more than one house to find it tuned in to free p0rn (a la Joey and Chandler in Friends!).

AFAIK, it is a condition of any cableco's franchise licence that they must continue to serve any house that has ever had an active cable service with the free-to-air analogue channels.

I think i'll go out later and see if I can find a converter then

bob_builder · 01-07-2004, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by phully

Hey guys cheers for the info, was just seeking some information. A friend on mine just moved into his new place, just got NTL broadband and i have an old jerrold box (unused since my upgrade to digital) what i wanted to know is would it give him more channels (free ones and that) than what he can have by just plugging the coax into his TV using an adapter?

Unless you still have an active analogue decryption card, I do not think you would get any more channels

Quote:

Originally Posted by phully

Oh so what your saying is the line into my house is both analogue and digital, or it carries both signals right?

The analogue and digital signals travel on the same cable at different frequencies.

dilligaf1701 · 01-07-2004, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_builder

Assuming there is no filter in the modem cable that would remove the relevant UHF frequencies, yes.

Dunno where the filter would be? The cable comes straight out of a small white box on the wall near mycomputer - but it's a screwthread end - so I'm going to go to maplin and see if I can something that turns it into a coax one.

ian@huth · 01-07-2004, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I think i'll go out later and see if I can find a converter then

Homebase and Maplins sell them so I would presume B&Q and other similar outlets do.

phully · 01-07-2004, 10:07

Don't even think the old analogue box takes a card??? Think you just plug it in, but you obviously have to subscribe to it, i assume.

Its weird coz a friend of mine can just about pick up Sky 1 through his normal TV Aerial! Strange huh!

**Chris** · 01-07-2004, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by phully

Don't even think the old analogue box takes a card??? Think you just plug it in, but you obviously have to subscribe to it, i assume.

Its weird coz a friend of mine can just about pick up Sky 1 through his normal TV Aerial! Strange huh!

Strange to me as I don't understand technically how it happens, but not unusual. As I said above, we used to get E4 for free before we subscribed to digital.

phully · 01-07-2004, 10:10

Haha E4 thats quite cool.