For years, if you had a cable connection running into your home, you could just plug the cable straight into your TV, call your provider and get the most basic cable channels without the hassle of a set-top box. Heck, you could usually score a handful of unscrambled channels without paying anything. But a recent FCC ruling gave providers the go-ahead encrypt their basic cable signals, meaning they can require you get a set-top box. [More]
basic cable
Cablevision: It's Impossible To Hook Up Basic Service Without A Converter Box
By 2.22.09
Cablevision told Chris that his boss’ 95-year-old uncle couldn’t receive basic service without a cable box, “no matter what.” Chris, who installs home theaters, knew that his uncle’s cable-ready tv didn’t require a cable box. Pointing this out to Cablevision’s customer service representative, however, was apparently “disrespectful.”
