# OTA + Cable...How to?



## dvdvids (Feb 9, 2008)

I cut cable and watch OTA mostly on Roamio.
However, I noticed that there are unscrambled channels still coming in from my cable.
I know Roamio (basic) works with both OTA and Cable... however not sure how to set this up so that I don't have to manually replace coax for OTA and cable? Is there a splitter that works with remote?
Also, how does Roamio take care of channel setups and season passes if we switch between OTA and Cable?

Many thanks!


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## ncfoster (Jan 22, 2011)

If I'm not mistaken, it is now either/or with Roamio Basic. The Premiere had two inputs. OTA seems like an afterthought this time around, unfortunately.


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## Tico (Dec 10, 2002)

Yup,

Either/or. Not both at same time,


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## dvdvids (Feb 9, 2008)

ncfoster said:


> If I'm not mistaken, it is now either/or with Roamio Basic. The Premiere had two inputs. OTA seems like an afterthought this time around, unfortunately.


you're right.. Roamio Basic does not do this natively.

I'm looking for a hack, outside the box trick to accomplish it..I'm looking for folks who managed this without having to *manually *change coax.
I did see a product on amazon - Remote Control A/B Switch for 75 ohm Coax - does this work?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

dvdvids said:


> you're right.. Roamio Basic does not do this natively.
> 
> I'm looking for a hack, outside the box trick to accomplish it..I'm looking for folks who managed this without having to *manually *change coax.
> I did see a product on amazon - Remote Control A/B Switch for 75 ohm Coax - does this work?


I doubt it. When you switch from cable to antenna on the Roamio basic, do you have to re-run guided setup or does the Roamio automatically switch itself over? Unfortunately, I have a Roamio Plus, so I can't really test it myself; but if it's the latter, then something like that might sort-of work, but it would probably screw up your scheduled recordings and be more trouble than it's worth.

Are all of the channels you get OTA not coming in through the cable unscrambled? Usually the channels least likely to be scrambled by the cable company are the local broadcast channels. And if all the locals are coming through the cable, why not just use the cable only?


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## dvdvids (Feb 9, 2008)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I doubt it. When you switch from cable to antenna on the Roamio basic, do you have to re-run guided setup or does the Roamio automatically switch itself over?, -*-when you connect them manually, have to run setup again--* Unfortunately, I have a Roamio Plus, so I can't really test it myself; but if it's the latter, then something like that might sort-of work, but it would probably screw up your scheduled recordings and be more trouble than it's worth. -*-luckily, it does not screw up season pass--*
> 
> Are all of the channels you get OTA not coming in through the cable unscrambled? Usually the channels least likely to be scrambled by the cable company are the local broadcast channels. And if all the locals are coming through the cable, why not just use the cable only? *--unfortunately only a few channels work--*


Not a seamless solution.. but it seems like an option.. just wanted to see if there are others who attempted such a setup!


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Ah I see. So you must have internet from your cable company and they have a trap on the line that isn't totally blocking all of the frequencies of the analog or clearQAM digital channels. You could always just go break into the utility box and remove the trap.


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Ah I see. So you must have internet from your cable company and they have a trap on the line that isn't totally blocking all of the frequencies of the analog or clearQAM digital channels. You could always just *<censored>* utility box and *<censored>* the trap.


If anybody is going to do such a thing, I'd advise/warn that the cablecos can detect signal egress caused by doing such a thing, as well as many of them routinely looking for evidence of such tampering, and/or driving by at night checking for evidence of cable signals in residences that shouldn't have such signal frequencies inside the residence. Many cablecos also routinely inspect their junctions/utility-boxes, and have a record of who the last tech was inside them, and/or details that specify a tech installed a trap, as well as who that tech was.

My biggest piece of advice is: *Don't talk about theft/circumvention in the open here.* There's other forums where you won't get a moderator mad discussing such things.

Your post is very likely to be deleted by a mod here, and likely this one as well, regardless of me trying to stay within the rules.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Because the hardware is not set up for either/or, I doubt the software is.

AFAICT, you would have to redo guided setup every time you switch from one to the other.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

nooneuknow said:


> If anybody is going to do such a thing, I'd advise/warn that the cablecos can detect signal egress caused by doing such a thing, as well as many of them routinely looking for evidence of such tampering, and/or driving by at night checking for evidence of cable signals in residences that shouldn't have such signal frequencies inside the residence. Many cablecos also routinely inspect their junctions/utility-boxes, and have a record of who the last tech was inside them, and/or details that specify a tech installed a trap, as well as who that tech was.
> 
> My biggest piece of advice is: *Don't talk about theft/circumvention in the open here.* There's other forums where you won't get a moderator mad discussing such things.
> 
> Your post is very likely to be deleted by a mod here, and likely this one as well, regardless of me trying to stay within the rules.


I was actually trying to be tongue-in-cheek when I suggested that, but I guess that didn't come off very well. My point was that he's already technically stealing anyway by viewing those channels at all and not paying for them.


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## dvdvids (Feb 9, 2008)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I was actually trying to be tongue-in-cheek when I suggested that, but I guess that didn't come off very well. My point was that he's already technically stealing anyway by viewing those channels at all and not paying for them.


How is it stealing when all I'm doing is putting the existing cable in my apartment into my TV. When/if they scramble all of the channels, I'll stop using it obviously.

Anyways, before the thread is completely derailed, I'm not asking how to get cable, my question is about the way to automate manual change of OTA/cable for Tivo.


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## sldozier (Aug 7, 2005)

As previously posted, the Roamio Basic is not setup to allow both OTA and Cable connectivity simultaneously. When you run the guided setup, you have to choose either OTA or Cable, there's no option to choose both. So even if you found some type of automated switching device to switch the coax input coming into the Roamio, you would have to re-run the guided setup each time you switched. That's a major pain in the rump.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

dvdvids said:


> How is it stealing when all I'm doing is putting the existing cable in my apartment into my TV. When/if they scramble all of the channels, I'll stop using it obviously.


Using a service that you should be paying for is stealing. Just because it is there does not mean it is free, just like electricity when you move into a new apartment. It is ready for you to use, but you still have the obligation to call and set up an account.


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## dvdvids (Feb 9, 2008)

jrtroo said:


> Using a service that you should be paying for is stealing. Just because it is there does not mean it is free, just like electricity when you move into a new apartment. It is ready for you to use, but you still have the obligation to call and set up an account.


That might be your perspective... electricity comparison is irrelevant here.
I used to be a cable subscriber for years and then disconnected.


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## NJ Webel (Dec 8, 2004)

dvdvids said:


> That might be your perspective... electricity comparison is irrelevant here.
> I used to be a cable subscriber for years and then disconnected.


If you used to be an electrical customer and then canceled your account, if the power was still on at your house would you be obligated to pay if you continued to use the electricity?


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## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

There's always people who believe they are above the laws and common sense morality. If a signal is present that you aren't paying for, yet you use it, you are stealing, unless you are given permission by the provider of that signal. That being said, if they're stupid enough to leave it running free, go ahead and use it. Just don't ***** when it does get cut off.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

MScottC said:


> There's always people who believe they are above the laws and common sense morality. If a signal is present that you aren't paying for, yet you use it, you are stealing, unless you are given permission by the provider of that signal. That being said, if they're stupid enough to leave it running free, go ahead and use it. Just don't ***** when it does get cut off.


And no complaining when they back-bill you for the service used, along with any charges they are allowed to track along with it.


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

jrtroo said:


> And no complaining when they back-bill you for the service used, along with any charges they are allowed to track along with it.


Agreed. Cox does do that in my market, if they do an inspection/theft prevention check, and can find, in their records, who installed the trap/filter (and then find it is missing).

Here, a tech can't even open the box without adding a tag with their employee number written in permanent marker, around any line they work with, or otherwise inspect/check.

I'll refrain from further comment, in order to keep the thread on-track.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

What back-asswards cable company is still using traps? On an all-digital system, everything is done remotely by authorizing or de-authorizing the cable boxes from the headend.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Bigg said:


> What back-asswards cable company is still using traps? On an all-digital system, everything is done remotely by authorizing or de-authorizing the cable boxes from the headend.


Not all cable companies have gone all digital. Time Warner Cable for example still sends through about 60 analog channels in many markets, so they still use traps to block those channels.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Not all cable companies have gone all digital. Time Warner Cable for example still sends through about 60 analog channels in many markets, so they still use traps to block those channels.


Wow, that's pretty bad.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Bigg said:


> What back-asswards cable company is still using traps? On an all-digital system, everything is done remotely by authorizing or de-authorizing the cable boxes from the headend.


I thought traps were WAY better. I was able to get HBO long ago with NO box whatsoever... (legally).


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

mattack said:


> I thought traps were WAY better. I was able to get HBO long ago with NO box whatsoever... (legally).


Yeah, but you only got 1 HBO channel back then. Now you get like a dozen of them.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Yeah, but you only got 1 HBO channel back then. Now you get like a dozen of them.


And yet, still nothing on.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

mattack said:


> I thought traps were WAY better. I was able to get HBO long ago with NO box whatsoever... (legally).


In beautiful 300 line SD.


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