Cable modems and cable

[capybara]

If, theoretically, you had a cable modem hooked up, with a box that had 2 jacks (one that said "cable" and one that said "modem"), and at the time you did not have a television so perhaps the guys did not disable something (or there were no way to, but it's a trade secret?), and then you did get a TV and discovered that you had full-blown cable though the box, what would be, strictly hypothetically, the deal with that? Is this just an unspoken bonus of cable modems that we shouldn't be aware of? A friend in SF, similarly got cable modem in a theoretical sense and was told that he could not have both cable and cable-modem signal (and had to choose), but he hooked up a splitter and voila (was the cable modem guy just trying to dissuade him from trying it in the first place?). Is there any way that the cable company could know that you were booting cable tv, or is the signal impossible to differentiate from the computer data signal? Is it just impossible for the tv cable companies to disable that signal if you're using a modem to unscramble data?

[CnoteChris]

Is there any way that the cable company could know that you were booting cable tv?

Outside of coming inside your house and seeing your tube tuned to a cable channel, no.

[yabob]

A cautionary tale that's floating around out there:

http://www.geocities.com/flutocracy/cablemodem.htm

Frankly, I haven't gone through that entire account in detail, and I imagine the cable providers now have their act together better regarding people who purchase cable modem service but not cable tv. You're probably on shaky ground if you are getting tv service you didn't pay for, however easily.

[Chronos]

I always understood that it was a package deal: You pay them your $50 a month or whatever the price is, and in return, you get both fast internet and cable TV access. It may be in that hypothetical situation you describe, that the cable guy just didn't bother explaining that part, since the hypothetical customer didn't have a TV anyway. Then again, I've never needed to consider cable for either purpose (no TV, and on-campus LAN access), so I wouldn't necessarily know.

[yabob]

There are different deals available from different vendors. @home's info page claims "you are not obligated to subscribe to a cable TV service to receive @home". Presumably, if you didn't pay for it, it's theft of service to be watching it. How easy it is for them to catch you, and how obligated the provider is to physically prevent delivery of the cable tv content is another story. That story I posted the link to is an extreme case, but entertaining.

[Balthisar]

Originally posted by M.K.
If, theoretically, you had a cable modem hooked up, with a box that had 2 jacks (one that said "cable" and one that said "modem"), and at the time you did not have a television so perhaps the guys did not disable something (or there were no way to, but it's a trade secret?), and then you did get a TV and discovered that you had full-blown cable though the box, what would be, strictly hypothetically, the deal with that? Is this just an unspoken bonus of cable modems that we shouldn't be aware of? A friend in SF, similarly got cable modem in a theoretical sense and was told that he could not have both cable and cable-modem signal (and had to choose), but he hooked up a splitter and voila (was the cable modem guy just trying to dissuade him from trying it in the first place?). Is there any way that the cable company could know that you were booting cable tv, or is the signal impossible to differentiate from the computer data signal? Is it just impossible for the tv cable companies to disable that signal if you're using a modem to unscramble data?

I have Comcast@Home, but was never a cable customer, 'cos DirecTV was so much better. BUT, Comcast charges me about $10 extra per month because I'm *not* a cable customer. So, I disconnected the DirecTV (saving $30 per month), and suffer with basic cable (which costs a whopping $35 per month for those who pay!) that comes down the same pipe. I don't think I'm supposed to use it, but I figure if they surcharge me, I'm not stealing.

[Balthisar]

Originally posted by yabob
A cautionary tale that's floating around out there:

http://www.geocities.com/flutocracy/cablemodem.htm

Hmmm.... I've just read this link. Very interesting tale. I recall that about one month after having my service installed (I was still on the satellite), Comcast Cablevision had come and disconnected my service. Comcast@Home fixed it the next day, and explained that it was "bound to happen" because Comcast Cablevision and Comcast@Home were being run as two separate companies!

Recently I've started getting separate bills from Comcast Cablevision with an account number, and the balance due is always $0.00. So at least I know that in their metro-Detroit service area, Comcast Cablevision knows that I'm supposed to be hooked up!