Is the BOX necessary for the BASIC CABLE package?

Fri, Mar 23. 2012

Editor: Digital TV, or DTV, is a new format for broadcast television that allows high-definition video (HDTV) and surround-sound audio to be sent over the air for free, without cable or satellite service.{{more}}

Any Television set built from 1994 to 2003/04 had two types of Tuners, an Analog and a Semi digital. When a coaxial cable is connected to it you were given two setup options (Air or Cable) Air for the use of an Antenna for free to air service which gives you from channels 2 – 17/19 and Cable from 2 – 125. So those Television Sets from 1994 and older, if being used today will require additional equipment to be able carry the new digital signal. Television sets built 2003/04 to date have full Digital Tuner, hence they require no additional equipment.

DTV uses less bandwidth than analog TV. Regulators are reallocating that bandwidth for other purposes, such as advanced internet wireless and emergency public safety services.

If you watch television via satellite or cable, you won’t be affected by the switch from Analog to Digital T.V. Satellite signals are already digital, while cable providers will continue to transmit the channels in their lineups the old way

The latest country to make the switch from Analog to Digital in North America is Canada

The Government of Canada and the CRTC mandated that over-the-air television transmission switch from analogue to digital in many parts of Canada on August 31, 2011. Karib Cable introduced the BOX in St. Vincent and the Grenadines long before, and we in St Vincent and the Grenadines were viewing City TV, one of the Canadian Stations that switched in August 2011. How can it be possible that we needed THE BOX to view CITY TV before they made the switch to Digital TV?

If you subscribe to cable or satellite to watch TV, the switch to digital over-the-air transmission won’t affect you receiving the service.

The vast majority of persons in North America will not be affected by the change. That’s because 93% of North Americans today receive their TV signals by cable or satellite provider.

The switch to digital affects only television viewers who receive their TV signals using an outdoor antenna or “rabbit ears”. If you’re one of those viewers, you may need either a digital converter box or a television with a built-in digital tuner in order to continue watching over-the-air television. Alternatively, you may want to consider receiving your TV services from a cable, satellite or other service provider.

If Karib Cable is affected by the changes in North America, then how is it SVG TV, which is an analog Station which broadcasts North American Television Networks to us in St. Vincent and the Grenadines Free to Air and we are not ask to get special equipment to receive the signal.

I hereby conclude that THE BOX is not necessary and should be removed from the BASIC CABLE package. If an individual wishes to have the additional packages from Karib Cable, then they will apply for such.

With the Box on the basic service and you have two Televisions in your house and you would like to have the Basic cable service on both of them, its going to cost you $4.29 per month extra in Electricity bill (VAT Not inclusive) plus the $10.00 for the extra BOX.

Just think about the Hotel and Tourism industry.

The BOX is not necessary for the BASIC CABLE package.

Lincoln E. Prescott