Comcrap and the Cable Boxes

So despite my best efforts that pricey new TV will be rendered worthless thanks to an initiative by Comcast or Xfinity or whoever they are this week. As part of their Digital Now initiative, they are moving entirely to a digital signal. That's not the issue, the issue is that every channel over 29ish will be encrypted. So much for all those fancy new QAM/ATSC tuners in your new TV! Unless you have one of the 8 devices that are equipped with CableCard or are SDV compatible you'll have to use a set top box... yeah, like in the 80's... frick yeah! Oh, and thanks to the outrageous restrictions imposed by the government's CableCard implementation manufacturers aren't so keen on making these special tuners. Heck, Microsoft wasn't able to open this up for Media Center until Windows 7 was released (ok, there was very limited deployment with Vista but only with special hardware). Now there's a whole 2 manufacturers that make compatible tuners for PC's. For the lucky rest of us you'll either get a standard definition box from Comcast or have to pay $$ for a HD box. If you have more than 3 "TV's" you'll have to pay $2.99 for each additional device or CableCard. Heck, my HTPC has 3 tuners in it right now. That doesn't include my 4 TV's which brings the grand total to 7 tuner equivalents. My cheap butt won't pay the extra cash for all that extra crap. *sigh*

For now I guess I'll take my 3 "free" standard definition boxes and see how this crap goes. It may be time to invest in a decent over-the-air antenna and drop "the pig". I love my television but I like cash more.