Do you need cable box for Spectrum

If you're a cable TV subscriber, the time of receiving cable without a box has effectively come to an end.

Do you need cable box for Spectrum?

The reason that all your TVs may currently need a box, even though if you don't subscribe to premium pay channels, is that your cable service has finally gone all-digital and, on top of that, may also be implementing copy-protection (scrambling) on most, or all, its signal feeds going into your home.

Extra Equipment, Extra Cost

This change not only affects what you require to receive your cable TV programming but also add extra costs to your monthly cable bill.If you've got more than one TV in your home and want them to all be able to access basic cable channels independently, each TV will require that you rent a box from your cable provider.

If you have a mix of analog, HD, and 4K Ultra TVs in your house, the box offers both a standard-definition analog RF cable output for connection to the analog TV and an HDMI output for connect to HD or 4K Ultra HD TVs. You can also connect the RF output of the box to an HD or Ultra HD TV, however, that option will only supply a down-converted analog cable signal, in order to access HD, you will require using the HDMI output.

Alternatives to the Cable Box

Faced with increased monthly cable expense, due to box rental, or any increased in monthly service fees, there are ways you can lessen your expense. How to fix Spectrum outage map and charter outage map issues.

Instead of having boxes for all of your TVs, you can opt to keep the cable on your main TV, and consider using an antenna(s) to receive programming on one more of your additional TVs - this will at least give you access to local channels. However, it is important to note that if you use this option on an older, analog TV, you will need to purchase a DTV converter box to receive programming. How to fix Spectrum pay bill and Spectrum activate problems.

If any of your extra TVs is a Smart TV, you can opt to access movies and TV shows through internet streaming. Although, here you may lose access to your local broadcast channels, and may also have to watch many of your favorite shows on a delayed basis. Also, although there are a lot of free internet channels, the "big ones" (Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Hulu, SlingTV) each require their own fees. Moreover, some channels are only indirectly free, as they may need that you also subscribe to an associated cable or satellite service (Fox Now, NBC, CW, ABC, Disney Now).