The basic cable customers are the ones who could have a problem.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24073432/QUOTE
What hasn't been widely publicized is that the transition also will affect some cable subscribers.
There are about 65 million basic cable subscribers in the United States, according to the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. About 37 million of them are digital subscribers, meaning they most likely have a set-top box. Those customers will not be affected by the broadcast transition, regardless of the age of their television.
But the 28 million customers who receive analog service — meaning they probably plug their cable wire straight into the back of their set and do not have a set-top box — may have reason to worry.
(Satellite customers, except in rare instances, aren't affected. Subscribers to Verizon's Fios TV system aren't affected unless they have secondary televisions that are not digitally equipped.)
Cable companies have two options for dealing with their analog customers when broadcasters turn off their non-digital signals.
They can either convert the digital broadcast signal to analog at the transmission source, referred to as the "head end"; or they can make their systems all-digital and supply customers with a set-top box that will convert the signal back to analog for viewing on older TVs.
The government-subsidized converter boxes, meant for use on televisions that get signals through an antenna, will be of no help in this situation.
There was another article the other day stating Comcast may require basic subscribers to get the box. Can't locate the article now.
