Clear QAM Channels Problem, Irvine, Orange County

btx: "Most of the Clear QAM stations went down, Irvine, California. Only channels 5.1 & 13.1 are being received. Channels 2.1, 4.1, 7.1, 9.1, and 11.1 are gone. This started Saturday, Oct. 25. I have 4 separate devices with QAM tuners (2 TVs and 2 DVRs)."

Try the normal ClearQAM virtual channels for those channels: 1002, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1009, 1010,1011, and 1012.

Thanks, Domino, for the reply. I appreciate it.

To tune in 1002, 1004, etc., as you suggested, one must have the HD cable box from Cox. I do not. Cox transmits the Clear QAM local broadcast stations signals down the coax...and until Saturday, all of them came in perfectly. On Saturday, 5 of the 7 major local broadcast stations disappeared.

As I am sure you know, if you have a TV or other device (such as a DVR) that has a built-in Clear QAM tuner, you set it to scan for all Clear QAM stations automatically. 

Los Angeles channels 2, 4, 7, 9, and 11 went dead yesterday morning. No signal. Channels 5 and 13 are still there in their HD Clear QAM format. (There are a few other non-major stations that also are still coming in fine.)

Either something broke yesterday on Cox's end when it comes to pushing the free Clear QAM signals for those 5 stations (hopefully they will fix it tomorrow), or maybe they switched to scrambling them (doubtful since I still get 5 & 13, etc.).

There is no way to tune to virtual channel 1002 or 1004 etc. just using either TV's built-in QAM tuner. (Again, I do not have a Cox HD or any Cox Cable set-top box.)

Hi Stephanie, I do appreciate your reply, and thank you. For years now, Cox Orange County, California, has offered customers without Cox-rented set-top boxes the local TV stations via Free Clear QAM. Forgive me, as I am sure you already know this: If anyone in my area owns a digital TV set that has a built-in Clear QAM tuner, they can get the local stations via this without a Cox-rented set-top box.

For years, all of the major local stations have been received via Clear QAM 24 hours per day...until yesterday morning. Since yesterday morning, 5 of the 7 major stations Clear QAM signals died. (I am still getting channels 5 & 13, and a few other non-major stations, via the Clear QAM signal Cox has provided for years.)

These are not encrypted channels, as you suggested they might be in your reply. These are the local broadcast stations that have been offered via Free Clear QAM signals via Cox for years. And again, I am still getting some of them,

Maybe Cox cut off those 5 stations? Maybe something broke on Cox's end in my area. I posted my original post just in case anyone else in my area either has this issue, or not. Of course I will contact my local Cox office Monday. Thank you again.

btx said:

There is no way to tune to virtual channel 1002 or 1004 etc. just using either TV's built-in QAM tuner. (Again, I do not have a Cox HD or any Cox Cable set-top box.)

No? I do it with my Sony Bravia TV all of the time. In all of San Diego County, and I was told it was the same throughout California, the TV's ClearQAM channel designator was changed (by Cox) to the same channel number as on a STB. For me, ClearQAM KNSD is on 1007. KNSD through a cable box is also on 1007.

Hi Domino,

I guess I should have bought the Sony Bravia!

My Vizio HDTV Digital Tuner Scan only allows up to channel 135. I think my LG 47LE8500 HDTV is the same. On my remotes, I cannot press in a channel over 1000. (Both of my HDTVs were purchased in 2010.)

Here in Irvine, Orange County, all the QAM signals came in in that ch. 1 to 135 Digital Tuner Scan, until Saturday. I still get KTLA Ch. 5 and KCOP Ch. 13 coming in Clear QAM perfectly. Cox did not have any of the Clear QAM's in the 1000 above here ever. If they just changed the 5 stations I can no longer receive (2, 4, 7, 9, and 11) this weekend where one needs a Clear QAM tuner that can pull in channel 1000 and higher, well, they didn't tell me. 

Thank you again, Domino. I appreciate the replies.

btx said:

Hi Domino,

I guess I should have bought the Sony Bravia!

My Vizio HDTV Digital Tuner Scan only allows up to channel 135. I think my LG 47LE8500 HDTV is the same. On my remotes, I cannot press in a channel over 1000. (Both of my HDTVs were purchased in 2010.)

***, I purchased mine in 2008.What happens when you try to enter 1002 into your TV remote? My neighbor has a Vizio of about the same vintage as yours, and its remote accepts entries such as 1002.

Hi Domino,

The Digital TV Tuners in both my TV's, which cover the QAM band, only scan to channel 135. It will not go higher. 

I called Cox today, as you can imagine I would. Their tech told me that only their customer rented cable boxes or cablecards allow one to tune in channels 1000 and up. I have no cable box or cablecard. If I try to press 1000 or higher using the ATSC or DTV tuner on my TV, it will not tune at all.

Cox told me their QAM stations in my area only resolve to over 1000 if one used their set top box or cablecard.

They confirmed that if the QAM station is tuned using one's built-in TV tuner, it should still resolve to 2.1, 4.1, etc. Just like it has always been.

They want me to rent a box to get the QAMs. I am fed up with Cox here.

So, I bought a $50 antenna and will get my local stations via over the air. And let me tell you, the uncompressed high def from over the air is remarkably clearer and sharper than the compressed high def Cox pushes through.

I can buy a DVR that can record from over the air high def channels. 

I am staying with Cox for Internet. They keep telling me they are going to double my speed to 50 Mbps at no charge, but so far not done yet.

Thanks again.

btx said:

The Digital TV Tuners in both my TV's, which cover the QAM band, only scan to channel 135. It will not go higher.

There is no such thing as a "QAM band." QAM is just a way of modulating signals. I wanted to know what happened when you actually try to enter "1002" into your TV's remote control.

I called Cox today, as you can imagine I would. Their tech told me that only their customer rented cable boxes or cablecards allow one to tune in channels 1000 and up.

And, of course, that is wrong. We've been doing it in San Diego County for years. Other areas, too. Oh well, he was only a tech.

What video package do you have? If you are internet only, Chris is probably right: They finally got around to filtering out some un-needed frequencies.

Thanks Chris & Domino,

I did indeed have the Cox Starter TV Plan. (As you both know, Cox Starter does not require a set-top box.

And of course you are correct that if one just has Cox Internet, Cox will eventually shut down the ability to receive the QAM signals coming down that same cable. 

Anyway, I decided to cancel the Cox Starter, keep the Cox Internet, and buy an Over The Air antenna. (Seems so many are doing this these days.)

Thanks again.

I am in RI, but I happen to have a LG 42LE8500 and will give it a test.

I like Rhode island. 

Yes, switch your TV Input to "TV" of course. See if you can type 1002 or higher on your LG remote and have the TV be able to tune that high. (I was only able to tune channels 1000+ when I had an HD STB from Cox connected via HDMI. I'd switch the Input on my TV from "TV" to "HDMI" (1, 2, or 3, depending which HDMI port I had the cable box plugged into). 

Will test in AM and edit this post with results. Can't test right now since everyone is asleep and I would have to hook cable up to my TV. Would you believe I watch actual TV so little I didn't bother to hook it up after moving?