Fox Sports 1

When Fox switched the channel from Speed it also moved to digital only in the process.  Our sales team will have promotional incentives to upgrade to digital receivers to help offset any inconvenience this issue has caused.

Chris, I appreciate your reply.  I understand the channel is digital, but why wont it tune-in if my TV has a QAM tuner (which works for other digital channels)?

Matt

Short answer, it's not a clear QAM channel.  Encrypted digital only.

Thanks again for the info.  That at least explains why it wont tune in.

Why though?  Is this just to force customers to purchase Cox receiver / set-top box?  (FS1 says this is not required by them contractually.)  Are there any other options for receiving FS1 with Cox.

Channel placement including such things as what tier of service a channel is place in usually are stipulated in the retransmission concent terms.  This is a channel which is not obtainable via antenna  and therefore encrypted in transit.  I'm not sure why Speed wasn't that way as how I believe the same situation applied.

Chris, I really appreciate your reply and the information.

I guess I'm still confused as to who is forcing the channel to be encrypted and thus preventing it from working using a TV with a QAM tuner.  As a cable (not broadcast) channel, I don't think FS1 would be covered by Retransmission Consent.  I realize there must be a Carry Agreement between Cox and FS1.  FS1 says they aren't enforcing encryption.  (I realize what they are telling me could be wrong.  Basically, they said that for the time being, the terms for the former Speed channel agreement remain in place until something new is negotiated.)

Anyway, It is confusing to me because I do get several "cable" channels (CNN, ESPN, etc.) without a problem, perhaps because they are still being received via analog?  But, I also get some digital channels (like C-SPAN 2/3) using on a QAM tuner.  

I know the FCC policy on encryption changed late last year, but I don't recall a Cox notification of how that would change delivery.

As a bottom line though, are you saying that it wont be possible to view FS1 without a Cox receiver?  There are no other options?

Thanks again,

Matt

A receiver is required to view this channel.  Only over the air channels are required to be transmitted without encrypition, everything else is subject to the carrier or network.  As far as we are concerned most analog channels are also sent clear QAM but there are some exceptions.

mattm said:

Chris, I appreciate your reply.  I understand the channel is digital, but why wont it tune-in if my TV has a QAM tuner (which works for other digital channels)?

Matt

Because it is encrypted. The other stations you mentioned are either analog or ClearQAM digital.

mattm said:

Thanks again for the info.  That at least explains why it wont tune in.

Why though?  Is this just to force customers to purchase Cox receiver / set-top box?  (FS1 says this is not required by them contractually.)  

Encrypting Fox Sports 1 is the easiest way to prevent those on the "Starter" tier from receiving it.

mattm said:

As a bottom line though, are you saying that it wont be possible to view FS1 without a Cox receiver?  There are no other options?

Thanks again,

Matt

A CableCARD and a compatible TV or 3rd party receiver (such as TiVo) will work, too.

Maybe they took Fox Sports from y'all and brought it to the Hampton Roads, VA customers.  I hope they take it back because they replaced SPEED with this nonsense.  I may now switch my service provider.

I don't think Cox or any provider had an option on that.  The Speed Channel was essentially discontinued by Fox Sports Media, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_(TV_channel).

hoowasat said:

Maybe they took Fox Sports from y'all and brought it to the Hampton Roads, VA customers.  I hope they take it back because they replaced SPEED with this nonsense.  I may now switch my service provider.

Nobody will have "Speed." It no longer exists.