Cable converter box

While not an explicit part of signal conversion, many cable converter boxes include forms of descrambling to manage carrier-controlled access restriction to various channels.

Newer cable boxes also tend to come standard with an IEEE 1394 interface (aka "FireWire")[1] and RCA jacks for composite video and stereo audio.

Such commands are referred to as bullets and are a transmitted message which affects the cable box program effectively disabling or "killing" it.

Certain premium channels or services could require an upgrade to a more advanced converter box that was capable of the necessary descrambling method.

Digital transmission is compressed and allows a much greater capacity than analog signals; it almost eliminates interference, which has always been a hindrance to the cable TV industry.

Despite the advance of cable-ready television sets, most users will need a cable box to receive digital channels.

However, customers who do not subscribe to any digital channels can go without; many carriers provide "basic cable" service within the analog range, avoiding the need for distributing a box.

AllVid was a CableCARD replacement proposed by the FCC, intended to provide bidirectional compatibilities such as interactive programming guides, video-on-demand and pay-per-view, since retail CableCARD-ready devices are unable to access such systems.

These are intended to compete with stand-alone DVRs such as TiVo, although the cable provider can exert far more control over the operation of the combination units, leading to undesirable provider-mandated restrictions on the recordability and replayability of programs.

Amateur television (ham TV) operators use the frequencies corresponding to Cable channels 57-60 hooked up to outdoor UHF antennas.

Analog cable-ready televisions and other cable-capable devices (such as VCRs) eliminated many, but not all, applications where cable boxes were needed.

This technology is being integrated into other devices such as DVRs and even personal computers, allowing them to take over all the capabilities of a carrier-provided cable converter box.

AllVid is a CableCARD replacement proposed by the FCC, intended to provide bidirectional compatibilities such as interactive programming guides, video-on-demand and pay-per-view, since retail CableCARD-ready devices are unable to access such systems.

But there are other devices like TiVo that can accept a CableCARD and decrypt channels the customer subscribes to without need of a cable box.

With pay-per-view services, selected channels offer movies and special events such as sports or adult entertainment, for an additional fee, on a per-movie or per-program basis.