1) Analog cable - any TV or analog EyeTV device can directly receive
this part. Otherwise known as Basic Cable, and might be from 10-80
channels, depending. EyeTV 250 Plus and EyeTV Hybrid can receive this.
They have cable ready (analog) tuners just like a regular TV, for
channels up to 125. Analog signals will eventually disappear from
cable lines.
2) Unencrypted Digital Cable (Clear QAM) - this is rare, with only a
few channels. A special Clear QAM tuner is needed to receive it.
EyeTV 250 Plus (2008), EyeTV Hybrid (2008, 2009, 2010) and the HDHomeRun can receive this.
3) Encrypted Digital Cable - this is the majority of the digital
signals. These channels can only be accessed with a cable box. No
tuner outside of a cable box can receive them. EyeTV 610 for Europe is
an exception, since it can take a special authorization card in some
parts of some countries. Such a card is not allowed in the US, but
might be in a few years.
If you have a cable box, you can use it with an EyeTV device with
analog inputs (like EyeTV 250, EyeTV 250 Plus or EyeTV Hybrid). Change
channels manually using the cable box remote. You will see the full
range of standard TV channels (whatever your cable box can tune), but
not HDTV. The exception to this is the EyeTV HD which can receive HD signal from a cable box or satellite receiver.
Here are some US providers of Digital Cable:
Adelphia
AT&T Broadband
Charter Communications
Comcast
Cox Communications
Time Warner
Here are some Canadian providers of Digital Cable:
Cogeco
EastLink
Rogers Cable
Shaw Cable
Vidéotron
