Cable TV vs Digital Cable TV- whats the difference?

[Cali]

Can someone explain this to me? I totally do not get it at all- and I'm not asking this in reference to the transition to all-digital cable here in the US.

I'm totally confused about what it means to have standard cable vs. digital. I've figured out that to have digital cable, you have to have a box of some sort? But what else is different?

[Sasha]

Standard cable uses an analog signal.

If you ask me, while digital signals deliver better visual quality, analog is more reliable.

[zigzag]

i don't know if this will help but i have an older TV and have basic cable (did away with the converter box, it was too much trouble, etc.) and am happy to pay small fee per month for cable and no its not as great as HDTV but its nearly as sharp but not quite. i'm completely happy with it.

[A*O]

In Australia at least, and probably elsewhere, analog signals and TVs are going to be phased out over the next year or so and the system will be all digital. If you don't have a digital TV you will either have to get a digital set-top box or in some cases you'll have to get a new digital TV.