How to connect iMAC thunderbolt port to a cable TV set top box?

I am moving to a house that will have combination TV-phone-Internet services delivered via cable (Optimum is the provider). I understand that with my new iMac which has a "thunderbolt" port that I can use the iMac as a tv monitor and DVR (recorder) and watch live TV or recorded TV. I think it is possible to record TV shows either on the iMac's hard drive or the Optimum DVR. Beyond that, I get confused because I do not understand the details of RCA cables, coaxial cables, HDMI connectors, etc. Apple does not provide support for set top boxes (I called Apple), and Optimum does not provide support for Macs (I called them too). Since Apple is the party advertising the capability of watching TV on a Mac, I would think the burden is more on them to explain how that works, and maybe they have done so on their web sites, but I cannot find it so far. I can understand that the cable company does not want to tell people how to bypass the need for their DVR equipment. Before I go out and hire a consultant for a few hundred dollars to explain it, I was hoping I might find online some tips on how to set up a system at home. No luck so far.
Am I correct in assuming that wireless connections are NOT an option because a TV signal has too much bandwidth to work wirelessly? (I do have a wireless router already.)
If so and if I am using wires to connect the iMac, am I correct to think I want to use the thunderbolt port for best results?
If so, what next? What exactly is the adapter or cable I need and how do I plug it into the set top box? There are several people in the household, and so I would want the flat screen TV monitor to work normally at times rather than only use the iMac. Does that require several set top boxes? I would think that this would be an issue for many people, and it seems to me that this forum would be an ideal place to get help. So far the people I have spoken with say "well it depends on what you want to do and what your equipment is and for that you have to go ask ___________[someone else]"

I do not understand what Apple TV is. I have TV already. When I look up "Apple TV" on the Apple website I see that is has been redesigned to be small in size but big in entertainment. Since I did not know what it was BEFORE it was redesigned, knowing that is has been redesigned does not help me understand it. Now it is smaller? So it was too big before? "Watch Netflix titles instantly." But I can do that with my mac and an internet connection now. So what is Apple TV that makes it a better or different way to watch Netflix movies? "Best of all, Apple TV is just $99" Sorry, but how is that the Best of All part? My Optimum Cable is charging me $30 a month for TV. But Apple TV's best part is it costs $99? Is that per month too? I also see that everything streams wirelessly to Apple TV, and all I need it so connect apple tv to my widescreen TV using an HDMI cable sold separately. Now I am really confused. I plug in a cable to get wireless streaming? If it is wireless, why does it need a cable? If there is a cable involved, how is it wireless? Color me clueless. I cannot find a straight forward description of what Apple TV is. And so I don't get how that is the answer to my question. Sorry for being so simple-minded. Thanks for the suggestion and I will go research further to learn what is an Apple TV.

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Buy a HDMI cable or three and don't look back.
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Amazing lack of information in post = equaly amazing lack of help. Please be specfic, remember we cannot see your computer or look over your shoulder. Please post what is occuring and what troubleshootinng steps you have taken. I am assuming you have a 2011 or late 2012 iMac, the only two iMacs with Thunderbolt ports. If we know what you are connecting, what cables you are using and what problems you are encountering we may be able to help.

2011 imac thunderbolt ports dead

My first time on here - desperate for a solution having taken my machine to Apple Store 3 times, had on-site maintenance from a specialist Apple authorised repairer, all through AppleCare. So far it hasn't cost me anything (and must have cost Apple a fortune), however the issue has not been solved.
I have a mid 2011 imac 3.4 Ghz i7, top of the range with SSD and HD, full RAM. I bought it because I needed FW800 and thunderbolt, it was the only machine apart from the mac mini offering that combination at the time. All worked fine for 2.5 years until one day about 2 months ago I started up the machine and nothing was detected at the thunderbolt port.
System info displayed "no device connected" at either thunderbolt port, despite there being a WD velicraptor drive, a La Cie FW drive (with TB-FW adaptor) and a Sonnet PCexpress card 34 attached. I did an SMC reset (several times) and a PRAM reset (also 5-6 times), no joy.
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