Comcast and HDTV

"Agent_C" wrote in message
...
There's a relatively simple way to find out. Just plug the coax
directly into the TV and see what comes up in the auto-search.

It's not that simple.

For example, in my area Comcast carries

9: ABC in Manchester, NH, but does not carry 9-1. However, it does carry
82-5, which is ABC in Manchester, NH, but not identified as such.

12: Fox in Boston, MA. As well as 25-1.

209, 217, 237: Which I am entitled to receive with Basic cable, but require,
I guess, a STB. However, I can get 44-2, 44-4, and 44-3, which are the same
as 209, 217, and 237.

2: WGBH in Boston, MA, but does not carry 2-1. However, it does carry 82-1,
which is WGBH, but not identified as such. I can also get 2-2.

It is rather tedious to search thru the channels to find the digital
equivalents of the analogs.

Looked up the manual and it states that model is "cable-ready"(it has a QAM
tuner). Greg T

"Nick" wrote in message
news
Hello,

We have a Samsung LN-S4041D 40" LCD TV. I'm not sure if it has
a QAM tuner. I'm a Comcast subscriber who just currently has the
Analog connection and no converter boxes. Should I be able to get the
HDTV channels directly over coaxial cable or do I need a converter
box? I really don't care about any HD channels other than the local
stations like CBS, ABC and NBC so if anyone has any suggestions to
help I would appreciate it. I'll call Comcast to find out but I hate
their marketing as they try to upsell you their entire network
package.

Thanks for your time,
Nick

Greg T wrote:

Looked up the manual and it states that model is "cable-ready"(it has a QAM
tuner). Greg T


I did not look at the specific manual for that TV but you have to be
careful about the "cable-ready" statement. For many vendors that mean
NTSC tuner (still). Unless the manual specially states that the TV has
a QAM tuner you can't assume that it does (this is a general statement
for all TVs).

--
Bill R.

Remove nospam_ and x in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:37:24 -0700, Steve Urbach
wrote:

On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:47:00 -0400, wrote:


Well I don't believe my model has the QAM tuner but how would someone
with one still get them? The Comcast channels for digital for my area
are begin at 200 so no TV would be able to pull these in without a HD
box. Anyway we don't have any so I believe that the first box is free.
I picked up the box and the digital channels worked immediately
thereafter. We shall see what my bill will look like next month but
I'm assuming the price should still be the same.





On Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:18:41 -0400, Thumper
wrote:

On Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:39:44 -0400, Cherokee
wrote:

What if I subscribe to digital cable with a STB? I dont want to pay the
extra $15 per month for the HD box to get 12 channels, but if I am
hooked up through the digital box will it block those HD channels that I
am currently receiving through a straight coax (analog) feed?


I don't believe it's an extra $15.00 It's the difference from a sd
digital box and the HD digital box. Comcast gives me 40 HD channels
including the premium ones.
Thumper

L Alpert wrote:
"Nick" wrote in message
news Hello,

We have a Samsung LN-S4041D 40" LCD TV. I'm not sure if it has
a QAM tuner. I'm a Comcast subscriber who just currently has the
Analog connection and no converter boxes. Should I be able to get
the
HDTV channels directly over coaxial cable or do I need a converter
box? I really don't care about any HD channels other than the local
stations like CBS, ABC and NBC so if anyone has any suggestions to
help I would appreciate it. I'll call Comcast to find out but I hate
their marketing as they try to upsell you their entire network
package.

Thanks for your time,
Nick

You should be able to pick them up. Attach the cable to your ATSC
tuner and do a channel scan.....


If you can switch your INPUT settings to QUAM, it will know how to deal with
higher channel numbers.
Moot point as you now have a digital STB :/


I was looking at this review.. so it doesn't appear that is has a QAM
tuner.

http://www.amazon.com/review/product...By=addFourStar

I just hope that they set me up with the Over the air basic plan which
is included in the basic cable service and not the digital packages.
I'll know once the next bill arrives.

"Greg T" wrote:
Looked up the manual and it states that model is "cable-ready"(it has a
QAM tuner). Greg T

A cable ready tuner and qam are not the same thing.

Chip

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Howard Kaikow wrote:
"Agent_C" wrote in message
...
There's a relatively simple way to find out. Just plug the
coax
directly into the TV and see what comes up in the
auto-search.

It's not that simple.

For example, in my area Comcast carries

9: ABC in Manchester, NH, but does not carry 9-1. However, it
does
carry 82-5, which is ABC in Manchester, NH, but not identified
as
such.

12: Fox in Boston, MA. As well as 25-1.

209, 217, 237: Which I am entitled to receive with Basic
cable, but
require, I guess, a STB. However, I can get 44-2, 44-4, and
44-3,
which are the same as 209, 217, and 237.

2: WGBH in Boston, MA, but does not carry 2-1. However, it
does carry
82-1, which is WGBH, but not identified as such. I can also
get 2-2.

It is rather tedious to search thru the channels to find the
digital
equivalents of the analogs.

Never-the-less, that's the way it is.

On Time Warner cable, in the Los Angeles area, for example
(OTA ID (transmitter channel), call letters, QAM stream for HDTV
only):

2.1 (60), CBS, 93.1
4.1 (36), NBC, 93.2
5.1 (31), KTLA, 54.1
7.1 (53), ABC, 94.1
9.1 (43), KCAL, 54.2
11.1 (65), FOX, 94.2
28.1 (59), KCET, 94.3
50.1 (48), KOCE, 74.1

Once you've scanned and identified the channels, it's done.

Were I to tune these channels via a TW D-STB or HD-DVR, they'd
all be found in the 400s. As listed, there is no STB required,
merely plug the cable directly in to the tuners.

The only difficulty comes in the first few days of translating
guide numbers to the QAM channel setup employed by your cable
carrier. Since I use a PC QAM tuner and web based guide, this
is handled by software for me. No learning curve at all, unless
responding to this sort of post;-)

CLicker wrote:


Once you've scanned and identified the channels, it's done.

Were I to tune these channels via a TW D-STB or HD-DVR, they'd
all be found in the 400s. As listed, there is no STB required,
merely plug the cable directly in to the tuners.

The only difficulty comes in the first few days of translating
guide numbers to the QAM channel setup employed by your cable
carrier. Since I use a PC QAM tuner and web based guide, this
is handled by software for me. No learning curve at all, unless
responding to this sort of post;-)




I know that will work with my Samsung LN-T3753H which won't have any STB
hooked up to it, but my new Sony 37XBR6 will have a digital STB from the
cable company hooked up so I am worried that it won't get the HD
channels, only the digital tier channels.

This is from the manual for the Samsung so I believe it has a QAM tuner.Greg T


Connecting Cable TV
To connect to a cable TV system, follow the instructions below.
Cable without a Cable Box
1. Plug the incoming cable into the ANT 2 IN (CABLE) terminal on the back of the
TV.
Because this TV is cable-ready, you do not need a cable box to view unscrambled
cable channels.

wrote in message
...
"Greg T" wrote:
Looked up the manual and it states that model is "cable-ready"(it has a
QAM tuner). Greg T

A cable ready tuner and qam are not the same thing.

Chip

--
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Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

"Cherokee" wrote in message
...
What if I subscribe to digital cable with a STB? I dont want to pay
the extra $15 per month for the HD box to get 12 channels, but if I
am hooked up through the digital box will it block those HD channels
that I am currently receiving through a straight coax (analog) feed?


A digital set top box will not be able to pass through HD channels.
If your signal is strong enough at the box (if it isn't you'll find
out quickly enough), you can use a splitter, one end into the box,
then hook up your box to one of your inputs other than the ATSC/QAM
tuner. Then hook up the remaining end directly to your tuner.

Then do a channel scan on your tuner input.




L Alpert wrote:
"Nick" wrote in message
news
Hello,

We have a Samsung LN-S4041D 40" LCD TV. I'm not sure if it has
a QAM tuner. I'm a Comcast subscriber who just currently has the
Analog connection and no converter boxes. Should I be able to get
the
HDTV channels directly over coaxial cable or do I need a converter
box? I really don't care about any HD channels other than the
local
stations like CBS, ABC and NBC so if anyone has any suggestions to
help I would appreciate it. I'll call Comcast to find out but I
hate
their marketing as they try to upsell you their entire network
package.

Thanks for your time,
Nick

You should be able to pick them up. Attach the cable to your ATSC
tuner and do a channel scan.....

On Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:04:17 -0400, "Greg T"
wrote:

This is from the manual for the Samsung so I believe it has a QAM tuner.Greg T


Connecting Cable TV
To connect to a cable TV system, follow the instructions below.
Cable without a Cable Box
1. Plug the incoming cable into the ANT 2 IN (CABLE) terminal on the back of the
TV.
Because this TV is cable-ready, you do not need a cable box to view unscrambled
cable channels.

wrote in message
...
"Greg T" wrote:
Looked up the manual and it states that model is "cable-ready"(it has a
QAM tuner). Greg T

A cable ready tuner and qam are not the same thing.

Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB


My model LN-S4041D does not have a QAM tuner. I tried running a scan
and it didn't show them as HD channels for my over the air channels.