Recently, Comcast moved a station I record on a regular basis to channel 104. My Panasonic E80H doesn’t seem to be able to tune above channel 99. I’ve run setup – where it automatically scans the channels, but my unit won’t let me program Ch 104 for recording, and when I set Ch 104 for viewing live TV, I get a blue screen. When I attempt to program Ch 104 to record, it jumps to Ch 2.

Until now, all channels I’ve viewed/recorded have been below 99.

Any info appreciated!

I own an E85 so it may be different, but in SETUP do you not have an option to manually activate channels?

When the auto scan is run, any active channels it does detect are set to OFF.

Worth a look see or at least consult your manual.

:)

I've checked SETUP and the manual but couldn't find any way to manually activate channels.

The auto scan runs up to Ch 125 but then won't set above 99 for recording.

An easy work around is to connect your cable box to the E80 via composite or S-video video/audio cables into the "Line 1 In" of the Panny. Disable/bypass the auto setup.

Set the Panny input (using the remote) to "Line 1". Then simply change channels on your cable box. If done properly, the Panny channel display will show "L1" --- not a specific channel number. The Panny will then receive/record whatever your Cable box feeds into it.

NOTE: You'll also need to connect the Panny Line 1 OUTPUTS to your TV to see/hear what has passed through the Panny.

Cable Box----> Panny----> TV (both audio and video)

Hope this helps.

:)

Thanks for info. I was considering turning in my cable box so I was hoping to find out what is going on with the E80.

I'd like to determine if I'm doing something wrong, or if my unit is defective.

I don't have cable and I do not use the channels or electronic guide on my Panny's. Mine are connected to a home theater system so I use the work around I described above.

It may be that the Panny auto setup cannot detect the Premium cable channels (100 and higher) for some reason. In my case I don't care, since I let my DirecTv control all channel selections. Just as you can do using your cable box connected to the Panny Line 1 inputs as I described.

Please update on your situation ASAP.

:)

It may be that the Panny auto setup cannot detect the Premium cable channels (100 and higher) for some reason. In my case I don't care, since I let my DirecTv control all channel selections. Just as you can do using your cable box connected to the Panny Line 1 inputs as I described.

Please update on your situation ASAP.

:)

That's another question - are channels 100 and above "Premium", that require a cable box? Channel 104, that I'm trying to record, is C-SPAN 2 which is in "Preferred" service catagory - supposedly a service not requiring a cable box.

From what I've been able to determine, the problem is that channel 104 is a digital channel and therefore needs a digital tuner to receive.

I've been out of the market for a while - do newer Panasonic DVRs have a digital tuner?

From what I've been able to determine, the problem is that channel 104 is a digital channel and therefore needs a digital tuner to receive.

I've been out of the market for a while - do newer Panasonic DVRs have a digital tuner?


Digital tuner models are supposedly coming soon, but so far I believe that none of them will have a hard drive.

As for your channel 104. If you're using a cable box and coming out of that box with standard coax cable, composite A/V cable (red, white, yellow) or S-video to the Panny inputs --- that is an ANALOG signal coming out of your cable box that has been down-converted already. Thus your signal should be usable to the Panny. The Panny's have2 no digital inputs --- yet.

Now, if you're saying that you are NOT using the cable box, then my question is what happens when you tune your TV to channel 104 with no cable box and no Panny in the mix? It is my understanding that on most cable systems no one can receive channels 100 and higher without a cable box?

:confused:

Now, if you're saying that you are NOT using the cable box, then my question is what happens when you tune your TV to channel 104 with no cable box and no Panny in the mix? It is my understanding that on most cable systems no one can receive channels 100 and higher without a cable box?

:confused:

Right, when I later attempted to tune channel 104 on anything, other than the cable box, I just get a blank screen with noise. I didn't know that initially, at first I thought is was an E80 problem only.

Also, I understand that I can use the cable box to go to the E80 and record - just trying to avoid having to reset the cable box channel selector for each change of programing. I have no idea why Comcast, at least so far, has only shifted C-SPAN 2 - that was analog - to a digital channel.

I believe also that on Comcast (at least in my area) that channels above 100 are digital and require their digital cable box. The E80H will probably tune in any OTA broadcasts up to ch 125 if you have any such in your area.

Apparently, I'm learning about digital the hard way - my TiVo (series 2) seems to be usless in recording anything above channel 77, so it can't use channel 104 either, along with the E80. TiVo lists C-SPAN 2 as channel 70, currently, but the listing is incorrect.

I'm in Venice Florida.

If the channel is analog and your setup is set to cable, it should have scanned it in. If the channel is digital, it wouldn't.

I know in my area they moved an analog national geographic from channel 51 to a digital channel 105....so people with analog only cable no longer get the channel.

The E80H will probably tune in any OTA broadcasts up to ch 125 if you have any such in your area.

OTA TV frequencies stop at channel 69...thus the reason it only scans to channel 69 when you scan for OTA :D

I know in my area they moved an analog national geographic from channel 51 to a digital channel 105....so people with analog only cable no longer get the channel.

That's what has happened in my situation - Comcast C-SPAN 2, channel 70 analog, was moved to channel 104 digital.

TiVo has said that I'll be able to receive Ch 104 by going through the cable box but TiVo hasn't corrected their lineup yet - they continue listing the incorrect channel 70, rather than 104.

If I want to record on the E80H, I'll have to go through the cable box with it also.