I just got a HDTV and did not previously have digital cable. My cable company broadcasts local HD channels via QAM so I have been trying to access these channels. I also have a Series 3 TiVo. In testing I can access the HD channels via the TiVo but not on the TV (Toshiba 65HM167). The TiVo reports good signal quality on the HD channels but the TV says no/very weak signal. There a couple of other QAM channels that are just music, these come through correct with good signal quality on both devices.

My signal comes in like this, into the house onto a 2 way splitter, 1 direct to our cable modem, 2 to an amp and then split into all the rooms in the house via 2 - 4 ways splitters. Off of the first splitter the signal comes into the room with the HDTV and Series 3. Due to the quantity of equipment in this room, I have another amp and then another 4 way splitter and the signal goes to the devices.

Would any of this cause the problem I am describing? Given that the TiVo shows all the QAM channels pretty much perfectly, I don't see why the TV shouldn't be able to do the same?

Is there a different way I could split the cable signal that might help?

Thanks for any and all help!!

If the television and the TiVo are coming off the same splitter, check to see if the splitter is symmetrical. Each out-port of the splitter indicates how much signal-loss is attributable to that port. If it is a one-to-two splitter, then they'll generally be the same (probably about -3 dB) but if it is a one-to-three splitter, then two out-ports will have double the signal loss. That could account for the difference.

However, note that the TiVo S3 has a fantastic QAM tuner (very high quality, though also very sensitive which could be a problem when there is encryption involved). It is possible that the tuner in the S3 is substantially better than the one in your television.

Other things to think about: The cables between the splitter and the television and TiVo, themselves. One could be defective.