First off, This could have been touched on b4 but im so lost still... Heres the break down of my situation.

I have a 27 inch ilo HDTV (not HDTV ready)
My question is we just got HD channels over cable threw fiber optic lines run by the cable company... I live in a pretty rural area, so an Antenna is prob not an option....

My parents Vizio HDTV scanned and picked the channels up perfict...

My question is what piece of hardware will I need to find the HD channels... my tv has a seperate DTV option... but when I scan I cant find any digital channels... and for some stupid reason it only scans channels 2-69.... Im really lost, If anyone could point me in the direction of what box i need or tuner?

And PS I do not need to record TV.....I just got a DVD recorder for christmas.

Your set will need to have a QAM tuner to receive the digital (including HD) cable channels. Does the owner's manual indicate that your set has a QAM tuner?

If yes, then you will need to perform a digital scan. Channels 2-69 only, on a scan, indicates that you have performed an analog scan.

If no, then you will need a stand alone QAM tuner, such as the Samsung DTB-260F.

PS - DVD recorders don't record in HD.

Thank you, yeah I know I do NOT have the QAM, I did some research on it, Im certian this is my problem... What did you say about 2-69? because even when i enter the "custom scan range" i'll enter say 2-125 and it automaticly sets back to 2-69... Im assuming the outside QAM box will output threw HDMI or Component?


Thanks again for you help!!!

and PS yeah I know it wont record in HD thats giga of data.... But will that thing be useless then on 09 when the anaolg signal is gone? So should I save up for a Tivo?? does the Tivo have a built in QAM?

Thank you, yeah I know I do NOT have the QAM, I did some research on it, Im certian this is my problem... What did you say about 2-69? because even when i enter the "custom scan range" i'll enter say 2-125 and it automaticly sets back to 2-69... Im assuming the outside QAM box will output threw HDMI or Component?
2-69 is a broadcast channel scan for analog NTSC and maybe for digital ATSC. Your TV needs a clear QAM tuner to get the non-encrypted digital cable channels. If you want a box to get the digital cable channels, the cheapest option is to lease a HD cable box. You are unlikely to get more than the local stations on the cable system with a clear QAM tuner. The cable box will get your whatever national HD and SD channels your cable system provides on their digital tier, VOD if they have it. Without knowing who your cable provider is, we can't help you much what they may offer.

If you provide your zip code, we can look up what your over the air options are for local digital broadcast stations.

PS, if you got a DVD recorder for Xmas, it might have a ATSC tuner. What model TV and DVD recorder do you have?

My Zip Code is 58474 and Its Dickey Rural Networks or DRN...

I know my parents TV will pick up local and national threw just regular cable with out the antenna..

I kinda live in the sticks for the air signals, but have fiber optic lines ran to our house... and If I did get air signals would I be able to get the National High Def channels... cuz I really want that...

I know my TV has a seperate coax plug in, for DTV and Regular (and i've tried both)

The DVD Recorder is a Samsung, but I think i've scanned with that and i dont think it found anything new...

Ps if this makes any difference the HD channels are really high like 100.1-108.2

My Zip Code is 58474 and Its Dickey Rural Networks or DRN...

I know my parents TV will pick up local and national threw just regular cable with out the antenna..

I kinda live in the sticks for the air signals, but have fiber optic lines ran to our house... and If I did get air signals would I be able to get the National High Def channels... cuz I really want that...

Ps if this makes any difference the HD channels are really high like 100.1-108.2
Found the website and channel line-up for Dickey Rural Network. http://www.drtel.net/services/cable_lineup.aspx. Not a lot of HD channels, but it looks as if they just put them out there for a QAM tuner. No set top box? Unusual approach. Also, a limited line-up of 12 HD channels and very sports oriented at that. No Discovery HD Theater? Thought almost all HD cable systems had that one.

I think you are confusing broadcast and cable formats. ATSC = digital broadcast format. Cable uses digital QAM, for cable you need a QAM tuner. Exactly which model TV and DVR recorder do you have? Check the spec page in your manuals to see if there is any reference to QAM or digital cable tuning.

Yep, your zip code places you a long way from any digital broadcast stations except for 2 PBS stations. If those were my options, I probably would be signing up for DirecTV.

Yeah its because they Just added the HD channels, like 2 weeks ago, im sure more are going to come this year....

I'd like to get Direct TV, but thats prob not an option for a while, so would you recommend, the Samsung DTB-H260F?

The Samsung DTB-H260F would work, although at $180 list, it is a pricey fix.

Again, exactly what model TV and DVD recorder do you have? Does the TV have a digital cable scan option anywhere in the menus? If the DVD recorder has a ATSC tuner, which became a requirement for any DVD recorder that has NTSC tuner last year, it might also do clear QAM, even if it is not in the spec sheet. But we need the model # to download the manuals to see what the manuals say.

Well,
If it is this model: IWF2706 which would make it a Funai unit.
http://www.funai-corp.com/support/manuals.aspx
Kinda weird NTSC/ATSC tuner setup they have. Looks like you need to go back into the menu on the TV and set it for Cable mode. Might be able to get it pickup something in Digital Mode?

Kinda weird NTSC/ATSC tuner setup they have. Looks like you need to go back into the menu on the TV and set it for Cable mode. Might be able to get it pickup something in Digital Mode?
The manual is rather minimal. The problem is that the spec sheet only lists DTV 2-69 which is the broadcast VHF to UHF 69 channel range. For digital QAM cable, it should be 1-125 or 1-135. I don't see any QAM references in the manual.

But if there is a cable - digital scan option, hook the coaxial cable line to the antenna/cable coaxial connector on the back of the TV and do a digital cable scan. To get the digital channels, you must do a scan. You need to try it with different scan settings to see if any of the digital channels at 101 and up show up.

But this is a 4:3 CRT digital TV. Is this a true HD TV or just a digital TV? I don't see any specs in the manual that says the Funai is a HD TV, just that it can display the HD channels (which can be done by downconverting to 480i).