Tv tuner with 'native output'

All of the standard Motorola/Pace Cable boxes will let you output at the original resolution.

Ahh, no, they won't. Hopefully someone else can chime in, I'm not too familiar with OTA tuners.

I would assume that most OTA/ATSC standalone tuners have the option to select "fixed" or "native" output for 480i/720p/1080i via component or HDMI video output.

Check the tuners listed in this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/179095/the-official-avs-hdtv-stb-synopsis

Why do you need native out?? I don't understand what the benefit is to it.

Ratman you are on the right track, OTA is fixed resolution by the originating television station. There are no actual native settings like on a DVD or Blue-Ray, all the information sent in the tables tells the receiver what the Audio and Video should be. Even on my Commercial receivers at work no such setting exist.

What I assume the OP would desire is a tuner that passes the native resolution of the originating signal For example: ABC @ 720p, CBS @ 1080i, SD subchannels @ 480i, etc..... As opposed to outputting a "fixed" resolution @ 1080i for every channel.

I'm sure there are OTA tuners that will accomplish that, just like most cable boxes.

Native resolution output is not the norm. Typically you only select an output resolution and everything is output at that resolution. TiVo is unusual in that you can have it automatically switch the output resolution to the same resolution that the channel is sending. There might be other receivers that do that but in my experience it is very unusual for a box to have that capability. Usually you have to manually change the output resolution.

My LG LST-4200A OTA/QAM tuner offers native output. Takes longer to surf through channels when set up that way, so I leave it at 1080i output.
It's an OTA/QAM tuner, but it's not easy to switch back and forth. You're either using QAM or you're using OTA.
It's pretty old as fast as things move in digital TV.

I believe my Samsung DTB-H260F does native output. Never really checked into that, but in the banner at the top of the screen, it indicates the resolution of the channel to which I am tuned.

Understood, I just feed directly to my TV and it outputs native to whatever the station broadcast. There are several set tops that accomplish this also, will have to dig into it to find the specs on some.

Both of those receivers are old aren't they? Weren't they introduced five to ten years ago?

Old or not, OTA receivers that have adjustable output resolutions or not.... it's really not an issue to fret over since the TV (assuming plasma or LCD) will be a "fixed" resolution display anyway.

IOW, the native resolution of the TV itself is the factor. No matter the resolution fed from an external source.

For example: A 1080p LCD will always upscale a 480i/720p/1080i OTA signal to 1080p for display.

The question is... why does the OP feel there is a requirement/importance?

He mentions an external video processor. I would assume he believes his processor does a better job of scaling and/or deinterlacing than the tuner or his display.

If it's a new, multi $k processor, he's probably right.
If it's 10 years old, regardless of cost, he may be wrong.

It could also be impossible to actually feed the monitor its native resolution, and everything will get reprocessed by the display, limiting the effectiveness of any external processor. Like a 1080p display that doesn't accept a 1080p input. Or a display that uses a 1368x768 panel but only accepts TV resolutions.

Ah ok, the units I use have a fixed output.

I think he is using a projector.

I believe he plans on using a Oppo BD player than has HDMI input and the ability to upscale to 1080p(the resolution of his display). I agree a Oppo is probably going to do a better job of upscaling 480i or even 720p or 1080i to 1080p than a tuner costing $200 or less.
zaphod7501 also brings up a good point, are 1080p displays all 1920x1080p? As he said most(all?) 720p displays are actually 1368x768 so a certain amount of conversion is always taking place when feeding it 720p.