[billmich]

i know that HD boxes have "over the air" tuners in them, and the 50/100 ones do not


do any boxes out here have a cable tuner so i could go directly from the wall , into the box, via the "antenna" coax input?


I would use this to watch the local channels that are not part of the "local package" ( I.E. UPN/WB/CBC/other indepentant stations)

 

[TerryB]

The RCA DTC-100 HD satellite machine can tune cable but only in the normal analog area. It doesn't get up into the digital cable area. I always wanted a less expensive one with the ability to tune OTA so we could watch everything available in Corpus Christi, TX. but only my HD one had the ability. Now I'm in Houston where everything is on the wire. Goodbye DirecTV.

 

[billmich]

i am thinking about the panny unit, does this mean i need some sort of "diplexer" to combine the cable tv and the OTA coaxials into 1 coax?


i am a bit confused on this

 

[rlsmith]

I can only speak directly about the DTC-100 but I believe other machines are similar.


The DTC-100 has two antenna inputs, and one DSS input. Each of the two antenna inputs can be OTA or cable, controlled via a setup.


I have an OTA antenna for digital connected to antenna input "A", cable into "B", and a DSS dish into the DSS input.


The remote supports switching, as do the front-panel switches.


All this works very well on the DTC-100.

 

[billmich]

i wish ALL units had 3 inputs for that very reason, but with the unit i am looking at that only has 2...


how do you combine the cable and OTA into one input?


[This message has been edited by billmich (edited 07-07-2001).]

 

[jdiehl]

Bill,


You would need an A/B switch with your cable and antenna coax going into it, then one cable from that going to your STB.


------------------

Jon
Home_Theater_Pics
My_DVD_Profiler

 

[billmich]

thank you tony, I will investigate that


it seems david was trying to SELL me on the sony


sorry, the sony doesnt output 720P

 

[David Ortiz]

Bill,


The Sony SAT-HD100 has two RF inputs. One is for DTV (OTA), the other is for analog/cable TV.


So you can use the HD100 for Directv satellite stations, Digital local broadcasts, and either analog local broadcasts or analog cable, without a switch box.


David


[This message has been edited by David Ortiz (edited 07-07-2001).]


[This message has been edited by David Ortiz (edited 07-07-2001).]

 

[Tony Chick]

Quote:

Originally posted by billmich: i wish ALL units had 3 inputs for that very reason, but with the unit i am looking at that only has 2... how do you combine the cable and OTA into one input? [This message has been edited by billmich (edited 07-07-2001).]

I believe all the current STBs can take 3 inputs, even if there are only two on the back panel. I know this is true for the Hughes, Toshiba and Mits boxes which have 2 inputs and the Sony which has 3. Typically the OTA antenna for digital broadcasts goes to one, and you combine cable and the satellite dish into the other with a Diplexor. You should be able to download the manual for the Panasonic TU-HDS20 from their web site and read for yourself how it does it.


Tony

 

[billmich]

can someone please tell me what a diplexer is?

 

[David Ortiz]

Bill,


A diplexer combines or separates satellite and antenna signals. It looks like a regular two-way splitter. It allows both signals to travel the same coax.


David

 

[pence]

The just released issue of "Perfect Vision" has a "shootout" of the 4 new generation DirectTV HDTV settop boxes, and does a good job of answering all the issues raised in this thread. Personally, since the Zenith may not be available until the 1st of the year, I am going to opt for the Sony and use the "rf input" for cable, the "digital rf" input for ota local digital signals from my rooftop antenna and the "satellite input" for my HDTV sat dish. It has separate tuners, and like the other boxes, will integrate all your various inputs into one program guide. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the DirectTV "Advanced Program Guide" used by the other boxes, but Sony's own guide, so it won't have all the program information.

 

[billmich]

thats great pence, but will this sony box output 720P or convert


i want a box that will output 720p

 

[Rick_R]

The latest software update for the Dish 6000 (691) has a selection for 8VSB cable or OTA. Reportedly this works to receive cable fine. (I use OTA).


Rick

 

[Stanton]

FWIW, I first insisted on having 720p out capability for any STB I bought--and then I bought the Sony (which only does 480i/1080i). I haven't regretted the fact that it converts 720p->1080i *or* that it upconverts 480i->1080i. I think they both look great on my HDTV monitor.

 

[Ken Ross]

Back to Bill's original question, ALL DTV tuners have cable tuners built in. The only diffence is accessing that tuner as the result of limited inputs as mentioned previously. However, all units currently on the market can be made to tune cable stations.

 

[billmich]

ken,


in a previous post someone alluded tot he fact that you might only be able to tune to cable 2-13


would all of these be able to tune to at least 67 or maybe 83?

 

[Ken Ross]

Bill, I think that post alluded to the "face-off" testing of receivers in the current issue of The Perfect Vision. One of the receivers (it may have been the Huges/Toshiba/Mistubishi series) needed to have something switched in the menu to tune to the upper cable channels. However, all of these have the capability to tune ALL cable channels.

 

[John Mason]

While selecting hardware for cable reception, keep in mind that digital cable channels, spreading rapidly in cable systems, requires the use of a converter from your local cable company, or at least a box that can be 'authorized' from the head-end. That's just advice for newbies, not necessarily anyone in this thread -- John


------------------

STOP DVI/HDCP AND DFAST




[This message has been edited by John Mason (edited 07-10-2001).]

 

[Ken Ross]

John, not always true. Here in N.Y. Cablevision has been broadcasting HD on their system using plain old 8VSB. Therefore, if you have a high def tuner, you get high def. However, unfortunately, that is about to change as Cablevision prepares to obsolete EVERY HDTV out there by using firewire STBs that will transmit HD ONLY through the firewire outputs. So, overnight we will go from the best case scenerio to the worst case scenerio.