[fpcross]

I have a Samsung LN52A750 LCD that has only one coaxial input. My dilemma is that I will be installing an over-the-air antenna and presently also have analog cable service. Since both sources use a coaxial cable (RG6), is there any way to combine the two signals into one coaxial cable that would go into the single input on the HDTV?


I'm sure this has been done countless times and in different ways, but I'm somewhat technically impaired!


Thanks for your help, guys.

 

[arxaw]

No. Analog cable and OTA TV use overlapping frequencies.

 

[tvpentti]

Got to agree with arwax, But why would you need over-air-antenna when you got cable?

 

[fpcross]



Quote:
Originally Posted by tvpentti /forum/post/15467848


Got to agree with arwax, But why would you need over-air-antenna when you got cable?

Basically because I've read that HD quality OTA is superior to cable due to transmissions without compression. Also, because my cable suscription service does NOT include HD channels (I have analog, not digital cable).


Thanks.

 

[arxaw]

fpcross,

Unless you have really basic analog cable (with filters on your line to block higher channels), all of your local digital broadcast channels will usually not be scrambled. Just run a scan with your TV for digital cable channels. The local channels often appear on odd channel numbers - often in the high 90s or 100s, and you have to look for them. YMMV, depending on your cable system.


But you're right. OTA DTV nearly always has better picture quality than compressed cable. And you may get sub channels OTA that aren't on cable. OTA also makes a good backup when your cable craps out.

 

[fpcross]



Quote:
Originally Posted by arxaw /forum/post/15474031


fpcross,

Unless you have really basic analog cable (with filters on your line to block higher channels), all of your local digital broadcast channels will usually not be scrambled. Just run a scan with your TV for digital cable channels. The local channels often appear on odd channel numbers - often in the high 90s or 100s, and you have to look for them. YMMV, depending on your cable system.


But you're right. OTA DTV nearly always has better picture quality than compressed cable. And you may get sub channels OTA that aren't on cable. OTA also makes a good backup when your cable craps out.

Arxwax, thanks for your comments. Actually, I will be receiving my HDTV next week, so until then I won't know what the outcome of scanning my analog cable will be. Maybe I'll get lucky and get those high DTV channels you speak of, but... what I can tell you is that I pay the lowest rate available for cable TV right now. As to the better quality of OTA for HDTV, I'm glad you agree this is a correct assessment. Also, it is indeed a good backup for cable outages.

Thanks again

 

[dishrich]



Quote:
Originally Posted by arxaw /forum/post/15474031


Unless you have really basic analog cable (with filters on your line to block higher channels), all of your local digital broadcast channels will usually not be scrambled.

In most cases, even WITH filters, the filters normally ONLY filter out the analog &/or encrypted digital channels - the HD/SD OTA locals are usually outside the filter range & normally come thru the line anyway. (but there are always exceptions...

)


eg: down here, even if you have a "modem only" trap, you can pull in ALL our locals HD's & subs.

 

[arxaw]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dishrich /forum/post/15476505


In most cases, even WITH filters, the filters normally ONLY filter out the analog &/or encrypted digital channels - the HD/SD OTA locals are usually outside the filter range & normally come thru the line anyway. (but there are always exceptions...

)


eg: down here, even if you have a "modem only" trap, you can pull in ALL our locals HD's & subs.

We have an analog-only tier called "broadcast basic" and all you get is local broadcast digital channels, center cropped to 4:3 and sent as 480i NTSC analog. Plus a smattering of shopping/religious channels. The filters they use block out everything else.

 

[George Molnar]

Don't do it. Merging your cable t.v. signal and your receiving antenna together makes your receiving antenna into a transmitting antenna and the Cable Police will hunt you down when local cable signals float around your neighborhood and interfere with aircraft navigation and other frequencies.

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fpcross /forum/post/15473505


Basically because I've read that HD quality OTA is superior to cable due to transmissions without compression.

Which in general is correct. Some providers do not additionally compress local HD, but getting it OTA is always guaranteed being as good as possible.


If you only have one RF input, use a simple A/B switch.

 

[iowegian3]

If the antenna is going to be a cable backup, I'd go with an A/B switch.


There's the deluxe model from RatShack, to quote one of its reviewers: "Here in Nebraska we use it on game day. It says to our loved ones: "I'm so lazy, I wouldn't even get off the couch to switch from A to B. I don't even care what A or B is. I'm just not going to do it. You do it." "


Or the more aerobic model ...and it's only about 25% of the cost of "Go Big Red's"

 

[IDRick]

ROFL, great post iowegian! LOL! So, do you catch bullheads too, ya know, the iowegian walleye? ;-)


I have OTA for backup purposes only. My cableco sends out a high quality HD picture for the locals, very similar to OTA. In the spring, I say bye bye to cable and go satellite for lots more HD!

 

[iowegian3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by IDRick /forum/post/15477587


ROFL, great post iowegian! LOL!

It's called Google for Giggles!

Quote:
Originally Posted by IDRick /forum/post/15477587


So, do you catch bullheads too, ya know, the iowegian walleye? ;-)

To put it delicately, they are not a delicacy. Between farm chemicals and hog confinements, if I were to fish back there, it would strictly be catch and release!

 

[dishrich]



Quote:
Originally Posted by iowegian3 /forum/post/15477541


If the antenna is going to be a cable backup, I'd go with an A/B switch.

I was going to suggest this, but the problem is that most TV's with ONLY a single RF input, will only scan either OTA or cable digital signals, & usually can't keep both sets of channels in memory at the same time. In this case, the user would then have to rescan the TV tuner EVERY time he switched between OTA & cable signals w/the A-B switch.

 

[bluejayrock]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dishrich /forum/post/15477777


I was going to suggest this, but the problem is that most TV's with ONLY a single RF input, will only scan either OTA or cable digital signals, & usually can't keep both sets of channels in memory at the same time. In this case, the user would then have to rescan the TV tuner EVERY time he switched between OTA & cable signals w/the A-B switch.

Looking at the manual for this particular TV, it appears that it has the capability to memorize separate OTA and cable channels, so they could set the A-B to the cable, scan the cable, then switch the AB to OTA and scan those.

 

[hasvt]

Two solutions:


1) If your TV can hold both cable and OTA in memory, use an A/B switch.


2) If your TV can't hold cable and OTA in memory, hook up the antenna directly to the TV's coax in and the cable into a VCR/DVD recorder/Tivo/etc.


I'm just wondering, if you are only getting the basic broadcast networks with cable, why not go OTA only and save some money?

 

[fpcross]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hasvt /forum/post/15478245


Two solutions:


1) If your TV can hold both cable and OTA in memory, use an A/B switch.


2) If your TV can't hold cable and OTA in memory, hook up the antenna directly to the TV's coax in and the cable into a VCR/DVD recorder/Tivo/etc.


I'm just wondering, if you are only getting the basic broadcast networks with cable, why not go OTA only and save some money?

Thanks to everyone for the very useful comments and suggestions, and Iowegian3 for the A-B links!


To answer your question, with basic cable I still get quite a few more channels than strictly OTA. But, as others have mentioned I, too, may behead Comcast and go for HD satellite... real soon!

 

[AntAltMike]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bluejayrock /forum/post/15478133


Looking at the manual for this particular TV, it appears that it has the capability to memorize separate OTA and cable channels, so they could set the A-B to the cable, scan the cable, then switch the AB to OTA and scan those.

Good luck finding a manual that actually says that.


My $110 Dynex 13" CRT portable stores both the cable and off-air channel line-ups, and it only takes me four keystrokes to change from one to the other, but I'd bet that most TVs don't have that capabillity, and most take more than four keystrokes to change from cable to antenna or back.

 

[bytecollektr]

Man, Im struggling with the same issue. I just got an Emerson 32" HDTV from Walmart, and got the internet and basic cable from Comcast. I had the OTA channels until now, but today I plugged the cable in, and the quality is horrible. NO HD on cable. So I was wandering what to do, seems like the AB switch is the only way out if it works. The cable channels come with the Economy package, so I cant cancel them and save more money

 

[fpcross]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bytecollektr /forum/post/15481566


Man, Im struggling with the same issue. I just got an Emerson 32" HDTV from Walmart, and got the internet and basic cable from Comcast. I had the OTA channels until now, but today I plugged the cable in, and the quality is horrible. NO HD on cable. So I was wandering what to do, seems like the AB switch is the only way out if it works. The cable channels come with the Economy package, so I cant cancel them and save more money

I started this thread and also have Comcast's very basic cable. That's why I want an OTA for great HDTV, even if only on the networks and a few other channels.

From the suggestions I've received, it looks like the A-B switch is the best way to go; considering, of course, that your TV is able to store both sets of channel scans. In my case, I'll know on 1/14 after I set up my new Samsung LN52A750 and scan OTA & Comcast!