DIYbanter - View Single Post

Bud--

hr(bob) wrote:
On Mar 26, 1:35 pm, bud-- wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 26, 12:06 pm, (MICHELLE H.) wrote:
Yes, that it what it is, the smaller "Comcast DTA boxes" that you have
to now use, if you don't have a full-size "Comcast Converter Box".
Comcast gives you 2 for "free", but I am sure that the cost is worked
into the bill somehow?
Also, I have a TV and a VCR in the bedroom, so I need to hook the "DTA"
box up in there now. One of the other questions I have is, when hooking
it up to the TV and VCR, do I need to use "digital cable wires"
specifically because the "DTA Box" is a digital box, or can I just use
the cheap "push in" antenna in/out wires that I use now?
The new converters available here a
Digital set top box - programmed channel changes, on-demand, ...
Digital adapter - simple version of the above
HD receiver

Do you get 16:9 HD with the first 2, or do you need the 3rd?
Now (analog) Comcast has 4:3 and 16:9 HD versions of some channels. Will
that continue, with the 3rd converter required for 16:9 HD? If not, what
different do you get with the HD receiver?

(I have not yet called Comcast to sort all this out.)

You can continue to use the same cables you are using now. The boxes
output signals that any TV or VCR will input. The exception would be
if you're moving to HD, then you would need the appropriate component
video or HDMI cables.
I have read that the first two converters (above) have coax out. They
could still send 16:9 HD signals to a single QAM channel. (That wouldn't
work with the VCR.)
Or maybe it is NTSC/analog - which would work. Sounds from hr's post
that this is what it is.

I have also read than none of them have audio out - so if you are
listening to audio-only channels you need to get audio from the TV.

Lower channels here will mostly be local broadcast stations. _All_ upper
channels (probably all that the OP talked about) will be scrambled. They
will not be available without a converter or device with cable card.

Yeah, the output of the comcast boxes is plain old NSTC analog, either
on channel 3 or 4. I use the channel 4 output from the living room
converter to the vcr to the tv, and also wire the output thru a
splitter and an amplifier to several odd sets in the family room and
basement and garage. I use the channel 3 output from the 2 other
converters we use for the tv's in the bedroom and office. Using all
adapters on channel 3 or all adapters on channel 4 seemed to give a
little background noise when we first set everything up. I haven't
reset any of the adapters to all channel 3 or 4 since then to see what
happens.

That answers a lot of questions. Thanks

Your Comcast system has gone through the digital conversion? (Everything
is digital except maybe the bottom 20 or so channels.)
The conversion is just rolling through this area.

So the signal from the low end boxes is 4:3 analog, not 16:9 HD digital.

Do you know if you are getting 4:3 cable channels where there are 16:9
HD equivalent channels (which your converter ignores)?
Or a 4:3 low def letterbox of a 16:9 channel? Or ...?

In our unconverted system there are 4:3 NTSC analog channels and
equivalent 16:9 QAM digital channels for many of the cable networks.
(These analog channels will disappear in the changeover.)

An HD converter here is $7/mo. A single cable card, which I believe gets
you the HD basic and? HD starter channels (now) is free.

IMHO information from Comcast is appalling.