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Anonymous | I have a HDTV ready TV (built-in decoder) connected to regular cable TV & to a DVD player. The TV has only one input for cable or antenna connection. How can I connect both the cable & a HDTV antenna (to watch over the air HDTV broadcasts) to the TV and be able to switch back & forth between the two? |
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Silver Member Username: Kdog044Post Number: 127 Registered: Feb-05 | I would think you could use an A/B switch like the one below. http://www.skyvision.com/store/mi3000011.html |
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Anonymous | Thanks. I tried that & it didn't work. Is there anything else I can use? |
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HD Guy Unregistered guest | Let me try to understand your situation. You have a HD ready TV (meaning your TV doesn't have a HD tuner) so you can't just hook up an antenna to get OTA HD. You need a standalone HD tuner or a HD cable/satellite box and these boxes would have DVI and/or component connect to your HD ready TV. I assume you are using component for your DVD. A true HDTV would have a separate antenna input for HD antenna. |
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Silver Member Username: DmwileyPost Number: 754 Registered: Feb-05 | HD Guy is correct. If your tv has a built in ASTC tuner, there should be a separate antenna input. You say HD ready but indicate it has a built in decoder. Specify. |
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New member Username: TurcoPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-05 | My TV does have an HD tuner,; it doesn't need a separate box to receive OTA HDTV. If I connect the HDTV antenna I receive HDTV. But if I want to watch cable, I have to disconnect the antenna & connect the cable. I'm looking for a gizmo I can use so that I don't have to hook/unhook every time I switch between cable & antenna. |
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Silver Member Username: DmwileyPost Number: 756 Registered: Feb-05 | Say what? Are you saying that your tv has only one antenna input? Check again. |
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New member Username: TurcoPost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-05 | I checked. Only one input. |
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fx Unregistered guest | What is the Brand and Model number of your TV? A single coax input is very unusual for an HD monitor, in fact nearly unheard of! xvxvxvx |
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Anonymous | Vizio L30. |
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Silver Member Username: DmwileyPost Number: 758 Registered: Feb-05 | Well, I guess wonders never cease. I am totally unfamiliar with that brand. What happened when you tried Kdog's AB switch suggestion? |
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fx Unregistered guest | Imagine that! Only one RF input and it is HD ready, go figure. Looks like an A/B switch is your best choice. xvxvxvx |
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New member Username: TurcoPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-05 | A friend suggested a Gemini CV93 3 Way Coaxial Cable Switcher. I tried it & it worked. Thanks guys for your help. |
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HD Guy Unregistered guest | This is a big mystery because according to Vizio's spec, your TV only has one RF antenna input for NTSC tuner. You don't have HD tuner built-in. When you said "it worked", I wonder how! http://www.vinc.com/products/product.asp?section=specs |
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BEST BUY Unregistered guest | i live in a apt building and i want to get free tv with a good picture I can put it on the roof top. can someone please tell me with would be the best on to buy. I bought one at radio shack (NOT WORTH THE 100 DOLLARDS I PAYED FOR IT). I live in Toronto On Can |
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Unregistered guest | I am in a similar boat. I have been shopping for an HDTV with built in tuner, and have seen several models that only have one RF 75ohm input. The 1 unit I am currently looking at is the Philips 32pt9100d at Sams Club. I am thinking that a Diplexer my work rather the an A/B switcher, but am unsure. Has anyone tried this option yet? |
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New member Username: Nr4pPost Number: 5 Registered: May-05 | A diplexer is normally used to combine Sat and regular tv on one coax. If you have only one input and two cables coming in, you need a switch. Otherwise if you have an OTA channel 10 and a cable channel 10, then the TV wont be able to show anything clearly. If you use an external cable box, bring the external cable box in to the auxillary inputs (RCA, DVI etc) and then leave the main antenna cable connected to the RF input, and you have both without a switch. |
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New member Username: Tyhart44Post Number: 1 Registered: Jul-05 | I am eyeing the exact same TV that Cybrslug is, and am concerned about the single coax input. If you use a switch, does that mean you're going to need to get up off the couch, walk to the TV set, click a switch (a la the cable boxes of the 80's), and repeat everytime I want to switch to the OTA HD channels? This is most inconvenient! In all seriousness, and besides the inconvenience, I'd like to know that this at least works, and that I'm not going to have any problems with signal, before purchasing this TV. Thanks in advance for the help... |
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New member Username: Tyhart44Post Number: 2 Registered: Jul-05 | Cybrlug tells me he got a 32" Sanyo from Wally World and it works great. For a forum on this TV, check - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-395229.html One question...it does not appear to have a QAM tuner...what does a QAM tuner do, and what am I giving up by not having it? |
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HD Guy Unregistered guest | Some of the HDTV (with built-in HD tuner) can only receive OTA HD via its cable card slot and no separate antenna input for ATSC. So be careful to make sure if your cable co. would provide you with cable cards to be used with these kind of HDTV. |
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buffalo Unregistered guest | will OTA antenna provide HD signal over RG59 coax or do I have to replace that with RG6? |
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New member Username: Nr4pPost Number: 7 Registered: May-05 | RG59 may work if you have a good signal. The difference in RG6 and RG59 is in signal loss. In other words either cable will carry HD signals just like analog but RG6 has less loss as the frequency goes higher. So if your HD signals are in the channel 40 plus range (the actual channel, not the displayed x.1 designation), RG6 is normally recommended so you have fewer dropouts, fades etc. |