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Jean | Hi, My wife and I are considering replacing our TV with a projector (LCD or DLP). One thing I cannot figure out is whether I need a TV tuner to decode the cable information and feed the projector? If yes, do you have any recommendations for such devices? If no, how does it work? Thanks a lot, Jean |
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Derek | If your cable box produces composite, S-Video, Component, DVI or VGA and your new TV has at least one of those connections, no. Just plug and play. If your Cable only produces a picture only on channel 3, you are going to need a tuner. |
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Jean | Hi, My cable is a coaxial cable that needs a tuner on the other end. What sort of equipment do you recommend? I have never heard of a TV tuner as a separate device! I know my video-recorder has a tuner, but if I use that one, I will not be able to record one channel while viewing another channel live. Please advise, Jean. PS: Needless to say, thanks for the first feedback! |
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Derek | Wait, let's step back a bit. You first post shows that you want a projection "TV". All DLPs and most LCDs come with a cable-ready tuner. If you have digital cable (in which case, that sevearly limits the recording ability of your VCR) or you buy an LCD "Monitor" without a tuner you should get get a different cable box from your cable company - one with at least S-Video. If your cable company transmits HDTV and you want it, find out type of output connection you supply - DVI, 1394, Component - and match that connection on your new set. Hope this helps. |
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Jean | It sure helps! The "cable" I am talking about is not digital, it is the standard European analog cable that everybody gets. The output of that cable is similar to the output of an antenna, just better quality (but nothing like digital or HDTV). So if I get you right, Derek, a DLP or a LCD projector would come packaged with a cable-ready tuner... I have not seen any of the specifications for those tuners (CFax/videotext ability, picture in picture ability, number of presets, parental lock, etc.). This lack of specifications led me to the conclusion there is no bundled tuner... For instance, the Sony VPL-VW12HT: http://www.sony-europe.com/view.x?prod=30578&cat=20707&tech&loc=eu Or the Yamaha LPX-500 on the Yamaha web site, or the SIM2 HT300 on www.sim2.com, the list is endless... Does anyone have a good recommendation for a DLP projector that has a good bundled TV tuner? Thanks again, Jean. |
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Derek | These are front projectors. I don't know of any that have built in tuners. Ask you cable company for a box that has at least S-Video out. Goldstar (LG) makes Zenith and Sonys HDTV tuners. Hughes makes some of the Philips and RCA tuners and Samsung has started to turn up the heat on these tuners. The reason I mention these is because they are also cable ready and have DVI and component-outs for you projector. They start at about $350 US. |
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Jean | Thank you again, my question is now answered. |