HD over cable without a digital tuner

[Lore]

If I buy an HDTV (say, an 1080p LCD with an HDTV tuner), can I hook it up to my cable connection (Which is currently analog) and get an HD signal without renting the separate digital tuner from Comcast?

I've been curious about this for a while, and I keep hearing different answers.

Thanks for your help.

 

[PurdueRy]

No, The digital tuner is only for receiving OTA HD/Digital broadcasts

 

[Lore]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
No, The digital tuner is only for receiving OTA HD/Digital broadcasts

That is so odd - I have a friend with a Vizio 42" LCD he bought from Costco, and he gets HD signals using his Comcast cable without a digital tuner or other equipment. I went to his house and saw that he simply took the cable and plugged it directly into the TV. Does his TV have something that other TVs don't have?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Lore

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
No, The digital tuner is only for receiving OTA HD/Digital broadcasts

That is so odd - I have a friend with a Vizio 42" LCD he bought from Costco, and he gets HD signals using his Comcast cable without a digital tuner or other equipment. I went to his house and saw that he simply took the cable and plugged it directly into the TV. Does his TV have something that other TVs don't have?

Does his LCD have a QAM tuner or cable card built in? I believe those both can avoid the cable box and still receive HD.

Also what HD stations is he getting? Are they only local or are they premium channels as well?

 

[Lore]

"Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM Tuner - Watch regular and High Definition programming with or without the cable box. Choice is yours."

I think his Vizio has QAM. Is that what I should be shopping for if I want to get HD straight from the cable without a digital tuner box?

I think he's only getting the local channels. When you say premium, are you referring to ESPN, etc?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Lore
"Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM Tuner - Watch regular and High Definition programming with or without the cable box. Choice is yours."

I think his Vizio has QAM. Is that what I should be shopping for if I want to get HD straight from the cable without a digital tuner box?

I think he's only getting the local channels. When you say premium, are you referring to ESPN, etc?

Yea I am referring to ESPN and such.

Even with the QAM tuner you will still pay for HD from the cable companies(especially the premium channels). You will just avoid having the box.

But you probably knew that.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Lore
"Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM Tuner - Watch regular and High Definition programming with or without the cable box. Choice is yours."

I think his Vizio has QAM. Is that what I should be shopping for if I want to get HD straight from the cable without a digital tuner box?

Yes. Basically you want a TV with a digital tuner that can handle QAM, and you'll probably want CableCard support too.

I think he's only getting the local channels. When you say premium, are you referring to ESPN, etc?

Yes, that's exactly what he's referring to.

 

[Lore]

My friend with the QAM tuner-equipped TV didn't subscribe to an HD package or anything. He just plugged and got the HD channels (along with all of the Standard Definition channels). I don't know if he has ESPN though - I should ask.

Do many TVs come with QAM standard? I'm in the market for a 1080p LCD (47" or larger) and I'd like to buy Sony or Sharp or something like that... I'd go with Vizio but they don't have something above 47" yet, so I'm shopping other manufacturers.

 

[Lore]

ViRGE: wow, we joined these forums relatively close to each other

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Lore
My friend with the QAM tuner-equipped TV didn't subscribe to an HD package or anything. He just plugged and got the HD channels (along with all of the Standard Definition channels). I don't know if he has ESPN though - I should ask.

Do many TVs come with QAM standard? I'm in the market for a 1080p LCD (47" or larger) and I'd like to buy Sony or Sharp or something like that... I'd go with Vizio but they don't have something above 47" yet, so I'm shopping other manufacturers.

The easiest way to tell if a TV has QAM support is if it supports CableCard; QAM isn't of much use on its own since you need the CableCard to decode the premium channels.

PS Lore: 10/9/1999 was the great pilgrimage from UBB to Fusetalk, I've been here longer than the date listed :Q

 

[Lore]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
The easiest way to tell if a TV has QAM support is if it supports CableCard; QAM isn't of much use on its own since you need the CableCard to decode the premium channels.

PS Lore: 10/9/1999 was the great pilgrimage from UBB to Fusetalk, I've been here longer than the date listed :Q

Well, that's interesting. I know for a fact that my friend does not have a CableCard. But it sounds like the CableCard would only be needed to decode things like ESPN and HBO in HD, but isn't necessary for people who just want local HD channels. Is that a correct assessment?

Yeah, 14k posts somehow tells me you've been around for a while. Have we ever traded in FS/FT?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Lore

Originally posted by: ViRGE
The easiest way to tell if a TV has QAM support is if it supports CableCard; QAM isn't of much use on its own since you need the CableCard to decode the premium channels.

PS Lore: 10/9/1999 was the great pilgrimage from UBB to Fusetalk, I've been here longer than the date listed :Q

Well, that's interesting. I know for a fact that my friend does not have a CableCard. But it sounds like the CableCard would only be needed to decode things like ESPN and HBO in HD, but isn't necessary for people who just want local HD channels. Is that a correct assessment?

Yeah, 14k posts somehow tells me you've been around for a while. Have we ever traded in FS/FT?

That's a correct assessment. With slightly older TVs there were models released with just QAM support, most of the newest stuff supports CableCard if it supports QAM. The whole CableCard thing is really a mess, but you have it spot-on in that you aren't going to need a CableCard for local channels.

And I don't think we've traded in FS/FT before, I only have a few trades there.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Even with the QAM tuner you will still pay for HD from the cable companies(especially the premium channels). You will just avoid having the box.

Not true at all. All you need is basic cable.

I have basic cable and I get ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and PBS in HD with QAM.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Even with the QAM tuner you will still pay for HD from the cable companies(especially the premium channels). You will just avoid having the box.

Not true at all. All you need is basic cable.

I have basic cable and I get ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and PBS in HD with QAM.

Alright, thanks for the correction :thumbsup: