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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-04 | I just bought a HDTV, not the one with the card. It's the one with the compenent cables connection. I have Comcast Cable provider here in the Northwest in Washington State. I called Comcast to ask if they would give me what motorola devices would work on their systems ( I searched online for a box, instead of renting monthly from them). They refused to tell me anything and I had to rent a box from them. Can anyone help me on what boxes are compatible with comcast in the northwest of the US. I only want HD for the local stations. I don't want any of the premium channels just local HD broadcasting. THanks. |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 188 Registered: Sep-04 | Does your HDTV have a built in HD Tuner? What is your TV make/model? If you have a built in HD tuner all you need to do is add an HD antenna to your roof/attic to receive local channels in HD. If you do not have a built in HD tuner you will need to buy one. I live in Renton Wa, and I have a Motorola 5100 from comcast. You can also use this: The US Digital HD tuner box available at WalMart for $198.76 |
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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-04 | Mine is just HDTV ready, so I am guessing I need the HD box so it can decode it through the component cables to my tv right? I am here in aberdeen, WA. So you are saying that I need the HD tuner box and then buy and HD atenna? or do I just need the box? |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 189 Registered: Sep-04 | If you only want local HD channels (is there any avalable out there?) you will need an HD tuner box, and a HD antenna. Your looking at about $250-$300 for both. You can also rent the boxes from comcast, or sign up for Digital/HD programing which includes the box. |
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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 3 Registered: Nov-04 | The thing is I went to comcast's site and I don't know if you have to be their digital customers to get HD, I think al thier HD channels are 100 and above. I just have limtited basic which is 2-28 I think. So I don't even know if I am able to get HD although 14 channels are offered HD. So I guess I should ask, if you know that can a HD reciever still get HD ie. channel 4 or 5 and others which are under 100?? |
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Pas210e Unregistered guest | I'll take a stab at answering your question. First, go to http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx and type in your address. This will let you know what digital stations are available over the air using a hd tuner box like the one mentioned by Mr. Lynch. It will also tell you what kind of antenna you need. Your other option is to rent a comcast box for hdtv only. You don't have to subscribe to digital cable to get the hd channels. The law states you only have to subscribe to the lowest tier of cable. Now, about your channel question. Using either option, the box becomes your tuner not the one in your tv. It then makes no difference what channel the digital station is one because the box will tune it. Hope this helps |
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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 4 Registered: Nov-04 | Mr. Lynch, With your 5100 did you have to do any special programming or was just plug it in and it works?? I am look to buy one of these on-line instead of renting one. |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 207 Registered: Sep-04 | There are a few adjustment in the menu to make, but for the most part it is a plug and go piece. Not any more difficult to hookup than a VCR or DVD player. |
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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 5 Registered: Nov-04 | One more question...If I were to buy a 5100 do you know if they still charge for the card? do you know if it's fcc standard to supply the card to the customer at no cost? |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 209 Registered: Sep-04 | If you buy a set top box (5100) you do not need a card. The cable card is basically a key that allows TVs equiped with a slot to access cable channels. All you will need with the 5100 is digital/HD cable, or an OTA HD antenna. |
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New member Username: Locc_booPost Number: 6 Registered: Nov-04 | So I will still need a antenna if I were to get the 5100 or the 6200?? I don't have digital cable I just have basic cable. I thought HD local channels are supposed to be free to broadcast for the cable company? |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 210 Registered: Sep-04 | Over the air local HD channels are free, but you need a way to recieve them. It is similar to your car radio. Without the antenna on the hood you don't get much. You might want to contact your local cable company to see if they will provide you with local broadcasts in HD for free. I know comcast in Seattle will provide the local channels when you rent the HD box. It might be the same if you buy a HD box, or have a built in tuner. |
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aaaaaaa Unregistered guest | How dou you get free basic cable channels like espn and fsn. |
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Unregistered guest | I just bought a dell hdt tv. I need to hook up my comcast cable box to it. The one provided by comcast is to short to mount my television on the wall. I need to buy a longer set. (monster cables?) Im so confused by all the cables out there and what I need. There seems to be 5 cables ribboned together at the moment (the ones from dell) I cant find anything like this in the store. Can some one help me? |
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Silver Member Username: Mr_lynchSeattle, WA Post Number: 367 Registered: Sep-04 | MARTIN- The set you got from Dell or Comcast is a component cable and a stereo RCA cable in one. You generally won't find aftermarket cables like this. What you need to a set of Component cables for video, and a set of RCA cable for the audio. Try to avoid the Monster Brand cables. Great cables, but way overpriced. You can save a ton of money without sacrificing quality by going with AR (Acoustic Research) or one of the other brands most video stores carry. |
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Unregistered guest | I have the DCT5100 cable box with Comcast cable, but in my area Comcast does not broadcast CBS, WB, or UPN in HD. Can I also use an antenna to pick-up these additional channels? Will it automatically recognize them and place them in the 900's (channel 903 is NBC, 908 Fox, 910 ABC, etc). Or will it pick up the signal on the usual NSTC channel (3, 8, 10, etc)? I don't have the antenna yet, but am curious how this will work. Thanks. |
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Warren Turner Unregistered guest | Warren Turner I keep reading that one cannot record the HDTV programs using the (Comcast) 5100 cable box. I am set up with a Gateway DVD recorder, and record HDTV using the S vidio output and the two Audio channels(using a Y connector). Clearly I am not recording the 1024 HDTV signal, since the Gateway only goes to 720. What am I really getting? The recordings give a nice picture on playback, but the Sony KP53HS30 does that even on the standard TV signals. Cheers Warren |
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Anonymous | your comcast box has an antenna input? never heard of that generally you need a seperate HD tuner and antenna for that with some kind of A/B swich setup |
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Unregistered guest | Man, we're going in circles on some of these. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but a Comcast Cable box CAN NOT tune over the air signals, correct? I'm a Comcast cable customer in Delaware, but I'm driving down to Jacksonville for the game... I'd love to my cable box and an antenna and watch the game in HD, but the answer I'm getting (and not from Comcast, of course) is that you can not use an antenna with the box. |