Comcast HDTV boxes/need to rent a second ?

 

New member
Username: Jmc99

Nashville, TN United States

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-06
53" Samsung is in main viewing room. We are adding a 37" LCD in another room. The cable comes into a Motorola HDTV set top box to the Samsung. Question: For the LCD do I just take the coax and go in the back without using another rental box ? This is a Sharp LC 37D40U with built in HDTV tuner.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1203
Registered: Feb-04
Mark, your Sharp is equipped with a QAM tuner. That means that you could receive all unencrypted, or "in the clear" HD channels without a cable box. Whether these channels are in the clear varies with the cable companies around the country. The best way to check is to hook up the cable and do an auto scan on the TV and see what you come up with. The worst that can happen is you might need to rent a second HD cable box.

You might also try hooking up an ordinary TV antenna and see what you can get in over the air free HD in your area.
 

New member
Username: Jmc99

Nashville, TN United States

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-06
Thanks John,
The set is being delivered this week and I will do some experimenting. I do not relish the idea of having to get an antenna, fish the wire through the interior wall, etc. but I could always do it through the window first to see what can be picked up.

In addition to my connectivity issue, I am trying to educate myself about basic calibration to go as far as possible myself in tweaking the set when it comes out of the box...
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1204
Registered: Feb-04
Here are some calibration notes by The Perfect Vision on the LC-37D90U. It is the 1080 model above your 720 model, but most of the notes probably apply to yours as well.

http://www.avguide.com/features/bg-flat-panels/flatpanels-calib.php#sharp

If you live anywhere less than 25 miles from the Nashville area, you should be able to get some HD signal with an indoor antenna. Should be VHF/UHF as your NBC affiliate is VHF while the rest are UHF. Go to antennaweb, put in your zip then submit then click on "show digital channels only" to see compass and distance from the broadcast towers.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx
 

New member
Username: Jmc99

Nashville, TN United States

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-06
Once again, thanks for the valuable info. I am creating a folder of information and can already see I will be getting a lot more out of this TV now armed with tips like this. This is a great site.

In researching the tv purchase choice, I came upon several reviews and this one had suggested calibration values based on the Essentials DVD http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtvreviews/sharp-lc37d40u-review.shtml
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1205
Registered: Feb-04
Bill, thanks for the site. It's a good one. I am currently looking for a second HDTV for the bedroom. The maxes are 37" and $1K. Which puts me in the Olevia and Vizio range, which are not as good as the Sonys and Sharps, but either will be OK I think.
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