[gigahz]

I have Directv and recently bought a Samsung SIR-TS360 to use as an over the air tuner for local HD content.

The Samsung also has a cable input.

I have Comcast cable internet which ALSO has the basic cable package (just locals)
coming through the coax.

Even on a non cable tv, it will tune them in.

I was wondering......can I use this bare bones cable connection for my HD locals rather than using an external off the air antenna?

THANKS.

 

[Nick]

No, not with basic cable. Nice try, though. :sure:

To get HD, you need two things:

1) a subscription to your cable company's digital tier, including their HD package;
2) an HD stb from your cable company.


BTW, welcome to DBSTalk! :wave:

 

[JLucPicard]

Chances are the basic cable (without need of a box) is analog and not digital anyway. Wouldn't work as there would be no HD.

 

[litzdog911]

Some "basic cable" packages do include local HDTV channels, but they're provided using "QAM Modulation", not the ATSC modulation used by OTA HDTV channels. In other words, even if your local HDTV channels are provided on your basic cable, your DirecTV Receiver cannot receive them because they're in the wrong format.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Not exactly guys.

Gigahz, this is a stretch, but does your TV have a built in QAM tuner? In other words does it say 'Digital Cable Ready' and have a cable card slot?

If so you can hook up your incoming cable line directly to the TV, without a cable box or cable card, and see if you get anything. My cable company passes along a few channels unencrypted including regular digital channels like Nicktoons TV and The Weather Channel and HD channels like Discovery HD Theater and HD Net. The problem with all of this is the channels numbers that the cable company assigns the channels aren’t the same as if you can pick them up with a QAM tuner. For example Discovery HD Theater is channel 1030 on digital cable here, it’s 115.1 if I just have the cable line directly hooked up to the TV.

IMO, this is more trouble then it’s worth, but it is possible. The only thing I use this for is watching HD content on other locals. I live in a different market then where my cable company is based out of. My county is not able to legally able view Rochester, NY locals on cable or satellite as we’re not given significantly viewed status for them, but Time Warner passes them through unencrypted and I can get ABC HD, CBS HD and PBS HD from Rochester. I get my own locals in HD with the cable box anyhow, but the Buffalo and Rochester PBS affiliates differ a lot.

If this doesn't work for you, you many not even need an HD package, just an HD box. My cable company includes, all HD locals, Discovery HD Theater, TNT HD, InHD 1, InHD 2 and regional sports networks in HD for free as long as you have an HD cable box and a digital cable subscription.

 

[cybrsurfer]

I have Directv and recently bought a Samsung SIR-TS360 to use as an over the air tuner for local HD content.

The Samsung also has a cable input.

I have Comcast cable internet which ALSO has the basic cable package (just locals)
coming through the coax.

Even on a non cable tv, it will tune them in.

I was wondering......can I use this bare bones cable connection for my HD locals rather than using an external off the air antenna?

THANKS.

With the SIRT451 STB you can get the HD locals via cable since they are not scrambled per FCC regulations. The STB has to be QAM capable. The SIRT451 works with QAM cable networks like Comcast and OTA ATSC formats.

For instance I have Internet and phone service with Comcast only. To make sure I don't get TV a analog filter was put on the pole to block TV. However because the local HD are digital once I connected my Samsung SirT451 to the cable, it was still able to tune in all my local HD despite the filter...

 

[litzdog911]

With the SIRT451 STB you can get the HD locals via cable since they are not scrambled per FCC regulations. The STB has to be QAM capable. The SIRT451 works with QAM cable networks like Comcast and OTA ATSC formats.

For instance I have Internet and phone service with Comcast only. To make sure I don't get TV a analog filter was put on the pole to block TV. However because the local HD are digital once I connected my Samsung SirT451 to the cable, it was still able to tune in all my local HD despite the filter...

I didn't know that any DirecTV Receivers had QAM-capable tuners. Nice catch.

 

[cybrsurfer]

I didn't know that any DirecTV Receivers had QAM-capable tuners. Nice catch.

If the unit doesn't say it's QAM capable then it will not work. The SirT451 is a retail STB for OTA HD or Cable locals HD, it's not specifically made for or by DirecTV. You can buy the unit at Best Buy or Circuit City and online. It's a legal box, not a pirate box.

 

[litzdog911]

If the unit doesn't say it's QAM capable then it will not work. The SirT451 is a retail STB for OTA HD or Cable locals HD, it's not specifically made for or by DirecTV. You can buy the unit at Best Buy or Circuit City and online. It's a legal box, not a pirate box.

OK, then I was correct that no DirecTV Receivers have QAM-capable tuners. The original poster was asking about a Samsung SIR-TS360, not the Samsung SIR-T451 which isn't a DirecTV Receiver.

 

[cybrsurfer]

OK, then I was correct that no DirecTV Receivers have QAM-capable tuners. The original poster was asking about a Samsung SIR-TS360, not the Samsung SIR-T451 which isn't a DirecTV Receiver.

Litzdog, your right, the SirTS360 is not QAM capable. I mentioned the SirT451 only to make people aware that there is a model that can get QAM.

 

[urnote96]

with my cable connection for my INternet, for some reason i receive the HD versions of my locals through the cable connection. Its wierd. they are on channel 116-1 and 116-2. also 80-1 and 80-2 show up...

 

[cybrsurfer]

with my cable connection for my INternet, for some reason i receive the HD versions of my locals through the cable connection. Its wierd. they are on channel 116-1 and 116-2. also 80-1 and 80-2 show up...

Thanks for the info, but what model are you referring to or using?

 

[litzdog911]

Thanks for the info, but what model are you referring to or using?

Probably he's using his TV's internal QAM-capable tuner.

 

[urnote96]

Yeah i am using that tuner, its wierd though. I have a samsung HL-r5067w

Sweet TV

But all i do is subscribe to cable internet and it picks up all the rest

 

[Rocko62580]

With the SIRT451 STB you can get the HD locals via cable since they are not scrambled per FCC regulations. The STB has to be QAM capable. The SIRT451 works with QAM cable networks like Comcast and OTA ATSC formats.

For instance I have Internet and phone service with Comcast only. To make sure I don't get TV a analog filter was put on the pole to block TV. However because the local HD are digital once I connected my Samsung SirT451 to the cable, it was still able to tune in all my local HD despite the filter...

Great message! I had no clue I could get get HD local with the QAM tuner. I am going out today to get an HD tv and see if it works. If it doesn't, should I be concerned, you said that the FCC forces cable companies to keep these descrambled?

 

[bluedogok]

Check before, some local cable systems do not have all of the HD locals just like D*. The ABC station in Oklahoma City pulled the HD plug to Cox Cable and they are not owned by Lin (Hearst-Argyle).

 

[iheartroscoe]

I'm glad that I found this thread. I was wondering if this was possible, as I have cable internet but currently receive HD locals via OTA, with no time table as to when DirecTV is going to offer HD locals in my area. Currently, I get all of my HD locals with good signal strength, but ABC HD and CW HD are only broadcast via Comcast cable. It would be great if this works for me and I can pick up those two channels in HD.

 

[cybrsurfer]

Great message! I had no clue I could get get HD local with the QAM tuner. I am going out today to get an HD tv and see if it works. If it doesn't, should I be concerned, you said that the FCC forces cable companies to keep these descrambled?

Yes it will work, but make sure the tv or stb you purchase is QAM capable.

 

[iheartroscoe]

Thanks for the tip. I looked it up and my TV does have a QAM tuner.

 

[Rocko62580]

WOW! This actually does work! I just got my QAM tv today! The guy at Best Buy said there is no way this will work! I thought I would trust this board more than him!

I get all my local channels in HD, with basic cable at $18 a month! I am so psyched!

Now of course I am spoiled and I want to get a DVR. Does anyone know how I can do this?