Can't access HD channels on tv

[dharma14]

I have two LCD HDTV's in my house. The one in my bedroom is a 27" westinghouse. I get all local HD channels right from the cable cord from the wall, no box or anything. All I did was let the whole tv scan for 10 minutes to pick up the free digital channels, but on my samsung it just scans regular channels because it only takes about a minutes to scan everything. http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst
This is the tv that doesn't seem to want to get the HD channels. I tried getting them with the antenna and everything works, so I don't know why I just can't get them through the regular cable.

[dharma14]

I have to LCD HDTV's in my house. The 27" Westinghouse in my bedroom receives all the local HD channels from cable, with out any cable box. The Samsung doesn't seem to get any of the HD channels. When I let it scan for channels, it just is over in a minute, unlike my other tv which takes about 10 minutes to find all the digital channels.
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst
This is the tv. Anyone have any clue why I'm not getting the digital channels?

[SkillzthatKillz]

maybe try subscribing to HD cable and getting a box

[dharma14]

Originally Posted by SkillzthatKillz

maybe try subscribing to HD cable and getting a box

Why? It works just fine on my tv in my bedroom. I get NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, and PBS in HD for free. The Samsung has all these options too, like std, irc, and hrc I think. I tried them all and didn't seem to work I guess.

[SkillzthatKillz]

oh...well i dont know what the problem is...sorry mate

[dharma14]

I think I found the answer...
In North American digital video, a QAM tuner is a device present in some digital televisions and similar devices which enables direct reception of digital cable channels without the use of a set-top box.[1]

QAM-based HD programming of local stations is sometimes available to analog cable subscribers, without paying the additional fees for a digital cable box. The availability of QAM HD programming is rarely described or publicized in cable company product literature.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by dharma14

I have two LCD HDTV's in my house. The one in my bedroom is a 27" westinghouse. I get all local HD channels right from the cable cord from the wall, no box or anything. All I did was let the whole tv scan for 10 minutes to pick up the free digital channels, but on my samsung it just scans regular channels because it only takes about a minutes to scan everything. http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst
This is the tv that doesn't seem to want to get the HD channels. I tried getting them with the antenna and everything works, so I don't know why I just can't get them through the regular cable.

The reason is because you're not actually supposed to get those channels. Some tvs, usually the cheaper ones, accidently pick up those channels. Some tv's even grab an ESPN HD, or HBO, or History HD channels every now and then. Trust me, you are lucky to get those channels thru the cable because you really should NOT be.

When each channel comes into the Cable System's "Head End" is is modulated and freq is switched over to a different QAM on purpose so that people CANNOT pick those up with their tv's. Thats also why sometimes your tv will pick up those digital stations missing either the audio or the video.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

The reason is because you're not actually supposed to get those channels. Some tvs, usually the cheaper ones, accidently pick up those channels. Some tv's even grab an ESPN HD, or HBO, or History HD channels every now and then. Trust me, you are lucky to get those channels thru the cable because you really should NOT be.

When each channel comes into the Cable System's "Head End" is is modulated and freq is switched over to a different QAM on purpose so that people CANNOT pick those up with their tv's. Thats also why sometimes your tv will pick up those digital stations missing either the audio or the video.

Actually, it has nothing to do with "cheaper ones" or "accidentally". It's the QAM tuner. Your other set doesn't have it and thus isn't picking up those stations.

A QAM tuner is designed to pull in HD stations. If it does that, it's somehow cheap or wrong? The cable company doesn't want you to get them, to be sure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to with the right setup. I get all my local HD channels for free thanks to a nice little QAM tuner in my HDTV.

[mikejet]

Is the Samsung set to Cable as the signal type?

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

The reason is because you're not actually supposed to get those channels.

Not true, from what I've heard/read. Cable companies are obligated to provide local HD channels to all subscribers of basic cable. This was in a thread here many moons ago. My Pany hooked to just basic cable picks up all of the local HD channels through the coax connection. It's making me reconsider paying all of the extra $$ I'm paying for 2 HD DVR boxes when the only HD I really ever watch is broadcast (with very little TBS, ESPN, TNT and Discovery).

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Not true, from what I've heard/read. Cable companies are obligated to provide local HD channels to all subscribers of basic cable. This was in a thread here many moons ago. My Pany hooked to just basic cable picks up all of the local HD channels through the coax connection. It's making me reconsider paying all of the extra $$ I'm paying for 2 HD DVR boxes when the only HD I really ever watch is broadcast (with very little TBS, ESPN, TNT and Discovery).

Well I happen to know what you've read is wrong. Because I actually work for Comcast. I know.

You know those channels that you move onto that show the NBA package for $79 or whatever and it wants you to call and order, then you call and order and that channel is unlocked; well, occasionally a tv will pick up that channel by ACCIDENT!

Cable companies are not obligated to give you those locals channels.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Actually, it has nothing to do with "cheaper ones" or "accidentally". It's the QAM tuner. Your other set doesn't have it and thus isn't picking up those stations.

A QAM tuner is designed to pull in HD stations. If it does that, it's somehow cheap or wrong? The cable company doesn't want you to get them, to be sure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to with the right setup. I get all my local HD channels for free thanks to a nice little QAM tuner in my HDTV.

Just feel lucky that you've got those channels, most people get 1 or 2 local channels in HD with theirs. I know exactly how the cable companies work. And I already mentioned about the QAM tuner; However, even with that QAM tuner you are not supposed to get some channels that some have been getting. As I mentioned before, some people actually pick up premium channels such as HBO.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

Well I happen to know what you've read is wrong. Because I actually work for Comcast. I know.

You know those channels that you move onto that show the NBA package for $79 or whatever and it wants you to call and order, then you call and order and that channel is unlocked; well, occasionally a tv will pick up that channel by ACCIDENT!

Cable companies are not obligated to give you those locals channels.

Won't argue whether they are obligated or not, as this was based on earlier discussions in this forum. What I do know is that my cable company provides local HD channels as part of the basic cable package for no extra cost. My set picks them up as if they were OTA (3.1, 32.1, 12.1, 12.2, etc...)

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Won't argue whether they are obligated or not, as this was based on earlier discussions in this forum. What I do know is that my cable company provides local HD channels as part of the basic cable package for no extra cost. My set picks them up as if they were OTA (3.1, 32.1, 12.1, 12.2, etc...)

We charge $6.95 box rental and $5 for local HD, also in order to get that you need to sign up for Full Basic service of $54.50 here in Southwest FL.

You've got a good deal.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

We charge $6.95 box rental and $5 for local HD, also in order to get that you need to sign up for Full Basic service of $54.50 here in Southwest FL.

You've got a good deal.

Yeah, but I'm getting hosed on the HD-DVR rental fees and the "HD-pack", which only gives me about 8-10 non-broadcast HD channels that I don't really watch. But, I'm saving with a phone/internet bundle package, so I guess it all works out. I'd switch to DirecTV, but then my kids would be upset that they would not have basic cable in their rooms and I would probably end up paying more for phone/internet.

[mcadvldg]

Check your coax inputs, earlier Samsungs had two inputs(one for cable and one for antenna). I had a friend who couldn't get his cable because he was on the wrong input. Also alot of the cable companies don't transmit digital signals if you don't have digital cable package, but that is becoming very rare this close to the changeover to digital. Just a few things to help you troubleshoot. Good luck! I had also noticed that once we got his TV working, the QAM channels were way off from the normal 3,5,8, et. They were around 84-1, 88-3 where the -3 was the local channel 3.

[N2TrAnC3]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Is the Samsung set to Cable as the signal type?

What he said

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by mcadvldg

Check your coax inputs, earlier Samsungs had two inputs(one for cable and one for antenna). I had a friend who couldn't get his cable because he was on the wrong input. Also alot of the cable companies don't transmit digital signals if you don't have digital cable package, but that is becoming very rare this close to the changeover to digital. Just a few things to help you troubleshoot. Good luck! I had also noticed that once we got his TV working, the QAM channels were way off from the normal 3,5,8, et. They were around 84-1, 88-3 where the -3 was the local channel 3.

You do realize that February of 2009 has absolutely NOTHING to do with cable, right? Its for the over-the-air broadcasts. As long as you have cable at your house then your old analog will still work fine. People with "rabbit ears" will need neither a digital tuner, or digital tv with tuner.

http://dtvanswers.com/dtv_affected.html

EVENTUALLY, all cable channels will be digital. One by one, every couple weeks they take an analog channel and switch it to digital. A very popular one that happened 8 months ago would the the Game Show Network. But you're not going to see this for atleast another year.


I get asked about this topic atleast 3-5 times each day. So many people are confused about this and are going out and spending several grand on a tv that they don't need. I feel bad for elders that have been wasting their money that they don't have on their $900 Vizio tvs because they didn't understand the analog to digital switch.

[Disco]

Originally Posted by dharma14

I have two LCD HDTV's in my house. The one in my bedroom is a 27" westinghouse. I get all local HD channels right from the cable cord from the wall, no box or anything. All I did was let the whole tv scan for 10 minutes to pick up the free digital channels, but on my samsung it just scans regular channels because it only takes about a minutes to scan everything. http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst
This is the tv that doesn't seem to want to get the HD channels. I tried getting them with the antenna and everything works, so I don't know why I just can't get them through the regular cable.

When my HD television was first set up, it scanned and picked up all the Cable HD channels. I had them all, for free for a month. Than Cable scrambled the signal and I could not receive them anymore without paying.