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ssetta
join:2003-09-17
Natick, MA

ssetta

Member

New Digital Cable/HD-Ready TV

Well, I just got my first flat screen TV...it's a TruTech 19" Model with built-in DVD player. I have it hooked directly to cable (no box), and here are some things I've noticed. First off all, digital versions of some of the very basic channels are available on 74-1, 74-2, 74-3, 74-4, 74-5, then a few more on 82-1, 82-2, 82-3, etc. How exactly does this work?

Also, I get all of the local HD channels. However, it would appear that something doesn't look right. It doesn't look like it's in the right dimensions. The picture looks kind of "scrunched", but vertically. I've tried adjusting the LCD mode, but cannot fix this problem. Do you know what needs to be done in order for this to be fixed?

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Sounds like your cable system puts extended basic SD channels on QAM channels 74 and 82. Figure at 10 SDs per QAM channel, you probably have twenty SD cable channels there. Don't get too comfortable with where they are, though -- QAM channel assignments move around at times.

Regarding your scrunching problem, you need to read the manual a bit more. It sounds like you have your television's video mode set incorrectly, even though it sounds like you've tried to fix it.
ssetta
join:2003-09-17
Natick, MA

ssetta

Member

It's in HD but not like it normally is. It fills up the whole screen, but it's like the people look really thin. This is a cheap model TV, and I've seen a lot of complaints about it not working properly. Maybe it would be fixed if I had a box??

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Not unless you get a new set.

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

1 edit

andyross to ssetta

MVM

to ssetta
said by ssetta:

It's in HD but not like it normally is. It fills up the whole screen, but it's like the people look really thin. This is a cheap model TV, and I've seen a lot of complaints about it not working properly. Maybe it would be fixed if I had a box??
Most HDTV's have some form of aspect mode/picture size button.

Also, most 19" TV's are 1400x900, which is 16:10, not the normal 16:9. My Samsung (LN19A450) has several modes for HD. "WIDE" zooms it up a bit so it fits top/bottom, but chops the sides a bit. "16:9" leaves the full picture, but has small letterboxing on top and bottom.

You may not want to read this:
»www.iconnectdots.com/ctd ··· ech.html
ssetta
join:2003-09-17
Natick, MA

ssetta

Member

Wow, this really is a bummer. We mainly bought that TV for my college dorm room, where there were no HD channels, and we were pretty much "out to lunch" when selecting it. I bought it back in late August/early September, and it's not under Warranty anymore. I'm afraid I'm stuck with it. And I've read several complaints about it not working properly. I didn't realize this at the time, but TruTech is actually a Target-custom brand. This is too bad.
cwm1276
join:2004-01-16
Stillman Valley, IL

cwm1276 to ssetta

Member

to ssetta
I got a digital TV and noticed the samething with local stations. They are in their regular analog channel position, then again with their OTA channel Number dash 1,2 etc... in HD and again at 74 and 82, being 74-1, 74-2, these look to be digital transmissions of the local stations analog feed, the TV say's it is all 480 and will strech the picture full screen, not like the HD channels where I will get bars on the sides or top and bottom or all around.

Why waste the bandwidth broadcasting the same channel 3 times, I can understand the Analog and HD, but the SD again?

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

The second SD is ADS. It provides better transmission quality to customers than analog does, but provides the aspect ratio that customers with older tube televisions desire. If there was a choice between analog and digital SD, the cable company and customers with cable boxes would prefer digital SD, no questions asked. Analog is the pariah, hanging on only because some customers don't have the ability to receive digital, and the law requires provision of analog (somehow) until 2012.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

said by bUU:

The second SD is ADS. It provides better transmission quality to customers than analog does, but provides the aspect ratio that customers with older tube televisions desire.
It's also increases SD recording capacity on DVR's some, because the MPEG2 compression done at the headend on the analogs does a more efficient job, than the digital encoders in the DVR's themselves. (such as on the DCT6412/16 DVR's)
cwm1276
join:2004-01-16
Stillman Valley, IL

cwm1276

Member

But what happens when the OTA Analog goes away? Comcast has to convert the Digital to Analog, how can they keep the old aspect ratio if the station is broadcasting Widescreen? Won't they have to do bars just like the OTA boxes?

Why waste bandwidth then for SD digital if they have to live with bars anyway after Feb. Shouldn't all those people buys new TVs just as Comcast is wanting us to rent boxes for content being moved from analog to digital.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

1 edit

bUU

Member

First: When OTA analog goes away, the broadcaster could still end up providing service providers, like Comcast, a SD/4:3 feed. It isn't clear whether any will, but I suspect that if they do, then service providers will elect to use that feed for their mandated analog service (and ADS, as applicable).

Now, assuming that the broadcasters don't provide a SD/4:3 feed, then it will be up to the service providers, like Comcast, to bridge the gap. They can do it a couple of different ways. They could downconverter the HD signal, and leave it letterboxed within the 4:3 aspect ratio, or they could center-cut it.

I explained the reason why they stick with the SD digital signals. They don't take up more than 10% of the bandwidth that the analog channels take up, so they're really not that big of a deal, by comparison. By the same token, they provide far more reliably better reception than the analog signals.

Beyond that, there is a big difference between requiring customers who want higher-tier services to get a box (charging $2-$4 per month for it) versus requiring customers who are using the lowest level budget service, mandated by law to be ultimately affordable, to buy new televisions. The first is reasonable; the second is not.
cwm1276
join:2004-01-16
Stillman Valley, IL

cwm1276

Member

I was wanting the same channels as on Expanded basic (non digital) Comcast wanted $16 a month. (Soapnet from expanded basic to Digital Preferred)

Lowest tier customers are going to be analog so there is no need for SD Digital feed.

For the service Providers, I also want widescreen to be used. Move the logo's to the edge. I don't see the value in widescreen if that part of the screen is not being used.

I would replace TV's if the sides were actually used for something. So far I see no value in upgrading to Digital service from comcast, for the cost of channels that I won't watch and widescreen does not mean much if the important content is all inside the old aspect ratio already.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Well, I'm not sure I see what you're saying, but one thing that might prompt you is that it seems likely that at least some channels will be switching from center-cut to letter-box, for the 4:3 aspect ratio.