Help with my HDTV

[CColtManM]

I just bought a Model LVM-47W1 Westinghouse 47" LCD 1080p. Just installed it. I have Comcast service in Chicago and the little box i had with them is only SD with coaxial.

Well, with all the good things i have to say about this tv the one bad thing is that it doesn't have a tuner built in.

So, after looking around i am here asking for help. How do i get HD channels without paying for them through comcast. They ask for 7 dollars more a month plus a 15 dollar charge for the premium (like ESPN and Discovery). In the end i'd be paying around 85 dollars a month for TV. That's crazy.

I have heard of getting the stations off the antenna, but i still need an HD tuner, which i don't have. Any suggestions?

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Help with my HDTV

You don't want to pay for HD channels, but you want them?

That's like asking to get cable without paying for it.

You don't need an HD tuner. You need an HD cable box with HD component output to hook into the TV's component input. DVI and HDMI will also work. You could also get an HD TV tuner for a PC and hook the PC up to the monitor and go like that, but you lose the cable box's functions (which are quite nice, in Comcast's case). Comcast will also give you an HD cable box with TV tuner for practically nothing, but you obviously have to pay for the service to start with.

You won't get HD off an antenna any better than you'll get SD cable. In other words, not at all.

[casecutter]

Re: Help with my HDTV

There are free to air HD channels, but very few. Most likely not the ones you are looking for.

[CColtManM]

Re: Help with my HDTV

Thanks for the input guys. Ok, this is where i am at. I borrowed my girlfriend's Motorola DCT6200 that she got from Comcast to work with her HDTV.

It works fine with mine! Which means, Comcast is sending the HD signal through to me.

The only place i can find the Motorola DCT6200 is on ebay and that's for around $300.00 dollars shipped! So Yawgm0th you are right, i need a HD cable box with an HD component outpout, or in my case i use HDMI to DVI. Either way, do you guys know of a cheaper box?

[Darthtanion]

Re: Help with my HDTV

They are usually provided at a minimal cost when you sign up for HD service through the cable company. If you are looking for a way to bypass this, then we will need to close this thread.

[CColtManM]

Re: Help with my HDTV

All i am asking for is if people know of HD HDTV Tuners with HD outputs. I found some at Best Buy for 179.00, and some on ebay for 307.00, just wondering if anyone has info on cheaper ones. That's all. :)

[Darthtanion]

Re: Help with my HDTV

The "tuners" are only for gethering over the air signals that some of the major channels put out (generally limited to ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and maybe Public Service). Anything beyond that requires service from either a cable company or a satellite company, each of which generally require a decryption box that you install to your TV.

[CColtManM]

Re: Help with my HDTV

I gotcha. I tested my girlfriends comcast box (HD ready) and found that i am indeed receiving HD signals. So, all I'm doing is finding a tuner box to take care of that.

[Kheldar]

Re: Help with my HDTV

personally I'd look at the itgate or dreambox

they will allow "other" features such as card sharing, custom firmware, streaming to vlc (so you can watch tv on your pc's (can come from satalite, cable or HDtv), put a HD in it and you've got a PVR, they have a web interface

http://www.itgate.co.kr/dags/

http://www.dream-multimedia-tv.de/english/products_dm7025_technical.php

but they aren't cheap :(