2 diff signal outputs from 1 HDTV cable box possible? (1 Viewer)

[Jeremy L]

Just bought my first HDTV Home Theater System.
My setup thus far:

Hitachi 46" Widescreen HDTV Monitor with Built-in DVD Player
Panasonic Progressive-Scan DVD Home Theater System
Explorer® 8000HD Home Entertainment Server (HDTV Cable Box)

(I tried to link info about the above for more help, but since I don't have 15 posts yet, it wouldn't accept urls.)

The Hitachi displays very good HD signal. But it is lacking in the Analog/Digital cable signal. It has a few inputs of course and I was wanting to use s-video out from the HDTV Cable box just for that purpose (I think it displays the signal better).

I'm just not sure how to go about doing this. Splitter of some sort? Is this even possible (2 different output options from 1 cable box)?

Is there another way to get better analog/digital signal? My cable company is Cox Communications btw. Their signal is fine (it works fine on other TV's)...it's just this Hitachi HDTV, it displays very poor analog/digital cable feeds.

Any help would be greatly appreciated (especially by the wifey who could care less about HiDef and movies, and would rather watch regular cable in the family room...apparently...her watching TV in the bedroom isn't a viable option).

btw, I currently have the s-video out from the cable box to an s-video input on the TV. When I switch to that video source (Video 3), the screen is blank. Changing the channels via the cable box doesn nothing, also, the TV is on Channel 3.

I thought I could just click back and forth from Video 1 (hdtv connect from cable box) and video 3 (s-video feed). Doesn't seem to be working.

 

[Ted Lee]

howdy! some random thoughts and observations...

first of all, if your cox cable box is hi-def, you *must* use the component output from the cable box. s-video cannot carry the hd signal to your tv. once you use the component cables, you should see a much better picture...especially on a hi-def channel.

second, you should run the component cables to your hitachi's "component 1" input. then you leave the tv on that input (comp1) all the time. essentially you turn your expensive tv into a big monitor. then you change channels via the cable-box.

third, be aware that regular cable often looks *worse* on a hdtv. that's because your nice tv is now showing all the flaws, but only better and bigger. but don't worry about it. you really bought that tv so you could watch all your letterbox dvd's in their glory...right?

 

[Jeremy L]

Well...yes I bought it for that reason...but I was hopin' to accomodate the "women folk" in the household who have no interest in men toys.

Is there no way possible to improve upon the non HD signal?

 

[RobertSiegel]

Unfortunately, analog channels and even some digital channels running on Cable tv are very poor quality. On my Time/Warner, the first 100 channels are analog, so Lifetime and others look absolutely horrible on my HDTV. Of course, I am using a Sony VPL-11HT projector at 150", so everything will show, but these channels looked great with Direct tv. The reason I switched to Time/Warner was that they have more HD channels. Not sure of any way to improve the look since the signal is probably less than good in the first place.

 

[StephenHa]

one thing that has helped with non hd programing is use the lower grade s video or component cables. I've done that for a few customers and they were happy, when watching hd they switched to component (I have found on boxes with component, and dvi the component looks awful when compared to the dvi)