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04-04-2003, 08:24 AM
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#1 of 29 
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 218
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Comast HDTV Failed Install
Comcast came to setup the new HDTV box for me. Its new to the Boston area. I have a Sony 36" XBR 400 which accepts 1080i, 480p, etc. Basically hdtv ready, though not widescreen.
Cable person shows up early, leaving my wife to help (I wasn't home yet). After 20 minutes, with me on the phone, he finally gets the box working. Of course, there isn't any red showing on the screen, and the speakers are buzzing. He had mixed up the red sound and component cables. My wife was able to figure this out.
After all that, how does the HDTV look? It looks exactly the same as the rest of the lineup. Flipping between HBO HD and HBO, no difference. Of course, that's when HBO HD is working. The same with ABC and CBS. No differences. The PBS demo channel looks bad as well.
Does the cable box need to be configured specially for the HD signal? Is it possible its just not on correctly in my area yet? I'm pretty sure nothing on my tv needs to change.
Anyway, anyone with Comcast HD working, how is it, and was it a pain to get running?
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04-04-2003, 09:41 AM
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#2 of 29
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Member
Location: Charlotte, NC
Join Date: Dec 1998
Local Time: 01:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 1,195
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I wonder if your TV can display a 1080i HDTV signal or if it gets converted to 480 Standard Definition. In that case maybe you won't notice any difference or the downconverted picture could look worse.
Gregory
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04-04-2003, 09:52 AM
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#3 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 218
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DVDs look a lot crisper on the TV, so I'm betting that it should at least do 480p. That should look better then normal cable. Its possible of course, but I thought my tv was definitely capable of more.
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04-04-2003, 01:11 PM
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#4 of 29
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Member
Join Date: May 1998
Local Time: 01:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 2,407
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Turn the cable box OFF, then hit 'Menu' and set the output to 1080i, and turn off the 4:3 override.
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04-07-2003, 01:21 PM
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#5 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 218
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Thanks Trenton, that seemed to help. I had my wife try it, so I'll check when I get home. The cable box was setup to 4:3 pan & scan, 480i. Amazing that the cable company doesn't have that as instructions for there employees. Now if I can make sure HBO HD shows up when it should, I may be set.
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04-07-2003, 01:42 PM
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#6 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Local Time: 11:49 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 21,275
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And, for the record, the Sony XBR400 is a 1080i-capable set. Also, agreed about the ignorance of the cable guy. Wonder if he even knows what 1080i is?
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04-07-2003, 02:28 PM
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#7 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 218
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I doubt he knew what 1080i was. He complained to my wife that the TV didn't have 'HDTV ready' on it, and that it wouldn't work. Frustrating.
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04-08-2003, 07:58 AM
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#8 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 218
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The feed is working now. The PBS channel looks great. Didn't watch NBC or ABC last night. I don't have CBS yet, which is to bad as the NCAA game was on last night.
My question, I have to turn the 4:3 override on, else all the channels (even non-hdtv ones) have bars on all sides, making the picture smaller.
My current settings:
TV: 4:3 Letterbox
HDTV: 1080i
4:3 Override: 480p
Does that mean that all the input is filtered to 480p, and I'm losing some signal, even for the hdtv channels? Or do I still see '1080i' on hdtv channels, and the override kicks in for the non-hdtv channels? What does the 4:3 override do?
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04-08-2003, 10:43 AM
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#9 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Local Time: 06:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 621
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I, too, don't think HDTV looks all that better than SD. I have Time Warner digital with the SA 3100HD box hooked up to a Pioneer 64" widescreen TV. I tried turning the power on the box off, and then looked for a MENU button, which I don't seem to have. I tried the SETTINGS button on the box, but nothing happens when the power is off.
Anyone know how to get into the HDTV settings in the SA3100HD box?
Aaron
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04-08-2003, 11:41 AM
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#10 of 29
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Local Time: 02:49 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 1,172
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I had a similar problem with Cablevision when the guy came over to swap a HD-ready box (Scientific Atlanta) for the regular digital one. He did not properly go through the setup to allow 1080i output (via an undocumented method that required the right tech support). For an 80" wide screen, the 1080i signal is noticeably better than 480i from the other channels (although there is 480i variance), plus the wide screen image to boot. Unfortunately, the Rangers didn't make the playoffs  (MSG and FSNY are in HD; guess I'll have to watch Devils and Islanders).
Doug
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