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HD from Cable?

post #1 of 6
3/25/09 at 7:38am
Thread Starter 
I'm a bit of a noob as I just purchased a 42" Panasonic 1080 plasma (TH-42PZ80U) and I'm on Suddenlink extended basic cable. I don't have a cable box as for years I've just taken the feed to my VCR ( yeah I still have one ) and then gone to my TV. Do I need to get a cable box for the plasma? I do get some DTV stations on cable but very few.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Chaz
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post #2 of 6
3/25/09 at 8:21am

Re: HD from Cable?

If you want HD channels, you'll need to get an HD programming package from your cable company. They will give you an HD set top box for decoding the channels.

You can hook up to an antenna, and probably get your local channels in HD, if the tv has a built in atsc tuner.
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post #3 of 6
3/25/09 at 8:48am

Re: HD from Cable?

Depending on your cable company, you may be able to get your local channels in HD without a box, provided your TV has a QAM tuner. For example, in my area Comcast transmits unscrambled HD signals for Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, and two other local stations. I can receive these signals via the antenna input on our two HDTV's without using a cable box. However, all other HD content is scrambled by Comcast, and requires an HD cable receiver.
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post #4 of 6
3/25/09 at 9:00am

Re: HD from Cable?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
You can hook up to an antenna, and probably get your local channels in HD, if the tv has a built in atsc tuner.
Depending on the TV, the OP would probably have to unhook his cable and re-scan for channels. Very few TV's have a connection for both cable and an antenna.

Isn't Suddenlink more of a small town/rural cable company? I have a lot of family in Arkansas that have them as a provider for both cable and internet.

-Robert
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post #5 of 6
3/27/09 at 3:20pm
Thread Starter 

Re: HD from Cable?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert_J

Isn't Suddenlink more of a small town/rural cable company? I have a lot of family in Arkansas that have them as a provider for both cable and internet.

-Robert

I'm not sure about Suddenlink's total operation. They did purchase the Cox Cable systems in Northern Louisiana and East Texas ( Tyler, Tx is their regional Corp HQ). I live in the Shreveport-Bossier City, LA area which Bossier has Suddenlink and Shreveport has Comcast.

Anyways...thanks everyone for the advice. I figured I needed to get some sort of HD pkg from Suddenlink. I'm reviewing the "Phone/Internet/Cable Bundles" they're promoting which may be a good deal.

Thanks again,

Chaz
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post #6 of 6
3/11/10 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for your reply.  I do receive some HD signals via cable as the local affiliates are cablecast in HD along with some of their sideband channels.  But most of the other channels come with a "digital signal" but not in HD.  

 

So I need to consider my next move.  Not really pleased with shelling out more to the cable company.  May go satellite.

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