HDTV-ready TV with HD-format Cable?? Can COMCAST deliver what I want? (1 Viewer)

[DanBlitz]

Tomorrow my new Toshiba HDTV-ready 16:9 is being delivered and boy am I excited. I've made sure to have my cable company scheduled to install an HD decoder tomorrow to accompany the digital cable I already subscribe to.

However, I am confused about something and I am hoping someone here can help. The only video output choices from my Digital Cable box are composite and COAX. Obviously composite output to my TV thru the HD decoder's component video output would defeat the purpose of component video altogether. What I can't figure out is if the exact same thing is true with the COAX output. Seems to me that since the COAX is outputting both audio and video, there can only be one conductor carrying the video -- so that must just be composite video all over again.

Am I missing something here, or is the advantage of component video output/HDTV totally negated by what comes out of the digital converter?

While there is an optional S-Video port on the back of the converter, it isn't active. Seems to me at the very least, COMCAST should be changing out my digital box to one that supports S-VIDEO, if not component-video output, right?

This is COMCAST in Maryland. Anyone have a similar issue?

Thanks!

 

[David Ruggiero]

Dan they give you a new box that has component video and either optical or coaxial connections for 5.1 sound. This box replaces your current digital box.

 

[JeremyFr]

actually sounds like he's getting the motorola hdd 200 decoder box this plugs into a special high speed data port on the back of the cable box to decode the hd signal and has all the appropriate outputs for you're tv.

 

[David Ruggiero]

I guess it's different in Pennsylvania then because I received a new cable box, the Motorola DCT5100, which replaced my old digital cable box.

 

[JeremyFr]

yeah it can be either a brand new DCT5100 or the HDD 200 sidecar unit both work equally as well, though the 5100 is much more aesthetically pleasing

 

[Gary.Blevins]

Comcast in Sacramento has the component video, and it looks great!

Oh yes, to Dan: if you do end up being able to use the component Colorstream inputs on your Tosh, if it is like my 50HDX82, this disables all the PIP features. :-(

Gary

 

[Jeff Gatie]

If you do need the PIP (POP) features of your TV, have them wire the coax from the box to your 2 coax inputs on the Tosh (use the pass through on the box for the second input). This allows you to veiw the POP from Ant 1 and Ant 2, no HD, but it will work in a pinch.