HDTV through RG6? (1 Viewer)

[steve stockwood]

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[Jesse Leonard]

Component Video Cables does not define an HDTV signal. A HDTV signal can be sent through many different wires (component, CAT-5, RG6, firewire....). HDTV is just a signal and as long as the cable has enough bandwith to carry it, all will be fine.

DTV isn't lying or using a marketing scam.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I currently receive 8 channels of HD from Time Warner Cable. The signal is carried into my apartment on RG6, where a Scientific Atlanta cable box decodes the signal and sends it, via a 3-plug component connection, to my HDTV.

M.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Remember that your CATV coax carries multiple standard channels, several HD channels, and each HDTV channel can be 480p, 720p, 1080 i or p, and includes Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

So it comes in a compressed format over the CATV coax and the STB decoder box breaks it out into channels, then into HD Component video, AND audio.

But good question though

 

[Iver]

If you are talking about the analog connection from the STB to the monitor, then you would be correct that it would either be carried via a three-cable component connection (or a five-cable Y-Pb-Pr-H-V connection or an analog VGA-type connection). The emerging connection formats, such as DVI and Firewire, will use a digital signal to connect your source to your display.

But the HDTV signal from your cable company is a whole different breed of cat. That is a radio-frequency (same frequencies as have been used by VHF and UHF analog broadcast TV) signal which can either be broadcast over-the-air, received by an antenna, and sent via coax to your STB or, in the case of most digital cable configurations, sent to your house on coax, connected to your STB, and then sent on to your display's inputs via one of the analog (or now sometimes digital) types of connections mentioned above.

However, you should still maintain a healthy skepticism of your cable-TV provider.

 

[DanBlitz]

I posted a similar question -- and now I think I understand all's ok in the world. That is, I am getting my HD decoder from the cable company tomorrow, to couple up with my new Toshiba HDTV-ready RPTV.

So if I understand correctly, then, the HD decoder will do the job of separating out the three video components, i.e., no loss as is normally associated with a direct-view TV's parsing of composite video, right?

Now I have another question, however, as I move also in the direction of 5.1 to accompany my vastly upgraded family room. The digital cable box I presently lease from COMCAST does not have either the coax or optical audio output. I assume this means that unless COMCAST is so kind as to install a new box for me, I am not getting a 5.1-ready audio signal to my receiver, correct?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Now I have another question, however, as I move also in the direction of 5.1 to accompany my vastly upgraded family room. The digital cable box I presently lease from COMCAST does not have either the coax or optical audio output. I assume this means that unless COMCAST is so kind as to install a new box for me, I am not getting a 5.1-ready audio signal to my receiver, correct?

The literal answer to your question is yes, but it shouldn't matter, unless Comcast does things differently than most. Your existing cable box will most probably be replaced by a new one that includes HD decoding. AFAIK, all such boxes on the market today offer a digital audio output.

If it does turn out that Comcast is providing a separate HD decoder, I'm sure that decoder will have its own digital output. DD is the standard sound format for HD; an HD decoder without a digital output wouldn't be a true HD decoder.

M.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Comcast (if your Comcast is anything like the Boston area Comcast, regions may differ) will replace your current "digital" box with a Motorola DTC5100 HDTV box complete with coax and optical digital audio connections. The video will be enabled through the component connects and they even supply some pretty good cables. The standard digital and analog channels are improved slightly by the component connection and the HDTV is stunning.

Your Toshiba will even switch automatically from whatever 480i/480p mode you watch 4:3 TV in (i.e Theaterwide 1,2,3, Natural etc) to the default Natural for widescreen (1080i, 720p) HDTV broadcasts. I thought I would have to manually switch inputs or screen modes for HDTV, but it handles everything through the component inputs seamlessly.

 

[JeremyFr]

The 5100 is a sweet box I cant wait to get an HD set so I can get one, right now I just have the 2000L which is the same as the standard boxes but with S-Video out and Optical/Coax digital audio outputs.