Looking for Small TV Tuner (1 Viewer)

[Doug_B]

Need to convert my Coax antenna out from my cable box to composite video + L/R audio, as my new proj does not support coax in (naturally). I am currently using a VCR to accomplish this. I'm not using my VCR for any other purpose in this room, plus it's bigger than I want, so I'd like to replace it with something smaller. Any ideas? Small (and cheap) VCR, TV tuner box, etc. Eventually, I will probably get an HDTV STB that supports both digital coax and analog coax feeds, but that's a ways off. Another option would be to go with my cable co's digital service, which would allow a cable box upgrade that supposedly would also satify my needs for non-coax output. But the digital service does not appear enticing to me.

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Scott Barnhart]

How about the Viewsonic VB50HRTV TV Tuner for $99? I have heard good things about it for projector users wanting TV tuning abilities. Viewsonic also has some more expensive alternatives that should be on the same page.

 

[Doug_B]

Scott,

Looks interesting. Thanks for the link.

Based on reading through the literature, it appears that a 15 pin D-Sub RGB connector is the only video output. Do I assume correctly that I can get an adapter to convert this to component video for the long run to the projector (assuming my proj's component inputs are compatible with the supported progressive signals output by this box - I guess that 640x480 @60Hz is what we know and love as 480p)?

Thanks again.

Doug

 

[Scott Barnhart]

Doug,

Somehow I had forgotten that it only does RGB-out, sorry! You would need a transcoder to convert RGB to component and that would definitely violate the "cheap" part of the equation. Will your projector not take RGB/VGA input directly, or is it more of a cabling/switching problem?

If your projector takes component input on a 15-pin RGB connector and can also auto-sense whether the signal on the 15-pin is RGB or component, perhaps you could run the component output from your DVD player or receiver or whatever into the RGB-passthru on the VB50 which shouldn't disturb it at all in passthru mode.

If you go to AVSForum.com and look in the "Projectors under $5K" forum, there are plenty of people with VB50 experience that you could ask for specifics with your projector, probably.

 

[Doug_B]

Scott,

Yes, it's a cabling issue, as the proj does take a 15-pin RGB input, but I already routed component cables and a composite cable to it. I figured if I was going to use the 15-pin connector, it would be for a laptop that would be easier to connect straight up to the proj from my seat on an as-needed basis. The only cabling upgrade for the proj in my future plans would be for DVI.

I'll pursue this angle further, however.

Thanks again.

Doug