Question about Plasma Monitor & Tv tuners (1 Viewer)

[AribaaD]

Hi there,

I am seriously considering buying TH42PWD7UY. I have read a few articles on the web about it and apparently it is the most recommended if you are on a budget. I have also read that this model does not have a TV tuner however, if one receives their TV thru a digital cable box or a satellite box, then they are all set.

In my case though, I do not have digital or a statellite TV box. I get my TV thru a regular "cable (analog)". I do not plan buy satellite get into in the near future as well. I plan to use this Plasma mainly for DVD watching and sometimes regular TV.

My question: is there an external tuner that I can purchase to get these channels? I read about Samsung's set-up box and looked at SIR-T165 - does that act as a tuner for regular cable, couldnt figure that out from their website. Any information on this would be helpful.

Thanks a bunch!

Regards,
AD

 

[John S]

A stereo hi-fi VCR.. Preferably an SVHS one so it offers svideo out. I have scores of people running this way, even with displays that have tuners in them.

For HD, of course the HD OTA ATSC STB tuner of your choosing. Even the Walmart brand one seems OK from my expeirences with it.

Best of luck with your purchase.

 

[Steve_L_B]

If you use a VCR (this works fine for analog cable channels) or a standard cable box as your tuner, you will likely find that that using the composite video output provides better picture quality than an svideo output. All standard NTSC video is composite and requires the color and B&W signals be separated before they are displayed (component video and true svideo maintain separate color and B&W information). This is accomplished by a comb filter. Most SVHS VCRs and cable boxs use simple, inexpensive comb filters to generate svideo from composite signals. The plasma display has a sophisticated digital comb filter that will likely produce a superior picture from composite sources.

I think that the Samsung tuner is for OTA digital signals only. You would still need to use a VCR or cable box for analog cable channels.

Regards,
Steve

 

[AribaaD]

John, Steve,

thanks for replying.
Based what you just mentioned, if I use the VCR; then the tuning of the channels will be thru the VCR remote is that correct?

Steve,
Here is another thing though regaring Samsung:
While I was reading their manual I saw the option "to connect cable tv w/o a cable box" and this confused me.
Hence, I was thinking may be it can be used as a tuner for NTSC channels.
Below is the link to the manual (I am pasting the URL w/o the http, since the site would not allow me to)

" downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/200304/20030415140109250_T165_00278A_0308.pdf"

Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Steve_L_B]

It does appear from the manual that you can use it as an analog cable tuner. I would post this question in the Audio/Video Sources forum and see if someone who owns this tuner can confirm this.

Regards,
Steve

 

[John S]

Steve, do some searches. I think lots of stuff are available as add ons with these displays. Usually cheaper, much much cheaper going an external route is all.