HDMI switch and DVI2HDMI cable issues

[MilesAhead]

I have an HDTV but it only has an analog tuner. It has 2 component inputs and one HDMI.
Right now my setup is cable box HDTV into the component input, and upconverting DVD player
into the HDMI. But the fly in the ointment is the DVD player has DVI output. The input to
the TV is through DVI<=>HDMI cable with RCA stereo audio inputs.

I was thinking if I got some kind of converter and switch I might be able to watch more
HD channels but I think the RCA audio is going to get in the way unless I can somehow
move the current input from the TV to some adapter and then maybe use an HDMI
switch to handle various input devices.

Should I just buy a newer TV? Thing is I think this one still has 8 good years in it and the
picture is fine in 1080i.

Thanks for listening to my woes. Any suggestions?
(btw the DVD player is OPPO with the DVI output)

[jagabo]

I don't think you'll get any more HD channels by switching the cable box from component to HDMI. You might get a slightly better picture though.

In theory, the cable company could block certain HD channels from the component output. But in practice there probably aren't many that do this.

[Nelson37]

Do not understand the suggestion that a different connection type will somehow make more HD channels available. No difference in available channels whatsoever.

As for the RCA being a problem, I would somewhat agree, but for different reasons. MUCH better sound quality would be available thru the digital connection, either optical or coax. A surround sound amp and speakers will complement the HD picture very nicely, and most amps provide at least one of each. This gives you some additional selectability.

What I do is just use the TV to switch video input, and the amp to choose the corresponding audio. HDMI switches are available, but the pricing may have you look twice at upgrading the TV.

[edDV]

What kind of DVD player has DVI-D out?

Find a DVD player that upscales to analog component, or if the TV is good, connect 480p analog component and let the TV do the upscale.

[MilesAhead]

I don't think you'll get any more HD channels by switching the cable box from component to HDMI. You might get a slightly better picture though.

In theory, the cable company could block certain HD channels from the component output. But in practice there probably aren't many that do this.

What I was thinking is if I got some kind of digital/hd tuner then I could pull some channels off the air, or maybe get the digital signal off the basic cable. At the moment supposedly there is both digital and analog signal on the basic cable side, but my cable box only puts through analog on the basic cable side(and it looks like crap.) So I thought if I put it through a digital tuner I might get some decent picture.

It's kind of a mish mash of issues because I'm not sure what hardware is out there and not sure what signals are actually on the cable and what I could pick up directly from broadcast etc..

So I guess I'm just trying to find out what kind of adapters are out there before I can come up
with an approach. Right now I'm just wandering around in the dark. (and it's not just dark but also
kinda' snowy on the analog side.)

[edDV]

Confirm that you do have an HD cable box.
- Which cable company?
- Model number of cable box.
- HD channels that you get now. They look like crap? Or the SD channels look like crap?

...
What I was thinking is if I got some kind of digital/hd tuner then I could pull some channels off the air, or maybe get the digital signal off the basic cable.

An ATSC tuner will tune local broadcast channels. Some will be SD, some HD some of the time.

Put your address into this site and it will predict reception by antenna type.
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

An HD tuner with clear QAM capability will tune nonencrypted digital cable channels. These will be locals plus whatever the cable company wants to pass. Some are SD some are HD plus upscaled SD.

At the moment supposedly there is both digital and analog signal on the basic cable side, but my cable box only puts through analog on the basic cable side(and it looks like crap.) So I thought if I put it through a digital tuner I might get some decent picture.

So you don't have an HD cable box?

It's kind of a mish mash of issues because I'm not sure what hardware is out there and not sure what signals are actually on the cable and what I could pick up directly from broadcast etc..

Typical cable has
- 40 to 70 analog NTSC channels
- 40 to 150 digital MPeg2 SD channels by subscription
- 0 - 50 digital MPeg2 HD channels by subscription
- Scheduled pay per view in either SD or HD
- Video on demand depending on size of local server, some by subscription
- 50 or so music channels
- local access and gov't channels

Your cable company has a list of plans and channels.

For broadcast run antennaweb.org (varies by address)

[jagabo]

Just to clarify a bit:

You need an ATSC tuner and antenna to view over the air broadcast HD channels.

You need a QAM tuner to view unencrypted HD channels from your cable company. Most HD channels will be encrypted. The cable company is only required to send local broadcast channels unencrypted.