Over-the-air tv with cable

[ViragoGal]

Hello I have a portable philips tv that is only over-the-air. Is there anyway I can get it to work with my cable company? (time warner).
Or is there anyway I can get it to monitor my DVD or my VHS?

[edDV]

Hello I have a portable philips tv that is only over-the-air. Is there anyway I can get it to work with my cable company? (time warner).
Or is there anyway I can get it to monitor my DVD or my VHS?

No video inputs other than F connector? No QAM tuner?

If it has an NTSC tuner you can use a modulator to channel 3/4 (composite/RCA in).
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=5&gs_id=v&xhr=t&q=rf+modulator&gs_upl=...d=0CIYBEPMCMAI

Most cable companies will give you or rent you a DTA that outputs NTSC Ch 3/4.

[usually_quiet]

Maybe it has an ATSC/QAM tuner, but no NTSC tuner or composite inputs. Look at this one: http://download.p4c.philips.com/files/p/pvd900_37/pvd900_37_pss_aen.pdf

If the specs are right, it can't work with the output of any cable box I have heard of, and I haven't seen an NTSC-to-ATCS/QAM converter for consumers yet.

[ViragoGal]

Ed, no other inputs other than the F.

Usually quiet, yes that's the tv. Yep, it can't decipher any signals from any cable companies. But I was wondering if there was any way I can at least use a VHS or DVD machine with it? Any converters for that?

And also, when I go to Options/Setup/Channel Installation/ It gives me a choice of Air or Cable. Under Cable it gives me a choice ofCable- Auto; Cable-STD; Cable-HRC or Cable-IRC. I'm not sure I know what those all are, but why is it giving me a choice of cable if it can't decipher cable?

Thank you both for your fast responses

[usually_quiet]

Ed, no other inputs other than the F.

Usually quiet, yes that's the tv. Yep, it can't decipher any signals from any cable companies. But I was wondering if there was any way I can at least use a VHS or DVD machine with it? Any converters for that?

You can't use a DVD player or VCR with a TV unless it has a NTSC (analog) tuner or A/V input ports. That does not appear to be the case for your TV, based on the specs. The specs only mention an ATSC/QAM tuner, and there are no A/V connections, only the F connector for the tuner.

And also, when I go to Options/Setup/Channel Installation/ It gives me a choice of Air or Cable. Under Cable it gives me a choice of Cable- Auto; Cable-STD; Cable-HRC or Cable-IRC. I'm not sure I know what those all are, but why is it giving me a choice of cable if it can't decipher cable?

According to the specs, your TV can tune unencrypted digital cable channels (clear QAM). The unencrypted digital channels are usually local over-the-air stations, plus shopping channels and a few others. The bulk of cable offerings you have will be encrypted, and your TV can't receive those without using a cable box. If the TV had an NTSC tuner, you could tune the analog cable channels you have left, and could likely use a cable box to view all the channels in your package.

Have you tried "Auto" or "Cable-STD" to see what happens?

[edDV]

If that is the TV, it should be able to tune some channels off a simple cable input. Not all channels but the local QAM* (locals+shopping channels with odd channel numbers).

I've yet to see a TV with ATSC/QAM tuner that wouldn't also have an NTSC tuner to get analog channels such as ch 3/4 to connect a modulator. If you go by specs alone, Philips has hit a new low (a difficult achievement) especially for a portable TV.


* For USA, cable is required by FCC to encode local "must carry" locals + PBS (all subs) to QAM. This was the agreement by the cable operators with the FCC. They aren't required to carry other "negotiated" channels (major networks) but most do because that was part of the negotiation..

[edDV]

...
And also, when I go to Options/Setup/Channel Installation/ It gives me a choice of Air or Cable. Under Cable it gives me a choice of Cable- Auto; Cable-STD; Cable-HRC or Cable-IRC. I'm not sure I know what those all are, but why is it giving me a choice of cable if it can't decipher cable?

Air channel reception will depend on where you are pointing the antenna.

For cable start with STD. IRC and HRC are older restricted frequencies seldom encountered. This refers to cable channel frequencies.

If you can return this TV, I would.

[usually_quiet]

I haven't seen a TV without an NTSC tuner either, but a small very inexpensive battery-operated TV would be a likely candidate for that scenario.

People generally get this kind of TV to use in situations where VCRs, DVD players, analog cable and cable boxes are not going to be available to them, such as during power outages, and while camping or attending sporting events. Since analog signals are no longer transmitted over-the-air by full-power TV stations in the USA, installing a cheaper tuner without the ability to tune NTSC signals won't negatively impact most Americans who buy this TV.

[edDV]

There are still rural and suburban translators that output NTSC. Many are required to be updated to ATSC but some will remain NTSC.

[usually_quiet]

There are still rural and suburban translators that output NTSC. Many are required to be updated to ATSC but some will remain NTSC.

Yes, but they won't likely be useful to most viewers with one of these portable TVs that has an NTSC tuner. The signal from a low-power station doesn't go very far before becoming unwatchable with only a small unpowered antenna. My experience with them is I can't get a usable signal from 6 and 9 miles away, in a line-of-sight situation.