How to use cable converter box?

[DigBick]

Hi, I was wondering how I would be able to turn my dell monitor into a tv display. The monitor has multiple ports (hdmi, display port, dvi, etc.) and was wondering if I could buy something like https://www.walmart.com/ip/iVIEW-3100STB-Digital-Converter-Box-with-Recording-Media-Pl...emote/51104045 and plug in a coaxial cable that comes from my wall in and an hdmi cable in to connect to my monitor. Thanks

[theewizard]

what coax ?
from a outside TV antenna..yes
from NOT encrypted open cable..maybe

from encrypted cable that requires a cable company box.. NO

[Vidd]

The digital converter box needs to be connected to an antenna. It does not work with a cable system coax. Even if the box has a QAM tuner, almost all cable systems now encrypt the channels. You may be able to local channels only.

If the digital converter box has HDMI output, the monitor should accept it.

The problem you will then have is no sound. I guess you could buy an HDMI audio extractor box and a set of external speakers.

[usually_quiet]

The digital converter box needs to be connected to an antenna. It does not work with a cable system coax. Even if the box has a QAM tuner, almost all cable systems now encrypt the channels. You may be able to local channels only.

If the digital converter box has HDMI output, the monitor should accept it.

The problem you will then have is no sound. I guess you could buy an HDMI audio extractor box and a set of external speakers.

I don't think the chances of the converter box being able to tune any digital cable channels are good, for the same reasons you gave.

However, if the LCD monitor had speakers and the converter box is able to tune some channels, wouldn't he get sound (although probably not great sound), assuming the converter box outputs LPCM audio over HDMI? I have to ask because my only PC monitor with speakers is actually a small TV.

[DigBick]

Okay, so is there anything I can buy that I can plug the coaxial cable into and then into my monitor. I'm going to college and don't have room for a tv so I need to find a way to use the coaxial connector to watch tv on my monitor.

[Vidd]

The way it generally works is you sign up for cable in your dorm room through your college and the cable company will give you a box. Once you get the box from the cable company you can plug the HDMI into your monitor.

If your monitor does not have speakers, you can buy a set of external speakers and hook them to the RCA outputs of the cable box (red/white ports) or you can buy an HDMI audio extractor box which goes for $30 to $60 on Amazon.

[DigBick]

This is the quote from the website: "Access Xfinity On Campus with a television by connecting the television to the coaxial connector – located in each residence hall bedroom (located in the common rooms in residence hall suites) and Solano Park living rooms – with a coaxial cable." I don't think they give a cable box, it's meant to plug directly into the tv.

[JVRaines]

According to Comcast, XFINITY On Campus is an IPTV service that connects to computing devices, not displays. So your school must be decoding centrally and sending video signals over the coax. You'll have to find out what the signal format is before you can select the right interface.

[theewizard]

Look online for external TV tuner for PC monitor
That's are devices that support broadcast, and qam signals and connect to a monitor and a sound system like PC applied speakers
Here is one example https://www.amazon.com/ESUMIC-Digital-Stick-Receiver-Converter/dp/B00RKT1BTS/ref=zg_bs_3015428011_15

[lingyi]

This is the quote from the website: "Access Xfinity On Campus with a television by connecting the television to the coaxial connector – located in each residence hall bedroom (located in the common rooms in residence hall suites) and Solano Park living rooms – with a coaxial cable." I don't think they give a cable box, it's meant to plug directly into the tv.

While it's wise not to provide too much information on the web, it's vital to provide info that's relevant to your question. In this case, what no one could have guessed prior to your post above is that you have cable service with cable channels accessible by a digital tuner.

From the bottom of the webpage you got your info from (got there by searching Solano ParK):

"Cable Television Specifications

Cable television service is comprised of digital channels only. No cable box is required. Either a converter box or a digital tuner, either in a television set or externally, is required to receive the digital signals."

So yes, the box you linked to in your first post will work. You'll probably have to manually switch your monitor to the HDMI input to watch TV.

Or you can skip the tuner and watch through your computer:

"Online (Computer, Mobile Device)

Xfinity On Campus is available online.
•From a computer: go to xfinityoncampus.com, enter "University of California - Davis" into the search bar, and follow the login instructions to start watching
•From a mobile device: connect to the eduroam wifi network, launch the Xfinity TV for mobile app* †, select "University of California, Davis" in the drop-down menu, and log in using Kerberos credentials

*Get the free Xfinity TV mobile app on the App Store and Google Play

†The Xfinity TV mobile app replaces the previously available Xfinity On Campus mobile app"

For future reference, while it's likely a coax [cable] in the a room is meant for cable TV, it can be used for over the air signals as well as other non-video usage.

[Jonboyox]

A lot of smaller cable company keep their channels in the clear so they can not interfere with Docsis channels on the spectrum. I am using this box on clear Qam channels but it was a pain for this box to find those channels you have to go in the channel scan and switch it to cable and then go back and do an Auto scan. The plant I am on receive Sd and HD channels for the different set of boxes that are the system.