I'm trying to figure out what exactly is missing when they say an HD-LCD is tuner-less. Does this mean you need to plug in the cable companies tuner box (which I have on all my Tv's anyways) or do I actually need ANOTHER component in addition to the cable box in order to get HD programming? Conversly, if the tv has a tuner built-in, do I no longer require the cable box?
2007-09-01 05:10:37 · 3 answers · asked by SomeRandomGuy 3 in Consumer Electronics ➔ TVs
ok. well the first answer is right just a litle confusing. the hd tuner is just to recieve aver the air signals . or channels you get with an antenna or rabbit ears. . most people have cable or satelite. in that case and yours you dont need a tuner , your cable box can get the local channels , and you dont need any extra equipment, as long as your cable box is hd. then your allset. and if you had a tuner built in . you can get channels with an antenna in hd or digital. but you still need a cable box to get cable and hd cable. hope this helped alittle more.
2007-09-01 05:48:27 · answer #1 · answered by vjjohn79 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
(Answer assumes you are in the USA)
>I'm trying to figure out what exactly is missing when they say an HD-LCD is tuner-less.
It means that you bought a HD monitor. To see HD programs, a monitor has to hooked up to a video source such as a HDTV tuner, HD DVD player, TIVO HD, or a cable/satellite box with HD output (HDMI, VGA, or component).
An analogy would be if you has a high end sound system that had a separate radio receiver and amplifier. The amplifier by itself can't do anything. You have to hook a separate receiver/CD player/record player to the amplifier to hear anything.
If your cable box has HD outputs, then you just need the proper cables to hook them together. It acts like a tuner as far as your monitor is conserned.
"TV tuners" can have one or more tuners:
NTSC - old analog OTA & cable signals
ATSC - OTA digital signals (free HD you can
receive with an antenna)
QAM - Some unencrypted digital HD
programing
You have to look at the specs for either an external tuner box or built in tuner to see what it will recieve.
If your cable company uses unencrypted QAM ( you have to ask them what they use) and your tuner can receive QAM, then you should be able to pick up those channels without a cable box. Otherwise you would need a cable box or a "Cable Card" to receive HD through a cable company.
A "Cable Card" is a card that fits into a slot on some TVs. Some cable companies will rent the card to you. It takes the place of a cable box.
2007-09-01 06:11:07 · answer #2 · answered by Stephen P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
HD just means High-definition. This is the resolution of the broadcast you receive. You can also get SD (Standard Definition) digital signal broadcasts. However, you have a HD-Ready LCD system, so it would make sense to use an HD tuner. Your set is tuner-less, which indicates it has no HD tuning capabilities of its own, only the ability to display an HD signal.
If your cable box is HD capable, this is all you will need to view your cable programming in HD format.
for free to air (FTA) transmissions, you may need an external HD capable set-top-box, which uses your standard television antenna.
A cable box in Australia has a smart card inside it which descrambles the cable transmission signals relating to your service subscription plan. A built in HD tuner will not do this. Check with your cable company whether your cable box handles HD signals.
Hope this helps you out.
2007-09-01 05:22:18 · answer #3 · answered by martinowens5173 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋