Can a HD television set pick up the HD channels on cable? Or just the over-the-air HD channels?

Question

If I have HD cable service, do I need the cable box to see the HD channels?

To clarify...I have cable and my cable package includes the HD channels on channel numbers like 668, 672, etc. If I hook up the cable to the HD televsion set, will it be able to see the HD channels? I have a TV card in my computer that can see over-the-air HD channels, but not cable HD channels. I'm wondering if this is typical of TV sets.

These answers are helpful, but I'll add even more clarification...in case it helps the answers. The HD channels I want to watch are specifically cable channels, like ESPN and TNT. I would rather not have to get a box, though, just as a matter of convenience of operation and looks.

Answer 1

Depends on the TV
If it has a QAM tuner, then you can get cable channels (but without any encryption).

Most TVs have a QAM tuner, but some cheap ones (a couple of Vizio models for example), don't. Check your TV setup.
If under channel scan, you see an option for Cable, you are OK.
TVs with QAM tuner put it in their specs (NTSC/ATSC/QAM).

There are TVs with a CableCard reader as well. If you get a cable card then you can even get scrambled channels.

Answer 2

it is so no longer actual. i'm a cable guy and the certainty is you would be waiting to. in case you look at the decrease back of an HD converter field their is a coax/RF connector. A coax cable can not carry HD sign by it. it particularly is is why a converter field is mandatory. It adjustments or modulates the RF sign carried by means of the coaxial cable. It procedures this advice and then sends it by element cables or by means of using an HDMI cable. although the advice continues to be traveling down a extensive-unfold coaxial cable and could nevertheless be plugged rapidly into the decrease back of any cable waiting set. in case you do pick to adjust to HD you will ought to have an HD converter. precise now in basic terms of few networks are being broadcast in HD. numerous the time you need to attend until best time to observe particular shows in HD. except its some thing like Discovery HD or Mtv HD some are 24-7. numerous the TVs I nevertheless hook up are CRT tubes. in case you have an liquid crystal demonstrate you need to have an HD converter a digital converter is okay , yet no longer as great as HD. you need to weigh it out. Their particularly are not sufficient channels yet to make the swap.

Answer 3

If you have an HDTV and an HD Cable box, you just need to connect the Cable Box to the HDTV with a high-def cable - either HDMI (optimal) or Component Video.

Unless your HDTV has a built-in over the air tuner to receive HDTV, you will need to buy a separate HDTV antenna (Terk makes a good one) and connect it to get over the air HD. The only thing is that while the over the air HD is free, you don't get some of the other channels in HD that your cable box will have - premium channels, food network, tnt, tbs, etc.

Answer 4

It should be able to pick the hd channels on cable and over the air. If you want to see if you can pick up any stations over the air, just hook up an antenna (you can get one for about $10 at walmart) and see how many channels you get.