The RF input on my HDTV does not work. I am trying to pick up OTA HD signals. I currently have a basic satellite receiver hooked up to one of the composite (RCA) inputs available. Could I hook up a plain old TV antenna through the satellite receiver to pick up the OTA signals or am I doomed to have to spend money on either an HD receiver/tuner with composite (RCA) outputs?
2007-10-15 18:16:06 · 5 answers · asked by Kapn Karl 2 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Home Theater
My tv has a atsc tuner internally, but does this not matter since my RF input is broken?
2007-10-15 18:25:35 · update #1
I have the dish network 311 receiver. I was just planning on using rabbit ears just to get the OTA signals as a cheap way to watch football games in HD rather than having to invest in an HD tuner or HD satellite receiver.
So is hooking a vcr to my hdtv (via composite-red/yellow/white) then hooking my rabbit ears to the vcr a cheap&easy solution to getting OTA HD?
2007-10-15 19:27:09 · update #2
*sorry via S-video or component
2007-10-15 19:29:03 · update #3
It depends on what sat reciever you have. Some do have ATSC tuner which is what you need to pick up OTA signals.
2007-10-15 18:20:24 · answer #1 · answered by H Wombat 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
>Could I hook up a plain old TV antenna through the satellite receiver to pick up the OTA signals
That depends on the satellite receiver. Perhaps you could add the make & model # of the receiver?
>or am I doomed to have to spend money on either an HD receiver/tuner with composite (RCA) outputs?
Well it doesn;t have to be an expensive tuner. Composite cables can only send SD video to your TV. If you use an "HD tuner", it will just down convert the HD signals to SD before sending them through the composite cables.
You need either component, VGA, or HDMI/DVI cables to send HD quality to your TV from an external tuner.
You can buy a suitable ATSC tuner box now for about $100. If you are in the US and can wait until Jan 2008, the government will start a coupon program that will let you buy one for about $20. If your TV has an S-video input, that would give you a bit better signal than composite cables.
Additional comments:
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>My tv has a atsc tuner internally, but does this not matter since my RF input is broken?
The internal tuner is useless without a working RF input.
>I was just planning on using rabbit ears just to get the OTA signals as a cheap way to watch football games in HD...
The only way you can do this is to either fix the RF in on the TV or buy an external HD tuner such as a SAMSUNG DTB-H260F. The cheap ~$20 converters that are coming out in Jan 08 will only output SD quality video.
>So is hooking a vcr to my hdtv (via composite-red/yellow/white) then hooking my rabbit ears to the vcr a cheap&easy solution to getting OTA HD?
No common VCR will output HD quality signals. Even if you buy one of the newer DVD/VCR units with a digital (ATSC) tuner built in, these units down convert any HD programming to SD. This is true even if the recorder has a HDMI output.
Composite & S-video cables are not capable of sending HD content. If you are using them with a HD tuner, the tuner is down converting the signal to SD before it sends the signal to those cables.
2007-10-15 18:44:26 · answer #2 · answered by Stephen P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-14 19:05:20 · answer #3 · answered by donegan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Karl -
I recommend that you look into getting the input repaired. If it's just the external jack that's broken, then it should be an easy fix for any competent technician, and you won't have to deal with any hinky work-arounds.
HD OTA rocks!
2007-10-16 07:25:55 · answer #4 · answered by Nathan Junior 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no u can hook it up threw a vcr
2007-10-15 18:21:23 · answer #5 · answered by rgreene1981 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋