KF42WE610 Split PIP with TW Digital Cable?

[mattdoc]

Hi everyone. I'm new here so I'm sorry if this topic has been covered.

I have the Sony KF42WE610 (and love it, by the way). I have not taken the plunge to get digital cable yet but I'm currently considering it. I live in NC and our provider is Time Warner.

What I want to know is if the Split-Screen PIP will work with TWC's digital/HD box? The TV has built-in 2-tuner PIP and I know that it works with all of the inputs as well as the analog cable signal. I can have a DVD/VCR/etc. on one screen and TV on the other (either one on left or right..it doesn't matter) so I don't think there are any restrictions that certain video inputs can only show up on one side of the screen.

I read on TWC's site that most (if not all) of their HD/DVR boxes have PIP, but I don't want to loose this great feature of my TV. There is nothing quite like having two full-size pictures on the screen.

Has anyone had any experience either with this TV or with Time Warner with regard to PIP?

Thanks.

[logman]

if they have the SA8000HD box like other TWC outlets you don't need to use the TV's PIP the STB has two tuners and PIP built in, it'll work even on a TV without PIP. You can swap, jump and change location.

Jim in Houston

[57U]

You need two inputs to have PIP on the TV (if the STB doesn't do PIP). You could split your cable before the STB and watch analogue channels via the TV's tuner on one side and any channel via the STB, or if you get the SA8X00HD, it'll do PIP, but the PIP is not as "nice" as the Sony.

[mattdoc]

Thanks folks. Not exactly the answer I was hoping for. It sounds like I could still use the nice Sony split PIP as long as I still hae the analog cable attached. Then I could have the digital on one side and non-digital on the other. Kinda clunky but I guess it could work.
It's a shame that the cable companies make you choose which feature you want to use...You can have your HD/Digital box with more channels and better quality, but you can't use the nice PIP. Or, you can have the PIP but without HD/digital quality and fewer channels. When I spend this much money on a TV I want to be able to use all of the features that made it cost so much! :) Hopefully when I talk to TWC they'll tell me something different. I have a co-worker who has the exact same TV and he is going to see how his PIP works tonight. I'll try to remember to post here when I learn more from him.

If anyone else has any info, please share. Thanks so much!

[57U]

Hey, you can always get two digital STBs and connect them to two inputs and watch whatever you want PoP. Most, but not all, HDTVs will allow this. Some do not allow HD inputs or two HD inputs as PoPs, but I believe that Sony and Hitachi do...

Problem then becomes, how do you control two cable STBs - they usually have the same remote code.

[mattdoc]

Problem then becomes, how do you control two cable STBs - they usually have the same remote code.

Heh...yeah...that'd be like my remote control ceiling fan. It's radio, not IR and has huge range so if I owned more than one of them I could turn on/off all ceiling fans in my house at the same time with the same remote. :)