OTA Help

[parithed12]

Hy guys. I have a quick question. I have a panasonic 44' Rear projection HDTV. I can get the over the air HD channels but i can not get them to program in. It's like it either programs the HD channels and not the cable and then Visa Versa. Am i missing a step. I have a buddy who has a different TV, but the same Over the Air antenna and he can switch back and forth between HD and the regular channel. Any info or a point in the right direction would be great!

BW

[parithed12]

ok i have a new panasonic 44 HDTV. I know i can get some OTA HD channels. My problem is that when the antenna is hooked up my TV only wants to pick up the HD channels and not the regular channels. I have a friend who live next door and on his TV he is able to switch back and forth, HD OTA and then back to the regular cable. Am i missing a step? On his TV he presses a button like Ant 1 , Ant 2 or something to that effect. I can't seems to find that on my TV. For reference i have the Panasonic LCD HDTV Rear Projection. Model number PT-44LCX65. Any info would ge great.

BW

[57U]

Some TVs have memories that can combine both (cable and OTA) and I believe some do not (only OTA or cable). I hope someone with experience with your TV can confirm that matter for your TV.

Does your TV have two antenna inputs - one for cable, one for OTA, or just one antenna input?

Threads merged. Please do not cross post.

[Splicer]

I don't think your TV has a NTSC tuner in it...Only an ATSC tuner...You need a NTSC set top box for analog OTA stations...or cable :smokin:

[57U]

I'd be very surprised if this TV doesn't have an NTSC tuner. The OP seemed to state that he could get one, or the other, but not both.

The following link states that it has an NTSC tuner.

http://www.allhometheater.net/PANASONIC-PT-44LCX65-P200C91.aspx (roughly lines 9, 12 from the bottom)

[Ratman]

Yes... it does have an NTSC tuner:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_PT_44LCX65/4507-6484_7-31427588.html?tag=sub

[parithed12]

Sorry about the Cross Post. Yea it's like i can't get the TV to recognize both. If i hook up the antennea and then search channels all i get are the HD OTA channels. Maybe i am hooking up the antenna into the wrong hookup, but there is only one Cable hookup and i can't seem to find an alternate. I feel like i'm wasting a perfectly good TV. have

BW

[Splicer]

The link posted is incorrect...NOTHING from the manfactuer states anything about a NTSC tuner...Only that it has a built in ATSC tuner...This is further evidenced by the original posters claim that...there is only one input...:Maybe i am hooking up the antenna into the wrong hookup, but there is only one Cable hookup and i can't seem to find an alternate.

[kevinw]

FROM the manufacturer
Panasonic (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=93383&catGroupId=24983&modelNo=PT-44LCX65&surfModel=PT-44LCX65&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702)

PT-44LCX65
44" Diagonal LCD Projection HDTV with Built-In ATSC/QAM/NTSC Tuners and CableCARD Slot - Shown with Optional Stand

[kevinw]

What I would do is go to page 25 of your owners manual and it will show you how to scan for ALL channels
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vProdSupportModel?displayTab=R&surfModel=PT-44LCX65&modelNo=PT-44LCX65&storeId=15001&catalogId=11017&itemId=93383&displayServiceCenter=true#

[Splicer]

I hate the internet...Always a wrong link somewhere :rofl2: ...

I stand corrected... :bow:

[parithed12]

First off thanks for all the help. I am at work right now so i won't be able to look at it right now. I'll keep you guys updated. I do know that the other times i have tried this, the auto program would only pick up one or the other. I was a little affraid to try the manual but i am thinking that is what it's going to take. hook up the antenna, and manually add the channels. We will see what happens.

[parithed12]

ok quick update. I got out the antenna hooked it back up and this is what i get. I put the switch on the antenna on cable, do a chanel search on the TV on cable. I get all of my Cable channels like normal. Now i switch the antenna over to Ant and do another Channel search and viola HD channels but no cable channels. When i switch back and forth on the antenna it does not save. I guess due to the one input i cannot switch back and forth. Unless there is another option. I am a noob to all of this so bare with me. Thanks again to everyone that has helped me get this far.

BW

[Ratman]

Your TV has one tuner. Therefore... it's cable or antenna, not both.

[parithed12]

ok well looks like i lost this battle. I wish when i was looking i knew about the 2 input thing. Oh well live and learn. That is crazy to have a TV with both Tuners and only 1 input. thanks again to all who have helped.

BW

[kevinw]

Use a cable card and an antenna-maybe

[parithed12]

well the problem is that i live in an apartment,and this apartment complex has their own cable situation. So no on the Cable Card thing. I think the way it works is they have Dish network with certain channels and they pipe it through to all apartments. They will not let you have sat. here unless you want to pay a 300 dollar deposit. We are kind in between 2 towns and both cable companies will not come out to the aprtments. It's a wierd situation i know, and i get crappy cable. oh well

BW

[Ratman]

Ah... so you don't have "cable", you have Dish (satellite)! That's a different situation. That's probably why you don't get HD from what you were describing as "cable" using your internal tuner (set to cable).

[parithed12]

sorry about that. I said cable because all i do is plug in and go. I have not set-top boxes or anything of that nature. Would that change anything?

[Ratman]

"cable" usually denotes CableTV from Comcast, TimeWarner, etc.

Obviously... a "cable" has to be connected to a receiver, but it is really important to denote what's on the other end of that cable. E.G. satellite, cabletv or an OTA antenna.

Yes, it does matter as we can see. Analog and digital OTA, analog and digital cable, and satellite all use different modulations. It's important to try to relate information accurately to obtain assistance.

No harm... no foul.

[parithed12]

yea like i said sorry, i just figured that no one had seen a "cable" situation like mine. You are right though. i guess in the end the signal is still a satellite signal, just in a different form. Would a diplexer help any?

[Splicer]

The sat rcvr is just demodulating the signal and that is being modulated on an analog carrier...A diplexer will NOT help you do what you seek...

[Ratman]

The easiest and least expensive option would be...

If you have a VCR, connect the "cable" to the VCR and connect the VCR's composite video (yellow) and audio (red/white) outputs to one the TV's video inputs. That will free up the "cable/antenna" input to be used for the antenna. You can then use the "tuner" in the VCR for your satellite (cable) channels.

[parithed12]

Thanks for all your help ratman, i'll guess what i will do is just leave it as is and just rescan on ANT when i watch the game or a show in HD.

[parithed12]

Hey guys would an external tuner work the same as the VCR. As long as that External Tuner was hooked up by component/composite cables, then that would free up the antenna input. I know these seem like stupid questions but i am new to all of this.

[kevinw]

What do you mean by external tuner?

[Ratman]

The VCR would be an external tuner. ;)

[parithed12]

No VCR....so i guess that's out.

[Ratman]

A $50 VCR is less expensive than a $200 external ATSC receiver, especially considering you already have an ATSC receiver in your TV.

[parithed12]

Good Point!