ATSC/NTSC in one RF connector?

oorville · 11-13-2006, 01:22 PM

One retailer has a special on a 42" LCD HDTV Soyo for an very low price( Can I name the retailer and price in the forum?). It says it is ATSC capable, but the model on sale has one RF connector. On the Soyo site, the same model has two RF connectors, one ATSC and one NTSC. The retailer cant explain why the model for sale had only one input, so I called Soyo in the USA. They say that two versions of the same model were made, one with one RF and one with two, however, the one RF port is both ATSC and NTSC.

Can this be for real? Can one connector be for both ATSC and NTSC? If this is true, can I use a combiner and send both HDTV OTA and cable into the set? Soyo says they have not tested this option.

**rbinck** · 11-13-2006, 06:03 PM

You can't use a combiner to put both into the set because the OTA and cable use the same frequencies. I'd recommend a cable box that inputs into a separate TV input or a A-B switch. Some A-B switches are available with remote controls.

BrianO · 11-13-2006, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oorville

Can this be for real? Can one connector be for both ATSC and NTSC?

Yes. This allows the TV to set up a single integrated channel list containing both analogue OTA and digital OTA channels.

However, merging OTA and cable to feed the same RF input is not recommended because you will probably end up with channel conflicts.

It appears that the tuner is not designed to handle OTA and Cable simultaneously. It probably lacks a QAM tuner and cannot handle digital cable without the use of a set top box.

My Sony TV has 2 RF inputs. One for OTA (both NTSC and ATSC simultaneously) and one for Cable (analogue and unencrypted digital simulaneously).

wsteinhauer · 11-13-2006, 06:26 PM

My Vizio has one RF connector that handles both ATSC and NTSC with QAM. You can select whether it is set for cable or antenna. It is called a dual mode tuner. With either, it decodes analog and digital HD over the same connection. I really wanted 2 RF connectors, so that I could connect my cable AND my antenna directly to the TV.
But I now have an HD STB using component connection, and the antenna on the RF input. I found the $5 per month charge for the HD box money well spent.

11-13-2006, 01:22 PM	#1
oorville HD is the only way to see Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1	ATSC/NTSC in one RF connector? One retailer has a special on a 42" LCD HDTV Soyo for an very low price( Can I name the retailer and price in the forum?). It says it is ATSC capable, but the model on sale has one RF connector. On the Soyo site, the same model has two RF connectors, one ATSC and one NTSC. The retailer cant explain why the model for sale had only one input, so I called Soyo in the USA. They say that two versions of the same model were made, one with one RF and one with two, however, the one RF port is both ATSC and NTSC. Can this be for real? Can one connector be for both ATSC and NTSC? If this is true, can I use a combiner and send both HDTV OTA and cable into the set? Soyo says they have not tested this option.

11-13-2006, 06:03 PM	#2
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,337	You can't use a combiner to put both into the set because the OTA and cable use the same frequencies. I'd recommend a cable box that inputs into a separate TV input or a A-B switch. Some A-B switches are available with remote controls. __________________ www.highdefinitionblog.com www.BlogOfHawaii.com

11-13-2006, 06:26 PM	#4
wsteinhauer HD is what? Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 40	My Vizio has one RF connector that handles both ATSC and NTSC with QAM. You can select whether it is set for cable or antenna. It is called a dual mode tuner. With either, it decodes analog and digital HD over the same connection. I really wanted 2 RF connectors, so that I could connect my cable AND my antenna directly to the TV. But I now have an HD STB using component connection, and the antenna on the RF input. I found the $5 per month charge for the HD box money well spent.