Troubleshooting: HD Channels Missing

rpatrick · 03-09-2007, 10:53 PM

Since the morning of 3/1, I have not been able to receive local HD channels via clear / unencrypted QAM. I have a Panasonic 50" plasma, only about a month old, and it has an internal ATSC / QAM tuner. When I got the TV, I connected my coaxial cable directly into the TV (no cable box) and scanned both the analog and the digital channels. I *was* picking up the HD channels for NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, PBS, etc. These are the unencrypted local HD channels that anyone can pick up with basic cable. The viewing was fantastic, and soon these channels provided 80-90% of my viewing pleasure. Something seems to have happened last Thursday, as I can no longer pick up these channels. I have reset the TV multiple times and have scanned the digital channels more than a dozen times. The HD channels have simply disappeared. However, when I connect an antenna to the coaxial input in the TV, I can scan the TV and pick up the HD channels again.

Does anyone think that the problem could exist with the internal tuner? My cable company is adament that the local HD channels are unencrypted, but I strongly suspect it's an issue on their end.

rpatrick · 03-11-2007, 07:10 AM

Bump - please help!

texasbrit · 03-11-2007, 08:29 AM

You should probably post this in the Cable Providers section, but since it is a local issue try the Local HDTV threads at http://www./avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 Just find the thread for your city, some cities have separate threads for cable. If your cable company has encrypted the signals, or moved them to a different set of channel numbers, someone has probably posted about it.

paulzennon · 05-03-2008, 03:35 AM

I just bought an Olevia 37" 237T LCD tv, and after the initial scanning I saw a few channels that I have not seen before from my standard cable service (Time Warner). E.g. 85-3 and 120-12. They are local broadcast network channels like Fox & PBS etc. But they do look sharper than the regular 3 to 11 feed. And the display info show either 720p or 1080i. Could these be actually HD, even though I have not subscribed to HD, and is not using any cable box?
My 1-year old Polaroid FLM 3232 (32" LCD) cannot pick up any of these extra channels. What makes the difference? Looking at the specs, the only relevant difference is 1080i for the Olevia, an 720p for the Polaroid.
What part of the spec would tell me a TV can pick up those extra channels?

deadhead68 · 05-03-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulzennon

I just bought an Olevia 37" 237T LCD tv, and after the initial scanning I saw a few channels that I have not seen before from my standard cable service (Time Warner). E.g. 85-3 and 120-12. They are local broadcast network channels like Fox & PBS etc. But they do look sharper than the regular 3 to 11 feed. And the display info show either 720p or 1080i. Could these be actually HD, even though I have not subscribed to HD, and is not using any cable box?
My 1-year old Polaroid FLM 3232 (32" LCD) cannot pick up any of these extra channels. What makes the difference? Looking at the specs, the only relevant difference is 1080i for the Olevia, an 720p for the Polaroid.
What part of the spec would tell me a TV can pick up those extra channels?

Most, not all, cable companies do send the locals in HD with basic service. Plus the digital sub channels.

DeadHead68

03-09-2007, 10:53 PM	#1
rpatrick My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6	Troubleshooting: HD Channels Missing Since the morning of 3/1, I have not been able to receive local HD channels via clear / unencrypted QAM. I have a Panasonic 50" plasma, only about a month old, and it has an internal ATSC / QAM tuner. When I got the TV, I connected my coaxial cable directly into the TV (no cable box) and scanned both the analog and the digital channels. I was picking up the HD channels for NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, PBS, etc. These are the unencrypted local HD channels that anyone can pick up with basic cable. The viewing was fantastic, and soon these channels provided 80-90% of my viewing pleasure. Something seems to have happened last Thursday, as I can no longer pick up these channels. I have reset the TV multiple times and have scanned the digital channels more than a dozen times. The HD channels have simply disappeared. However, when I connect an antenna to the coaxial input in the TV, I can scan the TV and pick up the HD channels again. Does anyone think that the problem could exist with the internal tuner? My cable company is adament that the local HD channels are unencrypted, but I strongly suspect it's an issue on their end.

05-03-2008, 03:35 AM	#4
paulzennon My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 9	Similar situation on the same topic I just bought an Olevia 37" 237T LCD tv, and after the initial scanning I saw a few channels that I have not seen before from my standard cable service (Time Warner). E.g. 85-3 and 120-12. They are local broadcast network channels like Fox & PBS etc. But they do look sharper than the regular 3 to 11 feed. And the display info show either 720p or 1080i. Could these be actually HD, even though I have not subscribed to HD, and is not using any cable box? My 1-year old Polaroid FLM 3232 (32" LCD) cannot pick up any of these extra channels. What makes the difference? Looking at the specs, the only relevant difference is 1080i for the Olevia, an 720p for the Polaroid. What part of the spec would tell me a TV can pick up those extra channels?

03-11-2007, 07:10 AM	#2
rpatrick My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6	Bump - please help!

03-11-2007, 08:29 AM	#3
texasbrit High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,032	You should probably post this in the Cable Providers section, but since it is a local issue try the Local HDTV threads at http://www./avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 Just find the thread for your city, some cities have separate threads for cable. If your cable company has encrypted the signals, or moved them to a different set of channel numbers, someone has probably posted about it.