OTA channels - they tune but don't display on my TV!

[Flambe]

Before I got VOOM, I sent my OTA HDTV signal through a Samsung set-top box to decode to my TV. I could successfully watch all OTA HDTV channels.

When I got VOOM, I plugged my OTA cable into the VOOM box and managed to get all the same channels but one channel, the local ABC station, won't display a picture any more - it does that weird multi-image scramble thing that looks like it's trying to display at an unsupported resolution for my (Mitsubishi) HDTV. After a second or two of trying to sync to the resolution, my TV reverts to a blue screen (presumably to avoid tube damage). The sound still comes in fine. With the Samsung tuner I could watch ABC (in its full 1080i glory), so this appears to be just a VOOM hardware issue.

Worse, now that I've been pushed the latest software, my local FOX affiliate is having the same problem! Before the new software, I had no problems watching FOX. Of course it's not too big a deal to lose FOX - FOX sucks at HDTV and most of their shows are lame, but it bugs me that as new software comes out, my OTA story gets worse.

To be clear:
- With my Samsung set-top HDTV tuner I could watch all the OTA channels just fine
- VOOM will tune to all the same channels (so it doesn't appear to be a PSIP issue)
- VOOM w/ the previous rev of the software would send a scrambled picture for ABC to my TV so I couldn't watch it (sound came in find though)
- VOOM w/ the current rev of the software now scrambles both the FOX and ABC stations (sound but no picture)

Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do here so that I can watch OTA ABC & FOX in HDTV through the VOOM hardware?

TIA,
-Flambe

 

[jawilljr]

ABC and FOX both transmit at 720P... that sounds like your problem. On the right front of the VOOM box there is a flap... lower it and push on the red button until the top light light up.

Jerry

 

[Dvlos]

Yeah I was going to say set your Voom box out of Native mode and have it set to 1080i only mode. I imagine you have no problems watching ABC or FOX during SD broadcasts right?

 

[Ilya]

On the right front of the VOOM box there is a flap... lower it and push on the red button until the top light light up.

Either that, or just use the resolution settings in the Installation Wizard.

 

[Flambe]

I'll give that a try

Thanks all. I thought I was in 'auto resolution' mode though so assumed that the box would automatically do the right thing.

I'll give it a try tonight when I get home and let folks know how it goes.

It is just strange to me that FOX was fine before the software upgrade and not ok afterwards.

-Flambe

 

[Ilya]

...assumed that the box would automatically do the right thing.

The box doesn't know that your TV set does not support the 720p mode.

As for the FOX station, is it possible that they switched to 720p recently?

 

[Flambe]

That did it, thanks

Apparently my box was set to switch to the native resolution of the feed. FOX & ABC must have been broadcasting 720 which my TV does not support (it only supports 480i, 480p, and 1080i).

So, looks like I'm good now - I just fixed it at 1080i and in fact I prefer this setting! No mode switches between HD & SD signals!

Thanks all!
-Flambe