Can Cable and Voom Coexist?

[Vin]

Due to regulations in my community I will not be able to install an OTA antenna. I have Time Warner Cable with the digital package, this enables me to receive some HD programming. My question is can I maintain both sources of HD programming? My TV has only one component in-put. Thanks for any help.

 

[sloud74]

Ota

You could put the antenna in your attic.

 

[Vin]

Thanks for your response, however, I'm 60 miles from the signal to begin with and I live in a heavily treed area of NC. As it stands now I'm not totally sure I will get OTA reception. I would love to dump TW but I'm not sure I can.

 

[deArgila]

Due to regulations in my community I will not be able to install an OTA antenna. I have Time Warner Cable with the digital package, this enables me to receive some HD programming. My question is can I maintain both sources of HD programming? My TV has only one component in-put. Thanks for any help.

1. It's illegal for your community to prevent you from putting up an antenna. See this site for more info ...

http://antennaweb.org/aw/info.aspx?page=FAQ#_Ref28770286

2. You can get a component switcher. Or if your TV has DVI, you can use that.

 

[vurbano]

the above poster is right. Put up your antenna within FCC guidelines. Let the association threaten etc, they will lose in court.

 

[Vin]

Thanks to both of you for your ideas, I will try the antenna. However, if it does not work due to my location, will the installer have this component switch with him, or should I go out and buy one before he comes. What is the approximate cost? No, my TV is not equipped with a DVI in-put.

 

[jmartinacevedo]

Antenna

The right to put an antenna anywhere you want in a planned community or apartment building is not absolute- there are some valid limitations. A lot of people think this means you can put an antenna anywhere in the development but that's not the case. Read on the FCC guidelines.

In any event, it sucks that your TV only has 1 component imput. Without a working OTA antenna, your only option is to 1) get another TV with more connectivity options + 2) get an HDTV decoder that decodes QAM unscrambled channels; and + 3) subscribe to limited basic cable so that you can access the local HD channels via that HD decoder (Comcast carries them unscrambled- I don't know about TW). -

Of course, you can skip the HD decoder and just get the regular analog locals through your regular cable/uhf/vhf tv input.

Hope this helps.

 

[deArgila]

There's probably about a 0% chance the installer would have a component switcher with him or that Voom would provide one for you.

Doing a google search for "component switcher", I ran across the following ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5700315360&category=14968

 

[jimmykce1]

You will probably need to call the installer back out for an antenna upgrade, which I had to do. The standard Stealth Antenna will probably not work for you. So I would call after the install and get another antenna thats rated for your area. I am currently been upgraded to a Channelmaster 4228, which is a 8-bay, directional, UHF only antenna. I have this installed in my attic with no amp or preamp and has been working great.

 

[DarrellP]

Here are some links to some good component switches, I bought the Audio Authority and now wish I would have purchased one with a remote.

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.a...dwords!654&keyword=(component+video+selector)
http://www.inday.com/rgb4x/rgb4x.htm
http://www.copperbox.com/lite/popinfo.php?lc_code=1154&rodina=14

Then, when you need a new subwoofer to enhance your new home theater, check out this puppy!

 

[MrPorterhouse]

To answer the question in your topic heading: Yes, cable and VOOM can co-exsist. Here is my decision on what I am going with.

HDTV Cable looks like my best option. I've really been tempted by VOOM, but I use Comcast Cable High Speed Internet and its significantly more expensive if I don't subscribe to Cable TV with them. In order for me to eat the extra internet charge, VOOM would have to be significantly better than Comcast so that the total value is worth the extra cash.

For me, (Cleveland area, North Ridgeville,OH to be exact)
Comcast offers HDTV service. $0 per month programming and $0 per month equipment rental. Only a one time charge of $39.99 setup fee. I am a current Digital Plus customer and pay about $56 per month, so for them to add HD programming for no monthly charge is awesome! Currently have about 10 HD channels(espn-hd is most important to me) and will be adding more as time goes on.

By staying with cable I am missing out on the digital quality SD cable channels(digital audio is important to me) and missing out on the VOOM HD exclusive channels(not important to me, but a good feature). It will be quite a while before Comcast goes digital on all cable networks. They are still sticking to the FCC mandate of 2006. So I will have to rely on Comcast adding the HD feeds of those same networks to get Digital quality audio and HD picture quality. (Example, ESPN is SD analog picture and analog audio, but ESPN-HD is all digital and High Definition when programming is availible) The bonus is that my A/V receiver(Pioneer Elite VSX-43tx) does an extremely good job at processing an analog 2-channel stereo audio source into a 6.1 channel audio surround sound experience.


I think my choice to stay with Comcast cable for HDTV service is obvious, especially since HD programmig will really ramp up towards fouth quarter 2004 and into 2005, and beyond.


Unless, of course, anyone can offer me suggestions or update me on anything that I may be missing regarding VOOM vs Comcast.

 

[Lobstah]

And back to one of your other topic questions,
If you run your video sources to an a/v receiver, then you only need to use one input on the the TV. You're going to want surround sound anyway.

Lob

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

Due to regulations in my community I will not be able to install an OTA antenna. I have Time Warner Cable with the digital package, this enables me to receive some HD programming. My question is can I maintain both sources of HD programming? My TV has only one component in-put. Thanks for any help.

Hey Vin -

I am using both VOOM and Comcast cable. No problem. Different inputs on my TV. I am too far from SF to use an OTA antenna unless I want to install a monster and piss off my neighbors. !protest

I might have a "right" to throw up a huge ugly antenna. But my neighbor also has a "right" to park a huge ugly motorhome in his driveway. I prefer to keep peace in the neighborhood and keep cable for local channels.