Seeking help with basic cable and dtv

[dgajjar]

Ok, im not at all familiar with the way this whole digital television thing is going to work so please bear with me here.

About two years ago, i purchased a Samsung TX-S2783, its a great tv and have had no problems with it at all. I also have Comcast cable (basic) and have had this same cable television for about 11 years now. I have no cable box, just a simple cable into the back of the television.

I picked up a cheaper HD antenna to see how it would work with getting the digital channels on my televison, so what I did was put the cable line into the 'SAT', put the antenna plug into 'ANT', and then put another cable into the SAT/ANT and ran that into AIR, which is one of the two plugs in the tv, the other one being CABLE.

Now, the antenna seems to work well and football on NBC looks great, however, I cannot switch to cable because it is hooked up to AIR, and when i connect it from AIR to CABLE, its very fuzzy. Can anyone tell me why this could be? And if there is a way i could switch from DTV to TV (cable)?.

Also, if someone could explain to me what renting the $8.99/mo cable box from comcast would do for me?

I know this might sound VERY confusing and I apologize for that, but any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[cablewithaview]

Welcome to the board. Ant. 1 is used for your antenna, Ant. 2 used for cable (Comcast service w/ or w/o a box). You should have an "antenna" button on that remote that will allow you to switch between Ant. 1 & 2. In the menu side, you can go into menu, channel then under auto program, it should allow you to set those Ant. 1 & 2 ports to however you configure even allowing you to turn off the 2nd port or mine does anyhow.

As for the box, with no programming, guide and music channels are about it. However if you have some basic/ expanded that moves to digital, since Comcast is known for moving channels that way, at least you will be set and ready to go without calling at the last minute to get one.

[dgajjar]

Am i supposed to have the wire going from ANT/SAT into antenna 1 or 2? Auto programming gives me the option to program cable, air or air+cable. Also STD, HRC, IRC, is there any difference between the three?

Currently have it in ANT and when trying to switch between cable and air on the remote (antenna button) it says "not available" on the screen.

[cablewithaview]

Ant in 1, cable in 2 so it should be air/ cable. If it's saying unavaible it maybe because it's not on air/ cable. Go into the menu, under auto programming, and you should be able to change it there.

Also set it on STD.

IRC and HRC is for cable systems they may offset ch. 5 & 6 frequency. It's rare to see systems use that now these days.

[dgajjar]

YES! Thank you so much! I had been trying to use the diplexer the whole time not even thinking about just putting the antenna on AIR and the cable line on CABLE. Wow, talk about right over my head.

Thanks for the help!

[cablewithaview]

Diplexer is good for antenna/ satellite applications and maybe cable/ satellite applications but for antenna/ cable applications it's doesn't do to well since both broadcast and cable uses the same frequencies just assigned differently from ch.14 up.

Most of all, I'm glad you got it going.