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#1
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"It was suggested to me by someone in this thread that I consider using an ATSC-to-NTSC converter box with my Insignia 19" flat screen, which already has its own clear-QAM tuner. My question is simply this: Are the QAM tuners built into many if not most flat screens that terrible as far as RF sensitivity is concerned? "
Clear QAM tuners are only for unscrambled digital cable, not for over the air. QAM is not broadcast over the air, only ATSC 8-VSB. As most cable companies are taking to scrambling everything, there may not even be any clear QAM signals on your local cable system anymore. |
#2
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Quote:
I have broadcast basic service (not digital). The cable connects directly to my VCR, which in turn is connected directly to the TV. There are no descrambler boxes or anything else, again to the best of my knowledge, between the cable coming into my apartment and the VCR. If there are such devices being used by the company, they are probably on the utility pole outside my apartment or hidden away in a junction box in the basement of the building. I'm sure Time Warner would have notified me by now if they had any intention whatsoever of scrambling absolutely everything, including broadcast channels.
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Jeff, WB8NHV Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002 Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten. |
#3
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1) My TV has a tuner that can do BOTH clear QAM and over-the air VSB, and 2) I have heard that tuners that do both clear QAM and over the air are not very good at over-the air (?) If that is your question, the answer is that both dual-purpose and single purpose tuners may be better or worse depending on the design. Being dual-purpose does not necessarily mean poor over-the-air results; but, a tuner with poor threshold would show a deficit on over-the-air sooner than on cable, which should have a decent signal strength. |
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