HDTV Dead

[outerlimits]

ok, all you tv gurus (george, pipe in). last week my sony 35" hdtv went wierd. dvd playts perfect, so knew it wasn't the tube. tech guys comes out (for $109) to tell me it's some board that will cost $+800 to fix. then he tells me the good news is i don't have to fix it. sez all i need is to get my directv signal to hook up thru component video, like the dvd and bypass the video problem on the hdtv. my current signal comes from directv dvd, but is not hdtv and only has a/v hookups. he sez i need the newer receiver that has component hookups to bypass it.

so i'm curious, if i jump on that, it's like $299 for the new hd dvr receiver. and then what if he's FOS? is there some device that takes normal a/v hookups and converts it to component hookups? seems like a cheaper alternative to try.

any ideas??

[Jman]

WTF!!!???

First thing (if you haven't yet) have Direct TV re-point your dish. Chances are your out of alignment. The bird that sends the HD programming is more involved to get right. The old standard def bird is pretty forgiving as far as dish pointing goes. Not so anymore. He'll need a 8" Crescent, a 1/2" nut driver a good signal meter and patience. Good luck!

Jim M

[outerlimits]

actually, it is the tv tuner. i have split screem and the signal is perfect on one of the splits...unfortunately, can't make it full screen. so it is the TV tuner.

[Flatland Shooter]

We were looking at some HD TV's and, per the salesman, several we were looking at "did not include tv tuners". Didn't get past the "gee whiz, look at this one" stage but raises the question.

On these "monitors", what do they use for a tv tuner and would it be possible for you to use one to solve your problem?

Best of luck.

Bill

[boo radley]

We were looking at some HD TV's and, per the salesman, several we were looking at "did not include tv tuners". Didn't get past the "gee whiz, look at this one" stage but raises the question.

On these "monitors", what do they use for a tv tuner and would it be possible for you to use one to solve your problem?

Best of luck.

Bill

Check around with your local Sears store. Some of them still stock older Sylvania ATSC tuners, or set-top boxes. I think I found mine for $79, or so....Plus eBay and a zillion other outlets. There's a flood of old DirectTV boxes that can be used as stand-alone ATSC tuners, as well, IIRC.

I added a cheapo "silver sensor" VHF antenna, the equivalent of Ye Olde Rabbit Ears, and pull in most of the major networks Hi-Def signal that way, then have Dish TV basic package for the other stuff....I watch very little TV, regardless, but the quality of CBS NFL in HD is unreal.

[outerlimits]

maybe i didn't explain myself. the problem with the tv is the board that receives the signal from the directv receiver is trashed, at least one of them. it connects to the A/V inputs. tech guy says to bypass my problem, i need to hook up to component inputs on the tv, which requires a different directv receiver (HD in fact).

[boo radley]

In my completely unqualified opinion, you have a couple options...What is the current (non-working) connection between your DirectTV STB and TV? S-video? If it's not, have you tried that input yet? Second, how many component video inputs do you have on your TV? If only one, you've got another issue -- how are you going to toggle between the DVD player and DirectTV? If two, make sure both work, per your test with the dvd player. The, assuming the S-video option isn't viable, you'd need to either a) find a different DirectTV STB with component output (I don't believe ONLY the HD STB's have this feature - you'll need to research), or , get something like a home theater receiver which has component video output (or DVI or HDMI) and use that for switching and up-converting the S-video signal from your current DirectTV STB.

[outerlimits]

In my completely unqualified opinion, you have a couple options...What is the current (non-working) connection between your DirectTV STB and TV? S-video? If it's not, have you tried that input yet? Second, how many component video inputs do you have on your TV? If only one, you've got another issue -- how are you going to toggle between the DVD player and DirectTV? If two, make sure both work, per your test with the dvd player. The, assuming the S-video option isn't viable, you'd need to either a) find a different DirectTV STB with component output (I don't believe ONLY the HD STB's have this feature - you'll need to research), or , get something like a home theater receiver which has component video output (or DVI or HDMI) and use that for switching and up-converting the S-video signal from your current DirectTV STB.

thanx for yer help. both the super video and the A/V hookups on the tv board are out. i have 2 sets of component video hookups, and they both work perfectly. found out the only directv receivers with component video are the HD versions, so that's the $299 option. don't quite follow how a home theatre box could handle the directv signal though.

[mda]

outerlimits

Sounds like the Tuner is bad. You can find converters if you search the internet. Try this web site (svideo.com/com3.html) . They have a converter to change from AV or Composite and S-video to component for $79.

Hope this helps.

MDA