Digital Converter Box Problem need help

[MNHuntress]

I bought one of those Converter Boxes for the basement in Sept. from Best Buy (insignia brand), hooked it up and everything worked great. I unplugged it in Oct to take to the camper for bow hunting. I came back with it and re-plugged in the basement and now I'm getting a half-size picture (not 16:9 widescreen). I have a 29" TV and the size is like a 20" 4:3 picture.

I've checked my connections and read the directions 3 times and tried to re-do the initial set-up but can't seem to find the problem everything is right. I gone into the set-up and tried saving cropped size versus set the picture by program and it only works for that one station, not all stations across the board.

I went over and talked with my neighbor and she is having same problem with picture size (she has Insignia Box too). She said as we are getting closer the pic is getting smaller on her TV. Also talked to BB and they say nothing is wrong with the box it's on my end.

I'm in the NW side of the Cities. Anybody have any ideas what to check? This is driving me nutz!!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Just the sides of the picture are missing but the top and bottom go all the way to the top and bottom, right?

[Tom7227]

I don't want to steal the thread, but will cable ready TV's work without the box from Comcast? I have the box hooked up to the main rig but a couple more tv's the house that are hooked up direclty to the feed and not run through the cable box. Will I need converters for them?

[LMITOUT]

If you are receiving TV programming from cable or satellite providers you do not need a converter box.

People only need this converter box if you are using an antenna to receive the local channels and their TV doesn't have a digital tuner.

[MNHuntress]

Both the sides and top and bottom of the pic is going, not on all channels though.

I get satellite upstairs (2 boxes) and not in the basement and no I don't want to pay for another box to rent in the basement.

[Sandmannd]

If you are receiving TV programming from cable or satellite providers you do not need a converter box.

People only need this converter box if you are using an antenna to receive the local channels and their TV doesn't have a digital tuner.

Partially correct. If you are recieving Cable with a digital box from teh cable company then you are fine. If you are going straight out of the wall and into the TV you need the box unless you have a digital TV>

[LMITOUT]

No.

If you have cable or satellite you don't need a box.

The only signals affected by this switchover are the ones broadcast from the local TV stations. Not CNN, MTV, TBS, et al. The signal coming from the wall, as you put it, is not changing....unless the other side of that wall is an antenna.

[Dave]

The signal coming from the wall, as you put it, is not changing....unless the other side of that wall is an antenna.

I don't believe that to be true, LMITOUT. From what I've read, an antenna/rabbit ears can still be used but you Must have a digtal tuner on your TV.

[Sandmannd]

Correct Dave.

[LMITOUT]

Actually, it is true. The only thing that is changing IS the available signal coming from the antenna. For the most part there will be no more analog transmission, other than a few smaller stations that don't fall under the conversion requirements. What is coming from your cable company, cable box or not, is not changing.

You're correct Dave that a converter box is not needed if the TV has a tuner built-in. That was mentioned a few posts up, but wasn't what the intent of the statement you quoted. I think if you re-read it you'll see what I was getting at.

[Tom7227]

How come then about a year ago Comcast came out and put in a new box? I thought they said it was because they switched from analog to digital and the signal needed to be switched around somehow to work on the analog TV's. I don't think a cable ready TV is the same as a HD tv. At least logic makes me think I'm going to need a box for the old TV's that are hooked up to the comcast line directly without a comcast box.

[LMITOUT]

This is two different things. The cable company switched over on their own decision, not because of the govt mandate that is scheduled to happen next month. They could've remained with their old system if they wanted to, but with all the HD content they had no choice or they'd be losing subscribers to companies that do provide digital/HD programming.

The only thing that will be different after the changeover is the signal broadcast over the air, and cable co's are unaffected by that.

[LMITOUT]

https://www.dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx

Click on "Background on Digital Television Transition"

Read item #2 and #13.

[MNHuntress]

I know this TV does not have a digital tuner(a Sony from the 80's) so I need a box in the basement. Back to my original post, is anybody getting a smaller picture like I am or do I have a screwy hook-up? Any suggestions?

[LMITOUT]

Did you try the zoom button?

[Whoaru99]

How come then about a year ago Comcast came out and put in a new box? I thought they said it was because they switched from analog to digital and the signal needed to be switched around somehow to work on the analog TV's. I don't think a cable ready TV is the same as a HD tv. At least logic makes me think I'm going to need a box for the old TV's that are hooked up to the comcast line directly without a comcast box.

Cable isn't affected by the DTV transition UNLESS the cable company is changing from analog to digital on their systems of their own accord. This is completely different from the government mandated DTV switchover for over the air broadcasts.

If Comcast is also going all digital (and I don't know one way or the other), they will be contacting you to provide the necessary converter. The first one is probably included in your service, but if you have more TVs and they don't have QAM tuners to receive digital signal from cable, then yes, you'll probably have to get more converters from Comcast.

The DTV converters for this switchover thing will do ABSOLUTELY nothing to convert a cable signal to digital and have nothing to do with cable systems. Digital cable signals require QAM tuners to receive them, the DTV converters are ATSC tuners to receive the signal over the air from an antenna.

Also, don't confuse HDTV with the digital switchover. Digital TV with the coming switchover and high definition TV are two completely different things.

[MNHuntress]

I tried the zoom button and I get the message "picture set by program"

[Da Beak]

Try this:

Go into the "Set-Up" program and under "Options" change the TV Aspect Ratio settings back to 4:3. (Unless it's a widescreen) The underneath that, change the "Aspect Ratio" setting off of the "Set by Program" setting and manually select one of the other choices. (Sorry, I can't remember what they all are right now.) I had to do the same thing for my MIL.

Hope this helps ya.

Bob

[sparcebag]

MNHunt I'm following close! Same brand Havent installed it yet,Haven't even opened the box! Got it in July figured I'd use it when and if I need it!

I hope you get the flaws ironed out,There's plenty of people who are having problems!!

[Tom7227]

They just ran a test and things worked out for me. Comcast digital service hooked directly to cabl ready TV's worked even though they weren't served by the Comcast box. So no converter box needed at least based on what occurred today.

[Whoaru99]

They just ran a test and things worked out for me. Comcast digital service hooked directly to cabl ready TV's worked even though they weren't served by the Comcast box. So no converter box needed at least based on what occurred today.

Then you still have some analog channels coming in on the cable and almost certainly still will past the changeover date. Again, this is because the digital changeover is only mandatory for broadcast/over-the-air transmissions.

I have Charter and it's an analog/digital system as well.

Lifeline service and basic/expanded basic are all analog so only a "cable ready" TV is necessary. However, you can upgrade to add the digital tier channels to your account. If you don't have a TV with a QAM tuner, or if you subscribe to premium services that require decryption, then you need the cable box from the cable company to get their digital channels.