[LOCK MEH] SD-to-HD cable transition

whuppins

Blaaargh, I've tried to write this up four times and it always gets more complicated than it needs to be. Here, I'll start ultra-simple and go from there.

I'm in the process of upgrading to HDTV. This involves 3 steps: Trading in my SD digital cable box for an HD box, ordering the HD channels, and obtaining the actual HDTV. For a number of reasons, I may have to do each of these on different days throughout the course of a week or more, and right now I don't even know in what order.

Cable box: (SD / HD)
Cable package: (SD / HD)
Television: (SD / HD)

So, three factors, each with an SD 'before' and an HD 'after' if you will. The question: Is there any combination of the above factors that would result in me not being able to watch any TV?

One last note: I'm asking about the SD channels. I know that I need all 3 in order to see the HD channels.

Sorry for the weird phrasing. Let me know if you need any more info.

Thanks!

Balefuego

an HD box will still have all the regular SD channels on it.

whuppins

See, this is why I get wordy: Otherwise I don't always get all the info I need.

Are you saying that both a SD and an HD box will be able to receive SD channels, regardless of which type of service I've ordered?

If so, then what about my TV situation? Will an HD box be able to output to a SDTV (through s-video or composite or whatever) or does it output a different type of signal?

nexuscrawler

HD Cable will stll have SD channels no it
and HD Cable box will still be able ot recieve and output SD channels
and HD TV should be able to play SD content

I don't see, failing missing any connectors you should gave any trouble playing your tv at any step

Whumpins; To answer your question yes an HD receiver will bring in SD channels. if you have an HD plan not all your channels will be HD just some. If your HD tv isn't setup yet obviously the HD channels will not be an option. However all channels offered in HD will have an SD version as well.

whuppins

OK, that works for me. I might be getting the actual HDTV a week or more after making the cable box switch and I wanted to make sure I could still watch my SDTV in the meantime over the HD box.

Thanks all.

Philodox

I have that setup this is the way it works:

If you have an HD cable box and HD cable, the HD cable box only tries to output in HD if you are tuned to an HD channel. For example: If I am watching the comedy network I get SD output. If I'm watching discovery HD I get HD output.

whuppins

Wait... but what kind of TV do you have? My question is about running that setup into an SD television. In that situation, I would expect that I wouldn't be able to get the HD channels (or even if I could, who cares, it wouldn't be an HD picture), but I would hope that I could at least continue watching the SD channels until my HD television arrived. Like, the HD box doesn't work some voodoo magic on the signal so that its output is only recognized by HDTVs, right? In short, HD cable boxes are backwards compatible to SDTVs, correct?

Sorry for being so specific about my questions. I would just call my cable company but I've dealt with them many times in the past and they know jack shit about anything except how to sign you up for more services (I know, big surprise there).

Philodox

HD receivers are backwards compatible with old SDTVs. When they are not tuned to an HD channel they are sending out an SD signal to your tv. The only thing to make sure is that your old SDTV has inputs that match the outputs of the HD receiver.

whuppins

Philodox wrote: »

HD receivers are backwards compatible with old SDTVs. When they are not tuned to an HD channel they are sending out an SD signal to your tv. The only thing to make sure is that your old SDTV has inputs that match the outputs of the HD receiver.

Bam.

Okay, that right there was basically what I was waiting to hear. Thanks everyone, and lock away, before I slip in another poorly expressed question.