Cable TV and projectors

you need a coax to hdmi converter, check this out:

http://www.nextag.com/coax-to-HDMI-converter/stores-html?nxtg=6d8d0a1c0504-CCD746CF52857029

marine7275:

These are all hdmi to coax converters. How will a cable converter help me select TV channels? With VHS I can select channels as it has built-in TV tuner. I was hoping for a Blue-ray type device that can be used instead of a VCR.

the newer projectors should give you an option??

Projector does not have a built-in tv tuner. This is one of the new one from Epson. I am looking for a stand-alone or external TV tuner.

Assuming you're looking for a tuner that supports HDTV (ClearQAM), this will do the trick:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815260027

This is a less expensive option, but does't support ClearQAM:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3573144&CatId=1427

garycase:

I have placed and order from your first suggestion from newegg. I will receive it in 3-5 days. I will add my comments when I have tried this. Thanks for your input. I will keep this question open till then.

Does your cable provider not offer an appropriate tuner for a reasonable price?

Hopefully you noted that the tuner from Newegg only supports digital signals.    If you also need to receive analog stations you'll need a tuner like the 2nd one.

That shouldn't be an issue;  but it can be with some cable companies.

CompProbSov:

I have not checked with my local cable provider..

Garycase:

Thanks for the info. I will find out next week. If it does not work, I should be able to return it.

Garycase:

I got the box today. I was excited. However, the unit did not work. It is supposed to work only with off the air free digital signals and unscrambled digital signals. I am retuning the unit tomorrow for a refund.

Need your opinion. Should I try to buy the other unit you suggested? What will be drawbacks?  Can you explain wht is ClearQAM?

Thanks

SC

As I noted earlier, the box at Newegg is a digital tuner only.    Apparently you need an analog tuner for your cable system.    The other box should work fine.

The drawback is it won't receive HD signals ... but you apparently don't have any to receive anyway, as the digital tuner would have received them.

It sounds like that box is exactly what you need for your particular setup PROVIDED that your projector has a VGA input (since the box has a VGA output).

As for what ClearQAM means -- HD TV signals are broadcast using quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).    They can be encrypted -- which means you need a cable box to decrypt them -- or unencrypted (i.e. "in the clear"), which means you don't need a box to decrypt them as long as you have a tuner that can receive QAM signals.    ClearQAM simply refers to those signals that are unencrypted.

My few experiences with cables systems in recent years indicate that they typically DO encrypt their signals.

It used to be that you could connect a standard TV (or TV tuner) to the cable without any other electronics and you'd be able to receive the channels.  That has changed in the few systems I've observed.

The end result is that you need a tuner from the cable company or one that has the ability to properly decode the encoding.  If you don't get the tuner from the cable company, you will likely need a special card with a unique number encoded on it that will be (registered with the cable company and probably needs to be obtained from the cable company.

I'm missing what the difficulty is here with getting the tuner from the cable company.  That is the most typical way to handle reception from the cable company.

I am not reading anything here that tells me what sorts of inputs your projector has.  Whatever it has, make sure your tuner has the same sort of output available.  HDMI would be a very good choice, if available on both.

garycase & CompProbSolv:

Thanks for your comments. I have already contacted the cable company and waiting for their response.

None of the tuners suggested by various folks worked with my cable. I had to connect the cable to my VCR and then take the video out to the projector. Signal quality is obviously poor. I was looking for better signal.