tazinib1 Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Next door neighbor just bought a house in Arizona and is driving. He can't fit all his stuff in his car so he knocked on my door last night and asked if I needed a TV. Well, blow me down, I said SURE!! Anywho, I have just the basic cable box and when I hooked it all up, I got no signal. Keep in mind that I'm new to the HD thing, so.....without further ado, here is my question: Can I hook up the HDTV to my basic cable box? Or do I need to go through all the hoops and get an HDTV converter? I have some of the cables (green,blue,red) and am wondering if those would work so i can at least view the tv? I'm not really concerned right now weather or not I can view HD channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 (edited) Slow down there big fella! I know you're excited and all but let's take things one at a time. So you got a cable box that works and all. Excellent. The next thing is to connect the television to the cable box. The are four types of connections you could use: composite, S-video, component, or HDMI. Those are listed in order of worst to best. HDMI will bring both the video and the audio signal to the TV. The remaining three only will bring the video, you'll have to run another set of wires for the audio connection. The cables you describe above with the red, blue, and green connectors are component video cables. They most certainly can be used to send the video signal to the television. Connect the cable between the cable box and the television set. Make a note of the label or id of the connection on the back of the TV. Now turn teh tv and the cable box on. Depending on the TV, you will most likely have to use the remote to select which input the television uses. This should correspond to the label or id from the back of the set. If you have the owners manual, it should tell you how to do that. If not, post up the exact model here and we can find it for you. Now Audio is a different story. Let me know if you need info on how to hook that up as well. Edited May 1, 2009 by Kid Cid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 You just need a larger set of rabbit ear antenna . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Slow down there big fella! I know you're excited and all but let's take things one at a time. So you got a cable box that works and all. Excellent. The next thing is to connect the television to the cable box. The are four types of connections you could use: composite, S-video, component, or HDMI. Those are listed in order of worst to best. HDMI will bring both the video and the audio signal to the TV. The remaining three only will bring the video, you'll have to run another set of wires for the audio connection. The cables you describe above with the red, blue, and green connectors are component video cables. They most certainly can be used to send the video signal to the television. Connect the cable between the cable box and the television set. Make a note of the label or id of the connection on the back of the TV. Now turn teh tv and the cable box on. Depending on the TV, you will most likely have to use the remote to select which input the television uses. This should correspond to the label or id from the back of the set. If you have the owners manual, it should tell you how to do that. If not, post up the exact model here and we can find it for you. Now Audio is a different story. Let me know if you need info on how to hook that up as well. Ok I'm not getting a signal when I hook up the cable box, but I'm getting all the basic channels when I hook the cable cord direct into the coax connection on the tv. I must assume that I need to figure out which set of colored wired cables to plug in from box to tv. Right? BTW: I'm getting a few HD channels and man...I've been missing out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 DONT CUT THE BLUE WIRE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Ok I'm not getting a signal when I hook up the cable box, but I'm getting all the basic channels when I hook the cable cord direct into the coax connection on the tv. I must assume that I need to figure out which set of colored wired cables to plug in from box to tv. Right? BTW: I'm getting a few HD channels and man...I've been missing out!! You probably just have to switch a setting or two. 1) Go into the HDTV menu and look for a picture or settings option. You should be able to find a sub-menu that gives you the option to change the source of the reception. It sounds like its set on antenna or coax, and should be changed to component. 2) The cable box may need to be setup outputing the picture in a similar way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 You're gonna need a bigger box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat2334 Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Ok I'm not getting a signal when I hook up the cable box, but I'm getting all the basic channels when I hook the cable cord direct into the coax connection on the tv. I must assume that I need to figure out which set of colored wired cables to plug in from box to tv. Right? BTW: I'm getting a few HD channels and man...I've been missing out!! I always wondered who those annoying government-mandated commercials about converting from rabbit ears to digital and HD were targeting.............. now I know good gawd man this is 2009, get it together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 I always wondered who those annoying government-mandated commercials about converting from rabbit ears to digital and HD were targeting.............. now I know good gawd man this is 2009, get it together At any rate, I figured it out. Thanks for all the help. Now to get that HD box from the cable company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 At any rate, I figured it out. Thanks for all the help. Now to get that HD box from the cable company. Don't forget the HDMI cable...then ENJOY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robash Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 BTW: I'm getting a few HD channels and man...I've been missing out!! lol just wait till football starts again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 lol just wait till football starts again :drool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budlitebrad Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Once you start watching sports in HD, you can never go back to standard def. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Once you start watching sports in HD, you can never go back to standard def. That is so true. I just won't watch a standard def game anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Your in for sticker shock if you go to Best Buy for an HDMI cable (If you don't already have one).They start at $49.95. You can get them online for much cheaper.Wally World has them for about $19.95.You might be able to get one at cost from your cable company when they deliver the Digital HD box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Your in for sticker shock if you go to Best Buy for an HDMI cable (If you don't already have one).They start at $49.95. You can get them online for much cheaper.Wally World has them for about $19.95.You might be able to get one at cost from your cable company when they deliver the Digital HD box. or as posted before, go to monoprice.com for those as the prices there are a lot lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 or as posted before, go to monoprice.com for those as the prices there are a lot lower. I've purchased all my cables from monoprice and they = superiorly awesome. And I'm with wildcat on this one. I thought everyone had some idea of how to connect a HDTV up to cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 I've purchased all my cables from monoprice and they = superiorly awesome. And I'm with wildcat on this one. I thought everyone had some idea of how to connect a HDTV up to cable. You gotta remember, up until 3 years ago, I was pretty much a line cook. Now I'm working my way up in a different field all together lol. HDTV? That was something I dreamed about while walking through Fry's or BestBuy. Hell I was happy with rabbit ears there for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I've purchased all my cables from monoprice and they = superiorly awesome. And I'm with wildcat on this one. I thought everyone had some idea of how to connect a HDTV up to cable. The biggest mistake you can make is to overestimate or underestimate what people are capable of. Always assume that people can't do anything and you will be continuously amazed. Always assume that they already know how to do something and you will be continuously disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 all JAWS references are awesome. That wasnt a JAWS reference... It was a Taco Bell reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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