If you enter 23.0, goes to analog 23 and snow.

To bad. Thought that the tuner might be smart enough that if I can't find an NTSC signal to check if it can find an ATSC signal. It could be a possible fix for the problem, but it would require a software update.

I have an RCA/LCD that I bought 2 years ago and I'm sure the model was 1 or 2 years old. So lets say the TV is a model from 3 or 4 years ago.

Can some tuners pick up weaker channels?

To bad. Thought that the tuner might be smart enough that if I can't find an NTSC signal to check if it can find an ATSC signal. It could be a possible fix for the problem, but it would require a software update.
Speaking about software update...my 1-yr-old Samsung 50" plasma finally has a newer firmware released last month.

However, I got a B540 Samsung LCD last month. The ATSC tuner on the LCD actually has some abberant behaviour. The 50" plasma has yet to have any significant glitch. I don't think I'll do the firmware - don't fix anything that is not broken LOL

The signal meter on the B540 is more graded and meaningful, 0 bar=black screen; 1 bar=may go black screen anytime; only 44.1 hit 10 bars.

I have an RCA/LCD that I bought 2 years ago and I'm sure the model was 1 or 2 years old. So lets say the TV is a model from 3 or 4 years ago.

Can some tuners pick up weaker channels?
You're the one to find out and post here :)
I am not sure what you're waiting for...

PS - I had an AKAI plasma a few years ago and the ATSC tuner was actually pretty sensitive and it had full EPG for a few days.

Speaking about software update...my 1-yr-old Samsung 50" plasma finally has a newer firmware released last month.

However, I got a B540 Samsung LCD last month. The ATSC tuner on the LCD actually has some abberant behaviour. The 50" plasma has yet to have any significant glitch. I don't think I'll do the firmware - don't fix anything that is not broken LOL

The signal meter on the B540 is more graded and meaningful, 0 bar=black screen; 1 bar=may go black screen anytime; only 44.1 hit 10 bars.
I have almost the same TV. I have the Samsung PN50A650, a series 6 but i assume the tuners are identical. The tuner is awesome, i have zero complaints so far.... Amazing TV, i love plasma.

Question to the folks with a later model Panasonic Plasma HDTV. Does it have some form of signal strength indication for either NTSC and/or ATSC? I scanned through some of the user manuals downloaded from the net and did not recognized any screens with a bar graph display. Maybe it is just available in as digital number?

EDIT Found the answer on page 51 of a manual for the TCP42G10 - it provides both a number and a bar graph. It is clear that the signal meter applies to the digital signal only. It is provided as a % not in a SNR pseudo dB scale like the Hauppauge TV card/USB tuners.

Hello all. Assuming that the built-in TV ATSC and the STB both have the Generation 5 chipset what are the advantages of buying a STB over a TV with ATSC built-in. What specs should I be checking. TV manufacturers specs don't have a lot of detail. Price of a TV with or without ATSC could be one reason ?

cankiwi6, you don't want Generation 5 when there are Generation 6 devices commonly available now. As a rule of thumb, any main brand ATSC HDTV or device built in 2008 or later will have a Generation 6 chipset in it.

The state of ATSC receiver quality across STBs, HDTVs, and Satellite Boxes is pretty even now, so what consumers are noticing more and more is the relative quality of the user experience that the devices offer. For example, two HD STBs may be basically equal in performance but the menu system and general quality of one's User Interface is better than the other so it gets the nod.

You won't find many HDTVs without an ATSC chipset anymore, and the added cost to the manufacturer of those are miniscule so the total cost to you isn't much different than on one without.

Thanks Stampeder.. exactly what I wanted to know. good info on Generation 6 chipset. When did that come out and is 7 on the way ?

Generation 6 came out in late 2007, and Generation 7 is being worked on now by a division of LG in Korea called Innotek but there is little news I've found on their progress.

Sorry if I am redirecting the conversation but I have an issue with my Samsung LN-T3242H LCD TV and antenna reception in Port Hope. I am finding that periodically some of my channels (3.1,3.2,3.3,4.1,7.1,21.1,21.2,21.3) have spontaneously remapped to different channels that come up as blank screens (ie. 16.1,16.2,16.3,16.4,16.9,50.1 etc). Is this a problem anyone else has had and if so does it go back to the old settings on it's own or do I have to rescan?

Far flung, I would try a rescan before anything else...
Just my two.

Thanks,

I did do that last night. I would prefer not to have to rescan as on this ocassion I had 47 channels scanned and the rescan only picked up 31. While I may not have received all 47 channels all the time they were in the TVs memory

recneps77, I believe you have a Samsung T240HD (or T220HD) Tv/ monitor,

can you please confirm if it also has an NTSC tuner for ANALOG OTA reception...

there are conflicting accounts of this...thanks

Yep, it's got ATSC/NTSC.
Works quite well.
Only feature it lacks is a full EPG.
(only gives current program/details)

recneps77,

thanks so much, I saw for the money it seems quite decent compared to other small LCD HDTVs...

The specs and retailers do not specify NTSC tuner :o, but I know the manual shows analog cable connection...

I certainly do not mean to doubt you, but just so we are clear, you are sure I can connect my outdoor OTA antenna to this product and receive the available digital and ANALOG channels...;)

Also, what connection does it have, (coaxial, HDMI, RGB, s-video, composite?)

Again, thanks

Yes. I watch TVO (currently analog-only) alongside all the other digitals.

It has DVI, HDMIx2, VGA, component, and digital audio in/out + analog audio out ("headphone / speaker")

I am looking at a Samsung LN32B460. It also only lists an ASTC/QAM tuner. Can anyone confirm if this set has a ntsc tuner in it to receive analogue cable.

I have just noticed that my 4 year old LCD TV stopped receiving digital channels. I can hear the sound, but there is no picture. All the analogue channels are fine.

On the other hand, my Hauppauge HVR-950Q works fine and I receive all channels without a problem.

Has anobody experienced anything similar?

Not sure if this is related but I am in Port Hope and have been unable to receive CBC HD 5-1 for a few days as has my father at another location in Port Hope. The weather is clear and cloudless

This is rather confusing for me. CBC HD hasn't come in for days although neighbours with higher towers received it with no problems; so I though it was because my antenna isn't high enough. The channel is scanned into my TV but my Samsung LN-T3242H LCD shows it as no signal. So I thought I would rescan the TV and CBC HD comes in perfectly with 5 bars for reception strength. I don't think the broadcast tower suddenly increased the power of the broadcast 30 seconds later when I scanned. Is there something about the way a TV scans in channels that I don't understand i.e. an old scan may stop getting channels even though there is nothing interfering with the broadcast necessitating a new scan every now and then.