How to set up my Rogers HD box?

[VenomHowell]

Alright... Admittedly, I'm a newbie to anything to do with HDTV. Give me a computer, software or hardware, and I'm fine... But give me a TV... Not so much.

Anyways, I recently got a 1080i 42'' LCD Prive TV. It was fairly priced and was nice quality and we needed a new TV anyways. So, after getting the TV, we decided to exhange our regular cable box for one of Rogers HD boxes.

Curiously enough, the cable box only has DVI output and the TV has HDMI input, but no component cable hookups to be found anywhere, only the composite for an analog signal. After dropping 60 bucks on a DVI->HDMI cable to connect the Rogers box to the TV, and getting the cable box working, I discover two issues.

The resolution is only at 480. My TV is rated at 1080i, but I have no idea how to change this to the higher resolution. The second... No audio. I tried doing everything from connecting a cable straight to the TV or using the old red and white analog cords, but I can't get it working. There doesn't seem to be any setting on the Roger's menu to make it work, nor my TV in the HDMI menu.

Now, I'm a complete newbie to HD setups, so how might I solve this issue? I just have the Rogers box and my TV, that's all I assume I need. Please help me out with this.

[Greven]

The resolution should be through a button or option menu in the box. I don't have rogers so I can't say exactly, but that would be where to look.

As for your audio: Does the TV support analog(RCA red/white) audio for the HDMI connections? HDMI is supposed to carry audio and video, but since DVI is video only, you HDMI connection is not carrying any audio. What you would look look for on the back of the TV are the red and white inputs either right beside the HDMI in, or with the same input label(if HDMI is label "Video 9" check to see if there are red/white inputs label "Video 9" as well).

If your TV doesn't support analog audio for HDMI, you will need to run your audio into a seperate stereo receiver.

[VenomHowell]

I figured as much. I think I have a budget brand HDTV anyways, it's one of the SOYO Prive line from Walmart... shoulda known better than to buy there.

My roommate should be getting his surround sound system sometime soon, in which case that'll cover the whole deal with the sound system and should work nicely. The only analog inputs on the TV are associated with the 'AV' input mode, so I could technically get audio, just on a completely different input mode than the image, which makes it altogether useless.

As for the setting on the Rogers box, I can't seem to find the damnable thing... But I'll play around with it some more I figure. Right now, the picture quality is VERY disappointing, and worse than the analog cable input through coaxial that came before it due to smudgy colours akin to a streaming video online. I only assume this is because I'm using a 'stretched' lower resolution rather than the appropriate 1080i setting for the TV, perhaps..

[57]

Please put your location and service provider into your UserCP Profile (location). It'll help us help you. A few questions and comments.

1. What is the make/model of the HD STB. I don't know of any that don't have component video connections.

2. You may wish to return that DVI-HDMI cable - you can purchase one for about $20 from a computer store, or online from a place like Monoprice for even less.

3. Assuming you have an SA or Pace STB, you should see the link below for setup - run the advanced Setup wizard and set the "set picture format" appropriately (usually passthrough or auto-DVI).

SA STB Tips

Here's a link for Motorola if you're in Atlantic Canada.

Motorola Tips.

On the TV, the audio input for analogue audio is often a "mini-plug", beside the HDMI connector. You can usually purchase a Y-connector to mini-plug" adaptor to get the audio to the TV. Often when using analoge audio with the HDMI input, you may need to go into the TV's user menu for audio and select analogue instead of HDMI or auto.

See also: More Information.

I've moved this thread to the Rogers forum.

[VenomHowell]

I shopped around for the cable, believe me. The pickings are rather low around my area, so unless I order online I probably can't get better.

I have the Motorola one you mentioned for Atlantic Canada, and the setup instructions mentioned nothing about that setup menu, but thanks for giving me it. I tried the override as 480i or 480p, and I made sure that the input was set to 1080i, but it seems like I'm still getting smudgy pictures om all channels, even above 100, and artifacts that are akin to streaming video. I wonder if I can expect such artifacts because I'm looking at channels that are mostly analog being converted into Digital signal, perhaps, so the PQ will be lower except for HD specific channels? I'm not entirely sure.

As for the audio, there is no mini plug, and the software on the TV only allows me to alter stuff like bass, treble, and volume, rather than being able to say, tell it to accept the audio from the AV plugs. If and when I get a surround sound system, that'll solve this problem, but in the meantime I have no audio.

Looking from left to right on the inputs on the back, I see these inputs, and only these.

Coaxial
Composite
HDMI
VGA
and a audio output that looks like a headphone jack or speaker hookup on a Computer.

As I said, the software on the TV seems very limited in my ability to edit settings, particularly in the audio department, and even some buttons on the remote only succeed in giving me a red 'x' in the upper right hand corner. I can probably owe this to being a cheaper TV set.

[57]

Yes, you may need to work within the capabilities of the TV, or get a different TV. For a proper setup of the TV, see the links in the "more information" link that I already provided. For example: Link on SD PQ.

You may wish to consider a different STB. For example, the Motorola 6416 phase III PVR has an HDMI output. People love their PVRs.

If you can provide the exact make/model of the TV, perhaps I can have a quick look on the web at the input capabilities...

Moved the thread (again) to Rogers Atlantic.

[VenomHowell]

I've tried to find an exact make and model, but have been unable. I guess those are the limitations of a budget TV... And I made a typo in the original post, it's a 32'' Soyo Prive TV. It was a brand line specific to Wal-Mart.

Would getting a PVR box cost me extra? That's my only concern, because I'm sure I could find some way to swap my DVI/HDMI cable for the HDMI cable, and that'd solve my problems.

As for the seemingly poor quality... They are indeed the result of compression artifacts it seems and not the cable box settings... Maybe I'm just particularly sensitive to seeing them because I was able to spot the smudginess from across the room.

Thanks for all the info though. I might not have solved the problem, but I know how to work around it. I'm going to require either a surround sound system or a PVR, looks like it.

[57]

The PVR will probably cost more if you're renting. Found the following regarding Soyo Prive

http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/070412/117227.html

http://www.homegoodsonline.ca/content/view/490/34/

Here are the specs on the TV (or a similar model):

http://www.soyogroup.com/products/pr...php?t=d&id=420

Interestingly, it states that it has component video inputs - but the previous 2 articles did not...

The bottom right photo of the following link shows component video - red/green/blue in the bottom row, along with the analogue audio connectors (red/white) above the component video connectors (as diagrammed in the box). Suggest you look at the operating manual for your TV or look around at different parts of your TV - they may be "hidden" someplace you haven't looked.

http://www.soyogroup.com/products/pr...php?t=a&id=420

Here are more of their TVs...

http://www.soyogroup.com/products/select.php?id=4

I believe I checked all of the 32" models and they all have Component Video inputs...

If your TV has these connections as shown in the specs and the photos, I suggest you use them.

[ve9arb]

As for the PVR boxes in Atlantic Canada there is only one box as of this date:

The moto 6208 HDTV PVR

The only other box for HD is the moto 6200 and both are the only available boxes available from Rogers at this time. Other moto equipment may work but only if as far as I know if the serial number can be turned on.

As for the Motorola 6416 phase III PVR box this is what possiblely might be available to us this coming fall but it is only one of the many stories in our "corner lounge" and we have been waiting for a dual-tuner (there I go Danster, shouldn't have said it...) for a very long time. So we sit and wait, and play cards until Rogers makes up its mind if we should have a new toy to play with. If we were in Ontario we would have lots of choice for STB's as Pace and SA have lots of choice for their customers in the land of Rogers.

[lajohn27]

To set the resolution..

When the box is on and running Press Power and then quickly press menu just above it.

This should bring up the menu where you can set the resolution to 1080.



Knox