How do I pick up HD channels with my 30XS955?

[lazyboy285]

I tried adding digital channels but it didnt pick up any, but I didnt let it finish. Am I supposed to let it finish, and how long does it take? Or am I just supposed to get the cable card? Thanks.

[hidesertforester]

My 960 took about an hour. It will tell you when it is complete.

The cablecard is the way to go, if your provider knows how to implement it.

[Leehro]

let it finish.

[agrozone]

I let mine finish, and it picked up 5 HD channels from regular extended basic.. also picked up HBO, which is very weird.

[golferadam]

Mine usually takes ~ 1 hr. Just do a search and leave it for a while and then come back.

[agrozone]

Anybody else have these same results? 5 free HD channels off of extended basic?
I wrote to charter and they told me that the only way to get HD channels from them was to buy digital cable, pay extra for HD programming, and get either a box from them or CC..
I was told that many cable companies let 1 or 2 channels come through for free, like fox and pbs, but this seems odd.
Eh, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth though. LOVE HD!! my wife is addicted to it now too.. SD is just boring.

[biker19]

[QUOTE=agrozone]Anybody else have these same results? 5 free HD channels off of extended basic?
I wrote to charter and they told me that the only way to get HD channels from them was to buy digital cable, pay extra for HD programming, and get either a box from them or CC..
I was told that many cable companies let 1 or 2 channels come through for free, like fox and pbs, but this seems odd.
Eh, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth though. LOVE HD!! my wife is addicted to it now too.. SD is just boring.[/QUOTE]
If the cable company gets enough questions like yours, they'll realize they're losing money and will try to do something. Enjoy the channels while you have them.

BTW, do another scan on a weekend night - you might find a neighbor's VOD in progress. ;)

[lzzy]

Does the picture look better with cable card as opposed to a STB ?

[raouliii]

[QUOTE=agrozone]Anybody else have these same results? 5 free HD channels off of extended basic?
I wrote to charter and they told me that the only way to get HD channels from them was to buy digital cable, pay extra for HD programming, and get either a box from them or CC..
I was told that many cable companies let 1 or 2 channels come through for free, like fox and pbs, but this seems odd.
Eh, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth though. LOVE HD!! my wife is addicted to it now too.. SD is just boring.[/QUOTE]

Generally, your local digitals will be available unencrypted on cable and can be received with your built-in QAM tuner. Most customer service personnel are either unaware of this or would rather you didn't know.

Encrypted channels can be received with either your QAM tuner with a cablecard or a STB, both from Charter.

Every now and then I have found a normally encrypted channel "in the clear" but it eventually disappears.

[hidesertforester]

[QUOTE=lzzy]Does the picture look better with cable card as opposed to a STB ?[/QUOTE]

It certainly does if you connect to the STB with anything less than a digital input.

I want to use my HDMI input for my DVD so the CC was the way to go.

[agrozone]

[QUOTE=biker19]If the cable company gets enough questions like yours, they'll realize they're losing money and will try to do something. Enjoy the channels while you have them.

BTW, do another scan on a weekend night - you might find a neighbor's VOD in progress. ;)[/QUOTE]

What's VOD? one odd thing is that I pick up the occasional porn channel that looks like someone is fast forwarding through it.. I did the scan on the weekend too.. I wonder what other channels would come in if I did another scan.

Thankfully, I haven't been dumb enough to ask the cable company WHY I'm getting free channels. I've only asked them how I can subscribe to HD content legitimately. I did that before I got the TV.. I wont rock the boat.

[biker19]

[QUOTE=agrozone]What's VOD? one odd thing is that I pick up the occasional porn channel that looks like someone is fast forwarding through it.. I did the scan on the weekend too.. I wonder what other channels would come in if I did another scan.

Thankfully, I haven't been dumb enough to ask the cable company WHY I'm getting free channels. I've only asked them how I can subscribe to HD content legitimately. I did that before I got the TV.. I wont rock the boat.[/QUOTE]
VOD = Video On Demand - the porn your were seeing was VOD one of your neighbors ordered. The FF was your neighbor skipping the boring parts. :eek: :cool:

[justsc]

[QUOTE=hidesertforester]It certainly does if you connect to the STB with anything less than a digital input.

I want to use my HDMI input for my DVD so the CC was the way to go.[/QUOTE]
I get better picture quality from my cable box using component cables as opposed to HDMI. My STB is Comcast's (Motorola) DCT-6412, the dual tuner dvr.

This holds true for many crt hd sets. If you use component cables then you still have your digital input(s) for HD DVD/Blu Ray.

[agrozone]

[QUOTE=biker19]VOD = Video On Demand - the porn your were seeing was VOD one of your neighbors ordered. The FF was your neighbor skipping the boring parts. :eek: :cool:[/QUOTE]

wonder how close they have to be? one neighbor that single has satellite, the other is a family man... the one behind us is a homeschoolin' family..
well, they apparently get a lot of porn. It's been on every night.

[biker19]

[QUOTE=agrozone]wonder how close they have to be? one neighbor that single has satellite, the other is a family man... the one behind us is a homeschoolin' family..
well, they apparently get a lot of porn. It's been on every night.[/QUOTE]
They have to be on the same segment of the coax as you - eventually all segments converge in some sort of device that keeps them seperate. The segment could be fairly long - whole street?

I'd venture to guess that the coax runs somewhere in the street so you're probably on a different segment from folks behind you - it's probably someone on the same street.

[agrozone]

[QUOTE=biker19]They have to be on the same segment of the coax as you - eventually all segments converge in some sort of device that keeps them seperate. The segment could be fairly long - whole street?

I'd venture to guess that the coax runs somewhere in the street so you're probably on a different segment from folks behind you - it's probably someone on the same street.[/QUOTE]
we basically live out in the country. so there's very few houses.. Interesting bit of gossip.