So I finally got a new tv for a second room in our house and we have cable going up there. If I hook up the cable directly to the TV, I can only get channels 2-30 but I get all the local HD channels. I have the black box that can get me channels 31-71 but I lose the local HD channels. Is there any way I can get the best of both worlds? My TV only has one coaxial input.

edit: hooked up the black box and there's actually channels that go up into the hundreds but the picture looks like absolute horrible pixelshit. This is a catch 22.

Not for free. We dropped Comcast because of this. See my post and the link to the entire thread in the upper right-hand corner.

The cable box doesn't have anything other than a coaxial output to hook to the TV? That's bizarre. If it does, just split the cable line - one to the box and one to the TV.

Thanks dogmatica. That answers my question. I'm thinking about splitting the signal and hoping the signal is strong enough to run the black box through my PC that has a tuner card and hook the PC up to the TV via VGA. Then take run the coaxial directly to the TV. What a cluster.

Yeah, that's all the cable box has, it's a tiny little box that comcast gave away last year but I only activated it but never used it. But my TV only has one coaxial input.

Split the cable before it gets to the box, then get a cable A/B switch for after it leaves the box.

I'm thinking of something like this:


http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-Coaxial-A-Switch/dp/B0002ZPIQ4

We used to use one of these for connecting an old video game system to the TV. Ideally, you'd want to find a switch for the coax that you could control via remote.

Found one. From Radioshack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2049643

The remote idea would be awesome since it's a wall mounted tv in our bedroom but I remember I do already have an old A/B switch from my multi-video game system playing days of yore somewhere in the garage... I will definitely go your suggested route Jay.

I'm in the same boat here. I've complained about losing the local HD channels and was told "they are looking in to it." I still suspect it's a ploy to get more folks to upgrade service and pay for an upper tier of HD service. As outlined above, somplace on Comcast site are instructions to feed the cable from the wall to a splitter and then the A/B switch. Since I'm cheap and lazy, I've been unscrewing the cable from the adapter and connecting directly into the set when I want local HD. Actually this may make me take the leap and downgrade my service hoping I can eliminate the box and save a few $$ each month.

Is comcast still giving these away? I need two for our house and everytime I call asking about a DTV converter box they obviously want me to get a standard cable box.

I'd try using the term "DTA" or see if you can order one here: http://digitalnow.comcast.com/
It needs an account number but that's how I ordered mine.

Good Luck.

Rick