Need help figuring out TV antenna coax input to projector

Factual Questions
1

What I want:
Over the Air HDTV reception through an antenna to my projector

Problem:
Antenna output is coax. Projector does not have a coax/RF-in port.

What I have:
A Terk HDTVa Antenna (still to be purchased, depending on your answers)
A Comcast Digital Cable connection with a Comcast set-top box (Motorola)
A projector
No TV

Current Config:
Comcast cable coax input to set-top box. Video out from set-up box using the RCA Video Out to RCA Video input of projector. Result: Nice display of all cable channels on screen across room.

Additional Information:

Set-top box has the following ports:
Cable In (this is currently connected to the incoming cable signal from Comcast)
TV/VCR Coax Out (not connected because I don’t have a TV or VCR)
To RF Coax Out connected to a RF In port (what does this do? there’s a short coax cable looping back from the RF Coax Out back into the RF In. If I disconnect this cable I lose the cable signal)
RCA Audio In and Out (Out is connected to speakers)
RCA Video Out (this is currently connected to the RCA Video input of the projector and gives me the video signal from the cable set-top box)
Data port (not connected)

Projector has the following ports:
HDMI In (not connected)
Component Video In (not connected)
RCA Video In (receiving video signal from S-Video Out of set-top box)
S-Video In (not connected)
RS-232 port

Question:
How do I connect the Terk HDTVa coax output to the projector? The projector does not have a coax/RF-in port.

Can I pass it through the cable set-top box? How?

If I connect the Antenna’s coax output to the Cable In coax port of the set-top box, will this give me a valid video signal? I don’t care to have both cable and antenna signals available at the same time.

Is Coax/RF to RCA conversion using additional hadware an option to connect directly to the projector?

Thanks.

2

You’ll also need an HDTV tuner. Like this one: Amazon.com

3

Thanks. I’ve seen the Terk antenna work fine when connected directly to a TV with no receiver in between. The receiver might offer more options, but I’m not sure if it’s a required component.

4

The TV has a tuner, the projector does not. The tuner in the TV converts the RF signal from the antenna to a video signal that the TV or projector can display. You can’t get the OTA digital signal to the projector without additional equipment.

The receiver linked by Dog80 would allow you to hook both the cable box and receiver to the projector by using the HDMI input as well as the connections currently in use. You’d use the projector’s remote to switch between the two inputs.

5

That makes sense. I figured I was missing something because the projector doesn’t have any tuner and I wouldn’t be able to tune to different channels using just the antenna and the projector.

Here are some additional questions then:

Can the cable set-top box be used in any way to act as the tuner for the signal from the antenna instead?

Do I need an HDTV tuner, or can a non-HD tuner work in this case? Why? Am I guessing correctly that if I don’t input to the projector through the HDMI input I effectively lose “HD” quality, and a non-HD tuner won’t have an HDMI output?

6

I would get the HD tuner. Two reasons: that’s all there will be after the coming February, and the stations are most likely already transmitting Digital in addition to their analog signal. Buying a non-digital receiver would be a waste of your money.

By the way, digital does not mean HD. Many stations will be transmitting standard definition (SD) using digital transmitters.

I have Dish Network, not cable, and my receiver has an input for OTA signals. I have little experience with cable boxes, but by your description of the available connections you can’t do it with your setup.

There’s little difference between HDMI and Component Video to most folks, but since HDMI carries the video and audio with one cable, so I’d use it if I could.

7

Thanks for the clarifications. I guess that answers the questions in my OP. Thanks, Dog80 and GaryM.

I’m still a bit unclear on what “HD” is exactly.

My understanding is that any UHF/VHF antenna will pick up HD over-the-air signals. Is that correct?

Then any ATSC Digital TV Receiver will convert this RF signal into an “HD” video signal. Or is it that only an “HD” compatible digital receiver can convert the RF signal into an “HD” video signal?

Also, what happens if the TV is not “HD” capable? What is the effect on the video quality from an HD video input to a non-HD capable TV? In addition, how do I know if my projector is “HD” ready? Is it based solely on the resolution (1920 x 1080) or is something else involved?

Thanks for your patience in answering my questions.

8

Any UHF antenna will pick up HD signals.
ATSC and HD are used interchangeably, but HD is really any video with greater than SD resolution (720 or 1080), while ATSC is the entire “system” that future TV will be broadcast with.
If the TV is not HD capable, you won’t be able to tune to the HD channels, which are completely separate from your normal VHF/UHF channels.
“HD Ready” means whatever the manufacturer wants it to mean. Usually, it means that the monitor can display at least 720P video.

9

I have a Sony HD TV that I’m feeding with a Dish receiver. I subscribe to Dish’s HD channels. My TV displays either HD or SD content that comes from the Dish receiver. I’ve never tried feeding a HD signal to a SD TV, so I can’t say what the results would be.

But I just wanted to repeat what I posted earlier. In February 2009 all OTA TV signals will be DIGITAL, they won’t necessarily be HD. The FCC requires DIGITAL, whether or not the signals are HD is up to the individual stations. Of course competition will play a large part and I’d guess that most will go HD at the same time or soon after.

10

I can answer that. I have a DirecTivo HR10-250 connected to a very nice Toshiba standard definition TV. The HR10 has selectable output. If I choose anything other than 480i (SD), the TV says “Unsupported format”. I suppose a less sophisticated TV would simply have a blank screen.