In another topic, a poster was lamenting that there is only one digital coax input to the 1050 and that he had a couple components with which he wanted to use that connection. One was his digital cable box.

I have comcast digital cable with a motorola decoder and have always used the composite video connections from the box to the 1050. There is also a coax out plug on the box that I used to connect to my TV in my pre-1050 days.

I was wondering if (1) are there differnt types of coax connections, (2) can I use the same coax connection that I previously used to my TV in the digital in on my 1050, and (3) assuming all this is possible, will it sound better than the composite connection?

Thanks for the help.

-- that's actually a good question, Cheezer. In answer to your first question, yes there are. "Coax digital" is a digital audio interface that uses an RCA connector. Some digital cables boxes include a digital audio output, usually coax. My Scientific Atlanta/Time Warner box does, for instance. Some cable companies choose to get the cheaper set-top boxes that don't include a digital audio output. As for your second question, no, unfortunately -- the coax output that you used to hook your TV up before you got the 1050 is an RF signal containing both video and audio data, completely unrelated to digital audio.

This little guide might be a handy reference, by the way. I'm adding RF coax to it, since I somehow left it off originally.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I believe the composite video connection that you are saying is just a regular video out. If this is so, then it can only be used for Video. Just to let you know, the digital out is only used for (Digital) AUDIO not Video. There are 2 types of Digital connections: Coaxial digital output (via RCA cable) and Toslink optical digital output (via Fiber optic cable).

The Composite Audio connection on the other hand, is just the a regular Audio Out (Which is take note also called "ANALOG OUT", which is in Stereo or in other words 2 channel, your Left and Right). Don't be confused coz they just added the word "composite" in there. It's just the same.

The other coax out that you are talking about that you use to connect to your TV before you had the 1050 is a "F" connector. These, just like what gonk said contains both audio and video signals and cannot be used for Digital audio.

To answer your third quesion...Will it (using Digital out) sound better than using the Analog out? Yes, not only that you can also listen in Dolby Digital 5.1

All you need to do is hook up the cable box's digital out to the receiver's digital in. My question is, does your cable box have a Digital out? Check the rear, it should be labeled "Digital Out". If there's none, then you don't have it. In this case, you can only hook up your cable box through it's "Analog Out", which is your cable box's analog (Left and Right)out to your receivers analog (Left and Right)in. By doing this, you will be able to listen in Stereo and Dolby Pro-logic, but not Dolby Digital 5.1

This question is for everyone, Doesn't all Digital cable boxes come with a Digital Out? If not, then what's "digital about it"? Aren't all cable services digital? or They just added A Video out and an Analog L/R out and name it "Digital Cable".



[This message has been edited by Cscamp (edited September 12, 2002).]

Digital cable is something of a misnomer -- it does not necessarily mean digital audio and video on all channels (and the video is certainly making the final portion of the trip in analog, as the best video output I've ever heard of a digital cable box having is S-Video). The signal from the cable company to your set top box may be digital instead of analog, but I think that's largely so they can make better use of their available bandwidth (more channels, more features like program guides and such, and the potential for better audio and video quality). Typically, digital cable service includes the standard analog channels (which are not really any different than basic cable), plus some additional digital channels (often including duplicates of the analog channels -- like History Channel and TechTV, which show up twice on my channel list). From what I've read and my first-hand experience with Time Warner, digital audio is only included on those additional channels (and sometimes on local channels that may be starting to broadcast in HD, as I've had one local station sometimes work with digital audio). The rest of the stations do not include digital audio at all, forcing you to use the analog audio outputs.

To add insult to injury for anyone getting digital cable in hopes of enjoying digital sound and better picture quality, many cable providers (and ComCast is one that seems particularly notorious for this, based on posts I read on Home Theater Forum a while back) choose to save some money on equipment and buy digital cable set top boxes that do not have S-Video or digital audio outputs. The boxes will all have places on the back for these outputs (often with labels stamped into the rear panel), but they're blanked off. Only the RF output (the type F coax), the composite video, and the stereo analog audio output are included.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

[This message has been edited by gonk (edited September 12, 2002).]

And if you want to have a really fun time, try calling up to inquire about digital service (cable or satellite, doesn't matter which) and ask the person on the phone if the box they'll supply you with has digital outputs. Talk about the proverbial deer in the headlights! After the third transfer to someone who could "certainly answer that question," I quit counting. You may or may not ever get the question answered, but it's an entertaining way to kill half an hour or so...

Anyway, that is one advantage satellite definitely has over digital cable. I have my box hooked up with only the optical out and ALL of my audio goes through that cable. I don't have to worry what format it's being broadcast in. My 1050 just detects it and plays it in the best mode!

I am always the one which stumps em with an ‘out of norm’ question, (just call me ‘trouble’ in heels). When I got the 950, I wanted to upgrade the outputs from my old satellite set top. But I did not own a HD display yet. SOooo at Radio Shack, I inquired, can I buy the only offer in digital you have in stock (the DTC100) which is HD capable and just use it for the optical out. Will it work with my old non-HD dish to capture signal, and are there any additional monthly fees, on this box? (I thought it was a simple question).

The RS salesmen, used his ‘hotline” contact # for vendors to talk to Direct TV and got disconnected 3 times, over approx. 15 min of ‘let me transfer you to someone who will have that information’. They never could answer the question. They never could find a tech type personnel who could get past (a brain twister for them) the detail: “she’s buying an HD capable unit and she’s not going to use it for HD at this time!”

The salesman and I finally agreed, it should work, (in theory) with his understanding I’d return it if it did not. It worked.

Thanks for the help everybody.

As it turns out, my digital cable box only has analog outputs. Comcast is apparently rebuilding the digital cable services here, so we may eventually have digital outs on the decoder box, but I won't hold my breath.

If comcast (ever even offers) 'upgrade' boxes for purchase, I know Direct TV (satellite) has upgrade choices in (box and dishes) coming out this fall. I'm waiting to purchase till then, since in the fall the factory installed triple-LNB HD dish will be on shelves. If I purchase a dual LNB dish now I'd have to aquire and add the TERK's Sat C Kit.

Start looking this fall (if you want to replace your box) or call to see if Comcast has intents for similar.

What really kills me is that "digital cable" really offers the cable companies a lot more than it offers you -- more efficient use of bandwidth -- yet they want to charge YOU more for it. Comcast should pay ME $10 a month to accept a digital cable box so they can stop transmitting channels in analog (I'm sure they'd love that) and save on the bandwidth.

When I first got my 950 and a nice (though SD) TV, I investigated getting digital cable, not because I wanted any more channels, but because I wanted better picture quality. My picture has snow in a few channels, bleed-through and echos in some other places... not horrible, and not noticable with my old 13" TV, but definitely a problem on a nice TV. I also wanted digital sound, even if it was only 2 channel PCM most of the time.

Well, after a lot of runaround ("Yes of course it will look better") I finally found someone who could tell me that no, channels currently avaialbe as analog are not re-transmitted in digital, so there will be no quality benefit. Only on higher channels which I would never watch anyway. And you don't really get many more channels unless you subscribe to HBO or other premium services, in which case HBO becomes 12 channels instead of 3. And even then, it's primarily a convenience issue, because HBO shows the same shows all month, you just get more choices about time of day.

It would actually be a loss of convenience, to some extent, because some channels would transmit digital audio all the time, some would be digital some of the time, and many would never be digital. So, I'd have to keep switching from coax input to analog and back again.

In short: not worth it. Not even close. When I move into a house or an apartment that faces South, then I'll get satellite. Until then, I suffer along with POAL (plain-old-analog cable) service.

Sorry for the rant.

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Matthew J. Hill
matt@idsi.net

Hello Everyone,
It's been awhile since I've posted because I 'defected' from Outlaw and went with Aragon. I'm enjoying that unit very much, but that's not why I'm writing.
I too wanted digital out from my Dish. I orginally got the basic receiver that most everyone gets at startup. The 301 with analog audio only. It didn't bother me until I started getting into HT in a serious way (about a year ago). Like a bolt out of the blue, it hit me one day-'Hey, I'm getting a digital downlink, why don't I just run that into my 1050 (then) and decode it! I'm a little slow sometimes. Well, I checked the back of my satellite box and no digital out. This started a three month search of my options. I found that with Dish, in order to have digital output, you have to purchase the 500 series dual LNB dish and the 501 PVR receiver. The 501 is a personal video recorder (TiVo type) that allows you to do magical things with 'live' tv. (i.e. pause, rewind, auto-record, etc.) It's like having a VCR always recording with an endless tape supply and easy one-button programming. I figured that this was for me! I had no idea how hard it would be to find one of these receivers. I contacted Dish and was informed that I had to go through a local vendor for the unit. Also, that I could try Radio Shack and Sears. I started calling around and found that the receivers were in very short supply and that I could get on a waiting list. I asked one of the vendors to call me when one came in. I checked Radio Shack and they said that they didn't handle the PVR 501, try Sears. I went to Sears. The only 501 that they had was packaged with a 500 series dish kit. the kit was only $20.00 more than the best quote that I had gotten for a 501 by itself, so rather than deal with anymore hassle, I bought it. It is a wonderful product manufactured by JVC. It's very cool to be able to pause 'live' tv to handle other 'business'. I highly recommend it if you can find one. Anyone need a 500 series dual LNB dish complete with splitters etc?
A post script to this ramble:
I received a letter from a collection agency yesterday concerning a purchase from Sky Beam Communications, San Marcos, CA, for a 501 receiver! (Remember the vendor I called?) I never purchased a receiver from these goons, nor was I ever invoiced or had any communication other than the one phone call! Talk about fraud. Yes, all of the pertinant legal letters go out Monday. The agency, my attorney, etc. Nothing but fun.
All this for a digital output. I love this hobby!
I'm glad y'all are finally getting your 950's. About time. If you want to go a step up, I highly recommend Aragon. It sounds and functions fantastically.
Until next time,
Mix