HD connection options

[RossDavid]

Do I need to use HDMI or component cables to receive an HD signal from my HD set top box or could I simply use the RF/coax cable connection?  After all, I can get HD channels using just the coax cable when I bypass the set top box (granted it is limited to the few local channels Verizon does not encrypt).  I was just wondering if I decided to upgrade to another HD set top box if I could skip the whole HDMI or component cable purchase.

[matcarl · Accepted solution]

HD signals from the box are only transmitted thru component or HDMI. This is the same for every cable provider.

[ekem015]

Verizon will provide you with an HDMI cable if you are upgrading to an HDMI STB.

You can also purchase one on the Verizon accessories webpage for $19.99.

[Justin46]

---

@ekem015 wrote:

Verizon will provide you with an HDMI cable if you are upgrading to an HDMI STB.

You can also purchase one on the Verizon accessories webpage for $19.99.

---

And you can buy very good cables at very low prices from monoprice.com. I have a 6 ft hdmi cable from them that I use from my laptop to an external LCD monitor that cost me about $12 including shipping, got it in 3 days. Many people have reported excellent results with cables ordered from monoprice.

Whatever you do, don't go to Best Buy and spend $100 on a Monster HDMI cable, that is a huge ripoff.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7C, Build 09.83
Keller, TX 76248

[RossDavid]

Thank you everyone.  That was quite helpful.  I wonder why the cable providers only transmit HD from the box through HDMI or Component.  After all, the signal TO the box is in the form of a coax cable, so coax cables must be capable of transmitting HD.  Oh, well.  Thanks for the help!

[Keyboards]

---

@RossDavid wrote:

Thank you everyone.  That was quite helpful.  I wonder why the cable providers only transmit HD from the box through HDMI or Component.  After all, the signal TO the box is in the form of a coax cable, so coax cables must be capable of transmitting HD.  Oh, well.  Thanks for the help!

---

The reason is that the coax output on the STB is re-modulated from the STB in analog (old NTSC - 480i) for those that don't have a digital tuner (and yes the HD channels look better than their SD versions even at 480i).  The signal on the incoming coax is QAM (Qaudrature Amplitude Modulated) encoded digital.  AFAIK NO STB has a "digital" RF output. 

Then of course the question of the output modulation scheme would need to be answered.  Do you provide QAM or ATSC (broadcast standard)?  Also you would then need the ability to revert to NTSC for those that don't have digital tuners.  Makes the box much more complicated and expensive.

[RossDavid]

That makes sense.  I should have figured that out on my own.  Thank you