What do I need to do to switch to digital TV?

I just made the switch-over from Standard Definition TV to HDTV and I need some advice (continued reading)?

• Questions. In my previous CRT/Box TV, I needed a digital to analog converter. And it was connected to my TV via coaxial cable. The converter box only allows for two connections, both coaxial or "F" connectors. I just got the HDTV today, and I simply disconnected the coaxial cable from my old set and connected it to my new HDTV set. The colors look blurry and not as sharp as I expected (not as sharp as in the store either)... In fact, the colors look blurrier than in my previous standard definition tv set! My HDTV comes with this tuner: ATSC / Clear QAM My questions are as follows: 1) Do I even need the Digital-to-Analog converter box? 2) Should I just bypass the box altogether and simple connect from the cable outlet to the HDTV directly? Will that improve picture quality? 3) Since I only have the coaxial cable, do I need to purchase a special "box" or any other device to use HDMI cables (HDMI cables are what's recommended in the manual). I'm with Comcast cable. 4) Short of purchasing HDMI cables and any other necessary device, are there any other improvements I could make with the coaxial cable? Thank you very much in advance!

• Answer:

  You are a Comcast customer. Your converter is known as a Digital Transport Adapter (DTA). The DTA is for Comcast's Expanded Basic customers so that they can receive certain pay-TV channels that Comcast has recently transitioned to their digital-only packages. Examples are CNN, ESPN, History, etc. You have a new TV, but you have not changed your Comcast service. That means you will not be getting any new channels with the DTA. The output of the DTA is analog, and that explains the blurriness. Your HDTV is a digital receiver; it has to compromise an analog signal to display it. The picture might not even be as good as on your old CRT set. You have three choices. One, bypass the DTA, connect the cable outlet to the new TV's antenna jack, and do a new channel scan. Your QAM tuner should capture a number of unencrypted digital channels on the cable. They will likely be the HD versions of your local broadcast stations. The HD will be very good (when they are actually sending an HD program, like prime time news and shows). However, bypassing the DTA blocks you from receiving the analog cable channels that you're paying for (ESPN, etc.). So, for your second choice, there's a workaround if you want to go to the bother: 1. Buy a cable splitter and an A-B switch. (See the links). 2. Connect one splitter output to the input of the DTA. 3. Connect the other splitter output to the "A" port of the switch. 4. Connect the "B" port of the switch to the output of the DTA 5. Connect the base port of the switch to your TV's antenna jack. 6. Press "A" to watch your HD channels via the QAM tuner. 7. Press "B" to watch the cable channels via the DTA (TV tuner switched to channel 3). That works well and costs very little, but it's a little cumbersome. Your only other choice (#3) is to upgrade your Comcast service and get an HD receiver or DVR.