ATSC Versus QAM Tuners...

[Bob Denman]

I'm trying to get my head wrapped around the differences between these two different types of TV tuners...
I get that the QAM setup is more modern...
Is it backwards-compatible so that it can also decipher the ATSC signals as well.
(I already have seen that the ATSC-equipped Seiki TVs can't make any sense out of the QAM signals...)
Thanks for any light that you can shed on this subject!

[gmc]

Typically separate tuners in the TV - which one is used depends on your selection of 'air' or 'cable'...

NTSC is the American standard for analog television, otherwise known as 480i. (No longer avaialble as 'over the air' channels - but some old devices that require you to set the TV to channels 3 or 4 would still use this...)
This would be used during the 'analog' portion of channel scan when input is set to 'Air' - and not likely to find any...
ATSC is the new digital standard taking place in North America that encompasses a digital form of NTSC video (480i) as well as other forms of video (720p, 1080i, etc).
This would be used during the 'digital' portion of channel scan when input is set to 'Air'.
QAM is a modulation scheme that allows the TV to access and display unscrambled digital cable TV without using the cable box.
This would be used (if available) during the channel scan when input is set to 'Cable'.

All TV's manufactured since March 2007 and entering the US market are required to have an ATSC tuner - doubt even Thor has stock older than that...

No requirements like that for QAM - so buyer beware...

Of course NONE OF THIS MATTERS if you are using a cable/satellite service with a 'box' provided by the company... You are bypassing all tuners and likely feeding in through component or HDMI inputs.
If your provider scrambles the signal - no tuner will work - you will need a 'box' from the provider.

The tuners only come into play when receiving over the air (ATSC) or cable without a 'box' (QAM needed for digital cable systems).

[16ACE27]

ATSC is over the air, QAM is Cable.

https://turbofuture.com/home-theater...C-ATSC-and-QAM

[Bob Denman]

So will a "latest & greatest" TV have both systems available?

[gmc]

No requirement for manufacturer to have QAM today...
So 'latest' may or may not...
'greatest' should!

Read the details for the one you are looking at.

[Hooligan2]

Bob- Part of the explanation I read was that Seiko and several other mfgrs ( some major- see the link) no longer have QAM tuner in their TV's because "In the future, most cable providers will require a dedicated cable box to receive their signal". More details about individual TV manufacturers here: https://intranet.brenau.edu/wp-conte...al_tv_faq2.pdf

If the cable Co. requires a box you can't receive it without the box...regardless of tuner

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Hooligan2

Bob- Part of the explanation I read was that Seiko and several other mfgrs ( some major- see the link) no longer have QAM tuner in their TV's because "In the future, most cable providers will require a dedicated cable box to receive their signal". More details about individual TV manufacturers here: https://intranet.brenau.edu/wp-conte...al_tv_faq2.pdf

If the cable Co. requires a box you can't receive it without the box...regardless of tuner

That future has been here for years for major providers like Comcast, Time-Warner, Spectrum, etc in the home market. Some campgrounds hve been switched over and more will follow.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by gmc

No requirement for manufacturer to have QAM today...
So 'latest' may or may not...
'greatest' should!

Read the details for the one you are looking at.

That's what sort of got me worrying...
I kept seeing a lot about ATSC stuff: but nothing about QAM...

[sky_blue]

Bob, I replaced the main TV to a Samsung Smart TV. It has both tuners (ATSC and QAM). The 32" is available at Best Buy for about $175.00.

Another option is to buy a converter box that has both tuners.

Both options make it so that only 1 TV at a time can be used.

The next park that I am staying at has n encrypted cable box. They will let me borrow a box with a $50 security deposit.

[Bob Denman]

Samsung... Thanks!
I was looking at Phillips and some other "off" brands...
Next time: I'll look closer at your choice...

[bigben]

So we have put up with the lack of a QAM compatible tuner for 3 years. Finally gave up. As others have said, more and more parks are going to the digital signals that cannot be seen by the Seiki TVs. We upgraded to a 43" Hi-Sense Roku SMART TV in our living room and a TCL 28" Roku SMART TV in our bedroom. Both of these have a nice picture and better yet were very reasonable. The Hi-Sense was $198. The TCL was $125. I did a great deal of homework to make sure that both were "clear QAM" compatible and that both would work with a single Dish Wally receiver. Wanted to eliminate the need for separate remotes to handle volume and channel changes for Dish.

A further note - I looked at LGs. It seems they have their own built in goofiness. A single HDMI input and no headphone out or digital audio output. Huh?