Hello!
I have BrightHouse (Tampa Bay) HD digital service, came with SciAtl Explorer 8300HD DVR running SARA. I like the 8300HD, but the program guide is not editable. I care about maybe 75 channels, but there are maybe 700 or 1000 in the guide. I cannot abide notion of having to scroll through hundreds of premium, PPV & music channels that I never want to see.
With this in mind, I decided to bypass the set-top box/dvr, use a CableCard and a TV that has its own program guide. I got a Samsung LNR408D 40" HD LCD, manual shows nifty program guide built in. Downloaded the user manual before purchasing it, just to be sure. The manual cautions that the guide only works with digital service...no problem, that's what I had. Very nice, great TV, I was happy with everything. Except the guide never worked. Finally got someone in Samsung tech support who told me the program guide only worked w/analog, not digital...maybe the guide worked w/digital service in their DLP models? Returned the Samsung, back to no TV again.
Now I'm thinking the Sharp Aquos LC45GD5U looks pretty good, has "TV Guide On Screen" Discussed this w/folks at BestBuy when returning the Samsung, they said "TV Guide On Screen" only works with analog, not digital systems. I said "you're not saying that on this 50-inch LG plasma TV with the giant TV Guide On Screen logo over there" but they replied it was all in the small print. They're either plain wrong or this is very deceptive marketing.
And this seems ludicrous to me. I never cared about program guide w/my old analog TV. But I care now, I really insist on some sort of a guide when navigating this sea of digital channels. A guide that lets me edit which channels it displays!
I called Sharp tech support & asked about the LC45GD5U. They said "of course TV Guide On Screen works with digital TV." But they also cautioned that I'd need to get a T-connector & route my cable from the wall into two different coax inputs in their TV! I already have a T-connector routing cable to my DVR as well as directly to the CableCard equipped TV. I hope that's what this technician meant.
There are no local vendors for the LC45GD5U, and I'm guessing it would be tough/impossible to return product to an internet vendor because of misrepresentation re the program guide.
So here's my question: does anyone know for sure that "TV Guide On Screen" works with digital TV? If I have no set-top box, no equipment from my cable provider except a CableCard, will I see a nice/full program guide if I purchase this Sharp? Has anyone actually seen such a setup?
I have BrightHouse (Tampa Bay) HD digital service, came with SciAtl Explorer 8300HD DVR running SARA. I like the 8300HD, but the program guide is not editable. I care about maybe 75 channels, but there are maybe 700 or 1000 in the guide. I cannot abide notion of having to scroll through hundreds of premium, PPV & music channels that I never want to see.
With this in mind, I decided to bypass the set-top box/dvr, use a CableCard and a TV that has its own program guide. I got a Samsung LNR408D 40" HD LCD, manual shows nifty program guide built in. Downloaded the user manual before purchasing it, just to be sure. The manual cautions that the guide only works with digital service...no problem, that's what I had. Very nice, great TV, I was happy with everything. Except the guide never worked. Finally got someone in Samsung tech support who told me the program guide only worked w/analog, not digital...maybe the guide worked w/digital service in their DLP models? Returned the Samsung, back to no TV again.
Now I'm thinking the Sharp Aquos LC45GD5U looks pretty good, has "TV Guide On Screen" Discussed this w/folks at BestBuy when returning the Samsung, they said "TV Guide On Screen" only works with analog, not digital systems. I said "you're not saying that on this 50-inch LG plasma TV with the giant TV Guide On Screen logo over there" but they replied it was all in the small print. They're either plain wrong or this is very deceptive marketing.
And this seems ludicrous to me. I never cared about program guide w/my old analog TV. But I care now, I really insist on some sort of a guide when navigating this sea of digital channels. A guide that lets me edit which channels it displays!
I called Sharp tech support & asked about the LC45GD5U. They said "of course TV Guide On Screen works with digital TV." But they also cautioned that I'd need to get a T-connector & route my cable from the wall into two different coax inputs in their TV! I already have a T-connector routing cable to my DVR as well as directly to the CableCard equipped TV. I hope that's what this technician meant.
There are no local vendors for the LC45GD5U, and I'm guessing it would be tough/impossible to return product to an internet vendor because of misrepresentation re the program guide.
So here's my question: does anyone know for sure that "TV Guide On Screen" works with digital TV? If I have no set-top box, no equipment from my cable provider except a CableCard, will I see a nice/full program guide if I purchase this Sharp? Has anyone actually seen such a setup?
