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New Emerson TV can't find broadcast channels?

M

M. G. Devour

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello,

We just brought home an Emerson EWF2004 20" flat screen TV. It won't
recognize that it's being fed from an antenna rather than cable.

We've done the channel setup scan and it hits the VHF channels fine, but the
local UHF channels ended up strewn across the CATV channel numbers... and
some of them are not being tuned correctly, it seems, possibly because the
UHF channel does not correspond exactly with the nearest CATV channel?

I can find no TV/CATV switch, and the manual says the tuner is supposed to
recognise broadcast channels vs. cable automatically.

Is it now a fact of life that new TV's won't receive broadcast channels any
more? <sigh>

I didn't find anything specific about this problem in the FAQ. Any
suggestions appreciated.

Be well,

Mike D.
 
P

Phil Bowser

Jan 1, 1970
0
1st, please be sure there is really no way (in the menus) to override
the "auto-antenna system-detect" by specifying "air" or "cable".

If you strike out there, initiate another autoprogramming sequence and
see if you can figure out exactly which channel the set BEGINS with... if it
is ch. 14 cable, use a push-on coax fitting for quick removal, and try to
figure out when to "slip the connector back onto your rf connection in back"
to outfox it - sets like this quickly scan certain cable channels that
normally aren't on the same frequencies as off-air reception. If it
"thinks" it sees a channel there (like cable channel 57 for example) it will
falsely assume you have cable and you are generally at its mercy if there is
no way to manually override this feature. All the better name brands have a
means of manually specifying "air or cable" - but I know what you're going
through. I have a Symphonic TV/VCR combination unit that does exactly the
same thing.

What might be easier is this - if you have an outside antenna that can
be rotated, try rotating it AWAY from where you receive the most of your
channels, run autoprogram, and then manually add the channels it missed
later...assuming it at least correctly interprets your hookup.
 
M

M. G. Devour

Jan 1, 1970
0
Phil said:
1st, please be sure there is really no way (in the menus) to override
the "auto-antenna system-detect" by specifying "air" or "cable".

Thanks for answering, Phil.

I've looked over the set, and there's no physical switch. I've been through
the instructions and the menus thoroughly and it seems there really is no
option to disable this wonderful "feature. said:
If you strike out there, initiate another autoprogramming sequence and
see if you can figure out exactly which channel the set BEGINS with... if it
is ch. 14 cable, use a push-on coax fitting for quick removal, and try to
figure out when to "slip the connector back onto your rf connection in back"
to outfox it - sets like this quickly scan certain cable channels that
normally aren't on the same frequencies as off-air reception. If it
"thinks" it sees a channel there (like cable channel 57 for example) it will
falsely assume you have cable and you are generally at its mercy if there is
no way to manually override this feature.

Okay, there's a couple of good suggestions in here... I live in an urban
residential area with cable. I'm willing to bet there's enough *LEAKAGE*
from the local system to give the set the idea that it's receiving cable
signals...

The set begins scanning at VHF 1 and 2, as near as I can tell, though
there's no telling what's going on that I can't see on-screen.

So I might be able to fool it by taking the connector off after the VHF
channels that it detects properly. It depends then on what it chooses as
default, whether broadcast or cable. Or only connect the antenna when it
starts scanning the VHF channels, in case it takes a "taste" of those cable
channels before visibly starting the scan. So, there's a thing to try.
All the better name brands have a
means of manually specifying "air or cable" - but I know what you're going
through. I have a Symphonic TV/VCR combination unit that does exactly the
same thing.

I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one!
What might be easier is this - if you have an outside antenna that can
be rotated, try rotating it AWAY from where you receive the most of your
channels, run autoprogram, and then manually add the channels it missed
later...assuming it at least correctly interprets your hookup.

Unfortunately, I don't have a rotor. If I did, I'd be able to pull in a
better signal on the local CBS affiliate! <grin>

Thanks, Phil. I've got some things to try now.

Be well,

Mike D.
 
M

M. G. Devour

Jan 1, 1970
0
Phil said:
use a push-on coax fitting for quick removal, and try to
figure out when to "slip the connector back onto your rf
connection in back" to outfox it - sets like this quickly scan
certain cable channels that normally aren't on the same
frequencies as off-air reception. If it "thinks" it sees a
channel there ... it will falsely assume you have cable
and you are generally at its mercy

Success!! A variation of Phil's suggestion worked.

I started the scan and pulled the antenna off after it had snagged the first
two VHF broadcast channels, then let it finish. I added the rest of the
local channels manually, which appear under their broadcast channel numbers.

So, we clever consumers have outfoxed their nefarious plot! Bwahaha!!

<grin>

Thank you very much, Phil.

Be well,

Mike D.
 
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