TV Technology Tip

The New Comcast Digital/Analog Converter Box - Fall 2008

By the time you read this all residents should have the new digital to analog converter boxes from Comcast installed on a TV. Most will find improved picture quality plus a handful of new digital channels. Check the new channel lineup in the HMC-TV Guide. Channel 80 (Weatherscan) is no longer available with the Hershey's Mill Digital Starter package but still can be found if you have another TV that is still connected as before to analog. Digital channel 149 (MoviePlex) is unavailable at the present time. I've informed Comcast that it should be part of the Hershey's Mill Digital Starter package and they have agreed to add it shortly.

Along with your new box you should have received a Welcome Pack. Inside is a User Guide sheet with directions to allow the Comcast remote to be programmed to turn the TV on and off, adjust volume, mute, etc. Read the directions under the section "Programming Device Control". If the first code number doesn't work try the others if offered. Most important - your TV MUST remain on channel 4 at all times so it works correctly with the box. Do not use your TV remote to change channels other than to set it to channel 4. You must use the Comcast remote for channel changes. Once the remote is programmed, using the All On button will turn both the box and the TV on r off.

Let's take a look at the setup for the box. There's only one adjustment I recommend. If you have to press the keypad on the remote 3 times to go to a single digit TV channel then an adjustment will change it to only one. For example, if you have to press 006 to go to channel 6 this change will allow you to press just the 6 button on the remote to go to channel 6. It may have been changed by the Comcast tech but in case it hasn't here's the procedure. Turn on the TV and the digital box. Point the remote at the box and press the Menu key. Use the left or right arrow buttons so that the Menu icon on the TV screen is highlighted. Press the center OK button. Navigate to Setup on the TV screen using the remote's arrow buttons. Press the OK button again. Navigate to Guide Setup and press OK. Using the down arrow button move down to "Channel entry behavior:" If the right hand field says No Auto Tune press the left hand arrow key so it displays "Auto-Tune". If it already says "Auto-Tune then no adjustment is necessary. Press the Exit key to save any changes and to return to normal operation.

From time to time you may see an amber light (red on some boxes) come on next to the green power light (amber on some boxes). This means you have a message from Comcast. To view your message aim the remote at the box and press the Menu key. Press the left or right arrow keys so that Menu is highlighted on the TV screen, then press the OK button in the center of the remote. Navigate, using the arrow keys, to Messages and again press the OK button. To view your message/s just press the OK button. After reading the message press the right arrow key to select the message for deletion and press OK. Press the Exit key to return to normal operation. You'll find that most of the messages are advertising new shows or Comcast add-ons.

Many of you had programmed your old TV remote to skip certain channels. This can also be done with the Comcast remote. Simply use the Favorites feature. Press the Menu button and highlight the Menu icon on the TV screen then press OK. Navigate to Setup using the arrow keys and press OK. Navigate to Favorite Lists Setup and press OK again. Press OK again to set up a new Favorites list. Press the right arrow key to select the heart icon and press OK. Press the left or right arrow key to select your favorite channels by number. Press the down arrow key to select a Favorite channel and press OK. You should see a heart symbol appear in the channel field. Repeat for the remaining channels that you want to save as your Favorites. After selecting your channels be sure to select the "Check" icon and press OK. To view only your saved Favorite channels just press the FAV button next to the Ch +- button on the remote. Continue to press the FAV button and it will scroll through your selected Favorite channels from low to high.

Pressing the Guide button will display, in a grid format, the current channel along with 3 others, what shows are currently running, and what shows will run during the next hour. Using the arrow buttons you can advance the time or the channel numbers to your liking.

The ON DEMAND button allows various options including Free Movies, TV shows and various other Comcast offerings. Explore!!

Buttons that don't work in conjunction with the digital converter box and a TV are the 9 buttons just below the ON DEMAND button, the Picture in Picture buttons at the bottom, and the Help button. The 9 buttons may be programmed if you have a VCR that you wish to add to the remote.

There's not much in diagnosing problems with the box. Make sure your cables are tight and that you have the TV set to channel 4. You can also try unplugging the box from its power source for 15 seconds and then plugging it back in. If none of the preceding works then call Comcast at 215-992-2712 for help. Please do not call channel 20. We do not supply support for any Comcast services.

Be sure to watch our December programming to see the interview with Comcast about the digital converter box.

Additional help for the Comcast digital service and computers can be obtained at the PC Club meeting. We meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM upstairs in Winfield Hall. Also, go to www.hersheysmill.org and click on Tech Tips to review this and other articles regarding computers and HDTV.

Don Trauger

To get answers to your questions about computers, please come to the PC Club meeting. The computer club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in Winfield Hall.

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