Video Switch Upgrade

pweekly wrote:
Yep. The guy never connected anything to the video switch box. Just installed them and plugged them in. So nothing works. I can turn them on and they get some antenna channels just by happenstance when setting is "air". If I select DVD, nothing happens. I assume that it would be the same with Cable selection and I can't get the Satellite either. We are bringing it back tomorrow but I was wondering if I should bring some different parts to make getting at it easier. Why they would box the TVs in so you can't access anything is beyond me. And I can't even believe what they charged us to do this. Ugh.

also to note as already said they would have never disconnected the Video box in the first place so there would be nothing to hook up so if no cable picture or sat picture and your sure your on the correct input then they never hooked up the coax to the TV

It's pretty hard to imagine that any installer put a new TV in place and did not connect the existing coax cable to the TV's coax cable connection. I don't believe that this happened and the OP is mistaken or the installers are absolute complete idiots (not likely).
Once we understand that the installers DID connect the coax, it's just a matter of the OP figuring out that he did not do the required new channel scan or that the wrong button has been pushed on the BOMB. Satellite TV? That requires ALL new wiring and has nothing to do with any of the existing wiring. In most cases a separate receiver will be required at each TV to receive programming or a complete re-wire will be required along with installing an HDMI splitter.

But Don your assuming he has a newer HD Dish sat system??
second off his regular cable and antenna systems will still switch just fine through the Vidio switch box and iam sure he still wants both TV to be able to get OTA and cable at the same time
I do agree get a cheap DVD player and hook direct to the TV you want to watch movies on as HDMI is a far cry from SD

Your "BOMB"....box of many buttons is pretty much useless with the new TV's. Here is what I would do to get you up and running. First, if you have a satellite system, DirecTV, you can connect it directly to the TV it's closest to with an HDMI cable. You can also connect your DVD player to the new TV with it's own HDMI cable. Connect your original over the air antenna coax directly to the main TV. You'll now have HD for both sat and DVD on the main TV.

If you don't mind SD (standard def) on the rear TV, you need to purchase a TV modulator, about $20.00 on Amazon. On the back of the DirecTV is a set of RCA cable connections (red, white and yellow). You hook those cables to the DirecTV box and then to the modulator. The other end of the modulator has a coax connection. Connect the coax from the bedroom TV to the modulator. You'll now have HD up front and SD in the rear, but you'll have to watch the same satellite channels on both TVs.

Lastly, DVD players are cheap at Costco. If you want to watch DVD's in the bedroom, buy a small Sony ($50.00) and attach it directly to the rear TV with an HDMI cable.

You'll also have an extra coax cable running to the rear TV for over the air antenna shows. If you need to have it in the rear bedroom, you can buy a mechanical splitter and install in the front. Connecting the antenna coax to the input side of the splitter the coax for the two TV's to the output side.

pweekly wrote:
Yep. The guy never connected anything to the video switch box. Just installed them and plugged them in. So nothing works. I can turn them on and they get some antenna channels just by happenstance when setting is "air". If I select DVD, nothing happens. I assume that it would be the same with Cable selection and I can't get the Satellite either. We are bringing it back tomorrow but I was wondering if I should bring some different parts to make getting at it easier. Why they would box the TVs in so you can't access anything is beyond me. And I can't even believe what they charged us to do this. Ugh.

The Video switch box would have nothing to do with installing new TV systems(no reason to disconnect) ;; the Video switch box will have nothing to do with HDTV
based on your description they must have forgot to hook the cable to the TV which would be strange but who knows
BUT as I suggested have them run HDMI accessible cables in the case u ever want HDTV by cable or sat dish system

Yep. The guy never connected anything to the video switch box. Just installed them and plugged them in. So nothing works. I can turn them on and they get some antenna channels just by happenstance when setting is "air". If I select DVD, nothing happens. I assume that it would be the same with Cable selection and I can't get the Satellite either. We are bringing it back tomorrow but I was wondering if I should bring some different parts to make getting at it easier. Why they would box the TVs in so you can't access anything is beyond me. And I can't even believe what they charged us to do this. Ugh.

pweekly wrote:
Hi all:
Just had the TVs upgraded from the 2005 tube ones. In doing so, we noticed that the guys who did it installed the TVs but didn't connect them to the Video switch box. (ugh as they are boxed in). Anyway, I am wondering as I fix this issue if there are upgraded video switch boxes that are compatible with HDMI. ANy help on this is appreciated. Thanks.
Trish

also to note you will have to make sure your on the correct input
regarding new Tv as in component or-cable-or HDMI

As Doug said, run coax to each TV and switch as before. Inside your new TVs you have a "switching box" that lets you select from several different inputs.. HDMIs/ component/ TV. On the front TV you can run a HDMI cable from your Sat box to one of the HDMI inputs and another one from the DVD player. It's going to cost $$$ to get HDMI to the second/back TV.

pweekly wrote:
Hi all:
Just had the TVs upgraded from the 2005 tube ones. In doing so, we noticed that the guys who did it installed the TVs but didn't connect them to the Video switch box. (ugh as they are boxed in). Anyway, I am wondering as I fix this issue if there are upgraded video switch boxes that are compatible with HDMI. ANy help on this is appreciated. Thanks.
Trish

are you saying he never connected the coax back to the new TV,s so u don't have OTA or cable TV or he never dead headed HDMI cables so u can watch HDTV via cable box; sat box; or DVD

1. They SHOULD have connected the COAX cables to the back of the new TV's
2. COAX is all that the original Switch boxes do and will send a HDTV signal to the new TV's for "Over The Air" (roof top TV antenna) reception
3. There is NOTHING (inexpensive that is) you can do about HDMI to those TV's
4. One solution is to use TV remote HDMI systems.
5. WHY do you need to worry about HDMI? DVD player? Satellite Boxes? These are the only things you would need to connect a HDMI cable from to the TV's. Doug