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Brand New Vizio 40 inch TV problem, HELP

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have Direct TV satellite and Spectrum ground cable. I replaced the bedroom 32 inch Samsung with a 40 inch Vizio, from Best Buy. It has 4 HDMI ports and ONE port for regular co-ax cable connector. I connect Spectrum using HDMI port and Direct using co-ax cable.
I could not make this new TV show anything on Direct TV, except NO SIGNAL. I went back and explained the problem to Best Buy. They said it would cost me $100 if they sent out a Geek techie,...OR I could have another 40 inch Vizio, in the new sealed box.
I connected the new one, with same results! I tried it with my two other Direct TV receivers, with same results. I replaced the co-ax cables, with same results,...NO SIGNAL. I connected, one by one, ALL my other TVs, total of five. They all receive Direct TV just fine.
Is this model Vizio simply not compatible with Direct TV signal?
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat
50 REPLIES 50

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Explorer II
Unfortunately, even if you get an HD receiver which is capable of High Def, if you are using a dome, the dome can only receive SD programming and the picture will be small and it will be cr@ppy. However, it will be a more simple setup as you just select the appropriate HDMI input. That will also allow you to connect your existing OTA TV antenna to that one coax connection, do a new channel scan and you will be able to watch all of your favorite local TV channels in FULL HD! The OTA TV is the VERY BEST TV viewing available as it is not compressed like the other options. Want to watch the Super Bowl and you have Cable or DTV or DISH? Switch to the OTA antenna for a substantially better picture!
If I read you last post correctly there appeared to be a complement in there. If so, many thanks!
What I post is my 2 cents and nothing more. Please don't read anything into my post that's not there. If you disagree, that's OK.
Can't we all just get along?

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
I hope you weren't looking for 'tunners' ๐Ÿ™‚

Glad you're making progress, but that TV really deserves a new HD receiver!!
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

jorbill2or
Explorer II
Explorer II
probably not something you want to do, or figure out ,but you can change the Picture settings on the TV. something like wide , full screen etc. In fact you can toggle between them all and pick one that looks best without chopping too much picture.
I'm glad you got this figured out ! At least you can watch a "picture". It wouldn't hurt to see if DTV will send you a new tuner that can do HDMI and how much it cost , or doesnt, might be a surprise. Then again it is DTV not known for customer service
Bill

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I was motivated by Bill.Satellite's explanation (for obvious reasons). Then, I was motivated by wnjj's instructions (made it look easy). SO, I went to work using this info.
I went to MENU, and learned that in MENU it gave me these choices:
Picture
Audio
Network
Timers
Channels
Closed Captions
Input Settings
Systems
User Manual
*
I could NOT find the word "Tunners" anywhere. The thought of returning this Vizio, and calling it quits came to mind. And, I almost did it! Except that I had already taken the first Visio back (they gave me another one),....plus, I'm not known for being a quitter.
I started trying different things, even things that didn't make sense. FINALLY, somehow I ended up with something about channel scan. I don't remember what I did, but it started what looked like a scan (I saw that the rectilinear indicator started moving). When it was done, it started showing a program that I recognized to be from Direct TV. BUT, the picture was low definition, AND it was NOT full screen (it's 30 inches diagonally, instead of 40). I changed channels with the DT remote, and it worked, except NO improvement in picture quality and size.
But, it proved that this Vizio is capable of receiving Direct TV via co-ax. One interesting thing is that in the list of inputs, on the screen, it changed CABLE 1, to CABLE 3.
SO, I'm assuming that if I'm willing to pay for a larger DIRECT TV HD receiver for this Vizio, I can have a high quality picture from the satellite.
I'm an ole timer, and it just seems like the people at Best Buy should've told me all this. The bummer is that the wife and I are hunkered down and a quality TV picture has become more valuable.
Thanks for everything, and if I discover anything interesting I will post about it.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat

Tom_M1
Explorer
Explorer
According to the manual for the OP's TV, "Watch Free" is for streaming services.

The OP needs to somehow get to the "Channels" menu and do another channel scan. For some reason the input source for Antenna/Cable is missing.

Another approach would be to do a "Factory Reset" and go thru the initial setup again. I have a fairly recent Vizio and to do a factory reset on mine do Menu > System > Reset & Admin > Reset TV to Factory Defaults.

Prior to any of this, make sure the sat receiver is turned on and the coax cable is connected.
Tom
2005 Born Free 24RB
170ah Renogy LiFePo4 drop-in battery 400 watts solar
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
Minneapolis, MN

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Explorer II
If those are the options, then the Watch Free would be where you want to start. You should find the scan channels option there.
What I post is my 2 cents and nothing more. Please don't read anything into my post that's not there. If you disagree, that's OK.
Can't we all just get along?

Alan_Hepburn
Explorer
Explorer
Cloud Dancer wrote:

On the back of this 40" Vizio model V405-G9 it has ports USB-2.0, HDMI-3, HDMI-2, HDMI-1(ARC), and one(1) CO-AX port marked CABLE/ANTENNA.


Many TV sets are set up similarly: a single coax connector labelled "Cable/Ant". That means that you can attach either a cable coax or an antenna coax to that port. The next step would be to access the "Channel Scan" menu on the TV - there should be an option somewhere in that menu to select the input as either Cable or Antenna - that's where you need to select the appropriate signal source...
----------------------------------------------
Alan & Sandy Hepburn driving a 2007 Fleetwood Bounder 35E on a Workhorse chassis - Proud to be a Blue Star Family!
Good Sam Member #566004

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thanks to wnjj for the instructions. It'll take me a while.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bill.Satellite wrote:
Cloud Dancer. You only need one coax input for your TV to work properly with a DirecTV receiver, assuming the DTV receiver has ONLY a coax output and that coax output reads something like Sat. Out or Out to TV. In the TV settings you should be able to select various input options like HDMI 1,HDMI 2, Antenna (or TV) and likely a couple of other options. You need to select the Antenna option (not cable) and with the DirecTV box on do a NEW Channel scan (search or similar). When it's complete it should show it found only a couple of channels (maybe only 1). Pushing the channel up/down button should get you to channel 3.0 or 4.0 which is where the DTV receiver output will be found.

*
On the back of this 40" Vizio model V405-G9 it has ports USB-2.0, HDMI-3, HDMI-2, HDMI-1(ARC), and one(1) CO-AX port marked CABLE/ANTENNA.
The Direct TV small receiver is model D12-100 without HDMI port.
The input options displayed in a line on the screen are: SMARTCAST, Watch Free, HDMI-1, 2 & 3 , COMP, & 1-CABLE
Yes, I know how to select the input I need.
*
My next step is to learn to perform the scan operation for the Direct TV channels. Thanks, I will report later.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
OP needs a new receiver. SD won't be around long.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

wnjj
Explorer II
Explorer II
fj12ryder wrote:
Cloud Dancer wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Just a thought because we have a Vizio on the camper, did you make sure you selected "Cable" and not "Antenna" when you selected the source? Ours has that selection and nothing happens if the cable is hooked up and you select "Antenna".

*
This would be such a simple solution,....if only this Vizio had more than one place to connect two(2) co-ax cables.
BTW all of this is in a BRICK House. The Dutch Star is a different subject (it's a 2003 model with the original CRT type Sony TVs).
FWIW, my Vizio, that I have to select either "Antenna" or "Cable" also only has one coax connection. I have to change the setting on the TV depending on what I have connected to that single Coax input.

If Cloud Dancers cable box outputs on channel 3 or 4, it needs to be on โ€œAntennaโ€.

Hereโ€™s what I found on how to change the mode:

How do I change my Vizio TV from cable to antenna?
How To Scan For Antenna Channels
1. Press the Menu button on your Vizio remote.
2. Go to โ€œTunerโ€ and press OK on the remote.
3. The menu will have โ€œTuner Modeโ€ listed at the top. Make sure this is set to Antenna. If it says Cable then change it to Antenna.
4. Select โ€œAuto Channel Scanโ€ and press the OK button.

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
Cloud Dancer wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Just a thought because we have a Vizio on the camper, did you make sure you selected "Cable" and not "Antenna" when you selected the source? Ours has that selection and nothing happens if the cable is hooked up and you select "Antenna".

*
This would be such a simple solution,....if only this Vizio had more than one place to connect two(2) co-ax cables.
BTW all of this is in a BRICK House. The Dutch Star is a different subject (it's a 2003 model with the original CRT type Sony TVs).
FWIW, my Vizio, that I have to select either "Antenna" or "Cable" also only has one coax connection. I have to change the setting on the TV depending on what I have connected to that single Coax input.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

ryoung
Explorer
Explorer
Precise instructions from Vizio HERE

ryoung
2018 Ram 3500 SRW Diesel
2019 Wolf Creek 840

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Explorer II
Cloud Dancer. You only need one coax input for your TV to work properly with a DirecTV receiver, assuming the DTV receiver has ONLY a coax output and that coax output reads something like Sat. Out or Out to TV. In the TV settings you should be able to select various input options like HDMI 1,HDMI 2, Antenna (or TV) and likely a couple of other options. You need to select the Antenna option (not cable) and with the DirecTV box on do a NEW Channel scan (search or similar). When it's complete it should show it found only a couple of channels (maybe only 1). Pushing the channel up/down button should get you to channel 3.0 or 4.0 which is where the DTV receiver output will be found.
What I post is my 2 cents and nothing more. Please don't read anything into my post that's not there. If you disagree, that's OK.
Can't we all just get along?

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
If you felt that the TV was defective you could have taken it back to any Wal*Mart provided you had the receipt of some other proof ie credit card statement or whatever.
They don't care what store you bought it from.
Puma 30RKSS