Can I hook up an HD box to basic digital cable and get HD channels?

Question

Right now, I have the basic digital cable with the box that doesn't show HD channels or is non-HD. I can go to the channels, and I can even hear sound when I go to them, but there is no picture. Can I not see the channels because I simply don't have the HD box w/ the component connections? Is it possible to buy an HD box from someone, hook it up to my basic digital cable, and see the HD channels? Is this a separate service that Comcast has to turn on? Thanks.

Answer 1

no, you have to call the cable company and upgrade your current box.  usually there is no charge for this, but you may pay an extra five or ten bucks for the service.if you want to buy the box just check out solidsignal.com for some of their products.  and consumerreports.org for reviews on these boxes.

Answer 2

The box you buy probably will not work. Cable system use an internal channel mapping for the channels and this is programmed into the cable company's box. You can't get it with an "outside box" You need the cable company's HD box

You won't get HD channels with digital basic. BUT!!! some over the air stations many be passed through unscrambled on the digital basic tier and MAY be received if you have a HDTV tuner in you set.

Do an auto channel search for ALL channels (Digital and Analog) and see what your TV finds, it will probably auto eliminate the scrambled ones.