Combining Time Warner Cable and OTA?

[Xizer]

I was wondering what equipment I need to combine Time Warner Cable's cable service, which I have noticed I can use to pick up some unencrypted high definition digital channels, and an over-the-air antenna.

I live in Kenosha so I am able to pick up almost every Chicago and Milwaukee HD channel over the air, with a few exceptions:

Milwaukee
NBC (4.1)
MPTV (10.1)

Chicago
CBS 2 (2.1)

Now, I have found that because I have Road Runner, if I hook up a cable splitter to my line I can pick up the local Milwaukee HDTV channels using cable, including the two I cannot pick up over the air (NBC and MPTV). The problem is, Time Warner Cable does not carry the Chicago channels in high definition and I would like those as well.

The current solution I have come up with is run one coaxial cable from the cable outlet and another coaxial cable from my antenna and hook them up both to a coaxial switch that will allow me to switch between the cable and the OTA input. This is a rather tedious solution, however, as I have to manually move a switch back and forth. My HDTV only has a single coaxial input.

I have read of satellite/OTA diplexers. Would one of these work with TWC?

[Nels Harvey]

There are satellite/OTA splitters that filter out either Ch. 3, or Ch. 4, depending on which one is needed.  If you have a TW box, it probably has an output on either Ch. 3, or Ch. 4.  Use one of those filters.  The channel used for the output will filter any interfering signals out so there is no interference from an OTA antenna.

Now, if you are simply connecting your TV to the RoadRunner cable, without the box, then you will have some conflicts with the signals on the cable and digital signals on the VHF portion of the band.

Since most, but not all, digital signals will be on UHF, you will probably do ok with a simple splitter, with the cable on one side, and the antenna on the other.  Cable doesn't use the same channel scheme as OTA on UHF.  That means many of the channels will come through with no problem.  If you find a splitter with UHF on one side, and VHF on the other, it could possibly work better.  Put the OTA on the UHF side, and cable on the VHF side.

Nels....

[nick3092]

Diplexers wouldn't work.   They are designed to carry 2 signals over a single piece of coax.  And you have to put another diplexer on at the end to get the signals out again, and your back to 2 cables.  Not to mention if you did only use 1, you'd be back feeding the cable signal out of your antenna.  TW would not like that.

Your best bet is  what you suggested above.  Just go to rat shack and get an A/B switch.  Granted you would have to walk over to the TV and press the switch every time you wanted to change sources, but it beats constantly changing the coax going to your TV.  I recall once that they had a remote controlled A/B switch, but I think it was $40 or $50.  But if your lazy, it's money well spent.  

[ArgMeMatey]

I use a Samsung LN-T4081 which has two coaxial inputs.  The Mitsubishi LT-40148 also has two coax RF inputs.  

You could do something similar with an external tuner or recorder that has QAM capability and an HDMI or Component output straight into your TV.  For example the Panasonic DMR-EZ48 VHS/DVD has that capability, but there are some limitations.  

As you probably know you cannot use a coupon-qualified converter for this function and get 720 or 1080 resolution.  

You cannot multiplex OTA and TWC without thousands of dollars worth of equipment.  Or, try it and see how it works ...