TV won't go above channel 37 on cable

[GoingUp]

My parents have an old Quasar TV. I remember it going above channel 37 before on cable TV, but now anything above channel 37 is only snow.

They have other TVs hooked up in the house without a cable box and those TVs can get channels all the way up to the mid 70s.

The only thing I can come up with is that the TV is so old (from the mid 1980s) that it just won't work anymore with the signal.

Thoughts?

 

[Slick5150]

what cable company is it? Cable companies are starting to drop analog channels as it frees up a ton of bandwidth, so its possible that analog channels above 37 no longer exist.

 

[GoingUp]

Ok. That makes sense. Thanks for the reply.

Is that why a couple of other standard TVs made since 2003 and newer in the house get the channels above 37?

Thanks!

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
Ok. That makes sense. Thanks for the reply.

Is that why a couple of other standard TVs made since 2003 and newer in the house get the channels above 37?

Thanks!

Sorry, I must have read your OP wrong then. I thought all the other TVs were on a cable box.

So the other TVs are picking up analog channels above 37 (not clear QAM digital channels?) If that's the case then it is something w/ the TV, or something is causing interference on the cable at the frequencies above channel 37.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
Is that why a couple of other standard TVs made since 2003 and newer in the house get the channels above 37?

Those TVs probably have a digital tuner and can thus pick up digital channels. The old Quasar TV probably has an analog tuner. I wouldn't be surprised if cable companies dropped all analog channels within the next year or two.

Edit: Slick5150 brings up a good point. Even if those newer TVs have a QAM tuner, QAM channels other than locals are typically scrambled and require a cable box.

 

[Modelworks]

It is probably the tuner. There are a lot of problems with tv tuners that when they fail they don't stop getting all channels like you might think. They lose bands of channels. Most likely it is a cold solder joint from all the years of the set heating and cooling. One easy test is take something like a screwdriver and tap the handle on the coax connection on the back. See if it generates any snow or lines in the picture when you do that. If not it could still be a failed tuner. RCA made some sets that would lose 2-13 , 14-28 would work, but 29-69 would fail.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Comcast will give you a digital tuner (2 per account for free) that will allow you to access the additional channels you subscribe to.

Contact your cable provider - I'm sure they have a cheap fix.

 

[GoingUp]

My parents have Time Warner. I will have to see what those rat bastards have up their sleeve.

 

[MrChad]

Does it have a setting for Antenna vs. Cable? Some older TVs make you pick between the two in a settings menu, and that might affect your channel selection.

 

[Thump553]

In my area Comcast switched to all digital about a month ago. Comcast will give you up to two digital converter boxes per house if you ask. Without the new box we can only get about the first ten channels.

I'd check with the cable company first. I doubt the age of the TV has anything to do with it.