campgrounds with cable boxes

Maybe a function of the TV, but the newer digital TV's should just need a coax cable to the RV's connection. The tuner in the TV should take over from there. An older analog TV will need a box.

We have stayed at a couple of campgrounds with digital TV and all we had to do was hook the cable to the campers connection, ensure the amplifier was turned off and program the TV.

Kind of defeats the purpose if you have to run a wire through the window.

Welcome to the wonderful world of digital-only cable and pay TV.

mdamerell wrote:
Maybe a function of the TV, but the newer digital TV's should just need a coax cable to the RV's connection. The tuner in the TV should take over from there. An older analog TV will need a box.

We have stayed at a couple of campgrounds with digital TV and all we had to do was hook the cable to the campers connection, ensure the amplifier was turned off and program the TV.

Kind of defeats the purpose if you have to run a wire through the window.

Interesting. I did that and got nothing. All my TV's are new digital. Campground said everyone needs a cable box. Very small box but has its own remote and without it the signal is not translated. The cable guy was in the campground tightening and fine tuning connections. He saw my setup and didn't mention that I would not need the box and I forgot to ask. I do what you do on old systems as well.

We had that happen at a KOA we camped at for years. Their cable supplier required all sites to hook up to there box at the site from now on (connection kit supplied at check in). Well, not everyone can use it as was our case. It would require dismounting the TV to get at the rear to hook this up and run a wire through the window as you said.

Needless to say we ended up using the antennae with barely two channels to watch ( bad reception). We expressed our displeasure and suggested a discount would be nice. They told us only a few like us had problems, no discount given.

So voting with our dollars is great, we'll never go back there. If we were notified ahead of time I would have cancelled. But because of that this year we will be setting the motorized dish on the roof up with a box of our own. Never wanted to spend the money on the box and service before as we aren't using it all year. It's already setup, just needs service hooked up. Problem solved.

et2 wrote:
We had that happen at a KOA we camped at for years. Their cable supplier required all sites to hook up to there box at the site from now on (connection kit supplied at check in). Well, not everyone can use it as was our case. It would require dismounting the TV to get at the rear to hook this up and run a wire through the window as you said.

Needless to say we ended up using the antennae with barely two channels to watch ( bad reception). We expressed our displeasure and suggested a discount would be nice. They told us only a few like us had problems, no discount given.

So voting with our dollars is great, we'll never go back there. If we were notified ahead of time I would have cancelled. But because of that this year we will be setting the motorized dish on the roof up with a box of our own. Never wanted to spend the money on the box and service before as we aren't using it all year. It's already setup, just needs service hooked up. Problem solved.

If this was my previous motorhome I would have your problem of no easy access to the tv. My new one swings out so connections are easily accessed. With sat you will still not get locals if you are very far from home no networks. I called directv to see if I could buy networks or someway get those on west coast or locally while here for two months. Nothing was an option.

We had that recently in the keys. We were given a package on the way in. A mini box, short jumper cable and a remote.
Hooked park cable into the side of the camper.
then hooked a cable wire inside to the new box, and the jumper to the TV.
Worked fine. Biggest hassle was unplugging my antenna booster, to have a place to plug the box in.
Under a minute start to finish.

Stayed at the overpriced campground on the way to Brekenridge, Co. Office gals did not mention that one would need the box and remote at check in.
After spending time trying to figure out why I could not get cable, called office for a repair guy; only then was I told to come back to office for equipment! Did not work for me as my connections were buried - what a joke - will never stay there again!

I'm guessing more and more campgrounds are now converting over to digital TV... Certainly was a BIG PLUS for the NATL BROADCAST network to start using digital TV...

Have only been going to a couple of the same campgrounds here of late which still have the analog cable TV going...

When the NATL BROADCAST went to digital mode I threw away all of my old analog heavy TV units and replaced them with VIZIO HDTV units... Never got to use my FREE Digital conversion box haha...

My VIZIO TV's doesn't care whether it is Analog or Digital - works great.

Roy Ken

This is not about old analog tv vs new digital tv The campground cable in this CASE uses a "special " channel set that is not the standard digital cable .. the one your new Tv is program to scan. Most new tv's come ready to scan over the air and STANDARD digital cable ...not so with these special channels ... so much for cable ready ! .
I believe this is the cable company forcing people to use "their cable box" ..at a small charge of course !. The campground has no choice but to use whatever the local cable dictates .. and ea cable company seems to use there own propritiary Box making your new tv tuner useless.

Cable companies have changed their service delivery so their digital box is required. Once a campground is "upgraded" it is done. This is so cable can deliver digital signal. OTA signal is 99% digital and requires modern TV or converter box

We use Dish Satellite and have an RV Mobile account. With a phone call I can put it "on hold" with no payments for any period of time I choose and resume with a phone call. When I move out of the foot print of the local channels to a new area a simple phone call or online chat will get them to reset my reception location so I get the current local channels. This takes not more than 5 minutes with the tech support person, unless you get someone who hasn't a clue in which case ask for RV support. The update to your system can take as much as 15 minutes, so plan ahead if you want to watch the kickoff.