A new thing to me is the growing number of campgrounds that now use a cable box instead of the old analog where the box was not necessary. In the old days I connected the cable to the coach and all Tv's after a scan had cable channels. Now with the box I must run a coax through the window and hook up to main tv and only that tv has cable. Are there options I am missing? With satellite I am only trying to get local channels. I can use my antenna and get locals in many places so cable is not needed but some places are out of range and the only option for networks is the cable.

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.

campgrounds with cable boxes | Good Sam Community

cpoo
Explorer
Dec 13, 2014
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.
Johno02
Explorer
Dec 13, 2014
Welcome to the wonderful world of digital-only cable and pay TV.
mdamerell
Explorer
Dec 13, 2014
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.

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