Hi:I have an old TV, around 2000 I expect. I was at a campground that had cable TV but I could not get it on my old TV. The OTA TV aspect worked fine. I wonder if the TV was not equipped for the cable. I have connected the TV directly to the cable outlet in the cabin but still nothing. I have a Kodiak 2001 VXL 2000. I plan to check for continuity but wondered if the TV could be the problem?Bob

Lots of cable companies now require one of the boxes to work.

If cable box was needed CG would provide one.Old TV......suspect you mean 'analog' and use converter box for OTA signalsYou may need to bypass that converter box (A/B Switch or connect cable directly to TV)Also does TV have a 'menu' section......wold need to set TV to cable vs antenna

Did use the menu to select CATV. Did bypass the converter box that is used for OTA. That probably means I don't have a connection with the input on outside of mh. Thanks for helping me clarify next steps.Bob

The Camp Grounds in past always converted their TV CHANNELS to Analog Mode for everyone to hookup to. Now that everyone likes to get DIGITAL TV quality they have slowly been converting to DIGITAL TV at the pedestals.I suspect that is what happened where you are at. You will need a convert box to be able to view it with you older TV.I would change TVs in heart beat. The quality is so good with the new DIGITAL HDTVs now. The newer TVs are light weight and do not draw much power so great for using with a low wattage INVERTER when you want to watch HDTV when off the power grid.Go pick up a VIZIO or other brand LCD 120VAC HDTV you may like better from WALMART. They are all under $200... WALMART is always running these HDTV on sale... We use the 22-inch model and it works great for us picking up TV signals from the trailer BATWING crank-up and point antenna as well as the CABLE TV from the camp grounds..Roy Ken

If you are hooked thru the wiring in your RV is the antenna booster off?

Cable TV not working | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 18, 2015
RoyB wrote:
The Camp Grounds in past always converted their TV CHANNELS to Analog Mode for everyone to hookup to.

You are mistaken.. I have never seen or been to a campground that did any type of conversion on the cable TV signal at all.

The cable companies,,, Originally (say 1970s) Delivred analog
then more recently a mix of analog and digital (Some still do that).
And now Within the last few years.. a few Cable companies are all digital.

But I have never seen, stayed in or heard of a campground that invested in the technology to convert from digital to analog.

Though those that are all digital may rent you a convrter (it actually belongs to the cable provider).

And what's more.. SOME cable companies now encrypt everything so you MUST use THEIR de-crypter box.
Tom_M1
Explorer
May 18, 2015
I have an LCD TV that was manufactured in 2006 that does not have a digital tuner. In 2007 the U.S. government mandated that all TVs were to have digital tuners.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 16, 2015
A 2000 TV should have been Digital cable ready" but... Might not have been. Also there are some new cable systems that are encrypted so you need their cable box to de-code it.

YOu do need to go into menus and check. (And adjust) on the TV.
westernrvparkow
Explorer
May 16, 2015
Saint Augustine wrote:
Did use the menu to select CATV. Did bypass the converter box that is used for OTA. That probably means I don't have a connection with the input on outside of mh. Thanks for helping me clarify next steps.
Bob
After selecting CATV, did you run a scan for the channels? If you ran a cable directly from the Campground connection to your TV and it still didn't work there can be only 4 reasons.
1. The Campground's connection is not working
2. The Campground requires a converter box from the cable company
3. Your cable is defective
4. Your Television is defective or has the wrong settings selected

The digital vs analog posts here are mostly misleading. The change from analog to digital was in the way the signal was transmitted by the local TV stations antennas. It has nothing to do with how your television handles the signals from the Cable TV. Digital will only effect Cable TV if the cable company has digitally encrypted their cable feed which would require a proprietary converter box from the cable company. That box would decode the signal and send a new signal that is compatible to your television. That signal sent from that converter box would be the same as the signal campground cable systems send now.
Saint_Augustine
Explorer
May 16, 2015
I will look at new TV.
Saint_Augustine
Explorer
May 16, 2015
RoyB wrote:
The Camp Grounds in past always converted their TV CHANNELS to Analog Mode for everyone to hookup to. Now that everyone likes to get DIGITAL TV quality they have slowly been converting to DIGITAL TV at the pedestals.

I suspect that is what happened where you are at. You will need a convert box to be able to view it with you older TV.

I would change TVs in heart beat. The quality is so good with the new DIGITAL HDTVs now. The newer TVs are light weight and do not draw much power so great for using with a low wattage INVERTER when you want to watch HDTV when off the power grid.

Go pick up a VIZIO or other brand LCD 120VAC HDTV you may like better from WALMART. They are all under $200... WALMART is always running these HDTV on sale... We use the 22-inch model and it works great for us picking up TV signals from the trailer BATWING crank-up and point antenna as well as the CABLE TV from the camp grounds..

Roy Ken
Saint_Augustine
Explorer
May 16, 2015
TV booster electrically powered but bypassed and disconnected. I took the output of the box and connected it to cable outlet in MHR.
bob213
Explorer
May 16, 2015
If you are hooked thru the wiring in your RV is the antenna booster off?
RoyB
Explorer II
May 16, 2015
The Camp Grounds in past always converted their TV CHANNELS to Analog Mode for everyone to hookup to. Now that everyone likes to get DIGITAL TV quality they have slowly been converting to DIGITAL TV at the pedestals.

I suspect that is what happened where you are at. You will need a convert box to be able to view it with you older TV.

I would change TVs in heart beat. The quality is so good with the new DIGITAL HDTVs now. The newer TVs are light weight and do not draw much power so great for using with a low wattage INVERTER when you want to watch HDTV when off the power grid.

Go pick up a VIZIO or other brand LCD 120VAC HDTV you may like better from WALMART. They are all under $200... WALMART is always running these HDTV on sale... We use the 22-inch model and it works great for us picking up TV signals from the trailer BATWING crank-up and point antenna as well as the CABLE TV from the camp grounds..

Roy Ken
Saint_Augustine
Explorer
May 16, 2015
Did use the menu to select CATV. Did bypass the converter box that is used for OTA. That probably means I don't have a connection with the input on outside of mh. Thanks for helping me clarify next steps.
Bob