fuzzy cable tv

jcpainter wrote:
Bill, your input is always so appreciated. Do you have a link to photos that show the "screw on" coax connectors and the compression fittings we we lay people can look and determine what we have?

Thanks,
jcpainter

Screw on F connectors (bad) usually have a knurled body so you can grip them and screw them on.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103473
The crimp connectors (better) will have 2 or more crimp connections. The body started out smooth and a tool is applied to squich the connector.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062633
The compression fittings (the best) have a 2 piece body and a completely smooth outside and a tool pushes one part inside the other to create a permanent and waterproof connection.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Universal-F-Compression-Connector-for-RG6-6Q-10-Pack-VDV812-606/203578626#.UeaZP21uh2Y
Bought in 10 packs there is only a few dollars difference between the crappy connectors and the good ones so if you plan to do any work on your coach coax cables (or portable satellite antenna cables) please get yourself some compression fittings and tool.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Compact-F-Connector-Compression-Crimper-VDV212-008-SEN/203578631#.UeaaUW1uh2Y

Bill.Winegard wrote:
Yeah! Good work. Now, find someone with the right tools and have any and all screw on coax connectors replaced with compression fittings. You will be very happy for years to come!
Glad I could give you an option that worked!

Bill, your input is always so appreciated. Do you have a link to photos that show the "screw on" coax connectors and the compression fittings we we lay people can look and determine what we have?

Thanks,
jcpainter

Yeah! Good work. Now, find someone with the right tools and have any and all screw on coax connectors replaced with compression fittings. You will be very happy for years to come!
Glad I could give you an option that worked!

Yeah, problem solved. Took the DirecTV receiver out to the unit and hooked it up...picture was still fuzzy. Jayco was not helpful in helping us find the splitter, but we found a cabinet near the tv with an obvious false panel at the rear. Removed two screws, pulled the back down, and lo and behold there it was. Coax cable to the front tv was very loose (one of the screw on kind). We tightened it and the picture cleared up immediately. Thanks Bill and every one else that gave us suggestions. We don't go RVing to watch tv so it shouldn't have been such an issue, but the idea of something not working correctly for the amount of money we spent just wouldn't let me drop it. Now.... on to the crappy on demand water heater.

do I need a satellite cable to hook up my Directv receiver, or will it work with the cable tv cable we use at the campgrounds. I thought they were two different things.

No, you just need the DirecTV box (or a VCR, anything that outputs a channel 3/4 signal) and then run a coax from the Satellite Out connection from the back of the receiver (this won't work with a DirecTV HD receiver which has no coax output) to the Cable In connection on your trailer. Bring up any screen from the menu and you will be able to see a perfect picture or a fuzzy one.

Have you tried bringing your bedroom TV into the living room and hooking it up there to see if the picture quality changes?

A little bit of a hassle, but a good troubleshooting step.

Okay,now I see what your meant, Bill. There is no video control center, so I'm guessing we have a problem with a connector at the splitter, since the bedroom tv works well all the time. We changed out the cable connector that screws into the front tv and nothing improved. We own a 2012 Jayco Greyhawk 31ft class c with a single slide. One more question..... do I need a satellite cable to hook up my Directv receiver, or will it work with the cable tv cable we use at the campgrounds. I thought they were two different things.

You can just bring a satellite receiver into the RV and connect it up. It will only put out the DirecTV logo or you can click on the Menu button so you have "something" displayed on the screen. Follow the other instructions and you will have a picture on all TV's. Work on the wiring until you have a clear picture on all TV's.
If you post your coach information or post to a forum specific to your coach you may get some help on where splitters are located if the signal is handled by splitters and not some from of a video control center.

Don't have satellite in the RV, the only issue we have is with the cable tv connections. My search now is for the splitter. Where are your splitters located in your RVs?

If you have satellite TV in your coach and you need a dealer to work on your cable system, have them run a coax cable from the TV out connection of your satellite TV receiver and run that coax to the Cable In connection of your coach. Select Cable just as you would in a campground, set the TV to channel 3 or 4 as selected by the receiver and you will be able to diagnosis the connections.