Forum Discussion

alfalfabuckwhea's avatar
Apr 15, 2015

High Definition Signal to TV

We just spent about $5000 with Camping World upgrading the satellite dish and TV's in our motorhome to high definition. However, after we picked it up (and paid) we discovered that our new TV's were not broadcasting high definition. After lengthy discussion with DirecTV Tech Support, we found out that the existing coax cables wired throughout the motorhome's roof to the various TVs do not support high definition! In fact, no coax cable can carry high definition. Are there any other options, other than finding a way (and $)to rewire the entire motorhome with HDMI cabling? Plus, we have one receiver, with a separate OEM splitter, which supports 3 TV's.

29 Replies

  • Big Katuna wrote:
    The OEM RV cabling won't carry HD signal but it WILL carry the satellite signal to sat boxes.

    DISH's Hopper & Joey uses regular coax to send HD signals using MoCA.

    Can't DirecTV's Genie system do the same?
  • Both of my tv sets display good high def pictures using standard coax cable and antenna for OTA stations. HDMI is a way to sell expensive wire.
  • What kind of antenna did you have put on the roof?
    You do know that a 'dome' will not get HD on DirectTV don't you?
  • alfalfabuckwheat wrote:
    We just spent about $5000 with Camping World upgrading the satellite dish and TV's in our motorhome to high definition. However, after we picked it up (and paid) we discovered that our new TV's were not broadcasting high definition. After lengthy discussion with DirecTV Tech Support, we found out that the existing coax cables wired throughout the motorhome's roof to the various TVs do not support high definition! In fact, no coax cable can carry high definition. Are there any other options, other than finding a way (and $)to rewire the entire motorhome with HDMI cabling? Plus, we have one receiver, with a separate OEM splitter, which supports 3 TV's.


    The coax WILL carry the OTA HD signal to all of your TV's. It just can't send HD from satellite, DVD or similar sources. There are wireless HDMI transmitters available but the easiest (if you are trying to do satellite TV) may be to simply install a receiver at each TV. Hopper and Joey for Dish or Genie and clients for DirecTV. If it is satellite, the type of antenna and the satellite service you have still may or may not allow you to receive HD from your satellite provider.
    If it's DVD then buy one for each TV!
  • Coax from the dish to the receiver and HMDI from the receiver to the TV is just fine.
  • Wireless Genie is another way. Wireless HDMI suffers from dropouts.
  • We have DirecTV Genie and HD DVR on a Traveler SWM-3 mounted on our roof. The HDMI cable goes from the back of the each TV to the back of each receiver. We get HD and SD on channel w/2 separate lines. We switch sometimes during bad storms since HD will pixel out.
  • Wireless HDMI. Should be able to set it up for $200-$300. I know that sucks but a drop in the bucket over what you spent to get a hdmi signal.

    i would look on Amazon.com.
  • The OEM RV cabling won't carry HD signal but it WILL carry the satellite signal to sat boxes.

    That's what I do. I have an HD box for the front tv and an HD sat box by the rear TV. I ran an HDMI cable for the outside tv.

    I run the sat signal in thru the park cable input in the water bay. I don't use my non HD roof one anymore.

    I use an AB switch on the cable from the front to the rear to switch between sat and antenna.

    Hate to tell you you overpaid for what you had done and they CERTAINLY should have made it clear what you were getting.