Identifying TV Cable Out/Inlets

Thanks again folks. I am loaded with info now.

Have decided to take all with me and piddle with it when set up this winter.

Appreciate the diagram also Roy since it will be taking the winter trip also.

Or, just push a wad of aluminum foil into one end of the coax connector. That will short the wire and cable just fine.

I cut two pieces of coax off with a connector. On one I stripped the wires and twisted them together. The other I separated the wires so I could check them with an Ohm meter.

I put the shorted connector on my outside connections and checked the other ends under the cabinet with the Ohm meter. You might need a barrel connector if you have to check coax cables instead of connectors on the other end.

Any method would normally require the cables be disconnected as the signal will go through all the cables.

dan-nickie wrote:

TechWriter wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
Is there an easy/non sophisticated way to find out which cables goes where?

Example, something to hook into an external port that would energize the cable and then go inside to test outlets to see which ones are energized?

I used the RF out from a VCR, a TV, and a long coax extension.

Played a tape in the VCR, connected it to one of the RV cables, and then kept hooking up each of the other RV cables to the TV.

Tedious, but worked like a charm.

Easy for you since you have a VCR.
But where would I find one and what does one look like? ;)

True enough, but anything with an RF out will do.

I bought a Tone Generator (amazon) - not sure how it works but you hook up the transmitter to the wires you want to trace and then use a wand (which I assume is picking up RF signals). to figure out where the wire is buried behind walls and at the destination.

I used it to trace the antenna/cable/bedroom cables - exactly what you are looking for.

I use what I call a TONE GENERATOR telephone service people use them. They can be purchased at most hardware and big box stores. They come in very handy for a number of other uses as well, like tracing wire for one end of your rig to another.

TechWriter wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
Is there an easy/non sophisticated way to find out which cables goes where?

Example, something to hook into an external port that would energize the cable and then go inside to test outlets to see which ones are energized?

I used the RF out from a VCR, a TV, and a long coax extension.

Played a tape in the VCR, connected it to one of the RV cables, and then kept hooking up each of the other RV cables to the TV.

Tedious, but worked like a charm.

Easy for you since you have a VCR.
But where would I find one and what does one look like? ;)

Dave H M wrote:
Is there an easy/non sophisticated way to find out which cables goes where?

Example, something to hook into an external port that would energize the cable and then go inside to test outlets to see which ones are energized?

I used the RF out from a VCR, a TV, and a long coax extension.

Played a tape in the VCR, connected it to one of the RV cables, and then kept hooking up each of the other RV cables to the TV.

Tedious, but worked like a charm.

The simple ones are wired up like this





Here is a drawing I found for a typical trailer...


ALot of times the splitters do not pass DC VOLTAGES only RF Signals... i.e. you would not want to allow the 12VDC BATWING or SAT Preamplifier DC control voltages to get on the input to other electronics etc...

Who knows how the super duper big guys with the motorhomes are wired up...

Roy Ken