Forum Discussion

allenm's avatar
allenm
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015

Lousy TV Tuner

Thought I would share my experience with over-the-air TV reception. I'm in a Melbourne, FL campground about 50 miles from Orlando.

I'm using a new model CT-2820 Continu-Us TV. It came factory installed in a new 2016 Starcraft trailer. I had never heard of the TV but a little research shows they are big in hospitals and such.

The trailer has an omni-directional Winegard Roadstar antenna.

If one reads the advertising hype about both of these products, they sound like the latest high tech, super-dooper things on our planet.

Most stations come in solid, including some Orlando stations. However, several important Orlando stations are very marginal, especially in the evening.

Here's the thing - I have a 5 year old Sharp LC-19S TV in the bedroom. It is rock solid on the stations that are marginal on the new Continu-Us TV.

My conclusion is the new TV has a lousy over-the-air tuner. But I also know the "super high tech" Winegard Roadstar antenna does not work as well as the directional Winegard Batwings I've had on previous RV's.

In trying to improve things, I went down to Walmart and bought an Ematic Digital Converter Box AT103B for $39 and connected it to the Continu-Us TV. Guess what - all stations, including Orlando, come in great day and night!
  • PapaNIes60's avatar
    PapaNIes60
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2015
    Make sure the antenna cables to your Continu-US TV are good and tight.
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2015
    allenm wrote:

    Here's the thing - I have a 5 year old Sharp LC-19S TV in the bedroom. It is rock solid on the stations that are marginal on the new Continu-Us TV.

    My conclusion is the new TV has a lousy over-the-air tuner.


    YUP! I've proven this with my 2 different TV's both new by the way! :B
    Parked in same spot one would get 6 channels the other 20.

    Some have good tuners and others do not.
    These manufactures are going under the assumption that 98% of viewers are using cable/satellite so there is NO reason for them to put an expensive tuner in these flat screen TV's.

    I spent countless hours in my MH tweaking and turning my batwing thinking I did not have it pointed right or too many trees at my site on and on and on only to finally figure it out its the tuner in the TV's.

    I'm still cracking up every morning I turn the TV on in my winter home in Florida! I bought a $56.00 dollar antenna from walmart.

    All it is is an 8x10 paper thin square. The thin square is mounted on my wall with velcro on the back and Attach coax to it and coax with small amplifier to TV and I get over 20 channels!! :B:B

    These work on a boat and RV.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Nov 21, 2015
    I suspect your antenna setup is the bigger reason for poor OTA HDTV reception.

    It is hard to beat the crank-up WINEGARD BATWING powered antennas.

    Roy Ken
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Nov 21, 2015
    It annoys me that it is nearly impossible to find any kind of sensitivity specs on televisions, and I do not believe that even CR tests that. Everyone is assumed to be hooked to cable/online.
    If Jensen and the companies that build "RV" tvs were smart, they would design a super sensitive tuner with great error correction, and push that.
  • allenm's avatar
    allenm
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2015
    When I first realized my old TV was getting all the stations just fine, I took it in the main room where the new Continu-Us TV was located and hooked all the same cables, etc. up to the old Sharp TV. That way I knew the only difference was the TV's and not the cabling.

    But I do agree another big part of the problem is the omnidirectional Winegard Roadstar. An omnidirectional antenna cannot possibly work as well as a directional antenna, especially in fringe areas.

    I'm still considering a KingJack antenna, which can be rotated like the Batwings. I just hate mess around with more screws and re-sealing things on the roof.
  • TechWriter's avatar
    TechWriter
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2015
    Chris Bryant wrote:
    It annoys me that it is nearly impossible to find any kind of sensitivity specs on televisions, and I do not believe that even CR tests that. Everyone is assumed to be hooked to cable/online.

    Speaking of cable . . . if you use campground cable, make sure you TV has a QAM tuner. It's needed for digital cable, and QAM tuners are not required on TVs.
  • Tom_M1's avatar
    Tom_M1
    Explorer
    Nov 22, 2015
    TechWriter wrote:
    . . . if you use campground cable, make sure you TV has a QAM tuner. It's needed for digital cable, and QAM tuners are not required on TVs.
    A QAM tuner would only work if the campground is furnishing an unencrypted signal. Many cable system are now encrypting everything which means that a set-top box is required.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Nov 22, 2015
    allenm wrote:


    The trailer has an omni-directional Winegard Roadstar antenna.


    Though you seem to have proven the TV has a lousy tuner (Some do)

    THIS is your biggest pain in the operating system.. The Roadstar is and always has been one of the worst possible options for a TV antenna. Directional antennas deliver a much strong signal and can block "Multi-path" signals (were the TV signal bounces off say a Road sign and comes in from a different angle and cancels itself out.

    Also the Winegard Sensar Pro to replace your OTA/Cable switch plate will do wonders.
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Nov 22, 2015
    You know- a lot has been written (some of it by me) about how bad the Roadstar is. I just replaced one that had hit a tree with a new one, and got just as good reception as either the Jack or Sensar- more stations, even.
    Not that I'm recommending the Roadstar, but it performed far better than I thought it would.

About RV Must Haves

Have a product you cannot live without? Share it with the community!8,793 PostsLatest Activity: Aug 22, 2023