Old analog TV problem

[Janss]

I still have the old TV in my motorhome up front. It's worked fine for the 4 years I've had the MH. Now it turns on, volume works, channels can change, but I only see snow. I can't get it to show a picture, not on cable, not on antenna, not a DVD.

In the audio/video cabinet is a switch box with cable/antenna/VCR/Sat/Aux. There is also a VCR/DVD player, a digital converter box, and an inverter.

I wonder if some major thing got disconnected or fried. It's hard to get behind all this equipment. But where do you think I should look? Last winter, a cable guy threaded a cable from the cabinet to the right of the TV through the TV space to the cabinet to the left of the TV (to hook up a wireless router). Perhaps something got knocked out of its socket from the TV while he was doing this?? Or maybe the switch box is no longer working??

Any ideas would certainly be appreciated.

[Janss]

I should tell you that I am getting a new TV installed in about 2 weeks. But we just started a multi-month trip and bummed that we can't watch TV. I'm sure the tech will take apart everything when he retrofits for the new TV. So hopefully he'll find the problem. I'm still leaning towards a problem with the switch box. The way Winnebago built in the equipment, I just can't get behind the switch box without taking apart all the framing, etc. I reached in and felt with my hand the best I could back there, both behind the TV and behind the switch box. Didn't feel anything obviously loose. But really don't know if I'm feeling everything.

So I'll just wait until the new TV gets installed. I don't want to take apart everything and mess it up. The tech will need to see how things currently are set up.

Note to Chuck....I did write that I had "volume", not "sound". It's just the static noise, but the volume control does increase and decrease the noise.

Thanks to all for your comments. They will all become "obsolete" soon. 🙂

[Bumpyroad]

I guess people have to switch to new TVs every other week so they have the latest? HOg Wash. those that succumb to that philosophy waste a lot of money.
bumpy

[K_Charles]

So Merrian-Webster says if you didn't replace it, and it's still being used, it's not obsolete.

[Bill_Satellite]

Bumpyroad wrote:
gee, I'm using 5 old "obsolete" TVs and they work just fine. nothing "obsolete" about them.
bumpy

Just because a TV works does not prevent it from being obsolete. Your 5 old TV's are obsolete and have been for years.


From Merrian-Webster
Simple Definition of obsolete

: no longer used because something newer exists : replaced by something newer

[Bumpyroad]

I haven't used OTA TV for about 25 years or whenever it was they put cable in down my road, did get two of the boxes back when you got a govt. coupon however. I'm assuming that satellite doesn't qualify for OtA although I guess it is?
bumpy

[Chuck_thehammer]

WAIT,, you have Sound?????(not just static noise) an NO display... for One to work and the Other NOT.. its the TV... not cables... not switches..

Unless I misunderstand your issue.

and you are using a analog to digital converter for you tube type TV. its it turned ON?

last fall I got a Samsung 32 inch flat screen for 200... like 5 pounds.. and thin. for my trailer.

[Bill_Satellite]

If you have used it with the OTA antenna in recent years then you must also have had one of the digital converter boxes. Without that you would not receive anything unless there happens to be an analog channel still broadcasting in your area. This will also prevent a cable connection from coming through if wired that way and not using an A/B switch or the convertor having an analog pass through.
You are going to need to trace down what you have and where it goes. Since both OTA and Cable are not working I suspect that it is not an antenna problem but rather coax that is not properly connected.

[tenbear]

Replacing the TV may not solve the problem. Sounds more like a cable problem.

[Bumpyroad]

gee, I'm using 5 old "obsolete" TVs and they work just fine. nothing "obsolete" about them.
bumpy

[SCVJeff]

Nows the time (excuse) to just replace it. Everything about that TV is now obsolete sorry to say. Being 30lb lighter and probably 12" + thinner will make it real easy to get behind.

[rk911]

Janss wrote:
I still have the old TV in my motorhome up front. It's worked fine for the 4 years I've had the MH. Now it turns on, volume works, channels can change, but I only see snow. I can't get it to show a picture, not on cable, not on antenna, not a DVD.

In the audio/video cabinet is a switch box with cable/antenna/VCR/Sat/Aux. There is also a VCR/DVD player, a digital converter box, and an inverter.

I wonder if some major thing got disconnected or fried. It's hard to get behind all this equipment. But where do you think I should look? Last winter, a cable guy threaded a cable from the cabinet to the right of the TV through the TV space to the cabinet to the left of the TV (to hook up a wireless router). Perhaps something got knocked out of its socket from the TV while he was doing this?? Or maybe the switch box is no longer working??

Any ideas would certainly be appreciated.

since nothing works...antenna/cable/dvd...i suspect that the cable between the switch box and the tv is disconnected. there could be other loose connections but the cable from the tv to the switch is loose. unless...if your switch box requires power (some do). does it?