RV Park Cable TV

[fishjump]

My wife and I don't usually watch TV when we are out camping. However, we recently took our grandson with us, and he wanted to watch cable.

After hooking up the cable connection from the RV to site service, the TV showed that it had identified about 32 cable stations, and about 6 OTA. However, we were never able to view the cable programs. Do I need to be using a cable box also?

Thanks,

Paul

[wa8yxm]

You said it identified both cable and OTA.. it should not. It should identify one or the other, if it identifies both you have a problem.

Likely you set the antenna switch to ANTENNA.

The Antenna switch: Some folks have a matrix switch (Box of many buttons) like I do.. Many have a wall plate. it has a 12 volt outlet, an antenna connection (often to the main TV) a light and a switch,, LIGHT OFF for cable,, Light on for OTA but sometimes cable will sneak through the switch.. poorly.

Finally: Most cable systems now days broadcst QAM Digital, some still do analog (AND QAM) but some are getting greedy,, They broadcase ENCRYPTED QAM. What does this mean:

Some televisions, including the only US made 19" TV, do not accept QAM so you need a box from the cable company.

And if the cable company is encrypting.. You need a box no matter.

I am most familure with two cable systems. One is Darien Telephone, Darien GA, (Analog and QAM)

The other is the service in Richfield, TWP Mi.. Not sure which one it is.. But they are the same, Analog and QAM.

At least two other ssytems are going encrypted as I type.

[Hank_MI]

Why do you have to turn of the antenna amp? It only amplifies signal from antenna input, not cable, aux, sat, etc. If it needs to be off when watching cable on one TV then the other TV can't use the antenna. Not how ours works in this or previous MH.

[D_E_Bishop]

Okay, here is what both of our cable TV companies had to say about the new All Digital TV Signal.

Digital TV adapters

If you check with the campground office you can find out for sure if you need an adapter.

In short, in my RV(26years old) but BluRay wired. I can use the winegard antenna, and campground cable(with an adapter) at the same time, I can have the BluRay player on too.. You select what signal you will use in the INPUT section of your TV's remote.

Here another link, this is for a video control center, also known as a BOMB. This Winegard box may be out of production but many places still sell them. They are very helpful. I'd explain more but it's not what you asked about. PM me and I will expand on the BOMB

[fishjump]

Thanks Lynnmor, that may be my problem all along.

[Lynnmor]

fishjump wrote:


It sounds like I should try it with the amplifier turned off.

Paul

Just so you know, that switch turns on the power to the amplifier AND switches the cable between the antenna and the cable inlet. With the switch on, the park cable is disconnected.

[golf_bears]

OK, your on first base now. So go back to the menu and switch from antenna to cable. That should get you TV. I'm assuming your exterior connection is on the Cable connector?

[fishjump]

Thanks Golf bears, my TV is a new Samsung model, and your procedure is identical to mine. It shows the number of cable channels it has captured, but I'm unsure as to why I can't watch them. I'm probably not setting up the TV right, but at least I have confirmation that I don't require a cable box.

[golf_bears]

Not sure what brand TV you have but setting it up for cable should be fairly easy. No need to hit buttons on the rear of the TV.

You've already verified your connected to the cable outside.

Turn the TV on. Take the TV remote and hit the menu button while pointing it at the TV. In the menu you should fine the option to change the antenna setting to cable. Change it to cable then run a scan to get all the cable channels. Once this is done, exit the menu screen and select whatever channel you would like to watch.

[rdmike]

With mine (for what it is worth) I have a manual control box. SAT / Cable/ Ant for the front, rear, and outside. If i use the cable, I select cable, and use the search feature for cable on the TV. I then repeat for antenna, or my Satelite. It seems each unit can be a bit different.

[fishjump]

Thanks for some informative responses. It sounds that I may have kept the amplifier button pressed.

My TT is a 2015 Nash 23D, and the manual had no information on either satellite, OTA or cable. I bought my Samsung TV from Costco right before the trip, so it's maybe a month old.

The exterior of the TT there are two coaxial connections (one of which was marked satellite). The output end (near the TV) had both a satellite and a cable/OTA connection - but I probably had the the amplifier turned on. I did try going through both the satellite and cable connections, incase it was a loose connection.

When scanning through the TV it allowed both OTA or cable scanning, either independently or combined (I tried both), and it picked up both types. But as I said, I was only able to get the OTA.

It sounds like I should try it with the amplifier turned off.

Paul

[joebedford]

The park we stayed at last year used encrypted digital. Needed a cable box to view. It was free but stupid.

[RoyB]

Some camp grounds are finally sending digital TV signals to the pedestals for cable TV. This will require a converter box if you have the older analog TV sets.

If this is the case you will will need the digital HDTV to view the signals or use a converter box.

I threw away all of my older analog TVs several years ago when the broadcast TV converted over to digital TV. All of my TVs are now the LCD flat screens...

Roy Ken

[ChooChooMan74]

Few things
1) Make sure the wire is plugged into CABLE and not SAT jack.
2) Make sure antenna amp is switched OFF (directs signals from the CABLE wire)
3) Make sure you auto program your channels using CABLE as the source instead of AIR.

[Bumpyroad]

might have to change the TV to cable in also??? and go thru the scan program?
bumpy