Some TV's get cable, some do not...WHY?!?!?

[KMartinCPA1966]

I'm usually pretty savvy about tech issues, but this has me stumped....

My Class A has 5 TV's, they all work, all get OTA TV signals, etc...

This week was the first time we tried to connect to the local RV Resort's cable...some of the TV's receive/process the signal fine, but 2 do not. I checked every option to include taking all TV's down and hooking them directly to park's outside cable. I EVEN BOUGHT A BRAND NEW TV... and it did not receive/process the cable signal either (returned it). It's not the Antenna/Cable option, it's not the cables, it has nothing to do with anything other than something must be different about how the sets are receiving/processing the signal. Tuner issues? Has anyone ever heard of this situation? I scanned the Internet and came across several who described the same situation, but ultimately were fed lines about splitters, new cables, etc. Please....these TV's were all hooked up directly to the outside cable...literally, you could unplug the coax from one TV that worked fine, plug it into a different TV (even the brand new one) and it wouldn't find a signal. If I had hair, I would pull it all out!!!

One of the TV's that receives channels is a Vizio D32f-F1...the brand new one that would not find channels (using the exact same coax staight from the outside box) was a Vizio D32h-j04.

Could it be an age thing? The Vizio that receives/processes the local cable is 2018 and the newer TV was 2023...would that matter?

[groundhogy]

Some regions/countries have different channel ferquencies/formats.
Check that its set for usa?

[ktmrfs]

Since many non OTA suppliers (Dish, comcast, etc.) use some form of converter "box" along with HDMI output, I suspect the rational is no need for QAM tuner, that's done by the converter box.

Notice what some of the TV's in hotels are like. NO power switch, volume, nor any tuner, all done through the remote and the cable box. It's just a display unit.

[theoldwizard1]

How is the signal split between the TVs ?

[MrWizard]

Yes your correct, that was the part I was thinking about, mfg do not have to include QAM capability in the TV tuner

[ktmrfs]

Our company was involved in the digital TV "evolution" on the standard committees.

OTA and cable companies were fighting each other on the encoding, and finally went seperate ways with QAM for cable and OTA with ATSC. IIRC when sets were first introduced FCC required tuners to support both standards, sounds like that is no longer the case.

[MrWizard]

Sorry state of affairs when in correct technical information is published about consumer goods,
Problem figured out,

[MFL]

A little late since OP has discovered the answer to his question.

Yes, the earlier model Vizio tvs had a better tuner (let's say supertuner), that was more capable than later models, or most other brand tvs.

I have one that I used at home, and now in FW bedroom. It will always pull more channels, get better reception than others. When at home, hooked to my cable provider, that Vizio would act as a decoder, allowing me to get some premium channels that I was not subscribed to.

Jerry

[wa8yxm]

IN addition to all the above there are basically 3 television standards
NTSC: The old Analog TV from last century.. Most all TV's can process this.
ATSC: The new Didital broadcast standard mandated by Federal Rules. And all TV's sold in the USA must either be capable of reception of ATSC or Clearly labeled ANALOG ONLY.

Cable companies mostly QAM today (And yes I know what all that alphabet soup means) however there is no mandate a Television be able to decode it. Plus SOME cable companies encrypt (Thou this is not your problem)

ELEMENT TVs.. the last TV to be made in the USA were not able to decode QAM.
I do not know if Element is still making 'em or not..

But one assumes that other companies may make like TV's as well.

Also.. I did not look to see if it's addressed. but there are ways to screw up the wiring..

Some years ago. back in the days of 300ohm Flat lead instead of Coax.. Airstream trailers with more than one TV.. One would get some stations. the other would get other stations but neither would get 'em all... Well the man the antenna company sent out to figure it out was a firend of mine.

He found that electricians had wired up the TV leads Following good electrical practice.. Well there's a difference between 60 Hz and 60 Mhz He put in proper signal splitters nad low and behold everything worked. (At 60 HZ you simply splice the wires together. at 60Mhz (and above) that don't work Channel 2 is ABOUT 60MHz (actually a pair of frequencies just below 60Mhz.. TV goes up into much higher frquencies)

[KMartinCPA1966]

...and the verdict is in. Although a simple search on the Internet will tell you that ALL Vizio TV's are equipped with QAM Tuners, they are not. I spoke with a Vizio rep who confirmed that the D32h-J04 does NOT have the QAM Tuner as expected. I believe that solves this puzzle. So, those of you who walk people down the path of checking cables, boxes, spitters, etc...have them first check if the Tuner is QAM. Consider this issue done.

[ktmrfs]

KMartinCPA1966 wrote:
Yes, yes, and yes... INPUT was set correctly, scanned on "Antenna" and "Cable", walked through the set up several times and had the Vizio rep on the phone with me for over 45min. I'm beginning to think it has something to do with 2018 models/tuners vs newer models/tuners. Guys, seriously, not user error here...I'm above average on technology...but can't for the life of me figure out the answer. Thought maybe a TV or Cable Guru could educate me...

my TV tuner from around early 2000's has no problem scanning, nor does a recent TV we bought. those stds were defined 20+ years ago.

[KMartinCPA1966]

Mr. Wizard...I think the QAM you referenced may be the issue. In your post, you stated that both Vizio models had QAM. I can not find that info. As a matter of fact, I can't find any info on the 2023 D32h-J04. Plenty on the J09, but not the J04. I'm beginning to think the J04 does not have a QAM Tuner...still looking for info on that specific model to confirm.

[KMartinCPA1966]

I think we are getting somewhere... reading an article regarding Seiki TVs not equipped with QAM Tuners...they only process ATSC. Can anyone elaborate on that?

[rk911]

KMartinCPA1966 wrote:
Guys, you clearly aren't reading the main thread. The TV's were not connected inside the RV. They were connected directly to the cable box at the 50/30amp post. This has absolutely nothing to do with internal RV cables, boxes, antennas...nil. All of the TV's were disconnected and set-up outside and tested individually...all scanned for antenna and cable...some found channels...some did not. It has to be something to do with the type of signal and/or tuners. Older sets (2018) seem to find channels fine...newer sets did not.

given all that it the issue would seem to be with the tuners themselves. can you return/exchange the TVs?

[KMartinCPA1966]

Mr. Wizard...I'm thinking along the same lines as you...but, what exactly would be the difference? It must be something to do with the digital tuners. Beuller? Beuller? Anyone?

...and why would older sets be able to de-crypt a signal and newer models not? It's not adding up...which means there is knowledge out there that we are all lacking. Someone knows this answer!! Speak now!! ...please.