Cable TV hookup

[CarolH1943]

We are newbie RV enthusiasts and are almost ready for our first long trip. We need suggestions/guidance on what type/length of cable TV cord we will need to connect to any service that may be provided at parks.

[Jim_Shoe]

I carry 2 each of 25' coax, electric, sewer and water. Needed them all once in a CG in Calgary. 25' is enough normally, unless you need 26' somewhere. They don't take up much room in my 'C's storage bay, but that's about all I carry back there.

[D_E_Bishop]

I too carry just one 25' cable. I was having problems with the rear set having a bad picture and the front set was great. Removed all the slip on ends and just use the screw on connectors. Picture improved and then I installed a 45' HDMI cable to the rear set and the pictures both in front and rear are fantastic, but, now there is a lot of noise on the old 75 ohm cable feed to the rear set. I goofed when installing the HDMI cable, I should have installed a new 75 ohm cable at the same time. May have corrected the problem, I disconnected all four cables on the back of the switching box and disassembled the box. Nothing there to service but I did see several places where it looks like the shielded cables from switch to switch and F connectors looked like they melted to bottom of the box. No marks on the wires. Moved them so they were'nt touching the bottom of the box. Tried using the antenna on the cable circuit and no noise. Also checked the cable by the rear TV and all was tight. When I put it all back together everything worked fine on both sets with all three inputs. Who knows.

When I had to remove my Winegard bat wing because I couldn't move the cable, I found if memory serves me(it usually doesn't)right, three pieces of cable with two couplers going to the distribution box from the antenna. I have a feeling that this morning I will find the old 75 ohm cable going to the rear TV is bad and that I will need to replace that too. From past experience and talking with some older cable installers who use signal analyzers and not just install, hookup and leave, that couplers and slip on adapters do attenuate the digital signal noticeably. There are good couplers and adapters and there are not so good. Personally, no more adapters or couplers, with the new sets you need two cables anyway so I just tighten up the 75 ohm cables and don't switch things around.

The reason I installed the HDMI cable was to have the ability to show the same BluRay movies on both sets. This past week we had the DGKs camping with us and sure enough there was Nana and the DGKs in the back on the beds and I was at the dinette. They raved about the picture. I sure hope the new rigs providing both cables when they are being built.

[D___M]

I noticed that the folks that say they don't hook up are located on the west side of the country. Here in the East, cable is common. I can't remember staying somewhere that it didn't have it. But I stay in private CGs and it's one of the things that I want.

[frankdamp]

Wht we've found in the last couple of years is that many cable TV providers (particularly Comcast) are going for their own proprietary digitisation. We've stayed at several CGs is western WA whose monopoly cable provider is Comcast and it's been a real circus.

We have Comcast in the S&B and each of the three outlets in the house has to have one of their decoders. As I understand it, no TV sets on the market have the capability to process Comcast signals without their decoder. It may be the same with other cable companies. Obviously, a CG can't afford to provide a decoder to every guest.

We concluded that TV wasn't that important when we're on a trip. If we can get TV service, fine - if not we'll rely on radio. At least the FCC hasn't allowed the media to screw that up!

[frankdamp]

Wht we've found in the last couple of years is that many cable TV providers (particularly Comcast) are going for their own proprietary digitisation. We've stayed at several CGs is western WA whose monopoly cable provider is Comcast and it's been a real circus.

We have Comcast in the S&B and each of the three outlets in the house has to have one of their decoders. As I understand it, no TV sets on the market have the capability to process Comcast signals without their decoder. It may be the same with other cable companies. Obviously, a CG can't afford to provide a decoder to every guest.

We concluded that TV wasn't that important when we're on a trip. If we can get TV service, fine - if not we'll rely on radio.

[hotbyte]

Ron3rd wrote:
...I've never seen cable at any state campground.

There are actually a few state parks here in GA with cable TV hookups...but it does seem to be more of a private RV park thing.

[Ron3rd]

tatest wrote:
In eight years, 400+ nights in the RV, more than 30,000 miles of travel, I have not hooked up to cable TV as many as ten times. Not that many RV parks carry cable, if in a reasonably close broadcast TV market, and it generally does not exist at public campgrounds because the cable companies want too much money (typically $2-$5 a day for each potential connection). If it is "free" you are paying that whether you use it or not.

RV park cable connection was almost always at or near the location of the electrical hookup, so a cable as long as my power cord (25 feet) would usually work. I think I'm carrying something like 100 feet of RG6 on my cable reel. I've never unwound it all.

X2, and I've used cable maybe 3 times in 10 years because we rarely stay at private campground where you commonly find cable. I've never seen cable at any state campground.

[Sandia_Man]

For park cable I've never needed more than 25' of coax, but I carry a hundred feet of coax that is for satellite use and only required when trying to get a sat signal through the trees.

[Dutch_12078]

I carry close to 200 feet of RG6 coax for satellite dish and cable connections, but I don't recall ever needing more than 50 feet just for cable. A few times, it was necessary to connect at an adjoining site due to a damaged connector at my site, so I also carry a two set coupler for those occasions.

[Community Alumni]

I carry a 30' cable with push-on connects at both ends. Have never needed more.

[RRinNFla]

In the very few times it has been available, I have found the quality of cable TV service at campgrounds to be inferior. At one SP campground with cable service, there were only 13 channels available, and the one I wanted to watch did not have sound.
In today's digital TV age, I usually pick up 20-40 OTA stations. Of course, my current travels are mostly on the east coast, it would be different out west.
If ESPN and CNN are important to you, I would look into DISH network's pay as you go plan.

[Bobbo]

I have a 25' and a 50' with a box of connectors.

[D___M]

I have a 25 foot and a 10 foot with a connector. Never needed more

[tatest]

In eight years, 400+ nights in the RV, more than 30,000 miles of travel, I have not hooked up to cable TV as many as ten times. Not that many RV parks carry cable, if in a reasonably close broadcast TV market, and it generally does not exist at public campgrounds because the cable companies want too much money (typically $2-$5 a day for each potential connection). If it is "free" you are paying that whether you use it or not.

RV park cable connection was almost always at or near the location of the electrical hookup, so a cable as long as my power cord (25 feet) would usually work. I think I'm carrying something like 100 feet of RG6 on my cable reel. I've never unwound it all.