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Old 07-04-2013, 03:00 PM   #1
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Cable TV on Voltage 3200

I tried getting access to a campgrounds cable TV for the first time yesterday with only limited success. I originally hooked up the cable outside and then changed all the TVs from air to cable and ran the channel scan. Got nothing. Then tried tinkering around with the cables on the inside. The factory set up has three plates on the inside, left has regular sockets, mid has a cigarette lighter socket and the antenna connection (I think), the right is a brown plate with two cable connections that are connected to each other(?!) with a short piece of coax.

The only way I got anything to work was by removing the cable that seems to be some sort of jumper on the brown plate and moving the white cable to the lower connector there. Only the main tv worked then, not the garage or the bedroom. I searched all my documentation and found nothing at all.

Any help would be great.

Karl
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Old 07-04-2013, 03:31 PM   #2
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Did you try the lower connection on the jumpered plate?
I don't have anything connected to the 12 volt outlet connection but I do have two cables connected to the jumper plate. I can get the OTA HD channels easily enough and the channels on my DirecTV receiver by changing from air to cable.

I think I finally gave up on getting campground cable TV channels. I've found they are limited anyway so as long as I can get the OTA HD channels I'm happy. If I need more I just connected and set up the satellite antenna. I did manage to get the campground stuff to work once but I don't remember the trick. OTA HD is the way to go because that signal goes to all the TVs, in my camper anyway.

I think TanMan has figured it all out through much time and patience.
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Old 07-04-2013, 03:44 PM   #3
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Yep. Got the main tv to work that way. The OTA works great I just can't seem to get cable going in those other rooms. Satellite coming as next mod for sure!
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Old 07-04-2013, 04:08 PM   #4
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Ok so folks don't waste time trying to help me, I figured out that my connections were loose in several places. Now the Chanel's seem to be downloading fine. Im wondering if things rattled loose on our way between campgrounds. Still seems odd. Just in case others bump into this I also learned that you need to shut off the antenna for cable signal to come through by pressing the little button to the right of the coax connection on the white plate. I didn't see that in the manual.

Cheers,
Karl
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Old 07-04-2013, 04:08 PM   #5
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Just a thought, if you're going with satellite I'd stay away from the tailgater or whatever it called for sat TV. They work but only capture the signal from one satellite at a time. If you want to watch channels that are on the other satellites you'll have to reposition the antenna to do so.

The next option would be to get one the expensive units that you throw on the ground and it does the satellite changing for you, such as it would in the house. Expensive and uses some room in the rig.

Now if you have the big bucks you might as well go with the KVH or similar in motion TV system.

If you have satellite TV at home just get an extra receiver and install it in the empty space where the connections are. I share a subscription with a friend and my receiver lives in the rig with me.
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Old 07-04-2013, 04:15 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Karlr View Post
Ok so folks don't waste time trying to help me, I figured out that my connections were loose in several places. Now the Chanel's seem to be downloading fine. Im wondering if things rattled loose on our way between campgrounds. Still seems odd. Just in case others bump into this I also learned that you need to shut off the antenna for cable signal to come through by pressing the little button to the right of the coax connection on the white plate. I didn't see that in the manual.

Cheers,
Karl
There are a few of us that are big supporters of cutting off the crimped on connectors and replacing them with compression connectors.
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Old 07-04-2013, 04:28 PM   #7
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Thanks for all the good info. I will change out the connectors. Definitely have some research to do on the satellite thing.
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Old 07-05-2013, 03:25 AM   #8
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The first thing you need to do is get rid of the crappy cable end connectors. All of them.. then get rid of the cheap splitters in the camper.
Now the connectors with the small jumper is where you connect your sat box. It may be the top of bottom of the jumper connectors that comes from the outside. Think of the jumper as your sat box. Lets say the top connector is the direct line in from the outside. That would connect to the sat in on the back of the sat box. the bottom lets say is the feeder back through your system so the "to tv" would connect to the bottom. You will need two short jumpers when you remove the short loop currently connected in the picture. Mine are about 18 inches long each. If I dont need my sat box or dont take it along because the camp site has decent cable I connect the two 18 inch connectors with a barrel connector thus it just makes a long loop.
You do not want the indicator light on with with wingard amp next to the loop. That is for the external TV antenna only.. Not sat or cable.
When I connect my sat box like I stated above, I have sat on all four TV's all showing the same channel.
I use a Wingard portable dome with mine. I set it outside somewhere where it can see the southern sky and has about a 45 degree opening in the trees. It locks onto the signal before I can get back inside the camper.
The key is the connectors, splitters and a strong signal. Change the crap out they install and you will have TV in all your other TV's. You should not have to change out the cable itself only the components.
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Old 07-05-2013, 01:21 PM   #9
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Another thing I noticed on mine is... if you're using the campsite's cable connection, be sure you DO NOT have your antenna signal booster engaged. It tends to distort the cable signal.
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