This may not be important to most of you,but here it goes anyhow .Do most/all RVparks that say cable TV all have lousy reception?We do the channel scan and when we start looking at the channels they are all terrible pictures,snowy or barely legible.Is this normal?Can I do anything to improve it ?Or is it the RV parks problem ?
Important question about TV .
- Thread starter fred1845
- Start date
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NY_Dutch
Well-known member
RV park cable service is a lot like their WiFi service. Some are pretty good, and some are really bad, with the rest somewhere in between. I've yet to find a park with what I would call excellent service for either one. We have satellite TV and cell based Internet service now, so we don't even bother trying the park offerings anymore.
UTTransplant
Well-known member
Also note there are a lot of connections between the cable box and your TV. If you haven't checked your system with a known good signal you should. We have had to adjust/repair/tighten connections a number of times. They do just wiggle loose sometimes. Our last snow was caused by a broken connector in the TV itself. Depending on how,we had it adjusted, we either got good signals or snow. We bought a replacement TV a couple of months ago, and we have good signal when running off our home system. We will see soon how the next campground signal is.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
I've never found a park WiFi that meets the FCC's definition of broadband, but yeah, the cable service is pretty hit or miss. Did you know Dish offers a month to month no-contract service that you can start and stop at will?
JoelP
Well-known member
Perhaps this is obvious to you, but let me mention this just in case you may be doing the same thing I had done. A few weeks ago I hooked up to the cable in one park and had a miserably snowy picture. Then I noticed that I had on my RF antenna amp. When I switched the amp off the snow went away and I had a very nice picture.
hoddinron
Well-known member
Joel, my system won't even FIND cable stations if the antennae amp is on!
Ron
Ron
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
The over the air antennas used on RV's typically have a signal amplifier built in to the head assembly on the roof to supply a stronger signal to the TV. The amplifier power is supplied by the same coax that carries the signal, and is usually controlled by a switch panel inside the RV that allows selecting whether an exterior park cable connection or the antenna is connected to the TV. When switched to cable, the power to the amplifier is turned off.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Two answers:
1: IF the wireing is "Factory" than you have a switch somewhere.. Two common switches are a wall plate, usually near the MAIN TV, it has a switch, a light, a 12 volt accessory outlet and an antenna connection.
For Cable TV the Switch MUST BE OFF.. This is the "Source" switch for your TV, It is also the power inserter for the mast head amplifier.. most folks call it the Booster but it's not.
The other switch is a box of many buttons (BOMB) properly called a MATRIX switch.. One of the groups of buttons will be labeled MAIN TV and in that group is a button marked CABLE. Try pressing it.
The Third switch (not common) is a Winegard Sensar Pro.. Press the mode button till all the lights go out for cable.
That is if the wiring is factory
If the unit is PRE-OWNED the previous owner may have re-tasked the park cable line for Sat TV.. IF so this is what you will find
A loose coax.. and if you remove the wall plate described above, either nothing, or a 2nd loose coax attached to the CENTER port (connection) on the back.. Remove the loose jumper and re-connect the other loose cable to it.
Or, same thing on the back of the BOMB (Port marked CABLE or CABLE IN)
Finally... Some times some idiot runs a staple, screw or nail through the coax. That is a warranty repair.
Or.. The cable ends are cheap Crimp-on connectors.. A good hard sneeze and they pull off.. I use Compression fittings.. they don't come off so easy. But
I'd check the cable as follows
ENDS: Visual inspection. the white insulator should be flush with the bottom of the nut well.. Check a few of 'em most will be good.
Next disconnect the center cable, also disconnect the other end.. Measure resistance using an ohmmeter cable center wire to sheeve (not the nut but the metal part that does NOT turn) Should be infinity
Next bring a length of cable in connected to the park-in jack and measure center to center Should be low. ideally zero but practically a few ohms is ok. Same with nut to nut (Sleeve to sleeve)
IF you get a low resistance on the center to nut.. You have been screwed, nailed or stapled.
Finaly note.. I found a whole bunch of "Junctions' in my cable, splices where they added a bit.. I've still not found the break.
1: IF the wireing is "Factory" than you have a switch somewhere.. Two common switches are a wall plate, usually near the MAIN TV, it has a switch, a light, a 12 volt accessory outlet and an antenna connection.
For Cable TV the Switch MUST BE OFF.. This is the "Source" switch for your TV, It is also the power inserter for the mast head amplifier.. most folks call it the Booster but it's not.
The other switch is a box of many buttons (BOMB) properly called a MATRIX switch.. One of the groups of buttons will be labeled MAIN TV and in that group is a button marked CABLE. Try pressing it.
The Third switch (not common) is a Winegard Sensar Pro.. Press the mode button till all the lights go out for cable.
That is if the wiring is factory
If the unit is PRE-OWNED the previous owner may have re-tasked the park cable line for Sat TV.. IF so this is what you will find
A loose coax.. and if you remove the wall plate described above, either nothing, or a 2nd loose coax attached to the CENTER port (connection) on the back.. Remove the loose jumper and re-connect the other loose cable to it.
Or, same thing on the back of the BOMB (Port marked CABLE or CABLE IN)
Finally... Some times some idiot runs a staple, screw or nail through the coax. That is a warranty repair.
Or.. The cable ends are cheap Crimp-on connectors.. A good hard sneeze and they pull off.. I use Compression fittings.. they don't come off so easy. But
I'd check the cable as follows
ENDS: Visual inspection. the white insulator should be flush with the bottom of the nut well.. Check a few of 'em most will be good.
Next disconnect the center cable, also disconnect the other end.. Measure resistance using an ohmmeter cable center wire to sheeve (not the nut but the metal part that does NOT turn) Should be infinity
Next bring a length of cable in connected to the park-in jack and measure center to center Should be low. ideally zero but practically a few ohms is ok. Same with nut to nut (Sleeve to sleeve)
IF you get a low resistance on the center to nut.. You have been screwed, nailed or stapled.
Finaly note.. I found a whole bunch of "Junctions' in my cable, splices where they added a bit.. I've still not found the break.
Joezeppy
Well-known member
Fred, while my rigs have all been trailers, the antenna/RF/boost button has been in the same place on all of them - right behind the TV along with a 12V outlet. Start there - hopefully you will find it.
Hi fred1845,
I go along with what UTTransplant said. Be sure to check connections! When we got our RV home, I had no reception on the TV. I suspect that the owner or garage had messed with it. I went up on the roof and found the connection on the ant to be loose and tighten it up. I also did a direct wire to the TV I put in the coach and put in a booster. We get really great and clear reception, even from miles away.
We don't bother with cable or a sat system. I have been able to get over the air channels and there is a lot of good old time programing there you can watch as well as local news. It mainly depends on what you want to watch.
Wishing the best on your new adventure!
I go along with what UTTransplant said. Be sure to check connections! When we got our RV home, I had no reception on the TV. I suspect that the owner or garage had messed with it. I went up on the roof and found the connection on the ant to be loose and tighten it up. I also did a direct wire to the TV I put in the coach and put in a booster. We get really great and clear reception, even from miles away.
We don't bother with cable or a sat system. I have been able to get over the air channels and there is a lot of good old time programing there you can watch as well as local news. It mainly depends on what you want to watch.
Wishing the best on your new adventure!
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Ok, I've been in a few THOR's and I may be able to help you .. IN FACT.. Without googling I think one of 'em was the same model you have if so you are IN LUCK
Now the THOR I was in had a Jack Antenna.. With the Jack "Sure Lock" device on the crank/rotation device.. This was roughly in line with the entry door, perhaps a bit forward of it (much like my Winegard is)
Over the door is a cabinet.. Open the door and you will see a 120volt outlet with the wall-wart for the Sur-Lock installed already
BEHIND That wall wart.. if you happen to get the right angle, at twilight.. YOU MIGHT just see the teltale light of the wall plate.. Yup, that's where it is, HIDDEN behind that wall wart
And yes. pushing the button fixed the problem for that camper.
It was pure luck we spotted it.
Now the THOR I was in had a Jack Antenna.. With the Jack "Sure Lock" device on the crank/rotation device.. This was roughly in line with the entry door, perhaps a bit forward of it (much like my Winegard is)
Over the door is a cabinet.. Open the door and you will see a 120volt outlet with the wall-wart for the Sur-Lock installed already
BEHIND That wall wart.. if you happen to get the right angle, at twilight.. YOU MIGHT just see the teltale light of the wall plate.. Yup, that's where it is, HIDDEN behind that wall wart
And yes. pushing the button fixed the problem for that camper.
It was pure luck we spotted it.
JoelP
Well-known member
One other thought to try- if you cannot get a bitter signal when toggling the RF amp, take along with you a rather long coax cable and make a direct connection between your TV input and the cable outlet in the RV park. If the signal is a whole lot better then you know for sure that it is not a cable signal problem.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
No, not a genius. Just pure luck that I've been in a THOR liberty and found the thing. and as I said that too was pure luck.
Also that I'm a coffee-holic, not a alcoholic.. coffee enhances memory (I can't stand the taste of Alcohol or as my Mechanic said "If booze tasted like Kool-Aid I'd be an alcoholic).
Glad you found it, Glad I could help.. They did a good job of hiding it.
Also that I'm a coffee-holic, not a alcoholic.. coffee enhances memory (I can't stand the taste of Alcohol or as my Mechanic said "If booze tasted like Kool-Aid I'd be an alcoholic).
Glad you found it, Glad I could help.. They did a good job of hiding it.
Thanks again.Like you said,during my 'inspections' of the cabinets,I spied a green light at the other end of the wall.I went to that cabinet,saw a tiny button,looked like a little 'dot' on the wall plate .Pressed it ,and like magic We had clear bright,un snowy cable channels.Would be nice if sales person told me about that button,But seeing as it was C.W. it doesn''t surprise me.Thanks again for you help.I do appreciate it a lot .
