Cable hookup at campground

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babylunatic

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Aug 17, 2012
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I feel like I shouldn't even have to ask this question. :(

If the campground has the cable TV that you can hook up to, how do you do it? So far I have been going to the clubhouse and watch TV there, but it gets annoying sometimes. I don't have a cable outlet outside my RV, and I'm assuming that other better models have one, and you just run a cable and hook it up that way? And since my old toy hauler doesn't have one, I can't take advantage of that cable hookup, and just have to rely on my antenna or dish?
 
Our TT has a cable connection outside near the water connections.  If you don't have and outside connection, you could run a cable through a window or door. I suppose.  It wouldn't be too hard to install a cable connection.
 
As you summrised many RV's have a cable inlet (not outlet, inlet, I know they look alot alike but it has to do with the direction of signal, An inlet lets it INTO the RV)

On many of these some prior owner has re-wired the cable for other use and messed it up.  But since you don't have that I won't bother.

You have the following options.

Run a cable in via a door or window or other opening, Often you can sneak in past the plumbing (Check the fresh water side) and do it that way or....

Put in your own inlet

Any RV store will have a bulkhead connector designed to be mounted from the outside, I do not think too highly of many of those but you drill a hole near the TV low enough to reach from the ground outside and run cable both ways from that, A bit of dicor on the backside of the mounting plate and a couple of screws and if your RV is white, looks OEM, if not, touch up paint works .


On a motor home you can even sneak in via existing paths through the firewall if you wish.. Not possible on a trailer.

Or come in over the black tank and up alongside the toilet pipe.
 
Every Rv is a bit different and as Lowell said my Rv has a "cable in" jack inside my power bay. I just hook it there and set the entertainment center switch to cable and I'm ready. You don't need all that though. I Imagine you have some kind of switch for your Tv to go between antenna and sat dish. I would add another switch to the antenna cable you have now. Then run a cable from that to the outside and install a "cable in" jack from home depot. All you really need is a convenient place to hook up the cable from the CG and get it to your Tv. Mine is not but if your Tv is easy to get to the back you could just run another cable and swap them at the back of the Tv when you have CG cable. Just decide which is the easiest and set it up before your next trip.
 
Flat cable is what I used on my RV.  Came in thru the bedroom window then finished it off with Mcgyver tape.  I left the screw connector "OUTSIDE' of the window so that when I have to take rig anywhere, say for tires or repair, it is a simple disconnect and when I come back I just plug it back in. 

Al 
 
Jim Godward said:
Bob,

Some Radio Shacks will have those and many RV stores do too.  Camping world almost always does.

Can't remember where I bought mine, Jim -- it was years ago when I was heavily into tripod satellite internet. It may have been a Walmart in the Goodyear, AZ area.

Have recently had DirecTV install a HD antennae outside my rig. At first they were going thru a window with a flat cable because they said my cable input coax line did not work. I knew that was not the case - and then noticed he had his line tester connected to one of my dome antennae cables by mistake.

 
Here is a source

http://www.installeroasis.com/3-ghz-rg6-flat-coaxial-cable-for-satellite-and-cable-tv/?gclid=COfexbivkLMCFZGPPAod208Ayw[

google: Flat Coax Cable for this one and many more.. That was on page one of the search results, 1.99 it's RG-6 no less (Better cable)

Question: Is flat coax even possible (The word "Coax" is short for "Coaxial" the full name of the cable is not Coax cable but Coaxial cable,,, If ti's coaxial how can it be flat?)    Consider this question a joke please, the rest of the post is fact.
 
We have stayed in two campgrounds and have used the setup on our tv remote to get the cable channels.  Even though the campgrounds advertise at least 60 channels, we only get 5!  What are we doing wrong?  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!
 
I added a cable hookup to mine and it was not real difficult - I put it in an easy place to get to...my TV is near the door and there was access to the battery compartment in the front of the fifth wheel...so ran a cable from the TV location to the front of the trailer and just drilled a hole and stuck the wire out and put a connector on it.

Back in the trailer I put a manual A/B switch from radio shack and hooked the antenna to A and the Cable wire to B - so I can easily switch between the two without having to connect wires....of course I have to "search" with my TV every time, but that is not a big deal.

If and when I get a tailgator which will be soon, I will be able to hook it to the cable hookup and just put the receiver between the B side and the TV! At least that is the plan...

Not a difficult install if you can snake the wires through....

Good Luck.

Jim
 
geniatetreault1 said:
We have stayed in two campgrounds and have used the setup on our tv remote to get the cable channels.  Even though the campgrounds advertise at least 60 channels, we only get 5!  What are we doing wrong?  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!

In line with what Tony said, it depends on your TV. Since you didn't offer any information about your TV, or about how you've tried to get reception, is it a modern, LCD type, or is an older CRT type with a converter? In either case you need to scan for available channels. But most digital TVs have two modes: off the air (or antenna) and cable, and each mode scans and receives different channels, so you may have to switch the TV to cable mode before scanning.

If none of the suggestions help, you'll need to provide more information about what you've done and what you have.
 
geniatetreault1 said:
We have stayed in two campgrounds and have used the setup on our tv remote to get the cable channels.  Even though the campgrounds advertise at least 60 channels, we only get 5!  What are we doing wrong?  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!

Use your remote and hit menu then select set-up and choose cable and scan for channels...then the TV will scan for what channels are available. Mine only takes a couple minutes but before you start the scan you need to make sure it is on "cable" and not over the air.

Good Luck,

Jim
 
geniatetreault1 said:
We have stayed in two campgrounds and have used the setup on our tv remote to get the cable channels.  Even though the campgrounds advertise at least 60 channels, we only get 5!  What are we doing wrong?  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!
If your antenna has a booster the booster has to be off when using cable.
 
On my 2000 georgie-boy the cable connection is inside the electric bay on the wall next to the electric plug. 
 

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