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Topic: TV antenna. From over air to cable (Read 22 times) previous topic - next topic
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TV antenna. From over air to cable
Yahoo Message Number: 159427
G'day everyone.

This is my first time staying in an RV park and I have cable TV available.
When I hooked up the cable it comes in but is very distorted. I know on some RV's there is a switch to turn from the roof antenna to cable but on my 96 FL I only have a switch that boosts the antenna signal, at least I can't find another switch.

Does anyone know if my vintage LD had a separate switch, and if so where it might be hiding.

Looking in the manual I don't see anything to guide me.

Thanks.

Jota
Jota
96 23.5 FL
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159428
Keeping the amplifier off is cable. No light. Then you have to set the TV for cable.
Harry 2006RB
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159429
Thanks.
I am using a TV tuner on my laptop to watch TV. Don't think that matters though.
Jota
96 23.5 FL
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159442
Most parks provide analog cable only, since many sets do not receive digital cable (QAM) signals. Does your TV tuner accept analog cable channels? If it works fine using the TV antenna with digital OTA signals, then it likely has problems with analog signals. All TVs now have both analog and digital tuners, and most also have QAM tuners for digital cable - some with a cable-card slot.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159443
My TV tuner only has ATSC, cable or NTSC for options, so I don't think it is analog cable.
Oh well. my team lost in the NCAA tournament already so I don't have to worry about it now.

Thanks.

Jota
Jota
96 23.5 FL
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159449
I am assuming your switch for antenna vs cable was in the right position? Green glow is for antenna, no glow for cable. No booster. We traveled ancient rv parks in the east with our laptop as the tv, then eventually due to a laptop breakdown, a cheap new tv. The only time we have problems with the tv signal was when a. The parks never have nbc, our favorite station, or b. The antenna is not rotated to the right position when we do get nbc or any other station.or c. There is no signal strong enough for the antenna to get anything except static or d. The cable is of poor quality. You might find other reasons over time. We bought a pathfinder portable satellite and forget about the antenna/cable! Sandy 96 TK Vermont
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159458
The only switch I can find is on the antenna connection and it is the red light for the booster.
I have not found another switch that would change from antenna to cable on my 96 FL.
Do you know where this switch is on my floor plan?
Jota
96 23.5 FL
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159459
Jota,

On my '05 MB the switch is activated by a button which does both functions at the same time. Turn off the booster and switch to cable at the same time. I'd be surprised if yours was different.

Alex Rutchka, SE #4
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159460
There probably isn't another one. Turn the light off and you are on cable. It is possible that the switch has failed (it did on mine. 2006) You will need a VOM meter and the knowledge to use it to go further.
Harry 2006RB
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159461
"The only switch I can find is on the antenna connection and it is the red light for the booster."

There have been more than one type of setup over the years. Our '83 has a small slide switch next to the light. It simply turns the booster on, and there was no external hookup for cable. Our '04 has a small pushbutton switch, which also turns on the light, but when off, the jack is re-routed to the external cable jack.

In either case, the booster only works with the Winegard antenna, and the antenna will not work properly, or at all, with the booster off. Anyway, if your switch is a slide switch, then you likely have another jack for cable, if there is an outside connection. If a pushbutton switch, then you use the same jack and the light must be off.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159463
For what it's worth, in my 2003 rig there was a slide switch with three coaxial cables attached (two in, one out) hidden in an upper cupboard near where the TV was mounted. It was used to switch between the rooftop TV antenna and the cable-TV input on the side of the rig.

This was entirely independent of the antenna booster switch. It was the type of cheap, unpowered coax slide switch that used to be included with video games that had RF outputs, with switch positions usually labeled "TV----GAME" or similar. Being unpowered, the switch had no indicator lights.

I'd suggest opening up nearby cabinets and looking in the back of each one.

Andy Baird
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: TV antenna. From over air to cable
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 159468
I have the same set up that Andy described with one exception. The slide switch on my 2003 mid-bath is used to select between the roof top satellite dish or the roof top over-the-air antenna. The only thing required to watch cable after selecting the tv antenna input is to turn off the amplifier.

Pete