Satellite Connection and Operation

[joelm]

I have a 96 Adventurer with cable/satelite input in bay next to drain lines and external shower. When I connect my satelite here I can watch my TV's inside the RV fine. My problem is when I connect my TV at the cable oulet on my outside entertainment center I can get no signal to the tv. I connect my receiver box that same that I do inside, but no signal. Any ideas that might help me with this. I looked in my owner's manual, but found no help. Thanks.

[Skip426]

I'm not sure if this will help, but I'll discribe how my cable system is cabled in.
Cable in; power cord compartment. Then to overhead entertainment center. Hooked to a selector box; where the line splits to front TV & bedroom & outside hook ups ; one output with a splitter somewhere in the roof( haven't found it yet , hope I never have to)
If I have my sat dish hooked to the cable in, then my reciever is hooked up by taking the in put cable off the selector box, to the reciever in-put, then the reciever out back to the selector box. . Then pushing cable buttons on the box for main TV or bedroom/outside puts the reciever out to those TV's.
Do you have a selector box, or anywhere that one may have been removed?
If you hook to park cable do you get cable signal to the outside hook up?
I ask this because some older splitters are not rated for sat signal.

[Scarab0088]

Need more info...is there a Switch box?...Do your TV's work with the bat wing (broadcast TV) or park cable...is the only problem with the exterior TV?

But here is what we know...There is a good connection from your SAT Dish to your SAT receiver -> and a good connection from your SAT receiver to your interior TV's.

The flow of TV signal on a coaxial cable is really simple (unlike HDMI cables and such) just like a water hose, if there is a connection the signal should flow.

[joelm]

I have no switch box, but I have connected coax in my overhead cabinet where the switch box would be in such a way that I can watch my HD TV and my main cabin and bedroom TVs at once. My only problem is when connecting to my outside output connector, I get no signal. Somewhere between my overhead cabinet where my coax comes into my cabin and my outside connection I am loosing the signal. I don't remember if I have ever used this connector while using camp cable. I have used camp cable for inside with same results that I have already mentioned.

[what next]

I am having about the same problem. I have yet to find the splitter that driects signal to outside bay. The way I understand it you must use Satellite Diplexer: Signal Combiner and Splitter to get sat signal through. I get around it by sending signal through audio video cables

[ernieh]

I don't understand what signal you are trying to split. Is it the signal into the sat receiver or the signal out? If it's the signal in, it won't pass through a regular tv splitter.

Most Winnebago coaches split the signal to the rear TV for the outside bay connection. On my previous coach, that splitter was located behind the bedroom TV.

[John Hilley]

The splitter may be in the Outside Entertainment Center, it is in my 1999 Brave 35C. My access was under sink from inside. Some take it out to improve signal at bedroom TV.

[joelm]

I connect my satelite coax to the input in my utility bay and get a signal to my auxilary cable in my inside cabinet. I then run my auxilary cable to my satelite receiver box. Then I split the coax with a TV splitter to my 2 inside TVs. I can run an HDMI cable to my portable HD TV. My problem is, why is the signal not getting to my outside entertainment center. When I connect my satelite receiver to my cable out in my entertainment center and then on to my TV, I get no signal.

[wa8yxm]

Ok question: There are two common types of TV-Source switches in motor homes and trailers.
One is a wall plate, it has a 12 volt outlet, an Antenna connection, a switch and a LED.

This is NOT the antenna booster (Though the switch is often thought of as the booster switch) it is a combination device,

It is the Source (Cable/Antenna) selector, and it is the power supply for the booster. AND it is the splitter that sends the signal to 2 or 3 televisons (There are multiple cable connections on it's backside.

The other is a BOMB, Box of Many Buttons, and I should not need to explain this device to you. But it has groups of buttons.

TV-1, VCR, TV 2 TV 3

And in each group (Save no VCR button in the VCR group) it has buttons

DVD, SAT, VCR, ANT, CABLE, AUX

The outside tv is TV-3.

[joelm]

I have all the cables that should connect to my BOMD, but no BOMD, so I have to connect the proper cables into my receiver box and then run cable from my box to my TV cables. I have everything working except my outside TV.

[wa8yxm]

Ok, in that case the outside TV has it's own cable to the box of many buttons. It may be marked TV-3 or Outside TV or not marked, if it's not marked then tone it out or use resistance measurements to find it.

You can put a common 2 or 3 or 4 way splitter (put a termination resistor on the 4th port) if you don't wish to put in the box of many buttons.

If you do not have the box I would recommend the following.

If you plan on using OVER THE AIR antenna, get a Sensar PRO and install it, this will provide power to the rooftop unit just like the BOMB did.

Visit a top end video store and they have switches that will do everything else.

If you plan on playing DVD's you may need a modulator. for the remote TV's. same store.

[Scarab0088]

I'm confused (as I am sure, so is the OP).

What we already know - the exterior jack has a good connection to the entertainment ctr., and the interior TV's have a good connection to the entertainment ctr., BUT I haven't read anything about the path of the coax from the exterior TV to the entertainment ctr.

That's what the focus needs to be...It would be best if the exterior TV has it's own cable run to the entertainment ctr, but it seems like the inside "end" of that coax is missing in action(?) My comment below...

Originally Posted by joelm

I connect my satelite coax to the input in my utility bay and get a signal to my auxilary cable in my inside cabinet. GOOD! I then run my auxilary cable to my satelite receiver box. GOOD! Then I split the coax with a TV splitter to my 2 inside TVs. OK - GOOD - but what about the connection to the exterior TV I can run an HDMI cable to my portable HD TV. OK, But let's not confuse the issue. My problem is, why is the signal not getting to my outside entertainment center. Where is the inside end of the exterior TV cable? When I connect my satelite receiver to my cable out in my entertainment center <-What cable is this? and then on to my TV, I get no signal.

Originally Posted by joelm

I have all the cables that should connect to my BOMD, but no BOMD, You mean BoxOfManyButtons, right? so I have to connect the proper cables into my receiver box and then run cable from my box to my TV cables. OK - GOOD! I have everything working except my outside TV. We'll figure it out

Leolm, Find the end of the cable that leads to the exterior TV and test it...it's a simple as touching a key across the pin and shield nut, looking for static on the TV...if it works then you're good - connect that coax to the TV system. If not, then you know where the problem is.

[grtharris]

Looking at the wiring diagrams there is a splitter in the line going to the exterior entertainment center.
You cannot pass the satellite antenna signal through a normal TV splitter.
Try sending a composite video signal through the cable to a TV, like ch. 3 or 4 from a DVD player.

[YC1]

Leave your satellite box in the cabinet where it is running the two televisions. Find the RF out jack on the back. It might have a selectable switch for ch3 or 4. Connect the outside tv cable to that. Connect the outside cable to the RF input of the tv and set it for ch 3 or 4. I know, can't change channels that way but there is a very easy way to accomplish that.

OR. Crank up your roof antenna, connect the coax to the panel it is supposed to go to and turn the little switch on so it powers the antenna. Hook your outside tv up to the RF input on the back and search for channels. If you get channels you have shown the coax system is good. However going back and trying to send satellite dish signal through that coax is probably not working as mentioned due to a splitter hidden somewhere.

If you do have a multimeter you can use in in the voltage mode. DC position and measure between the center and outside shield of the coax that goes to the dish itself. There should be 13-17 volts there. Now put your sat box outside as you are trying to do, and see if you have voltage in the inside cabinet coming from the box. If no voltage a splitter is eating it.

[joelm]

You have given me a couple of good places to look for a solution. I will try them later today and let you know what I come up with. Thanks as always for your help.

[joelm]

Thanks for all the advice. I will try again later today and will report results after that. This is a great place for RV education.

[joelm]

Sorry, guys, I didn't make it home in time to work with RV last night. Won't have time again till weekend..

Thanks