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Old 10-25-2016, 06:51 PM   #1
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How to get cable TV to work on Berk 34QS.

I'm at a campground that has cable, which is supposed to be unscrambled. I hooked the campground coax jack to the jack in my electrical bay, but I don't get any cable channels, both when I set the Jensen TVs to scan either cable or air.

Underneath my main TV with the HDMI switch there are two cable jacks with nothing connected. One has a push button switch with a green light that is on. It says TV on and off.

In case it needs a jumper between the jacks, I've installed one, and there is no difference with it on or off.

Right now, I have the power to the TV antenna off, but when it is on, all the TVs successfully get signals over the air.

Any help is appreciated.

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2015 Berkshire 34QS
2005 Acura EL aka Honda Civic
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Old 10-25-2016, 07:18 PM   #2
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You have to make sure green light is OFF for cable and set the TV settings from antenna to cable and then scan for channels. The TV setting are hard to find on some TV's
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Old 10-25-2016, 08:37 PM   #3
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Yep the green light is for over-the-air tv antenna signal, NOT for cable.
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Old 10-25-2016, 08:44 PM   #4
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Bill,
Thanks for the speedy reply. Turning the TV light off is counterintuitive, so I never tried it.
Should I run a jumper between the terminal that has the TV light and the other terminal under the TV? I guess that labelling things at the factory is expensive.

I tried both (jumper and none) and couldn't get the cable to work. The campground operator says there are some cable problems, so that might explain things. But it would be nice to get this to work properly for when the campground has no problems.

BTW, I have tried both cable and OTA settings for the TV in this experiment.

People may wonder why I've gone a year and a half without the cable working. The answer is partly that we usually aren't at parks with cable and partly that so many cable operators require a box to decode now.

We often enjoy OTA TV.


2015 Berkshire 34QS
2005 Acura EL aka Honda Civic
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The Manual I wrote for our 34QS:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2579202
Toad: 2019 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4; Formerly: 2005 Acura EL (aka Honda Civic)
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Old 10-26-2016, 06:24 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gordonsick View Post
I'm at a campground that has cable, which is supposed to be unscrambled. I hooked the campground coax jack to the jack in my electrical bay, but I don't get any cable channels, both when I set the Jensen TVs to scan either cable or air.

Underneath my main TV with the HDMI switch there are two cable jacks with nothing connected. One has a push button switch with a green light that is on. It says TV on and off.

In case it needs a jumper between the jacks, I've installed one, and there is no difference with it on or off.

Right now, I have the power to the TV antenna off, but when it is on, all the TVs successfully get signals over the air.

Any help is appreciated.

Attachment 123892Attachment 123893


2015 Berkshire 34QS
2005 Acura EL aka Honda Civic
If you have not gotten it going by now here is how mine works.

1.The jack with the green light is for the roof top TV antenna. Turn it off if you are using the campground cable. You then have to scan on the tv the cable channels.

2. Remove all the jumpers that you have connected.

3. The other TV jack is a pre wire for a Sat TV antenna, in my case I have a sat tv antenna. When I purchased my sat TV receiver box, you then install a jumper from that jack to the receiver for your sat TV.
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Old 10-26-2016, 07:31 AM   #6
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I also turn the switch on the antenna itself on. That may be listed here, but I didn't notice it.
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Old 10-26-2016, 05:45 PM   #7
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I believe the Berkshire and Legacy are close in how they are made. My Legacy has a switch box in one of the front overhead compartments to switch between cable, antennae, and dvd. If you use the cable hookup, you need to select what source you want for each tv.
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Old 10-26-2016, 06:53 PM   #8
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Thanks to everyone for the helpful responses. Joe and Kathy have a particularly comprehensive response that I will save.

I'm at another campground now that doesn't have cable, but the OTA works well. I suspect that my earlier campground had a problem with its setup, as the owner suggested.
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The Manual I wrote for our 34QS:
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Old 10-28-2016, 08:28 PM   #9
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Just to be sure, run coax from the campground's cable connection through a window or under a slide and connect it directly to the coax input on the TV. Then you'll know whether the problem is in the coach or not (and whether the campground's cable is working).
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Old 11-04-2016, 08:22 AM   #10
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I got to another park with cable, and followed up with Helferdm's suggestion.

When connecting the cable directly to the LR TV, I get lots of clear digital channels. But when I feed through the connection in the electrical bay, or any of the connections below the TV, I get a weak snowy signal that seems like the old weak analog signals we would get in the days before digital TV. This differs from the look of a weak digital signal over the antenna. The weak digital signal breaks up in jagged blocks, rather than giving smooth snow.

I suspect that FR installed a weak or faulty splitter. Does anybody know where they install the splitter?

Gordon


2015 Berkshire 34QS
2005 Acura EL aka Honda Civic
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2015 Berkshire 34QS
The Manual I wrote for our 34QS:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2579202
Toad: 2019 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4; Formerly: 2005 Acura EL (aka Honda Civic)
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Old 11-04-2016, 08:32 AM   #11
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Gordon my splitter is located in the same cupboard that the DVD player is. I also have a bad splitter and will replace mine. I have a 2011 and it is easy to find.



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Old 11-04-2016, 08:41 AM   #12
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Gordon,
Are you using a cable from the antenna wall plate to the TV when at a park with cable?

The correct connection would be... connect park cable to outside coax jack (or jack in your electrical bay) marked cable. Then connect a jumper between the inside wall plate (the one with the switch and indicator light but with the switch turned off) and your television.

A splitter is built into the wall plate and typically feeds a second TV. For the main TV it switches from antenna (when switch is on) to the outside cable port. (when switch is off)
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Old 11-04-2016, 09:21 AM   #13
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Gordon,
My 2016 34QS has a splitter located on wall next to fireplace. Not sure what this splitter does. To reach it would require removing fireplace. I got clear picture connecting coax in elec. bay with switch turned off.
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Old 11-04-2016, 10:09 AM   #14
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Phil and 5picker,
Thanks for the quick advice.

This morning I ran a jumper to the TV from the connector with the switch and got a great signal. Then I wired the TV in normally and got a great signal. Then I checked my other TV and got a good signal.

Conclusion: it all works as users have described. I must have had bad cable service last night and at the previous park!

Phil, my splitter must be hidden in a false wall that holds the connecting boxes. I see screws that allow me to remove it. But I've got to hit the road now.

Gordon


2015 Berkshire 34QS
2005 Acura EL aka Honda Civic
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2015 Berkshire 34QS
The Manual I wrote for our 34QS:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2579202
Toad: 2019 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4; Formerly: 2005 Acura EL (aka Honda Civic)
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