Satellite will not work through rig

[bayoubelle]

I have tried every connection possible and can't get a satellite signal when my dish is connected outside. I connected directly to the box and it worked.

Above the door there are two coaxial connectors. One has a wire connected, I am assuming this is feeding cable and antenna. I am using the red, white yellow connectors for output to tv, and ran a coaxial to connector above the stereo system.

Any help would be appreciated

[doc73]

I do not know what satelite unit you are using but many splitters in the cable hook up do not allow the power to be passed through for the tailgator type units. In out TT the connections were not even connected in the ceiling. When I did hook them up I left the splitter off the satellite side so it was directly hooked to the coax running to the side connection of the trailer.

[bayoubelle]

It's an old DirectTv box and 18" round dish. We have a 2017 Sunseeker. I wouldn't even know where to look at the wiring. It's frustrating, they tell you it's satellite ready and then wire it incorrectly,

[dieselguy]

Among other things ... make sure your roof antenna booster is turned off if you try to use your satellite. Many times your SAT antenna wire isn't isolated from the 12 VDC booster as it should be. Some portable antennas are cable length sensitive as in around 30' max. If you have a 50' roll outside and add another couple dozen feet of routing inside your RV ... it just won't feed the signal.

[bayoubelle]

The distance could have been an issue, but can't test that till we get on the road. We are rural and trees are a problem, we had to use 75ft cable to find an open site.

[sgtlm17]

Are you connecting the sat dish to the sat wire on the roof? Also the sat wire inside is separate from the connection with the OTA power booster.

[Steve-W]

The sat ready connector is on the roof expected to be used for a permanently mounted dish (there is also a backer in the roof structure to support the dish). Most likely present in front of the mid coach vent fan. That coax goes directly to a plate usually where your house radio is near the booster amp plate. Many times the plate also has a HDMI connector on it that goes to the front TV.

The coax on the outside (drivers side) is for campground cable. That coax routes to the booster amp plate and is connected to all of the TV’s when the booster amp is off (led off).

The coax in the coach is RG6 and will support sat connections with no issue when connected properly.
You could reconfigure the campground cable connector by disconnecting it from the booster amp plate and routing it directly to your sat box. It is a home run cable and will not have any spliters inline.

You may also have a coax connector on the passenger side if you do not have a outside TV. If so that connector can not be used for sat as it is a output from the booster amp plate and does have a inline splitter which also feeds the bedroom TV.

From your explanation of what you did it should work if you connected your sat dish to the roof connector. You did not say specifically where you connected it outside, my guess is the campground cable connector. That will not work in the factory wiring configuration.

Most likey your coach is wired correctly you just need to understand how it is wired. Unfortunately FR does not provide much documention on this and most dealers are clueless.

[bayoubelle]

On the roof? This is my first motorhome, so I didn't think about connecting on the roof. Why would they put it up there, to lock you in on permanent dish. I always carry a portable.

I am using the plate above the stereo system with the coaxial and hdmi connector.

I guess I will get on the roof and look, if thats so I won't be carrying my satellite, my DH isn't going to want to climb up there every time.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by bayoubelle

On the roof? This is my first motorhome, so I didn't think about connecting on the roof. Why would they put it up there, to lock you in on permanent dish. I always carry a portable.

I am using the plate above the stereo system with the coaxial and hdmi connector.

I guess I will get on the roof and look, if thats so I won't be carrying my satellite, my DH isn't going to want to climb up there every time.

Yes... on the roof.
Many motorhome's satellite connection is on the roof as there are permanent mount dishes that can be installed which track the satellites so you can watch TV as you drive down the road.

Should you decide a roof mounted dish isn't something you want, don't leave your current set-up at home. It still can be used with a cable that runs through a door, window or slide out seal... or you could add a separate connector to the exterior and run a new cable inside that way. Many here have reported doing this very thing.

[bayoubelle]

. Not sure if the picture worked, but I found a little black cap right in front of the forward vent, that is halfway caulked down. I’m afraid to start yanking.

[Steve-W]

Yup thats it, the black rubber piece you see is a cover over the "F" connector. It wont take much effort to flip it off, it does have a short tether on it. Just work it loose from the sealant by wiggling it a bit.
This is what the port looked like before a pound of sealant was applied. Of course yours is black in color.

[lmiken]

My outside connector for the satellite to receiver did not work either. I thought it was a splitter but when I checked the connections, it turned out they were not tightened down. They were just started on the threads. I tightened them down and it started working. (No splitter was on the satellite cable). Both ends, one on the outside of the TT and one on the inside by the TV. Check all of the connections because none of mine were screwed down (TV antenna, cable, and satellite connectors)

[bayoubelle]

Ok called my dealer, that’s it. It worked. Thanks for the help. Now to figure out how to connect the box to tv. It is old and no hdmi plug, I use red, white, yellow cord.

[Steve-W]

Even more fun now. If your TV can accept analog signals through the HDMI port then you use a adapter cable, about $10.
If it can only accept a digital signal via the HDMI port than you will need a composite to HDMI adapter, probably around $50.

The signal that your current sat box outputs is known as a composite signal (3 connectors Y= video, W= left audio, R= right audio). Do not confuse it with a component output signal (5 connectors).

Other option is to find a way to get the composite cable routed to the TV.
Or upgrade sat the system.
Nothing’s ever simple.

[bayoubelle]

I am going to look for an adapter cord, if that doesn’t work I can always drill a hole. My tv is right next to my cabinet.

Don’t want to upgrade, I would have to put a dish on top of the RV. Then DirectTV will probably want to charge me a bundle.

[Steve-W]

Sounds like a good plan.

Here is a cable.

Composite to HDMI cable

Apparenty prices on composite to HDMI converters have dropped since I last looked.

Composite to HDMI converter

Good luck.

[jovett]

Originally Posted by bayoubelle

I have tried every connection possible and can't get a satellite signal when my dish is connected outside. I connected directly to the box and it worked.

Above the door there are two coaxial connectors. One has a wire connected, I am assuming this is feeding cable and antenna. I am using the red, white yellow connectors for output to tv, and ran a coaxial to connector above the stereo system.

Any help would be appreciated

The sat. requires a coax. connection that runs from you're receiver directly to the sat. most trailers will not let power run back to the sat. Some have a U shaped coax. jumper that can be disconnected at one of the connections. One of these will run from the outside plug on the trailer. Once you find which one of these is the one going to that point where the U shaped jumper was connected you'll know that is the one that you can hook up a coax to and run that coax to you're receiver. Then a connection will be connected to the tv from the receiver, then all that should need to be done is set up for sat. input. When you want to use a cable hook up the U shaped jumper will need to be reattached, What I did on mine so I wouldn't have to unhook that U shaped jumper, I put in another external plug to be used for the sat. connection this way I never have to miss with the jumper.

[markb422]

I use a Directv 18" round dish and a standard def. receiver. I use the dish, portable, with a 50' spool of coax which gives me a lot of flexibility in where we park. In Michigan I generally get signals in the 90's. I installed a second coax connector on the outside of the MH where dinette bench is so I can run the coax in under the seat and up the wall next to the window and directly to the receiver. It is hidden so you do not see the coax. Not sure where your receiver is located but for me it was very easy to install.
I use the composite connection. Most tv's now do not have yellow, red, white. You use the red white for audio and the green composite which should be marked green/yellow or G/Y for video. No need for an adapter. For the standard def signal, (480P) all you need is your yellow, red, white.

[bayoubelle]

Our set up is the tv over the kitchen counter right next to the door. I can't see any way to bring a cord in without leaving a door or window open and no place to hide the cable.

Everyone has some great ideas about running cable, like a U shaped coax jumper, which I have absolutely no clue what that is.

We will just keep connecting on roof until my husband gets tired of climbing up there, then we will consider running a cord along the roof and down thru the awning arm. We have an outdoor TV, but can't see a way to get behind it to run a wire.

Thanks so much for all the helpful ideas. Without you guys we would have never figured it out. Our dealer wasn't helpful at all.

[jovett]

Originally Posted by bayoubelle

Our set up is the tv over the kitchen counter right next to the door. I can't see any way to bring a cord in without leaving a door or window open and no place to hide the cable.

Everyone has some great ideas about running cable, like a U shaped coax jumper, which I have absolutely no clue what that is.

We will just keep connecting on roof until my husband gets tired of climbing up there, then we will consider running a cord along the roof and down thru the awning arm. We have an outdoor TV, but can't see a way to get behind it to run a wire.

Thanks so much for all the helpful ideas. Without you guys we would have never figured it out. Our dealer wasn't helpful at all.

What I did was I added a new external coax connection in the wall close to the tv. This way I use the new connection for my sat. hookup. This way for any other cable connections at a park I just use the connections the trailer came with. When hooked up direct for sat. you just need to change the input to sat. jovett