2011 International EXT cable hookup not working

[alozier]

I have tried to troubleshoot this but am at a loss.
I have an external cable hookup on the side of my 2011 30ft International.
There is a jack under the dinette with two cable hookups, sat in / out and a jumper cable connecting them, took the faceplate off and these cables are labelled sat#1 and Sat#2

I have another outlet under the cutout where the tv is located, I have turned the amplifier for the antenna off of course, and get no cable tv.

I tried running a cable from the "sat in" jack under the dinette to the tv directly, still no cable tv.

I tried taking the faceplate under the tv cutout out and see 3 cable hookups (not counting the ext one going to the tv). one cable is labelled Antenna the other 2 not labelled, tried jumping them directly to the tv, no cable tv still...

Antenna works fine to both tv's however.

any clue what I can trouble shoot next?

the cable outside does work

[Silver Goose]

Since you have a late model Airstream, I have to assume you have a flat screen tv... Are you receiving digital tv channels from your antenna? If so, the tv is in digital mode. Find the place in the tv's menus to switch to analog.

The correct configuration to watch from cable is the antenna booster set to off and the short jumper connecting the 2 jacks on the faceplate.

[alozier]

I switched from air to cable and had it auto tune for standard on both analogue and digital cable, still nothing though the bedroom tv gets VERY fuzzy channels the main tv almost nothing.

Almost like something is shorted or something....

Thanks!

Originally Posted by YankeeDoodle

Since you have a late model Airstream, I have to assume you have a flat screen tv... Are you receiving digital tv channels from your antenna? If so, the tv is in digital mode. Find the place in the tv's menus to switch to analog.

[alozier]

Ok found the problem, took the out side plate off and the cable connector on the inside of the plate was not attached to the cable... All fixed now!

[Silver Goose]

I would start with a known working state and a sketch of the cable routing... You may need to obtain a couple RG-6 cables with connectors and an inline connector. Places like Walmart sell ready made ones in 50' lengths. Label or mark your cables as you disconnect any so they won't get mixed up. When disconnecting a cable, look at the connector. The wire in the center should be straight and long enough to make good contact in the female receptacle.

The cable enters the side of the trailer. From there it goes to the jumper under the dinette. From the jumper it goes to the cable port on the booster switch. The booster switch also has connections for the antenna and the 2nd tv. The antenna is connected opposite the 2nd tv with the cable in the middle. The switch must be on for antenna, off for cable.

Let's start by isolating all of that. Bring the cable in through the door and connect it directly to the antenna port on the tv. If your tv is set correctly, the cable is good and the cable source is good you will receive cable channels. If not, connect the cable directly to the 2nd tv to rule out the 1st. If the problem remains, try a different cable. If the failure remains, you should be looking at the cable source.

If the tv works okay when connected directly, it is time to start isolating the internal cabling and the booster switch and any of the connectors. Reconnect the tv to the short cable going to the booster face plate. Since you said you could watch broadcast tv, we will assume this cable is good. Disconnect the internal cable from the cable port on the booster and connect your long cable in its place. With the booster off, you should have cable, with it on, you shouldn't. If you have a problem here disconnect the 2nd tv and antenna and confirm that your cable is on the cable port. If the problem remains, the booster switch is the suspect.

If the tv works with your cable through the booster, you know the switch is good, time to go to the jumper under the dinette. Restore everything at the booster. Remove the jumper. Unless labeled, try your cable on one connector and then the other. You are testing the cable between the jumper plate and the booster. If this doesn't work, the problem is in that cable, hopefully just a bad connector on one end.

If the tv still works, rule out the jumper by using the inline connector to connect your cable to the jumper, and then the jumper to the port that just tested good. If all that works, the only thing left is the cable from the dinette to the outside connector. Go outside and take the connector off and inspect it.

If you know how to use an ohmmeter you could also test each isolated cable for end to end continuity or center conductor to shield short.

If you don't find a problem, connect your cable to the outside connector and check your tv. If it works, you may have had a poor connection that you fixed by reseating that connection.

[Silver Goose]

Ha! You fixed it faster than I could type 😃 glad it turned out to be simple. QC at JC strikes again, guess the dealer wasn't as thorough on their pre delivery as they could have been, but that is one thing they may not routinely check.

[alozier]

Sorry about that!
I just had to look under that plate

sucks about QC for sure... not the first issue I have had


thanks again!

Originally Posted by YankeeDoodle

Ha! You fixed it faster than I could type 😃 glad it turned out to be simple. QC at JC strikes again, guess the dealer wasn't as thorough on their pre delivery as they could have been, but that is one thing they may not routinely check.