How To Install HD TV Cable Box Inside our AS?

[cbrittan]

We are preparing to assist a local XFinity Cable Digital TV installer bring a cable TV "set top Box" inside our new 2016 30' AS International Serenity.

There is no information respecting this device configuration in the AS Owners Manual.

We have the usual external cable/sat "outside the wall" input device which delivers it's signal(s) somewhere inside our unit to a location apparently not accessible to us.

We expect our installer to arrive with the cable TV "set top box" however, we will not be able to show him where to receive the input signal from the "outside the wall" device nor will he be able to insert the digital set top box output signal into the dual TV signal system without access to the inside arriving signal via the outside the wall device which is hidden from us.

In the past few days we discovered the HD DVD player was not plugged in, and not connected to either TV as the HDMI cable and it's powered "doubler" also not plugged in, were present but not connected to the DVD player. We have corrected this problem ourselves and determined that the HDMI doubler does deliver the DVD signal to both TV's.

This does not lead us to a method to introduce the set top box into the TV system.

We did locate a pigtail cable marked "sat" beside the DVD player and assume if it is actually connected to the "outside the wall" device, this would directly carry a signal from a satellite receiver which could then be routed to both TV's via the HDMI doubler.

Where is the "inside the wall" cable TV access? Cable TV set top boxes require both an input and an output access point to reach the TV's. Where is the input/output point that I can direct the installer to?

It looks to me like AS engineers see the cable TV set top box as being located outside the AS itself with the signal entering from the "outside the wall" device. If so, this is simply not practical and fails our needs miserably.

Please help me understand this problem and what I should do so I can have the set top box actually inside my new AS.

Thanks!

[AWCHIEF]

Honestly I only understood about half your post. Most of the boxes I have seen are simply sitting on available counter space with wiring connected inline as required.

[Tater]

Not familiar with Xfinity but on our Dish set up we used a flat coax cable and routed it through the bottom of the window and closed the window. This then requires a coax to run up to the Dish receiver which then connects to the HDMI splitter (We installed a different HDMI splitter). We have been considering wireless HDMI but don't know enough about the technology (The HDMI to our larger TV has broken). IT will be a winter project to try to run a new cable or go HDMI wireless. But, on your coax you can run it through a window if needed with the flat coax cables. Dish furnished mine.

[Jim & Susan]

Subscribing. Want to see how this turns out.

Larry the Cable Guy should have a device that allows him to trace the wiring inside the camper, BUT, I have no idea how that wiring actually works inside a new Airstream (it matters).

Hopefully, somebody that owns a newer Airstream has tackled this before and will chime in here.

Jim

[rogerdog1]

Xfinity is normally used for permanent installations, such as in a home. If you travel, you would want a DIRECTV or DISH satellite, and receiver, which you would orient toward 3 satellites (in earth's orbit). Piece of cake, if you choose a motorized one that finds the satellites for you. You should be able to find lots of info on these, on this forum, and online.

[greghoro]

I wondered about this and came up with the following thoughts. Note, I do not have a satellite system installed and have a slightly older and different model, so what you have may not be the same as what I observed. But hopefully this may be helpful information to discuss with your installer.

On the outside of your trailer, there is a covered receptacle with TV antenna/cable coaxial cable F connectors. One is labeled SAT and the other CABLE. The one labeled CABLE goes to the antenna booster near your front TV, where the antenna cable is connected and is activated when you turn off the booster. The cable labeled SAT goes to the area under(?) the DVD player, the pigtail you are referring to. It is in this area where the satellite box is expected to be installed and the pigtail is used for the input to the satellite box from your cable antenna sitting outside. You may need to have the installer provide you with a remote IR (infrared) detector so your satellite box remote can work with satellite box if it is installed under the DVD player and is not visible due to the DVD fascia.

So, now you have to get the satellite box signal to the TV, which is where it gets hazy. Making the assumption that Airstream did not intend for you to run a new cable from the satellite box to each TV, you have to rely on the one that is there, which is the HDMI cable that goes from the DVD player to the TV. But it’s not that simple, since there is a 1x2 splitter (one input, two outputs) between the DVD player and the TV, which allows both TV’s to watch the DVD player at the same time.

One guess is that Airstream intended that the satellite box which is to be installed has two inputs; an F connector from the pigtail to provide the cable antenna signal to the satellite box and an HDMI input from the DVD player, relying on the satellite box to switch between the two inputs. The HDMI output from the Satellite box then goes to the splitter, which then feeds the two TV’s. In this scenario, both TV’s must either watch Satellite or DVD, since the one HDMI cable from the front can only carry one signal.

Another option would be to replace the 1x2 splitter with a 2x2 splitter; two HDMI inputs (Satellite box and DVD player) and two HDMI outputs (the existing HDMI cables going to the two TV’s). You would need a 2x2 splitter that is switchable to allow each TV to independently watch either of the two inputs. Again, a remote IR sensor would be needed to control the 2x2 splitter in the area under the DVD player.

Hope this helps

Greg

[ghaynes755]

As Greg says, inside cable will be in/under/behind the blu-ray player. Player is held in place with industrial hook/loop. Gently pry it up and slide it out and see if you can find the cable. It should have an SAT label. If you still can't see it most of the blu-ray cabinets can be removed with a couple of screws.

Depending on your setup you will also find an HDMI splitter in the same space. In my Classic I replaced the one that came with the Classic with one with more inputs. I set it on top of the blu-ray cabinet, placed a DISH Wally on top of that. Good to go.

'Cable' TV connection I think goes directly to over the antenna converter if I remember correctly. The on/off switch changes between cable and OTR. From there the cable goes to the back of the TV's. You probably found that there is a SAT and Cable connection on the outside of the trailer. So inside Cable goes to the OTR switch and SAT goes to where you found it.

[cazual6]

I just took mine to the dealer and said "do this for me" I paid, done.

[cbrittan]

Thanks to each of you.

So as I understand it, it might be best to install the XFINITY HD TV Box up in the overhead cabinet along with the existing VCR and use the SAT cable from the "outside the wall" input device to provide the required signal for the TV Box. I do not use a SAT system anyway, so the SAT cable is just waiting for a job.

Getting the HDTV signal output from it's Box up in the overhead cabinet to our TV's should be simple using the HDMI cable from the VCR and it's powered doubler. This will provide the same HDTV signal to both TV's unless one or the other is using TV signals from over the air.

Using the VCR in this configuration requires disconnecting the HDTV cable from the HDTV and connecting it to the VCR.

Thanks to your suggestions, I searched the internet and learned there are lots of HDMI devices that can allow the choice of multiple HDMI inputs/outputs. In my case, I have three outputs - Apple TV, VCR and HDTV Box.

Thank you all for your comments which caused me to further search for simple solutions. Nobody wants to drill holes or run cables outside or inside an AS.

All of this assumes the SAT cable is capable of carrying the raw cable TV signal from outside. If you know otherwise, please tell me as failing it's use for TV instead of SAT signals will trash this solution.

Now, ideas as to inserting a WIFI router into this configuration would be appreciated.

[AStreamNerds]

The RG6 cabling for SAT and CATV are fine for what you are trying to do. As you said you can get a HDMI switch that will give you easy access to switch between your three devices but you can also get one that will allow you to send one device to one screen and one device to the other. Search for HDMI 4x2 matrix switch.

[cbrittan]

Good to know.

Thanks all for your advice!

[rogerdog1]

Again, I have XFINITY in my home, but I can't see how it would be practical in a travel trailer, unless you are permanently anchored to a location that provides XFINITY cable TV. I'm probably not understanding your usage, but just didn't want to see you make a mistake. The cable provided at RV parks doesn't normally transmit the correct signal to go to an XFINITY box. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

[CDONA]

^^ My travels with Direct TV will get me the same channels every time.
Cable @ RV parks usually have a small number of channels, mostly local, no cable box.
This system is usually overloaded for the signal you get, grainy & jumpy.
OTA signals have been cleaner, clearer, than cable but no cable channels like History, & home shopping.
If you are trying to use just Xfinity, highly unlikely you will find it on the road.

[paiceman]

I like others don't see the point of your efforts, unless you are going to be in one place for a long period of time. Campgrounds that provide cable do so thru their own provider or a sat service and wire it to your site. In this case you simply connect to the box and the trailer on the side of the trailer, turn off the green button switch on the wall for the antenna and you are done.

We have a Traveler Sat on our AS and again like those prior mentioned we use a multi HDMI splitter and select the sat connection and once a sat is found we are good to go. We can watch cable, local antenna or sat all while sitting at a site just by changing some switches on the HDMI splitter

All has to go thru the splitter OR disconnect and connect each time a different provider is used.

[cbrittan]

Well, it didn't occur to me to explain why I need to set up for XFinity TV and internet.

We live 6 months summer in Ontario and 6 months winter here in N Fort Myers. This park does not supply cable. Here we do have OTA TV all usual networks but no cable so no networks like CNN. XFinity is one of several CATV and Internet suppliers that service this park on a monthly basis. We use XFinity as a simple matter of cost and preference which means we need to deal with the service providers HDTV Box and the usual router which supplies fast internet unlimited download for our TV's, Apple TV, MagicJack telephone using our local home phone number at no cost for calls either way anytime.

We are not new to RV'ing, this being our 21st year with long distance winter travel and our 2nd winter with AS. I asked for advice from this forum as this is our first winter with this particular model AS and the first time for cable/internet install.

Again, our thanks for your assistance.....!

[Jim & Susan]

Did Larry show up yet? I suspected you would be there for several months, thus the need. Keep in mind that the router/Wifi and the Set Top Box need to "breathe" a little because they are basically always on. If you mount them in a cabinet, might be best to keep the doors open. Keep an eye on the amount of heat they generate, in other words.

You probably all know this part, but park CATV wiring is sometimes terrible. May affect your viewing and surfing. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Jim