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Old 08-15-2016, 03:55 PM   #1
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Any way to test cable TV connections?

I've seen several people on here that have had problems when connecting to cable TV. Since my camper likes to have the common problems others have had I was wondering if there's a way to test the connections w/o having cable TV at home? I have CenturyLink PrismTV which is DSL-based and every TV requires a box like DirecTV so I don't think I can use that to test. Any other way to test or just wait until next week when the CG we're at has cable?
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Old 08-15-2016, 04:11 PM   #2
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You can buy a coax tester... There are all kinds and start at about 10.00.

coax tester | eBay


A lot of us have thought that their cable wasn't working in the RV, and then realized that we hadn't pushed the little button that turns the antenna amplifier on and off... sigh.
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Old 08-15-2016, 04:21 PM   #3
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A continuity test with a multi-meter works too.
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Old 08-15-2016, 06:37 PM   #4
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A continuity test with a multi-meter works too.


How do you do this - I have a multimeter
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Old 08-15-2016, 07:40 PM   #5
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I always have a 25-foot RG cable handy and when things are doing right I just connect up using my own cable and hook it directly to my TV for a test.

Yes I too i have been caught by the OTA antenna push button being engaged. We normally use our roof TV antenna most of the time it is easy to forget about the TV WALL Plate push button haha... When ON it does inhibit the cable TV connection...

I use my second 25-foot RG cable for cable TV hookups at the camp grounds all the time. Usually when hooking up to the camp ground pedestal I use my two port TV splitter and one RG cable goes to the CABLE TV connection on my POPUP and the second RG cable gets throwed under the trailer. Then we can use this sitting around the camp fire and watch some TV outside.

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Old 08-16-2016, 09:43 AM   #6
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To test with a multi-meter you are doing and end-to-end test on the cable being tested. If it's the entire length from source at campground to TV you are testing then disconnect the end at the TV and at the source and bring the ends together so you can test.

- Set your multi-meter to continuity test (or resistance test if it doesn't have a continuity test)
- Touch the leads together to ensure calibration. It should beep on continuity or read 0 ohms if using the resistance test

1. Test the center conductor by putting one lead on each end of the center pin. Make sure you are touching only the center pin and not the side of the connector. There should be continuity and very low resistance

2. Test the shell by putting one lead on the outer side of the metal connector on each end and ensuring continuity/very low resistance

If either test 1 or 2 fail then there is a break somewhere.

3. Test for a short in the cable by putting a lead on the center pin on end 1 and test for continuity to the shell on end 1 and the shell on end 2 by touching the other lead to the outer side of the metal connectors. You should get no continuity/very high resistance. Repeat with the pin on end 2 to connector on each end. If this test fails there is a short.
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Old 08-16-2016, 09:56 AM   #7
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The inexpensive way of testing it is to purchase a 75 ohm termination Resistor on Amazon, or find a 75 ohm resistor and make your own. Put it on one end of the coax and take a measurement with your volt/ohm meter at the other end. The meter should read 75 ohms if it is a good cable. With no termination resistor and the coax not connected to anything, the meter should read OPEN.

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Old 08-16-2016, 07:34 PM   #8
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The inexpensive way of testing it is to purchase a 75 ohm termination Resistor on Amazon, or find a 75 ohm resistor and make your own. Put it on one end of the coax and take a measurement with your volt/ohm meter at the other end. The meter should read 75 ohms if it is a good cable. With no termination resistor and the coax not connected to anything, the meter should read OPEN.

Don
I picked one of these up and not trying to test for bad cable but bad wiring from the factory. Is this possible? I tested the resistor and it read 75o. I put it on the cable TV input on the outside of the camper and tested the coax coming out of the TV port and nothing. I moved the resistor to Aux and the coax to Aux inside and got 78o. Does this mean my cable connections aren't correct or am I not doing the test correctly?
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Old 08-16-2016, 08:40 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by BCK View Post
To test with a multi-meter you are doing and end-to-end test on the cable being tested. If it's the entire length from source at campground to TV you are testing then disconnect the end at the TV and at the source and bring the ends together so you can test.

- Set your multi-meter to continuity test (or resistance test if it doesn't have a continuity test)
- Touch the leads together to ensure calibration. It should beep on continuity or read 0 ohms if using the resistance test

1. Test the center conductor by putting one lead on each end of the center pin. Make sure you are touching only the center pin and not the side of the connector. There should be continuity and very low resistance

2. Test the shell by putting one lead on the outer side of the metal connector on each end and ensuring continuity/very low resistance

If either test 1 or 2 fail then there is a break somewhere.

3. Test for a short in the cable by putting a lead on the center pin on end 1 and test for continuity to the shell on end 1 and the shell on end 2 by touching the other lead to the outer side of the metal connectors. You should get no continuity/very high resistance. Repeat with the pin on end 2 to connector on each end. If this test fails there is a short.
So I just tried this. I took my RG6 cable and tested pin-pin and shell-shell and it passed the continuity test. I attached it to the cable input on the outside of the camper and pulled it inside. I unhooked the coax from the TV, turned booster off, and shell-shell passed, pin-pin failed, and pin-shell passed. Testing inside coax by itself and pin-pin and shell-shell both passed.

So looks like I have a bad connection Do they test anything with these before they leave the factory?

Any tips on what to do next? We leave in a week for a 9 night trip and no way I'm getting into the dealer.
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Old 08-17-2016, 01:18 AM   #10
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So I just tried this. I took my RG6 cable and tested pin-pin and shell-shell and it passed the continuity test. I attached it to the cable input on the outside of the camper and pulled it inside. I unhooked the coax from the TV, turned booster off, and shell-shell passed, pin-pin failed, and pin-shell passed. Testing inside coax by itself and pin-pin and shell-shell both passed.

So looks like I have a bad connection Do they test anything with these before they leave the factory?

Any tips on what to do next? We leave in a week for a 9 night trip and no way I'm getting into the dealer.
Your test results are correct. There could be a DC blocking capacitor in one side of the coax splitter(s) as well as there is one in the antenna amp. This is to prevent the 5 volt Dc antenna amplifier current from getting to the TV and will show open on the Pin-Pin test.
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Old 08-17-2016, 05:50 AM   #11
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Your test results are correct. There could be a DC blocking capacitor in one side of the coax splitter(s) as well as there is one in the antenna amp. This is to prevent the 5 volt Dc antenna amplifier current from getting to the TV and will show open on the Pin-Pin test.


This is good to hear and I won't mess with anything unless cable tv isn't working the first time we try it. If I do have problem I'll use the AUX connection into a splitter then to each TV.
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Old 08-17-2016, 07:08 AM   #12
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In my 2016, I found connections loose behind the wall plate, and at the splitter to the bunk room and bedroom TVs. Cable would work on main TV, but broke up on the others.
I also found lots of campgrounds have very low cable signal. (Split too many times). I am going to purchase a single port amp to take with me to amp the signal into the camper if needed. They are only $20 or so.
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