How do you deal with everyone part cable encoder devices

[RKL]

Many even parks now need the park cable service provider decoder box to hook up to our rv cable connections. What a pain to hook up to the winne controls built into the upper cabinet. Free standing tvs are easy but the built ins are hard. What to you do to get various park rv cable other than sattilite . Thks. RKL

[Timon]

All cable boxes give you an HDMI output these days so the simplest way is to bring an HDMI cable from the TV you'll be using, or from a free input from your HDMI switch, and leave it where you can easily plug into the cable box.

You'll also need a coax from the cable distribution in your RV. You may need to add a splitter to get that down to the same place. To make it easier get a cable with a screw on one end and a slip connect on the other.

Put both of these in a convenient location. Now you just need to make the two connections, plus power, and your done. You'll never need to dig through the cables again. Basically it's about the same as setting up a game box that you don't want to put in the cabinet.

There are other ways to make this work much better but this is quick and easy to start.

[Hikerdogs]

We gave up on trying to use the cable systems in parks that need the decoder. It was as you've mentioned a real PIA to access the cables. We now just access the over the air stations or use the satellite.


If more parks were doing it I would consider making the cables more accessible. However since it happens so few times and so far between it's not worth the time and trouble.

[RKL]

Timon. Very helpful info. Going to do just that. Thabk you. RKL

[Timon]

Originally Posted by RKL

Timon. Very helpful info. Going to do just that. Thabk you. RKL

You're welcome.

It's too bad that you can't bring your own cable card and have the cable company enter it into the system like you can do at home. If that was the case I could bring along my TiVo and have up to 6 tuners active. Not something I'd do for an overnight stay but if staying a multiple days it would be worth it.

[grtharris]

RKL, here is what i did, this gets the cable signal to all TV's.

[traveldawg]

Not including what gtrharris did, I see 2 other ways....

1. If you have a separate satellite feed where you outside cable input is, you can use that to feed the cable box inside (assuming that is a place you can put the cable box and a way you can connect it to your TV with HDMI or cable depending on what output the cable box offers).

2. Do what I did..... take the input wire from the exterior cable input route it to one connector on a double outlet coax faceplate (you have drill an opening for a place to mount the plate) and then run a cable from from the other outlet on the faceplate to where the exterior input cable originally ran. Be sure to label the 2 ports on the faceplate. Then, on the front side of the faceplate put a short jumper between the two ports. The next time you have to use a cable box just remove the jumper and run a coax to the input of cable box and run the output back to the other port on the faceplate. It's not as hard as it sounds and you can generally mount the new faceplate right by the existing antenna/coax switch box.

I'd post a picture but don't have a place to share a link. If you want a photo just PM me with an email address.

[RKL]

Traveldawg. This makes sense to me and would fit my parking and travel needs . I will pm you for a pic. Thks. Rkl