Community Forums

RonLC · 07-30-2020, 03:26 PM

In several years of RVing this is the second time that I have seen on a park's website or been told that they have cable TV only to find out on arrival that you have to borrow a cable box from them to get it. On coaches with build-in TV's or TV's on a televator you cannot get to the back without removing it from the wall.

We always ask for a satellite friendly site but settle for cable sometimes.

Is this misrepresentation? If this were a technical issue I would have put it in that forum.

**NLOVNIT** · 07-30-2020, 03:36 PM

I'm finding this out, too. It also happened with our S&B cable TV service. We used to be able to get cable channels through just the coax cable, without having a box. Over a year ago, our service required boxes for each TV we have where we wanted to continue to receive cable TV service.

I think the original cable TV cable at many campground are pre-digital & the cable suppliers have gone to all digital, thus requiring the boxes. A lot of the times, that cable is snowy, at best, even if I have all the buttons & options correctly selected for our coach TV's. That's when I unhook the campground cable & just watch OTA.

Do you have to borrow a cable box for every TV you have in your RV (like I had to do if I wanted cable for all the TV's in our S&B)? If so, that's ridiculous.

Lori-

twinboat · 07-30-2020, 03:49 PM

You need a TV with a QAM tuner in it to receive cable without a box.

Found this out while in Sunshine Key, back in December.

The maintance guy had a test TV that worked on the cable but none of mine did.

You can also buy a box with the QAM tuner in it.

2Newsomes · 07-30-2020, 03:54 PM

We have been at one RV park in Parker Arizona that used a cable box. I ended up putting the box in the electric bay where the cable connection is and powering it through the block heater receptacle. I did however have to aim the remote at the rear of the coach instead of the tv.

RonLC · 07-30-2020, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

I'm finding this out, too. It also happened with our S&B cable TV service. We used to be able to get cable channels through just the coax cable, without having a box. Over a year ago, our service required boxes for each TV we have where we wanted to continue to receive cable TV service.

I think the original cable TV cable at many campground are pre-digital & the cable suppliers have gone to all digital, thus requiring the boxes. A lot of the times, that cable is snowy, at best, even if I have all the buttons & options correctly selected for our coach TV's. That's when I unhook the campground cable & just watch OTA.

Do you have to borrow a cable box for every TV you have in your RV (like I had to do if I wanted cable for all the TV's in our S&B)? If so, that's ridiculous.

Lori-

Lori, Pardon me but you may have missed my point. Everyone knows that in a S&B you need a box to record and search past shows like On Demand from Comcast.

I am talking about RV parks where you attach your female coax to the male coax at the power post and you have cable tv.

Until today 100% of RV Resorts (Campgrounds, whatever) have had a simple system where you attache your cable to theirs at the power post.

14 RV resorts with cable this trip and no boxes. Old technology.

**NLOVNIT** · 07-30-2020, 09:28 PM

No, I didn't miss it. I was just relaying it's the same scenario as at our S&B. I've been to at least 2 campgrounds who now issue a cable box if you want to watch their cable TV. And just like with those campgrounds that issue you a key card to get in their gate, if you happen to drive off & not return it, you're charged for it. I think it was $100 at one if you absconded with the box.

Lori-

RonLC · 07-31-2020, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

You need a TV with a QAM tuner in it to receive cable without a box.

Found this out while in Sunshine Key, back in December.

The maintance guy had a test TV that worked on the cable but none of mine did.

You can also buy a box with the QAM tuner in it.

All my TV's are 2019 models. Parks requiring you to use a cable box are sorta horse and buggy. We stayed at Sunshine Key and had no issues.

This taught us a lesson: Always ask the park that says it has cable if it requires a box.

richard5933 · 07-31-2020, 06:40 AM

This will be dependent on the type of cable being supplied to the campground.

We have Spectrum here at home. Used to be we only needed a box on the TV if we wanted to access a few pay channels or use the DVR functions. All the other TVs in the house could access most channels without a box.

About 5 years ago, Spectrum changed the technology they were using to send the signal to the house. Now we need a box on every TV in order to view cable channels. They are smaller/cheaper boxes, but the box is necessary.

The only way for us to watch TV without a able box nowadays is to use a Roku or other smart device which can run the cable company's app to stream the shows.

Don't blame the campground for this one - I suspect that they are in the same situation we are in.

Another solution might be to use your cable company's app on a smart device to stream your own subscription inside your RV. All you need is a good internet connection. Check with your cable TV company and see what is available when you are away from home, as not all channels would be.

Conesus1 · 07-31-2020, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard5933

Another solution might be to use your cable company's app on a smart device to stream your own subscription inside your RV. All you need is a good internet connection. Check with your cable TV company and see what is available when you are away from home, as not all channels would be.

Under Spectrum if its not YOUR IP ADDRESS, this wont work. It knows your base modem and it has been setup to use that only. Been there!!!

Still Camping and Cable

richard5933 · 07-31-2020, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conesus1

Under Spectrum if its not YOUR IP ADDRESS, this wont work. It knows your base modem and it has been setup to use that only. Been there!!!

Still Camping and Cable

Like I said, not all channels will work away from home. But, some still do. There are a number of other streaming apps which offer low-cost programming as well.

Or a roof top OTA antenna for local programming.

kcdogger · 07-31-2020, 07:37 AM

If the cable provider encrypts the signal a set top box is necessary. The is no television that has a built in decryption technology. Encryption has become much more prevalent in recent years for a couple of reasons. Obviously, encryption will eliminate most signal piracy. Doesn't really do much good for someone to climb a pole or force open a junction box to hook up their home only to receive a scrambled signal.
The second reason has to do with making money, and there is nothing wrong with that either. By having a system that requires set top boxes, thus creating two way communications, the cable company can now sell premium features such as pay per view movies and sporting events at the touch of a button. The cable companies really couldn't care less that their security efforts and revenue enhancement programs are a bit inconvenient to RVs.

RonLC · 07-31-2020, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard5933

c

Don't blame the campground for this one - I suspect that they are in the same situation we are in.

Another solution might be to use your cable company's app on a smart device to stream your own subscription inside your RV. All you need is a good internet connection. Check with your cable TV company and see what is available when you are away from home, as not all channels would be.

I do blame the campground because 99% of the campgrounds we use do not need a box. It is a cheap bare bones way to offer cable. Since June 15 we have not needed a box in any of the campgrounds we stayed at before we got here to Maine.

These include:

Southern Oaks in Summerfield, FL (they had boxes for years but upgraded because they were losing transient business)
Coastal Georgia RV Resort in Brunswick, GA
Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort
North Myrtle Beach RV Resort
New Bern KOA, New Bern, NC
Williamsburg KOA
Fredricksburg KOA
Cherry Hill RV Park Washington, DC
Association Island KOA

This morning we confirmed that our next stop in Maine does not require a box.

A home S&B cable system is totally different than that for a RV Park.

The current campground...though not their fault...does not have strong enough At&T to stream or do the hotspot.

Old-Biscuit · 07-31-2020, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonLC

I do blame the campground because 99% of the campgrounds we use do not need a box. It is a cheap bare bones way to offer cable. Since June 15 we have not needed a box in any of the campgrounds we stayed at before we got here to Maine.

These include:

Southern Oaks in Summerfield, FL (they had boxes for years but upgraded because they were losing transient business)
Coastal Georgia RV Resort in Brunswick, GA
Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort
North Myrtle Beach RV Resort
New Bern KOA, New Bern, NC
Williamsburg KOA
Fredricksburg KOA
Cherry Hill RV Park Washington, DC
Association Island KOA

This morning we confirmed that our next stop in Maine does not require a box.

A home S&B cable system is totally different than that for a RV Park.

The current campground...though not their fault...does not have strong enough At&T to stream or do the hotspot.

Not their fault they have lousy AT&T signal BUT is their fault CABLE Company requires cable box.
CG doesn't have controll over what CABLE Company provides

Forget the cable service.....get out go exploring the local area see the sights

richard5933 · 07-31-2020, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonLC

I do blame the campground because 99% of the campgrounds we use do not need a box....

And now you found one that requires a box. You have no idea why, and you're going to blame them anyway.

I offered suggestions on how to move forward. You want to blame and be angry instead. Your choice. I'm moving on.