Satellite and Cable issues

MrsH1430 · 05-14-2018, 11:53 AM

We have a new 2018 Zinger Z1 328SB. We recently purchased a Winegard X2 portable satellite and ran into some issues trying to get it connected last weekend. We have 2 outside ports (one on the front and one in the back) we tried several times trying both ports to get it set up with no success. We then hooked DIRECTLY into the tv from the Dish and had no issues. We started reading if your RV isn't satellite ready it wont work. We have no idea if it is or isnt, but why would there be 2 seperate (unlabeled) cable ports outside. We then tried using a converter box to just get local channels and after being hooked into the coax connection inside we still got NO SIGNAL. Super frustrating as we cannot figure out why we are getting NO signal at all inside nor outside. Trying to contact the dealer service department has been a headache as well. Any suggestions would help. We spent alot of money on the satellite and were told it would be an easy setup and this far had been nothing but a headache.

Steve7 · 05-14-2018, 09:08 PM

On my last Sunset Trail, there were two coax connections side by side in the rear. One was for Sat and the other for cable. Mine also were not marked. I had to figure it out myself. When you are using these ports, be sure your over the air antenna booster is OFF. It’s the button near your antenna, or sometimes in a wall plate somewhere else. When it’s on, there is usually a small light on. It will interfere with the Sat and cable reception. Also, make sure any and all connections are tight that came with the trailer. They are often loose.

MrsH1430 · 05-14-2018, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve7

On my last Sunset Trail, there were two coax connections side by side in the rear. One was for Sat and the other for cable. Mine also were not marked. I had to figure it out myself. When you are using these ports, be sure your over the air antenna booster is OFF. It’s the button near your antenna, or sometimes in a wall plate somewhere else. When it’s on, there is usually a small light on. It will interfere with the Sat and cable reception. Also, make sure any and all connections are tight that came with the trailer. They are often loose.

We had the booster off the entire time and also tried both ports SEVERAL times and neither of them worked. Our dealership was NO help and basically said if they arent labeled they aren't there and they basically cant help. They normally dont wire for satellitenunless its a special request and its 550$

Steve7 · 05-14-2018, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsH1430

We had the booster off the entire time and also tried both ports SEVERAL times and neither of them worked. Our dealership was NO help and basically said if they arent labeled they aren't there and they basically cant help. They normally dont wire for satellitenunless its a special request and its 550$

I thought all trailers (at least the two I’m somewhat familiar with, Crossroads and Grand Design) came with Sat and cable hook ups. Of course you still need a Sat box receiver. Like I said, it’s not uncommon for there to be coax that is not correctly installed. Most of the time there’s a loose connection at one or both ends. I bypassed the original connection, and put my own on near the Living Room entertainment area. Came through the slide floor, and used RG6shielxed cable, 10 foot section to Sat box. Works great.

Steve7 · 05-14-2018, 09:24 PM

MrsH1430,

One more thing. You state that the two connection are at different locations of the trailer. Could these be outputs and not inputs. All the trailers I’ve seen have the cable and Sat next to each other. Could there be another location for the inputs that you’re missing?

The only other thing I can think of if these are inputs, is that one is for living room and the other is for bedroom. Cable, satellite, who knows? Still unusual as far as I know to be at different locations.

MrsH1430 · 05-14-2018, 09:26 PM

Yes one is in the BACK of the coach and the other is on the front side. We also have one in our outdoor kitchen for tv hookup as well. Those were the only ports outside we were able to see. Is it normal for them to be inside the storage? We literally looked ALL round the entire thing for them.

Steve7 · 05-14-2018, 09:34 PM

My current rv has it at my convenience center, which is in the front passthrough.

MrsH1430 · 05-14-2018, 09:57 PM

I never thought to check there although weve been putting things in and out and have never noticed it?

ridgerunner69 · 05-15-2018, 08:26 AM

Yours may not be satellite ready looking over the features for your trailer it only states cable ready noting about satellite ready, so if that's true your going to have to fine a way into the trailer to hook up the the receiver box, the x2 will not work though the cable booster outlet.

MrsH1430 · 05-15-2018, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ridgerunner69

Yours may not be satellite ready looking over the features for your trailer it only states cable ready noting about satellite ready, so if that's true your going to have to fine a way into the trailer to hook up the the receiver box, the x2 will not work though the cable booster outlet.

That's what we are thinking. Ive been researching and watching several video about going in behind the outlet with the booster on it and bypassing the booster antenna with another coax cable...the more i watch the more doable it seems it might be to move some coax wires around to be able to plug in from outside and bypass to the rest of the tvs.

sglatczak8 · 05-22-2018, 03:14 PM

My cable and satellite hook-ups are located in the front pass-through storage area right above the hook-up for city water. I had a hard time finding them myself because they have a spring loaded cover and it looks like an electrical outlet until you lift the cover. I also have the Pathway X2 and when I connect it to hook-up labeled "satellite" it works great. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Diver_John_812 · 05-22-2018, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsH1430

We have a new 2018 Zinger Z1 328SB. We recently purchased a Winegard X2 portable satellite and ran into some issues trying to get it connected last weekend. We have 2 outside ports (one on the front and one in the back) we tried several times trying both ports to get it set up with no success. We then hooked DIRECTLY into the tv from the Dish and had no issues. We started reading if your RV isn't satellite ready it wont work. We have no idea if it is or isnt, but why would there be 2 seperate (unlabeled) cable ports outside. We then tried using a converter box to just get local channels and after being hooked into the coax connection inside we still got NO SIGNAL. Super frustrating as we cannot figure out why we are getting NO signal at all inside nor outside. Trying to contact the dealer service department has been a headache as well. Any suggestions would help. We spent alot of money on the satellite and were told it would be an easy setup and this far had been nothing but a headache.

Just a thought: My 2016 Cruiser 5th Wheel has an odd setup, aside from the Cable and Satellite connections on the outside of the camper, my rig also has a goofy setup on the inside. There is another pair of coax connectors, (outputs), in the compartment that houses my televator TV. One connector sends the cable/satellite signal to the TV, the other sends the antenna signal to the TV. I have to move the short coax from one connector to the other, depending upon which signal I want to watch. The goofy part is, I can only access these two connectors while the TV is in the "Up" position, and I can barely jam my arm down the opening to move the cable. (it's about that time that my temporary Tourette's kicks in, and my wife has to close the windows on the RV to protect the ears of any children in the area) I hope this info helps.

Indy_Smiths · 05-22-2018, 09:12 PM

We have a 2013 Sunset Trail 30RK and we use a Dish Tailgater. Our unit was not "satellite ready" either. The trick is in any splitters or couplers that they used when they wired your unit. A "satellite ready" splitter is able to pass on the satellite signal to power up the dish. A standard cable splitter won't do it.

It's been a few years since I did it so I don't remember exactly how I wired. I dug in to the wall next to the TV (where the antenna booster is) and either added a satellite capable splitter or isolated the cable from the rear of the trailer, extended it out of the wall, and I plug that in to the receiver. I plug the Tailgater in at the rear of the trailer and it works great with our TV in the living room. Our bedroom TV still uses the standard antenna.

Joepanther · 05-22-2018, 09:28 PM

I have the same satellite system you have for my 2016 Rezerve 5th wheel. After many frustrating attempts to figure out why satellite signal wouldn't work, I found somewhere on here a way to bypass the original cable port. Long story short, I put in a new coax cable port complete with a cover next to the OEM coax port. You can't get any signal thru that signal booster setup. I setup a splitter & always have the power booster off. My only external coax connection is on the back above the left turn signal. I run my satellite cable directly to it & works perfectly! Sorry I don't have the link to the directions, they're much more detailed & exact. I'll look for it & post later if I can find it.
Anyway, it can be done & it's not at all difficult.
Good Luck!!

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