Satellite or Cable TV Connection for your RV
A TV Connection is something that you’ll want to hook up just like water or electric when you get to a destination. Lets face it, not everywhere you visit with your RV has to be completely isolated.
You’ll find the TV connection on the driver’s side of the RV, similar to many other “hook-up” items. On a 5th wheel, I would normally look inside the fifth wheel basement. Normally, you’ll find almost every connection you need for your RV from water to sewer controls in your 5th wheel basement on the drivers side.
One of the connections you’ll find is for your TV connections. The picture I’m showing is from my Open Range 399BHS fifth wheel. The way the connection works is that every room has access to a single satellite connection and the main connection. So you have Satellite #1 in the front bedroom, #2 in the living room, and #3 in the bunkhouse. The Main connection is in every room.
Many RV parks will have basic cable, but probably not HD. For many of us simpler folks basic cable is enough so that you can watch TV in your RV or see that emergency game.
To bet basic cable from the park and have it go to every TV you would hook up the RV parks cable wire to the “Main” connection on your RV.
If you are getting TV over the air, you won’t hook anything to the cable TV or main input.
Where and what is the Antenna and Cable TV switch on an RV?
You’ll need to select between the Antennae and the Cable TV wire. Normally there is a switch.
The Antennae/Cable TV switch is usually located INSIDE in the RV.
You would simply select where you are getting your TV signal from – the wire from the RV park or the antenna on your RV roof.
Of course you can connect both and pick between the two – you’d have to deal with programming the TV’s for the different systems when you flip back and forth – but no big deal, right?
Picture of an RV typical media connection in the convenience center
Below is a picture of a representative set of connections for the outside convenience center. When looking at the outside of an RV you should be able to locate something very similar :
In the picture below, I’m showing one of the rooms. This was a bunkhouse in our Open Range. You’ll see that you get a satellite connection, which connects to ONE of the THREE above, or the main connection which goes everywhere.
Here are the TV connections for an outside TV. You can’t read the labels, but again you would see the “Main” for the TV cable connection and a satellite wire, but going to a different satellite on the convenience center.
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JERRY MAY says
Please send me a good TV wiring diagram for my 2017319rls
Nee to hook up Direct TV——Cable to living room and bedroom
Can you hood up and only have to change TV settings to go back and forth
Marlan at Rv52 says
Jerry – Can you send me pictures of your control panel of your RV? Also what brand is your RV? I’ll take a crack at it if you can give me more info.
Lee Althoff says
Could I get a wiring diagram for the tv cable connections for mykeystone challenger fifth wheel model 35 ckq
jerry says
I have a open range light 319rls the panel is the same as pictured l can only get signel to living room thru the main connection nothing thru the 2 sat connection. Thanks
Marlan at Rv52 says
Can you send a picture of your control center? Also, send a pic of your TV connector where your TV is located. Thx.
Marlan at Rv52 says
So, at your control center you put a satellite TV receiver and connected the Sat TV receiver signal OUT connector to one of the satellite connections in the control panel? Then you checked your TV and it was connected to the corresponding satellite plug?
Can you draw a picture and send it to me on how you connected things? Thx.
Gary says
Hope you got sat connection operational, but if not, here’s my take. From sat dish, 1 cable from Main connector on dish to Main on panel. This controls front bedroom. Inside wardrobe of bedroom, on 2-connector outlet, pull jumper cable. Using left connector on this outlet, connect cable to your sat receiver and from receiver to TV. Make sure antenna booster is off. Set up your TV for satellite reception and for proper input. This should give you sat in bedroom. If you want sat in living room, connect separate cable from 2nd connector on dish to Sat 1 on panel. If you have connected Main dish to Main panel, then you’ll only need to connect cable from the outlet in your entertainment center in living room to the receiver box then from receiver to the TV. Make sure you change settings on each TV to show proper inputs and your receivers are properly set up.
Marlan at Rv52 says
Thx Gary. Great writeup.
Douglas Black says
I have an 2004 Everest by keystone 323 K 32 foot fifth wheel and would like an accurate wiring diagram of my antenna and cable wiring for the entire trailer. I have 1 connection in the front bedroom and 1 in the living room. I have an antenna on the roof above the bedroom.
Humberto Contreras says
Can you send me satelite and tv wiring diagram for heartland bighorn 3855f
Marlan at Rv52 says
Humberto – Probably the BEST way to get exactly what you need is to engage this 24/7 ONLINE service here: https://rv52.com/rvhelp
Your question will require someones time and effort. This service is very economical and RV52 (me and my wife) have used it several times.
RANDALL says
LOOKING FOR HELP ON TROUBLE SHOOTING MY tvS IN A mOBILE sUITE FIFTH WHEEL . I HAVE A CABINET IN BEDROOM WITH RECIEVER, SWITCHING BOX, CABLE BOX, ETC.. AND AM TRYING TO GET THE 2 TVS HOOKED UP CORRECTLY.
Marlan at Rv52 says
Hello Randall. Thx for writing. Usually the cabling is one-to-one. If a connector in the cabinet says “back bedroom” I would think it would be a direct connection to the cable connector in the back bedroom.
Probably the EASIEST and most inexpensive method to get focused help would be here: https://rv52.com/rvhelp
That would be much less expensive than having someone come out.