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How Do I Install a DTA Box on the TV in My RV

by Kathy
(Florida)

I have to install a Comcast DTA box on my TV which includes a Winegard Switchbox? I can' be sure which cables are which.

ANSWER: Hi Kathy thanks for submitting your question on our Ask An RV Question Page

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I am going to assume that you are staying at an RV Park for a long period of time and that the TV in your RV is older and is not equipped with a Digital TV tuner.

Simply put a DTA (Digital Transport Adapter) Box is used by cable companies to allow older non-digital TVs to receive the digital TV signals that come through the cable.

Once the DTA box is connected to your TV it will broadcast the digital channels to your TV on either Channel 3 or 4 (your choice). The DTA Box has its own remote control so the DTA box should be located near the TV. Just a note: you will not be able to receive any HD channels through this box.

We are going to talk about 3 ways to connect this box to your RV's TV.

Methods to use if you are not planning to use your RV's antenna to watch over the air TV.
Method 1: This one is easy but can be inconvenient if your TV is not close to your RV's TV Switch Box.

1. Make sure that the switch on the TV switch box is set to cable for the TV that you are going to be using.

2. Find the cable on the TV switch box that is going out to your TV. Remove that cable and connect that to the "To TV" connection on the DTA Box.

3. Now with a short piece of cable connect one end of the cable to the "Cable In" Connection on the DTA Box and the other end to the TV Out connection on the Winegard Switch Box.

4. Now set the little switch on the back of DTA box to either channel 3 or 4 and turn on the DTA Box and TV on and change your TV to the channel you chose and use the remote that came with the DTA box to change TV Channels.

Method 2: The right way and a lot harder. I am going to assume that you have a built in TV in your RV. So to start with you are going to have to partially or fully remove the TV from it's cabinet so you can get to the cable connection on the back of the TV. Unfortunately there is no uniform way that TVs are installed in RVs, so I am unable to give you step by step instructions on removing the TV.

1. Disconnect the cable from the back of the TV and connect it to the "Cable In" connection on the DTV box.

2. The DTA box needs to be in direct line of sight of the remote control that came with it; so you may end up having to drill some holes in the cabinet and use some longer cable to connect the cable in connection on the back of the TV to the "TV Out" connection on the DTA Box. Now follow step 4 in the method above.
Method to use if you are planning to use your RV's antenna to watch over the air TV.

This method also requires that you get to the cable on the back of your TV.

Supplies Needed:

3 Additional lengths of COAX Cable (length will vary by actual setup needs)

2 Way Coax cable Splitter

COAX Cable A/B Switch

Unfortunately I do not have the space to give step by step instructions on this setup but I have created a schematic (second picture top of page or larger version HERE) to help set this up.

Hope this helps.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

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