Cable coax

Chancedevlin

When I got my boat the previous owner had the cable line running in through the window. When I look in the TV box there are 2 coax cables coming in through the wall. When I hook up to the dock cable neither give signal. Do these tend to go bad? 

Cableguy Greg

Usually no. The connectors that Rinker installed at the factory are not the best. What year and model boat do you have?

Ian

There is usually an amplifier back there that needs power, see if that is there and plugged in. Asking the obvious question - no offense, simple things often overlooked - but if you run from dock to TV through window it does work? Why I ask is here it's digital now so we have no cable on docks as you need a converter to see, even on a new TV with digital tuner. Over the air is fine and get a great picture but down the coax we get nothing without the $7 per month Spectrum revenue generator.

Chancedevlin

It's a 2004 342 fiesta vee.  Yes the cable works great if I run it direct into the tv. It just does not work when run through the boat.

Cableguy Greg

There is an amplifier inline from the antenna and shore inlets. There is a backwards splitter that combines all of those sources and sends them to the TV. If the amp is bad, or shut off, nothing will work. If the splitter has been bypassed, then nothing will probably work. If you can get some pictures of the cabinet and splitters, I can try and help you work thru the issues.

Michael T

@Chancedevlin, Greg is our resident all things cable guru. Follow his instructions and all will be well!

Chancedevlin

Cableguy Greg said:

There is an amplifier inline from the antenna and shore inlets. There is a backwards splitter that combines all of those sources and sends them to the TV. If the amp is bad, or shut off, nothing will work. If the splitter has been bypassed, then nothing will probably work. If you can get some pictures of the cabinet and splitters, I can try and help you work thru the issues.

Thanks for the help. Here are pics of the cabinet.  There are 2 coax coming in black and grey.  The splitter has 2 outs and 1 in. The amp box says to tv and to preamp. Thoughts?

Chancedevlin

Chancedevlin

Cableguy Greg

Are there any labels on the two lines?

Black_Diamond

One cable goes to the shore connection by your AC power plug inlets. The other goes up to the TV / radio antenna on the radar arch. Look under the port seating in the cockpit and you can see the cable (if still there) for the color. 

Ian

On mine the gray was from the radar arch to the amp and then to the TV so I'd suggest gray is the original cable - do you have an antenna on the arch? If so I'd check that it is the gray cable. If so the gray comes from antenna on arch to the amp (black box) and then from there to TV. Amp needs to be on (red LED) so then see if the TV works. If not, is the TV a modern unit with digital tuner? If not I think over the air channels are all digital now so that may be why nothing off the amp/antenna but you do off the dock as that gets sent down analog - well, depending where you are (not here) but the fact you can get a picture hanging a line outside to the dock connection says it is so for your location.
The black I'd suggest goes to another place for another TV, especially with a splitter there, you normally split the outgoing after the amp. Look for another coax inside why they may have stuck a TV.
Do you actually have a connection point outside near the power connector? If not you can install one, I did on ours.

Cableguy Greg

Black_Diamond said:

One cable goes to the shore connection by your AC power plug inlets. The other goes up to the TV / radio antenna on the radar arch. Look under the port seating in the cockpit and you can see the cable (if still there) for the color. 

If that is the case, then connect the two wires to the output side of the splitter. Then connect the input side of the splitter to the input of the amp. Then the output of the amp to the input of the TV.

MarkB

If I remember correctly, Rinker uses the splitter in the reverse configuration, they take two inputs and combine it into one. Then that goes into the amplifier and the amplifier goes to the TV.  Redo your connections ... you can buy some much better termination ends for not that expensive.

If you can cut out the splitter it will help, so if you don't need the antenna or the shore power connection (pick one), then cut out the one you don't need and use a coax to coax connector to go continuous to the amplifier. It works.

Cableguy Greg

MarkB is correct, Rinker installs the splitter backwards to combine the two signals. MarkB is also correct in disconnecting the line that you are not using to get more signal to the amp and TV.