Satellite to Cable Switch

[Hatcher225]

I recently ordered new cable service in my home and opted for the self-installation kit. Basically they sent me a cable box and I'm supposed to be able to plug it in and they activate it. The cable box is not receiving the activation signal. My roommate used to have satellite service and I am thinking that the box isn't receiving the signal because our cable is currently going through the satellite instead of straight into our house. Is this something that I can change on my own without paying (and waiting) for the service call? I have basic wiring knowledge and experience. Thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[mmack66]

Where I live, there has to be a line run from the pole, where they have their cable junction, to the house, where it goes into a box, then a cable comes out of the box and into the house to a cable jack.

Has there ever been cable service to your home?

 

[ishiboo]

I recently ordered new cable service in my home and opted for the self-installation kit. Basically they sent me a cable box and I'm supposed to be able to plug it in and they activate it. The cable box is not receiving the activation signal. My roommate used to have satellite service and I am thinking that the box isn't receiving the signal because our cable is currently going through the satellite instead of straight into our house. Is this something that I can change on my own without paying (and waiting) for the service call? I have basic wiring knowledge and experience. Thanks to anyone who can help!

Correct. You'll need to figure out where the cable company left it. They usually bring it to the outside of the house at the very least, even with a self install. Previous-generation satellite was usually point-to-point (each TV cable ran directly to the dish), so you'll need a digital cable splitter to split up the signal to multiple televisions.

 

[Ridri]

Depending on the age and construction of your home, the most likely situation is the feed line from the pole was disconnected at the primary splitter. Just head up in to your attic and look for where all the cable wires converge. You should find a single wire leading outside to the existing sat dish, and if you're lucky the old cable feed wire will be laying next to it disconnected. Swap these and you should be ready to call the cable company to activate the box. If you had a particularly lazy tech who installed the satellite they likely cut the crimped end of the feed line, forcing you to have a new end put on the wire.

If the house was never fully wired for cable, you may have to splice on at the demarcation point (box on side your house typically). You would then need to run new RG6 cable from this point, up in to your attic to the main splitter.

Hope you have it the easy way and not the hard.

 

[Hatcher225]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I will get out there tomorrow and see what I am dealing with. I already scheduled a service call, but they won't be able to get out here until next Friday, so maybe I can fix it before then.
Ridri, I live in a trailer with no attic so I am not sure where I need to look for these cables. If it requires getting under the house, I will gladly pay the cable guy to do that There's not enough Walking Dead in the world to get me under a trailer in Florida for cable.

 

[CNGsaves]

Pretty simple, start at the former satellite dish and trace it until it gets to first RG6 connection (ie a 4-way splitter) - - this will likely be the 2nd device when following the satellite cable coming in. The thick 4 wire cable coming in from satellite dish will first hit a multiplexer that now is useless equipment. [Just got done helping Dish satellite installation at friends house and that satellite cable was bright orange.]

All you'll need to do it determine where the COAX RG6 incoming service from cable company formerly came to house (ie either aerial or buried) and connect that to the 4 way splitter.

Post up some pictures of all the services coming into the house. Pics tell a thousand words. You'll get best advice once pics are posted.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Im wondering if the OP even has a service drop coming from the pole(or underground cable feeder) coming to his house. First step before hunting for a splitter in the house all u guys is to determine IF he has a feeder from the cable plant going into a demarcation box. And even if he does, a lot of times cable companies will disconnect the feed line at the tap so people cant steal services(IF the cable network is still broadcasting an analog signal).

Thank you everyone for your advice. I will get out there tomorrow and see what I am dealing with. I already scheduled a service call, but they won't be able to get out here until next Friday, so maybe I can fix it before then.
Ridri, I live in a trailer with no attic so I am not sure where I need to look for these cables. If it requires getting under the house, I will gladly pay the cable guy to do that There's not enough Walking Dead in the world to get me under a trailer in Florida for cable.

Its not THAT bad! I do it all the time at work. The cable company will charge u an arm and a leg to do it(at least Comcast does!). You just have to watch out for black widows...AND i guess in your case snakesssss....

 

[Ridri]

Ah sorry I assumed you were in a house, but I think CNG and Wylie laid it out pretty well. Getting under any structure can be pretty miserable but you might not have to venture all that far. Have you ever had cable service in the past at this location?

 

[eljefino]

Check out your neighbors and how they get cable, see if there's a standard convention in your park.

Power wires are 99% always on top, below them come phone and cable.

 

[matt151617]

Don't trailers have underground feeds? Check for separate conduit- you should have one for electrical and one for communications. There should be 2 communication lines, one is phone and one is cable. Phone line is usually flatter, cable line is usually round.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Don't trailers have underground feeds? Check for separate conduit- you should have one for electrical and one for communications. There should be 2 communication lines, one is phone and one is cable. Phone line is usually flatter, cable line is usually round.

Not always. Ive seen a few with overhead service!