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Started By
Message
Installing Attic Antennas, need some help troubleshooting
Posted on 11/17/18 at 11:00 am
Posted on 11/17/18 at 11:00 am
I just moved into a new home, which happens to be a new build. Coaxial cables were ran to each room, but the connectors are not on them.
I decided to try out one room first before doing them all, so that I can troubleshoot this one to save time on doing it for all rooms. Here's how I did it:
1. I stripped the coaxial cable in the wall and put a male adapter on it, connecting to a female/female adapter. I then screwed the wall plate back in, then connected a regular coaxial cable from my TV to the female adapter sticking out of the wall.
2. I then went into the attic, stripped the other end of the coaxial, and put a male adapter on it. I connected that to a coaxial 2-way splitter (one of the OUTS), then connected the Antenna to the IN part of the splitter.
Now, I catch ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC when I have this antenna inside, directly wired to the TV, so I know there has to be an issue in between the TV and Antenna at this point.
What am I doing wrong? Does this need to be grounded or something? Am I doing the connections wrong?
I decided to try out one room first before doing them all, so that I can troubleshoot this one to save time on doing it for all rooms. Here's how I did it:
1. I stripped the coaxial cable in the wall and put a male adapter on it, connecting to a female/female adapter. I then screwed the wall plate back in, then connected a regular coaxial cable from my TV to the female adapter sticking out of the wall.
2. I then went into the attic, stripped the other end of the coaxial, and put a male adapter on it. I connected that to a coaxial 2-way splitter (one of the OUTS), then connected the Antenna to the IN part of the splitter.
Now, I catch ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC when I have this antenna inside, directly wired to the TV, so I know there has to be an issue in between the TV and Antenna at this point.
What am I doing wrong? Does this need to be grounded or something? Am I doing the connections wrong?
8
Posted on 11/17/18 at 11:49 am to VermilionTiger
So inside your house you have this working: TV -> coax-1 -> antenna.
But this is not working: TV (working) -> coax-1 (working) -> wall coax (?) -> splitter (?) -> coax-2 (?) -> antenna (working).
So test the unknown items until you find out which one isn't working.
1. TV (working) -> coax-2 (?) -> antenna (working). This tells you if coax-2 is good.
2. TV (working) -> coax-1 (working) -> wall coax -> antenna (working). This tells you if the wall coax is working.
3. If the first two tests pass, the splitter must be bad.
But this is not working: TV (working) -> coax-1 (working) -> wall coax (?) -> splitter (?) -> coax-2 (?) -> antenna (working).
So test the unknown items until you find out which one isn't working.
1. TV (working) -> coax-2 (?) -> antenna (working). This tells you if coax-2 is good.
2. TV (working) -> coax-1 (working) -> wall coax -> antenna (working). This tells you if the wall coax is working.
3. If the first two tests pass, the splitter must be bad.
Posted on 11/17/18 at 1:01 pm to VermilionTiger
Why do you have the antenna on a splitter? Just curious. (I’d start there btw)
Posted on 11/17/18 at 1:24 pm to TAMU-93
I tried the exact same thing on another coaxial outlet, but that one worked. There might be something wrong with the wire.
Posted on 11/17/18 at 2:12 pm to VermilionTiger
Home Depot sells a simple coax continuity tester for $15. It might be worth a try.
Posted on 11/17/18 at 2:14 pm to VermilionTiger
Double check connections. Connections are 99% of the problem. It would be hard for me to believe that the cable is bad unless they put a staple through the cable in the wall somewhere. If nothing visible cut connector off at both ends of the coax and redo for the cable in question
Posted on 11/17/18 at 6:27 pm to VermilionTiger
I may not be understanding correctly, but when you cut the coax to put on the connector, there are strands of little wires in addition to the main wire (don't know a better way to describe it). Did you pull all those wires back before you put on the connector? If so, that's your problem.
Posted on 11/17/18 at 6:36 pm to VermilionTiger
Also, are you 100% sure the coax end in the attic is going to the room you think it does?
Posted on 11/18/18 at 7:55 am to Huey Lewis
Yep, 100%. I’m going to cut the end and redo it
Posted on 11/18/18 at 7:57 am to Vrai
quote:
I may not be understanding correctly, but when you cut the coax to put on the connector, there are strands of little wires in addition to the main wire (don't know a better way to describe it). Did you pull all those wires back before you put on the connector? If so, that's your problem.
I know what you mean, and yes. I did that for all of them. Now, I may have mistakenly left a few strands. That’s why I’m going to cut the ends and try again
Posted on 11/18/18 at 8:20 am to VermilionTiger
check your connections again. That's probably the problem if you are using the right wire. You might want to get one of these to distribute the signal from the antenna. Lots of cable companies use electroline distribution amps to split the cable from the street inside the house. They usually have several on eBay.
Posted on 11/18/18 at 8:35 am to Jimmy2shoes
The thing is, I’m catching everything I need (the big 4 channels) on the other TVs when hooked to the attic antenna
And the same antenna, when wired directly the the TV downstairs, works like it’s supposed to
And the same antenna, when wired directly the the TV downstairs, works like it’s supposed to
Posted on 11/18/18 at 9:01 am to VermilionTiger
Back to basics. Are you absolutely sure it's the same cable at both ends? Start by toning the cable to ensure that it wasn't mislabeled.
Posted on 11/18/18 at 9:15 am to VABuckeye
Can you bypass the wall connection and go straight to the TV? That will determine if wall plate is bad. Or like VAB says its not the same cable.
Posted on 11/18/18 at 11:05 am to Jimmy2shoes
I’ve carried the same TV into every room and wired them all into the wall plate in their respective rooms.
4/5 work. The only one that doesn’t work.. the first one I started
4/5 work. The only one that doesn’t work.. the first one I started
Posted on 11/18/18 at 11:05 am to VABuckeye
quote:
Back to basics. Are you absolutely sure it's the same cable at both ends? Start by toning the cable to ensure that it wasn't mislabeled.
The cable is correct
Posted on 11/18/18 at 11:06 am to Jimmy2shoes
quote:
Can you bypass the wall connection and go straight to the TV? That will determine if wall plate is bad. Or like VAB says its not the same cable.
Antenna straight to TV? I did that and it works flawlessly.
Posted on 11/18/18 at 11:08 am to VermilionTiger
Then you're left with a bad termination or that 5th cable is damaged in the run somewhere.
Posted on 11/18/18 at 1:13 pm to VABuckeye
What VAB said
Posted on 11/18/18 at 2:26 pm to VermilionTiger
Why do people put antennas in the attic instead of the rooftop like God intended?
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