SEIKI TV not digital cable ready???

Buzz102 · 12-14-2015, 08:37 PM

We just bought this Hurricane 31S so I'd have thought the systems would be absolutely up to date but here we are at an RV Park in Florida and we're getting only 17 of the stations they have when there should be over 100 coming in.

The fellow who came over from the Park office to try to help us thinks that these 3 SEIKI TVs are analog TVs and need to be converted to digital.

Has anyone had this problem?

We are thinking to go to Walmart and buy a converter box --- is that the solution? Thats what the fellow at Thor technical support said to do but wouldn't specify any particular kind of box, just said they'd know what we need. Not reassuring.

I called both SEIKI and Thor to try to get some help but everyone seems kind of clueless. You'd think they'd be running into this all the time if the system really does need a converter box. Actually you'd think it would have come with the coach.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. We had a Winnebago View and didn't run into this at any park we stopped at.

Thanks to all!

RustyJC · 12-14-2015, 09:03 PM

Our televisions in our sticks-and-bricks all have digital tuners and can receive over-the-air broadcast signals from an antenna. Cable systems, however, are allowed by the FCC to encrypt their signals, and Comcast (our home cable provider) does encrypt theirs. As a backup to our DirecTV service during bad weather, we have a small tuner box provided by Comcast to decrypt their cable signals - without this box, we get only a pixelated picture on our digital TVs with the label "scrambled" showing on the screen.

Digital over-the-air tuners have been required since 2007, but that doesn't automatically mean that you can receive encrypted digital cable TV with no other decryption devices required.

Rusty

aa9zz · 12-14-2015, 09:05 PM

Is the cable connected properly on both ends? Did you check the hand held remote to access set-up and go through all the set up portions of the TV? Did you turn OFF the amplifier? The amp should be on only when using regular TV.

These are things I can think off of the top of my head when having TV issues. You probably have done all these things but sometimes in the excitement of stopping and setting up, especially with a new unit these can be overlooked.

pstandiford · 12-14-2015, 09:25 PM

We have Seiki TV's and have not had any issue with connecting to digital cable. I would be surprised if you could even find a digital to analog converter box anymore. Analog TVs have not been sold since about June 12, 2009 when all analog TV transmission was stopped. I would expect as aa9zz stated that you need to go into setup and make sure it is set for cable and then do a scan.

ETS · 12-14-2015, 11:10 PM

it is not the tvs- I have three - make sure the power to the external antenna is off - all else fails read manual

Buzz102 · 12-14-2015, 11:13 PM

I went to Walmart and bought a converter but haven' tried it yet. On the "Channel" section of the menu, the bottom category, "DTV signal" is greyed out. Does anyone else have this section greyed out or is it white?

Thanks!

bevedfelker · 12-14-2015, 11:44 PM

Buzz - I have 2 Seikis and a Sankyo (in the bedroom) of our Vegas. I had posted before about the Seikis' inability to detect channels when on cable. No problems with the Sankyo. The Seikis will find channels on the antenna but nothing on cable. And be absolutely sure your antenna amplifier is off. If you left it on the TVs will not work on cable. I'm replacing the Seikis with LGs. I also think it depends on the Seiki models. Not sure what ours are- but they suck on cable.

**EA37TS** · 12-15-2015, 01:26 AM

2 Seiki TVs and 1 Continu no issues with any with over 50 channels in Charleston.

Buzz102 · 12-15-2015, 02:03 AM

Thanks for all the help. We've talked to SEIKI reps 3 times and gotten 3 different kinds of advice, the last one being to "Call the Cable company."

Can anyone please go to the TV and go to the Menu and under the Channel TAB, does anyone else have DTV signal and it is greyed out? Or does it appear as white, like the other ones on the list?

Thanks again.

ETS · 12-15-2015, 02:27 AM

I have seen that - when it happened I arrow ed back up to cable/ antenna - selected antenna then selected search - cancelled out - re selected cable and was ok - like it got stuck in a particular setting

I also found that if I have the power on to the over the air antenna cable will not work

It is like my tablet when it acts up - not sure what fixes the problem after fiddling with it - but eventually it works - drives me crazy because I never really know which thing I did to make it work

**EA37TS** · 12-15-2015, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz102

Thanks for all the help. We've talked to SEIKI reps 3 times and gotten 3 different kinds of advice, the last one being to "Call the Cable company."

Can anyone please go to the TV and go to the Menu and under the Channel TAB, does anyone else have DTV signal and it is greyed out? Or does it appear as white, like the other ones on the list?

Thanks again.

Greeted out and no issues to date

Mr Sunshine · 12-15-2015, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

Buzz - I have 2 Seikis and a Sankyo (in the bedroom) of our Vegas. I had posted before about the Seikis' inability to detect channels when on cable. No problems with the Sankyo. The Seikis will find channels on the antenna but nothing on cable. And be absolutely sure your antenna amplifier is off. If you left it on the TVs will not work on cable. I'm replacing the Seikis with LGs. I also think it depends on the Seiki models. Not sure what ours are- but they suck on cable.

We've had the same problem with cable and our Seikis. (Suckys?) At our last 2 campgrounds, we had more channels on antenna than we did on cable. Antenna amp off, search on "Cable" and still had only a few of the dozens of available cable channels.

It would be a surprise if the converter helps, since all TVs now are digital. Hope someone comes up with an easy answer to this one!

bevedfelker · 12-15-2015, 04:18 PM

One time we were camped at a small privately owned park in PA. They had Dish and the two Seiki's picked up channels on their dish cable system. We have camped numerous times at Disney World's Fort Wilderness and these same 2 Seikis have never detected cable channels on the Disney cable system, No problem with the Sankyo in the bedroom picking up the Disney digital cable channels. I think the problem with my Seikis is that they do not have a good digital cable tuner built in.

Jedsmom · 12-16-2015, 01:32 AM

I don't know if this addresses the issue the OP has been having or not, but while wandering around over at RV.net, I came across this thread ...

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Class A Motorhomes: Unusual Event with our Television

Maybe it'll fix people's problems. I've got a Seiki in the bedroom & haven't had any trouble with reception. If nothing comes in, I usually do a scan & all is well.

DNS · 12-16-2015, 12:14 PM

We have 2 Continus and 1 Seiki in the bedroom. We have stayed at 6 or 7 different places since getting this coach, most without issue after scanning for stations. We recently returned from Disney's Fort Wilderness where the Seiki would not pick up any channels. I checked, rechecked and checked everything again for good measure. The two Continus worked great, but the Seiki would only pick up on the antenna.
Someone on a Disney discussion board had said they couldn't pick anything up and someone at Disney told them they could get a converter from the front desk that would help (not sure if this is true or not). It seems like that would agree with what Rusty said about some cable companies encrypting their single and Seiki having a cheap or subpar tuner.

**EA37TS** · 12-16-2015, 01:38 PM

Prior to 2012 the cable companies were not allowed to encrypt basic cable channels. In 2012 the FCC passed a rule allowing cable companies to encrypt all channels to minimize cable theft.

Many cable companies have moved to all QAM encrypted transmission of signals. All TV manufactured after about 2009 have digital tuners but not all televisions have QAM tuners.

If you are having issues thank the FCC for allowing the cable companies to go full QAM without requiring television manufacturers to install QAM tuners in all televisions.

Possible solutions,
Buy an external QAM tuner for about 35.00
Buy a new television
Go with a satellite system
Turn the television off and enjoy nature

Another way of looking at the problem is the issue is not with the televisions installed by Thor but rather with the campgrounds and states that have QAM encrypted cables systems.

JamieGeek · 12-16-2015, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstankov

Buy an external QAM tuner for about 35.00

Note that the external QAM tuner still may not be able to tune the channels because they are encrypted. Many cable systems require a CableCard for standalone tuner access (e.g. non-cable box).

In addition, many newer cable systems are moving to a streaming model instead of a tuning model (Comcast's Xfinity, WOW's Ultra TV, etc.). Granted it is unlikely that the basic "cable" that campgrounds offer will be any of that.

bevedfelker · 12-16-2015, 06:04 PM

My Seiki models do not have the QAM tuner capability. When the TVs go to the search menu there is no QAM option. So my models will not search and find encoded channels. The times where it scanned cable channels the parks either had dish (DTV) or some obscure non-encoded cable system. Those the Seikis could detect; encoded systems - not so much. Apparently the Saikyo in the bedroom has a QAM tuner because it has always detected all cable channels. Also any other owners who said they had no problems must have Seikis with a QAM function. On mine there are no QAM choices to select on the setup (scan) menus.

Buzz102 · 12-17-2015, 07:54 PM

Thanks all for the replies. Obviously something very odd going on with these Seiki TVs that Thor is installing. I hope they read this forum and I think I'll write them an email or letter. You buy a brand new RV and you expect things to work or to be told how to get them to work, not left with a mystery.

We are in Navarre, FL and I want to pass along a recommendation for the local RV "Doc" who helped us get the system working with that little RCA digital converter I bought at Walmart. John Parker of Gulf Coast RV service is a gem. 850-791-4660. He called SEIKI and Thor and confirmed that the TVs don't have QAM Tuner/converter. Therefore, we could only get the first 17 cable channels. He asked why QAM wasn't included and the answer was pricing. !!!! Crazy. After John installed the converter - which we tried but were unable to do for some reason - I'm getting lots of channels but have to use the converter remote to change channels.

I'd have to purchase 2 additional converters and install for the other TVs so I'm still thinking about the Dish TV but at least we have one good set for our stay here in Navarre.

He also helped to get a fuse problem that affected the awning straightened out, installed the awning shade (which I'd have needed to find a ladder to do myself) and fixed a little bedroom shade that had come out. Also put my TV roof antenna back together which had fallen out when I turned it from the inside.

I'm so glad we found him to solve the problem. Was here for 2 hours and charged me only $95 total.

Thanks again for the generosity of all on this forum and this opportunity to pass along advice and information.

Beacher · 12-17-2015, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz102

....Obviously something very odd going on with these Seiki TVs that Thor is installing......

The thing that is wrong with the Seiki, Sankyo, and Continuos televisions that Thor installs is that they are VERY inexpensive off brand Chinese manufactured models meant for "hospitality" environments.

The Continuos brand in particular is typically installed in hospitals, adult care facilities, and prisons. That's why they have the funky third party remote.

As a result, these "hospitality" models are purposely intended to have limited functions compared to even very inexpensive "normal" televisions that you can pick up at Walmart.

They cost Thor very little compared to actual retail distribution televisions.

The televisions in my Hurricane bedroom and outside are Sansui brand. They appear to be "normal" retail distribution televisions and have QAM capability, and a nice normal remote control. The Continuos inside the living area appears to have a QAM tuner also.

It appears that Thor switched over to the lesser Seiki brand at some point from the Sansui brand, (<32" smaller sized screens).

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