PHONE: 319-335-5898 | FAX: 319-335-6116
Emails: WSUI@uiowa.edu | KSUI@uiowa.edu | UITV@uiowa.edu | cabletv@uiowa.edu
- Cable Services
- Simplified Hookup Instructions
- Cable Box User's Guide
- Remote Control User's Guide
- Problems and Troubleshooting
- Campus Video Trouble Report
Cable Box Input Connection |Connector Problems | Cable TV Cables | Common Problems
HAVING PROBLEMS? CHECK THESE THINGS OUT FIRST!
Cable Box Input Connection
The cable box input (center port on the back of the cable box) MUST be connected DIRECTLY to the TV wall plate. NOTHING else can be connected before the cable box except for a "signal splitter". TV games, VCRs etc connected BEFORE the cable box will BLOCK the information necessary for the cable box to function.
Connector Problems
Bad cables and improperly installed connectors are some of the most likely culprits causing reception problems. Make sure that the connectors are on the cable solid and have a little of the center pin protruding from them. The center pin is the part that passes the cable TV signal. the signal will not pass properly if the pin is too short, damaged or shorted to the bodies of the connectors. the center pins MUST BE at least flush with the end of the connectors. The following diagram shows approximately how a normal connector should look.
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| The connector needs to be properly crimped to the cable. The pin will pull inward if the connector begins to pull off. | The pin should stick out of the inside of the connector as shown above. Pin must be at least flush. | |
Another type of connector is called a "Slip-on" connector. Cables with these connectors are accessories supplied with TV's and VCR's at the time of purchase. They can be purchased in "Blister Packs" at chain stores as well.
"Slip-on" connectors push on a port very easily. Unfortunately they come off unnoticed very easily too! The center pin rarely sticks out of them so they do not make contact when connected to certain equipment ports. Sometimes the pins are shorted against the inside of the connector. This is very easy to do if care is not exercised in pushing them on the port. Avoid them. Get good quality "screw-on" types.
Additional facts concerning cables and connectors
Campus Video System supplies you with 3 foot cables when you subscribe to cable TV. If you need additional cables, we recommend purchasing them at Cellular Phone Booth. They are located behind Hardee's at 216 1st Ave. in Coralville. Their phone number is (319) 354-2355. A Coralville bus stop is located nearby. Cellular Phone Booth will make TV cables to length. Their made to length cables are very good quality.
We have found that cables made specifically for DSS satellite dish installations also work very well.
Cheap, pre-made "Blister Pack" cables sold in chain stores generally do not pass the upper channels well. Many times they do not pass any channel well. This is especially the case when the cable is very long. Generally the larger diameter and / or less flexible cables pass signals better than the smaller and / or more flexible cables.
Cable guys and gals use special "crimper" pliers to fasten the connectors to the cable. They also know how to prepare the cable ends properly. Improperly installed connectors cause a majority of reception problems. The old adage "don't attempt to do this at home" applies well here.
Avoid using extremely long cables for short distances. Unnecessary degrading of your cable channels may result.
The following are common problems derived from actual CVS Trouble Reports
We hope this helps you to correct some simple problems with your cable service. Feel free to contact us by calling 335-5898 or if you still have problems, fill out our Trouble Report Form. If you still have other questions or suggestions, send them to cabletv@uiowa.edu.
1. (Free Service Viewers) I can not receive the local Fox or WB affiliates. I get the CBS, ABC, and NBC stations fine.
KFXA -TV channel 28, (FOX) (CVS 41) and KWKB - TV channel 20, (WB) (CVS 16) are not free service channels.They are part of the Basic Entertainment package. A cable subscription is necessary to receive these channels via cable. (Note: CVS Cable does not carry the other local UHF TV Stations such as Ch 15, 39 , 48 and 64)
2. I hooked up the cable box and get nothing but snow on my TV. (or blue screen)
Push the [OFF] button. Then push the [PRG] button.
If you see "nd"...
Your problem is isolated to connections
between the wall and the cable box or perhaps the cable system itself is at fault. This problem does
NOT concern items connected to the OUTPUT of the
cable box.
Try checking your connections
between the wall and the cable box. Refer to the "Connector Problems" information at the start of the troubleshooting section.
Then re-test your cable box as listed above. If "dC" is displayed, you found the problem.
If you see "dC"...
Your problem is isolated to connections and equipment after the
cable box. This problem does NOT concern the items connected
BEFORE the cable box. (The cable signal is reaching the room
or "dC" would not be displayed.)
Your TV and /or VCR may not be tuned to CHANNEL 3. The cable box moves ALL TV channels to CHANNEL 3. Some TVs and VCR's allow you to tune almost ANY channel in on channel 3. Your equipment may not actually receive channel 3 even if a "3" is displayed on the channel selector. Refer to your TV/VCR owners manual for more information about tuning your equipment. (Newer equipment has channel "Auto Programming", which does tune channel 3 in on "3").
If cable still doesn't work, call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
3. Cable channels 14 through 47 are scrambled. Some channels may be gone. All channels are off by a channel number.
Your TV and / or VCR IS NOT tuned to CHANNEL 3.
You ARE tuned to channel 2 or channel 4 on your TV and / or VCR. The cable box puts ALL your TV channels on CHANNEL 3. However there is a little bit of unusable signal on channel 2 and channel 4. There is no reason to tune to these channels. Doing so causes this complaint.
Change your cable box to channel 12. You should have KSUI - FM audio along with Video graphics promoting the IMU. If you have something else, tune your sets tuning to receive the channel previously described.
Helpful Troubleshooting Hint... You may isolate VCR tuning problems to your TV by turning the VCR power off. This effectively bypasses the VCR. If your TV suddenly has proper programming on channel 3, the VCR is not tuned properly.
If cable still doesn't work, call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
4. My remote control doesn't work.
Did you sign up for "Remote Control" Service?
Many people buy universal remotes thinking they will control the cable box without signing up for our "Remote Control" service. The internal sensor of the cable box is turned on or off by our computer. If the service is not purchased, the cable box's remote function will not work even with our own remotes.
Yes, I did sign up and it still doesn't work.
Try using your remote on another friend's cable box who is using our remote control service. If that person's box does work with your remote control, you may have a defective cable box. Call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form.
If that person's box will not work with your remote control, try swapping batteries temporarily. If it works, then you need new batteries. If it still doesn't work, you need a different remote control. Call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
5. Pictures are snowy but everything is viewable.
Change your cable box to channel 12. You should have KSUI - FM audio along with video graphics promoting the IMU. If you have something else, refer to complaint # 3.
If channel 12 on the cable box is as described, Refer to the "Connector Problems" information at the start of the troubleshooting section. Check your connections and try again. If it still doesn't work, Call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
6. My cable box won't change channels.
Push the [OFF] button. Then push the [PRG] button.
You should see "F8" on the display. Now push [+] on the cable box.
If you see
"dC"...
You probably have not had the
cable box hooked up long enough.
Allow up to two hours for your account information to download. If you want to watch free channels now, you may hook the
cable box up at bedtime.
The cable box should receive the download
overnight. Downloads for all accounts are under normal conditions sent continuously however it can take time before your specific download is sent.
If you see
"nd"...
Try checking your connections
between the wall and the cable box. Refer to the "Connector Problems"
information at the start of the troubleshooting section.
If pictures are still snowy, call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
7. TV has No Color. Possibly sound problems.
Your TV or VCR tuner could be mistuned. Try to isolate the trouble using the information below.
Helpful Troubleshooting Hint... You may isolate VCR tuning problems to your TV by turning the VCR power off. This effectively bypasses the VCR. If your TV suddenly has color, the VCR tuner is not tuned properly or the VCR is defective.
Another Helpful Troubleshooting Hint... If you have a VCR, can you play back pre-recorded videos in color? If so, the TV tuning and the TV itself are ok. VCR tuning may not be properly adjusted. If not, TV tuning may not be properly adjusted . TV or VCR may be defective. Adjust the fine tuning on the suspect equipment according to the instruction manual for that equipment. If color is still gone, call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form.
(DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
8. The cable box changes channels or turns off on it's own.
Does it happen at the same time or times each day?
Yes... The cable box's timer feature is probably on. This is how you turn it off...
1. Push [SEL] on cable box. "E1" is displayed.
2. Continue to push [SEL]. Display should indicate current date and time. Length should be 0:00. Enter 0:00 if it isn't.
3. Continue to push [SEL] until E1 shows up again. Push [+]. "E2" should be displayed.
Repeat steps 2 and 3. When "E1" is seen again, push "off". If you noticed a length higher than 0:00 the timer was set. That should have been the problem.
No... If the cable box turns itself off randomly, it is probably defective. Call CVS at 335-5898 for return instructions.
(DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
9. One or a few other channels are not what they are suppose to be. The channel number flashes bright and dim on the improper channels.
Parental Control is turned on.
This is how you turn it off.
1. Push the buttons on the cable box in this sequence...
[PRG] - [AU] - [OFF] - [AU] - [PRG] - [-] - [+] (this corresponds to the sequence of small numbers 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, located on those same buttons)
2. Display will flash between "PC" and the channel it is tuned to. If the parental control for that channel is turned on, the channel number will flash bright and dim as well as interchange with "PC".
3. Use [+] and [-} to find the channels which flash bright and dim as well as interchange with "PC".
4. Push [AU] on each of those channels until all channels flash between "PC" and a steady channel number.
5. Push [OFF] when done.
Each channel should have what it should have now. If you are still having problems, call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. (DO NOT BRING BACK ANY EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIRS UNLESS AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY CVS)
10. I can't reset my cable box's clock for CST / CDT.
That's right!
The clock is set via our computer at CVS. Time changes occur twice a year at 2 am on Sunday mornings. CVS personal do not make special trips in to set the clocks. Unless something else is wrong on Sunday that needs repair, the master clock is reset on the following Monday morning during our normal work shift.
11. The
cable box's clock will not display. OR
I don't want the cable box clock to display. I want the channel number to stay displayed instead.
The cable box clock can be displayed or hidden by doing the following...
Push [OFF]. Then push [SEL] until the clock is displayed if wanted, or not displayed if not wanted. Note that the cable box must have received authorization before the clock will function.
12. I live in temporary housing (a dorm lounge) and want to subscribe to the Basic Entertainment package. (Or otherwise use a cable box in a lounge)
Basic Entertainment channels are not available in the university lounges due to copyright reasons. Thus people living in temporary housing can not subscribe to our services. They can hook up to the wall outlet (if one is available) and receive the Free Service channels (2 through 13 except 8)
13. My TV wall plate is broken.
Do NOT attempt to repair it yourself. call CVS at 335-5898 or fill out our Trouble Report Form. You will not be charged for accidental damages. You may cause damage and reception problems for you and your neighbors if you attempt to do the repair yourself. This could result in damage you would be charged for.
14. I have a computer with TV receiving hardware and software. Will it work on the cable system.
Yes. There is hardware and software available that allows a computer to become a virtual TV set. The board will have an "RF" input on it like on a TV set. Various operational controls will probably be controllable via software. Just hook it up like it were an actual TV and tune the computer's channel select to channel 3 if you have our cable box.
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