12 replies to this topic

[mikeandpat]

First trip in our new Casita- we can not get our TV to work. It will scan the channels but we can go no further. What are we doing wrong?

[Mark Watson]

Did you turn the television amplifier on, if you are using the Casita antenna.? How far are you from the broadcast towers? 

[Hot Toddy]

The antenna in the Casita is very weak, so if you are very from from a TV tower, you will not get a channel. We bought an Omni-directional antenna from Amazon for about $60-$80, and that made a BIG difference. Now, no matter where we camp we always get at least three or four channels. We may not be able to understand three-fourths of them, but the pictures are nice. Also, we switch between scanning for channels with and without the amplifier on. Often while in the same campsite. Sometimes it helps and other times it hinders.

 

Happy camping!

 

Toddy

[Euphoria]

I gave up a long time ago with those OTA antennas, and particularly the ones installed by Casita, (nothing against Casita, but none of them seem to work worth a crap, if it even worked at all.) I bit the bullet and paid the big dollars for a satellite antenna for my trailer. Since I already have Dish TV at home, I just added another receiver box to my account that I just leave in the trailer all the time. It's only a lousy $7 a month extra and I don't have to keep un-hooking one from the house and re-hooking it up in the trailer whenever we go some place. The biggest expense was the satellite antenna of course, but once you have it, you can enjoy the same crystal clear HDTV channels you have at home anywhere you go. We go to places like northwestern Nevada where you are 130 miles from any town (Winnemucca, NV) in one direction and 100 miles in the other as well (Lakeview, OR.) There isn't even cell phone coverage for 75 miles around us much less OTA TV signals. I can't make a cell phone call, but I can get 240 channels on my TV. 

Edited by Euphoria, 07 October 2017 - 01:15 PM.

[NASA42 B]

_{mikeandpat......}

 

_{While I sympathize with Euphoria (and agree re: OTA in more remote areas), there are far better OTA options than Casita's antenna.  Some work rather well in less remote areas.   I had Larry Gamble (Little House Customs) install a King Jack antenna in my unit, and find it totally superior to most others I've had.....including the Winewguard Batwing that I had in earlier trailers).}

 

_Frank  

[mikeandpat]

Thanks to all of you for the responses about the TV problem.  We are back home now, and we won't travel again for a few weeks.  We don't have Dish at home, so we may go see Larry at Little House Customs.  We live only about 35 miles from him anyway.  Didn't know we would miss being able to watch TV, but we did.

 

Mike and Pat

Canton, Texas

[Bill F]

I'm having a problem with the cable side. Hooked up the cable, pushed the button in for cable, scanned for stations, showed 26 digital stations but got no signal when trying to find the stations. Finally plugged the cable directly into the TV and it worked fine. So the thing in the casita has a problem. Do I need to replace it? If so where do I get the thing?

[JerryC]

I'm having a problem with the cable side. Hooked up the cable, pushed the button in for cable, scanned for stations, showed 26 digital stations but got no signal when trying to find the stations. Finally plugged the cable directly into the TV and it worked fine. So the thing in the casita has a problem. Do I need to replace it? If so where do I get the thing?

You should have no button to push if you are connected to a cable tv source.  The button is to turn on the amplifier for your onboard Television antenna.  It should be off for a cable connection.

[Dutchman]

Happiness is having dumped my TV when I bought my Casita.  I'll be glad to explain in more detail, right after these important messages.  

 

Dutchman

[clover]

I dumped the TV and any cable/satellite services 14 years ago. My son is now 16 and has managed to grow up a healthy individual without a television addiction (-:

[Euphoria]

We like it, (Dish Tailgater antenna and TV box,) mainly for sports, news and weather updates. And on those totally miserable days in the PNW, it's nice to have some diversion when you can't be outside without drowning.

[clairemr1]

We like it, (Dish Tailgater antenna and TV box,) mainly for sports, news and weather updates. And on those totally miserable days in the PNW, it's nice to have some diversion when you can't be outside without drowning.

or channel 13/pbs, incredibly great & educational programs ( i especially love travel/nature/history programming as well as dvd movies, many great ones out there to chose from). i watched a fantastic PBS show last night on the history of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,yet another outstanding documentary from our national treasure, Ken Burns & narrated by Peter Coyote. Priceless!

    btw, i just use a batwing antenna i pulled from an old analog tv set up. it sits above the mini blind in the rear window. works great if i'm not too far in the boonies for local stations. i have the cable cord for the rare times i'm camped in a campground that offers cable tv & have a dvd feature as well as 12v option. worked great while boondocking in quartzsite for several weeks for "movie night" i hosted for a couple of gal pals. crackers,cheese, fun times!

Edited by clairemr1, 27 September 2018 - 06:14 AM.

[Mark Watson]

It's now NCAA football season. I'm glad I have a Television. I'm about 16 miles from the Houston Broadcast antenna towers in Missouri City Tx. I get about 30 channels using the Casita antenna and the Casita amplifier. I wonder if it's the close proximaty to the towers and the fact the rear of the Casita is facing the towers which gives such good clear reception? And If the Casita was oriented 90 degees from CW or CCW, would the reception go down the tubes? 

Edited by Mark Watson, 28 September 2018 - 05:29 PM.