How to Hook up a TV set to cable with a Cable Box

Why pay to have an installer hook up a cable box when it's such an easy task? If you have an available cable outlet and it's active, you don't need to wait around for a visit from the cable company. Most cable companies can issue a converter box at their payment centers and let you avoid fees for installation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• TV set
• Cable converter
• RG-6 cable line
• 7/16" open-ended or adjustable wrench

1. Locate the existing cable outlet and make sure you have enough cable to reach your TV. Ensure the receptacle is clean (no dust or paint, which cause signal problems) and screw one end of a cable to it. After finger-tightening the connector, you may then use a 7/16" open-end or adjustable wrench to tighten the connector more snugly.

2. Screw the other end of the cable line onto the converter box, in the receptacle marked "CABLE IN." Finger-tighten the connector but DO NOT use a wrench as over-tightening can cause internal problems with the box and can lead to additional charges from the cable company for damaging their equipment.
   
   Once you've connected the converter box to the incoming line, screw a second cable line to the output receptacle (labeled "OUT" or "TV/VCR").

3. (If connecting to a TV only, skip this step).
   
   If using another device such as a VCR or an RF switch for a DVD player or a game console (PlayStation, XBox, etc.), screw the other end of your cable to the INPUT receptacle. Make note of the setting of the switch that toggles between Channels 3 and 4; they must match the output channel used by your cable provider (usually Channel 3, ask them if you don't know). Once the input connector has been tightened (again, DO NOT use a wrench), repeat the process on the output receptacle with another cable.

4. Connect the open cable end to the cable receptacle on your TV set. While most TV sets have one place to connect, some newer ones have two (and sometimes three). If you have more than one receptacle for your cable, make sure it goes into one marked "INPUT." As with the other equipment in previous steps, DO NOT use a wrench or other tool to tighten the connectors.

5. Turn on your TV set and cable converter. Once your TV set is tuned to Channel 3 (or 4 in some areas) you should have a picture. Once you set your remote for the cable TV (refer to the directions that come with it for specifics) you should be able to adjust your volume and change your channels.

Tips & Warnings

• If your cable company does not provide cable lines to hook up your converter, make sure you get RG-6 cable. RG-59 is thinner and can cause problems with reception in digital converters.
• Your cables should come with screw-on ends. Avoid using push-on/pull-off connectors because after repeated use they can lead to signal degradation.
• While using a wrench is perfectly acceptable for the connection on your wall, DO NOT use a wrench to tighten a cable end to a converter box, TV set, VCR or other electronic device. Over-tightening can break the internal connections and lead to degraded signals...and possibly a charge should they need to be repaired.