Key TV Box

flugelboneman · 03-02-2023, 11:46 AM

Please forgive my harping on this thorny subject again. Just to summarize, my current Key TV Cable box on my 2019 Courgar 27RES has not performed in the manner that is supposed to. I was fortunate enough to have three (3) Shaw Cable techs drop in on me in Victoria BC to try to rectify the situation. In short, when the external cable was hooked into the box there was no signal. If the Key TV box was bypassed and hooked directly into the tv and the cable service, signal was loud and clear. The techs advised me that the Key TV Box was not responding and there were internal problems. I contacted the local Cougar dealer and they have a Key TV replacement box for just over $100.00. My question is: Has Keystone made any improvements in this suspect cable box to improve it. The assessment of the current Key TV box by the techs was that it was not compatable with anything they had ever seen. I dont want to waste the money in purchasing a replacement if the same problems prevail. Opinions please.

grey ghost · 03-02-2023, 12:05 PM

I feel your pain!!! I have a 2020 Keystone Montana 3121RL and the key system never worked right from the get go. I tried everything and the only thing that would work was hooking it up direct so I drilled a hole in the back of the living room slide and ran it direct to my Dish box. I asked the tech at the shop while I had it in getting some other things fixed and he said 90% were hooked up wrong from the factory. Her said he would re-wire it for me. I haven't had it out since he fixed it but will try it shortly. Might ask someone to follow the TV wiring from the outside connection to the inside box. Just a thought.

**sourdough** · 03-02-2023, 05:59 PM

IMO KeyTV was is an attempt to use the module to eliminate the cost of double cabling for cable and sat. This was confirmed by my local service manager. The concept is plausible, the reality is a mess. I believe there are some on this forum and others that like KeyTV. I would not be among them. Mine is bypassed. The dealership did it at my request under warranty since the module just wouldn't work. The SM told me if he replaced it with a new one, which he did, that about 65% of those wouldn't work. I don't use satellite at home or anywhere nor do I watch cable tv anymore unless it's the football national championship so the KeyTV is useless to me. My incoming cable is directly connected to the cable to my main TV and it works flawlessly if I use it.

pawpaw · 03-02-2023, 06:29 PM

Everything was fine with the KeyTV system for the first 5 months I owned the camper. One day it decided to quit. Unhooked and rehooked everything and it worked for a few days and quit again. Local dealer that handles Keystone offered to get me another module since it was still in warranty. Changed it out and still working.

flugelboneman · 03-02-2023, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

IMO KeyTV was is an attempt to use the module to eliminate the cost of double cabling for cable and sat. This was confirmed by my local service manager. The concept is plausible, the reality is a mess. I believe there are some on this forum and others that like KeyTV. I would not be among them. Mine is bypassed. The dealership did it at my request under warranty since the module just wouldn't work. The SM told me if he replaced it with a new one, which he did, that about 65% of those wouldn't work. I don't use satellite at home or anywhere nor do I watch cable tv anymore unless it's the football national championship so the KeyTV is useless to me. My incoming cable is directly connected to the cable to my main TV and it works flawlessly if I use it.

Thx Sourdough and PawPaw. At least your replacements seem to work. I have a call into Keystone to try to see if they have made any changes or improvements in the box, before I shell out for a new one.

LHaven · 03-03-2023, 04:10 AM

It clearly falls into the realm of "absence of evidence not being evidence of absence," but I suspect if Keystone had come out with a version of KeyTV that actually worked reliably, someone would have reported it here... and so far, no one has.

NH_Bulldog · 03-03-2023, 05:07 AM

We have one of the first KeyTV equipped travel trailers. We have never had an issue with it, maybe it’s a unicorn? Since we use a Firestick now for any tv entertainment and Sirius/XM for music, the KeyTV box is unused now. I am willing to pull it out and let it go to the highest bidder……..

LHaven · 03-03-2023, 05:27 AM

But the minute you pull it out, you jinx it.

Catmik · 03-05-2023, 02:27 PM

I noticed on mine that the key tv module consumes power whether hooked to shore power or on batteries alone. The blue light stays on regardless.
Think I will disconnect or install a switch.
Don’t want the draw albeit minimal, if dry camping.

NH_Bulldog · 03-05-2023, 03:14 PM

I believe the power draw at “idle” is very minimal. Certainly nothing I have ever worried about during our extensive amount of boondocking since it is literally a drop in the bucket amongst all of the “phantom” power draws on the system. Although I never use KeyTV it hasn’t worried me enough to bother disconnecting it for the minimal value doing so would provide.

**JRTJH** · 03-05-2023, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flugelboneman

Thx Sourdough and PawPaw. At least your replacements seem to work. I have a call into Keystone to try to see if they have made any changes or improvements in the box, before I shell out for a new one.

If you do get any information from Keystone about upgrades or improvements to the KeyTV box, be sure to get the information on which part number/revision number is the latest.

Ordering a "new box" from your dealership or from Trekwood or from some other source doesn't mean the one they pull off the shelf hasn't been sitting there since 2019, just waiting for someone to send in an order.....

Make sure that if you do order a "new version" that WYSIWYG....

bobbrazie · 03-09-2023, 04:25 PM

I had two fail on my 2021 25rdswe.
I figured out which cables connected to the main TV and the roof antenna and hooked those up to an AB switch and added a new source coax connection to hook either my Dish or park cable TV.
Works like a charm and the signal is stronger I believe.

LenH · 03-23-2023, 02:38 PM

We have a 2020 Passport GT 3351BH with key tv. We had an issue after our 1st trip and found a bunch of poorly installed connectors on the back of the patch panel. I bought some new connectors and used my commercial crimp tool to do it right. No problems since.

pawpaw · 03-27-2023, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LenH

We have a 2020 Passport GT 3351BH with key tv. We had an issue after our 1st trip and found a bunch of poorly installed connectors on the back of the patch panel. I bought some new connectors and used my commercial crimp tool to do it right. No problems since.

It's a shame you have to go back and fix the factory mistakes...glad you did it right.

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