How do I Hook Up a Cable Box to a TV?
By Diane Dilov-Schultheis
Cable companies across the country provide both home and business customers with an alternative to satellite television broadcasts. You can select from a number of programming packages that include local channels, special sports channels, international channels and a number of music and movie channels. In order for a television to display the selected programming, you must connect a cable box to the TV. This is possible with two coaxial cables, or one coaxial and an RCA audio/video cable that has three connectors on it.
Two Coaxial Cables
Step 1
Turn off and unplug the TV and cable box. Place them both near a cable outlet and each other.
Step 2
Hook up one end of a coaxial cable to the cable wall outlet and the other end of this cable to the back of the cable box using the "In" jack.
Step 3
Connect the second coaxial cable to the back of the cable box using the "Out to TV" jack. Connect the other end of this cable to the back of the television using the "In" jack.
Step 4
Plug both the television and cable box into a power source and turn them on to view cable programming.
RCA Cable
Step 1
Turn off and unplug the TV and cable box. Place them both near a cable outlet and each other. Check to see if you have available A/V jacks on both the TV and cable box. These are the red and white audio jacks and yellow video jack.
Step 2
Hook up one end of a coaxial cable to the cable wall outlet and the other end of this cable to the back of the cable box using the "In" jack.
Step 3
Connect one end of the RCA audio/video cable to the back of the cable box using the "Audio/Video Out" jacks. Put the connectors into the jacks of the same color, such as the yellow connector in the yellow jack.
Step 4
Connect the other end of the RCA A/V cable into the back of the television using the "Audio/Video In" jacks in the same manner--matching the cable connector colors to the jacks.
Step 5
Plug both the television and cable box into a power source and turn them on to view cable programming.
References
Warnings
- If you encounter any problems after hooking up your cable box, contact your local cable company for further instructions.
Writer Bio
Diane Dilov-Schultheis has been writing professionally since 2000. She is a food and travel writer who also specializes in gaming, satellites, RV repair, gardening, finances and electronics. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and has been published online at the Travel Channel and Intel.