How to Get Channel 3 on a TV for Cable Viewing

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TV sets sometimes need to be tuned to channel 3 for cable viewing.

To view cable television programming on channel 3 of a TV set, your cable box has to be connected to the TV set using a coaxial cable. If the connection is made using AV cables, cable television programming does not show up on channel 3. If you are connecting the cable box to a high-definition TV set you will likely use an HDMI cable, or component video and RCA audio cables, to make this connection. With these types of connectors as well cable television does not show up on channel 3.

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Step 1

Plug the coaxial cable coming from the cable wall outlet installed by the cable technician into the RF "Cable In" port on the back of the cable box. Twist the screw-on connector, which surrounds the cable's plug, clockwise to secure the cable to the port.

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Step 2

Use another coaxial cable to connect the cable box's RF output terminal, generally labeled "TV Out" or "Out to TV," to the TV set's RF "Antenna" input terminal

Step 3

Connect the cable box to a power source. Turn on the TV and cable box.

Step 4

Aim the TV's remote control at the TV set. Enter "03" on the remote's number pad to set the TV channel to channel 3. If you do not have a remote control for the TV set, continuously press the "Channel Up" or "Channel Down" button on the TV set itself to flip through the TV channels one at a time until you arrive at channel 3. In some instances, if the TV set's channel memory has been programmed to pick up over-the-air broadcast TV signals prior to the cable TV service hook up, you may not be able to get channel 3 by using the channel buttons on the TV set itself. If this is the case, perform the next Step.

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Step 5

Press the TV's "Menu" button to display the menu options. Go into the "Set Up" menu. Select the automatic "Channel Search" option. This will reprogram the TV's channel memory. With cable service now hooked up to the TV, channel 3 should be detected in the channel search operation.

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