racerchaser
Clever, Mo
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Since I know there are some really tech smart folks on the forum I know that I can get some opinions on my ideas.
I just purchased a new 08 Itasca Horizon. It has a mid coach 37 in. LCD HD TV. However, Winnebago left the rest of the equipment and hookups (DVD, Sat in/out, etc.) in the front cabinets. This means that to control the Sat receiver on the front cabinet the cabinet doors have to be left open and the DW is not a happy camper plus it is just dumb. In addition, I just received a replacement DirecTV standard definition DVR to replace one that died. The new DVR has no coax out connection but it does have every other connection known to man. Naturally, the Sat connections are coax in and out.
My idea is to place the DVR under the mid coach TV. Then, directly connect the Sat in to the Sat out with a short piece of coax and set the switchbox to Sat. Next remove the coax input line to the TV and connect it to the newly moved DVR. Then connect the DVR to the TV with one of the many remaining cable options (HDMI, RCA cable, Component, etc.) The one problem this probably causes is the loss of the Sat signal to the other two TVs. And I have probably lost my batwing antenna input.
I have no clue what Winnebago had in mind leaving the connections/equipment in the front cabinets with an HD TV in the middle of the coach. There has to be a better way. This could drive a person to drink.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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Just saw a $19.95 gadget at Ollies that replaced one AA cell with a thingy and it converted your line of sight remote to one that would work thru doors, walls etc.
they also sell one for about $80 that does it right.
bumpy
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Mike Stanbro
Portland, Oregon
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Joined: 06/29/2007
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Here is what I would do: use what is called a "diplexer" to combine the antenna signal with the satellite signal and feed both of them to the TV and satellite DVR using the existing coax cable that runs to the TV from the front cabinet. At the other end, where the TV is and DVR will be mounted, use another diplexer to split the signals back to separate feeds. Diplexers are bi-directional and are used to combine SAT/TV onto one coax and separate SAT/TV from one coax back into two. They work because the frequency of the TV and satellite signals are so far apart they don't interfere with each other. The diplexers are marked with TV and SAT on their terminals so it is easy to hook them up correctly.
Here is a link to a place that sells diplexers:
Diplexers
As you will see they are relatively inexpensive. You will need two.
Hook the source for the satellite and antenna coaxes that go the existing switch box in the front of your RV to one diplexer's SAT and TV terminals. Hook the IN/OUT terminal of that diplexer to the coax that runs back to the TV. At the TV end of that coax, hook that to the IN/OUT terminal of another diplexer and the SAT and TV terminals to the DVR and TV inputs respectively.
If your TV has an HDMI input, connect the DVR to the TV via HDMI. You get video and sound all on one cable and the video is the best it can be.
Oh by the way, to control equipment that is inside of cabinets you can use an "IR Repeater". Here is a link to such a device that I use in my RV:
IR Repeater
This pariticular product is not too pricey. There are others that are really expensive and have more emitters. If you only need four emitters, this one works well.
* This post was
edited 08/20/08 04:09am by Mike Stanbro *
Mike Stanbro
Portland, OR
Crossroads, Paradise Pointe 34CK,
Silverado 2500HD, Dmax, Allison, Crew Cab, 4x4
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JimInMA
Littleton, MA
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Bumpyroad wrote:Just saw a $19.95 gadget at Ollies that replaced one AA cell with a thingy and it converted your line of sight remote to one that would work thru doors, walls etc.
they also sell one for about $80 that does it right.
bumpy
I really think this ^^^^^ is the best type of option for you.
You can either buy a Infrared "relay" which would require you drill a small hole on the cabinet where the equipment is stored and mount an "eye" to catch you remote's signals and retransmit them inside the cabinet or you can buy a gadget that converts your infrared setup to an RF-based remote. Either will get the signals from your remote into the cabinet and to the equipment without needing to leave the door open.
Something like this should solve your problems.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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JimInMA wrote:Bumpyroad wrote:Just saw a $19.95 gadget at Ollies that replaced one AA cell with a thingy and it converted your line of sight remote to one that would work thru doors, walls etc.
they also sell one for about $80 that does it right.
bumpy
I really think this ^^^^^ is the best type of option for you.
You can either buy a Infrared "relay" which would require you drill a small hole on the cabinet where the equipment is stored and mount an "eye" to catch you remote's signals and retransmit them inside the cabinet or you can buy a gadget that converts your infrared setup to an RF-based remote. Either will get the signals from your remote into the cabinet and to the equipment without needing to leave the door open.
Something like this should solve your problems.
yep, $40 and you are there.
Incidently I was all set to buy that $19 jobby, then checked and few if any of my remotes, and none of the new ones, take AAs, they all take AAAs. maybe that is why they were being cleared out at Ollies. 
bumpy
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adondo
Pasco, Washington
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It's easier than even getting an IR repeater. Buy a sat receiver from eBay that has an RF remote. (Radio Frequency type) My sat receiver is down in the basement bay where no IR remote on Earth could ever reach it. I bought a lot of two receivers for $20, and now have two RF remotes. I can control the receiver from 100 feet away. The receiver is in the basement because the King Dome's cable is routed down past the 'fridge.
DTV will send you a free access card, and all you need to tell them is the receiver's model and serial number. You can then install the receiver ANYWHERE in the coach and still control it.
FMCA# F355513. 1997 Safari Continental, 40 foot, 1 slide. Cat 3126B, Allison MD3060. 2000 Durango SLT 4x4 toad with a Blue Ox Aventa II and stopped with a Brake Buddy.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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adondo wrote:It's easier than even getting an IR repeater. Buy a sat receiver from eBay that has an RF remote. (Radio Frequency type) My sat receiver is down in the basement bay where no IR remote on Earth could ever reach it. I bought a lot of two receivers for $20, and now have two RF remotes. I can control the receiver from 100 feet away. The receiver is in the basement because the King Dome's cable is routed down past the 'fridge.
DTV will send you a free access card, and all you need to tell them is the receiver's model and serial number. You can then install the receiver ANYWHERE in the coach and still control it.
but you will have to pay $5 a month for the extra receiver.
bumpy
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adondo
Pasco, Washington
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You're going to have to pay the $5 for the receiver anyway.  If you already do have a working receiver, then just ask DTV for a new card when you get the 'new' receiver from eBay. (You'll need the receiver first because they need the model and serial numbers)
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JimInMA
Littleton, MA
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adondo wrote:You're going to have to pay the $5 for the receiver anyway. If you already do have a working receiver, then just ask DTV for a new card when you get the 'new' receiver from eBay. (You'll need the receiver first because they need the model and serial numbers)
Apparently it is fairly common (around here anyway) for people to just use their Sat. receiver from their house instead of paying the aditional money for a 2nd one (I don't do the Sat. thing so the reasoning behind it either way is entirely lost on me.)
And your solution will work... for the sat system. It won't do anything for any other devices that might be in the same cabinet (like a DVD player).
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