Satellite and TV February 02, 2022, 12:50:38 pm My 2002, 26.5 ft. mid bath came with with a factory installed satellite dish and tv antenna. is this stuff worth using or has it been replaced with better simpler technology. the tv does not receive a signal that well even though we have a pretty straight shot at mt. wilson. the 12 V tv has a built in dvd and that is all we use. any suggestions. i would like to watch the news periodically while away. thank you, matt
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #1 – February 02, 2022, 01:06:48 pm Are you the original owner - if so, did the tv antenna work better originally? Otherwise, I have straight shot also from 60 mi away from Mt. Wilson and get 181 channels in the rig. If the rig is new to you, make certain the antenna amplifier button is on (little green LED). If so, then likely an antenna issue, generally with a deteriorated cable from the antenna head to the base. Sometimes the head itself is not working ALL parts available from Winegard.Mobile satellite I am unfamiliar with, but obviously you need an account with the provider. DVDs are bulky and space consuming, and places to rent them on a trip hard to find. I have a small media player with usb input and hdmi out. I carry a tiny portable hard drive with hundreds of movies and tv shows recorded to watch.Steve 2 Likes
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #2 – February 02, 2022, 03:44:04 pm Hi Matt,Does your TV have a digital tuner? If that is the original TV, it may an analog tuner. Even with a digital tuner you need to scan for stations. This is old news to most but thought it worth mentioning.Steve K
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #3 – February 02, 2022, 05:58:36 pm Thank you,That is good information.Matt
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #4 – February 02, 2022, 06:03:33 pm In 2002 LD motorhomes came with an analog TV, basically useless now for over the air reception, which is all digital. And the LD cabinetry can make it difficult to just swap in a digital TV, which are all flat screen in a horizontal format rather than the vertical shape of the old stock LD TV. I believe that an analog TV can still be used for cable reception, say at an RV park that provides a cable hookup. And it might be usable for satellite reception, though that will require a satellite receiver in the motorhome and a subscription to a satellite TV provider like Dish or Direct TV. There is also the possibility of using an analog to digital converter to provide an over-the-air signal to your TV.When we ordered our LD I was somewhat excited about the possibility of watching TV out in the wilderness, say bowl games on New Year's Day in Death Valley. So we ordered a satellite dish as an option, added a satellite receiver (taking the one from home into the LD), etc. And of course we had the over-the-air antenna for that type of reception where available.Today, almost 19 years later, we hardly ever watch TV in the LD and I often leave the satellite receiver at home. We hardly watch it at home either. More programming, less to watch.Nevertheless we still have that gear and on a longer trip I will bring the satellite receiver just in case, especially in the fall for football. The old style crank up dish antenna is a bit of a pain to use but it can be done with practice. There is newer tech available that finds the satellite automatically.If you want some television options I'd suggest:1. Determining what power is available near your TV. When building a LD to include satellite TV, LD usually installed an inverter to convert 12 volt power to 110 volt, with an outlet in a cabinet near the TV, where a satellite receiver could be placed and plugged in and connected to the TV.2. Talking to Dish about connecting a Dish receiver to an analog TV. If that's feasible, which I believe it is, then you could subscribe to Dish and equip the motorhome with a Dish receiver connected to the LD TV and the crank up dish antenna.3. Learn how to aim and use the crank up satellite dish antenna. Lots of online tutorials and Dish can help you. Easiest when the motorhome is level and you know the Zip code of your location to determine aim. With all that you should be able to get whatever programming you've subscribed to anywhere you're parked that has a clear line of sight to the Dish satellites in the southern sky.4. If you want over-the-air television look into a digital-to-analog converter and the feasibility of installing it in the LD. I believe it would require a power source and would install between the LD OTA antenna and the television antenna connection.This can all get rather confusing, requiring some study of manuals or research online. I'd make the first stop your LD manual, which explains a lot of this based on how things were done in 2002. If that doesn't help there are businesses that specialize in RV TV that might be able to assist you.Once you get it working and decide you like it you could then look into some modifications to bring things up to date, such as removing the LD TV and perhaps modifying the cabinetry, to allow installation of a digital flat screen TV, and perhaps removing the crank up dish antenna and using a portable automatic satellite antenna instead. In my experience the OTA antenna that came with our LD works fine for digital reception where it is available so I see no reason to remove or modify that. 1 Likes
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #5 – February 02, 2022, 06:16:52 pm Our 2002 MB came a small analog CRT TV in the back. When the US switched over to digital TV signal broadcasting, we added a digital-to-analog converter box between the antenna and TV. If the TV is a bulky CRT TV, is it likely original and analog unless it has been replaced. There are very few analog TV channels broadcast any more. And as stated above, the antenna amplifier needs to be on for over the air TV (next to TV in our MB). Have you tried the TV on a cable connection? We were tempted to replace the OEM TV with a modern LED flat screen, but didn't want to deal with modifying the cabinetry with the little amount of TV watching we did.Art
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #6 – February 02, 2022, 06:37:14 pm "We were tempted to replace the OEM TV with a modern LED flat screen, but didn't want to deal with modifying the cabinetry with the little amount of TV watching we did."Understandable. I can tell you from experience that those cabinets are a major pain to modify! On the other hand, those old CRT TVs used a lot more power than a modern flatscreen set, so that's something to keep in mind if one watches a lot of TV.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #7 – February 02, 2022, 08:08:26 pm RE: converting the CRT to a flatscreen....Here's what the seller's had done, I think about a year ago or so, at the LD factory. Once we pick it up later this month, I'll let you know how well it functions in terms of a modification. Sorry if this isn't helpful info.Jasonhttps://www.lazydazeowners.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=605
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #8 – February 02, 2022, 08:55:58 pm Quote from: SRQG8 - February 02, 2022, 08:08:26 pmRE: converting the CRT to a flatscreen....Here's what the seller's had done, I think about a year ago or so, at the LD factory. Once we pick it up later this month, I'll let you know how well it functions in terms of a modification. Sorry if this isn't helpful info.https://www.lazydazeowners.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=605Using this method should work fine for installing a much larger TV.TV wall mounts come in a wide variety of sizes and configurations, some available will fit.The TV mount needs a structurally robust base to be bolted to, there is a lot of stress on the cantilever mount.The sidewalls of the existing TV enclosure are stout and can handle a well-designed mounting structure.I'm sure some of the forum's members have undoubtedly already done this and will chime in.Larry
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #9 – February 02, 2022, 09:07:44 pm I did something similar in our old '99 MB. About 10 years ago, I took out the analog TV and VCR (!) and put in a digital TV with a built-in DVD player. Using some 2 x 4's I built a place to attach a telescoping mount for the TV. I remember looking at the back of TV's to see which ones could run off the 12 volt outlet in the cabinet adjacent to the TV. I found several choices. We didn't watch much broadcast TV back then, but the kids liked it. We did watch some DVD's.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #10 – February 03, 2022, 03:58:07 pm Thanks to all. I actually have a digital 19" 12 V flat screen with a built in DVD player. I pulled out the original tube TV and bought a TV at best buy that had a 12 V transformer wall plug. I snipped this plug off and attached a cigarette lighter plug I bought at radio shack. I then bought a telescoping TV mount and projected out from the cabinet onto the TV and it works fine and is out of the way. The satellite dish on the roof was a factory installed and I am questioning that is worthwhile or have other technologies replaced that.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #11 – February 05, 2022, 03:04:34 pm Quote from: Matt Jones - February 03, 2022, 03:58:07 pmThe satellite dish on the roof was a factory installed and I am questioning that is worthwhile or have other technologies replaced that. I expect you could make that sat dish work if you wanted to bad enough. You would have to learn how to aim it. I never learned even tho I paid $1000 for it.I, and I expect most others, use auto aiming dishes for either DirecTV or dish. I use the KVH Tracvision A9 system. Most Directv users use the Winegard Traveler as does Dish, I think. The VuCube and the portable Winegard domes are also used. KVH and King both have dome antennas for Directv and Dish.Our over the air antenna connection went open circuit and we had to parallel another cable which, of course, could not directly enter the roof but went to the roof entry point.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #12 – February 05, 2022, 04:26:44 pm Hi Harry; you said: " antenna connection went open circuit and we had to parallel another cable which, of course, could not directly enter the roof" A few years ago my down lead for the Winegard antenna developed an intermittent short. I cut out part of the ceiling to see what was going on. I drilled out the hole in the roof fitting and fed a new RG-6U cable in. Sealed it from above and underneath. Terminated and spliced it to the RG-59U Cable. It's been good, Looks like it was intentional on the ceiling. I can unscrew it to replace that cable again if necessary, RonBedit: for some unknown reason LDOF wont' attach the photos I have. No they aren't too big. Standard JPG's. edit: The first picture was messed up in my computer. Re-copying it worked.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #13 – February 05, 2022, 05:44:45 pm Quote from: RonB - February 05, 2022, 04:26:44 pmHi Harry; you said: " antenna connection went open circuit and we had to parallel another cable which, of course, could not directly enter the roof" A few years ago my down lead for the Winegard antenna developed an intermittent short. I cut out part of the ceiling to see what was going on. I drilled out the hole in the roof fitting and fed a new RG-6U cable in. Sealed it from above and underneath. Terminated and spliced it to the RG-59U Cable. It's been good, Looks like it was intentional on the ceiling. I can unscrew it to replace that cable again if necessary, RonBedit: for some unknown reason LDOF wont' attach the photos I have. No they aren't too big. Standard JPG's.Gutsy move going through the ceiling! Would like to see the picture if it works in a day or two.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #14 – February 05, 2022, 11:35:43 pm Another try at a picture from 2016: I had to do something, the alternative was to take off the Winegard antenna base on the roof. A lot more work and more chance of introducing a leak. Of course then the inside ceiling would have remained original. edit: I was in the process of updating my original 'batwing' Sensar antenna to a King Jack smaller roof area antenna. Amazon.com: KING OA8300 Jack Replacement Head HDTV Directional Over-the-Air... RonB 2 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #15 – February 06, 2022, 01:40:55 pm I found the King Jack antenna was very poor in receiving VHF signals although it did better than the original batwing for the UHF stations. I guess the lower frequency signals need larger size antenna.
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #16 – February 06, 2022, 05:09:59 pm Quote from: RonB - February 05, 2022, 11:35:43 pmAnother try at a picture from 2016: That came out nice. When the TV cable on the roof disintegrates so far that it cannot be saved, this is the only way to do it.LD staples the TV antenna cable down, preventing the fishing of a new one in.Larry 2 Likes
Re: Satellite and TV Reply #17 – February 07, 2022, 01:20:06 pm Thanks Larry. I remember the cable was glued down with a bent cable and this fitting right as it exited onto the roof. It was anchored as it proceeded back to the TV location (at the back dinnette). Someone at LD had stuck a connector at the outside base casting and I successfully unscrewed it to replace the uplead. But I couldn't screw a new lead back on because there wasn't enough sticking up into that boot at the base (where it should have been). Instead it pushed into the ceiling, and so cutting the ceiling open became necessary. LD could have put in an angle fitting MONOPRICE Audio/Video Adapter: Coaxial, Gold, 2 Ports, F-Type Female, F-Type... along with an extender to go through to the roof base boot, but instead I just got a severely bent cable and this fitting. The bend I'm sure didn't help the characteristic impedance and a Time Domain Reflectometer would have found it. I never had very good TV reception before I cleaned up the wiring. I'll be going Dish Network soon (I hope). RonB
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