TV Wiring Help

[Dick Simonis]

I've started cleaning up a lot of old and abandoned wiring in the overhead cabinets and found several coax cables that I don't know what to do with.  I figure that some of you have already faced this same problem.

My current (working) configuration is a 32" HDTV in the front and the original Sony (with an RF modulator for digital to analog) in the bedroom.  This has been operational by connecting a coax to the home distribution port on the sat receiver and seems to work OK

There is an outlet in the bay that I've never used.  Ditto with the crank up OTA antennae.

The sat receiver and bluray DVD both connect directly to the TV with HDMI cables.  The Bose also connects direct to the TV with RCA plugs.  On the TV there is one unused HDMI port and one unused coax plug.

Now what I've found in the cabinet behind the TV is a coax labeled Bay TV and another labeled FR TV.  The bay tv is pretty self-explanatory but the FR TV is a bit baffling.  I also have not idea what these would connect to if I did want to use them.

Last in the coax for the park TV outlet in the water bay.  Cable is there but not connected.  I suspect it would go to the coax plug on the TV but I'm not sure it it goes through that multiswhitch box.

Than there is the selector switch box where the curtain control is located with "TV1, TV2, and aux" switches.  To the  best off my knowledge these don't do anything.

Of particular interest is to get the OTA antennae working and the park cable inlet.

Really appreciate any help...wiring diagrams would be wonderful.

Dick

[William Brosam]

ill be tuning in on this also, my OTA upgraded wineguard digital is working, but ill be replacing the rear Tv shortly with a flat panel unit also.

[Edward Buker]

Dick,
The cable connection in the water bay goes to the OTA antenna. If the antenna is "on" the antenna output is fed to the antenna in on the TV. If the antenna is off the cable connection is fed to the antenna in on the TV. When I say on or off I'm referring to a switch of some kind that powers up the OTA antenna amp. Depending on antenna it may be a slide switch and button or just a button. FR TV may be front tv coming from the antenna. Sometimes with satellite systems perhaps an installer omitted connecting an external antenna connection to the TV. You could use a cable extension and a small tv to check what it does when you power up the OTA antenna. Beyond that you could trace it. There are other posts with info on doing that from myself and Gerald that would help. Originally tht switch box would have taken something like a VCR output and sent it to one of the TVs. It may have been removed from the scheme of things with upgrades.

Later Ed

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dick,
I suspect the coax labeled FR TV was originally from the VCR out or the selector switch to the TV. Obviously this is not needed with digital tuners and HDMI inputs. If you haven't already, you may want to go to the Coach Assist page of BAC web..Part 1 of the 2003 Marquis Wiring diagrams is about 5 pages of various entertainment hookups, One is also a patriot diagram. I found them quite accurate and helpful when I er-wired my Contessa TV circuits.
Steve

[Dick Simonis]

Thanks for the replies.  I did find two cables that were for the old Sony VCR and labeled as such..one in and one out.  They were removed and tossed.  I'm suspecting the one labeled FR TV 6 is indeed the one coming from OTA and park cable.  That coax seems to come from the correct direction.

I had the Hopper installed and, much to the surprise of the tech, is working perfectly.  Much better fit in the overhead compartment also.  Today I will hook the cable to the TV and see if the OTA works.  Fingers crossed.

Next step is to pull out the rear Sony and replace it with my left over Visio.  The Visio was originally installed as the front TV but became surplus when I put in the 32".  Once that is working, I call dish and have them come out and install a Joey.  Since we're heading off to Palm Springs Friday, this part of the project won't be done until we return.

[William Brosam]

glad to hear it

[Keith Oliver]

I have been watching this thread, as I have no idea how all those cables behind my front TV work.  

I have had Time Warner modems for internet all winter, and everywhere I have been, there have been issues getting a strong, clean signal over the Park cable, so I have had a long coaxial running in through my driver's window, to avoid all of the splitters and connections, and the likely under capacity cable in the coach.

Ed, am I likely to lose the robust internet I now have, if I attach the park cable to the cable inlet in the water bay?  Then, when it all comes out behind the TV, does the equipment attached to the cable automatically know which part of the signal it can use, so I don't have to unplug anything?  Can I attach the wifi modem down in the storage bay?

[Edward Buker]

My experience with most of the internet feeds has been that they like RG6 cable which we do not have. Our coaches use RG59 and usually there are some splitters, possibly cable reels, and the like involved. If no reel is involved and you could get to the unit that switches between terrestrial antenna and the cable connection in the front of the coach then you have a shot at this working. You would have to disconnect the cable that comes from the bay connection to the front of the coach antenna switch and connect that cable to your modem and try it.

If you could run a new length of RG6U between the storage bay and the outside of the coach in a convenient spot and have that near a plug in you could set the modem up in the basement and it should provide good wifi signal in the coach. That sounds like a good plan to me.

later Ed

[Dick Simonis]

UPDATE:

I connected the cable to the TV, raised the antennae and....Nothing.  Went to the switch box and found both TV1 and TV2 in the VCR position, changed them to "ant" and viola, I now have OTA on the front TV.  Rear TV has a problem with very poor picture and lots of hash that seems to have developed after my voltage spike incident.  Darn, should have put that on my list for the insurance claim.  Oh well, at least I now know the the OTA works.

So for referance:  Those of you with the 2000 era PT the cable marked "FR TV 6" is the OTA.  As soon as possible I'll check it with a cable hookup but that may be awhile unless our spot in Indio has cable.

Yes it is a RG59 beige cable.

[Keith Oliver]

Ed:
thanks.  Running the park cable into the storage bay sounds like the best bet.  then I can go directly onto the modem and avoid all the stuff put in 15 yrs ago that is anathema to good internet now.  Only thing I need to figure out is how to get my Magic Jack phone to work up in the coach when the modem is down in the storage bay.  maybe I'll get a wireless phone.